Knights and Nobles (1)

Mietsu had thrown off his robes and stood in the midst of the training grounds as pairs of knights cut down the shadow spiders climbing the walls. The two snakes that had wrecked the watchtower and turrets were returning to continue their destruction.

“Hey!”

Rumble!

He thrust his greatsword into the middle of the training grounds, causing the whole fortress to twist.

Guooooooh!

A storm of colorless and transparent ether began to whirl around him, who was finally revealing all the power held in his body.

Kiiiii!

The snow snakes, feeling the enormous ether’s presence, began to rush toward Mietsu, baring fangs and claws.

Kii!

A tranquil [Attack Circle] tore through several of their glossy black scales at once, cutting off one of their eyes and through their mouth. Their dark purple blood began to wet the soil of the training ground, visible even on the cloudy night. The beasts were unerring in their path, however, as they continued on to Mietsu. He hesitated to use his skill. Even in the darkness of night, there were plenty of eyes to see it.

He had the common skill unique to the swordmasters: [Dimorphization]. Even Tristein’s knights, unaware of the name Pehite, couldn’t be ignorant of the skills of their duke. Mietsu, who had lived in hiding all this time, knew that the moment he had to decide had arrived. Even in the midst of his indecision, he wielded his massive sword with a force that went beyond human strength. It sliced through the claws and black flames it encountered, but it wasn’t enough to stop all the attacks flying in. [Enhancement] faded, allowing the demon’s claws to scratch his flesh.

Thunk!

At that moment, a magical silver arrow penetrated the demon’s flesh, sticking through the gaps Mietsu had carved open. Trude was standing nearby with a bow.

“Don’t hold it alone, Mietsu!”

Pyton soared into the air, flapping its wing as it searched for its new attacker. Subsequently, several silver arrows glinted in the night sky. Most were deflected by the beast’s hard scales or brushed aside, but one managed to stick into Pyton’s jaw.

Kiiiiiii!

“Yes, I got one!”

Pyton smashed the arrow shaft, and its eyes shone darkly. Trude didn’t back down, however, as he raised his ether.

“Let’s share the onyx this time!”

“Ah, brother!”

Little Trude pulled out his sword to cover his brother on the left, and Isiel revealed her sword and moved to his right. Behind them, four archers prepared another volley. They had gathered after the turrets broke, each one a knight capable of imbuing ether into their arrows. Isiel and Mietsu’s eyes met.

“Master, I and Sir Trude will take the other one.”

Although she must’ve felt their high level, her voice was firm.

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.

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Lysa stood up and encouraged the warriors from the top of the wall. Her bastard sword shone like a golden torch with ether, and the spiders it touched disappeared silently. Cel, who was keeping pace with her, was also performing splendidly, slicing through three or four beasts at once. The two were surprisingly well-matched to each other.

“The lady is pretty good!”

“Sir Lysa!”

Their fire continued to burn as they encouraged each other. It was an isolated fort, but the soldier’s morale was endlessly high.

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.

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Kleio could see all that was happening from the view of the duke’s bedroom.

‘Poor northern province? These archers have mana stone silver arrows…’

It wasn’t a good time to consider such things, but it helped him calm down. Kleio was desperately circulating his ether whilst he stood by a door that wouldn’t open. Because he had just treated Melchior, his remaining amount of ether wasn’t enough to cast another spell. In front of him was Theo Tristein, whose eyes and veins were blackened. Rather, it was the beast Grendel, who was baring his teeth in the form of Theo Tristein.

‘This guy never appeared in the manuscript. Again, this kind of development… Fuck.’

It was the same as in the Queen’s Garden. All of these hidden bosses were too bothersome to deal with. If he could run away, he would’ve. The problem was that the doorframe had been warped in the attack and was now jammed shut. He kicked at it, but his physical power was too weak to shake the solid wood door. Tasserton, who had already taken down one of the Pytons, wouldn’t have enough ether to fight either.

‘I don’t think he can deal with a monster possessing a swordmaster’s ability.’

Tasserton’s shoulder was soaked in blood from his encounter with Pyton, but he stepped in front of Grendel without concern. Melchior was directly behind him.

‘That’s tremendous loyalty… but can you kill him with loyalty alone?’

Grendel was gauging his abilities as he leaned forward to confront Tasserton.

‘Ether…I have to collect a little more ether.’

The beast’s lips were widened unnaturally in an unsettling imitation of a smile as it grasped the body’s skill. Kleio desperately pulled up his defensive magic as his stomach quivered at the lack of ether. Grendel, split into six alter egos, rushed over, smashing through the walls and floors. It was unreasonable to think Tasserton, as sturdy as he was, could deal with two or more of them.

Ka-Klang!

Tasserton was facing four of them while only two went toward Kleio but stopping them was no easy task. The 8th level demon continuously attacked them as Kleio gripped his wand tightly, blood flowing from his nose. It wasn’t intended, but Melchior happened to be within the range of Kleio’s defense magic. Melchior’s brow flinched as he forced himself up from the ground, staring straight at Grendel, who was trying to shove a sword into Tasserton’s neck. Suddenly, Promise flashed out as a long message lit up the dark chamber.

[Unique skill: Structural View

―It is an eye that sees the essence of the object.

―Users can grasp the true intention of the subject to which the skill faces. Additional features allow you to view their status and past.

―Users can directly exert physical force on □□ the target of skill application…

User: Melchior Riognan

Duration: ∞

Add-on available times:

Additional Function 「Obey」 n times.

Additional function “High ‰⁑‡…

*The following is not viewable due to the lack of narrative involvement.]

A much more detailed message than before came to mind.

‘Additional features…!’

Suddenly, all of Grendel’s alter egos turned to ash and vanished under Melchior’s gaze. Melchior’s sight was no abstraction, but rather, it held power and authority. Tasserton examined that fearful being with a strange passion in his eyes. Then, spitting out blood, he put his sword through his father’s heart without hesitation. Grendel was unable to move, overpowered by Melchior, as the sword crushed his ribs and caused black ooze to spill out of him. Kleio’s breathing shortened as he suddenly realized something strange.

‘Why isn’t there an etheric reaction in Grendel?’

All beasts had mana stones in his eyes, and Pyton had one in his heart. Even the monster in the lake had one.

‘Why can’t I sense one from this guy?!’

In general, the heart of the beast would be one. Tasserton was fighting according to that principle himself. The moment his sword penetrated through Grendel’s form and stuck out through its back, another voice could be heard through the thick walls.

“Lei! You there?!”

“Arthur…”

The twisted bedroom door exploded open at the same time Tasserton split Grendel diagonally. Its left arm, neck, and head had been sliced off from the rest of the body, but before it could collapse, the divided demon began to struggle crazily. Arthur jumped into the bedroom at that moment, immediately finding Kleio.

“Are you okay, Lei? No injuries?”

The youngest prince was a mess himself. His hair was stained with blood, he had lost his coat somewhere, and what remained of his clothing was badly torn up. Yet, the boy’s eyes were filled with worry about Kleio.

Ahhhhhhh.

The creature looked over Arthur, ether-like mercury flowing from its body that had now separated. Now there were two Grendel’s, moving haltingly.

‘…Grendel’s mana stone is mercury!’

Kleio was struck speechless.

“Back…!”

Melchior used his skill again. It was only for a few seconds, but the two Grendel’s were forced to a stop once more. The message of Promise came a second later with a warning. Melchior’s unique skill was causing an overload.

Bright red tears fell down the prince’s cheek.