Chapter 52
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Knight Enveloped in Blue Light (6)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"...Liberic!"
The Silver Guard Knight's voice made my fingers twitch. It felt like electricity was coursing through my entire body, prickling everywhere.
I exhaled a hot breath, curling up my body, and circulated my mana to expel the lightning energy from within me.
Finally managing to lift my head with my barely responsive body, I saw the Silver Guard Knight extending his hand.
I grabbed it and pulled myself up.
I picked up the staff that had fallen to the ground and staggered to my feet on both legs.
"Wh-what happened? What about the others...?"
I clutched my pounding head and looked around.
In the pitch-black forest without a shred of light, only the Silver Guard Knight's sword glowed with a bluish hue.
Shuren, Belpons, and Legnit were nowhere to be seen, and I had no idea how far we'd been scattered from that spot.
I immediately searched for Ash's presence. It wasn't far.
"Ash."
At my call, Ash started running toward me. But right behind him, two gatras were hot on his tail.
I gripped my staff firmly and channeled mana through my left hand.
"Wait."
The Silver Guard Knight stepped in front of me, raising his sword that shimmered with blue light.
The moment Ash burst through the underbrush, the Silver Guard Knight swung at one of the gatras pursuing him.
The blue energy cloaking the blade shot forward, cleanly severing the distant gatra's neck.
Ash veered sharply in front of me, slamming into the other gatra chasing him and snapping its neck.
"Ash, can you tell where the three of them are?"
The Silver Guard Knight asked as he sheathed his sword, and Ash emanated silver mana, shifting into human form to respond.
"Not far. They're holding out well, except there's a black gatra nearby."
The Silver Guard Knight nodded.
"Lead the way."
Ash reverted to wolf form and pushed through the underbrush ahead.
The Silver Guard Knight and I followed close behind.
"Black gatra..."
I muttered.
My stomach churned. That was why he'd told me to stay back.
"I should have explained more."
The Silver Guard Knight hacked through branches as he walked a step ahead of me. His voice remained flat, devoid of emotion.
"Black gatras amplify their mana at night. Their lightning becomes several times stronger, and their movements faster. And with that violently surging mana..."
"They become sensitive... I knew that."
I knew, but...
I knew in theory, but hadn't internalized it.
Desperate to prove my worth, I'd let my guard down.
The imperial magic I used handled vast amounts of mana, which to a black gatra was like a dinner bell.
That was why the massive bolt of lightning had struck right in the middle of the circled knights.
My fingertips grew cold, and I clasped my hands together.
Everyone had to be safe. If even one was hurt...
"Don't worry. I don't select weak knights."
I looked up at the Silver Guard Knight's back.
His silver hair gleamed bluish in the darkness. Between the short strands, silver scales glinted on the nape of his neck.
The mysterious power wielded by snake beastkin enveloped his body.
"I asked for your help to scout for black gatras. I planned to clear the regular ones first, but that was my oversight."
"No..."
The Silver Guard Knight glanced back at me.
"Don't dwell on it. Protecting yourself with that spell is enough. Most mages can't even manage that."
He was talking about the Silver Moon Knights' mages. A flicker of pain crossed his otherwise emotionless voice.
"I've heard a lot of Silver Moon Knights die..."
"Mages and knights alike. The number... you don't want to know."
The Silver Guard Knight pressed on silently. I followed without daring to speak.
"...That's why your father hates me."
I snapped my head up in surprise.
The Silver Guard Knight kept staring ahead, his profile swallowed by the dark forest.
"Because the knights he raised die under my command. ...And now his son is here."
With that, he drew his sword.
In a clearing beyond the underbrush, Belpons, Legnit, and Shuren were surrounded by gatras.
A black gatra was mixed in among them.
Ash leaped into the fray without hesitation, tearing through the gatras.
Shuren turned toward us with a joyful expression.
The Silver Guard Knight's sword began glowing bluish once more.
"Liberic, I heard you discharged the black gatra's lightning."
"Yes. Leave it to me."
I gripped my staff and gathered mana.
Even with this level of mana manipulation, the black gatra whipped its head toward me.
Its yellow stripes glowed in the darkness, charged with mana and crackling.
Fortunately, this time the blue crystals absorbed the lightning faster than it could fire.
The mana hit much heavier than during the day, making me flinch, but I focused and discharged the absorbed bolt into the night sky.
Boom!
A thunderous crack that left my ears ringing lit up the night sky for an instant before fading.
The startled gatras froze, twitching and looking up.
The Silver Guard Knight seized the opening.
Reaching the black gatra in a flash, he pierced its skull clean through.
As the black gatra screamed skyward and collapsed, the Silver Moon Knights swiftly finished off the rest.
"What? Worry? About me?"
Shuren, sprawled on the grass, laughed with shaking shoulders.
