Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Preparations for the Military Parade (3)
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“You're going to participate in the Military Parade?”
Wilhelm asked me urgently.
“Yes. Family Head.”
“You should know the meaning of the Military Parade well enough after what happened last year. And yet you're saying you'll participate again?”
The Military Parade. It was a ceremony where the continent's strongest force, the White Night Knights, gathered alongside Essenmont's elite army to display their might.
Essenmont was a borderland constantly threatened by magical beasts. As such, the actual troops participating in the Military Parade numbered less than a tenth of Essenmont's full forces.
But even that small contingent carried immense prestige as the continent's strongest.
The sequence of the Military Parade could be summarized simply. The Knight Order Captain would step forward as representative before Border Count Wilhelm and report on the military situation over the past year.
Then the knights and soldiers would reaffirm their loyalty to the Border Count, lord of Essenmont territory. Afterward, the Border Count would conduct the merit awards.
'And for the Border Count's successor, the Military Parade holds another meaning.'
The Military Parade wasn't just a show of force. A successor who had come of age had to stand before that elite army and prove their qualification as the official heir.
“Exchanging a single clash of swords with the Knight Order Captain at the center of the assembled elite forces. That is the requirement to become the Border Count's official successor.”
“You know it well. However...”
A shadow of worry crossed the Border Count's face for a moment.
“The White Night Knights' Captain, Michael, is a master who has reached the Master realm. Even a single clash from a knight of that caliber carries a different weight. Even without aura infused. And you knew that full well, which is why you ran away last year, didn't you?”
Last year's Military Parade. Back then, Julian hadn't been able to withstand even a single clash with Captain Michael.
No, in truth, he hadn't even stood before Captain Michael. He'd taken one look at the White Night Knights approaching in formation from afar, panicked, and fled.
It was the textbook image of a bully—weak against the strong and strong against the weak.
“That's true. But this time will be different.”
“Good attitude. However, you still haven't managed to draw out the mana within you, have you? If pure mana can't hold it back, you won't withstand the sharp killing intent from the White Night Knights and elite soldiers. For you, who is no different from an ordinary person, it's frankly impossible.”
“I know that as well. That's why I have a request for you, Family Head.”
“A request?”
“I want the help of my escort knight, Lady Uriel.”
I got straight to the point. Using the skilled knight Uriel for mana stimulation. I explained it to Wilhelm.
“Hmm... Mana Stimulation. A good idea. But didn't we already try that method on you, and it failed?”
Mana Stimulation required direct physical contact between the stimulator and the recipient.
Naturally, performing it nude offered the highest efficiency. But due to mutual embarrassment, they wore at least minimal clothing.
'That's why the bully Julian flat-out refused mana stimulation from male knights, even declaring he'd only accept it from women.'
Wilhelm, who doted on his grandson, reluctantly granted the request. On the condition that Julian never engage in any sexual contact with the female knights.
But the bully Julian had no intention of keeping that promise. Several female knights suffered his indignities, causing a huge uproar.
That's why Border Count Wilhelm hadn't even brought up mana stimulation with the current escort knight, Uriel.
“Hmm. Because you broke your promise before... None of the female knights in the White Night Knights will grant your wish. You might manage to beg a male knight or two if you tried desperately, but...”
That was a hard pass for me as well. On this one thing, the bully Julian and I were in complete agreement.
“That's why I specifically nominated Lady Uriel first. If I ever try anything foolish, won't she cut my head off first?”
“No!! Absolutely not. You are the sole heir to the Reinhardt family. Don't even joke about that.”
“Understood. It's just to show my resolve. If I ever make that mistake again, please punish me yourself, Family Head.”
Wilhelm's gaze changed at my words.
“Is that true, Julian? In that case, I'd like to see that resolve for myself. You're not the type to joke about something like this first thing in the morning, no matter how much of a bully you are. Otherwise, as you said, I wouldn't let you off.”
In that instant, his eyes flashed. Wilhelm glared at me with the fierce gaze of an angry lion.
This was no ordinary look. That glare was infused with highly refined mana—aura.
'Ugh... I have to endure this.'
A spine-chilling gaze like that of a ferocious beast. It was enough to stop one's breath right there on the spot.
'The gaze of a seasoned swordsman is this terrifying. I can understand why Julian ran.'
To put it simply, I was a rabbit before a lion. But this was all within my calculations.
The Border Count knew well the state of his grandson, who couldn't use mana.
'The bully Julian might even suffer internal injuries from that gaze. He won't keep it up long. He'll show mercy.'
Sure enough, it went as planned. Just as my whole body felt drained and I thought I couldn't hold out any longer, the Border Count withdrew that terrifying glare.
“Before, you couldn't even meet my gaze without aura. You've changed.”
“Without this level of resolve, I couldn't stand at the Military Parade.”
“Your current body must have struggled to endure it. I've seen your resolve well.”
He spoke calmly, but I caught the corners of the Border Count's mouth lifting high.
“I'll speak to Lady Uriel. Despite what happened last time, if I step in directly, she won't have much to say.”
“No need to worry. I absolutely won't make any impure advances on her first.”
And that was true. I absolutely wouldn't be the one to make the first move.
“That said, some minimal contact is unavoidable for mana stimulation. I believe Lady Uriel will understand that much.”
“Right. As you say, that's unavoidable. Understood. The Military Parade is approaching, so I'll hurry and tell her.”
As expected, Border Count Wilhelm was the ultimate backer. I spent the rest of breakfast time with him.
With the Border Count stepping in personally, things progressed smoothly. Before lunch, Head Butler Liberto came to find me.
