Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.31 – Knights Call Themselves Defeated (1)
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The soldiers' ragged breaths filled the forest path.
An unexpected forced march.
And not just any march at that.
They had to cover thousands of meters at a sprint, without falling behind even by a second.
Even in wartime, they wouldn't pull off something this insane.
They'd exhaust themselves before the fighting even started.
But right now...
Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu!
"R-Run faster!"
"Second earthquake!"
"B-Braces for impact, everyone!!"
No one had time for complaints or gripes. They were too busy exerting every ounce of strength they had.
An earthquake was nature's fury—no human could stand against it.
Cra-cra-crack!
The ground was already weakened by the worms tearing it up, so the quake turned it to sandcastle mush in no time. The area for hundreds of meters around devolved into chaos.
Get caught in that, and it wouldn't just be burial alive—you'd plunge into a sheer cliff drop, splattering like a burst tomato.
Not wanting that fate, the soldiers gave it everything to escape the quaking zone.
Thud!
In just a few dozen minutes...
By some miracle, the soldiers escaped the earthquake zone.
Proof that humans can do anything if they set their minds to it.
"W-We... made it..."
"I... I can't walk anymore..."
"...I'm done for."
People collapsed in heaps or sprawled out where they stood.
Normally, the officers would step in, barking orders to restore order.
But unfortunately, the officers were in the same boat—gasping and dropping like flies.
They barely had a moment to catch their breath in relief...
Kwa-gwa-gwang!!
"Ah..."
...The tunnel was collapsing.
The southern continent's largest fertilizer production site. A hell for convicts with over a century of history.
Kwa-dududuk!
Whoooosh-!
Witnessing the destruction unfold in real time left them not with relief at survival, but awe and shock.
How many people get to see hundreds of meters of earth sink and crumble right before their eyes?
No, even if they did, it'd probably be their last sight in life.
In that sense, they were lucky.
"This is all thanks to His Highness—no, Sir Aren!"
"Exactly! Without Sir Aren, we would've... Ugh!!"
"Noble and wise White Lion of Pendragon! You are our true hero!"
[Waaaaah!]
The soldiers showered praise on the royal knight who saved them.
Without his quick thinking, so few would have survived.
If word spread, the whole kingdom would be in awe. A feat for the ages.
A moment promising immense fame and honor. The kind where Aren should be basking in smug satisfaction.
"...Please stop, just please...!"
But he covered his face in shame.
Some steal others' credit and grin shamelessly like it's theirs.
Others can't stomach it.
Aren was clearly the latter.
He'd been arrogant once, but recent unwanted mental conditioning had matured him a bit.
The once-spoiled prince shuddered at the praise.
Too embarrassing.
But...
"So humble too...!"
"A true royal!"
"Heir to the great Knight King!!"
Once they like you, everything's golden. The soldiers' rose-tinted glasses weren't coming off easy.
"Shut up, all of you!!"
"Haha, he's embarrassed."
"I know, right."
"So humble..."
"Aaaah!!"
The matured prince was suffering.
"-He deserves all the praise, but why's he acting like that?"
"No idea."
The two knights, Jake and Yord, tilted their heads watching Aren cringe.
Aren had indeed saved most of the soldiers.
"Who else but a royal could pull this off?"
Why had the soldiers cooperated so purely, even evacuating the prisoners?
Because a 'royal' stepped up personally.
Even as White Silver Lion Knights, would they have followed just any order?
At best, grumbling. At worst, outright defiance.
But the one commanding was the noble heir blessed by the White Silver Dragon.
His silver-white hair and Pendragon name compelled obedience, even to unreasonable orders.
So he deserved the praise today... but...
"Maturing late in life? Can't see himself objectively."
Or maybe a lifetime of fake flattery made real praise feel alien.
Still, they didn't mind his reaction. No need to pile on praise themselves.
He'd finally grown up—what if compliments turned him back into a punk?
Wasted redemption then.
As Lee Han said:
No animal clings to immaturity like humans. Even reformed, they revert without constant whacks from the stick...
"Sigh, we need to find someone to swing that stick soon, for his sake."
"Just say you're worried..."
"What?"
"...Nothing."
Jake and Yord hurried toward the collapsed tunnel.
To find the one who hadn't surfaced.
They trusted he was fine, but still...
No real monster, even a monstrous one.
And as if agreeing...
"H-He didn't... die, right? ...He didn't actually die fighting?"
Someone was already searching ahead of them.
A gray-haired boy.
A familiar face.
"The helper."
The ally from the tunnel.
Name was...
"Lord Derek. Looking for the senior?"
