Chapter 039: The Turning Path (2)
When we came, there were four of us, but when we left, there were over fifty.
On the third day of the journey back to Canchester.
Having risen early and washed my face in a nearby stream, Janson stretched with a pleasant mood.
‘Refreshing!’
The weather was fine too.
The dazzling morning sunlight settled as if scattering across the distant horizon.
‘…To think the scenery was this beautiful.’
The route was the same as when heading to Ludglen.
Yet, the emotions felt anew.
‘Too busy suffering to notice such leisure.’
Janson bit his lower lip.
For some reason, a surge of bitterness welled up.
Barely soothing the stinging in his eyes, he looked back.
The campsite was growing noisier.
The firefield villagers, waking from their morning slumber, gathered one by one, voluntarily preparing breakfast.
“Janson, good morning.”
Startled, Janson turned around again.
It was Adeline, who had approached unnoticed.
Eugene was by her side, escorting her.
Janson stood rigidly upright, like a soldier caught slacking by a superior.
“L-Lady, did you have a peaceful night!”
“No need to be so formal between us.”
Her words came with a truly warm smile.
Janson’s eyelids trembled.
‘U-Us… Between us…!’
At that moment, a random, unsourced phrase he’d once heard floated into his mind.
Didn’t they say the gentle flutter of a butterfly’s wings could stir a fierce storm far away?
Janson arbitrarily decided this was a fitting metaphor for the situation.
A single casual remark from Adeline set his heart pounding as if it might burst.
Just as Adeline, who had set this innocent man’s heart ablaze, passed by with a maddeningly calm expression—
“Are you also an Easton guard?”
It felt like a chilled blade pressed against his throat.
Despite the endlessly gentle voice.
It was Eugene, who had paused while following Adeline, turning his head slightly.
Janson felt his lips rapidly dry.
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“Keep your voice down. Sorry, I’m only asking now, caught up in the moment.”
“N-No! …I mean, it’s fine.”
“You’ve worked hard escorting the lady. I’ll count on you moving forward.”
With that, Eugene and Adeline walked away…
Janson blinked vacantly.
Even he couldn’t pinpoint the exact feeling washing over him.
A reason for being, perhaps.
It was certainly a deeply philosophical sentiment.
He even felt newly alive.
‘Wow. I could die now with no regrets.’
The rumors were true, it seemed.
The next ruler of Conwell, the Kingdom’s peerless beauty! And that wasn’t all.
The middle-aged nobleman, who at a glance looked like a refined bureaucrat, was Conwell’s most distinguished knight, Sword Master Eugene.
Having connected with two figures at the pinnacle of their fields, Janson, born a poor serf’s son, could call his life a success.
“Sniff.”
His eyes grew hot.
The emotions he’d been holding back finally burst forth all at once.
‘All thanks to Bihen.’
His bond with the Imperial swordsman, who appeared out of nowhere, had led him this far.
How was it at first?
The same age, yet Bihen spoke like an old man, with a subtle air of looking down on others—Janson couldn’t find a single likable trait.
‘Cervantes, was it?’
It started when Bihen abruptly introduced himself as such to enemies blocking their path.
Janson had thought he was truly mad.
And before he knew it, here they were…
Bihen had become an inspiring swordsman, a slightly eccentric Imperial friend, a reliable comrade, a noble worth following regardless of nationality.
‘…A true knight, Cervantes.’
As he closed his eyes, savoring the overwhelming emotions—
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
‘….’
Tap, tap, tap, tap—
It sounded like someone sprinting.
Approaching from a distance, it shattered the moment he was about to sink into contemplation.
‘…Damn it, who’s that bastard.’
Janson half-opened his eyes, brows furrowed.
Sure enough, it was Joel.
“…….”
“…….”
The two young men locked eyes.
A strange tension crackled between them.
Slap—!
Joel suddenly grabbed his own collar and flung his arms wide.
His worn, tattered tunic tore apart effortlessly.
“……!”
Janson’s eyes widened.
Joel’s well-toned upper body was laid bare.
The sweat he’d shed and the scars etched across it accentuated the contours even more.
“Hmph.”
Joel smirked with one corner of his mouth, then dashed off as if that was his entire point.
‘That bastard!’
Janson couldn’t help but feel irritated.
He hadn’t liked Joel for no particular reason before, but now he had a clear one.
* * *
This tedious journey will end tonight.
They said we’d reach Canchester tomorrow.
“Phew…”
I let out a long breath.
I’d just finished practicing the Benkou Vision.
Time had been scarce lately, but with Eugene here, I could finally focus on the heart technique during this return trip.
‘Quake Earth.’
An ochre flame.
Like the bluish-white flame of the Snowflower Sword, it flickered faintly in the furnace of my core.
‘The Snowflower Sword is the same. Both are instantaneous techniques.’
I needed to explore their applications.
Like the Ghost Swordsmanship that recently advanced from two to three stages, both the Snowflower Sword and Quake Earth were imbued with the subtleties of the Ghost Eye.
In other words, it depended on my insight.
Suddenly, a scene flashed through my mind—Joel executing a technique akin to a stomping strike.
