Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Entering the Castle
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The hammer struck the anvil.
The Anvil that Births Thunder, awakened from its thousand-year slumber, roared aloud.
It was a wave of magical power. The wave rippled through the atmosphere, awakening the great Enkidu's servants who had been neglected for ages.
*Open your eyes, and obey.*
The trivial spells of the Orc shamans, which had been deceiving the eyes and ears of the Swamp Mammoths, didn't last a single moment. Freed from their delusion, the Swamp Mammoths obeyed the correct command.
Bandal was the first to notice the change.
Swinging an iron club in each hand and smashing the skulls of Orcs, he suddenly raised his head. Bandal perceived it. He was no mage or psychic, but he knew instinctively.
*At this very moment, the tide of battle turns.*
There was no logic or evidence. Bandal simply felt it and acted without hesitation.
“Ararararai!”
The Ogre's distinctive war cry drew the attention of everyone nearby. Bandal, who had been a bulwark protecting his allies, now became a war chariot. He charged forward, trampling and kicking the Orcs of the Red Lightning Tribe.
“Ararararai!”
“Ararararai!”
Bandal's direct subordinates, the Ogre warriors, did the same. It was clear that the Ogre warriors' group charge would shatter the expeditionary force's entire formation, but there was no hesitation in them as they followed Bandal.
The warriors of the Red Lightning Tribe fighting on the front lines were flustered by the Ogres' sudden charge, but Yakuzan, observing the battlefield from the rear, smirked. Bandal's charge was nothing more than a momentary spectacle. The broken formation would only increase the expeditionary force's casualties.
But Yakuzan’s judgment was wrong. The Swamp Mammoths, which had been venting their fury on the expeditionary force, suddenly turned and trampled the Orcs of the Red Lightning Tribe. A few of them even rolled on the ground, crushing dozens of Orcs at once.
Confusion spread like wildfire. A crack appeared in the Red Lightning Tribe's formation, now caught between enemies to their front and rear.
Bandal pierced through that gap. The explosive charge of the Ogre warriors split the battlefield in two in an instant.
Now, even the soldiers felt the change. Chris, who had been fighting fiercely, drenched in blood, lifted his head. Bandal shouted toward the sky.
“The Prince and Princesses have done it!”
That was enough. Chris, grasping the situation, charged forward with a demonic grin on his face. He commanded the transformed Lycanthropes.
“Destroy them!”
Over a hundred beasts roared in unison. And upon the heads of the expeditionary force, a magical blessing descended.
The grand magic of the Anvil that Births Thunder.
The magic, transmitted through the Swamp Mammoths as receivers, bolstered the strength and courage of the expeditionary force. The Orcs belonging to the expeditionary force forgot their fatigue and pain, and even their fear.
The Red Lightning Tribe faced the opposite situation. The curse that spread amidst the chaos made them shrink back. Amplified fear rooted their feet to the ground, and an irreversible sense of defeat made them lower their weapons. The chieftains who were still lucid screamed their lungs out, but it was to no avail.
An army that had lost its ranks and files was nothing more than a collection of individuals. The Red Lightning Tribe, mired in confusion and fear, crumbled helplessly, as if their fierce fighting until now had been a lie.
“We must flee!”
The grand shaman standing beside Yakuzan cried out urgently. As a mage, he could read the powerful flow of mana emanating from the Swamp Mammoths. This situation was no accident. It was an inevitability created by someone.
This battle could not be won. The situation was so chaotic that even a proper retreat was impossible; all that remained was the annihilation of the Red Lightning Tribe.
So they had to give up. They had to flee, even if it meant sacrificing everyone on this battlefield.
“The Great Chieftain must live! As long as the Great Chieftain survives, we can rise again!”
Yakuzan knew what the grand shaman was saying. He also understood that his words were the best option. But he also knew that he could not do it.
Yakuzan turned his head toward the center of the battlefield. Someone was charging through, cutting down the Orcs of the Red Lightning Tribe like bundles of straw.
“Ya-ku-zan-!”
At the thunderous shout, the grand shaman trembled involuntarily. Yakuzan looked straight into the face of Bandal, who was sprinting toward him, sending chunks of flesh flying. Though more than a hundred warriors still stood between them, it was meaningless.
“It seems this is the end.”
Yakuzan laughed hollowly. He gripped the great black iron sword that had been his lifelong companion, the one that had elevated him to the position of Great Chieftain of the Red Lightning Tribe.
“Great Chieftain?”
Yakuzan did not answer the grand shaman's call. He charged toward the rapidly closing Bandal, a savage grin on his face.
&
“It’s over.”
Ingong said with a sigh. Sharing his vision with the Swamp Mammoths on the battlefield through the Anvil that Births Thunder, he knew.
Bandal had killed Yakuzan, the Great Chieftain of the Red Lightning Tribe. Though a few chieftains of the Red Lightning Tribe, including Kairam, remained, they could not be Yakuzan.
Yakuzan’s death had broken the spirit of the Red Lightning Tribe. The Orcs gave up fighting and either fled or surrendered, and the Lizardmen, who had participated as mercenaries, had long since left the battlefield without a trace.
After confirming that Chris, who had practically bathed in Orc blood, was letting out a victory roar, Ingong placed the hammer down on the anvil. His gaze naturally shifted to the two people leaning against the anvil.
“We won.”
Felicia sniffled and smiled, blood trickling from her nose. Caitlin, with a dazed expression, leaned her cheek against the anvil and mumbled.
“We won.”
It seemed she wanted to express her emotions more intensely, but lacking the strength, she just twitched her shoulders while her head was bowed. In fact, it was less that she was leaning against the anvil and more that she was just sprawled on top of it.
Felicia, who was in slightly better shape, wiped the blood from her face with the back of her hand and said.
“Shutora, put the Swamp Mammoths to sleep for now.”
Currently, the only one who could control the Swamp Mammoths was Shutora, who was manipulating the Anvil that Births Thunder. It was best to put them to sleep to avoid any trouble with the expeditionary force on the battlefield.
But Ingong did not pick up the hammer again.
“Already did. That was the last command I gave when I struck it.”
“Good, then I can pass out for a few hours without worry.”
“Huh?”
Instead of answering the question, Felicia turned her gaze to Caitlin. She tried to pat her on the shoulder, her right hand trembling, but she couldn't even lift it to shoulder height before it dropped limply.
“I can’t. I’ll just say it. Sleep well.”
After speaking to the back of Caitlin’s head, Felicia followed her own advice and passed out. Instead of turning to look at Felicia, who had collapsed with a soft thud, Caitlin just rolled her eyes to look at Ingong.
“Sorry.”
Without being able to add ‘I’m leaving the rest to you,’ Caitlin also closed her eyes.
*Nothing to be sorry about.*
Ingong couldn't voice his thoughts either. As the tension left him, fatigue washed over him all at once, making it difficult to keep his eyes open any longer.
*I should just pass out too.*
The moment Ingong thought that.
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
“Huh?”
Regardless of what Ingong said, the levels were already gained. A cluster of white light enveloped him, and the stamina and mana he had exhausted on the Anvil that Births Thunder were instantly restored.
*Is it like achievement experience?*
In *Knight Saga*, there were often cases where one would gain bonus experience for discovering an artifact or achieving a feat.
*Well, I did level up just by running at first.*
Having controlled the artifact of the Earth Dragon Enkidu, one of the six Elder Dragons, it was natural to gain a lot of experience.
He had gained one level in the last defeat, so Ingong's level was now 13. But it didn't end there.
[Your Conquest Level has increased.]
“What?!”
Ingong, who had let out his voice without thinking, hurriedly activated his skill window. His level had indeed gone up.
