Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Wisdom of Retreat
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Couldn't even cover one of my eyes, yet strutting around like he's some grand curtain blocking out the sun. How pathetic must that feel?
Utterly lame. That's exactly what Ralph was to me right now.
"Oh, yeah. Long time no see."
My half-hearted response probably pissed him off even more.
Ralph sneered with exaggerated mockery.
"Right? It's just been so hard to see you around. Our family's huge and all, but come on... Still, we're a knightly house. You'd think you'd step outside at least once in a while, right?"
He knew all that, yet he still picks a fight like this?
I remember him being a decent kid when we were really young.
But at some point, his twisted nature started showing.
He began seeing me as his personal prey, nitpicking at every little thing.
Look at him now.
That twitching smirk says it all.
He's planning to mess with me.
But... things aren't the same as back then.
To someone like me, who's been through hell and back, his crap doesn't even register.
I answered Ralph with a straight face.
"I haven't been out, so you haven't seen me. You knew that, yet you ask again?"
"What?"
"Shut up and sit down."
"What did you just say?!"
Ralph clearly hadn't expected that; his face flushed red.
As he opened his mouth to retort, I pointed past him with a finger.
"The instructor's here to teach us. You gonna keep standing there like an idiot?"
"You...!"
Ralph didn't finish his sentence before plopping down into his seat.
Even a punk like him couldn't act out in Solemio. The instructors here were all heavyweights from the Pador family.
Once Ralph sat, everyone quietly turned to the man seated on a boulder like ours—though his was a bit larger and flatter.
He was today's guest for Solemio.
Solemio brought in role models for the boys to look up to.
So the kids here all gazed at him with genuine respect.
There stood a middle-aged knight with a stylish beard.
It was Janitz, captain of the Blue Eagle Knights—the one who'd shown me those flashy sword forms just for show.
Well, a guy like Janitz definitely qualified to be here.
Even in the Pador family, overflowing with knights, he was one of only ten senior knights. And as captain of the elite Blue Eagle Knights, one of the family's main fighting forces, he had the creds.
Janitz scanned us all before speaking.
"Hello, everyone."
"Yes, sir...!"
The kids' thunderous reply brought a kindly smile to Janitz's face.
So gentle.
"Full of energy—I like that."
That's why I liked Janitz. Kind to everyone, and genuinely skilled.
If a model student grew up, it'd be him.
The man everyone admired continued with a smile.
"I'm here for Solemio to share my experience and wisdom with you all."
Suddenly, every kid shot to their feet and bowed deeply.
"We accept without a shadow of doubt!"
What's this now?
I nearly stayed awkwardly seated, looking like the odd one out.
Good thing my reflexes kicked in superhumanly fast, or I'd have embarrassed myself.
But Ralph beside me caught that and smirked ever so slightly.
That little shit—even his expression grates on me.
As Ralph and I locked eyes, Janitz lowered his hand at an angle.
"Thank you. Please, sit."
At his gesture, the kids sat back down in perfect unison, like well-drilled soldiers.
Makes sense, coming from someone everyone idolizes—they snap to it.
Janitz leisurely stroked his beard, waiting for everyone to settle. Once they were ready, he announced the start of Solemio.
"Alright... Let's begin the lesson. Today, I'm going to teach you something very basic."
From there, Janitz drew from his own experiences to lecture on what a sword truly is,
and the mindset one should have when facing an enemy.
The content was solid.
A bit too by-the-book for my taste, but not wrong. It was straight-laced perfection—good stuff.
Way better than those skilled but rotten-hearted warriors out there.
People have this misconception:
Strength and character often inversely correlate.
Why wouldn't they?
Humans naturally crave superiority over others.
The righteous factions dress it up as virtue, while the demonic ones flaunt it outright.
Me? My rep in the jianghu wasn't bad... but one thing was certain.
- If you're tied to the righteous, clasp your hands and bow. If your sleeve even brushes mine, gorge yourself that day and then end it. Otherwise, you'll writhe in eternal agony, unable to die even if you wish.
That was the rumor about me that spread across the jianghu.
Wait a sec.
Thinking about it, that's kinda unfair, isn't it?
Killing over a brushing sleeve? That's psychotic—who does that?
There were guys who deserved it, and that's how I handled them.
Sure, I went a bit overboard with the payback sometimes.
How many did I thrash...
North Sea Peng Clan's Peng Mu-wol.
Mount Wudang's Nam Gu-hyeon.
Tiger King's Fortress Chief Bang Ga-hyeop.
Sword Demon Gu Yong-ho.
......
Names of guys I'd beaten popped into my head unbidden.
And nameless ones—about as many as fish in Dongting Lake... Nah, not quite that many.
Ahem...!
Anyway, a lot.
So what? Better than getting thrashed yourself.
As I lost myself in those thoughts... Janitz posed a question to us.
"Now, let's have some answers. What do you do when facing someone stronger than you?"
He's probably fishing for the gem hidden among the pebbles...
Someone gave a good answer back then, but I can't recall the name.
I was just itching to bolt from here at the time.
Then, quietly, Ralph raised his hand.
You?
Damn... I thought that answer was solid, but if it was this punk, my ears must've been rotten too.
But Ralph shot me a sly glance.
"Wouldn't Deyan be the best one to answer that?"
"......"
What the hell's he playing at?
Obviously payback for our little spat before Janitz arrived.