“Young Master. The Family Head has given instructions to Lady Uriel.”
“Understood, Liberto.”
“Lady Uriel should be at the training grounds in the mansion. Shall I call her?”
“No need. I'll go to her myself.”
“Is that really alright?”
Liberto looked surprised again at my words. But I was getting used to these reactions by now. I headed to the training grounds set up in one wing of the mansion.
True to the home of Grand Master Border Count Wilhelm, the training grounds were spacious and well-equipped.
'He must have hoped his one and only grandson would use this place diligently.'
Of course, Julian had shattered those expectations.
So instead, the Border Count had permitted its use by the pitiable escort knight, whose bright future was shackled to his bully grandson.
There was no need for the escort knight to constantly follow Julian within the mansion anyway.
I watched from a slight distance as Uriel practiced her swordsmanship. It was powerful enough to make the nearby air hum.
Each swing sent her slightly curled, reddish-brown long hair swaying.
A pretty woman like Uriel sweating and practicing so seriously was quite the sight.
'Compared to Eirin and Lillia, but up close like this, Uriel is stunningly beautiful.'
Today, she had shed her usual stiff armor for practice.
A sleeveless top like a tank top, even in midwinter, exposing her arms entirely. It highlighted the voluptuous line of Uriel's chest.
Not as enormous as Lillia's, but the healthy allure was pleasing. Her overall silhouette brimmed with bouncy vitality, radiating energetic charm.
'She looks just like an SNS influencer showing off her figure in leggings.'
Of course, not intentional on Uriel's part. As expected of a skilled knight, she showed no sign of feeling the cold in such light attire.
The outdoor training grounds were brutally frigid...
Still, I had come prepared with my special heat-generating mana undergarments. It was bearable. The Seoul winters from my old life had been cold too.
Anyway, enough pointless spectating. As a swordsmanship layman, watching longer wouldn't yield more than admiring Uriel's looks.
Time to move for the real purpose of coming here.
I had preemptively purchased new traits via the System. Two in total.
This Ordinary Mana Knight trait, and
The Incubus trait as well. Unlike Aesthetic Sense, both were classified as ordinary traits, costing only 10 GP each.
'Considering Julian's titles, it's only natural.'
Ordinary Mana Knight was directly tied to the title 'Heir of the Reinhardt Family.' And Ordinary Incubus to 'Demon King's Heir.'
In other words, close to Julian's innate potential, so it saved on GP expenditure.
Per the Demon King's Son Surviving in the Holy Empire system, I could evolve traits further with future GP, so saving up was ideal.
I activated the Ordinary Mana Knight trait right then.
Essenmont's biting winds, famed as the fiercest on the continent.
The open-air training grounds were constantly battered by those gales.
Uriel, the knight with alluring reddish-brown hair. She diligently swung her sword across the training grounds.
As a knight, her realm was Aura User.
A beginner stage for aura, but for Uriel—who had passed adulthood just two years ago—to have already reached it was remarkable.
The continent's elite White Night Knights accepted members purely on merit. Among them, Uriel was a promising prospect with a bright future.
Even if it was a post everyone avoided. They wouldn't assign the Border Count's sole heir to an unskilled knight, after all.
Of course, Uriel herself had viewed the escort knight role as a humiliating demotion. Up until just a few days ago.
'Count Julian... What was that behavior in Reinhime?'
It wasn't like the usual bully.
He had shown consideration to Coachman Hans, whom he'd tormented before. And treated commoner tailor Otto with respect.
Moreover, for Deputy Head Maid Eirin, he'd rented out an entire store to buy her gifts. According to the shop owner, Julian had even helped Eirin change clothes himself.
'Doing such tedious servant work himself, that noble young master... And that wasn't all.'
While waiting near the clothing shop's entrance.
The female owner had suddenly brought out expensive tea and snacks for her. The snacks were one thing, but the tea called 'Mincho' was an absurd luxury in Essenmont.
Turned out, on Julian's orders, the owner had spent a fortune fetching it from a high-end cafe.
'Can a person change so much overnight...'
Even his usual disheveled appearance had transformed into that of a proper noble. Honestly, a jaw-dropping handsome man.
She thought she'd long forsaken her feelings as a woman.
But when she saw Count Julian in his new clothes at Otto's shop.
Uriel felt an emotion she'd never experienced amid the countless men of the White Night Knights.
Comparing to what society called it, a kind of heart-fluttering.
Of course, Uriel only ever felt such toward the sword. So it was nonsense.
“Damn it!”
Too many stray thoughts. To banish the count's face keeps popping into her head, Uriel swung her sword even more fiercely.
Even if she gave him the benefit of the doubt as a one-in-a-million fluke. To Uriel, a frail man who couldn't even hold a sword properly wasn't a man at all.
'The pinnacle of martial prowess, House Reinhardt. For such a famed swordsmanship family to produce such a weak heir.'
Clearly, the blood of the count's mother, Saintess Agnes, had negatively affected the warrior lineage.
If Julian showed even half—no, a quarter—of Border Count Wilhelm's talent. She could honestly accept this heart-flutter now.
'But the count's swordsmanship at the Pantheon was...'
So abysmal it nearly made her eyes rot—worse than Essenmont's ten-year-olds.
'And this morning, the Border Count personally asked me to perform mana stimulation for the count. At a time like this, with that man...'
As she swung her sword to shake off the distractions. An all-too-familiar male voice suddenly rang out in the training grounds.
“Lady Uriel. If I may, could you spare me some time?”
It was Count Julian calling her.