[Conquest Lv2]
[Under the King's Banner Lv2]
[King's Knight Order Lv1]
*‘Under the King's Banner’ leveled up too. What's the effect? Has the buff effect been enhanced? The number of targets I can buff must have increased as well.*
He wanted to test it right away. But there was something that caught his attention even more.
King's Knight Order Lv1.
What was this skill? It wasn't a passive skill like the ones related to his protagonist's buff. It was an active skill that had to be used directly, like Under the King's Banner.
*Just from the name... could it be a summoning skill?*
Like knights in shining armor appearing when used.
Continuing his brief fantasy, Ingong leaned his arms on the anvil and let out a long breath. Thanks to the level-up effect, his stamina and mana were fully restored, but the mental fatigue remained. It felt similar to how he felt after using Under the King's Banner.
*Conquer, subjugate, dominate.*
A white-haired woman wearing a golden crown.
This time, he hadn't just seen her. For a brief moment, he had even shared her senses.
The increase in his Conquest level was likely due to that influence.
Who was she? And what exactly was this power of Conquest that he possessed?
His head, which had felt light for a moment due to the level-up, began to feel heavy again. It seemed the time to pass out as originally planned was approaching, as his eyes began to droop.
This was his limit. Ingong leaned forward a little more and looked in Karak's direction.
“Karak.”
“Prince! You see that?! We won!”
Karak, who had been staring at the window of light showing the expeditionary force, exclaimed, a bit late to the party. Ingong thought that was just like Karak as he slumped down in front of the anvil.
“I'm counting on you.”
And then he passed out. It was so fast it might as well have been a skill.
“Huh?! Prince?! Prince!”
A flustered Karak rushed over to Ingong, but there was no response from the collapsed boy. As Karak panicked, Seira, who had been standing by without a presence, approached him.
“Warrior Karak, I will tend to Her Highnesses. You should tend to His Highness and the Dark Elves.”
Come to think of it, Delia and Katuin were also sprawled at the base of the anvil. Except for Karak and Seira, the entire party had passed out.
“Got it.”
Replying swiftly, Karak first scooped up Ingong in his arms.
&
The white-haired woman was smiling gently.
Her red and blue eyes, which held Ingong within them, whispered in a low voice.
“Knight of Conquest, you are my—”
She continued to speak, but her voice did not reach him. The white-haired woman's lips moved, and eventually, she settled back into a quiet smile.
It was not yet time.
Darkness surged and enveloped the white-haired woman.
“Oh, Prince. Are you awake now?”
As soon as he opened his eyes, he heard Karak's voice from above. Like most people waking from sleep, Ingong first squeezed his eyes shut and then sat up.
“Karak?”
“Here, have some water first.”
Karak handed him a canteen filled with cold water. A sip made him feel much more alive.
“Where are my sisters?”
“Look beside you.”
Karak grinned and gestured with his chin to the right. Turning his head, Ingong saw Caitlin and Felicia lying side by side on a large spread of cloth.
*Did I wake up first?*
He had expected Caitlin, being the most physically superior, to wake up first.
*Ah, the level-up effect.*
Come to think of it, he had leveled up. While his mind was exhausted, his body had been in peak condition when he fell asleep, so it was natural for him to wake up first.
*Only about two hours have passed.*
Ingong shifted his gaze from the mini-map back to Caitlin and Felicia. Seira, who was sitting beside them, spoke.
“Their Highnesses seem to be very exhausted. They will need to rest for a while longer.”
“The Dark Elves are in a similar state. But their lives aren't in danger.”
Karak said, pointing to the Dark Elves lying to Ingong's left. As Karak said, their lives didn't seem to be in any danger, but they were clearly in considerable pain from the ordeal.
In any case, no one had died. The mission was accomplished; everything was perfect.
“You have made a decisive contribution to our victory. Congratulations.”
Seira said, showing her respects to Ingong anew. Karak blinked and quickly mimicked her.
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks. It was thanks to Caitlin and Felicia.”
As he replied while looking at Seira, she smiled gently. The mention of Caitlin's contribution seemed to have pleased her.
Next, Ingong spoke to Karak.
“And thanks to you too.”
“Heh heh, as long as you know.”
His friendly smile on his rugged face was so typically Karak.
If it had been Delia and Katuin, they would have frowned at Karak's impudence, but Seira, now accustomed to Orcs, just smiled faintly. She spoke in a slightly more familiar tone than before.
“It will be some time before Their Highnesses awaken. Your Highness should also rest some more.”
Looking at Caitlin and Felicia's condition, it seemed they would need to lie down for at least another three or four hours, so Ingong nodded.
“Alright, let’s do that… wait.”
“Yes?”
Instead of answering, Ingong looked around. He saw the Anvil that Births Thunder and the altar, now devoid of light, and beyond them, the door leading to the antechamber.
*This is a ruin, after all.*
And not just any ruin, but one related to the Earth Dragon Enkidu. Due to time constraints, he had skipped all the intermediate steps and gone straight for the final room, but that fact remained unchanged.
Exploring ruins.
It was never easy. It would surely be filled with various traps and powerful guardians.
*But what if you're the master of the ruin?*
This dungeon existed to protect the Anvil that Births Thunder, and Ingong had just dominated that very anvil.
“Karak, grab your bag and follow me.”
“Huh? Prince?”
Instead of answering the blinking Karak, Ingong shot up from his seat. He gazed at the door located beyond the altar.
&
In *Knight Saga*, discovering ruins was not for personal gain.
You report useful ruins to the Demon King's Castle, accumulate merits, and receive appropriate rewards.
This system was possible because, for the children of the Demon King, merit was the most important thing.
Of course, depending on the type and nature of the ruin, privatization could be more beneficial. But privatizing a ruin was a significant risk. If discovered by the Demon King's Castle, not only would a substantial amount of one's accumulated merits be deleted, but one would also have to face penalties such as fines or imprisonment.
*I've gotten a game over because of that before.*
However, the Demon King's Castle wasn't entirely strict. It was, by anyone's standards, harsh to demand that the discoverer of a ruin turn everything over without taking anything.
Generally, when discovering a ruin with artifacts, the discoverer could officially acquire a certain amount of artifacts depending on the scale of the ruin.
*Of course, you could also pocket a little extra unofficially.*
Hiding a ruin and hiding a few artifacts were on completely different levels of difficulty.
The discovery of the Anvil that Births Thunder was undoubtedly a great achievement. The merit would be divided since three of the Demon King's children were involved, but he was confident that even the divided merit would be quite substantial.
But that was as far as it went. Privatizing the Anvil that Births Thunder was impossible.
The Anvil that Births Thunder was one with this ruin. If the anvil were detached and installed elsewhere, it would never exhibit the same performance.
*It's a shame, but it can't be helped.*
He knew this because he had dominated the anvil. What powered the anvil was the magic left by the Earth Dragon Enkidu and the power of the great dragon vein flowing beneath this ruin. It wasn't for nothing that the Dwarven treasure keepers had left the anvil behind.
*But I can't leave empty-handed, can I?*
He felt sorry for Caitlin and Felicia, but while they were asleep, now was the perfect chance to grab some artifacts.
*Useful items in the inventory, miscellaneous stuff for show in Karak's bag.*
With no physical evidence, his alibi would be perfect.
*Sorry.*
Mentally apologizing to the soundly sleeping Caitlin and Felicia, Ingong entered the first room—or what would normally be the second-to-last room—with Karak.
The second room was much larger than the room with the anvil. The ceiling was also much higher, seeming to be nearly 10 meters tall.
“Wow, that’s some amazing monster!”
