Chapter 65
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 65
He wasn't wrong.
A person who knows their own worth doesn't sell themselves cheap.
Wasn't that one of the reasons Lucian had been searching so desperately for Nectar? It was a tool that could instantly tempt any talented individual, especially a knight.
"True. Unless I manage to put them in my debt by saving their life or something, that’s likely how it’ll go."
"I’m glad you understand. So, wouldn't it be better to just gracefully step aside and leave this to your brothers?"
"I wonder."
Lucian chuckled and shrugged.
"Who knows? Maybe I’ve already put the Sword Saint’s disciple in my debt without even realizing it."
"What kind of nonsense is—!"
"It’s a joke. Don't be so tense. If you manage to recruit them, I won't even get a chance anyway."
"Ha."
Joshua stared blankly at Lucian before letting out a hollow laugh. His expression suggested he had much to say but was holding back because of the importance of the day.
"I wasted my breath. It’s almost time for the knighting ceremony, so I’ll be going ahead."
"We’re going the same way, so why not go together? We can have a nice brotherly chat."
"I’ll pass!"
At Lucian’s suggestion, Joshua’s face crumpled in distaste as he hurried forward. Watching his retreating back, Lucian let out a soft laugh.
"He really is an entertaining fellow."
Unlike Tristan or Jordi, who had weathered some of the world's storms, Joshua was naive, which made teasing him particularly rewarding. If possible, Lucian wanted to keep him that way, but unfortunately, today was the day Joshua would have to grow up.
‘I just hope he doesn't turn out like Jordi from the shock.’
If Joshua became like Jordi, Lucian would have to truly crush him. He sincerely hoped his brother would remain someone he could just playfully mess with.
The knighting ceremony was as grand as expected.
A dais had been erected where all the commoners outside the inner castle could see. A red carpet was rolled out along the path, flanked on both sides by rows of knights. Considering that a knighting ceremony was usually a brief affair lasting barely fifteen minutes, all of this was a display of profound respect and courtesy toward Sword Saint Eisen.
‘Well, it’s nice that I don't have to stand somewhere that draws attention. Being tucked away in the crowd will actually make the impact greater when I finally make my move.’
Since Felicia was the protagonist of the day, no one else was supposed to steal the spotlight. Even as the sons of the Grand Duke, they weren't provided with special seating, allowing them to remain hidden behind the other knights.
While waiting for the ceremony to begin, another figure approached Lucian’s position and widened his eyes.
"You... you brat!"
"It’s been a while, brother."
Lucian waved cheerfully at the voice that was struggling to suppress its emotions. Jordi, unable to hide his bewilderment, reflexively asked, "When on earth did you arrive? I heard you intended to stay in the capital for a while."
"Not long ago. A few hours at most. Normally, you would have received a report immediately. I suppose you’ve been too preoccupied with the ceremony?"
Jordi didn't flare up at Lucian’s sarcasm. Instead, he openly displayed a sense of frustration and embarrassment.
‘He must have a rough idea of the relationship between Felicia and me.’
When Lucian had first brought Felicia, Tristan had been stationed in Bornholm, and Joshua was a mere fledgling who had just entered the competition. Only Jordi had been in the household with a properly established information network, so it wasn't surprising if he knew the general circumstances.
"I thought something was strange. I wondered why the ceremony was being held so suddenly. It seems you had a hand in this, brother?"
"...What nonsense are you talking about? What does the ceremony have to do with me?"
Jordi tried to brush it off as if it were nothing, but he couldn't hide his momentary flinch. Lucian’s suspicion turned into certainty, and he smiled coldly.
"You still have no hesitation when it comes to using foul means. Well, do your best. If you struggle pathetically and still lose, all that’ll be left is the filth of your actions."
"Don't get cocky. No matter how much talent or fame you have, without a faction to back you up, you’re nothing more than a pawn. You’re just a meteor that sparkles for a brief moment."
"Saying that while I’m in the middle of sparkling just makes it sound like the howl of a loser."
Jordi’s eyes flared at Lucian’s mockery, but that was it. Perhaps not wanting to cause a scene before the ceremony, Jordi backed down quietly.
A short while later, Tristan also spotted his brothers, clicked his tongue, and took a spot some distance away. It was during this heavy silence among the four brothers, amidst the subtle tension, that—
Clank.
The protagonist of the ceremony finally made an appearance, and the spectators’ eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
"A helmet?"
"No, a helmet at a knighting ceremony!"
"How disrespectful!"
The knights’ faces contorted in anger, and the surrounding commoners began to whisper. Unless one was on duty or on the battlefield, covering one's face with a helmet was considered a grave insult.
However, the Sword Saint’s disciple paid no mind to the surrounding glares and walked down the red carpet to stand before Grand Duke Sigmund.
"Remove your helmet."
Grand Duke Sigmund commanded in a solemn voice that carried to everyone present. The knight obediently removed the helmet, revealing their face.
"A woman!?"
"The Sword Saint’s successor is a woman?"
