Chapter 145
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Special Tutelage
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Aint had attained enlightenment and broken through his wall.
The Heart of a Saint Bird and the Itarium root were completely absorbed, and he had grown both outwardly and inwardly.
It was a change that could be felt naturally, even without him deliberately showing off his power.
“This year’s jousting tournament is going to be something to see.”
While Pernyan was pleased that Aint had grown stronger, he also considered the battle between Ruina and Aint.
If Aint had grown through this recent event, Ruina had gained her own enlightenment after witnessing the battle between two Royal Knights and a demon at the Bercefe estate.
Though she hadn't had a Saint Bird's heart, she too had consumed Mandragora and an Itarium root.
And through her enlightenment, she had fully assimilated them as well.
‘I wonder who would win.’
Frankly, the outcome didn't matter much.
Whether Ruina won or Aint won, both were on Pernyan’s side.
Perhaps because he’d grown fond of her, he didn’t quite like the idea of seeing Ruina lose, but it would also be good for Aint to win and find the arrangements left by the first emperor.
“The problem is that it’s hard to predict accurately…”
Recalling the nightmare of the last jousting tournament, Pernyan felt the need to be more cautious with his betting this time.
“At least there won’t be any major upsets in the magic tournament…”
He suspected this year’s magic tournament winner would be similar to last year’s.
- *Kkoong?*
“What’s a jousting tournament? It’s where knights fight on horseback and then get off to fight on foot. The magic tournament is where mages compete with magic.”
- *Kkoong!*
“You want to participate too? Don’t be ridiculous.”
At Pernyan’s firm reply, Wooden stomped his feet.
- *Kkoooooong!*
“You’re a golem, not a knight. And before that, a spirit. I think you need to establish your own identity.”
- *Kkoong! Kkoong!*
Still, Wooden didn't back down easily.
If it were an order, he would eventually give up, but seeing this first-ever intense reaction, Pernyan couldn’t bring himself to stop Wooden right away.
‘Come to think of it, he has been let down a lot lately.’
How many times had he promised to let Wooden fight in his main body, only to tease him and call it off?
There were also times when he transformed to human size only to clash once or twice.
From Pernyan’s perspective, it was best if Wooden didn’t have to step in, but for Wooden, it was different.
Like a child with a new toy, Wooden, having gained a new body, constantly wanted to make use of it.
“Alright. It’s impossible for you to participate in the jousting tournament, but I’ll let you fight a proper opponent.”
- *Kkoong?*
***
“…And that’s why you’ve come to see me?”
“Yes.”
Pernyan held out a small box.
“What is this?”
“A bribe, to ask for your cooperation.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything.”
“I can give you more if needed.”
Ruina opened the box.
Inside was Kraken Ink Chocolate, a treat she had become quite familiar with thanks to Pernyan, but one that was all the more delicious for it.
“Very well. However, it’s not because of the chocolate. I simply wanted to fight Wooden myself at least once.”
She was sincere. Ruina still couldn’t forget the moment Wooden had sliced through Andromalius’s snake.
That electrifying slash wasn’t something possible just by being large.
Wooden was strong. He might lack in technique, but in every other aspect, he was superior.
Because Pernyan had made him that way.
“Right. I’ll give you another box after the duel.”
“I said it’s not because of the chocolate.”
“But it’s delicious.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Are you going to refuse it, then?”
“…It’s not polite to refuse a gift.”
Ruina took the box of chocolates.
The two soon entered the Golden Turtle Merchant Guild.
“In the guild’s basement, there’s a training ground I built for my magic practice and research. It’s quite spacious and designed to withstand a massive explosion without collapsing.”
It was the most suitable place to have a duel with Wooden without being discovered.
“Here we are.”
The training ground, located about fifty meters underground, was indeed incredibly vast.
“We’ve come down quite deep, haven’t we?”
“Even though I said it was sturdily built, there’s always a chance of an accident. At this depth, even if it collapses, there should be no significant damage to the surface.”
And since Pernyan was an earth mage, there was no need to worry about being trapped.
The training ground had been used so little since he obtained the Prophecy Book that it was somewhat dusty.
“Wooden.”
- *Kkoong!*
Wooden leaped from the necklace.
When his feet touched the ground, he had grown to a size of about two meters. Wooden drew the sword slung on his back.
*Chirp!*
Silver, who had hidden in Pernyan’s pocket and followed along, cheered for Wooden.
“Two pairs of wings…? Pernyan, don’t tell me that bird is…?”
“That’s right, it’s a Saint Bird.”
“…My goodness, where in the world did you get that?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I want to hear it, no matter how long.”
“I’ll tell you if you can defeat Wooden.”
“You have my word.”
Ruina stood in the center of the training ground and drew her sword.
“Come, Wooden.”
- *Kkoong!*
The knight and the golem clashed.
***
“Five bouts, five losses.”
“It wasn’t Senior Ruina who lost, was it?”
“Then I would have said five bouts, five wins.”
Aint surveyed the completely wrecked underground training ground with admiration.
“I can roughly guess what kind of fight took place here.”
It must have been quite rough and fierce.
“Ruina said Wooden was superior in strength and speed. But she also said that was all.”
“I know what you mean.”
Wooden was a golem Pernyan had poured his heart and soul into creating.
Unless one was a Royal Knight, it would be difficult to be his physical equal.
- *Superior strength and speed? Isn’t that the perfect opponent, Aint? You fought an opponent like that dozens of times just a short while ago.*
At Gardner’s words, Aint nodded.
Honestly, he had accepted Pernyan’s proposal half out of curiosity and half out of a desire to win.
Because he had heard that Ruina had fought Wooden first, and because he was curious about the skill of the golem that had cut down Andromalius’s demonic beast in a single blow.
But it certainly seemed to have been the right choice.