Karak exclaimed like a child, pointing at a jet-black monster in the middle of the room.
Ingong was aghast.
*My god, that's an Arc Golem! And in the form of a Gryphon!*
A Gryphon, a winged magical beast with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. The monster before him looked like such a Gryphon clad in jet-black full-body armor.
If Ingong's eyes weren't mistaken, the monster before him was undoubtedly an Arc Golem, one of the higher-class dungeon guardians.
*If we had come through the front, we might have been blocked here.*
The Caitlin from the Lycanthrope subjugation battle could have shattered it in one blow, but for the current Caitlin, it would have been a tough opponent.
*And Felicia doesn't seem to be a combat mage.*
She was clearly a competent mage, but not all competent mages were combat mages.
The magic Felicia had shown on this expedition was mostly indirect, such as supporting allies or changing the battlefield environment to their advantage.
Karak, who was examining the Arc Golem, which was crouched like a statue, asked Ingong.
“Prince, are you sure that thing won't move? It’s not gonna suddenly stand up and attack us, is it?”
“It's fine. You and I are considered personnel of this ruin.”
With the recognition of the Anvil that Births Thunder, it was fine. In the Arc Golem's eyes, Ingong and Karak would only appear as treasure keepers.
Ingong scanned the entire room instead of the Arc Golem and said.
“We need to find a storeroom, like an armory. This is basically a fortress, so it's unlikely to have a separate treasury.”
Furthermore, if there was an armory or storeroom, it was highly likely to be connected to this room or the room just before it. After all, this was the safest place in the ruin.
Karak nodded at Ingong's words.
“The anvil in the other room was the main treasure, so that makes sense.”
The ruin itself was practically there to protect the Anvil that Births Thunder. Karak, quick on the uptake as always.
Since there were no apparent passages in the room with the Arc Golem, Ingong moved to the next room. This time, a room with many doors appeared.
*Looks like the demonkin gave it a thorough remodel after they took it over.*
The dungeon's layout was quite different from when he had played as Locke.
*Well, back then I was just busy breaking things.*
After destroying the anvil, he had collapsed the mountain itself, burying the entire dungeon.
“Karak, I'll check the doors on this side, you take the other side.”
“Got it… Oh! Look at this!”
As soon as Ingong finished speaking, Karak, who had opened the nearest door, shouted loudly. When Ingong hurried over, he saw a room filled with weapons and armor.
*Maybe Karak has a protagonist's constitution too?*
Ingong chuckled and entered the armory with Karak. The item that had so impressed Karak was a large suit of armor placed in the middle of the armory.
“Prince, isn't this really cool? And it looks super tough.”
The object he was admiring, even panting with excitement, looked impressive even to Ingong. A magnificent dragon head decoration was attached to the chest, and decorations resembling dragon wings were on both shoulders. A faint magical aura suggested it was undoubtedly magic armor.
*Is this for the Orc mercenaries?*
It was clearly not sized for a Dwarf. One would have to be at least as big as Karak to even fit into it.
*It looks like a mass-produced item.*
But it was a mass-produced item made by none other than the treasure keepers of the Earth Dragon Enkidu. It was incomparable to the partial armor Karak was currently wearing.
Ingong looked the armor up and down and then used his remaining authority as the master of the anvil to inspect it. As he suspected, there were no curses or harmful magic on it.
“Karak, do you want this?”
At Ingong's offer, Karak's eyes widened. He stuttered for a long time before finally managing to speak.
“R-really? I can have it?!”
“Yeah, it's too big for me anyway.”
And Karak was his precious subordinate number one. Karak getting stronger was the same as Ingong himself getting stronger.
“Thank you. Thank you so much, Prince.”
Overjoyed, Karak quickly unfastened his bag and lunged at the armor, as if to try it on immediately. Watching the scene with a pleased expression, Ingong soon turned his gaze elsewhere.
The armory had strangely empty spots here and there. It seemed the treasure keepers had taken the Dwarf-sized equipment with them when they left the dungeon.
*Well, Dwarf sizes wouldn't have fit me anyway.*
Thinking positively, Ingong began to stuff whatever he could see into his inventory. With the good excuse that the Dwarven treasure keepers had taken them, there was no reason to hesitate.
*It'll come in handy someday.*
Hadn't the Dwarven sword played a big role in activating the Anvil that Births Thunder? Whether he used it himself, gave it to a subordinate, or even sold it, it was better than nothing.
Ingong swept up the swords, shields, and axes on the shelves, then proceeded to open the chests on the floor. Most were empty, but some contained gold coins that looked ancient at a glance.
*Ancient gold coins?*
Beyond their value as gold, they seemed to have considerable value as antiques. Without much thought, Ingong diligently filled his inventory once again.
Another ten minutes passed like that. After checking all the chests, Ingong suddenly felt a strong sense of unease.
*What is this feeling?*
He had definitely searched all the shelves and chests in the room, yet he felt like he had missed something.
What was it? What had he missed?
*It's bothering me.*
His gaze was drawn to a chest in the very center. It wasn't because it looked special. It was just a feeling. But a sense that he couldn't ignore.
Ingong unconsciously reached out and fumbled inside the chest. Again, his hand was drawn to a specific spot.
*Huh, could it be a secret mechanism?*
There was a part where his hand caught with a click. Ingong swallowed dryly and activated the mechanism.
*Here it comes, I can feel it. It's the protagonist's buff!*
Just as a familiar mechanical sound was heard, the wall behind the chests slid open with a soft whoosh. It seemed to be a secret place for hiding truly important items.
“Prince?”
Startled by the sudden mechanical noise, Karak, half-dressed in the armor, approached Ingong. But Ingong couldn't look back at Karak. His entire attention was captivated by the steel gauntlet floating serenely in the middle of the secret area.
“Enkidu's Gauntlet… Earthquaker.”
The moment he saw it, the name popped into his head.
The gauntlet, which reached up to his forearm, resembled the Earth Dragon Enkidu. The jet-black steel plates were like a dragon's scales, and the carving on the back of the hand was like a dragon's head.
“Ooh… it looks amazing at a glance.”
Karak also muttered, his face lost in awe. Ingong took a deep breath, then slowly reached out and grasped the gauntlet.
[Level requirement not met.]
[Mana requirement not met.]
[Spirit requirement not met.]
[Strength requirement not met.]
[Stamina requirement not met.]
The moment his hand touched it, numerous sentences flooded his mind. It was a powerful magical artifact that the current Ingong could not possibly handle.
However—
[Earthquaker acknowledges you as its master.]
[Changing Earthquaker's user to 'Shutora'.]
Earthquaker recognized Ingong. It accepted the one who had conquered the Anvil that Births Thunder as its master.
A yellow light, reminiscent of lava, glowed between the steel plates, and the gauntlet disassembled into pieces. Before he could even be surprised, it reassembled on his right arm. A perfect auto-equip.
“Did you see that? It seems to have accepted you as its master!”
[Strength increased by 10.]
[Mana increased by 10.]
[Stamina increased by 10.]
A part of Earthquaker's function activated. Ingong clenched his fist lightly and thrilled at the power he felt in his fingertips.
*Just you wait. I'll catch up soon with some grinding.*
If it could exert its full function, it would easily be an S-rank weapon. He could feel Enkidu's magic, just like with the Anvil that Births Thunder.
*An artifact that requires permission.*
He understood why the Dwarven treasure keepers had left Earthquaker behind. If he hadn't dominated the Anvil that Births Thunder, he wouldn't have been able to obtain Earthquaker either.
Taking another long breath, Ingong dismantled the gauntlet and put it in his inventory. He turned to Karak and said.