Even with his body paralyzed and hard to move, he managed that somehow.
"Don't move."
I sighed and circulated mana.
Blue crystals materialized in the air, absorbing the lightning mana enveloping Shuren's body.
All I could do was draw out the lightning mana accumulated in the knights' bodies and discharge it.
"I'm the one who was worried. I really thought you'd flown all the way back to camp because you were too light."
Shuren rolled onto his side, giggling nonstop.
"When we were surrounded by gatras earlier, you were whining up a storm."
Legnit, who had been quiet, chimed in.
Both Legnit and Belpons had set down their swords and were lying on the grass, working out the paralysis.
"My body won't move, we're all gonna die, I can't see Lib..."
Belpons, staring at the sky while lying down, mimicked Shuren's whiny voice.
Shuren's face flushed red as he bolted upright.
"H-hold on, you seniors can't say that. Who was it that said to head toward the flashing lightning since we couldn't see?"
"Not me."
"Who said something that stupid?"
Even with the paralysis not fully gone, the three kept fidgeting.
It kept disrupting my focused spell.
"Ah, all three of you, stop moving already."
They finally shut up and behaved at my irritated snap.
I sighed deeply and refocused on the magic.
By the time I'd extracted all the lightning, the Silver Guard Knight and Ash returned.
They'd gone to check for remaining gatras. Looked like there were none.
Instead, the Silver Guard Knight brought shocking news.
"While backtracking the gatra pack's trail, I found suspicious footprints."
Suspicious footprints?
We all looked up at him.
"They headed in the opposite direction from the gatra pack. No signs of frantic pursuit or hiding."
"What does that... mean? They were with the gatra pack but weren't attacked?"
Shuren jumped up in confusion. Belpons and Legnit sat up, puzzled too.
'There's still faint lightning mana in the air.'
Ash approached me and said. I placed my hand on his forehead.
"With a black gatra mixed in—how is that possible?"
"If that person was a demon... they might have controlled the gatras and black gatra."
A chilling silence fell at the Silver Guard Knight's words.
A demon controlling a gatra pack with a black gatra to attack the caravan, then casually walking away...
Then, rustling came from the bushes behind us.
The Silver Guard Knight's sword flashed out in an instant, and Belpons shone his lamp toward the sound.
The blade stopped just barely at Lambert's chin.
"Whoa, I'm human! Human!"
"Me too!"
Tasha peeked out from behind Lambert, waving.
The tense air softened at the sight of them.
"Lambert? Tasha? What are you doing here?"
"Well, lightning was flashing this way, so we came to see if something fun was happening. Hey, mister, could you move that first?"
Lambert tapped the Silver Guard Knight's blade.
The Silver Guard Knight slowly sheathed it, eyes still wary.
Lambert rubbed his chin, where faint stubble had prickled up from the chill.
"Patrolling this late? Prius knights are impressive. Still, maybe head back to camp now? The flashes have everyone on edge."
Ah. I sighed inwardly.
I could picture Father's worry without seeing it.
The Silver Guard Knight didn't deliberate long. He glanced at the knights and said curtly,
"...Patrol's over. Return to camp."
Back at camp, the White Guard Knight and Father had assembled knights to come search for us.
A bit later, and they'd have combed the midnight forest.
Spotting our return, the White Guard Knight dismissed the knights with relief.
Father's face burned with anger, lips pressed tight.
I wanted to talk first, but Father's firm gaze sent me straight to the tent.
He then moved to hear the patrol report from the Silver Guard Knight.
I paced the tent anxiously until Father returned, looking exhausted.
He opened with, "I heard everything."
As if waiting for it, my pent-up excuses spilled out.
"The black gatra appeared because I used magic. I shouldn't have.
If I'd stuck to simple defensive spells, it wouldn't have struck with lightning. If I hadn't let my guard down, this wouldn't have..."
"It's fine, Lib."
Father's words wiped away all my rambling.
He approached and placed a large hand on my head.
"You did well. Mistakes happen. Don't sweat it."
I bowed my head under his warm hand.
"The Silver Guard Knight said the same... 'Don't dwell on it.'"
"Did he? Said you're skilled. You can protect yourself."
I let out a sigh mixed with laughter.
Tension drained from my body, leaving my legs weak.
I covered my face with both hands and flopped onto the cot.
"The Silver Guard Knight is truly strong. Really..."
"Yeah, I know."
Father poured hot water into a cup and added a few tea leaves.
The familiar aroma of herbal tea from home filled the tent.
Watching him prepare my cup, I recalled the Silver Guard Knight's words.
'The knights Father raised die under the Silver Guard Knight's command.'
I disagreed with him.
Father wasn't the type to hate someone for that.
Having watched him all these years, I could say that confidently.
Then why?
I took the warm herbal tea and looked up at Father.
"Father, can I ask you something?"