5. The Blue Knights Order
Drenched in the cold morning dew, the two drunken men stumbled into the castle grounds arm in arm. Their escort knights trailed behind with weary expressions.
“Aigoo, I’m gonna die, bro.”
“You young punk, dying just from pulling an all-nighter?”
“Huh? It’s not one night, it’s two days, bro.”
“Was it?”
Bran shook his head, reeking of booze.
“Ha!”
“Ha!”
The training grounds leading to the inner castle echoed with shouts of exertion. They belonged to the Blue Knights Order, knights who had been diligently practicing their swordsmanship since dawn.
“Huh? That woman over there?”
Wayne stopped dead, staring intently at one of the knights on the grounds.
“What is it?”
Bran’s gaze naturally followed to the female knight.
“Snow?”
Bran shot Wayne a sleazy grin.
“Forget it. She’s tighter than a needle’s eye.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve poked at her plenty of times... Eh, never mind!”
Bran smacked his lips in frustration.
“What a waste! With looks like that and being a Gigant pilot—no kidding, if she became my proper wife, I’d ditch all the others... Such a shame. What a shame.”
Bran grumbled as he shuffled onward, while Wayne kept stealing glances back.
So that’s the infamous Crazy Snow...
Snow Austin!
Wayne knew her nickname was Crazy Snow, and he’d heard she was striving to become the first female division commander.
“Then good night, bro.”
Wayne bowed at a perfect ninety degrees.
“You too, get some rest.”
Bran waved him off dismissively and headed to his room. Wayne made for his own.
Slap! Slap!
Once inside his room, Wayne slapped his cheeks hard. His head spun from the alcohol, but there was no time to sleep. He glanced around, then pulled two books from his bosom.
His eyes sparkled as he gazed at them.
“Finally found them.”
On the day Cassnet died, John had returned to the mansion and changed into his finest clothes. That seemingly pointless action had three reasons.
First, he needed to confirm whether the real Wayne and the mansion’s people were truly dead. Unfortunately, everyone working there that day had perished, and only after seeing it with his own eyes did he feel at ease.
Second, by donning the most splendid attire, he aimed to dispel any doubts about his identity, even slightly. Thanks to that, no one even suspected he wasn’t Wayne.
The third reason was these two books.
Both were things Cassnet had left for Wayne six months ago, making him memorize them bit by bit in his spare time: one detailed the traits and personalities of key figures in the Stein Marquis household—nobles, knights, officials, magic engineers, blacksmiths, and so on—and the other outlined Cassnet’s own swordsmanship in detail.
That day, while changing clothes, Wayne had hidden the books in his bosom and slipped out. Once in the carriage, he’d searched for a hiding spot and found space under the seat amid bottles and clothes. He stashed them there.
The darkest place is under the lamp, they say. This spot’s no different.
Finding the carriage again had been the issue, but surprisingly easy. Escort knight Blaster mentioned Bran always used this one. It was specially fitted inside for sleeping with women anytime or drinking, so he stuck to it. And sure enough, when they went drinking together, it was this carriage, making retrieval simple.
“Can’t keep carrying these around forever.”
Hiding them in the room risked discovery, and keeping them on him wasn’t feasible. The info in his head was barely a tenth of these books. Memories would fade over time, and without a trustworthy ally soon, these were essential for gauging others in the meantime.
Then I’ll transcribe them.
He grabbed the room’s pen and paper.
And copied the contents.
In Hangul...
Even if discovered, no one else would know the content, so no issue. Transcribing also etched it back into his mind.
Here she is.
Snow Austin (24 years old)
Gigant Piloting Ability - Mid-level pilot capable of fighting up to 6 hours per mount.
Personality/Traits - Emerging master of the Blue Knights Order, possessing both pure beauty and swordsmanship. The finest among its seven female knights, with extremely strong pride. Nicknamed “Crazy Snow” for piloting her Gigant like a feral beast, savagely overwhelming foes. Entered Gigant Officer Academy at 13 to revive her fallen family. Recommended by her master and vice division commander, Count Boltain.
Seeing the name Boltain jogged a memory of what Cassnet had told Wayne.
Count Boltain had become Dresden Territory’s top swordsman in his mid-thirties. Though there was a formal division commander, he was the de facto leader of the Blue Knights Order. As the marquis’s right hand, he’d led countless battles to victory, earning the moniker “Monster Killer.” He was a 1st-class Gigant owner who could fight nonstop for 48 hours—and Cassnet’s own master.
Wayne didn’t know Gigants in depth, but sustaining long fights meant masterful control. As the empire’s supreme magic weapon, that made Boltain the most vital retainer in the marquis’s service.
Yes! Snow Austin, you’re the one.
“Young master Wayne, you can’t do this here.”
Escort knight Blaster tried to stop him, but Wayne had already stormed into the training grounds.
“You there! Come spar with me!”
“Pardon?”
Snow Austin of the Blue Knights Order, honing her mental focus for Gigant piloting, was utterly flabbergasted.
“Didn’t hear me? I said, let’s duel.”
“But how could I possibly against you, young master...”
Snow looked troubled. Then Wayne brazenly raked his eyes from her feet up her body, smacking his lips!
