Chapter 445
Chapter 445
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Into the Storm (4)
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"I'm Milo, and this is Sir Gulton."
"....Sir? You two?"
"W-We did get provisional knighthoods, at least! Right, Sir Gulton!"
"I'm a kniiiight, you bastaaard! Damn it!"
"Aigoo, I get it, so shut your mouth, Mr. Gulton. Tarimus said the swelling'll go down in about ten minutes."
"Y-Yes...."
The two bandits we'd run into by chance refused to back down on their claim of being knights.
"Alright then, Mr. Milo. What was all that about knight orders and warlords earlier?"
"Well.... To explain it all, we'd have to go back quite a ways in history. How much do you know about the history of the West Empire? Uh...."
"Hyde."
"Yes, Sir Hyde. Thank you."
"History, huh...."
It looked like this was going to be a long story, but since we were headed to Storm Hill anyway, it might as well start from the beginning.
The West Empire—formerly the Baltin Empire. I vaguely remembered reading about its history in a book when I was a kid.
"It fought a war against the Golden Age Magic Empire, and as an empire of tradition and history, it stood against magitech weapons with its elite knights and mages.... And it played a big role in the legends of the Saint of Light, something like that?"
"Whoa, you know the history of an old empire across the sea, even though you weren't born there? Truly knowledgeable!"
Clap clap clap clap!
"As you said, the empire had a long history, which meant it had many ancient noble houses. Among them, the knightly houses were practically the pillars of the empire—like you mentioned—up until the Dual Empire War."
"Up until? So.... did the knights betray them during the empire war or something?"
At my question, Milo glanced around like he was sharing a grave secret and lowered his voice.
"Betray? No, they were the spark that started the Dual Empire War! Nearly a third of the empire's knight houses broke their oaths of loyalty and sided with the Magic Empire of Teldrat!"
What?
"Knights.... broke their oaths? Is that even possible?"
If it had just been nobles betraying the emperor, that'd be par for the course. Nobles gonna noble.
Even if it was an old house or one that controlled the military, it wouldn't be that shocking. People's hearts change, after all.
But I'd heard that a knight breaking their oath of loyalty was next to impossible.
"The oath of loyalty—isn't that tied to a knight's aura? That's the core of knighthood, right?"
"Exactly."
Knights. The term once used for aura knights refers to those who, through relentless self-perfection, forge a myth of the self to achieve perfect 'independence'—the symbol of aura.
But defining yourself perfectly? Who's to say what the future holds? Why lock in your current state?
This uncertainty and wavering was a massive obstacle to becoming an aura knight. That's where chivalry came in—a collective ideology to aid aura knight growth.
A firm belief that no matter how times or circumstances changed, this banner would never fall. The ideology of chivalry, passed down through generations alongside the empire's long history, was one of the greatest pillars producing countless aura knights. And as a bonus, it kept walking weapons—knights—from abusing their power. A perfect restraint.
....Anyway! Chivalry was the key ideological framework for mass-producing aura knights. And crucially, it placed 'loyalty to the sovereign' above all.
"What was it again?"
"'Today you become an unbreakable sword. You shall not easily strike the innocent. You shall turn your back only to the weak and those who need protection, and just as your sword eyes only your foes, only one sovereign shall wield you, this blade. Should this oath break, so shall you.' The full knight's oath."
"....You really got knighted?"
"I told you so!"
Weird. Comparing this to the knights in his story, the gap was huge.
Anyway, bottom line: in that era, the oath of chivalry was core to establishing one's aura. Breaking it to betray the emperor meant a third of the empire's knight houses lost their aura in the process.
"....Why?"
"Because damn magitech changed the world, knights' honor hit rock bottom, and they even got despised for it. The Golden Age of magitech? That was when knights were treated like useless relics."
Milo spat it out like he'd lived it himself, fuming.
The era after the great God-Emperor Gainax—the founder of the Empire of Wood—passed, and Empress Lucilla ruled.
His three immature sons each commanded factions, vying for the throne. The aging empress promised it to the most outstanding among them.
"Knights, per their ancient traditions, stayed out of the war for the throne. They couldn't break their oaths, so they'd offer their swords once an emperor was chosen."
"The three princes needed backers who weren't neutral knights."
"Right. So they lured magitech engineers with money and power. Mages went without saying."
An era peaceful enough to be called the Golden Age.
Peace meant knights were robbed of chances to shine with their honed strength and honor. To nobles, knights became money pits that did nothing but had ironclad stubbornness—useless relics.
Then new talent pools emerged: magitech engineers, fattening lands and houses with inventions. Nobles naturally favored them.
With all three princes in the succession war heavily promoting magitech engineers and mages, the trend accelerated.
Soon, knights' stipends lagged, and strangers—merchants or magitech workshops—popped up in their fiefdoms.
Knight disdain spread from noble halls across the empire. Kids saw knights as dumb muscle, mages and engineers as smart idols.
