Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Young Knights
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The sharp smell of antiseptic. Stitches crisscrossing wounds everywhere. The metallic tang of blood. Clink. A mangled bullet dropping into a bowl.
Watching Kalts's mangled body in surgery sent a chill through my chest.
"He could have died."
All the challenges I'd undertaken to win Kalts's heart, everything he'd taught me, all the things I still had left to learn from him.
It could have all been wiped away, mocked into nothingness in an instant.
It hit me anew.
Just how brutal this continent of Raniakea truly was.
How difficult it was to purely train, grow, build my own strength, and protect it.
How much power was needed to make it happen.
Everyone watching Kalts's surgery had faces frozen stiff.
"Gigants from the 83rd Legion—200 of them... Even if we mobilize every rider at the eastern border fortress right now, we'd only have 78 Gigants. We're short by five."
"The silver lining is we have more golems. About 350 combat golems, so if we use them to block off some of the enemy's Gigants, we can definitely win."
"No time. They spotted them at Outpost 11 and rushed straight here—they'll arrive any minute."
"We can't turn the fortress into a battlefield. We need to intercept them now."
Acting Commander Viscount Luke Hayend furrowed his brow amid the flood of advice, lost in deep thought.
Something was off.
I couldn't shake the nagging feeling. But he couldn't afford to dwell on it long—he was the one who had to make the call.
"Time to roll the dice."
Viscount Luke Hayend muttered.
As a border noble guarding the frontier, the moment to prove his worth and fulfill his duty had arrived.
Sss...
Demonic energy writhed instinctively, mana stirring. Faint steam enveloped him, pooling low at his feet.
What needed doing was clear.
Annihilate the approaching enemy.
Orders flew from Viscount Luke Hayend's mouth without hesitation.
"Outposts 1, 3, 9, 11, and 12 form the 1st Wing. 4, 7, 8, 10, and 13 form the 2nd Wing. 2, 5, 6, 14, and 15 form the 3rd Wing. 1st and 2nd Wings, equip for heavy defense. 3rd Wing, prioritize mobility and firepower. 1st and 2nd Wings take the flanks up front, with 350 golems lined up behind. 3rd Wing hides in the golems' shadow and follows—they'll be the dagger striking the enemy."
A noble famed as a strategist. Viscount Luke Hayend. His reputation was no exaggeration.
Drawing from routine reports, he'd instantly assessed each outpost knight's strengths and weaknesses to form the wings.
Battlefield location, how the fight would unfold—he'd run the simulation in under a minute.
Even against this sudden assault, he was confident of victory.
"...And doctors, spare no potions or medicine—treat that hero right."
Viscount Luke Hayend gazed at Kalts Black with fervent eyes.
His confidence stemmed entirely from the intel brought by the knight lying there.
Then,
Twitch.
Kalts Black's eyelids fluttered.
He forced his eyes open with effort.
"Ah, you're awake?"
Viscount Luke Hayend greeted him warmly.
But Kalts's trembling gaze, strained as it was, didn't land on the viscount. It fixed on Kang Geohan.
A faint smile tugged at Kalts's lips.
A cracked, parched voice leaked from his lips.
"Master... good to see you again."
All eyes turned to Kang Geohan.
Puzzled stares.
Why was a knight bearing the Black surname calling a mere White rookie his master?
Come to think of it, how had that rookie even gotten in here?
Ignoring the mood, Kang Geohan clenched his teeth and replied.
"Sir Kalts Black. Thank you for coming back to us."
"I... who should be thanking you... Anyway... Master. Be careful. They're... trying to end this fight."
With those final words, Kalts Black's eyes slid shut again.
Doubts lingered in everyone's minds, but there was no time to unpack them.
They had to hurry preparations for deployment.
But not Kang Geohan.
"Ah...!"
Trying to end this fight.
The words struck like lightning in Kang Geohan's mind.
"No wonder... it felt off."
Even watching Viscount Luke Hayend craft his strategy in seconds, that unease hadn't lifted.
Like the dirty feeling before a big match when overtraining wrecked your condition.
Suddenly, the unease revealed itself.
Kang Geohan raised his hand to speak.
"Viscount. I have something to say."
Eyes turned back to him.
Bewildered looks.
Normally, a newbie White Knight speaking up here would draw reprimands, but they'd just heard a hero knight call him 'master.'
Confused, no one said a word—they just stared.
After a brief silence, Viscount Luke Hayend spoke.
"Speak."
"Leave some Gigants here."
Under Viscount Luke Hayend's current formation, every rider from Outposts 1 through 15—Front, Second, Third—would deploy.
The eastern border fortress would be left defenseless.
Kang Geohan thought that was a mistake.
"...We're already outnumbered in Gigant forces. And you want to hold some back?"
"Yes. You'll need a place to return to."
The viscount's eyes sharpened.
"You think there are more enemies?"
A strategist's intuition hit the mark.
Kang Geohan nodded.
"No matter how I look at it, the enemy's intent feels off."
"Intent?"
"Why breach the treacherous uncharted lands to hit our rear? What's the point of such an uncertain strategy? If they had the spare forces, they could've just pushed harder into the Sea Maze for a secure win. I sense intense malice in their movements."
"Malice..."
"Yes. Malice to cut off our retreat and wipe out the eastern border fortress."
Tension rippled through the room.
Viscount Luke Hayend's eyes changed.
Mana shimmered like heat haze, his pupils seeming to blaze.
"So... you're saying the enemy might outnumber our estimates? They've already bypassed one spot to loop back— they could do it elsewhere too?"