“Karak, I have something to tell you.”
“Is it about keeping your… mysterious magic that lets you store things a secret?”
Karak said with a grin. A genius Orc, indeed. He seemed to have figured things out from the recent events. Ingong nodded with a pleasant feeling.
“Yes. Keep it a secret from my sisters too.”
“Got it. It's between you and me. I'll keep it a secret until a knife is at my throat.”
It was a slightly unsettling promise, but its realism made it trustworthy.
*Come to think of it.*
As he and his subordinate number one, Karak, went back and forth, he remembered something he had forgotten until now.
*King's Knight Order.*
The new skill he got when his Conquest level increased.
What kind of skill was it? Was it a summoning skill, as he had guessed?
*I'll know if I try.*
As they say, seeing is believing.
After having Karak step back, Ingong took a light breath and stretched his hand out into the air.
“King's Knight Order.”
From Ingong's fingertips, a new power of Conquest was unleashed.
&
[King's Knight Order Lv1]
[Creating Knight Order. Please wait a moment.]
The moment he activated the skill, a clear female voice echoed in his mind. Ingong blinked involuntarily.
*Huh, creating a Knight Order? Is it like creating a guild?*
While he was thinking, the Knight Order was completed (?), and a new window of light appeared before his eyes.
[King's Knight Order Lv1]
[Knight Commander: - ]
[Total Knights: 0 / 2]
[Order Skills Lv1]
[Blessing of the Order Lv1: Increases the health of all knights by 5%.]
[Knight Training]
[ - ]
[Special Skill]
[Summon Lv1: Can summon the Knight Commander. (Once every 3 days)]
*Ooooh?*
It was similar to a guild in an online game, yet different. No, it was just much better.
*The Order Skill isn't the main thing.*
Increasing the health of the order's members by 5%. It was definitely a good option. Since it was still level 1, the effect would surely improve as the level increased. It was also highly likely that new options would be added.
But what caught Ingong's eye were the things listed below the Order Skill.
Knight Training.
There was no detailed explanation, but the moment he saw it, he was certain.
Develop the knights. Make them stronger!
*The summon is amazing too.*
Limited to once every three days, and only for the Knight Commander, but its usefulness was beyond words.
*Will the number of uses increase with level-ups? Or maybe I'll be able to summon regular members too.*
Excited, Ingong let his imagination run wild and repeatedly expressed his admiration. Karak, who couldn't see the window of light, looked at Ingong as if he were seeing a madman for the first time in a long while.
Noticing the impure gaze of his subordinate number one, prospective knight number one, and prospective knight commander, Ingong cleared his throat with a "hmm hmm" and faced Karak.
“Karak, I have a proposal for you.”
“What is it?”
Karak asked, blinking his large eyes. Feeling strangely embarrassed, Ingong cleared his throat again and said.
“How about you continue to travel with me from now on?”
“Uh… you mean become your direct subordinate? Like those women, Seira and Delia?”
“That's right. I asked Chris, and he said it's possible as long as you agree.”
Actually, Chris had said it was possible even by force. Since Ingong had accumulated quite a lot of merits, he could do as he pleased with at least one direct subordinate.
Still, Ingong wanted to respect Karak's wishes as much as possible. After all, they would be together for a long time.
*But he won't play hard to get, right?*
Ingong looked at Karak with slightly anxious eyes. Karak scratched his chin with an indifferent expression, then grinned and replied.
“Sure, why not. I like you too, Prince.”
He had wondered, but it turned out as expected, which was a relief. Ingong smiled brightly and said to Karak.
“Great, then kneel down there. We need to perform a simple ceremony.”
To properly use the King's Knight Order skill, he first needed to 'appoint a knight'. Just like when he conquered the Anvil that Births Thunder, he knew what he had to do.
Karak, again without any complaint, knelt before Ingong. Ingong took a breath and drew the Dwarven sword from his inventory.
“Uh, are you going to defy me, even if you are the Prince?”
When Ingong suddenly drew his sword, Karak slightly pulled back and warned him. Ingong clicked his tongue and approached Karak.
“Don't worry. I'm knighting you. It's just a ceremony, so don't be scared and stay still.”
“Hmm, I'll trust you.”
And Karak really did stay still like a docile lamb. Ingong, who was barely eye-level with the kneeling Karak, alternately placed the sword on each of Karak's shoulders.
“Mighty Orc warrior Karak, I hereby appoint you as my knight.”
It was a simple procedure, but the effect was certain. As soon as he finished speaking, a cluster of white light began to envelop Karak's body.
“Ooooh?”
It was a little different from when he had used Under the King's Banner. The amount of light was much greater, and it was brighter as well.
[King's Knight Order Lv1]
[Knight Commander: Karak]
[Total Knights: 1 / 2]
[Knight Personal Information]
[Karak Lv 24 (Rank: Soldier)]
[Knight Training]
[Karak Lv 24 (Rank: Soldier)]
As the only member, he snagged the commander position without any appointment necessary. Ingong smiled with satisfaction and examined the Knight Training section.
*Are merits used instead of experience points?*
It was a system where you could increase stats or acquire new skills by consuming a certain amount of merit. It was truly a king's reward.
As he looked through the rewards obtainable with merit, Ingong unknowingly clenched his fist. He understood why the rank 'Soldier' was attached next to Karak's name.
*Promotion!*
Upon reaching a certain level, he could raise a knight's rank. In chess terms, it was a promotion (the special rule where a pawn can be promoted to another piece like a queen or knight); in game terms, it was a class up.
*This is good, very good.*
The most powerful Orc one could encounter in *Knight Saga* was the Orc Emperor, who could be considered the pinnacle of all Orcs. It might be counting his chickens before they hatched, but in Ingong's mind, a vision of Karak standing shoulder to shoulder with the Orc Emperor was already forming.
“Hey, Prince. Are we done?”
Karak's voice pulled Ingong back to reality. Snapping back to his senses, Ingong dismissed all the skill windows and nodded.
“Yes, for now.”
“Hmm, it's a strange feeling. Just like when I was enveloped in that white light, I feel a strange increase in loyalty towards you, Prince.”
“That's great.”
There was truly nothing bad about that.
*I want to increase the number of knights soon. A female knight would be nice too.*
For a moment, Ingong thought of Caitlin, but he quickly shook his head. He would be grateful for even someone like Seira or Delia.
*Actually, the most appealing ones are Bandal or Nayatra.*
His subordinates from when he played as Zephyr.
It was impossible now, but he wanted to have them under his command again someday.
*Yes, someday.*
Resolving his lingering feelings with determination, Ingong helped Karak to his feet. Thanks to finding the armory right away, he had already gathered a good haul, yet not much time had passed. Caitlin and Felicia would still be asleep for a while, so exploring the dungeon was the priority for now.
“Let's go to the next room.”
Like a loyal subordinate, Karak followed Ingong without a word.
&
Perhaps because he had obtained something so good at the beginning, he unfortunately couldn't find any other notable items in the other rooms. Moreover, he had to leave a share for Caitlin and Felicia, so in the end, all Ingong took were the weapons from the armory, Earthquaker, and a few barrels of Dwarven ale from another room.
*It's been aged for over a thousand years, so it must be incredibly expensive, right?*
Of course, that was assuming it hadn't gone bad.
When Ingong and Karak returned, Seira, who had been looking after Caitlin and Felicia, shot up from her spot.
“Welcome back. I was worried.”
“Oh, thanks. Nothing happened.”
Seira's reaction was a bit unexpected, but a beautiful woman's favor was always welcome.
