Chapter 23

“So, you’re saying that as long as one’s skills are sufficient, it’s possible to be temporarily appointed as a knight with the kingdom’s approval?”

“Geez, have you lived your whole life being fooled? I told you, yes. Though, I haven’t heard any rumors of anyone actually succeeding.”

In front of the Training Institute, the area was swarming with commoners who had flocked there in desperation to volunteer for the royal army. Perhaps because the situation was urgent, the kingdom seemed to be drafting most of them as soldiers, providing only the bare minimum of instruction.

‘In the end, they’ll just be sent to the front lines to be used as consumables.’

It was a bitter reality, but it couldn’t be helped. If the Imperial Army’s advance wasn’t stopped, everything was destined to be burned to the ground anyway.

However, being caught in the middle of that would be no different from the first Cycle, so Taewoon decided to aim for the position of Honorary Knight of the kingdom, even if it meant pushing himself a bit.

“Who do I have to prove my skills to in order to get approval? A knight of the kingdom?”

“Huh? What, are you actually going to try? Forget it, forget it. Looking at you, it’s impossible.”

“Just tell me. Before I head to the front, I’ll treat you to a cheap drink.”

Having easily lured the man and obtained information about the Honorary Knight position, Taewoon left the Training Institute and headed toward the central district of Berbylle, where logistics management was in full swing.

Of course, he completely forgot about his promise to buy the man a drink.

“Excuse me. Do you happen to know where Lord Marcus is?”

“Ah, huh? Do you want to become an Honorary Knight? I heard things had fizzled out because the situation on the front became urgent… but go ahead and try to find him.”

Following the location provided by the middle-aged man, Taewoon moved without delay and encountered Marcus, a knight of the Arman Kingdom.

“Excuse me. Are you Lord Marcus?”

At Taewoon’s mention of wanting to become an Honorary Knight, Marcus reacted indifferently and let out a small sigh.

And then.

Taewoon perfectly defended against a scabbard that lunged at his head in an instant, lifting his spear with a simple snap of his wrist.

Seeing this, Marcus opened his tightly closed mouth with a somewhat surprised expression.

“My apologies. There are far too many clueless nobodies who don’t know their place. I’ll be leaving for the battlefield soon, but I have a little time left. Follow me.”

In a rectangular space that seemed to be used as a training ground for knights, Marcus warmed up for a moment, drew his sword, and beckoned Taewoon.

“I don’t have much time, so please make it quick.”

“…Fine.”

Since there was no reason to decline, Taewoon moved like a bolt of lightning, beginning to thrust his spear into the various openings in Marcus’s defense.

“Hmm?!”

Surprised by the attack that came in more fiercely than expected, Marcus hurriedly knocked the spear aside.

However, the one who was more surprised was Taewoon. It was because he felt that his movements were clearly smoother and sharper than before.

‘Is it because of the final battle with Iosis?’

Certainly, at that time, Taewoon had entered a state of extreme concentration, constantly analyzing Iosis’s movements and techniques to make them his own.

Furthermore, having burned his will to fight to the very end in an extreme situation, Taewoon’s abilities as a Hunter had improved drastically to a point where it was difficult to compare him to his previous self.

From a slightly closer distance than before, attacks packed with even more power began to harass Marcus, who was focused entirely on defense.

It was a situation where Marcus was clearly revising his evaluation of Taewoon and calmly looking for a chance to counterattack, but Taewoon continued to push forward without hesitation, unafraid of the opponent’s intentions.

It was a manifestation of the confidence that he could now handle whatever situation unfolded.

‘Marcus is probably a considerable master of the sword.’

Even at a glance, he could feel that Marcus’s movements were more relaxed than the four knights who had been at the fortress.

However, the current Taewoon was different from back then. He was a completely different person.

“Kh!”

Marcus, now completely on the defensive, pondered for a moment before his eyes flashed intensely, and he reached out to the ground, beginning to emit a strange energy.

Then.

‘This is…’

Before he knew it, Taewoon’s feet were repeatedly sinking into and emerging from the soft ground that had spread all around him.

It wasn’t a situation where his movement was completely restricted, but it was a terrain that inevitably reduced his mobility to some extent.

If the goal was to check Taewoon’s speed, it was certainly an excellent judgment.

“You… are impressive. I don’t usually use this, but for now, I’ll get a bit serious.”

Taewoon smirked at the words containing a cool acknowledgment. He then lightly drew a dagger from his waist.

“Thank you for the high evaluation. I will also do my best.”

Using the shaft of the spear as a springboard, Taewoon jumped into the air and threw the drawn dagger at Marcus.

Simultaneously, he spun violently and brought the spear down, attempting to seal Marcus’s movements.

“A sharp attack!”

With a slight twist of his waist, Marcus easily avoided the dagger and quickly ducked to evade Taewoon’s strike. He then immediately began to swing his sword.

‘As expected, he isn’t heavily affected by the mud himself.’

Having donned the Red Wax Mask on his face at some point, Taewoon swung his arm to deflect the sword, created distance again, and threw the spear in his hand toward Marcus.

“Kh!”

He barely managed to dodge, but that revealed an opening.

Immediately after, Taewoon activated a Cinema Skill to move behind Marcus in an instant, recovered the dagger he had thrown earlier, grabbed Marcus’s neck with his left arm, and held the blade to his throat.

It was a moment of perfect suppression, happening in an instant, leaving the opponent no room to react.

“…Did you think it ended here?”