"Yes. So we need to leave minimal forces. To secure a retreat even in the worst case."
Viscount Luke Hayend stroked his chin, then slowly nodded.
"You're right. I felt like I was missing something—that was it."
"Viscount!"
His officers cried out in shock at the agreement. But he waved them off.
"Enough. Decision's made. Leave 10 Gigants and 80 golems here."
"That'll leave our deploying forces too thin!"
"33 Titans and 50 Vayavas—the overall Gigant quality favors us. We've got three top-tier Nephilims here. We can win. Trust me."
Then he looked at Kang Geohan.
"Your name?"
"Kang Geohan White."
"Right. Kang Geohan. You pushed for this, so your outpost stays. Remember—your role is to keep the retreat open, no matter the worst."
"Yes!"
"...Good. Deploy!"
Viscount Luke Hayend spun on his heel and strode out of the surgery room. The officers followed in a rush.
"...That mad bastard."
Saxen Silver, who knew of Kang Geohan and Kalts's bond and had let him in, muttered with a look like he'd aged ten years.
* * *
"What's gotten into him? The guy who seemed ready to charge out first, all hyped up."
Loen said, eyes wide, after hearing what happened in the surgery room.
"But Sir Kang Geohan White is right. If the enemy hits the empty fortress and takes it while we're all out, every unit gets isolated. We absolutely need forces to hold here."
Helena White's voice was grave and measured.
"But that only applies if the enemy vastly outnumbers our estimates, right? The other knights are calling us cowards."
Gerot grumbled curtly. He clearly hated the decision to stay behind.
And who could blame him? The war with Logot Kingdom was a sure path to merits and promotion.
In fact, the senior-most left behind, Likane Gold, treated his assignment like a demotion.
Word spread within half a day that he'd screamed, smashed things, and holed up in his room after everyone left.
It was understandable.
Saxen Silver got where Likane Gold was coming from.
He had ambitions too—to show his skills and climb the ranks. Regret over staying behind was inevitable.
But,
"The risk is that high. Preparation is the right call. This fortress houses 20,000 souls—soldiers and civilians combined. We can't abandon them all on a maybe."
He addressed the group.
20,000 people. Didn't staying to protect them sound honorable?
"We're not cowards or demoted. We're here on mission. So let's do the mission. Senior Likane Gold won't come out of his room, so I'm effectively the top here now. No slacking. Everyone up—prep for war."
Kang Geohan's lips curved into a smile at the wise, no-nonsense words.
"Check defenses. Plan retreat routes if needed. Vehicles, rations, classified docs, essentials—list it all, inventory everything! Move!"
Kang Geohan and the White Knights scattered like their pants were on fire.
Loen headed to the train station first.
He urgently assembled a comms train.
He sent off a document via courier with details of the Logot raid and aid request.
Destination: the capital.
Next, vehicle status.
"So, if we pack Sleipnir to the gills with people, we could fit all 20,000?"
"Technically, yes... but then we might not fit all the supplies. These are built for troops and gear."
"Can't we make more trains? Use materials from the pioneer workshop and kingdom workshop."
"No, Sir Knight, that's not something we can just—"
"It's an order from Saxen Silver, the fortress's number two. Prepping for the worst. Think about it—what if Gigants breach the walls and trample us?"
"Oh dear... young knight... so enthusiastic."
"Not enthusiasm! Preparation."
"Yes, sir. I'll request cooperation to check materials for emergency trains and build times."
"Right now. Come with me."
"Oh... really... yes, yes, understood."
Similar scenes unfolded everywhere.
Helena White handled preserved rations.
"This'll last soldiers a month, but with civilians, not even two weeks. We need more. Request cooperation from market merchants."
"Huh? ...They're all busy with their own stuff—will they help?"
"Emergency. I'll persuade them myself—just guide me."
"Sir Knight, I've been here ten years. Logot's 'coming, coming' talk for a decade."
"Exactly. Ten years—about time they actually show."
"Sigh... Sir Knight."
"Now."
"Ah, really... yes, yes, understood."
Meanwhile, Kang Geohan reviewed Gigant defense plans.
Gigant pits, nets, ballistas, and anti-Gigant tactics for regular knights.
Commanding the troops directly, resentment ran high in every section.
"Hah... White Knight or not, a guy with less than a year under his belt ordering us to demo tactics."
"Calling in off-duty guys? Insane."
Knights griped openly,
"Sir Knight, we check this stuff on schedule, y'know?"
Soldiers subtly pushed back.
But Kang Geohan didn't waver.
"Direct order from Saxen Silver, current fortress number two. We'll report to Viscount Luke Hayend on return... Want me to quote you verbatim?"
Pushed that hard, knights and soldiers had no choice.
"...Wearing the emergency hat and overdoing the zeal."
"Fine. Do it. We can demo once."
Do it and be grateful—that vibe.
It could've pissed him off, but Kang Geohan didn't care. Obedience was what mattered.
Two warlike days passed that way.
While Viscount Luke Hayend's forces clashed fiercely with Logot Kingdom troops, Kang Geohan's group lived each day with battle intensity.
And...
Dawn of the second day.
The courier sent to the capital roared back on a recon bike.
"Disaster! The kingdom train line... it's cut!"
His words shook the entire fortress.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
As the morning sun rose,
"18 Gigants! 60 golems! Approaching! Gigant models... 5 Titans, 12 Vayavas, 1 custom! Logot Kingdom!"
The wall guard's scream-like shout announced the raid.
From the direction opposite the kingdom train line—counter to Outpost 11 where the battle raged.