*Wait, the focus of her worry seems a little different.*
Seira's gaze had already shifted to the Dwarven-made armor Karak was wearing. Observing her carefully, Ingong soon realized.
*Ah, that's what it is.*
The discoverers of this ruin included Seira's master, Caitlin. This meant that a portion of the discovered ruin belonged to Caitlin.
*If I take too much, there won't be anything left for Caitlin.*
It felt a little bad, but at the same time, it also felt good. Seira was truly Caitlin's loyal retainer.
*It would be nice if Karak was like that too.*
Finishing his thought, Ingong pretended to touch Karak's nearly empty bag and said.
“Turns out there wasn't much of anything. And I wasn't sure if it was right for me to take things first when my sisters are here. So I just took this one and a few odds and ends from the armory.”
“You found an armory?”
Seira's face lit up. Ingong chuckled and nodded.
“Yeah, there was a lot of stuff.”
Ingong had a conscience, so he hadn't taken all the equipment in the armory for himself. He had taken about seventy percent and left about thirty percent.
*Hmm, I still feel a little guilty.*
But now was the time to be bold. Ingong tapped the chest of the armor Karak was wearing and said.
“I brought this armor because I want it to be my share during the official distribution. I'm going to give it to Karak.”
“To Karak, you mean?”
“Yeah, he's my subordinate number one.”
At Ingong's words, Seira looked at Karak with a hint of envy. Karak just smiled and accepted Seira's gaze.
“Anyway… how are those two doing?”
“They've just exhausted their stamina, so they should be fine after a little more rest. It would be best to stay here for the day and find the main force early tomorrow morning.”
The Red Lightning Tribe was already dismantled. There was no reason for the fleeing remnants to come here without any basis, so it wasn't bad in terms of safety either.
“Alright, let's do that. No need to push ourselves in a battle we've already won.”
He was a bit worried about Chris, but it couldn't be helped.
*From the circumstances, he probably already knows we succeeded.*
It would be a day or two at most, so he would wait patiently.
“Prince, I'll start preparing to camp for the night then.”
Karak said, taking off the cumbersome armor. Ingong just nodded.
&
The next morning, Caitlin and Felicia woke up and, as Ingong had expected, turned a blind eye to Karak's armor.
In fact, neither of them seemed particularly greedy for the ruin's artifacts.
Caitlin, just like in the Dwarven passage, thought she hadn't contributed much to this endeavor—she seemed quite down about not being able to destroy the cliff. As for Felicia, her interest was focused elsewhere.
“It's a shame there are few artifacts, but there's plenty of other things. Not just the Anvil that Births Thunder, but the Arc Golem and so on, we've gained a lot. This is truly a great discovery!”
Her eyes sparkling, she looked just like Caitlin.
*No need to worry, then.*
She was brimming with energy, like a spring foal. So, Ingong decided to worry about Caitlin instead.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, I feel much better after a good sleep. How about you, Shutora?”
“Me too.”
After warmly asking after each other's well-being, the two mounted the Phantom Steeds summoned by a very excited Felicia. Felicia seemed to want to explore the ruins instead of just leaving, but she still had enough reason to distinguish the importance of matters, so she only showed her reluctance and didn't actually say she would stay.
Perhaps because they had turned a losing battle around in an instant, Chris and Bandal's camp was overflowing with vitality.
As soon as he received the report that Ingong's party was approaching, Chris burst out of his tent and welcomed them with open arms.
“Oh! My lucky charms!”
As soon as the party dismounted from their Phantom Steeds, Chris rushed over. He first hugged Caitlin tightly, then gave Ingong a firm embrace.
*Oof!*
Chris was so big and strong that the hug itself was close to torture, but it was still a pretty good feeling. After releasing Ingong, Chris seemed to follow the law of inertia and moved towards Felicia, but he stopped just before hugging her.
“That was a splendid performance, sister.”
As Chris awkwardly lowered his arms and greeted her first, Felicia, who had flinched as if afraid of being hugged, forced a haughty smile.
“Well, it was me, after all.”
The way she lifted her chin was very princess-like. But Felicia's words were not yet finished.
“Shutora and Caitlin helped a lot too.”
Her voice was quieter than before, but it was a clear mention.
*Her ears are red.*
Instead of pointing it out, Ingong showed the courtesy of just smiling, while Caitlin beamed, looking back and forth between Chris and Felicia.
“It is good to see the princes and princesses getting along.”
At Bandal's simple summary of the situation, Felicia turned her head away completely. Chris smiled wryly and said to Ingong and Caitlin.
“Rest up for now. I'll take care of all the trivial matters.”
“Trivial matters? Are you talking about mopping up the remnants of the Red Lightning Tribe?”
In a game, you just defeat the enemy and it's over, but reality was different. Moreover, the Red Lightning Tribe still had people like Kairam leading groups of their own.
Chris shook his head at Ingong's question.
“That too, but there's also the matter of the swamp monsters. We'll have to negotiate with the Lizardmen.”
The Lizardmen had joined the Red Lightning Tribe and attacked the Demon King's regular army. It was not a matter to be taken lightly.
“It'll be wrapped up in two weeks at the longest. Mopping up the Red Lightning Tribe remnants will be a continuous task for the army stationed here.”
Glancing briefly at Bandal as he mentioned the 'army to be stationed', Chris asked Felicia.
“What will you do now, sister?”
It was an abrupt question, but as if they had their own way of communicating, Felicia answered immediately, as if she didn't need to think long.
“Well, I have to follow, what else can I do? There are a ton of things to report, starting with the discovery and use of the anvil.”
“It'll be a long-awaited return for me and Caitlin too.”
Ingong now understood what the two were talking about.
They had completed the mission of subjugating the Red Lightning Tribe and had achieved great merits. If so, there was only one thing left to do.
Return to the castle, report their achievements, and be evaluated.
A return to the Demon King's Castle.
&
Since Chris was in charge of the negotiations with the Lizardmen and other matters, Ingong was given free time for the first time since coming to this world.
*I should use this opportunity to grind hard.*
He didn't have much else to do anyway, and for the current Ingong, the most important thing was to get stronger.
Ingong was a rather realistic person.
He had suddenly entered a world that was either a game or very similar to one. So what was most important?
The reason he came to this world? An investigation into who brought him here? An inquiry into why this world was similar to a game?
All wrong. The most important thing was to survive first.
If he died, investigations and everything else would be for naught. He had to live to be able to do anything.
Fortunately, what Ingong had to do to survive was quite simple.
He just had to get stronger.
If he was strong, he wouldn't die easily. If he was strong, his value would increase, strengthening his position. As a result, he would be able to do more things.
Ingong had achieved great merits in the battle against the Red Lightning Tribe. And he was able to achieve such merits because he had gained enough strength to do so.
He had the means to become stronger. And even apart from all that, Ingong wanted to become stronger.
*Let's make a plan.*
Until now, he had been getting stronger in a rather haphazard way. He had learned many things, but it felt more like a jumble than being versatile.
*The foundation will be Aura and Beast Fist.*
Ingong had decided on the path of a martial artist. This was partly because of the S-rank martial art, Beast God Fist, but the deciding factor was Earthquaker. An S-rank martial art and an S-rank artifact meeting was almost like fate.
*Psychokinesis will be a trump card and for support.*
His psychokinesis was still too weak to be of much help in battle, but he had a clear image of how to use it. He planned to use it for other purposes rather than directly attacking enemies with it.
*Magic, unfortunately, will be purely for support.*
In terms of the number of skills learned, magic was the highest, but the problem was that they were all level 1.
*If I go as a martial artist who also uses magic, even low-level spells will be enough.*
A little healing magic and a little support magic. Occasionally using magic to catch the enemy off guard.
