Chapter 211: Let’s Go Back (2)
Chapter 211: Let’s Go Back (2)
Rewinding time a little….
Alex Lowenski, a member of the Royal Knight Order of the Atronia Kingdom, received a summons from the King.
He wasn't the only one called.
"Gerard, Karin? You guys too?"
"Are you here as well, Senior?"
"Why did he call us?"
These three, who had achieved respectable results in Arcana, had successfully joined the Royal Knight Order after graduating from the Academy.
Graduating from the Academy, competing in Arcana, and joining the Royal Knight Order….
In truth, because they lived in the same era as a monster who performed utterly absurd feats, it was hard to tell, but these three were promising young men who had followed a quintessential elite path.
Alex, in particular, was so outstanding that he was already serving as a squad leader within the knights.
For the King to personally seek out and call such individuals meant….
"It’s probably an important mission."
"I think so too."
"Mm, that must be it."
The three felt a moderate amount of tension, but they weren't crushed by the pressure.
As knights, it was only natural to serve the nation and be loyal to the royal family. Furthermore, carrying out the King’s direct orders was an honor.
A burning sense of loyalty and spirit flared up in the hearts of the young knights.
"Go bring back that brat of a son-in-law of mine."
At least, it did until they heard those words.
"Um, Your Majesty."
"By son-in-law, do you perhaps mean…?"
The King placed a hand on his forehead as if he had a headache and let out a deep sigh.
"I’m telling you to bring back Patrick Schneider, my daughter Isabella’s fiancé."
"……."
This was crazy.
This was insane.
This was driving them nuts.
They couldn't exactly say no to a direct order from the King, but shouldn't an order at least sound like an order for them to follow it?
Bring back Patrick Schneider?
Was that as easy as it sounded?
Why would he assign such a difficult mission to young knights like them? Why?
"If by any chance he refuses, you have my permission to use force. I authorize it."
"……."
That authorization was not helpful at all.
Use force? So what?
Would that even work?
Wouldn't we just get beaten up more?
Did we do something wrong?
When the anxiety and dissatisfaction didn't fade from the faces of the three young knights, the King sighed and spoke again.
"I know it’s a difficult mission. But you are the only ones who can do this."
At that, Alex spoke up cautiously.
"Your Majesty, it is an honor that you think so highly of us. However, there are plenty of knights in the royal family who are far more skilled than we are."
Please send someone else, he said, phrasing it as politely as possible.
Even though it was a futile effort.
"There are many excellent knights in the royal family, but you are the only ones who have a connection with my son-in-law."
"Mmm…."
"Even if he is my son-in-law, surely he wouldn't assault his own direct seniors from the Academy, would he?"
"……."
He would. He totally would.
The words rose to the back of his throat, but he couldn't bring himself to spit them out.
In the end, the answer was already decided.
"We shall obey your command."
And so, Alex and his companions accepted the heavy responsibility of the mission: the return of Patrick Schneider.
* * *
"Hmm, so my seniors have graced me with their presence?"
After hearing the full explanation, Patrick glared at the seniors standing before him.
"No, I mean, why are you trying to take me back when I’m diligently performing my knight training? Why?"
At Patrick’s words, Alex, whose face was swollen and bruised, spoke as if he were appalled.
"Do you even have a conscience? Do you?"
"I probably have one. I haven't checked lately, so I can't be sure…."
"You crazy bastard! What Academy student in the world goes around beating up 7-Star Knights of other kingdoms and calls it 'knight training'?"
"Ahem!"
"Don't look so proud!"
"Aw, why? Thanks to me, the kingdom’s reputation has skyrocketed, hasn't it?"
"Oh, is that so? So you think you did a great job until the very end?"
"Well, maybe I made a tiny, tiny mistake here and there…."
As Patrick averted his gaze, Alex continued.
"I heard you split Count Calvin Spike of the Caesar Kingdom in half. Why did you do that?"
"He was a prick."
"And as a result, you ended up fighting a war against the Caesar Kingdom’s regular army?"
"They attacked me, so what was I supposed to do?"
"And I heard you even dragged in the Tower of Truth? What were you thinking? You crazy bastard! Why would you involve one of the Three Great Powers?"
"Ah, that worked out well. Now our territory and the Tower of Truth are in an alliance."
"Huh? An alliance? Between a territory and the Tower of Truth, one of the Three Great Powers? Is that for real?"
As Alex spoke, he looked over at where Riman was standing.
Riman nodded, sending a look that said, 'That’s how it turned out.'
Alex clutched the back of his neck and groaned.
"You lunatic…. How can a territory just go and form an alliance with an outside power like that? What if you’re accused of treason?"
"It’s fine. I got permission (by throwing a tantrum) from the King for this."
"Oh, really? Then I heard news that you trashed the current King of the Yuzef Kingdom after that. Was that authorized too?"
"……."
Was that a bit much?