"This is absurd...!"
As Felicia’s disheveled hair fluttered in the wind, gasps of shock erupted from all directions. It wasn't that female knights didn't exist, but they were mostly the stuff of fairy tales. In reality, aside from honorary political titles, there were no female knights who actually swung a sword.
And yet, of all people, the successor to the Sword Saint was a woman.
"Disciple of the great Sword Saint, Eisen Brightner. State your name."
"I am Felicia Brightner, the adopted daughter of Eisen Brightner."
"I ask you, Felicia. What will you pursue as a knight?"
"Loyalty. Only absolute loyalty."
The knights nearby flinched at the incredibly brief answer. Usually, such an oath would include vows to uphold justice or serve the greater good, but she mentioned only loyalty.
The Grand Duke looked at Felicia with a sharp gaze and asked, "Even if your lord falls into evil, will you maintain that loyalty?"
It was a question that pointed directly at the paradox of her oath, but Felicia didn't even blink as she answered.
"If my lord chooses to be evil, I shall become evil with him and roll in the mire by his side. If the Eight Gods cast my lord into hell, I alone shall bear that responsibility and burn for eternity in his stead."
Grand Duke Sigmund fell silent at the radical response. His expression suggested he hadn't expected such an answer to a simple test.
"...Then I pray your lord makes the right decisions. May he have the wisdom to lead a great knight down a great path."
After a moment of contemplation, the Grand Duke spoke in a softened voice to ease the stiff atmosphere and extended his sword. As Felicia knelt, the blade slowly tapped both her shoulders and the back of her neck.
"In the name of Sigmund Valdek, I vouch for your honor. Felicia Brightner, you are now a knight. I hope that both you and I may always carry that name with pride."
The investiture ended, and Felicia stood up, but the cheers typical of such ceremonies did not follow. Everyone was still reeling from the shock of the Sword Saint’s disciple being a woman.
Just as the silence was about to turn into whispers, and the whispers into a roar of gossip—
"Grand Duke! Though I know it is rude, I have one request!"
A sharp-featured knight rushed forward, knelt, and shouted. Despite the sudden intrusion, the Grand Duke nodded calmly.
"Speak."
"A knight speaks through their sword! Allow me to test if she truly possesses the qualifications of a knight!"
"Hmm."
At the words that bordered on a provocation, the Grand Duke looked at Felicia. His gaze asked if she would accept the challenge. Felicia nodded without a moment's hesitation.
"He is right. A knight speaks through their sword. If you doubt me so much, see for yourself."
"I thank you!"
The sudden duel caused a stir, but at the same time, the atmosphere heated up with a strange anticipation. They were about to see the skills of the Sword Saint’s disciple—and a female knight who seemed to have stepped out of a legend.
Lucian wore a bitter smile as he looked at the circle formed for the duel.
‘It seems Father and Sir Eisen set the stage together.’
The concept of a female knight was so foreign to society that it felt unnatural. This was likely intended to silence the doubters by showcasing her skills before they could start wagging their tongues. Otherwise, who would dare interrupt a ceremony agreed upon by both the Grand Duke and the Sword Saint? It was clearly a pre-arranged matter.
‘Come to think of it, even I don't have a clear grasp of how strong Felicia has become under Sir Eisen’s tutelage. Since she had a proper master, she must have progressed far more than in her previous life.’
While Lucian was lost in thought, the two knights stood facing each other with swords drawn inside the prepared circle.
"May this duel be a fair fight that brings no shame before the Eight Gods."
The Grand Duke stepped back after completing the ritual required of an overseer. Then, the two blades clashed, sending sparks into the air.
Clang! Screeech! Ching!
"...."
"...."
Ten minutes after the duel began.
The people, captivated by the battle unfolding before them, held their breath in unison. Lucian was among them.
‘Beautiful.’
Usually, a duel brought to mind the heat of clashing steel and flying blood. But Felicia parried the strikes with movements that resembled a dance. Her opponent was pouring out strikes at a speed nearly invisible to the eye, yet Felicia blocked them all with movements that were clearly visible.
"...Are those movements truly possible for a human?"
A knight near Lucian muttered blankly. At those words, others nearby nodded reflexively. To block a sword that was almost too fast to follow with a blade that seemed visibly slow!
While everyone else was marveled, Lucian could clearly see the flow of the duel.
‘I can see it.’
His eyes, opened by the effects of the Nectar he had consumed, were revealing Felicia’s intentions. Her dance-like movements were all heading toward the exact spot where her opponent’s sword was about to go. It was less like a swordsman and more like a prophet reading the blade.
But even more impressive was Felicia herself, who read the flow and responded instantly without a shred of hesitation.
‘Is this what a true genius looks like?’
Lucian felt a shiver run down his spine. Even though he was seeing the same thing, he felt he could never move like Felicia. The eyes that read mana, the near-instinctive reflexes, the perfect split-second judgments, and a temperament utterly captivated by the sword.