Back then, I’d definitely been inspired by the idea of linking sword techniques.
‘Let’s try it.’
As I stood, gripping my sword—
“May I come in?”
Adeline asked while lifting the tent flap and entering.
Why ask if you’re just going to barge in?
“I have something important to discuss.”
I nodded with my eyes, but Adeline wasn’t alone.
Following her were Eugene, Joel, Janson, and Mateo, filing in one after another.
“Is something urgent?”
“It’s something we need to discuss together.”
My personal tent had suddenly turned into a field headquarters.
I decided to hear them out.
Adeline spoke, maintaining her formal tone.
“To fully settle the Imperials in Canchester, we must resolve one major issue.”
“We’ll need to secure a residential area.”
I responded in kind, matching her formality.
Since Adeline had promised her goodwill, it was only proper to show her due respect.
“That’s one issue to address, but it’s not the immediate obstacle. The residences of the executed Roxley gang are vacant, after all.”
Meanwhile, Mateo was bowing his head like a sinner.
Looking at him, I replied.
“We’ll need a knight to govern Canchester.”
“Yes. One of ‘our’ people.”
Her soft voice carried authority.
I’d forgotten for a while.
When I first saw this woman, she struck me as an ‘empress.’
“Conwell has long stationed knights in every strategically important village, entrusting them with security and taxation. Given the vast territory, this is for administrative convenience. In truth, many such knights have inherited their roles through longstanding ties with the Conwell family.”
“So there aren’t stringent conditions for selection. Is there a suitable candidate?”
“We’ll have to create one.”
“…Pardon?”
My mind spun for a moment.
If it were this simple, why had we been agonizing over it all this time?
Adeline clicked her tongue and continued.
“Appointing a governing knight is solely the lord’s prerogative. However, unlike in the past, there’s rarely contention among knights for these positions, nor vacancies due to death in beast hunts, so it’s been a while since a new knight was appointed. Moreover, His Grace is currently bedridden.”
“The eldest son could abuse his power to appoint knights arbitrarily.”
“Exactly. But right now, the vacancy in Canchester’s governance is likely beneath the eldest son’s notice. Since the previous lords conducted knight appointments with meticulous ceremony, he’d find it bothersome. As long as tax collection isn’t disrupted, he won’t rush. It’s embarrassing to call this fortunate, but… we’ve bought time.”
So that’s why that Ness bastard was so desperate to snatch Canchester.
A lordless treasure was practically dangling before his eyes.
“Then, when you said you’d create one, do you mean you’ll urge His Grace to make a hasty appointment?”
“No. I meant creating a knight on our side.”
I didn’t immediately grasp her meaning, and my brows furrowed instinctively.
Eugene spoke.
“What do you think of Jayden, the Easton guard captain?”
My eyes must have widened considerably.
A flood of emotions hit me.
So, Jayden was destined to become a knight after all.
Just as he had in my previous life.
Janson interjected abruptly.
“C-Captain Jayden is impeccable in both character and skill…! But he’s not of noble blood…”
His voice was flushed with excitement.
It was as if he’d seized the chance to praise his father, like a doting son.
As eyes turned to him, Janson seemed to realize he’d overstepped and shrank back.
Of course, neither Adeline nor Eugene were the types to reprimand him for it. Instead, Joel shot him a look.
“Know your place. Who do you think you are, speaking out of turn?”
“…Shut up, you.”
While the nobles stayed silent, the commoners were the ones bickering.
Regardless, it was my turn to speak.
“Jayden is, without a doubt…”
If I had to sum him up in one phrase.
There could be no better expression.
“A swordsman who embodies chivalry.”
Everyone stared at me, eyes wide.
They seemed more shocked that the word ‘chivalry’ came from an Imperial’s mouth than anything else.
It wasn’t intentional, but in a way, this response could serve as an explanation for my actions thus far.
From their perspective, it made sense I’d help the firefield villagers, my fellow Imperials.
But risking my life against the Crimson Flame Cult and the Roxley Family for unrelated people?
That was harder to fathom.
“Chivalry…”
As Adeline murmured to herself, I added, drawing on memories from my past life.
“As Janson said, I understand only those of noble blood can be knighted. Is there a way?”
Adeline blinked, as if snapping back to the moment.
“Ah, yes. It’s possible. It’s an exceptional method, but there’s precedent. As I mentioned earlier, the knights with deep ties to the Conwell family—their ancestors were often such cases.”
“That’s why we’re asking your opinion now. From what we’ve observed, the guard captain’s character and conduct are beyond reproach, but elevating his status is another matter. It’s a risk for the lady as well. We may need your help.”
Adeline would provide a new home for the Imperial refugees, with Jayden as its guardian.
I could lend my strength as needed.
Could there be a better plan?
Moreover, this meant Jayden’s fate was aligning with its natural course.
‘…The will of the heavens.’
My duty.
My mission in this life.
I looked between Adeline and Eugene.
I could never have conceived this alone.
Only they could devise such a plan.
“If it’s possible, I will ensure Jayden becomes a knight.”