“Krrrrooooo!”

The giant monsters charged straight at Ian, trampling everything in their path. Those unaffected by Patience tore through the battlefield, leaving destruction in their wake.

“Aaargh!”

“Take cover!”

“We can’t stop them… Aaargh!”

Thud!

Despite the desperate efforts of As’s elite soldiers, they were utterly powerless against the monstrous force. One after another, they were flung into the air, their resistance proving futile. Watching this, As shouted in alarm.

“Dodge, benefactor!”

But Ian did not respond. With his hands clasped together, he remained still, eyes closed.

Panicked, Nathan cried out.

“Your Highness!”

Seeing Ian motionless, Nathan hastily tossed Ceres—whom he had been carrying—aside and drew his sword. He was determined to protect Ian at all costs. However…

‘No… I won’t make it in time!’

No matter how fast he ran, the monsters were faster. At this rate, Ian would be struck down before he could even react. At that very moment, Nathan’s eyes flashed.

Flash!

Simultaneously, his heart pounded louder than ever before.

Thump-thump!

‘Faster! I have to move faster! I must save His Highness before the monsters reach him…!’

As if his body had transformed into light, his speed suddenly surged. In the blink of an eye, he was right beside Ian.

‘I’ll stop them somehow. Even if it costs me my life.’

Nathan raised his sword, prepared to strike at the speed of light. But before he could land a blow—

Flash!

A blinding light burst forth, engulfing everything in its radiance.

“What is this!?”

Caught off guard, Nathan was momentarily blinded and froze in place. The brilliant light emanating from Ian spread in all directions, dazzling even the soldiers. But something even more astonishing was happening.

“Huh? The monsters… stopped?”

“What on earth…?”

The monstrous creatures charging toward Ian suddenly halted mid-motion. Nathan and the soldiers, having recovered their vision, could only watch in stunned silence. But that wasn’t all.

Fsssh…

The monsters crumbled into ash, disintegrating as though they had never existed.

“Good heavens…”

“The… the monsters are gone!”

The soldiers stood frozen, overwhelmed by the sight before them. But Ian, the one who had made it happen, simply smiled.

***

Whoosh…

The battlefield was silent. The monsters had been reduced to dust. The assassins who had been sacrificed returned to their original forms, their lifeless bodies now strewn across the ground.

At the sight, the helmet trembled for a moment.

[In… incredible. To wield that power so effortlessly…]

‘Why would it be difficult?’

At Ian’s indifferent response, the Helmet cried out in exasperation.

[Of course it’s difficult! That power… it’s not something anyone can wield properly.]

‘Not even the First King?’

[Ye… Yes. Even the first king had a particularly hard time with it.]

For once, the Helmet didn’t even scold Ian for casually referring to the First King. It was simply too overwhelmed.

The power Ian had just used was one of the Seven Virtues—Compassion. But it had never been used in such a way before.

[Compassion is meant to be an act of mercy—a kindness toward others.]

The First King had only ever used Compassion for healing. He had saved countless lives, but each time, he suffered great pain in return.

But Ian was different.

[To think… you actually used Compassion to kill those monsters.]

He hadn’t just slain them—he had erased their very existence, reducing them to nothing. Yet, the assassins who had been offered as sacrifices had been restored to their original forms. It was unthinkable.

Even more shocking, Ian showed no signs of suffering any side effects. Instead, he smirked.

“That’s just my version of Compassion.”

[What…?]

“To make sure they wouldn’t die as monsters, I killed them myself. Neatly and cleanly.”

[…]

For a moment, the Helmet was at a loss for words.

[Killing as an act of kindness? That’s… a unique perspective.]

Not even the First King had ever considered such an approach. And Ian—who carried memories of a past life—was beyond comprehension. The Helmet couldn’t help but feel shaken.

But Ian paid it no mind.

‘And there are aftereffects.’

[Are you feeling unwell?]

‘No. But I don’t think I can use it for a while. The power consumption was too great—it fell asleep.’

He wasn’t joking. Having expended its strength, Compassion had entered a dormant state, throwing the balance between the Seven Virtues and Seven Sins into disorder once again. Ian would have to refrain from using his abilities for the time being.

The Helmet muttered under its breath, making sure Ian wouldn’t hear.

[So… the only drawback is that he can’t use it for a while?]

It had almost no consequence at all. No, rather than a limitation, the Helmet began to wonder—

[Could this be… the true way to wield Compassion?]

But that wasn’t the most pressing issue right now.

[A person who has been betrayed by someone they trusted shouldn’t think like this… Just who is this guy?]

[‘Could he truly be the reincarnation of the First King? No—judging by the way he wielded the Seven Virtues and Seven Sins, he might have even surpassed him.’]

The Helmet knew such thoughts bordered on blasphemy, yet it couldn’t stop them from creeping in. But more than anything, there was a shift—a change in sentiment.

And as if in response—

Woong woong!

A faint cry of Faith resonated. Not just Faith, but also Patience and Compassion.

Thud! Thud!

