Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Uninvited Guest (2)
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Liam Bluegreen.
The head of the Bluegreen Marquis family, renowned as a prestigious knightly house in the Apple Kingdom.
At the same time, he was one of only three high-class knights in the Apple Kingdom, a man who pledged his loyalty solely to the royal family.
Beyond that, Demian didn't know much about Liam Bluegreen.
By the time Demian had been remade into a Death Knight and begun his activities, the man was already long dead.
"Why would someone as esteemed as you orchestrate something like this?"
Now that the man had revealed himself, Demian couldn't afford to be rude.
Instead, Demian glared at Liam Bluegreen with a face that made his displeasure as clear as day.
"I wanted to see your true strength for myself."
"Then why not just challenge me to a spar?"
"I said your 'true' strength. You can't gauge that with something half-hearted like a spar."
Demian's brow furrowed even tighter at the absurd response.
"So you staged this farce of taking my family hostage?"
"Don't be so upset. I explained everything to your father and got his permission."
Demian unwittingly rubbed his face with his palm.
"What if one of your men had gotten killed in the process?"
"That's why I stepped in at the right moment. No need to worry."
Liam Bluegreen spoke with a beaming smile. Demian had to bite back a laugh.
Did this man realize that Demian could have killed his subordinate before he ever intervened, if he'd wanted to?
"And this fellow isn't just a subordinate. He's my son and prized disciple. The boy's tough as nails—he won't die that easily."
Liam Bluegreen chuckled heartily as he addressed the man.
"Dober, isn't that right?"
But the man just trembled without a word. Only then did Liam Bluegreen sense something was off.
"Dober?"
"F-Father... p-potion... guh!"
The man barely managed to spit out the words before dropping his head.
"What the—? What's wrong with you all of a sudden? Dober! Pull yourself together!"
Liam Bluegreen hurriedly pulled a potion from his pocket and poured it into the man's mouth.
Judging that insufficient, he began kneading the man's body while channeling mana into him—a healing technique known as probing pulse manipulation.
"You idiot! Why can't you snap out of it!"
Even so, the man's color didn't return to normal.
It couldn't. The moment Demian had kicked him in the gut, he'd unleashed mana to damage him from the inside out.
He wouldn't die, but it would take at least a few weeks of bed rest for a full recovery. It wasn't something that would heal easily.
Only after a long while did the man regain his senses and sit up. The moment he raised his head, his eyes met Demian's unwavering gaze.
"Pleased to meet you! I'm Dober Bluegreen!"
Dober immediately bowed at the waist. Demian was utterly dumbfounded by the sudden change in attitude.
"Sorry for the rough talk earlier! Father told me to provoke Sir Demian as much as possible!"
Dober scratched the back of his head with an innocent grin.
"You fool, what am I supposed to do if you go down that easily? What becomes of my reputation as your father?"
"I have no excuses! I'll redouble my training from now on!"
"You'd better. I'm doubling the intensity, so keep that in mind."
"Yes, sir!"
Dober barked out his response with such vigor that he evoked the image of a massive, lively dog.
"Well then, Sir Demian, now that I've confirmed your strength... shall we get down to business?"
Liam Bluegreen's eyes turned serious.
As expected, a high-class knight like him hadn't come all this way just to test Demian's skills for the fun of it.
"Let's head inside and talk."
Demian returned to the drawing room with the two of them.
The atmosphere inside was completely different from before.
The family and the "intruders" sat together, sipping tea and enjoying desserts as they chatted amiably.
"Oh, Demian. There you are."
Father waved him over. Demian shot him a glare.
"Father, for someone who just made his son worry... you're having quite the good time."
"You're one to talk. Sneaking around behind your old man's back."
Demian was at a loss for words. If they were to argue right and wrong, Demian was far more in the wrong.
"...I'll let it slide this time."
"Quit your yapping and sit down."
Demian took a seat in an empty chair. Liam Bluegreen and Dober did the same.
