Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Eve of the Storm
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“As expected, our knight order captain is different. The best. I’m impressed. How did you even come up with something like this?”
“For His Highness the Prince to fly all over the world enduring such hardships, how could I, as his retainer, simply sit back and maintain the status quo? I’ve merely fulfilled my duty as a retainer.”
Wow, she sure knows how to talk pretty. But suddenly, a question popped into my head.
“Hold on, you’re saying joints are key for the new Gale Blade? That’s why the Ancient Wolf core was effective?”
“That’s correct, Your Highness.”
“But Meredes ate a seal core, not a wolf one? Ancient Seal core?”
“Lady Meredes has superior baseline physical specs compared to me. It was only after I consumed the Ancient Wolf core that I finally achieved joint stability on par with her current level.”
“That much? Her body was that flexible?”
“…….”
Meredes slightly turned her head away, avoiding my gaze. Heh, even she gets embarrassed? Amazing.
“Anyway, it worked out great. Once it’s complete, it’ll be an incredible asset in battle. This is your first time seeing it in action too, right?”
“……Yes. It’s my first time.”
“What’s your take on it?”
“It was like a storm.”
Meredes answered calmly, gazing at the devastated training grounds.
“The moment it burst, it wasn’t just one shockwave—it split into dozens, pouring out in every direction like a storm.”
“Exactly. Davy? Got a name in mind for the new Gale Blade by any chance?”
“No. I’ve just been thinking of it as the Variant Gale Blade for now.”
Davy shook her head. I borrowed Meredes’s description to name it.
“How about Storm Blade then? Its power is Tempest-grade, so it fits perfectly.”
* * *
The new knight skill was officially named Storm Blade.
Of course, properly speaking, you’re supposed to go to the Knight Guild, demonstrate the technique in front of the guild members, and register it first.
Then the guild brings in high-ranking knights from famous orders to assess its practicality and difficulty, followed by lengthy discussions to determine the skill’s rank and name...
We’re skipping that for now.
-Being recorded in history as the technique’s creator is an honor, but it means nothing if humanity doesn’t survive. We can handle it after we repel the otherworld invasion.
Wow, check out how cool our Davy is.
More importantly, the Storm Blade’s impact was so huge that we glossed over it, but this training and test shifted my thinking a bit.
First off, my own knightly power.
It wasn’t even on my radar when the 10th cycle began, but now I don’t see a need to deliberately exclude it.
Sure, magic is still overwhelmingly superior. Why risk close combat with enemies when I have mana left? No need at all.
But what if I’ve overtaxed my brain to the point I can’t use magic anymore, and even sugar rushes or whatever can’t fix the overload?
That’s when Knight Claude steps up to shine.
Of course, by that point, it’d be more like thrashing around desperately than shining.
Still, it’s a net positive. With Rugar and spirit possession, I confirmed I can at least tangle with a mid-grade magic armor-clad Davy for three minutes...
“Your Highness, please sign here.”
Kyle, sitting in front of me, handed over some documents. A signature? Oh, right—this is the knight order HQ office. He called me here to sign papers.
“Berit region reconstruction additional funding request plan... You put this together?”
“The imperial government sent the plan first.”
“They did?”
“I heard His Imperial Majesty the Emperor pulled some strings. They also consulted on the disposition of seized assets from Count Talisman—no, the traitor Talisman.”
“Seized is seized, disposition is disposition. Why do I need to advise on that?”
“To interpret it, they’re saying Your Highness should personally review the seized assets and take whatever you need. Talisman’s target was you, you suffered the damages, and you’re the empire’s most vital figure right now.”
Ah, that’s what they meant.
Ever since word spread that I basically soloed the solar eclipse gate (with Kyle’s guardian knights and Davy’s heroics, of course), the imperial government has been watching my mood much more carefully.
“They’re sucking up to me early, scared of what I might do? But Talisman’s goodies are already sucked dry anyway.”
“The imperial inspectorate is apparently on fire hunting down hidden funds. They raided his mansion, and the safe was empty.”
That hidden fund is now my slush fund. Thank you, inspectorate. You have no idea how hard Regal and I worked hauling it out.
“So it’s just an empty shell now? What’s left to squeeze at this point?”
“He still owns plenty of land and buildings. Especially since most of Emperor Road’s existing merchant guilds fall under Talisman’s influence.”
True, a guy like Talisman wouldn’t just hoard cash.
“What do I know about shops or buildings? Handle the advisory role as my proxy.”
“…….”
Only then did Kyle pause his paperwork to look at me.
“On what authority would I act as proxy? The imperial government would object.”
“Say you’re the financial officer of the Loonenbreth family—my maternal relatives—the Claude Knight Order’s finance officer, heir to the Guspf Merchant Guild, and vice-captain of the empire’s premier knight order, the Guardian Knight Order.”
“……Was I the vice-captain of the Guardian Knight Order?”
“You will be soon.”
“I’d better get some business cards printed. Understood.”
Kyle nodded with a sigh. Sorry, but what can I do? I’m swamped with no time to leisurely inspect buildings.
“How’s the Guardian Knight Order? Training going well?”
“Smoothly. But some fundamental limitations can’t be overcome. Please sign here.”
Kyle handed over new documents with a straight face. Hmm, new knight transfers confirmation. I think I ordered something like this before...
“What limitations?”
“Half the Guardian Knight Order still hasn’t adapted to even low-grade magic armor. It’s a miracle casualties were low during the solar eclipse gate.”
