CHAPTER 168: CHAPTER 151: OATH AND SWORD OF VICTORY

Returning to Ximu Town, Ethan initiated a democratic vote, and the plan to go to the imperial capital was unanimously approved.

But before setting off, they still need to make some preparations, considering the dangers of this trip to the imperial capital, the plan for Old Sen Magical Technology needs to be advanced as soon as possible.

"What exactly is the ’Oath and Sword of Victory’ plan you mentioned?"

Sitting in the electric wheelchair, Rowena held homemade guava juice in one hand and raised the other to ask questions. Since the advent of the electric wheelchair, she has spent every day on it, practically becoming one with the wheelchair, even scolding Ave when she tried to borrow it for research.

—This is my chair!

Rowena proclaimed her sovereignty more than once, taking it into her room every night for fear that someone else might take the wheelchair.

She was completely won over by Ethan’s intelligence and skill, supporting everything he invented, and this sword’s name certainly sounded legendary.

Sister Bi’an listened intently as well. Swords and steeds are the two great loves of knights. Every legendary knight owns an extraordinary sword. Although she named her self-forged musket "Red Rose," its fame was limited and not significant enough to be renowned in history.

Ethan: "I’ve read several biographies of Neseriel Holy Hall Knights these past few days, and each named sword, besides its power, has a mythological story behind it."

"Do you mean that when forging a weapon, we also need to create a story for it?"

Ave fell into contemplation; Ethan always came up with fresh theories.

In comparison, Sister Bi’an’s "Red Rose" indeed lacked legendary quality—a weapon forged after learning from the imperial capital’s great craftsmen? Even in her biography, it might only warrant a single line mention.

"Don’t underestimate stories, especially for knights. A mythological story is of great significance. Think about it, how did His Majesty Henry become a Saint?"

"The Dragon War."

All three spoke in unison. This is common knowledge in the Empire. The young Henry VI slew the dragon causing havoc on the Empire’s border, destroying several villages and towns. He cut off the dragon’s head, like the Dragon Knights of ancient times, ate the dragon’s flesh, drank dragon blood, and became the third Saint with royal blood since the Empire’s founding.

The dragon-slaying story is well-known, with people singing his praises, children aspiring to be heroes like him. During this period, the Neseriel Sanctuary also experienced another renaissance.

People widely believed that the Empire, led by the Dragon Slayer Warrior, was about to return to the Golden Era.

"’Balmung,’ that’s the name of Henry VI’s sword, meaning ’Dragon Slayer’ in the ancient language of Neseriel Sanctuary. In the book ’The Dragon War,’ His Majesty Henry’s knight legion was once driven into a desperate situation. Hundreds died under the dragon’s breath. To prevent further destruction of the town, His Majesty personally led an elite knight order to lure the dragon into the mountains, where he heard the echo of the Knight Lord, guiding him to a relic deep within the mountains."

Ethan recounted the story he read over the past two days.

Sister Bi’an knew this story well and blurted out, "His Majesty found ’Balmung’ in the relic."

"As if he received the approval of the Knight Lord, personally handing him the Holy Sword."

Ethan nodded, "Afterwards, it was only natural that His Majesty used Balmung to cut off the dragon’s head... In fact, every Saint recorded by the Neseriel Sanctuary has a similar story."

The stark contrast lies in Sister Bi’an’s experience.

In reality, Sister Bi’an was awarded the Tier Four Knight medal by the Neseriel Sanctuary at an age younger than Henry VI and did not fall short of the legendary knights in history. Everyone once held high hopes for her. However, in the following decade, she remained stuck at Tier Four, unable to advance further.

Sister Bi’an accepted this frustrating fact.

From Tier Four to Tier Five is an insurmountable barrier between mortals and Saints. Most people cannot cross it in their lifetime, and even the geniuses, in others’ eyes, are no exceptions.

Not everyone can, like Ethan, read for two years in a small town and suddenly have enlightenment to leap across.

On the "Theory of Species," everyone except Ethan agreed on this.

Only Ethan himself believed he was human.

"Sister Bi’an, what do you think is the real difference between you and those legendary knights?"

Ethan suddenly asked.

Sister Bi’an had gone through countless battles, from offensive and defensive wars at the border to expeditions to the Eastern Continent. Before returning to the imperial capital for conferment, her life was spent in battle. She had experienced the paths of every legendary knight and possessed courage and character no less than theirs.

Sister Bi’an pondered for a long time, bewildered, "Talent, and experience?"

In fact, she had thought about these questions but found no answers.

"It’s not that. What you truly lack is a story sung by the people."

?

This was another wild statement from Ethan.

Even Rowena, who knew nothing about the knight’s path, felt that this conclusion sounded odd—relying on a good story to rise to Saint? Is this a theory a normal person would propose?