This was enough. Even if he had the protagonist's constitution, it was better to focus his efforts in one place in the beginning.
*Next is Earthquaker.*
Looking around again, Ingong confirmed that no one was in the tent and activated his inventory. At the very top of the inventory, which contained dozens of artifacts, was Earthquaker.
*It must have a built-in ultimate skill, right?*
S-rank artifacts had their own unique ultimate or final skills.
The Hero's Sword, the sword of the hero Locke, had the 'Hero's Sword', which bombarded a huge area with an aura sword. The Dragon Slayer and Dainsleif, which he had often used when playing as Zephyr, had 'Dragon Strike' and 'Curse of Death' respectively.
Since Earthquaker was an artifact he had never obtained in *Knight Saga*, he didn't know what kind of ultimate skill it had, but it was highly likely that it had a skill worthy of the name.
*I'll learn the ultimate skill control skill... and I'll probably find out when my level or abilities are high enough to fully handle Earthquaker.*
Nodding quietly, Ingong closed the inventory window and took a deep breath. Normally, he would have started training right away, but today there was one more thing to review.
*So, I'm returning to the Demon King's Castle.*
The battle against the Red Lightning Tribe was, in a way, simple. He just had to fight the Red Lightning Tribe. It was a simple fight with no room for compromise.
But the fight in the Demon King's Castle would be different.
*First, there are three factions in the Demon King's Castle.*
Ingong placed a water cup, a dagger, and a kettle on the table.
The water cup was the Demon King's eldest son, the 1st Prince Baikal Ragnarok.
The dagger was the second son and his worst enemy, the 2nd Prince Zephyr Ragnarok.
The kettle was the 4th Princess Anastasia Necrion.
Baikal and Zephyr were full brothers, but they each led different factions. In a historical drama, it would be a typical fight between the legitimate eldest son and the capable second son, but in *Knight Saga*, it was a bit different.
In the fight for the position of the Demon King's heir, birth order was meaningless. The one who accumulated more merits and had superior abilities would always stand on top.
Baikal and Zephyr were equally capable. And their maternal families, while supporting their respective princes, boasted a power that was not inferior to the maternal families of the other princes and princesses.
The Dragonblood. The Draconians, who were said to have inherited a phantom water vein from the great dragon race.
Commanding numerous lesser dragonkin, they were the strongest among the five maternal families.
*Baikal is the better of the two, though.*
To make a distinction, Baikal was a dove, and Zephyr was a hawk. Perhaps because he was the eldest son, Baikal tried to treat the other children of the Demon King as younger siblings rather than enemies. Even when playing as Zephyr, he had often participated in tea parties and balls hosted by Baikal along with the other children of the Demon King.
Baikal was relatively safe until the Lycanthrope subjugation battle in the year 516. After that day, Zephyr properly revealed his true colors, and the relationship between the half-siblings became the worst, so he was forced to draw his sword, half by his own will and half by others, but until then, he had maintained his moderate stance.
*It would have been perfect if the Draconians weren't the mortal enemies of the Gandharvas.*
One of the many reasons why Shutora's maternal family, the Gandharvas, were the weakest was their conflict with the Draconians.
The number of Gandharvas, who were already a minority race, had been reduced by more than half, so it was fair to call them irreconcilable enemies.
*I should keep my distance from Zephyr as much as possible.*
Nothing good would come from getting close. Zephyr had drawn the second-most illegitimate children under his command among the three factions, but that was only until the Day of Slaughter. Not a single one of the Demon King's children under Zephyr's command survived.
*With Anastasia... I don't know. Should I just maintain a moderate distance?*
The 4th Princess Anastasia Necrion.
Her mother, the 2nd Queen Titania Necrion, was the queen of the succubi. The succubi, who were involved in two of the three major human desires, sexual desire and the desire for sleep, were incredibly strong, contrary to their common image.
Anastasia, born with the talent of a natural seducer—an Enslaver—had the most of the Demon King's illegitimate children under her command. He wasn't sure from what point they had officially joined, but in *Knight Saga*, Silvan and Felicia were also part of her faction.
*I need to pull Felicia and Silvan over to my side... so there might be some friction.*
No, she would probably try to snatch him from Chris's faction.
*I need to keep my wits about me.*
She was none other than a succubus. And a natural seducer, an Enslaver. If she decided to use a honey trap, he wasn't sure if he could resist.
*Next are the Demon King's illegitimate children.*
The Demon King had more than ten concubines in addition to his five queens. It was to solidify his ruling system, much like King Wang Geon in the Goryeo Dynasty, but as if it were intentional, all the concubines were of different races.
There were about twenty illegitimate children. Unlike the children of the queens, they were not qualified to be the Demon King's heir. Therefore, it was common for them to serve as generals or officials under the child of the Demon King they supported.
The faces and names of the illegitimate children he had under his command when playing as Zephyr flashed through Ingong's mind. Among them, there were those who genuinely admired Zephyr, and those whom Ingong personally liked. To think he had thrown them all away like that. It was a forced event, so there was nothing he could do, and he remembered cursing every time he played.
Daphne, the Dryad druid.
Silas, the Vampire blood knight.
Celine, the High Elf great archer.
*I'll save as many as I can.*
Of course, if the current Shutora went to them, they would just tell him to get lost, so he needed to accumulate more merits.
*Anyway, this visit is more like reconnaissance.*
And he was also worried about what state Shutora was actually in. He had no information on how Shutora was living in the Demon King's Castle at that time.
How many servants or maids were in his residence? No, was there even anyone looking after Shutora at all?
*In a way, this is Shutora's debut at the Demon King's Castle.*
Since he had achieved quite a lot of merits, his treatment would surely improve dramatically. And probably the children and illegitimate children of the Demon King would see Shutora in a new light.
*It's okay, I'm not alone.*
He already had strong allies in Chris and Caitlin, and given her personality, Felicia was also likely to help him.
*Alright, shall we start the grind?*
Shaking off the troublesome thoughts by lightly stretching his arms and legs, Ingong took a deep breath. He began to earnestly train in the Beast Fist.
&
The next morning.
Felicia, wanting to investigate the ruins a little more before leaving, headed to the ruins with her Dark Elves, while Chris led his subordinates to the swamp for negotiations with the Lizardmen.
Thus, only Bandal, Ingong, and Caitlin remained in the camp.
Caitlin visited Ingong's tent early in the morning.
“Special training starts today. Are you ready?”
She seemed to have come with a purpose, as her clothes were not her usual attire but a thick cloth training uniform.
“Anytime.”
When Ingong answered confidently, Karak, who was standing next to him, leaned towards Caitlin and said.
“Push him hard. So he can't mess around at night. He's a growing boy, but he keeps staying up all night, I'm worried.”
Sounding more like a nanny than a bodyguard, Ingong became flustered. Messing around at night? What if Caitlin got the wrong idea?
But it was a needless worry. Caitlin glanced at Ingong with a mischievous look and then nodded to Karak.
“Don't worry. From today on, I'll make sure he sleeps soundly.”
Her expression suggested that the words 'even if by force' should have been added.
Caitlin's boast was no lie. The training was so intense it made his previous sessions feel like child's play, and Ingong, completely exhausted, couldn't do any separate night training for ten days straight.
And on the eleventh day of training with Caitlin.
[Beast Fist has leveled up.]
[Aura has leveled up.]
Beast Fist was now level 5, and Aura was also level 5.
The moment the clear voice echoed in Ingong's mind, Caitlin's gaze also changed. She quietly looked Ingong up and down, then let out a slightly hollow laugh and said.