Knights' only jobs: pioneering untamed northern or southern extremes, dying forgotten.
Pent-up knight house resentment finally exploded. They'd honed themselves to death to become knights, only to get insulted and shipped to limbs of nowhere.
"Magitech leaks, resource diplomacy, and the Lordric duchy issue had tensions between Teldrat and the West Empire at a peak. Teldrat radicals convinced three of five border marquises to declare for Teldrat, sparking war. They lost their aura and became plain swordsmen, but got endless magitech empire riches, high status, the respect they deserved—and became magi-golem pilots with their superior physiques."
Slap!
"That's the old empire tale. Background for what I mentioned."
"Whoa...."
"I knew it, but hearing it from an empire knight hits different."
"You talk well, fool. Swing a sword half as good as your tongue, you'd be a fine bandit."
Clap clap clap clap!
Our side applauded this time.
No empty praise—this guy could've been a real knight if he'd wielded a blade half as well as his tongue. Spinning dull old empire lore so vividly.
"Heh heh heh. My knighting lord drilled it into me: never forget! So I know West Empire history inside out."
Puffed-up face beaming at the praise—Milton? Milo.
Anyway, I got why he'd rattled off empire history for my question.
"Two knight factions: loyalists who stuck with the West Empire to the end, and descendants of those who betrayed to Teldrat."
"Yep! Spot on. War ended without a winner, but grudges linger. West Empire lands split between traitor-center Aderbalt House and emperor loyalist Great Judge Glen House—two mega-nobles growling at each other. Without Mutes dominating, they'd have extended that inconclusive war already."
"....Headache. Not fortress cities clashing, but mega-noble city alliances?"
"And Mutes buffering their friction—three major powers strutting in the West Empire."
"Mutes.... Average dungeon level?"
"Three."
"Insane."
"Lately, Warlord's influence creeping in too. Don't know details, but soul mages enthralled by him spread a religion: all humanity unified under the 'Completer' for salvation."
"Th-There! Look! Old guy's yelling 'Unite under Completer Warlord for salvation!' at Wind Hall!"
"Madhouse."
Teldrat still patchy city-states; West Empire already mega-alliance nation-scale. Got it.
Three, he says. Mute Lords—cores of Mutation Blood swarms, holding queen shards on average three per monster.
Three-shard Mute Lord? Wipes cities without mega-defenses. With them everywhere in West Empire, alliances formed naturally. One falls, next is obvious—support each other. Centered on powerhouse noble houses, massive coalitions.
Thus, betrayer Aderbalt, loyalist Glen mega-houses clashing, plus monstrously strong Mute Lords—three powers in sharp standoff.
New player Warlord wedged in.
Raw power vs. power in West Empire; he used something else.
'Thought he was just brute-force psycho, but he's using his head.'
From talk, Warlord seen by followers as religious-ideological unifier. Centered on conquered old Lordric, militarily takes fractured Teldrat city-states; ideologically infiltrates power-consolidated West Empire for future cracks.
If it works, that psycho unifying the shattered continent ain't a pipe dream.
『....There are things I must do. That is all.』
His sunken eyes, cracked voice still vivid. His path so far, followers' words: when world in his grasp, that monster Shard Knight might absorb all living humanity. Truly marching toward world's end.
"No demon lord needed."
"Plenty call him that. Lordric news trickles here. Demon lord, Warlord as demon, harbinger of doom—lots."
"Sheesh. Then I, chasing demon lords lifelong, am the hero?"
"Pardon?"
"....Nothing. Anyway, you answered most of my questions."
"Yep! Oh, added: even local bum like me got knight teachings due to that standoff. Rival knight houses mean more trainees boost influence. More knights resist Mutes easier. Secrets once house-only now widespread. Wind Hall gets Glen knight periodically teaching."
"Makes sense. You seemed green but trained."
Rustle, rustle.
Chatting while walking, we faced a rocky hill.
"We're here. Over that hill: Storm Hill."
"Good work."
"Uh.... So, you'll let us live?"
"....?"
Milo and Gulton twitched eyebrows, forcing awkward grins desperately.
"....Did I ever say I'd kill you? Go. Good talk."
"N-No lies! Turn and walk, you'll gun us down with that magitech rifle—obvious!"
"....Me?"
"Yes! We're not idiots! You sirs.... Warlord spies sent to West Empire, right?!"
"Milo! Say that, we're dead for suuuure—"
"Walk away, still dead! Warlord's men leave no witnesses!"
Ah. Too cooperative—now I see.
"I'm Warlord's lackey, huh?"
"We're pros at banditry! We listen for outsider news! Junk handcart loaded with easy-cash magitech engine and parts! Head straight to empire war hotspot Storm Hill, visited by Glen knights regularly! Tell random locals 'Spill everything on West Empire'! Screams spy!"
Er.... Yeah. Sounds spy otherwise.
