Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Just Guard
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The ones waiting for me when I emerged from the dungeon were soldiers from the 2341st Unit I belonged to and the Stormstrike Squad.
At their center stood Duke Ren, Senia, Cecilia, Mine, and Adelin in sequence, along with Duke Grace and another heroine, Luna Grace.
Standing in the midst of them was Alicia, looking at me as if I were some kind of lucky charm.
The moment I saw her, I realized I hadn't gotten permission for this Barhatan raid.
Shit.
I hadn't expected her to bring this many people just to beat the crap out of me, no matter how you sliced it.
"Funeral Sword. I'm curious about your thoughts on being the first to conquer an abyss."
And on top of that, she straight-up asked for my impressions.
Truth be told, there wasn't much emotion for something I'd conquered with such difficulty. It was just the first dungeon, after all.
Since I was just tired now and wanted to get back to the barracks and rest, I spat out whatever came to mind in a whatever-happens-happens attitude.
"My sword may have broken, but I have not."
I'd already distanced myself a billion light-years from the extra character Haribal Belder in the game, but the one thing I'd held onto was this knight concept.
It started as an excuse I blurted out, but as I kept pushing it, it felt like the concept had swallowed me instead.
Now, I could just barely move my tongue, and knightly lines flowed out effortlessly.
"Your words are truly those of a knight, Soldier Haribal. But you're not a knight yet, are you?"
"I believe that to reach a goal, it's important to act as much like that goal as possible."
"I agree with your opinion as well."
No sooner had the words ended than Alicia personally placed a necklace engraved with a cross pattern around my neck.
"Soldier Haribal Belder stood at the vanguard of the raid squad and conquered one of the Demon God's abysses for the first time in imperial history! He drove out the demonic energy, reclaimed lost territory, and protected the citizens with his life! Thus, I, Princess Alicia Cyrus, acknowledge this merit and hereby bestow upon Haribal the title of knight. If any object, declare it now, in this place!"
It was a knighting ceremony.
"Speak, Knight Haribal. If you've truly dreamed of being a knight, you must know well what oath to make here."
She meant for me to recite the knight's oath, but the problem was I'd skipped that part in the game and didn't remember it well.
Since I'd come this far on concept alone, I figured I'd just say something cool enough.
I held the broken sword vertically against my chest.
"The Empire's sword, Haribal Belder, shall protect the world's light from all darkness threatening humanity, and will never break until that day."
"Excellent."
Alicia, with a smile on her lips, slightly bowed her head and whispered.
"There will be many places your sword points from now on, but I'd be pleased if you prioritized me above all."
At her gesture, an attendant unfurled a sheet of paper.
"As of today, I proclaim that the name Haribal Belder is officially registered on the list of knights of the Cyrus Empire!"
What I gained from conquering the beast dungeon wasn't just the knighthood.
"Haribal Belder. You did not retreat before the Empire's enemies and fought in place of the imperial bloodline. By the name of Princess Alicia, I command that from this moment, you are appointed as an official noble of the Empire, a baronet."
I'd formally received a title as well, becoming Baronet Belder.
Of course, in this world, a baronet was merely the bare minimum to distinguish nobles from commoners—a purely honorary title with no real power.
They probably tossed it in as a pretext since they couldn't appoint a commoner as a knight.
Still, I'd always thought I'd remain a commoner nobody, so becoming a noble felt somewhat novel.
"Your courage and loyalty shall be eternally engraved in the Empire's history."
Afterward, I was also granted a mansion and prize money.
The thing I liked most among them was the mansion's location.
The mansion was located in Neivil, the academy city where the academy's main building stood and the Empire's largest educational infrastructure was concentrated.
Honestly, this pleased me more than the knighting or title. Most of the spec-up elements in End of the Academy were centered around the academy area.
Thanks to that, I no longer had to wander between dorms.
"You have merely accomplished one of what Your Noble Self desired."
"But you are the only one who achieved it, Baronet Belder."
Alicia looked at me again and opened her mouth.
"The Empire does not forget merits, so if you have any particular wish, speak it. If it's something I can do, I will surely make it happen."
Kuheheh, along with that familiar chuckle.
She said that, but there was no way she'd actually grant anything.
I hadn't defeated the Demon God, after all—just cleared the first dungeon.
Frankly, calling me a hero right now felt a bit awkward.
Someone with Adelin-level specs could probably free-pass up to the fourth dungeon the moment a room opened, and the Empire was full of such monsters.
In other words, my current value was purely symbolic as a key. And the shelf life of that key wasn't long.
Once the academy scenario properly began, even dogs and cats would be able to open boss rooms.
When that time came, my position would shrink rapidly.
Knight induction, title, mansion, prize money—I'd already received plenty.
So, for now, claiming a reward fitting my position and stepping back would be wiser for the future.
"I request permission to enter and exit dungeons whenever I wish."
This reward was something I'd decided on long ago.
As a soldier, the procedures for dungeon access were always complicated.
From now on, new areas would open, and new dungeons would appear.