“You learn really fast. At this rate…”
Trailing off slightly, Caitlin looked around again and then whispered in Ingong's ear.
“You might be ready to be initiated into the Beast God Fist.”
The fact that Ingong was learning the Beast God Fist was a secret, after all.
Ingong's face lit up as he asked back.
“Really?”
“Yes, at this rate, you should be ready to be initiated into the Beast God Fist. Honestly, I'm really surprised. I've never seen anyone learn this fast.”
Ingong, who couldn't be initiated into the Beast God Fist due to his low Aura level, had now met the minimum requirements through the past ten days of training.
*Viva, the protagonist's buff.*
Of course, it was also thanks to investing skill points in Aura in the middle. Otherwise, even with the protagonist's constitution, Ingong wouldn't have met the qualifications so quickly.
Caitlin looked around once more and said in a hushed voice.
“You can think of the Beast God Fist as an evolution of the Beast Fist. I'll teach you a new way to wield your aura from now on.”
Sitting on the floor in a proper posture with Ingong, Caitlin extended both her hands forward. As they had repeated this several times, Ingong naturally clasped Caitlin's hands.
“I'm starting.”
Caitlin, closing her eyes and speaking softly, generated a dark blue aura. The white light aura that rose from deep within Ingong's body began to circulate along with Caitlin's aura.
At first, it was the same as the Beast Fist.
But soon it changed, and Ingong could feel the difference in depth.
Aura.
It was the power of life. At its ultimate level, it became one with the power of the soul.
Ingong had not yet reached the end of Aura. But he felt as if he could vaguely understand what the power of the soul was.
Conquest.
The violent power of domination, to conquer and subjugate.
It allowed him to feel a fragment of it. For the first time since he started training his aura, Ingong felt like he was facing true aura.
A minute, or two minutes, or perhaps hours or days.
Ingong, who had been so deeply engrossed that he had forgotten the flow of time, naturally opened his eyes.
He saw Caitlin's face, sitting calmly in the darkness of dawn with her eyes closed.
[You have learned Beast God Fist Lv1.]
[Beast Fist has leveled up.]
[Aura has leveled up.]
His understanding of Aura itself had deepened. It was as if he had overcome a wall.
And one last thing.
A result obtained by breaking through the wall.
[You have leveled up.]
A cluster of white light enveloped Ingong's entire body.
&
*Level up.*
Ingong's level was now 14. His stats had also increased to a point where comparing him to a villager A was embarrassing.
But what excited Ingong more was his aura.
*I've been wrong all this time.*
He had thought he could see properly as his Aura level increased, but looking back now, it was a completely narrow-minded thought.
*But I feel like it will be like this from now on too.*
It was one mountain after another, but he felt rather cheerful. His heart pounded with anticipation of what kind of realm lay beyond.
*Caitlin.*
Calming his aura and excitement together, Ingong looked at Caitlin sitting in front of him. He could still feel Caitlin's aura through their clasped hands. And because of that, Ingong knew.
Caitlin had also overcome a wall. He didn't know if she had been influenced by him, or if he had been influenced by her, but it was clear that both of them had grown one step further.
As he watched her quietly, Caitlin suddenly let out a deep breath. Enveloped in a dark blue aura, she slowly opened her eyes and then smiled gracefully.
“Thank you, Shutora. It's thanks to you.”
She had gained enlightenment while guiding Shutora's aura. She had discovered a new and unfamiliar path in the Beast God Fist, which she had been training repeatedly for years.
Caitlin, whose understanding of Aura was deeper than Ingong's, knew. While they were in a state of selflessness, their auras had harmonized. As if they were two yet one, they had led each other.
A pleasant surprise.
Ingong and Caitlin were not the only ones who felt such an emotion.
“Interesting.”
At the sudden voice, Ingong and Caitlin were startled and turned to the side. A man was sitting there, making Ingong's tent, which was spacious enough for martial arts training, feel cramped in an instant.
“General Bandal?!”
As Ingong let out a flustered voice, Bandal narrowed his eyes slightly and stroked his chin as he said.
“Many people were worried, saying the 8th Princess and the 9th Prince have been training for days without eating or sleeping. Especially the princess's aide.”
At the mention of days, Ingong was flustered, and Caitlin looked around with a surprised expression. It seemed she was trying to guess the current time.
And a new voice interjected between the two.
“That's right. Seira was really worried.”
Next to Bandal sat Karak. Even though Karak was a large figure himself, he seemed small and his presence faint next to Bandal.
Ingong hurriedly asked.
“Karak, how many days have passed?”
“Uh… it's dawn now, so… about four days? By the way, aren't you guys hungry?”
As Karak rubbed his stomach and asked back, Ingong looked down at his own stomach. Perhaps because he had acknowledged it, a sudden feeling of hunger washed over him. Caitlin wasn't saying anything, but her cheeks were slightly red, so it seemed she was just as hungry.
*Four days? A whole four days have passed?*
When he opened his eyes, he couldn't properly sense the flow of time. It felt like a moment, and also like several years.
*Is this what it means to be in a state of selflessness?*
It was a rather fresh sensation.
*Anyway, let's put that aside for now.*
“I'm hungry. Get me something to eat. Prepare some for my sister too.”
As he finished speaking and glanced at Caitlin, he saw the corners of her lips slightly raised. It seemed Caitlin was also very hungry.
But just then, Bandal, who had been slightly forgotten due to the sudden change of topic, spoke again.
“How about we eat together? I happen to be hungry as well.”
“Then I'll go get some food.”
Karak, who read the mood like a competent subordinate, immediately stood up and left the tent.
Bandal spoke again.
“You have both become stronger. To the point where it could be said you've overcome a wall. Congratulations.”
Bandal, who was particularly strong even among the Blood Ogres, a variant of Ogres, was also a master of Aura. At his sincere compliment, Caitlin smiled gently.
“Thank you, Bandal.”
“9th Prince and 8th Princess, I look forward to both of your futures.”
Both of them were growing at a dazzlingly fast pace. Ingong's growth, in particular, was remarkable.
Ingong didn't miss the fact that Bandal's eyes held not only admiration but also a competitive spirit. Bandal was Bandal, after all.
*He must have seen the level-up effect... did he just think it was some kind of aura effect?*
Since he didn't say anything, it seemed he didn't attach much meaning to it.
“Food's here!”
Karak, who had re-entered at a perfect moment, was holding two large food baskets in his hands. And as if that wasn't enough, Seira, who had appeared behind Karak, was also holding food baskets in both hands.
Perhaps because they had starved for four days, or perhaps because they had reached a new realm, once the food entered their mouths, their hands didn't stop. Caitlin seemed a bit conscious at first, but with Bandal and Karak eating with such tremendous vigor, she soon stopped caring about her surroundings and began to eat comfortably.
How long had it been since everyone focused only on eating? In less than half an hour, let alone an hour, the group, having emptied all the food baskets, faced each other with contented expressions.
“You both seem healthy, so I will take my leave. I will see you next time.”
Bandal was the first to stand up. Then Caitlin, who had been quiet until now, relaxed her posture and said.
“My brother will be back in a day or two. It's a shame, but let's end the special training here for now. For the remaining time, it would be good to slowly review what you've learned so far.”
The fact that she was teaching Ingong the Beast God Fist was a secret even to Caitlin's aide, Seira. So Caitlin lowered her voice a little more.
“We'll make more time for the rest later.”
She was very Caitlin-like in hiding the words 'Beast God Fist'. Ingong nodded pleasantly.
“Alright, thank you.”
Although it was the result of a political deal with Chris, he had received so much from Caitlin that it was hard to calculate. Especially in terms of goodwill.