Ian’s ring pulsed.

The remaining weapons of the First King stored within it reacted as if truly astonished by Ian’s actions.

Unaware of this, Ian approached Ceres.

“You wouldn’t have died from just this much, right?”

But Ceres, still collapsed on the ground, could only glare in disbelief.

“H-how… How is this even possible…?”

He couldn’t trust his own eyes. What he had just witnessed defied reason. His shock deepened because he knew exactly what those monsters were.

“My masterpiece… These creatures were supposed to serve Lord Leon’s grand plan…”

They weren’t mere monsters. Created through the sacrifice of his own subordinates, they were powerful tools meant to aid in the conquest of the continent using the power of the Seven Sins. Yet, in an instant, they had crumbled—erased by Ian’s single prayer.

True humiliation swept over him. And then, a shadow loomed over his head.

“What was it you said earlier?”

Ian smirked. “That I’d meet the Reaper?”

With his lips curled into a mocking grin, Ian Kaistein stood over him.

Ceres, now enraged, shouted, “You—You bastard!!”

He struggled to rise, but his body refused to obey. The impact from when Nathan had tossed him—especially with the arrow still lodged in his body—had left him unable to move. He could only wriggle helplessly.

Ian, unfazed by his anger, coldly issued an order.

“Sir Nathan. Take care of him.”

“Ye… Yes? Me?”

Nathan stammered, caught off guard. Moments ago, he had been on the verge of some kind of awakening while attempting to protect Ian—only for that moment to be abruptly cut short. And now, in his state of confusion, Ian had just given him a direct command.

Ian reiterated, “Use whatever means necessary. Get every detail about Leon from him.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

Almost instinctively, Nathan found himself responding with formal respect. As he stepped toward Ceres, he barely managed to compose himself.

Upon seeing this, Ceres writhed and shouted, “Don’t make me laugh! Do you think I’d ever betray Lord Leon?!”

Gritting his teeth, he made a desperate decision. Even if his body was immobilized, he still had one option left. With sheer determination, he forced his mouth open.

A hidden poison pill.

He was fully prepared to end his own life before spilling any secrets.

But just as he was about to bite down—

Crack!

Nathan’s fist slammed into Ceres’s mouth.

The impact was so fast and powerful that Ceres’s teeth shattered and flew out.

“Gaaah!!”

His desperate attempt at suicide was thwarted in an instant.

Nathan, however, blinked in confusion.

“Huh?”

He had thrown that punch in a rush, yet—something felt different.

“I… I’ve gotten faster?”

He hadn’t thought he could move any quicker than before. Yet, with just a light motion of his arm, his fist had already connected with Ceres’s jaw, knocking out his teeth.

Something had undeniably changed within him when he had moved to protect Ian. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

Nathan, sweating slightly, asked, “I knocked out his teeth in the heat of the moment… Was that okay?”

Ian, unbothered, replied, “Of course. If necessary, pull them all out. Just make sure he stays alive long enough to talk.”

Nathan’s lips curled into a smirk. “In that case, no need to hold back anymore.”

He hoisted the fallen Ceres and firmly clamped his hand over the man’s mouth, ensuring he had no other tricks up his sleeve. Then, leaning in close, he warned him:

“Try anything like that again… and I won’t just take your secrets—I’ll take everything you have left.”

But Ceres had already fainted. There would be no response.

Nathan, looking rather pleased with himself, prepared to take him away when Ian suddenly spoke.

“Sir Nathan?”

“Yes? Is there something else?”

“It’s just… He’s the eldest son of the lord you once served. Are you okay with this?”

Nathan blinked before letting out a disbelieving chuckle.

“…You’re asking that now?”

They had fought Duke Garcia’s forces countless times already, and only now was Ian bringing it up?

Shrugging with a carefree grin, Nathan answered, “I was just a paid soldier. That’s all.”

“That’s it?” Ian raised an eyebrow.

“Of course. Loyalty never suited a guy like me, anyway.”

The only reason he had ever joined Duke Garcia’s ranks was because of Galon—and to avoid an arranged marriage with the First Princess. He had never felt true allegiance to the Garcia family.

“Besides, I had a bit of a grudge against this guy…”

As the heir to Duke Garcia, Ceres had always been arrogant, constantly nitpicking and looking down on Nathan.

Hearing this, Ian chuckled. “So, you held a grudge just because he was picky? That’s very much like you, Sir Nathan.”

Nathan laughed. “Hahaha! Is that a compliment?”

“You decide.”

Nathan pouted but didn’t argue. He simply adjusted his grip on Ceres and prepared to take him away.

At that moment, As and his soldiers approached.

“Benefactor, thank you for your hard work.”

Ian waved a hand dismissively. “It was nothing.”

As shook his head. “No, it wasn’t. Those monsters… that man… You saved us once again.”

A moment of awe flickered across his face before it was replaced with relief. He couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.

‘To eliminate those monsters in a single moment… And to think that someone like that is on my side.’