Dungeons near the barracks weren't a big issue since Adelin granted permission, but that wouldn't hold for other regions.
If I solved the permission issue, I could utilize upcoming dungeons faster than anyone.
"...Didn't you just return from a dungeon?"
When I voiced my request, Alicia asked back with a look of disbelief, and everyone around stared at me like I was insane.
'No, I need to try Just Guard.'
It was a familiar gaze.
⁎⁎⁎
'First to conquer a Demon God's dungeon!'
One might expect a grand imperial celebration, but reality was different.
First, six more dungeons remained.
Second, post-conquest cleanup for a Demon God's dungeon was far more important.
In short, imperial tasks needing immediate attention took priority over celebrations.
First off, as soon as I conquered the beast dungeon, new dungeons hidden by demonic energy began revealing themselves one by one.
But information on these dungeons was virtually nil. Thus, the Empire prioritized research and scouting of the new dungeons.
Moreover, the entrance exam for Loydel Academy—one of the Empire's largest events—was coming up soon.
This exam, featuring the so-called Golden Generation of playable characters en masse, had nationwide attention.
"You're crazy, you know that?"
"Why?"
"You can't feel it even while sparring with me right now?"
In that sense, I'd skipped the celebratory feast after returning from the dungeon and immediately asked Adelin for a spar.
"The raid hero skipping the feast for training? Even I didn't go this far when I was like you."
I felt a bit wronged.
Who wanted to spar?
I had to.
I initially planned to wash up and crash after returning.
But every time I closed my eyes, the Adamant slumbering in my Abyss Core shimmered—what could I do?
The [Adamant] dropped as a reward for conquering Barhatan.
Adamant was an utterly ordinary defensive shard boosting stamina and defense by 3 each—not an endgame piece.
Compared to Black Cloud, which gave 8 fluidity, it was closer to a hot potato.
Normally, you'd use it reluctantly early on, but swap it out of your core as the late game approached.
But my situation was different.
One thing this confirmed:
The rare shards I acquired came with abilities only I could use. Specialized for turn-based combat, no less.
The ability on Adamant, called 'Mitigation,' was the Just Guard function.
Turn-based combat was basically your hit, my hit. It seemed fair at first glance, but reality differed.
It felt great offing an enemy in one hit as the player, but getting one-shot and dying felt utterly foul.
Just Guard was made to reduce that frustration.
By allowing defense, evasion, parry actions even on the enemy's turn, it added control elements and tension to monotonous turn-based fights.
Until now, I could do nothing on the enemy's turn but take hits.
That's why I'd clung to tricks like "take less damage" for three years. If you didn't want to hurt, maximize what you could use.
That effort became pointless thanks to Adamant... but no denying Just Guard was far superior.
Thus, unlike Black Cloud, I couldn't remove Adamant until a superior shard appeared.
Unlike Instant Kill, Just Guard's potential was limitless once mastered.
It was ironic.
In the original game, Black Cloud was broken and Adamant meh, but in reality, Black Cloud was for trash mobs and Adamant core.
The problem: I'd grown so used to turn-based that I'd forgotten how to block or parry attacks.
Rehab was needed.
'I should practice as soon as I get back.'
Just Guard.
Just Guard.
Just Guard...
...That train of thought led to asking Adelin for a spar.
The result?
Thwack! Thwack!
"What kind of stance is that? Not blocking, not taking it—it's half-assed."
As expected, Just Guard was tough.
Normally, a red gem appearing over Adelin's head reflexively froze my movement.
Now, my body could only move in the split second right before her sword touched skin.
I had to precisely block her attack in that instant.
How the hell?
"Become a proper knight and suddenly got a mindset change, Baronet Belder?"
"I've learned that respecting an opponent doesn't mean always taking their attacks with your body."
"You must've felt a lot in that beast dungeon?"
Anyway, today's goal was one successful Just Guard, but I'd already eaten dozens of her attacks.
"By the way, did you submit your entrance application?"
"I'll do it tomorrow."
"Deadline's the day after, and you're submitting tomorrow? Even if you love training, isn't that too thoughtless?"
I had no room to retort Adelin's mockery.
"My head's already a mess with worries."
Just Guard wasn't working.
"What's up? Sis'll listen..."
Before she finished, her sword suddenly swung.
This was her usual style.
Lure you into talking, then strike when off-guard.
Sometimes she'd attack while I rested, the red gem floating over her head scaring the shit out of me.
But this time, the moment her sword tip entered my vision, my arm moved reflexively.
Clang!
The wooden sword in my hand blocked Adelin's strike.
[Just Guard!]
...It worked.
The shock tingling up my arm from deflecting made me drop the sword reflexively.
But ending what should've been a headshot with just that was satisfying enough.
Dropping the sword would resolve with practice.
My lips curled up at succeeding in Just Guard for the first time.
"Oh?"
Adelin looked surprised too.
"Your movement's definitely improved. You're just at the starting line now, though."
She extended a hand toward me on the ground.
"Come on, up. Let's keep going?"
Exactly what I wanted.