Knights and Nobles (4)

When he heard the definite answer that Kleio would use his magic, Tasserton released the power of his grasp. Kleio took a deep breath, still wary of the blade, as Tasserton carefully placed Pyton’s onyx into Melchior’s hand.

‘It feels like there’s some favoritism going on here.’

With that thought, Kleio opened his circle. More blood flowed out of his nose, but he barely noticed it anymore. The circle that barely covered Kleio and Melchior was dimmer than a candle. Anyone who had seen Kleio’s circle before would immediately notice the difference.

‘If you leave a bottle of alcohol alone for a few minutes, then shake it, you can get a drop or two more of alcohol out of it. That’s about how much ether I have left.’

He would be saving the crown prince with that energy, so it would be a card he could use against Melchior later. Kleio wanted to laugh, feeling the dissonance between the usual sight of the prince and the weak body lying before him.

‘He’s hardly human normally.’

Tasserton was silently watching Kleio with a mixture of hope and anxiety. Kleio could barely move his body due to his exhaustion; as he partially fell onto the onyx he was trying to use. Perhaps due to the desperate situation, a mantra suddenly came to him like a revelation. Normally, finding a single line was tedious, but as the level of narrative involvement increased, quotations seemed to come more naturally to his mind. Memory summoned the sentences he had read in his life as Jungjin. He whispered them out in a weak voice.

“[Let down, I say, the wings of the wind fade away

The gentle leaves cover the stinging sunlight.

Lie still, in the warm sea, the wind is sleeping.

Even that wind will not be quieter than you.]” 1)

Essentially, Kleio’s job was to read the quotes to summon this world’s magic. The medium that used to be Jungjin’s only refuge was now his medium for magic. The magic formula traced its outlines around the prince that seemed to be made of marble and the deathly-pale wizard. Under their hands, the onyx began to crumble, alleviating Melchior’s pain.

‘It can save a person from suffering and protect others. Yes, it really is magic.’

And Jungjin couldn’t resist the author’s will to make such magic exist. His temperament was one that could never be a revolutionary that defied the powers that dominated the world. His ether dried up, and Arthur moved in to catch him. This kid was behaving like he was dying. He wanted to tell him not to worry, but no more sounds could be made from his dry throat. The author still needed Melchior and Kleio; today’s development was accidental. Promise shimmered before his eyes as his magic was squeezed out.

[―User’s narrative involvement has increased.

Cumulative rate: 37.5%]

[―The total amount of ether has increased.]

[―You have reached ether level 5.]

[―The magic slot has increased to 5.]

[―Unique skill: The time limit for the Editor’s Authority(2/3) has been increased.

Time limit: 00:05:00]

Ether exploded inside of him, lighting up the night. A storm of energy that resembled a volcanic eruption shook his etheric vessel and those around him. However, Arthur wouldn’t let go of him until the end.

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After killing Pyton, Mietsu ran along the walls solidifying the defense’s weak points. The shadow spiders weren’t strong, but there were too many of them. Tristein’s knights numbered only forty, which wasn’t enough to deal with them all. Only after saving those knights was he able to look for Arthur. Mietsu felt a terrible ethereal reaction as he crossed the castle, Isiel following closely behind. Their vision was briefly blotted out by a tremendous explosion of light.

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“Hmm, what is this?!”

Trude, who was supporting the soldiers on the north wall, stood by awkwardly after slaying the other Pyton. The shadow spiders melted and shattered as if pushed by the light bursting out. The ones pushing up from behind seemed to slow down as the glow of ether lessened.

“Brother! All the mana stones melted!”

At first, Trude was cheering, but as the black crystals that served as the core of the spiders broke down into some unknown ether, that cheer turned to a scream.

“Well, it wasn’t worth that much, but why is it melting?!”

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Kleio held onto consciousness by a thin string. His cheeks felt like they were freezing, but one of his arms felt like it was boiling. Kleio’s ether bowl, now that he had just become a level 5 wizard, was shaking as he lacked the power even to turn his head. In that turmoil, the prince began to wake up, with a slight look of reverence in his eyes. Melchior stood silently as the light faded. At the same time, his charm also awakened. Kleio had to squint, overwhelmed by the successive messages appearing.