In that instant, the pure Snow Austin’s eyes turned feral.
“With real swords, then?”
“Real swords? Fuck, who’re you trying to kill? We’ve got wooden ones! Clash a bit, work up a sweat, get friendly—what’s wrong with that? Heh heh!”
At Wayne’s lecherous grin, Snow gritted her teeth and fetched a wooden sword herself.
The Blue Knights’ training grounds buzzed with excitement as knights swarmed in. Who wouldn’t be curious about a duel between the newly debuted youngest young master and one of the order’s top five young female swordmasters?
Even vice commander Boltain climbed onto the platform, craning his neck with gleaming eyes.
“Young master Wayne, shall we begin?”
“Isn’t there too big a crowd watching?”
“If you win, they’ll all cheer for you.”
“Is that so?”
The knights murmured.
“No matter how you slice it, he picked the order’s best female knight?”
“Figures he’d underestimate her just ‘cause she’s pretty.”
One of the Blue Knights’ rare seven female swordswomen. Snow among them. Up close, her appearance was clear as snow and beautiful, but she hid savage claws beneath.
“Hold up. A plain duel’s boring—how about a wager?”
“A wager? Fine.”
She was certain she wouldn’t lose.
Wayne raised a hand, silencing the watching knights.
“First off, you’re a famed knight of the Blue Knights Order. I’m just a puny 16-year-old—fair fight?”
“Backing out now?”
“Nah, I want a handicap.”
“Handicap?”
As Snow blinked in confusion, Wayne flashed a sly grin.
“What, scared already?”
“No! Of course not. Name it.”
Wayne spread all ten fingers toward the knights.
“Ten exchanges. If you don’t knock me down or make me yield in ten, I win. You grant me one wish.”
“One wish?”
Snow scowled.
“Then if I make you submit in ten, what do I get?”
“Hmm, your terms, so you say.”
“Never set foot in the Blue Knights’ training grounds again.”
“What?”
This wasn’t a duel he meant to win anyway. He planned to use it as an excuse to approach Snow—who was close to Boltain—and ask her to teach him swordsmanship naturally. Banning him from the grounds forever was too bold.
“That’s too much. I might come for business, and how about I never hit on you again? Unless you’re not confident?”
He looked boyish, but his handling of her was foxlike cunning.
“No. Deal! But no holding me accountable for anything in the duel.”
This was her outright declaring she’d win.
“Naturally. I won’t tattle to the marquis if I get smacked. But you don’t wanna hear my wish?”
“No need. I’ll win.”
She gnashed her teeth in pride. Facing not a 16-year-old young master but a creep, Snow leveled her wooden sword.
“Then here I come.”
“Ooh!”
Suddenly, fierce fighting spirit poured from Snow’s body, but Boltain watched silently. With her skill, she knew plenty of ways to inflict pain without breaking bones or causing serious injury.
“Yah!”
With a shout, Snow lunged. Her wooden sword whistled through the air toward Wayne’s trapezius.
Whoosh!
Clack!
“Huh?”
“What? He blocked Snow’s first strike?”
The knights erupted in surprise at the unexpected sight.
Wayne had parried high, then pushed forward with his sword.
Clack! Clack-clack! Clack!
Snow blocked Wayne’s ensuing vertical slashes.
“Ooh!”
“Whoa! He’s attacking too! Impressive!”
Admiration rippled through the knights.
Snow couldn’t hide her shock. Not just because Wayne’s swordsmanship exceeded expectations.
Isn’t this Sir Cassnet’s style?!
Cassnet was a Blue Knights senior, and top swordsman vice commander Boltain had taught it specifically to the female knights, saying it suited women. Seeing the young master wield it stunned her.
Abused him, yet taught him his swordsmanship?
Truth be told, Wayne was the most shocked here. He marveled that his swordplay worked.
In a world of musket fire, thundering cannons, and Gigants dominating battlefields, what use was human sword skill?
Yet even the era’s strongest magic weapon, the Gigant, wielded massive swords, spears, and axes, so knights trained harder than ever.
Fuck! The swordsmanship I learned taking beatings actually works!
Cassnet had desperately tried teaching his style to the real Wayne Stein. But Wayne had zero interest in swordsmanship—and no talent despite his warrior bloodline. John bore the brunt.
Wayne slacked secretly; John swung the sword all day in his stead. Later, to explain and teach moves to Wayne, John secretly spied on Cassnet’s lessons.
Come to think of it, was this all thanks to the real Wayne Stein? No—Cassnet probably knew he was peeking.
Thinking back, it felt that way. Once, Cassnet had lamented in passing that it’d be nice if the young master had even a fraction of that servant John’s talent.
By that logic, Cassnet’s my master, and I’m the scum who killed him?
“Ten!”
“No way! Young master Wayne wins!”
“Woooaaah!”
With trembling arms, Wayne barely parried the final exchange amid the knights’ cheers.
“Snow, I win... Huh?”
Thwack!
A dull thud, and Wayne’s vision spun wildly. He crumpled to the cold ground.
Snow’s shocked face rushed into view as consciousness faded.
“Y-Young master!”
“Young master Wayne’s down!”
“Call a healer!”
The knights swarmed in.