Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Lannister Baron's Family
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“What's the situation?”
“Hector and a few others are preparing to leave, while the rest are waiting at the lodging.”
“Hm.”
Arthur, standing on the ramparts and surveying the territory, said to Helot,
“Call Hector for me.”
“Yes.”
After Helot went down, Skevin soon climbed up with a grave expression.
“Young Master, it seems Yarve Count has hired Hazan.”
“Who's that?”
“He's a notorious slave trader known for his cruelty. He commands the Apos Mercenary Corps, made up of war prisoners.”
“Are they strong?”
“They're strong and utterly ruthless.”
“How do they compare to the Red Warrior Order?”
“Excluding Yakim, the Apos Mercenary Corps would win decisively. That's why even Yakim avoided Hazan.”
“Doesn't make sense.”
Arthur had faced Yakim himself, so he knew just how powerful a Sword Master was.
No matter how strong the Apos Mercenary Corps was, could they stand against a Sword Master?
If the Phoenix Knight Order had faced Yakim...
Even with Skevin there, they wouldn't have held him off.
Clearly, the Apos Mercenary Corps had something even a Sword Master would fear.
“Investigate the Apos Mercenary Corps.”
“They're shrouded in secrecy—no one even knows their base. And even if we found it, their defenses are so tight that anyone below Sword Expert level couldn't get close.”
“Roughly how many are there?”
“That's unknown too.”
“Can't you estimate from their past activities?”
Skevin replied with a stiff, hardened face.
“Wherever they go, they leave nothing but ruins and corpses. Just traces of their passage.”
“Nothing but death...”
That was when Arthur's face twisted.
Helot climbed the ramparts with Hector.
“You called for me?”
Hector bowed to Arthur so deeply it felt excessive.
After spending a day at the lodging, he'd observed the count's family.
The training grounds echoed with nonstop training sounds all day, and every glimpse of the Phoenix Knight Order filled him with awe at their intensity.
With over a thousand soldiers being raised, it was clear the Julius Count Family's reputation would soon be restored.
He shared his father's view.
The Julius Count Family was the Hexa family's only hope.
His attitude toward Arthur had shifted accordingly.
“For the family's sake...”
Arthur looked at Hector calmly.
After a day exploring, he'd surely noticed the count's family was nothing like the rumors.
He probably saw Arthur as the savior of the Hexa family.
But once he learned of the Julius Count Family's dire situation...
“Hm.”
Arthur opened his heavy mouth.
“Preparing to leave?”
“If you'll accept our families, a few of us plan to head to Kandara Count.”
“Too late.”
“...?”
Hector looked puzzled.
Even if the attackers on the Hexa family hurried, hitting Kandara Count would take at least a week.
Kandara Count's Mardo Territory was an island, so with preparation, they could defend it.
“The emperor won't move with just one force. He's surely sent troops to Kandara Count too.”
“If so, why is the Julius Count Family so quiet?”
“We're in a territory war with Yarve Count.”
“...!”
It was news to him.
“There was one battle, and recently an imperial envoy from Yarve Count visited. That should paint the picture.”
“Damn it!”
That explained the sharpened soldiers and knights on the training grounds.
All for the territory war.
“This place isn't safe either. If you want to leave, we'll help you prepare. Think it over.”
Hector shook his head.
“Branded devil worshipers, no one will take us in. We'll fight with you.”
“No regrets?”
“We have to survive somehow. Better odds fighting with the strong than alone against them, right?”
“Honest, I like that.”
Arthur turned to Helot.
“Incorporate them into the defense unit and give them what they need.”
“Yes.”
As Helot gestured for Hector to follow him down, Hector suddenly dropped to one knee.
Arthur frowned.
“What's this?”
“Please accept me.”
“...!”
Skevin and Helot's eyes widened.
Hector continued with his head bowed.
“I'll lend my strength to the Julius Count Family.”
The Hexa baron's family would become vassals to the Julius Count Family.
They'd boost his forces significantly, but Arthur had no intention of allying with unvetted strangers.
“Thanks, but I'll just take your sentiment.”
“My accompanying knights number only about a hundred, but we're specialized in defense. I'm confident we'll be a great help to the Julius Count Family.”
“I'm sure. But I don't ally with just anyone.”
“Lord Count...”
Disappointment crossed Hector's face.
“Focus on the crisis at hand first. We can talk after it's resolved.”
“...Understood.”
Hector rose, bowed politely, and left with Helot for the lodging.
Arthur watched Hector descend and asked Skevin,
“What do you think?”
“He sees you as their savior.”
“Figures. He's gauged our strength by now.”
“We had friendly ties with Hambaro Baron, and the Defen Knight Order's defensive skills are renowned. Accepting them would greatly bolster our forces.”
“I know. But they need vetting.”
“I see.”
Skevin gave a wry smile.
Even he, who'd been with Arthur this long, hadn't earned his full trust.
It made his judgment understandable.
Arthur shifted his gaze to the territory.
“You're looking into mercenary groups we can contact?”
“Word should come soon.”
“Then I'll head to the construction site.”
Arthur whistled long from the ramparts.
Whiiieee-!
Moments later.
Khan came racing from the western mountains like a shot.
