Chapter 17
I was in the middle of walking towards Julian, who had a stiff expression.
“T-Tactician Killian!!”
Hector rushed over in a hurry, pushing his large body forward.
“What is it?”
Taking the place of the hesitating Hector, Huan, who followed behind, spoke up.
“This guy, unlike how he looks, has a soft heart. Can you believe he can't even meet the eyes of a passing woman?”
“Sh-shut up!”
“Listen to your big brother, you bandit-like oaf.”
“Who are you calling a bandit, you stingy-looking thing!”
“……”
Killian quietly watched Hector and Huan bickering.
It wasn't a sight to be shown in front of a superior, but unlike before, a sense of caution was laced in their speech.
“You are in front of the Tactician. Show some courtesy.”
Jesse, who approached a step later, said so and stepped forward.
“Tactician, I hope you won't look upon Vice-commander Xenon too unfavorably.”
Hector and Huan, who had been exchanging idle talk, also nodded with serious faces.
“Ahem. It's just that the vice-commander was careless; he is the most skilled knight in the order.”
“If he had known how great the Tactician's skills were, the vice-commander would have acted differently.”
The three centurions defended their vice-commander with the utmost courtesy.
‘Unexpected.’
The three Centurions and two Decurions I faced today. They were all former mercenaries.
Most mercenaries are rough in nature and their words and actions are also frivolous.
On the other hand, Xenon Hertz, even if from a small family, was a noble of the frontier. There was no reason for them to show this kind of attitude.
‘Did they learn chivalry late? No, I should see it as the vice-commander being that well-respected.’
Either way, it wasn't a bad sight.
Now was a time when every single talented person was precious, so I had no intention of making the vice-commander a scapegoat to strengthen my position.
“I will have a separate meeting with the vice-commander later.”
At the immediate reply, the faces of the three centurions brightened.
“I'll kick this Hector fellow's ass for the vice-commander's share!!”
“What, you bastard?”
“Thank you, Tactician Killian!”
“If you're done talking, go back and proceed with the schedule. I have something to discuss with the commander.”
The three centurions, after offering a sword salute full of loyalty, mixed in with the knights and began to shout.
Soon, the knights split into three formations and dispersed.
“You've had a noisy initiation ceremony.”
The face of Julian, who approached, was not good.
“It is all thanks to you, brother. Let's return to the reception room for now.”
“To the reception room? The commander's office is nearby. Wouldn't it be better to see your spot while you're here?”
Killian shook his head.
“There are many watching eyes. Let's go to the reception room to talk.”
“Alright…… I understand.”
Leaving the shouts of the knights resuming their training behind them, the two quietly left the training ground.
***
While returning to the reception room, the gazes and voices of the servants were vividly felt.
They probably thought I couldn't hear them, but I was Killian, who constantly circulated Mana within my body.
My activated five senses were receiving information from the surroundings at a much higher level than ordinary people would think.
“……”
I looked at Julian walking side by side with me.
His face was still stiff, just like when we left the training ground.
‘He must have a lot on his mind.’
He tried to show off the commander's authority, only to be humiliated instead.
On the other hand, I had been recognized for my position by defeating the vice-commander and the centurions, accomplishing in less than a few hours what Julian had failed to do for years.
It would be strange if his pride wasn't hurt.
‘This guy needs to start growing up too.’
Until now, he might not have realized it, being coddled by Emma Eurasia, but the situation had changed now.
To survive the competition for the family headship, he had to become stronger.
The two men entered the reception room, receiving sword salutes from the guards.
Rhodos, who had been absent before, was startled and bowed his head low.
“F-Fourth Young Master, what brings you here……”
“Been a while, has it?”
“……”
At the friendly greeting, Rhodos lowered his gaze.
It was because fear had been imprinted on him after a minor scuffle.
“……”
Julian's expression, who was watching, darkened even more.
“Rhodos, bring some tea.”
“No, there's no need for that.”
When Julian ordered his chamberlain, Killian stopped him.
“You said you had something to say?”
“Did I not say it? Knights speak with their swords.”
“What……”
Recalling the previous experience, Julian couldn't hide his flustered expression.
“Chamberlain Rhodos, you may leave. Don't let anyone into the reception room until my brother calls for you.”
“Ah, I…… th-that……”
Rhodos stuttered, glancing at Julian.
If he left like this, he would have no way of knowing what was happening inside.
What if Killian harbored intentions to harm the young master?
He would have no choice but to be beaten one-sidedly.
While he hesitated, Killian paid him no mind and met Julian's eyes.
“One month until the subjugation. I plan to personally teach the knight order and you, brother.”
“……!!”
Julian let out a shallow breath.
Judging from his performance at the training ground earlier, Killian clearly had a talent not only for personal martial prowess but also for teaching.
However.
“Me too……?”
“You're the commander in name, but it's difficult to lead the knights at just the 2-star level.”
“Even so, being taught by you is……”
“Don't worry. After a few corrections, it seems possible to reach the mid-3-star level before the subjugation.”
“What?”
Julian's eyes, which had been full of disbelief, wavered.
He was stuck at the end of the 2-star level, having fallen into a slump.
Yet, to mention not the entry of 3-star, but the mid-3-star level?
“There's no way that's possible in a month……”
“Do you think it's impossible?”
Julian's mind became complicated.
‘Given what he showed the centurions earlier, it might not be entirely impossible……’
The two emotions of hope and fear mixed in his mind.