What a childish brat.
Can't even act his age... Nah, he's acting exactly his age.
The other kids' eyes turned to me. Some looks were particularly grating.
Go on, try it, freak.
That's what they screamed silently. Everyone knew I could barely handle a sword.
Fine... As an adult, maybe I should give these kids another perspective, just once.
I shot to my feet.
"Ralph seems like he can't answer himself, so he's passing it to me. Mind if I give it a go?"
"Wh-when did I say that?"
I ignored Ralph's protest and looked to Janitz.
Janitz's face hardened briefly—he saw through Ralph's game—but then he sighed.
He couldn't refuse here.
Turning me down out of pity would blow up into a bigger mess.
I'm still Pador blood, after all.
Can't fumble a simple question like this.
Janitz nodded at me.
"Go ahead."
"Yes, sir. The answer's simple: you run."
"......?"
The room went dead silent, like a downpour had hit.
Too shocking?
A kid from a knightly house—no, the direct heir—saying that? Unthinkable.
Ralph and the others caught on late, and laughter started leaking out one by one.
Loud and clear.
"Why the laughs?"
I turned, memorizing every smirking face.
Got 'em all etched in. Especially that long-faced corn cob—saw those teeth too.
"This is the right answer. You really believe nonsense like 'willpower wins' or 'show spirit and triumph'?"
Kids who've only read novels to death.
In my whole life, I'd seen maybe a dozen cases like that.
Most end up dead like dogs.
That's reality.
Guess my answer cracked them up good.
Ralph was still grinning like an idiot.
Time to school this one in reality.
"Let me flip it. Alright, Ralph. Question for you: can you beat Janitz over there?"
"What...?"
Ralph blinked like he'd heard nonsense.
Yeah, thought so. Obviously not.
Not a chance for trash like you.
I pressed the speechless Ralph harder.
"Can't answer? Fine, I'll say it for you: you can't win. Not even with a lifetime of training."
"How would you know?!"
"Doesn't matter. Just you?"
I swept my left arm across the group.
"Everyone here together couldn't handle Janitz. Now, back to my question."
I eyed the kids rolling their eyes frantically.
"Still not running? Use the brain under that skull. Better to step back and plan for later. That's not shameful—it's wise."
I raised my index finger and lightly mimed scratching my neck.
"If you can't restrain your bravado, only your head will roll."
Then, staring deliberately at the ones who'd mocked me, I twirled my finger in a circle.
"Bear the filth in silence, and your foe's head will surely fall."
The first line of the Sichuan Tang Clan's motto, Nine Lives Seven Phrases.
Pure truth. A few shuddered and clutched their necks, but others still muttered, 'Cringe. So cringy.'
Those who get it and those who don't are worlds apart.
Idiots.
Disciples hanging on every syllable in the jianghu, and these fools dismiss it as bullshit?
Sadly, Ralph was the poster boy for that crowd.
"Anyone'd think you're the Sword King or something."
"Better than you."
"You...!"
Ralph clenched his fist, then released it.
He knew who'd suffer if he swung here.
Janitz watched silently before speaking up.
"One more question: do you run in every case?"
Janitz's gaze wasn't kindly anymore.
As a knight, he wanted to hear my conviction.
"Not at all. If he's targeting my family, I'd fight. If he's forsaken humanity, I'd take his head. What I mean is, if you can avoid it, you should. Just my personal take."
"Hmm... I see."
Janitz nodded faintly.
"Good answer. I wouldn't tell you all to charge blindly either. Deyan, you've earned my respect."
Janitz beamed, clearly pleased.
"That's the lesson. Deyan's words are worth more than all my rambling—chew on them."
With that, Janitz left Solemio.
Once he was gone, the kids clustered in groups, chatting. Most didn't buy my view.
Some nodded along, and a rare few seemed deep in thought.
Not all hopeless.
Gems among the rocks.
As I noted them...
"Hahaha!"
Ralph mouthed my words mockingly, laughing smugly.
"Run away—got it loud and clear, Deyan!"
"Think so? Sounds like you missed the point entirely."
"Huh? Learning rhetoric lately? Figures... it's all you've got."
Ralph reached to pat my shoulder. I twisted aside, dodging. His hand swiped empty air awkwardly.
"Not training much lately, huh? Even a weakling like me could take you."
"You...!"
Ralph balled his fists like he'd explode my head, then giggled.
"What's the point here? Everyone heard. Pador's heir preaching flight. Who'd follow a coward? Shame on you, Deyan."
Talking big, this punk.
I stared silently. Ralph glared back, refusing to lose like a kid.
Glare all you want.
Sigh, whatever. No point power-playing with trash like this. As an adult, I should guide him.
"Hm... Yeah, Ralph. Good talk."
I extended my hand for a shake. Ralph tilted his head at the unexpected move, then snickered.
"Finally listening to your big bro, huh? That's right, Deyan!"
Sure, sure.
Broad-minded me can endure it.
I'm the adult here.
He grabbed my hand. I smiled; Ralph cackled like he'd won big.
"Stick close from now on, Deyan! We're cousins, right? Ask if you don't know something!"
"Yeah, thanks."
I smirked as Ralph walked off.
What's the point fighting a kid like that? Not like old times.
No petty games for me.
But the Tang Clan never forgets grudges... Nah, just gotta steer that dunce off the wrong path.
Guide him a bit.
Adults can manage that much, right?