*I'm glad the first people I met were Caitlin and Chris.*
Otherwise, he might have pushed them to their deaths, just like in *Knight Saga*.
*Come to think of it.*
Something came to mind. Ingong cautiously asked Caitlin, who was still looking at him with warm eyes.
“Uh… Caitlin. Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Um… if it's difficult to talk about, you don't have to answer.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
Now she sounded curious. Karak seemed uninterested, busy eating the fruit he had brought for dessert, but Seira began to look at Ingong with a strangely wary gaze.
Ingong smiled awkwardly and said.
“Why is the relationship between Chris and Felicia like that? It doesn't seem bad, but there's a sense of distance? I was wondering if something happened in the past.”
From what he had observed recently, there seemed to be no direct hostility between the two. Chris, though somewhat sarcastic, always called Felicia 'sister'—though perhaps the title 'sister' itself was a form of sarcasm—and Felicia, while wary of Chris, didn't hate him.
Felicia was a talent who must be brought into his faction in the future. It would be troublesome in many ways if her relationship with Chris, who was also a key talent, was awkward.
“Hmm… it's not that something directly happened between Chris and Felicia.”
“Then?”
“I think it's a problem between Chris and Silvan. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened between them either.”
As her voice grew darker towards the end, it seemed Caitlin had been troubled by this issue for a long time. But Caitlin soon smiled brightly and said.
“But it's a relief. I feel like I've gotten much closer to Felicia during this expedition. And the relationship between Chris and her seems to have improved too.”
Ingong agreed. Like the saying 'the ground hardens after the rain', the two had actually grown closer after their defeat by the Red Lightning Tribe.
Caitlin sighed once and fidgeted with her fingers.
“I want to be close to my other brothers and sisters too… but my brother and mother don't really like me going to the Demon King's Castle. This is the first time I'm going back in a very long time.”
He could understand the 4th Queen Elaine Moonlight. But the fact that Chris was also like that was quite concerning.
*Does Chris know? The fact that Caitlin is not the Demon King's child?*
Given the Lycanthropes' tendency to keep their distance from the Demon King's Castle, Chris was already as good as the king of the Lycanthropes. It was highly likely that Queen Elaine had confided the secret to him to protect Caitlin more safely.
“I should get going now. You should get some rest too, Shutora.”
Caitlin said as she stood up. Ingong also stood up and replied.
“Yeah, you get some rest too, sister. Thank you so much for the past few days.”
Even though the past few days had flowed by like a minute.
“Take care.”
Karak also stood up and said goodbye, and Seira nodded to Karak. As Ingong and Caitlin had been together for the past two weeks, the two of them had been forced to be together as well, and it seemed they had developed a friendship of sorts.
As Caitlin and Seira left the tent, Ingong, finally feeling at ease, lay down on the spot. Karak, looking down at him, shook his head and said as he cleared away the food baskets.
“At least lie on the bed, on the bed. And maybe wash up a bit.”
“Yeah, you've worked hard these past few days too. Though I'm not sure what you did.”
“Well, I rested well enough. And watched you from time to time.”
Karak grinned and left the tent with the food baskets. Instead of following Karak's nagging, Ingong closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
&
Chris returned the afternoon of the day after he finished his special training with Caitlin. His face was quite bright, suggesting that the negotiations with the Lizardmen had gone well.
Felicia returned to the camp in the evening of the day Chris arrived. Unlike Chris, her face was full of regret, but she couldn't delay the schedule any longer.
“The performances of the princes and princesses were all impressive.”
The next morning, Bandal saw off the group as they packed their things and prepared to leave.
Chris exchanged greetings with Bandal with a princely face, while Felicia pretended to be haughty and bid farewell to Bandal. Caitlin, as always, smiled honestly.
After exchanging greetings in order, Bandal finally faced Ingong. Looking down at Ingong from a dizzying height, he suddenly extended a finger.
“I look forward to the day we meet again, 9th Prince.”
“I look forward to it too, Bandal.”
Ingong grasped Bandal's finger and shook hands. It was a short greeting, but it was a very impressive conversation for both Ingong and Bandal.
*Someday, for sure.*
Bandal was looking forward to his growth. If so, shouldn't he live up to it? By becoming strong enough to have Bandal as a subordinate.
Renewing his resolve, Ingong nodded firmly. And Felicia, who was watching him quietly, smiled strangely.
“What?”
“No, it just felt like I was watching a boy and a wild animal communicating.”
She chuckled and summoned the Phantom Steeds for the group to ride.
&
The journey back to the Demon King's Castle was quite simple.
They would ride the Phantom Steeds summoned by Felicia to a Transference Circle, then return to the Demon King's Castle via transference magic.
Transference Circles, which enabled long-distance spatial jumps, were installed all over the Demon Realm.
The setting book of *Knight Saga* stated that these Transference Circles were the key ruling tool that allowed the Demon King's Castle to dominate the entire Demon Realm, which Ingong thought was a pretty plausible story.
The nearest Transference Circle from the camp was a two-day ride on a Phantom Steed. It was the shortest flight path without considering any lodgings along the way, so they had to camp out every night, but instead of being inconvenient, it felt more like they were all camping together.
*It would be even better if everyone became friends on this occasion.*
Chris and Felicia were still ambiguous, but he was confident that there had been significant progress in the relationship between Felicia and Caitlin.
And on the third day, the group arrived at the tower where the Transference Circle was installed.
Even though they had traveled north for two days, it was still the frontier, so the tower was small and the number of people staying there was few.
The tower's manager was in a state of panic because four of the Demon King's children had appeared at once, but Chris didn't seem to care much and just did his own thing. Felicia went a step further and even operated the Transference Circle herself.
*They both seem strangely excited.*
Chris was a little subtle, but Felicia was certain. At first, she had grumbled about not wanting to go back, but now she seemed to want to go back as soon as possible.
Thanks to the great performance of Chris and Felicia, the group stayed at the tower for only about 20 minutes. By the time he came to his senses, the Transference Circle had already been activated.
The moment the entire Transference Circle was enveloped in a blue light, Ingong, who had reflexively closed his eyes, felt a distinct sensation of movement, unlike with the Dwarf portal. In a feeling like riding a roller coaster, he opened his eyes to a completely different scene.
First, it was big. The room, the Transference Circle, everything was much bigger than the one in the tower, and the decorations everywhere were incomparably more splendid or antique.
And the biggest difference was the number of people gathered in front of the Transference Circle.
“Felicia!”
“Sister, we've been waiting.”
“You are as beautiful as ever, Lady Felicia.”
Boys, girls, and young men who looked to be in their mid-teens to mid-twenties flocked to Felicia like an idol's fan club.
“Hmph, why did you all come out to greet me.”
Felicia pretended to be haughty, but her ears were red, and the corners of her lips were uncontrollably soft.
*Are these the illegitimate children and their subordinates?*
At a glance, there seemed to be three or four illegitimate children, and the other dozen or so were all subordinates that the illegitimate children commanded separately.
“His Highness, Prince Chris.”
“Lady Caitlin, it's been a long time.”
Though fewer in number than Felicia's, there were also people who approached Chris and Caitlin, acknowledging them.
*Is there no one for me?*
Ingong, who had become a loner, looked at the people still remaining outside the Transference Circle. Most of them looked as if Ingong was not even in their sight, but a few of them gave Ingong a rather nasty smile.
*Easy to understand.*
He could roughly guess how Shutora was treated and what kind of position he held among the illegitimate children.
*Alright, let's change things one by one from now on.*
Taking a deep breath, Ingong straightened his posture.
A home, a battlefield, and a land of decisive battle.
He had arrived at the Demon King's Castle.