Chapter 98
[Quest: Spider Subjugation War]
Looking at the quest window that appeared before my eyes, I drastically revised my thoughts about the group of 800 knights I had begun to find troublesome.
There were no better helpers for wiping out those Tarantula bastards than a large group of knights.
‘They’re good friends.’
As someone who had always faced dozens or hundreds alone, the thought that watching the enemy get wiped out while I just observed was quite nice passed through my mind.
Maybe creating a knight order wouldn't be so bad.
As a Free Knight with no great debts or favors owed, focusing solely on survival didn't necessitate a knight order.
But looking around now, the situation had changed significantly.
Anyway, although the 800 cavalry fought well, there was one element of concern.
The Five-Legged Mask wielding a greatsword.
All those wearing masks with legs had been Master-grade swordsmen.
And the spider mask with five legs there also appeared to be a high-level Master-grade swordsman.
The thought that entered my mind the moment I saw him was curiosity.
Just how high a level had I reached now?
Only after becoming a Master did I begin to realize how many strong individuals existed in this world.
Because not everyone revealed themselves.
Some individuals didn't show themselves to the world even after reaching the level of Master.
Comparing myself now to the moment I first used aura, wasn't there a huge difference?
Even several Karls from that era probably couldn't handle the current me.
Hooeup.
The clash between Leslie and the Mask entered my vision.
The next moment, I protected Leslie by firing a golden, shining crescent of aura at the Five-Legged Mask.
“Uwaaaaaaaaah!”
The bastard roared in fury, raising streams of black aura.
A very inefficient use of aura.
The greatsword, used without considering the quality or efficiency of the aura, didn't seem threatening to me at all.
The Five-Legged Mask, having approached closely, launched his body into the air and then exploded all his aura as he descended.
Black aura, easily seeming 5 meters wide, surged around his greatsword.
Its width was so absurdly large that it had the momentum to tear apart everything nearby upon landing.
I simply raised the density of my aura to the maximum, imbued Léctio with it, and swung lightly.
“…!”
Unlike the Five-Legged Mask’s aura, which was so enormous it seemed to drip down around him, the aura coating my sword was no different in size from the sword itself.
However, my aura precisely split that massive black aura in half and cut down the Five-Legged Mask standing behind it.
“How…?”
The moment that single word escaped his lips, the Five-Legged Mask’s head rolled onto the ground.
The scene created by the two was so unrealistic that even those nearby momentarily stopped in their tracks.
Even though their leader was dead, the remaining 300 Spider Masks showed no intention of fleeing and resisted until the very end.
The Alcantara Knights, along with the Holy Knights and mercenaries, fought fiercely against the Spider Masks until the last, and the battle finally ended only after all their heads had fallen.
My heart, which hadn't felt so heavy when the initial 800 knights faced them, sank heavily.
The battlefield wasn't just littered with the corpses of Spider Masks.
Among the mixed dead, several were faces I recognized.
There were those who had sought my teachings, and those with whom I had shared drinks.
***
Because it was completely unexpected damage, the atmosphere after the battlefield was cleared was somewhat heavy.
[Quest: Spider Subjugation War Complete.]
[Archery Mastery is given as a reward.]
Although the quest completion window popped up, I focused on helping clean up the battlefield.
I hadn't expected the damage to be this severe when they fought alongside me.
Silently, I waited until all the bodies were collected, then clasped my hands and offered a prayer.
Everyone followed my lead, observing a moment of silence for the dead.
Founding a knight order was a matter to reconsider.
Because I didn't wish for anyone to die for my sake.
I stood there like that for a long time, praying quietly.
“Ah…!”
After everyone finished praying in their own way, they returned to their previous selves.
Whether knights, holy knights, or mercenaries, they were all individuals who wielded swords and had grown accustomed to such deaths.
And they themselves lived thinking that death was always beside them.
Because that was something like the fate of a martial artist who wielded a sword.
In this world, how many people truly lived out their natural lifespan and died in bed?
Crackle. Crackle.
That night, people laughed louder and chatted more boisterously than the previous night.
Alcohol flowed, and the stories in those cups were memories shared with fallen comrades.
They used memories as snacks to chase away their sorrow.