"Sir Liam, are you finished with your business?"
"Thanks to Viscount Haksen here. Your acting was top-notch, by the way. Even the actors from the capital's theater troupe would have to bow to you."
The two burst into loud laughter as they spoke. Demian could only stare at them in disbelief.
"So, what's the real point of all this?"
"Right, almost forgot."
Liam Bluegreen set down his teacup as Demian asked.
"Sir Demian, how would you like to join the White Horse Knights?"
* * *
A knight order was a combat unit composed solely of knights.
Considering the costs and procedures involved in raising even a single knight, it was common sense that only great nobles like the Goldpixie Dukedom or the Ryanbloom Marquis family could realistically operate one.
Among them, the White Horse Knights was a royal knight order directly operated by the Apple Kingdom, boasting a long history.
It was also a core force of the kingdom, receiving substantial support as such.
It was the dream knight order that every knight in the Apple Kingdom who had aspired to the martial path since childhood hoped to join.
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline."
Yet Demian refused without a moment's hesitation.
Liam Bluegreen's face stiffened, clearly not having anticipated the rejection. The rest of the family reacted the same way.
"May I ask why?"
"I'm not looking to join any organization just yet."
That was what he said, but truthfully, he simply had no interest in the White Horse Knights. Even if he joined, there was nothing in it for him.
"Hahaha, well, I'll be... Never thought I'd get turned down. Least of all that I'd have to try convincing you."
Liam Bluegreen scratched his cheek, looking flustered.
"The White Horse Knights is the finest order in the Apple Kingdom. Join us, and you'll receive all sorts of benefits. Magical gear, elixirs—the works."
Elixirs.
The one thing Demian needed most right now.
But while he needed them, they weren't desperate. There were plenty of ways to obtain them.
Above all, Demian still had a chance to raid the Holy Order's secret vault.
The Order's vault was filled with elixirs so extraordinary that no amount of gold could buy them.
Compared to that, the elixirs from the knight order barely registered.
"And there's one more reason you should join the knight order."
Liam Bluegreen continued in a grave tone.
"Right now, there are a great many people in the Apple Kingdom who suspect you. I was one of them. Of course, anyone who's met you even once would understand... but rumors spread slower than you'd think. Especially unbelievable ones."
Considering Demian's growth rate, suspicion was inevitable.
He had reached the mid-class realm in less than a few months of holding a sword.
"There will be those who test you, envy you, try to use you... all sorts of annoying pests drawn to you. Shaking them off won't be easy."
Demian nodded in agreement. Seeing this, Liam Bluegreen's expression brightened.
"So you understand. Then it's settled—you'll join the White Horse Knights."
"No, I don't plan to."
Liam Bluegreen groaned at Demian's words.
"Do I need to explain it again for it to sink in?"
"I understood everything you said, Sir Liam. But I'm just not drawn to joining an organization."
The convenience of an organization's support always came with obligations and responsibilities.
Demian had a vital mission: to thwart Dorgo's plans. He couldn't afford to be tied down to the Apple Kingdom.
"You mentioned the pests. Sure, they'd be a hassle, but nothing I can't handle."
A few beatdowns, and people would start believing.
That the rumors about Demian Haksen were true, not fake.
"Hah, this is a headache. I thought it was a sure thing—like snatching a winning lottery ticket."
Liam Bluegreen stroked his chin, deep in thought at Demian's response.
"Very well. If you join the knight order, I'll teach you everything I know. Even then, no interest in...?"
"No."
Liam Bluegreen's face fell into shocked dismay at Demian's firm reply.
"You... do you even realize? I'm a high-cla—"
"I know. Still not interested."
Faced with repeated refusals, Liam Bluegreen looked even more stunned.
"...Well, at least that's a relief. Seems you're not planning to join any other knight order."
Letting a talent like Demian slip away would be a painful loss for the Apple Kingdom.
But if he joined nowhere, at least they wouldn't lose him to rivals.