Ah, I’ve got something prepared for that too.
“The dwarves are crafting custom armor for the Guardian Knight Order right now. That should solve it.”
“Dwarves, you say?”
Kyle’s eyes widened. Heh heh. That’s right—Father’s got a big gift ready for his kids. They’ll be shocked when they unwrap it.
“Prototypes will arrive soon. Test them on the knights yourself.”
“Knights who can’t handle low-grade... What good would custom armor do?”
“It’s armor they can wear right away without issue, with performance rivaling mid-grade magic armor.”
“Is such a miracle possible? How many gems would you have to cram in... No, wait.”
Kyle blinked in shock several times.
“I heard from the head maid that the gem pouch you took from the underground vault went missing the moment Your Highness returned to the mansion.”
“I sent it straight to the dwarf outpost via someone. Of course, that alone won’t make 500 sets, so we’ll need to buy more gems.”
“Gems for at least mid-grade magic armor. The cost will be immense.”
“That’s why it’s worth it, right?”
“I’ll strive to live up to expectations.”
Kyle bowed quietly, then resumed his paperwork.
“All other orders from Your Highness have been handled. Lin Berg, Panal Leaf, Jane Haram, Hamus Barkindal. All transferred from their prior orders to the Guardian Knight Order.”
Right, that’s it. I gave Kyle those orders before heading to Dark Mountain.
“Good work. Some orders must’ve resisted handing them over.”
“A few did, but most folded flat. Made things easier.”
“Good. No wasted time.”
I nodded, recalling the names he’d just mentioned.
All Kyle’s academy classmates, talents who shine in the war against the otherworld in later cycles.
Naturally, I planned to recruit them directly under me in this 10th cycle too.
But when I first visited the academy, two were on leave...
Then Davy wanted to focus on the current members, delaying further recruitment.
Since I couldn’t exclude them entirely, I had Kyle recruit them into the Guardian Knight Order for now.
“Berg can be pushed into mid-grade magic armor with forced adaptation training. Use him as a squad leader. Same for Leaf. Haram’s got insane speed and archery skills. Don’t tie him to frontline combat—use him as a messenger, or have him lead a small detachment. Barkindal’s endurance is top-tier, like our Lin. Can’t use Holy Lance, though. Anyway, stick him up front to tank the first enemy wave.”
“How did you investigate all that?”
Kyle asked in astonishment. It’s all from experience vibes. Lived the world multiple times.
“Got it from the imperial intelligence bureau.”
“Intelligence bureau... I see.”
Of course, the real imperial intelligence bureau is famous for doing nothing.
“I’ll utilize them optimally as instructed. But the remaining Ancient Bear core—hasn’t its recipient been decided?”
Kyle set down his pen and asked out of the blue. Core? Why bring up cores here?
“Why? You want it?”
“Of course I do.”
Kyle answered honestly.
“I know it’d be far more useful for the captain—or another member—than me. So I won’t push for it.”
“Then?”
“Individually, I lag far behind. But from a group perspective, it’d be meaningful.”
“Group?”
“It hit me while training the Guardian Knight Order lately.”
Kyle calmly explained his value.
“Right now, I command the order assuming they’re all uniform units. But if one of those units had ‘fangs,’ it could unleash greater power at critical moments.”
So... he wants to be both the brain and the fangs?
“Sounds good, but isn’t it risky? If the fangs get smashed and the brain goes down, it’s over.”
“I’ve factored that in. I’ve been watching Lin closely these past few days.”
“Lin? Because he ate the bear cub core?”
“He gets pummeled, flies meters away rolling on the ground—no scratches. The captain’s drilling him mercilessly, and he’s holding up.”
“His durability shot up. So you want the same? Commanders dying on the battlefield is a disaster, after all?”
“It has merits in many ways.”
Kyle bowed without further pleading.
Well, thinking about it, yeah. Giving him a core has upsides.
But even if those outweigh everyone else’s, I can’t give it to Kyle right now.
Simple reason: Ancient Bear’s full effects aren’t clear yet.
Strength up, durability up, cold resistance up.
But there might be more. Ancient Seals had four effects.
So I’ll watch for more. I might discover it, or Lin might. Then pick the best fit.
“Got it. You’re on the candidate list. Don’t get your hopes up—lots of competition.”
“Thank you. Just keeping me in mind is enough.”
Kyle smiled and dove back into paperwork. This guy’s brimming with new confidence.
Not just as a commander, but valuing his own knightly power.
A look he never showed in the previous nine regressions. Cores must be having a huge positive impact on everyone.
Cores are the future.
Who gets the last bear cub core is TBD, but farming more from more beasts solves it.
Of course, I’ll eat every single one we get.
Keep powering up physically, and who knows? I might become a Knight Master like Davy?
Knight Master, Arch Wizard, and Arch Priest.
Just imagining it swells the chest with pride. Knight Master was a pipe dream before.
Speaking of which, what beasts are left?
Regal mentioned two more races besides Ancient Bear. Probably another distant expedition.
But first, unfinished business.
Via.
With Zect missing, this Arch Wizard—who might be another human traitor—needs handling first.
No proof she colluded with sponsors.
But she stayed silent until the world nearly ended, then had a fit and attacked when we pried open the magic tower door.
Is she an enemy?
Or just a crazy old coot?
Doesn’t matter. Sorry, but no time to slowly investigate.
Next stop: the magic tower Via built herself in Bangar territory.
And maybe... traces of missing Zect there too.