“You don’t look well.”
“Well, it feels like they died needlessly because of me.”
“Do even you think such thoughts, Sir Karl?”
“Always.”
“…”
Leslie looked into the bottomless depths of Karl’s sunken eyes and nodded.
“Losing someone is always painful.”
Leslie too had experienced the deaths of countless comrades on his way to becoming the 1st Knight Division Commander.
Among them was Maximov, the master he loved and respected most.
“Too many deaths have followed since His Majesty the Emperor passed away. Alcantara, the Order, and the Mercenary Guild are comparatively better off. The numerous exploitations and deaths occurring in various places have gone too far.”
I quietly nodded my head.
As Leslie said, this West Continent was like the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods of ancient China.
I felt that making distinctions no longer held meaning.
This place had become undeniable reality for me.
However, I could think about it.
Perhaps this world was turning to the next page.
Many things were changing compared to when I first set foot on the West Continent and the progress rate increased.
As if a huge current had begun to form, feudal lords started revealing their greed for the Emperor's throne, and various groups began to step out into the world in earnest.
I recalled the things the system had previously announced would be newly unlocked.
-The appearance of beings like elves, dwarves, mages, or monsters.
According to the numerous books I had read since coming here, records from thousands of years ago contained many stories about different races and monsters.
And uniformly, the history books named that time the Age of Great Chaos.
The era when the concept of knights first appeared on this continent and began to be known in earnest was also the Age of Great Chaos.
Because the ones who helped quell that chaotic turmoil were precisely the knights.
‘Perhaps.’
And my progress rate had already passed the quarter mark of the story.
[Progress Rate 25%]
***
After suppressing Tarantula, I rode relentlessly and arrived at the County of Collo.
While I traveled here, the knight orders and mercenaries had all returned to their respective affiliations.
“Why are you here?”
“I told you last time, didn’t I? That I wanted to follow you, Sir Karl. You said to do as I please.”
“That was… talking about when I formed a knight order.”
“It is an age of chaos. Won’t you need to create a knight order to protect people?”
I sighed, looking at Kelvin sticking closely behind me with shining eyes.
“And what about your group?”
“Sir Owen ordered us to act alongside Sir Karl. To serve as Sir Karl’s liaison and escort.”
“Weren’t you all affiliated with Alcantara?”
“That is correct. Following Sir Karl is part of what the knights of Alcantara must do.”
“…”
Only idiots gathered here.
About 10 individuals had followed me all the way to the County of Collo; their skills were decent, but overall, their personalities were all strange.
“Hoo…”
I shook my head as if resigned.
“Lord Karl has arrived!”
Just then, a soldier who spotted me from afar announced my return clamorously, as if some disaster had struck.
‘You could have been quiet.’
My plan to quietly enter the inner castle and rest was completely ruined, and most of the people in the castle rushed out to see me.
“My Lord! You’ve arrived!? We’ve been waiting!”
They greeted me with bright smiles, matching the changed atmosphere of the County of Collo.
Since I had seen them all at least once, I greeted them with a light nod and walked towards the inside of the Lord’s castle.
“Sir Karl!”
Count Vito, spotting me entering the Lord’s castle, ran towards me and abruptly hugged me.
“Hmm, it’s hot.”
“Hahahaha, goodness, you even joke!”
He laughed heartily and guided me inside.
“And those people?”
“Ah… those people.”
“They are Sir Karl’s knights!”
Before I could say anything, Count Vito preempted me.
“Oh, indeed, I thought their spirits were extraordinary. I’ve assigned lodging for the knights sent last time too, in the place Count Calido’s knight order used to use. And the remuneration sent from Alcantara, the Order, and the Mercenary Guild, I’ve kept safely in the continental bank. The goods are all in the Lord’s castle.”
“…?”
For a moment, I couldn't comprehend the things Count Vito was rattling off like a machine gun.
Not a single one was something I had ordered.
“Sir Definir has temporarily taken charge of the knights' organization and command for now. The total number is currently 70, and I’ve tentatively named it the Knights of the Lighthouse, but since it’s Sir Karl’s knight order, do as you wish, Sir Karl.”
“…Did you say the total number is 70?”