"Sir Yord."
"...Sigh, so Senior didn't make it out?"
"......A lot happened."
"...Mm."
Derek's face said too much to voice. They guessed complications and grunted.
'That guy...'
'Even Senior, buried underground... Ugh!'
Grim expressions.
They knew the mission might cost lives, but not his.
Shadows fell over their faces...
"Ah! There he is!"
"?"
"...But what's this? Why's he [detected] here?"
"??"
Derek muttered something cryptic. They both cocked their heads.
...Detected what?
The answer came quick.
Thud!
"!!!?"
A mound of earth twitched faintly.
"N-No way!"
"D-Dig! Hurry...!!"
The two knights started clawing at the dirt.
No shovels, so swords it was...
Undignified for knights, but saving a comrade trumped that.
They'd do worse.
The sword made a fine spade now, and as they dug frantically...
Thud! Boom!
The earth heaved faster, and finally...
Whoosh!!
An arm burst out.
"...Wow, how'd he survive that?"
Derek gaped at the arm. As if offended...
Kwaaaang!
He emerged.
"Kuh-heok-eok!!"
Coughing up globs of dirt the second he surfaced, he was a mess.
Head to toe caked in grime, wounds everywhere.
Anyone else would've been dead ages ago.
But his vitality was insane—he gulped fresh air, gradually...
"Haaaaah! Th-That was close...!"
...perking up.
The three stared.
"That guy dug through the earth to the surface?"
"...Earthquake aside, how'd you survive that dirt pile?"
"N-Not even a worm, what."
No, even sand worms don't survive that much debris. Common knowledge...
'...Is my common sense wrong?'
Derek was stunned—not just at survival, but dragging a hulking giant out too.
But soon...
"...Haha."
Relief bubbled into a dumb laugh.
The absurdity tickled him.
Anyway.
'Living's never boring with him.'
No dull moments.
...Close call.
'Whoa, how'd I make it?'
Lee Han hacked up dirt.
Oxygen was precious. Sunlight divine.
He savored every sensation of cheating death.
Even he could hardly believe his survival.
'Never thought a monster spawn would save my ass.'
The giant sand worm he'd butchered, finished by Maximus.
Lee Han had used its corpse as shelter to barely hang on.
Thick hide resisted the debris pressure—perks of size and burrowing life.
After the quake calmed, simple: dug by hand, swam through dirt like a mole or worm.
How long he'd tunneled...
Could've died buried or midway, but he pulled through.
Human victory!
Wanna pat himself on the back.
"...Heh heh, you could've come alone. Why risk dragging me out?"
"About time you came around, you lug."
"Air this sweet... who knew."
"Then say thanks. No funny business."
"......Fair enough. Gratitude for saving my life."
"Not bowing yet? Whatever. Better no thanks than fake ones, dummy."
"H-Hey, I'm genuinely thankful..."
Maximus looked awkward.
Used to saving, not owing lives. Awkward thanks, but not ungrateful.
Wanted to stand and vent frustration, but...
"...Mind wants to kowtow, but body won't move."
"That's 'Sir' for ya."
"Agreed. Didn't expect this wrecked. ...Muscle soreness? First time."
"...Brag later."
Maximus's 'Sir' use was suicidal idiocy.
Especially the end.
[Sky Breaker] had even Lee Han spooked inwardly.
He never stacked over five himself, but this guy went twelve-plus.
Anyone else explodes.
Only [Trait - Heavenly Martial Body] let Maximus endure.
Still, bed rest for a while.
And that fact...
"...Pity."
"?"
"Should've settled it."
"......Right."
Maximus was gutted.
Postponing over muscle pain...
"-Hm, wait. Actually, I lost. You were last man standing."
"......"
"I concede. You're the victor."
"......"
"Next time, I'll challenge again! Heh heh!"
"...Clowning around."
Lee Han wanted to retort.
Had ammo.
But oblivious...
Whoosh!
"-Sorry, sir. We'll repay saving the vice captain later. But now's not good. Forgive the rudeness!"
A woman appeared from nowhere, bowed hastily, and spun away.
Pale-skinned Northerner, 180cm tall, hoisted the 230cm giant and vanished fast.
All in a blink.
Lee Han...
"Damn, strong gal."
Never planned to stop her anyway. Just scratched his cheek blankly.
And...
"...Dude bails after handing me 'victory' like charity."
Lee Han scowled at the 'win' souring his mood, eyeing the hilt at his waist.
The gladius remains—blade gone.
Truly.
"What kinda winner looks like this...?"
A victory more vexing than defeat.