[Unique skill: Erato’s charm]

[―Gives users a strong charm to gain love and admiration]

‘Indeed…’

Kleio finally could read Melchior’s title. Erato, the muse of love and music, supported him. Love was bound to lead to the impulses of passion, and the emotions that it reproduced were extreme. It was also the source of human tragedy. Kleio’s thoughts couldn’t be controlled by his own will as faint memories moved through his mind.

Now two people had stood up. Tasserton, who had used his body to shield Melchior from the etheric storm, also got up on his feet. Kleio’s vision was blurred as his ears buzzed in the aftermath of the explosion. Melchior and Tasserton were talking, but he could hear little. After confirming his lord’s safety, Tasserton knelt and bowed his head to the prince’s feet. Blood was trickling down the knight’s mouth. He was an excellent 7th level knight, but his actions this night had exceeded that level. He had even used a swordmaster’s skill in the fight. Now, however, he was offering a strange apology.

“I owe you a debt that I cannot pay for with my life.”

He was still focused on the prince.

“My king… This time, I stayed by your side. You… Without…”

“But it’s late.”

“Please forgive this fool’s fault.”

Kleio, excluded from the two’s drama, felt his mind blurring. He didn’t have enough power to think now, but he knew one thing: Tasserton’s terrible regret wasn’t something that had been accumulated in one life or one event. This was giving him a bonus clue to what was happening between the two.

‘What on earth has happened in the past?’

All Kleio knew was the eighth version of the manuscript, which hadn’t explained their relationship. Tasserton’s blind devotion was something even the loyal knights couldn’t understand. If the basis for it weren’t in this lifetime, then it would be in a prior one in the erased manuscripts.

‘Not only Melchior but also Tasserton… They remember something about their repeated lives.’

If he had the state of mind to be surprised, he would have, but he was too tired. Melchior didn’t seem shaken at all as he touched the knight’s shoulder gently.

“Tasserton Tristein. From this moment on, you are my duke.”

Melchior’s gaze stayed on the remains of Grendel. Tasserton followed Melchior’s eye to look at the remains of his father, emotionlessly. He prostrated once more at the feet of his master a second later.

“I will take your glorious command, my lord.”

Promise exuded warm energy like it was melting as he answered. Kleio grunted even in the midst of his exhaustion.

[—Reincarnation has been awarded the title of Lancelot Tristein. [Covenant—Simile of Eternity] has satisfied the conditions for resurrection.

—Permanent loyalty pledged to the Queen of Lake Nineveh, the duty of the Duke of Tristein has been correctly inherited.]

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Melchior replied fiercely with an unusual tone.

“Hasn’t it been long enough? Memories evaporate, the dead forget details, and only commands are held on the tongue to be recounted… That’s why you think of this as loyalty.”

The messages wandering around the duo were too bright for Kleio’s weary eyes to bear. It was like a storm around them, flashing brightly. Not too soon, Promise began to cool down as the messages stopped.

‘Perhaps, that… Is it not a message from Promise…?’

But then what made the text appear? No doubt this night’s revelation was for Melchior only, who saw and read everything.

“Right. I thought I knew the past, but in reality, I didn’t know anything.”

Messages Kleio was forbidden to read bloomed like scripture and then was torn apart. Promise continued to emit strange warnings.

[―Inconsistent output format of Word. It is outside the output area of Clio’s Promise. You cannot receive messages.]

Kleio was astonished.

‘The messages aren’t mine.’

If so, was he not the only one who saw them outside of a dungeon? Tasserton’s head remained low. It was then…

Tasserton, vomiting more dark blood, slowly sank down. Even unconscious, he clung to Melchior’s feet. Melchior lightly passed him, picking his way among the ruins. The inside of Kleio’s ears buzzed as he trembled. The young hero next to him desperately pulled at his limbs, though he couldn’t move.

1) 「A Ballad of Dreamland」, Algernon Charles Swinburne.