That wasn’t all. Thanks to Ian, not only had they eliminated the assassins, but they had also uncovered all of the First Imperial Princess’s spies. With the intelligence gained, they could now track down and wipe out the remaining forces.

This was an opportunity.

As clenched his fists, already planning his next move. ‘If I use this chance well, my siblings won’t be able to ignore me anymore.’

Excitement filled his expression, and for a moment, he looked as if he wanted to embrace Ian. But Ian casually sidestepped him.

“It’s not over yet. This is just the beginning.”

“Of course.”

“First, let’s clean up the battlefield. We can’t leave any traces behind.”

“I’ll have my soldiers handle it immediately.”

As hurried to give orders, ensuring that no information would be leaked to the other factions that were likely monitoring the situation.

Meanwhile, Ian dusted off his hands and stretched slightly.

“Well then. We’ve captured Ceres. Time to move.”

Their next destination: Cantum’s Imperial City, where Ian’s sister, the Second Princess, was waiting.

T/N: I’m not sure if it’s the author’s error or not. About the second princess rather than the first. Let’s see what happens later.

Other knights were already infiltrating different regions, carrying out their own missions. Ian planned to wrap things up swiftly—before Leon even realized that he had lost Ceres.

But before that, there was still something else he had to take care of.

“Leaving like this wouldn’t do, would it?”

Ian leaned in and whispered to As.

“I think it’s time.”

The commotion had roused the entire castle—soldiers, officials, and castle residents were wide awake, their attention fixed on the scene. Some of the officials were already approaching with puzzled expressions. At that moment, As, as if he had been waiting for this very cue, unsheathed his sword.

“Hear me!” As’s voice rang out. “As the Seventh Prince and Lord of Santamo, I make this declaration!”

“Salute!”

Not only the soldiers cleaning up the aftermath, but also the approaching officials and nobles, immediately knelt down.

As turned toward Ian and proclaimed, “From this moment forth, this man shall serve as my Supreme Commander! Respect and follow him as you would me!”

Then, in a symbolic gesture, he extended his sword toward Ian. Entrusting one’s sword was more than mere words—it signified that not only Santamo, but all of As’s forces, were now under Ian’s command.

Gasps filled the air. The officials and nobles were stunned, their protests immediate.

“T-This is outrageous!”

“Your Highness, are you truly handing over military command to an outsider?!”

“You must reconsider, Seventh Prince!”

To them, Ian was just a young man—perhaps in his early twenties at most. Placing the fate of Santamo’s army in his hands seemed reckless. Many of them hadn’t even witnessed the battle that had just unfolded.

But then—

“I will vouch for him.”

A voice cut through the murmurs.

“Lord Sang?!”

The shock rippled through the crowd.

“Even you…?”

Sang, the man who shared command over Santamo alongside As, had spoken. His endorsement alone shifted the atmosphere. As seized the moment.

“This man saved me and has protected Santamo time and time again. Who else could have accomplished such feats?”

His voice carried an air of finality, allowing no room for doubt.

“He is the one who uncovered the spies of the Second Prince and the First Imperial Princess. He has saved your lives. Every one of you owes him a debt.”

He let the weight of his words sink in before continuing.

“And yet you question his worth? Simply because of his age?”

The tension in the air shifted. The nobles exchanged uncertain glances. The news of the battle, the miraculous victory, and now the unwavering support of both As and Sang—there was little room left for argument.

As held legitimacy, and Sang held real power. Defying them now was not an option.

As turned back to the crowd and declared, “With our Supreme Commander leading the way, I shall take my rightful place at the forefront of the imperial succession war!”

Until now, As had remained in the shadows, avoiding the dangers of court intrigue. For him to make such a bold declaration now—it was clear that Ian was the driving force behind it.

The gathered officials and nobles turned their gazes toward Ian.

‘But… this isn’t bad.’

‘He’s young, but his strength is undeniable. Even if his origins are unclear… If he were truly a spy, he would have eliminated Prince As long ago.’

‘And if the prince ascends the throne…what will happen to us? Could we become the subjects of the new emperor?’

Their skepticism slowly transformed into something else—hope. The sheer magnitude of what Ian and As had accomplished in just a few days had left an indelible impression.

Then, one by one, the officials and nobles lowered their heads in deference.

“We will follow the Seventh Prince and the Supreme Commander.”

“May all be done according to Your Highness’s will.”

With that, their allegiance was sealed.

Ian took the sword from As’s hands.

“Don’t worry. I won’t disappoint you.”

As met his gaze, sincerity burned in his eyes. “I believe you.”

Ian smiled. Everything was falling into place.

‘Now, all that remains is leading the troops to the Imperial City as Supreme Commander.’

His eyes turned toward the distant horizon—the direction of Cantum’s Imperial City.

Where Leon awaited.

Author's Thoughts

📚 Hey! Check Out My Newest Series:

🌬️ The F‑Rank Guild Master Has Too Much Money

🔗 https://readhive.org/series/122683/

🌀 The Way to Save the Crazy Returnees

🔗 https://readhive.org/series/122689/