“Taiwen, did you guys mess up the production of this one?” a metallic spider chattered incessantly.
“Yes, yes, you’ve said that countless times already. Even the most arrogant red dragon admitted it was our fault, so what more do you want?”
A blonde gentleman walking through the streets of the upper city district smiled helplessly.
“I’m seriously going to die of anger because of you guys. My performance was so good, but you ruined it. Jack has lost all face,” Jack said.
“How about… once your body is finished, you go and test your skills against that elf?” Taiwen suggested.
“Haha, do you think I’m stupid? Even that dumb dragon almost died. You want me to go? I’d just be a road-side mob for them to solo…”
‘If you know that, then stop complaining…’ Taiwen rolled his eyes.
After that, he ignored the spider on his shoulder and began to observe the surroundings of the upper city district.
It had been a long time since he returned to the Capital, and the sight before him felt both familiar and strange.
Much had changed; the infrastructure had visibly improved. Taiwen could already imagine how prosperous the Capital would be at night.
“Why are you silent, Knight? I’m the one responsible for recording the streets of the upper city district, so talk to me for a bit…” Jack was a chatterbox.
Without realizing it, Taiwen reached Lionheart Square.
The area was crowded, with nobility visible everywhere and no shortage of knights carrying swords.
The sound from the musical fountain was quite pleasant, the fragrance of fresh flowers filled the air, and the stone bricks beneath his feet were as smooth as a mirror. In the distance, a tall, pointed cathedral stood tall.
Despite the noise of the square, Taiwen felt a sense of peace and tranquility. His thoughts were complex, and he grew increasingly silent.
No one would pay attention to a blonde gentleman; the square was filled with such people. He walked straight toward the center of the square, where a lifelike statue of the first Lionheart King, Reinhardt, stood.
A scholar responsible for promotion was recounting his deeds, surrounded by a large crowd. Even though they knew the former King’s stories by heart, they did not mind hearing them again.
Legend has it that the first Lionheart King was initially just a commoner, but he pulled the sword in the stone and signed a contract with the original sword spirit, Mukhade.
Relying on his swordsmanship and courage, he pacified the chaotic era and became the founder of the empire.
The descendants of the royal family took their ancestor’s name, Reinhardt, as their surname. The Lionheart family had been the rulers of the empire for generations, and for 600 years, their foundation had never been shaken.
“Hey, Taiwen, even I’ve heard of him. The ‘First Knight,’ right? The creator of the ‘Knight’ concept, Reinhardt, the idol of all knights. Taiwen, do you admire him too?” Jack asked.
“There isn’t a knight who doesn’t admire the late King, and I am no exception, even now after my fall,” the gentleman said seriously. ‘But I am no longer qualified to speak of him; I have that much self-awareness.’
“You make it sound like we’re rats in a gutter… well, that’s not wrong.”
Taiwen looked at Reinhardt, who held a sword in both hands, and fell into a slight daze. Suddenly, someone patted his shoulder, like an old friend offering a friendly greeting.
“I was wondering who it was… Long time no see, Wold,” the gentleman said without looking back, pretending to be relaxed.
“I knew you would come here. Even the coldest traveler cannot help but look back when passing through their hometown.” Wold was also in disguise, blending into the crowd like an ordinary merchant.
“And then? You want to chat with me? Move me to tears with a few words so I’ll repent and tell you all of the Demon Cult’s plans?” Taiwen mocked.
“No, I truly came here to kill you. But that doesn’t conflict with having a chat with you as an old friend,” Wold said.
“I never wanted to believe that the once upright and brave Northern Knight had fallen into being a lackey for the Demon Cult… Taiwen, have you forgotten your knightly vows?”
“I always thought you had just made a mistake and were still a righteous knight at heart. But it seems that was just wishful thinking on my part…” Wold’s tone was sorrowful.
“I am a lackey of the Demon Cult, but what about you? You’re just a dog of the royal family. Oh, I almost forgot, Grey Knight, you’re now one of the most loyal ones under the Princess, aren’t you?”