Thud!
"Just spare us. We spout sir-this, chivalry-that, but it's just weekly knight classes! All attendees take Glen provisional oath—nothing more. We're just local thugs, as you saw!"
"N-No one knows! Promise! Till death!"
Milo and Gulton knelt, begging. Cooperative to avoid gag-order as info sources, probably.
'Big-city guards wouldn't miss what these idiots thought.'
Guards bought our engine, parts, handcart frame cheap, let us go.
'Most townsfolk wary of outsiders—natural in magitech-hating West Empire. But tavern folk treated us fine.'
Suspicious enough sans certainty. Released to watch us?
'....Smart.'
Town's sole tavern/outsider inn. They'd expect us.
Long interrogation gave time to plant watchers—guards or knights—at tavern.
"Hyde. Something wrong?"
"Hm? Oh. Seems Wind Hall brass thinks like these fools."
"....Noble at Wind Hall?"
"Yeah. Waiting for us to slip or act shady. Tail on us too."
"No tracker scent."
"That's how tight they are."
Pretending chat, senses sharp: faint aura whiff, ant-piss size. West Empire elite: knight-mage land. Tracker aura knight with invis and presence-hide spells layered....
"Ugh, explain then? Noble hate = death."
"Explain, think they'll listen? Babbling half-day in guard cell like parrot?"
"Uuu...."
Best case: lucky, jailed half-year, released.
West Empire tenser than thought. Mutes, mega-city alliances clashing, Warlord sneaking in. As Wind Hall lord, no reason risk shady us.
"Only dangerous path left, huh?"
"Dangerous.... path?"
Nodded at whispering Tarimus.
My goal: power to face Warlord again. Not sure what he is to me, but must stop him. Declared world's devourer—leave alone, I'm dead sure.
'Warlord is enemy.'
'In West Empire, Warlord = demon lord, winged doom; his forces evil axis.'
'I'm pegged Warlord lackey.'
'How to navigate?'
.
.
.
.
.
"Guess we'll do it. Lackeys."
"....What?"
"Pardon?"
Conclusion hit; Isena and Tarimus gasped together.
"No point denying—they won't buy it. Better make 'em think they nailed us. 'Gah, you saw through! Impressive!' Nobles eat that up."
"No! Deny to death—admit lie why?!"
"I-I don't wanna die here! At least fighting Warlord—brothers' killer—not dog death....!"
"I dream of home forest! Can't rot decades in human noble hands!"
"Impatient. Seen plays? 'Evil spy' roles often turn good."
"U.... Plays?"
"Yeah. Warlord demon lord, right?"
Knights love bards and theater. Brag-lovers.
Common theme: absolute evil demon lord vs. knights....
Always one role:
"Double agent. Betrays humanity, sees demon lord's evil, snaps back to human side. That position?"
Won't believe not spy anyway—so say yes.
But spy true: saw Warlord—not demon lord—evils, returned to humanity.
'Warlord unknown here, just survivor tales.'
'I fought him, know looks, goals, allies, path. More intel than any West Empire soul. Can fake close aide. Priceless enemy boss info.'
He has army. Proper one with tactics, not brute swarm. Can't win solo.
Lordric disaster maxed Warlord alert. If West Empire mega-nobles unite....
'Empire's knight-mage blade—land of magic and knights—can oppose Warlord.'
Use it. Against his horde, against doom.
"Sounds.... possible."
"Plays usually end shadowy double agents tragic."
"Hey!"
"Hee hee hee! No other path visible—what to do?"
Snapped at fuming Tarimus, I grinned vacant, waved at distant kneeling bandit-knights.
"Er.... Smarter idiots than thought."
"Y-You were Warlord spies...."
"S-Sparing us?"
"....For now."
Voice low, but distant watcher catches half, infers rest.
"But you two: back to Wind Hall guards, relay my words."
"What words...."
"Guards can't hear this. Arrange quieter spot, fewer ears."
Yeah, that'll do. Used these dung-heels well.
"Go."
"Yes, sir!"
Milo and Gulton bolted, faces ashen.
"Now, bait tossed—they'll prep fully, takes time. Sightsee meanwhile!"
"I-I wanna bail now...."
"Isena? Get it, but.... Bail now, we 'good double agents'; you 'lone true demon spy defying orders to finish.' Cool?"
"Wh-Why....!"
Pat pat.
Pitied despairing beastkin Isena, patted her shoulder sympathetically.
"Chill. Moment we washed up on West Empire coast after unbelieved drift, spy-treatment inescapable fate."
"I-I didn't.... think...."
"World don't bend to wishes mostly. Since here, take survival path. With us? Yeah?"
"Aaaah...."
"Destiny, right? Fate-bound since surviving that!"
Despairing Isena's green scales shivered, young viper whine. What to do? Want other path, but fire on my feet now.
Party trudging to Storm Hill looked like prisoners to gallows.
Except me.
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