“Then I will return after making it six wins and six bouts.”
- *Kkoooooong!*
“Wooden says to stop spouting nonsense.”
- *Geu-ing! Geu-iing!*
“He says there are no more defeats in his future. That he was reborn after losing to Ruina.”
*Chirp!*
“And Silver is cheering him on.”
“You don’t have to translate for me. I think I got the gist of it.”
But Aint had also vowed that defeat was not an option for him.
“Come at me, Wooden.”
- *Geu-iiiiii!*
Wooden roared.
***
- *Geu-ing….*
Wooden crouched down, banging his head against the wall.
Aint, true to his lineage as a descendant of the first emperor, had kept his word.
Which meant Wooden’s record had become eleven bouts, eleven losses.
“Have you had your fill of fighting now, Wooden?”
Pernyan patted him on the shoulder.
- *Geu-iing…!*
“You think it makes no sense that you lost even after being enhanced by the Itarium root? Ridiculous. What can you do by refusing to accept it?”
As if struck by Pernyan’s words, Wooden banged his head against the wall again in self-reproach.
“That won’t be enough to break the wall, or your head. Stop your futile efforts.”
- *Kkoong!*
“Still, you did well. You put up a good fight.”
Although Wooden had lost eleven times, not all of them were overwhelming defeats.
That alone was satisfying enough for Pernyan.
“Your true nature is that of a giant golem, after all. If you returned to your original size, do you think Aint and Ruina could defeat you?”
No. Wooden’s body was too hard for their auras to ever break, and the destructive power that came from his massive frame was not something they could easily block.
“Most importantly, while the Itarium made your body tougher, this was a pure swordsmanship duel, so you didn't have a chance to use that, did you? So just forget about it and…”
- *Kkooooo! Geu-ing!*
“You say there’s no meaning unless you win by fighting on equal terms?”
Pernyan let out a hollow laugh. What was this creature, whose body was unequal to begin with, even saying?
Besides, why should a golem and a knight have to fight on equal terms?
“I granted your request. Stop acting like a child.”
- *Geu-iii. Geu-ing.*
“You want to attend all the Knight Department classes from now on?”
Pernyan, who was about to get angry, paused.
This was quite a good sign. If Wooden learned swordsmanship and grew stronger, it ultimately meant Pernyan would be safer.
There was no reason to dislike the fact that his trump card against demons was getting stronger.
The problem was that for Wooden to attend Knight Department classes, Pernyan would always have to accompany him.
“That’s not possible. Instead, I’ll find someone else to teach you swordsmanship.”
- *Geu-ing?*
“I’ll have to start looking now.”
Every person had a different body type, personality, and disposition. Naturally, the swordsmanship suitable for each was also different.
Wooden was no exception. The easiest solution would be to assign Hyde, but Hyde’s sword style was more stealthy and swift than destructive.
It was closer to an assassin’s blade than a knight’s, making it unsuitable for Wooden.
‘The best option is, of course, Altriark.’
Swordsmanship that prioritized strength and destructive power, utilizing innate physical abilities and aura.
‘Even learning just one of the basic techniques taught to regular knights would be a huge improvement.’
After all, much like the Bercefe style, most of Altriark’s swordsmanship was derived from their secret techniques.
Though of a lower level than the secret arts, the overall framework wasn’t drastically different.
Teaching that to Wooden seemed like the best course of action.
As luck would have it, there was a professor at the academy who taught based on the Altriark style of swordsmanship.
“I’ll have to pay the professor a visit.”
What should he offer as compensation?
***
The Knight Department professor, Emond Altriark, wore a bewildered expression.
“…I understand you’re asking for private tutoring.”
“Yes.”
Pernyan’s request for private tutoring wasn’t all that surprising.
What goes around comes around.
Emond, who had received much from Pernyan, had anticipated that a moment would come when he would need to repay him.
But he never imagined this.
- *Geu-ing!*
“…You want me to teach a golem?”
He had never dreamed that the subject would be the golem cheerfully waving from its perch on Pernyan’s neck.
He had simply thought it was an unusual necklace ornament.
“Yes, Brother.”
Pernyan nodded.
“I’m entrusting this to you because I trust you, Brother.”
Emond wiped his face with both hands.
“Even if I don’t know much about golems, I know enough to realize that if a golem that can speak and move on its own is revealed, the world will be turned upside down.”
“No need to go as far as the world. Just Professor Harkon catching wind of it would be enough to turn things upside down.”
“That’s true. That golem-obsessed dwarf…”
Emond pictured the eccentric dwarf.
“I poured my heart and soul into making him, so his physical abilities are overwhelming, but his swordsmanship is lacking.”
“He does look the part.”
“That’s why he needs to learn swordsmanship, and I judged that the Altriark style would be the most suitable.”
Considering the golem’s physical capabilities, that was also true.
“This can’t get out, can it?”
“If a rumor starts that I’m carrying a golem around, everyone will assume it was you who spread it, Brother.”
It was half-joking, half-serious.
Of course, Pernyan knew Emond would never do such a thing. He knew the character of the Altriark people, having been involved with them since childhood.
Emond was a man of integrity and could be trusted to keep a secret.
After a moment of thought, Emond reluctantly agreed. He didn’t really have the right to refuse anyway.
“Alright. I’ll take him. Twice a week, for two hours.”
“Thank you.”
“In return, please take good care of Alkmion.”
“Is there something about Alkmion you need me to handle?”
“You know him. He’s a troublemaker.”
A sigh escaped him just thinking of his younger brother.
“The temperament of a mad boar that ran wild in Altriark isn’t just going to disappear, is it? Just keep him out of trouble. If I do it, I’m bound to get looks for giving him special privileges.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll keep a close eye on him.”
And so, the deal was struck.