Taiwen said disdainfully. “Stop talking so high and mighty, Wold. You haven’t experienced what I have, so how can you judge my position?”
“Because I also love my wife deeply, I can understand what happened to you…”
“Shut up! What could you possibly understand!”
Taiwen suddenly let out a roar, his face twisting into a hideous expression, startling everyone nearby. He produced a longsword emitting a dark aura, and a powerful combat aura erupted.
“Didn’t you want to make a move? Then come and try.”
People in the square screamed and fled in a panic, and there was even some trampling. The knights nearby quickly took charge of maintaining order.
“Too evil. You’ve been tainted by the Demon Cult’s modifications… Taiwen, you have also violated your knightly vows… your battle qi is less than 30% of its peak. You are no match for me now.”
Wold had received information about Taiwen from the daughter of the Grand Duke of the West. Taiwen’s strength had weakened significantly, but he had gained a troublesome immortality ability.
“Hey, Knight, you can’t win against him. Now that we’re exposed, let’s retreat. Otherwise, if more Titled Knights arrive, we’ll be trapped,” Jack advised.
Taiwen sneered, “Don’t dare to move? That’s right… this is a busy downtown area.”
‘I must stall him as much as possible,’ Wold immediately decided.
However, he did not expect Taiwen to swing his sword toward the crowd. Seeing the pitch-black sword qi appearing as if it would tear everything apart, Wold had no choice but to move quickly to block the strike.
Yet, when the sword qi touched his blade, it unexpectedly dissipated.
‘A feint…’ Wold looked up sharply to see Taiwen split into four shadows, each fleeing in a different direction.
“Wold, you can’t keep me here. This is just a warning. Next time, I won’t stop in time,” Taiwen left behind these words.
“Still being dishonest… even after becoming a cultist, he’s still like this,” Wold shook his head.
He understood that Taiwen had no intention of harming the civilians, which was why Wold had dared to expose his identity in the square. The purpose of this operation wasn’t to catch him, but…
Wold quickly took out a scroll and recorded the technique Taiwen had used. “I heard Regis Count is studying this; I hope it’s useful to him.”
After finishing this, he explained the situation to the knights who had arrived and stated that the danger had been cleared. Wold looked at the statue of Reinhardt with a complex gaze.
Knights were a special class within the Leon Empire, distinct from the system of nobility. Even the lowest-ranking knight received respect from others.
To become a knight, one first needed to gain the empire’s recognition and then hold an oath ceremony. The process of swearing the oath utilized word spirits, which was equivalent to signing a contract.
Honor, Loyalty, and Sacrifice were the three main colors that constituted a knight. Every knight who took the oath had to be responsible for their vows, ensuring they remained “loyal to the royal family” and “loyal to the empire.”
As for virtues like humility or mercy, they were not part of the considerations… or rather, those qualified to participate in the oath ceremony were already recognized as righteous people; it was the most basic requirement. After completing the oath, one officially became a knight of the empire.
Due to the blessing of the vows, a knight’s battle qi had a certain suppressive effect on mana, making it more powerful than regular battle qi.
The more a knight identified with their vows in their heart, the brighter their battle qi would shine.
But if a knight violated their vows, they would suffer a backlash, and their battle qi would be completely destroyed.
A death knight like Taiwen, who had thoroughly betrayed his vows, would likely have even less strength remaining if he hadn’t sought refuge with the demon cult.
Without a doubt, the knights order was a sharp sword belonging only to the King. It was because of this invincible army that the royal power was supreme.
No matter how powerful the local nobility were, they did not dare to show even the slightest disrespect to the Emperor.
This was also… the power that Saoirse dreamed of.
Wold let out a long breath and thought to himself, ‘A dog of the royal family… Taiwen, in my eyes, your highness the princess is a monarch worth dying for. If she can ascend to the throne, she will never let a tragedy like yours happen again.’
‘As for now… with our differing positions, we can only face each other with swords.’