As Patrick pondered this, Alex shouted as if he were breathing fire.
"And after that, I wondered where you went, and it was Evergreen? You went into a forbidden area, so we couldn't even follow you! We had to camp out on the outskirts and wait forever!"
"Is that my fault? What?"
"Shut up and talk! What kind of trouble did you cause in there?"
"I didn't cause much trouble. Do you think I’m someone who just causes trouble every single day?"
He had led a coup among the Elves, changed the regime, and then helped subjugate the Dark Elves. After the World Tree, the tree of the beginning, withered, he took its seed into himself, annihilated the demons that were secretly active behind the Elves, established a King for the Elves, and encouraged them to migrate entirely to his territory.
Apparently, by Patrick’s standards, this wasn't "much trouble."
"How am I supposed to trust you? Trust!"
Alex pounded his chest in frustration.
He ranted at Patrick.
"You go abroad, pick fights with everyone, and cause all sorts of incidents. It’s only natural for the King to be horrified!"
"……."
Patrick looked off into the distance and thought.
'Was I a little too much?'
As if he even had to ask.
* * *
After listening to Alex’s long-winded explanation, Patrick allowed himself to be quietly "arrested."
Well, if passing out from drinking and snoring counts as being arrested, that is.
Still, the personnel escorting Patrick did not let their guard down.
Even though the person they were supposed to be arresting was currently lying with his head on the lap of a peerless beauty, mumbling in his sleep, they had to assume the highest level of danger.
Though I wonder if that even matters.
Alex let out a hollow laugh, looking like a man who had transcended the world.
To be honest, he had felt a bit of anticipation when meeting Patrick after a long time.
What would he be like?
How would his junior, who had become famous across the entire continent after winning Arcana, have changed?
Perhaps he would have a heavy presence and the dignity of an Empire’s Rising Star?
He had harbored such expectations, but….
He hasn't changed at all.
"He’s remarkably consistent."
It was absurd, but also somewhat welcoming.
Just then, someone approached Alex’s side.
"Senior Lowenski. This is your portion."
It was Princess Isabella, bringing a tin cup filled with soup.
As she personally brought the soup, Alex stood up in a flurry of respect and took the cup.
"It’s an honor, Princess."
Isabella chuckled and said, "I’m still an Academy student. You can just call me your junior."
"……."
"Is something wrong?"
"No, it’s just, how should I put it…?"
Alex spoke with a dazed expression.
"You’ve changed a lot, Princess."
"Me?"
"Yes. You’ve become much brighter. You seem strangely refreshed."
Alex remembered her from when she first entered as a freshman.
She was haughty and beautiful.
But she was also cold and dark.
If he had to compare her to a flower, she was like a dark red rose that hadn't been able to fully bloom.
As a son of the Lowenski family, Alex knew the general situation.
A powerless princess with no background.
If she grew up like this, Isabella was a princess destined to be sold on the marriage market as a gift to a far-off foreign land or a suitable noble.
Usually, royalty are educated to accept and submit to such a fate, and they grow up accordingly.
But she didn't turn out that way.
To create her own place by her own strength, she picked up a sword and swung it until her hands bled.
That side of her….
"Was beautiful."
The words slipped out unintentionally.
"Pardon?"
When Isabella asked what he meant, Alex was momentarily flustered. But….
"I was talking about you, Princess."
"……."
He simply squared his shoulders and spoke his true feelings calmly.
"Both then and now, you are truly beautiful."
At Alex’s words, Isabella smiled slightly, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Thank you."
"Did you know that I liked you?"
"…Yes. Well."
She would have been a fool not to. The rumor had spread throughout the entire Knight Department.
Alex hurriedly continued.
"Ah, just in case you’re wondering, I’m not trying to hit on you. I value my life, you see."
"Pfft…."
Seeing Alex draw a safety line, Isabella nodded and laughed.
Originally, there were many men at the Academy who courted her. That was before the title of "someone’s fiancée" was attached to her.
Courting Patrick Schneider’s fiancée?
No hero was brave enough to attempt such a terrifying challenge.
However, the reason Alex was revealing his feelings now was to clearly settle his own heart.
"I recently got a fiancée of my own."
"Oh? Really?"
"Yes. She’s a girl I’ve known since childhood, like a younger sister. I knew she had feelings for me, but I just thought it was a child’s stubbornness and saw her as cute…."
Alex chuckled.
The girl he had only seen as a cute younger sister had suddenly become a proper lady and appeared before him to confess her feelings.
At that moment, Alex was actually surprised at himself for accepting the confession as if he were enchanted.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Their tin cups clinked lightly.
Then Alex said, "It was only for a time, but it was an honor to be able to love you. I wanted to say that."
He also wanted to say, 'I’m glad you look happy now.' But….
Well, he decided not to.
It would just make me salty.
Admitting that she had become much brighter and happier after getting engaged to that hooligan was, after all, a bit galling.