‘It’s as if she was born solely to master the sword.’
Perhaps she was an apostle sent by God to show humanity the possibilities of swordsmanship. Felicia’s movements were at a level that felt beyond human reach.
CLANG!
As the sword was knocked away with a resounding ring, the knight who had challenged her stopped his offensive and stepped back. Perhaps as a reaction to his relentless assault, sweat was pouring off him like a waterfall. In contrast, Felicia lowered her sword lightly, as if she didn't even need to catch her breath.
"Will you continue?"
"...No, that is enough."
The knight stepped back with a bitter expression. Experiencing a genius he could never reach despite a lifetime of effort seemed to have left him feeling hollow.
‘The challenge was likely agreed upon beforehand, but that emotion is genuine. I felt the same way once.’
As Lucian felt a strange sense of kinship, the knight, having composed himself, showed his respect to Felicia.
"A knight speaks through their sword. You have proven yourself. It seems I was foolish to think I was qualified to test you."
"I know better than anyone the weight you have placed upon your blade. Because it was a senior like you who tested me, I consider this an honor."
"...You flatter me."
The knight tried to decline the praise humbly, but his face was filled with emotion. It was respect shown not to a 'female knight,' but to the 'future Sword Saint.'
As the challenger withdrew, the Grand Duke looked around at the others and spoke.
"Sir Felicia has proven her qualifications. If there is anyone else who still wishes to test her, come forward now!"
Not a single knight stepped out. The people’s gaze had already shifted. She was no longer an anachronistic female knight from a fairy tale, but the reincarnation of a true legendary knight.
Just as the Grand Duke was about to speak again, seeing that no one stepped forward—
"Tristan Valdek wishes to ask Sir Felicia!"
Tristan, who had been silent until now, stood up and shouted. As all eyes focused on him, Tristan extended a hand toward Felicia.
"As a fellow knight, do you have any intention of serving me!"
"...!"
It was a proposal that was bold to the point of being disrespectful. But Tristan didn't stop.
"If you come under my command, you shall always ride by my side, eat at my table, and I shall have you receive my final words when I draw my last breath! You, who shall carry on the name of the Sword Saint! I wish to hear your answer!"
Riding and eating with one's lord meant being treated essentially as an equal or a close friend. Having her receive his final words meant trusting her enough to entrust his legacy even in death—the highest honor a retainer could receive.
At Tristan’s offer, which burned with a desire for talent, Felicia bowed her head and spoke.
"I thank you for the offer, but I must refuse."
"What...!"
"Then do you have any intention of coming to me!"
Before the shocked Tristan could even ask why, a slightly late Joshua scrambled forward. It was an unseemly display, but his attitude suggested he didn't care about his dignity if he could only obtain Felicia.
"If you come to me, no knight shall stand above you, and all shall show you respect! This promise shall be kept until the day my breath ceases!"
It was heavily exaggerated, but the point was that he would make Felicia his second-in-command for life. It was a promise that no matter what achievements others made, no one under Joshua would ever hold a higher position than her.
But Felicia shook her head again.
"I thank you for the high appraisal, but I must refuse."
"...!"
The murmuring grew louder as she rejected the Valdek bloodline twice in a row. Did she intend to refuse all oaths of loyalty even after being knighted by Grand Duke Sigmund?
That was when Jordi, with a relaxed face, stood up and shouted.
"Future Sword Saint, Felicia! Do you have any intention of offering your sword to me? If you swear loyalty to me, I shall grant any request you have within my power! Eight Gods of Heaven, hear my oath!"
"Gasp!"
"The Oath of the Pantheon!"
People were horrified by the Oath of the Pantheon that came from Jordi’s mouth. Was it not an oath that could never be taken back once uttered? To speak it so lightheartedly, even though it could bind him for life...
Just as the Grand Duke frowned at the recklessness that surpassed boldness and others held their breath—
"I thank you for the generous offer. However, please forgive the rudeness of my refusal."
"...!?"
"My sword already has someone to whom it is pledged. No matter what offer comes my way, I have no intention of swearing loyalty to anyone else."
At Felicia’s firm answer, Jordi’s face contorted violently. To humiliate him like this in front of everyone after he had even made an Oath of the Pantheon!
In the moment a heavy silence fell over the crowd following the repeated rejections, Lucian stood up and walked forward.
"Lucian Valdek makes you an offer. As you can see, I have nothing but this meager body, so there is nothing I can promise you."
"...."
"The future is uncertain, the rewards are few, and constant danger awaits you. However, if you stay with me until the end, your name shall be etched in history. Will you join me?"
The brothers, as well as the spectators, wore incredulous expressions at Lucian’s proposal. He seemed to be trying to be romantic in his own way, but it looked more like he was begging her to reject him.
Just as people were waiting for Felicia’s words to begin with 'I thank you for the offer, but'—
"You made the wrong offer."
Felicia, smiling brightly, knelt on one knee before Lucian and spoke.
"I do not care if it is the heart of hell. Just let me stay by your side."