"Then, Demian Haksen, are you willing to accept a direct order from His Majesty as a knight of the Apple Kingdom?"
"I'm open to it."
Demian gave a vague answer.
If the terms were right, he wouldn't mind. Conversely, if they weren't, he had no intention of doing it.
"Truth be told, His Majesty has a mission he specifically wants to entrust to you. That's why he ordered me to bring you this time."
"His Majesty did?"
A faint sense of foreboding crept in at the fact that they had singled him out.
Demian kept his expression neutral and focused on Liam Bluegreen's words.
"I had planned to induct you into the knight order first and then assign you the mission, but..."
Demian couldn't help but frown at that.
They'd planned to dump a job on him right after induction. Good thing he hadn't joined.
"Things have turned out this way, so I'd at least like you to take the mission."
"What sort of mission is it?"
"Would you serve as the crown prince's swordsmanship instructor?"
For a moment, Demian doubted his ears. The words were too unexpected.
"Swordsmanship... what?"
"Swordsmanship instructor. Simply put, his sword teacher. Stay in the palace for a while and guide Crown Prince Oliver—that's all."
It was far easier than expected. But Demian couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.
"Why me, specifically? The capital must be full of excellent instructors."
"This part is rather confidential... not something to share with outsiders."
In other words, accept the mission if you want to hear more.
Demian eyed Liam Bluegreen with even greater suspicion.
"Oh, right—nearly forgot. If you accept the instructor position, His Majesty will reward you accordingly."
"A reward?"
It was the only word from Liam Bluegreen's mouth that truly piqued his interest.
"If you'd joined the knight order, His Majesty planned to elevate House Haksen to earldom."
Viscount Haksen himself startled at this and stared at Liam Bluegreen.
The Apple Kingdom had fairly strong royal authority. The rights of nobles varied subtly with the titles bestowed by the king.
In particular, an earldom came with vastly expanded privileges compared to baronies or viscountcies—a highly prestigious rank. Earls were thus quite rare.
It wasn't for nothing that all the great nobles held that status.
"Of course, you're not joining the knight order. But if you take the instructor role, I'll speak to His Majesty and ensure you receive the earldom."
An earldom.
Objectively speaking, it wasn't a direct boon to Demian himself.
But it was undeniably beneficial to his family. That alone made the offer worth accepting.
The question was why the king had attached such a condition.
'Crown Prince of the Apple Kingdom... Oliver Apple, I think?'
Rummaging through his memories yielded nothing particular.
During his playboy days, he'd been too busy carousing to care. As a beggar, too focused on scraping by. As a mercenary, too swamped.
Thus, Demian knew little about the Apple royal family.
But there was one incident involving them that he remembered clearly.
'Around this time, the royal palace gets attacked.'
Not by an external enemy, but the palace suddenly came under assault.
The servants fled in panic, leaving only knights and soldiers to fight the intruders.
'The royals repelled them, but the king ended up dying.'
With the previous king dead, Crown Prince Oliver Apple ascended the throne.
Separate from Liam Bluegreen calling him a genius, Oliver Apple proved utterly inept at governance.
'Probably because he ascended so suddenly, without preparation.'
The unprepared young king plunged the Apple Kingdom into decline.
As a result, in the later war with Dorgo, the kingdom fell in short order without putting up much fight.
'If it's any other nation, fine—but the Apple Kingdom crumbling is a problem.'
Demian had no intention of preventing every future event. He lacked the sense of duty, and it was impossible anyway.
But the palace attack was different. The Apple Kingdom was where his family had put down roots.
The kingdom shaking meant his family suffering. He couldn't stand by.
'Simply put, it's just being summoned as a sword instructor—not so bad.'
Even if it was tough, it didn't matter. Didn't Demian have a fine tool for reforming people now?
"Sir Liam, I'll heed His Majesty's will."
Liam Bluegreen grinned at Demian's answer.
"Congratulations on your summons to the palace."