Perhaps feeling his pride wounded by being taken down so easily, Marcus instantaneously turned the ground beneath Taewoon’s feet into a deep swamp, cunningly slipping through the gap of the dagger.

However, Taewoon was also confident in such situations; he decisively evaded Marcus’s attack from behind, stepped in, and locked his joints.

As he applied more force and pushed, Marcus fell helplessly to the ground like a wrestler caught in a hold, exposing his vital point once again. Only then did he resign and signal his defeat.

“I lost. Even though I got a bit greedy, I couldn’t win. You look young, but your skill is truly remarkable.”

“Thank you for the kind evaluation.”

“But… it’s awkward to say this, but why does a skilled person like you want to lend strength to the kingdom now? To be honest, the kingdom’s future is bleak. It doesn’t feel right to push a young man into a death trap, even as I accept you.”

To be honest, Marcus’s question was valid. However, Taewoon had to Clear the Theater, and separately, he had a desire to get revenge on Iosis once more on the side of the Arman Kingdom.

“When I was young, I remember living with my family in a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom for a short time. Does one need a special reason to protect their homeland?”

“…A noble mindset. I will convey the matter of the Honorary Knight position to the superiors. Though, in a situation like this, being a knight or whatever doesn’t mean much.”

As they shook hands and resolved to trust each other’s backs on the battlefield, someone suddenly began clapping from the corner of the training ground and approached Taewoon and Marcus.

“What a magnificent duel!”

Brilliant golden hair, a well-trained physique, and the eyes of a sage that seemed to gently embrace people.

‘…What an overwhelming presence.’

Though it was only for a moment, Taewoon, whose Qi Sense had become sensitive due to repeated battles, could tell at a glance.

The existence before him was the very antithesis of Iosis, the symbol of hope representing the Arman Kingdom.

If he had chosen the Empire as his Starting Point, this man would have undoubtedly been the true gatekeeper of the kingdom blocking his path.

“It was a battle that pleased the eyes. My friend, I offer my unreserved praise for the depth of your training.”

“T-Theogenes!”

“…….”

The Third Prince of the kingdom, Theogenes, was the new master to whom Taewoon would now pledge his sword.

“Do not be so uneasy, my friend. In the face of the crisis confronting the kingdom, we are each simply a warrior.”

“I am truly grateful for your words, but I feel this is more than I deserve.”

Honestly, Taewoon was a bit flustered. After all, the man before him was a real prince, the kind he had only heard about in the world of books.

However, seeing his benevolent nature and the way he did not look down on subordinates, there was no room for doubt that he was an excellent superior with the qualities to become a sage king.

“Tomorrow, we shall finally plunge into the battlefield at Milev Fortress, where the entire fate of the kingdom rests. Before that, wouldn’t it be a special experience to forget our statuses and purely build a friendship?”

“…….”

At Theogenes’ candid words spoken with a beaming smile, Taewoon looked away and let out a subtle groan.

‘W-Why is he suddenly being so friendly?’

For some reason, Prince Theogenes seemed to take a great liking to Taewoon.

Even if it was a simplified process, he had personally granted him the Honorary Knight position according to procedure and had even suggested spending time together before heading to the battlefield, so it wasn’t a mere delusion.

‘…Did he not have any friends until now?’

Of course, being human, Taewoon didn’t feel bad about it, but he couldn’t quite get a feel for how to treat him.

He was aware of how much of a celestial existence a medieval prince was to a commoner.

“I am prepared to shoulder the responsibility, but at times like this, the position of a prince of a nation is a bit uncomfortable. How about it? If you’re okay with it, shall we share one last drink?”

Since it seemed impolite to refuse even that, Taewoon spent the late hours of the night drinking with Prince Theogenes, sharing various stories they had kept inside.

And, contrary to his expectations, he realized that Theogenes was not a difficult person and that he deeply worried for the kingdom and its people as a human being.

‘He’s… a pretty decent guy. Hic!’

If one were a citizen of a country led by such a person, they might actually be able to live a reasonably happy life, even in this era of war.

And for his sake, above all, it was necessary to defend Milev Fortress and save it from the clutches of the Imperial Army.

“…Fine, whatever. We can just be friends.”

“That is very welcome news. Let us set out, my friend. The soldiers of the kingdom will be waiting for us anxiously. By the way, are you really alright?”

“Cough! I’m fine. Don’t worry and just fill the glass, Theo.”

“It is Theogenes.”

The next day, the kingdom, having finally completed all preparations, declared a final stand and announced its grand departure.

‘…Dammit, why was that liquor so strong?’

While suffering from a lingering hangover, Taewoon busily rode his horse, following behind the vanguard.

Though they used the grand term “departure,” the kingdom’s military strength had already been deployed across various battlefields and was nearly exhausted.

‘Is this all? I expected it, but it’s bleak.’

A mere 232 soldiers, and 5 knights, including Taewoon.

The relief force heading toward Milev Fortress was composed of every last scrap of resource they could squeeze out.

The kingdom had effectively admitted to the whole world that they had no more options.

‘But…’

Taewoon, who had personally fought a desperate battle at the fortress, knew better than anyone.

In a hellish situation where hope seemed nonexistent, how much a relief force like this could heal the heart.

And that it could revive a dying ember and breathe in the final light of hope.

‘So, Theogenes was not wrong.’

Engraving only that fact in his heart, the relief force, including Taewoon, rode their given horses and galloped endlessly toward Milev Fortress.

Praying fervently that it wasn’t too late, and that the fortress, the final bastion, was still standing.