Skevin was startled.
“You let him loose?”
“He was getting restless cooped up in the stables. Sent him on recon.”
“Recon?”
“Goblins or orcs might come down again. Told him to have some fun if he ran into any.”
Arthur grinned and leaped down.
“Young Master!”
Skevin jumped in alarm and looked below.
Arthur landed lightly on Khan's back, and Khan bolted away like the wind.
Skevin gaped as Arthur receded into the distance.
“Just how strong have you become...?’
***
“Jack, the levels aren't matching!”
Ban bellowed, then yelled at a man on the other side.
“I told you not to work ahead alone!”
“It's not that I'm fast—Jack's slow!”
“Argh, seriously! At this rate, we won't finish on time!”
Ban scowled and vented his frustration. He also checked other areas.
Three days ago, they'd started building the defensive wall in the western mountains.
First, they walled off the cliff—the monsters' main entrance.
Thanks to the alchemy book Arthur provided and Millerph's magic, progress was incredibly fast.
Already, a tenth of the wall was up.
“At this pace...”
A smile tugged at Ban's lips.
Then.
Hiiing-!
A horse's neigh came from behind.
The heavy, powerful hoofbeats told him who it was.
The king of the Britannikers!
Khan.
He'd patrolled the western mountains nonstop during construction.
At first, they feared a sudden attack and couldn't work properly.
Only after Arthur explained he was protecting them from potential monsters did they relax.
Still, when their eyes met, their hearts dropped.
“He's really diligent.”
Ban glanced back, then turned forward again.
“Make way!”
“...?”
Ban tilted his head.
At the same instant, the massive Khan burst from the forest.
“Gah!”
Ban yelped in shock and fell backward.
Everyone stopped at his scream, eyes turning to him.
Seeing the giant horse, their jaws dropped.
“Britanniker...”
“Ban, you okay!”
“The Young Master's riding it?”
“Oh, so that's 'Khan.'”
Relieved it was Arthur's mount, they approached Khan one by one.
Arthur dismounted and walked to Ban.
Ban patted his pounding chest and grumbled,
“What if you burst out like that!”
“Sorry.”
Arthur grinned and offered a hand.
Ban took it, stood, and yelled at the crowd,
“We got time for this? Back to work!”
“Ugh, total tyrant!”
“Tyrant? Don't you know our hands hold the territory folk's lives? We build this wall fast, they live safe!”
“Yeah, let's go!”
“Right, push on!”
They encouraged each other and returned to their posts.
Only then did Ban turn to Arthur.
“What brings you here?”
“Recon and check-in. But you're faster than expected?”
“Thanks to alchemy and Master Millerph. Speed will drop as it gets higher, though.”
“I see. Where's Millerph?”
“He was at the cliff edge earlier, but I don't know now.”
“Yeah?”
Arthur headed to the cliff, puzzled.
Standing there, he gazed at the endless forest below, thinking of the monsters.
He could handle up to ogres, but Cardrajan was impossible.
He needed to raise his circle, but it hadn't budged since 4th circle.
He wasn't impatient, though.
Just a rest after rapid growth.
He hoped it wouldn't last long.
Self-consoling, he looked toward Lumacas's cave entrance.
“Huh?”
Millerph was there.
‘Why'd he go there?’
Arthur leaped down without hesitation.
Ban, who'd looked away briefly to another site, noticed Arthur gone and scanned around.
“Young Master! Where are you?”
Spotting Khan, Ban's gaze fixed.
“Hm, gotta make gear fitting for that beast too. No time even to sleep.”
***
“The pattern's grown...”
Millerph stared at the dragon engraving on the wall, face hardening.
He recalled his first visit with Mardoro.
-This pattern protects the count's family.
-How?
-My teacher said it's infused with powerful magic. It guards against disasters.
-What disasters?
-That's all I know.
Mardoro apologized and entrusted the place to him, saying to bring the heir of Teheran's legacy here upon reaching 4th circle.
“Teacher...”
Nostalgia filled Millerph's face.
Then, a presence.
“...!”
Millerph looked up swiftly.
Arthur dropped from the sky, landed lightly on a tree branch, then vaulted toward him.
“Y-Young Master...”
Arthur landed casually beside him and asked,
“What're you doing here?”
“Without safety gear...”
Millerph looked flustered.
“No need to fuss over this.”
Arthur grinned and eyed the wall.
“Huh? The pattern looks bigger.”
“Yes, larger than before.”
“Yeah?”
Arthur looked at Millerph curiously.
Millerph relayed what Mardoro had told him.
“They planned thoroughly.”
Arthur looked impressed.
“We need countermeasures before their forces grow more.”
“Countermeasures...”
Arthur gazed grimly at the forest below.
The endless woods and exponentially multiplying monsters filled him with worry.
Especially the fully evolved Cardrajan—it chilled his spine.
‘To protect what's mine...’
Achieve 9th circle.
And awaken absolute power's potential to grow stronger.
That was the only way.
As Arthur eyed his right hand,
“...!”
Suddenly, an unidentified aura stirred from below the cliff.
Not a monster's.
Millerph sensed it too and cast Hawkeye swiftly.
“Huh!”
In shock, Arthur leaped down.