“I heard that one must be at least 2-star to survive in the Kurt Mountain Range. At the entrance, we might be able to push through with overwhelming numbers, but the deeper we go, the higher the chances of encountering high-level monsters. You are aware of this, right?”
“O-of course.”
“Then you must also be aware that with our current strength, we'll be struggling just to survive, let alone achieve any merits.”
To build definite merits, one had to slay high-level monsters.
For the Blue Knight Order, which didn't have many 3-star knights, the chances of struggling in the subjugation were high.
“Don't tell me you were planning to use me to slay high-level monsters?”
“……”
“……”
Judging by his reaction, it seemed so.
Killian shook his head.
“That's not acceptable.”
Of course, with Killian's skill, he could easily hunt down 4-star monsters. If he coordinated with the knights, it wouldn't be impossible to hunt multiple 5-star monsters either.
But if that happened, it would become Killian Eurasia's personal hunt, not the knight order's subjugation.
‘The way the members looked at Killian was already unusual.’
Even Miller, who had maintained neutrality as a guest instructor, showed favor.
If I couldn't reach 3-star soon, I might completely lose control of the knight order.
“Young Master……”
Rhodos, who was watching, spoke with an anxious voice.
He conveyed his thoughts with an uneasy gaze, as if saying the Fourth Young Master's words should not be blindly trusted.
“Chamberlain Rhodos, my brother Julian is speaking with me right now.”
Rhodos fidgeted and lowered his eyes.
Julian's deliberation also didn't last long.
“Leave us, Rhodos. I have something to discuss with the tactician myself.”
“But……”
“Rhodos, did you not hear my brother's words?”
“Y-yes, sir!!”
Rhodos bowed his head deeply and left the reception room.
Killian took out two wooden swords from the display case.
Beginner's training swords. Among the items in the reception room, they were the most basic form of wooden swords.
“Envelop your sword in Mana.”
“Are you trying to approach this from the basics? You must think I'm a fool.”
Julian had been receiving guidance on Mana breathing techniques and secret sword arts from a 5-star knight belonging to the merchant guild from time to time.
It was the Matriarchs' judgment that one needed to witness the martial prowess of high-level individuals to advance to the next stage.
‘I must look pathetic.’
Julian, chewing on his humiliation, shook his head.
“I know the basics are important. That doesn't mean I've neglected my training……”
“Envelop it in Mana.”
Julian's face contorted as he flinched at the sudden informal speech.
“Do not treat me on the same level as those mercenaries.”
“But it's also a fact that you're worse than them. The respect of knights comes from skill.”
“I've only stagnated for a moment. Becoming 3-star is just a matter of time……”
“You're all talk.”
“Keuk……”
Since when did this start? It felt like I became a child whenever I stood in front of Killian.
Julian, after mulling over his situation for a moment, infused Mana into the training sword.
Ssssss.
A bluish Mana shimmered on the wooden sword.
Killian quietly observed Julian's Mana for about a minute.
‘Not as bad as I thought.’
There was a slight tremor, but it was generally maintained smoothly. At least, his Mana proficiency was superior to the three centurions he faced today.
Yet, he couldn't advance to 3-star.
It wasn't difficult to figure out the cause.
“A lack of real combat experience.”
“……”
Julian's eyebrow twitched.
“I've had countless duels using a real sword. I've even been evaluated as being better than a 3-star knight in terms of swordsmanship alone.”
My combat experience is not inferior to others.
Julian protested, mentioning a duel where he defeated a 4-star knight after a chaotic fight.
“You've never even had a duel where your life was on the line.”
“What……?”
“With the Matriarchs watching over you so fiercely from behind, how could anyone possibly injure that precious body of yours.”
“That's……”
“I understand you fell into a slump after being defeated by me.”
“……”
“There's nothing to be ashamed of.”
Falling into a slump was a sign that one had begun to doubt their own swordsmanship.
“In other words, it means you can advance to the next stage just by overcoming it.”
Julian's head nodded on its own.
Listening to Killian's words felt as if something in his head was breaking and he was growing.
Being spoken down to was no longer important.
“I-I see…… But when you say a duel where life is on the line, are you talking about a fight with real swords?”
“Real swords are still too early. It's like this.”
Smack.
The casually swung wooden sword struck Julian's shoulder.
It wasn't imbued with Mana, but it was strong enough to inflict pain.
“Keub……. What is this?!!”
“It has to be at this level to create tension.”
“You bastard, really……”
Smack.
The wooden sword, swung again, struck Julian's leg.
It was an attack accelerated by momentarily infusing it with Mana. There was no way for the defenseless Julian to block it.
“Keuk……!! You son of a……”
Smack.
This time, the waist.
Since neither was wearing armor, the sensation of being hit by the sword was vivid.
Smack. Head.
Smack. Shoulder.
Smack. Knee.
Smack. Foot…….
Just as he was about to attack the knee this time.
Clack.
Julian barely managed to swing his wooden sword and block the attack.
Even instinctively creating distance.
“Not a bad response.”
“Bullshit……. Right, you must have set a trap to torment me.”
“You keep saying strange things that hurt my feelings. Well, you'll soon find out what it means to put your life on the line.”
“I won't go down so easily……”
Julian's face, who was about to shout, hardened.
It was because the stance Killian took was familiar.
With both feet planted on the ground, he expanded the muscles of his lower body as if he would spring out at any moment.
‘D-don't tell me……!!’
As expected.
“First Flash.”
At the thrust-out sword.
Crack.
A gruesome sound followed.
“Keoheok……”
Julian floated in the air, vomiting blood.