To that Alex, Isabella said with a smile, "Senior."
"……?"
Isabella looked straight at Alex and spoke.
"A promising young genius like you harbored feelings for me. That will be a proud memory for me as well. So…."
"……."
"Thank you. Please, be happy."
At Isabella’s radiant smile, Alex bowed his head respectfully.
It was fine if the emotion in that smile wasn't affection.
It was fine if the person she would smile for for the rest of her life wasn't him.
If he could remain as a long-lasting memory in her mind, that alone was enough of a reward for his feelings.
* * *
"Whew…."
Patrick let out a long breath to relax. Then he looked at the strongest enemy before him.
"What are you doing?"
"……."
"Don't be scared. Come at me."
Ugh, he hated to admit it, but the guy was obnoxious.
Long, flowing black hair, a red robe wrapping his body, and eyes filled with a mix of arrogance and madness.
The opponent before him was undoubtedly the strongest enemy.
Radiant Dragon Hero Jincheon.
Patrick threw himself toward that formidable foe without hesitation.
Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles (雙龍八劍式)
Third Form (第三式)
Flash Dragon Strike (閃龍擊)
The attack he was most confident in.
Therefore, the technique he used the most and trusted the most.
To Patrick, Flash Dragon Strike was that kind of technique. However….
"Slow."
Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles (雙龍八劍式)
Third Form (第三式)
Original (元祖) Flash Dragon Strike (閃龍擊)
The Flash Dragon Strike of the Radiant Dragon Hero Jincheon, which had started later, collided head-on with Patrick’s Flash Dragon Strike.
K-BOOM!
"Urgh…."
He was outclassed in both speed and power.
Patrick gave up on matching strength and retreated significantly to regain his stance. However….
"If you’re scared, you should just die, shouldn't you?"
Before Patrick could even set his stance, the Radiant Dragon Hero Jincheon, who had already closed the distance, followed up with the next attack.
Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles (雙龍八劍式)
Fourth Form (第四式)
Twin Dragons’ Chaotic Dance (雙龍난무)
Against the storm of countless slashes flying toward him, Patrick hurriedly responded with the same technique. However….
Crash! Boom!
His sword was easily shattered.
Before even discussing the understanding of the sword path or speed, the power was simply on a different level.
Patrick’s Aura Blade couldn't withstand the Radiant Dragon Hero’s vicious Aura.
"It’s over."
Then, dozens of slashes flew toward the defenseless Patrick, hacking his body to pieces.
That was the last sight Patrick saw.
* * *
"Tsk."
Opening his eyes, Patrick clicked his tongue softly.
Wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead, he muttered, "I’ve still got a long way to go."
Since it was training within his mind, he had set the standards quite strictly. He had fought while remembering the peak days of the Radiant Dragon Hero Jincheon, after all.
But even so, it had been too one-sided.
It was unavoidable.
No matter how much experience and memory were inherited, the training periods of the Radiant Dragon Hero Jincheon and the "Double Dragon" Patrick Schneider were different.
From internal energy to the degree of skeletal growth, everything was bound to be different.
Until now, Patrick had known about this problem but hadn't particularly cared.
Because he thought his current strength was enough to carry out his will.
When he saw the Sword Saint at Arcana, he was surprised, but on the other hand, he was also disappointed.
'Is this all it takes to be the strongest on the continent?'
If the goal is low, the motivation to strive disappears. That was the human heart.
Even the world’s most stubborn man, Patrick Schneider, was like that. But this knight training was enough to change Patrick’s mind.
The Caesar Kingdom’s regular army was stronger than he thought.
Even if their level of martial arts was lower, it was quite tricky when 7-Star Knights pressured him in formation alongside mages and heavy armored knights.
Furthermore, considering the destructive power of the mages’ attacks….
It was impressive.
That wasn't all.
Some brat who had randomly awakened and was flinging Imperial Sword Forms around had popped up.
And demons were picking fights while emitting vicious demonic energy.
The knights of the Pangemonia Continent were lower in level than the martial artists of the Jianghu.
However, the overall martial power of this continent was not inferior to the Martial World of the Central Plains.
'I took this place too lightly.'
This was the greatest lesson Patrick had learned through this knight training.
And most decisively….
'The Living Calamity… Black Tortoise.'
He was a formidable foe against whom Patrick couldn't guarantee victory with his current self.
To make matters worse, the World Tree had spoken as if it were his natural destiny to fight that monster.
In the end, the conclusion was clear.
'I lack power. At least as I am now.'
He had to become stronger.
It was cliché, but that was the conclusion Patrick reached.
Even though it was called knight training, he hadn't seriously thought he would gain anything from it, but the fact that he had reached this conclusion made it valuable enough.
A clear goal had been established.
So, it seemed that this was enough for his knight training.
Having reached a conclusion, Patrick spoke with a faint smile.
"Let’s go back."