“It came to be so by combining those who came admiring Sir Karl’s name from various places, the Yustia Knights and Maltia Knights you sent, Sir, and the members of the Red Knights, hohohohoho.”
A knight order created without my knowledge?
Besides, weren't Maltia and Yustia practically enemies?
Why were they all gathered here?
Rogério of the Red Knights made sense since I had spoken to him, but… the whole situation felt utterly unfamiliar.
“First, let’s eat, relieve your travel fatigue today, and it would be best to see the knight order once dawn breaks.”
“I shall… do so.”
***
Waking up at dawn the next day, I headed towards the training ground Count Vito had mentioned.
There, the 10 knights who had come with me this time were already gathered and warming up.
Having spent the past month or so with me, influenced by my routine of waking up at dawn every day to train, they too had become accustomed to waking up at this hour and swinging their swords.
“You’re here!”
The 10 knights, including Kelvin, bowed their heads 90 degrees and greeted loudly.
I returned the greeting with a casual nod, then lightly picked up Léctio and began to warm up.
Lately, what I had been continuously researching was the harmony of swordsmanship and throwing techniques utilizing Khan's Throwing Manual.
Although I had started incorporating the two techniques while fighting the Taklama assassins, the key point of my recent training was whether there was a way to further enhance efficiency and power.
‘Come to think of it…’
While moving my body for a while, I remembered the Archery Mastery skill I received recently and opened the skill.
[Intermediate Archery Mastery: Somewhat improves archery ability. Increases accuracy and attack power.]
A simple and straightforward description.
Since I had used a bow a few times while in the East Continent, it wasn't in a complete beginner mastery state.
Thinking it might be good to utilize archery when the time comes, I decided I should look for a suitable bow soon.
After checking a few skills like that and continuing my swordsmanship training, I felt a group of knights walking towards the training ground.
“…!”
“Sir Karl!”
Definir ran towards me with an immensely pleased face, and behind him followed Diogo with an awkward expression.
“Why do you look like that?”
“Without permission… I apologize for coming here.”
He must be referring to coming to the County of Collo using my name without any prior notice.
I stared blankly at Diogo.
I'd have to keep watching, but his attitude showed none of the previous arrogance and violence.
“Sir Karl. If it’s alright, how about accepting him?”
“Isn’t he someone with a bad connection to Sir Definir?”
“Since we’re starting anew anyway. We decided to forget everything and follow Sir Karl together.”
“Well… I won’t stop you, but. What on earth is this. Knights of the Lighthouse?”
“Ah… that somehow… hahaha, everyone settled here felt the same way. How wonderful it would be if we could ride behind Sir Karl, and thinking that, the answer came out just like this. I apologize for proceeding with this without asking your intentions, Sir. If Sir Karl does not wish it, we will disband right here on the spot.”
“…”
Telling them to disband a knight order already formed was also ridiculous.
I let out a light sigh and looked at Definir.
Beside him stood Rogério, who until recently had been the Vice-Commander of the Red Knights, also with an awkward face.
“You will have to strive desperately. To follow behind me. Perhaps every moment might involve risking your lives.”
As always, none of the events happening to me would likely be easy.
So, if they followed me, it meant they had to share that danger.
Feeling my gaze upon them, Definir and the knights knelt at that moment.
Affected by the atmosphere, Kelvin and the 10 knights beside them also all knelt.
Definir, standing before them, presented his sword in front of me.
Without anyone prompting, I naturally drew his sword.
At that moment, the sun rose in the dark dawn sky, and light began to illuminate the world.
As the bright light reflected on the sword, I touched the flat of the blade to Definir’s left shoulder.
“Fear no enemy before you. Always act courageously for the good.”
This time, the sword moved over Definir’s right shoulder.
“Speak the truth, risking your life, and always protect the weak with good intentions.”
Returning the sword that had rested on his shoulder, I turned the hilt towards Definir.
“That is the mission of our knight order. I’m counting on you. Sir Definir.”
The Knight's Oath, now fading into obscurity.
I decided to establish its values as the ideology of the Knights of the Lighthouse.
If I was going to do it anyway, then properly.
Thus, in a corner of the training ground in the County of Collo, the Knights of the Lighthouse were humbly born.