| Shishido Noboru |
The Head Knight's piercing silver eyes seemed to bore into his soul, sending shivers down his spine. With just one look, the Sliver Knight could strike fear into anyone's heart. It was clear why people called him the Silver Knight - his eyes, with his snow-white hair, perfectly matched his formidable reputation.
"Are you trying to defend these criminals, peasant?" the Head Knight demanded, his gaze sweeping up and down his body.
It was a crazy move to confront a knight, let alone a Knight Caster. Standing in the way of a High Elf's knights was akin to defying the queen. He could sense that the other villagers thought he was either idiotically brave or perhaps a Caster. If they suspected him, they wouldn't be entirely wrong.
"I assure you, none of these people are innocent. Her Majesty's policies are clear - anyone who defies her will suffer the consequences," the Sliver Knight continued, stepping back as he released his grip on the sword. He kept it at the ready, anticipating an attack. The peasant knew it would be foolish to do so, as he didn't have a weapon and had never felt the need to carry one. While he had confidence in himself and his abilities, he knew the Sliver Knight could sense his leftover mana just from touching Amanda. There was no way he could manipulate him - he was too powerful, and he would only be exposing himself.
"I have more men waiting in the woods. If desired, I could raze this entire slum to the ground. But that can be avoided if you offer up the rogue Caster hiding here. I am being patient with you, mutts. Keep that in mind before anyone tries something foolish," the Silver Knight warned, causing the frightened villagers in the crowd to gasp in terror.
The Silver Knight had one hand on his weapon and the other stretched out with extended fingers. The peasant knew exactly what this gesture meant - once he closed his hand into a fist, the knights would be given the green light to arrest people.
He laughed, but it was the fakest one he had ever produced. He couldn't believe the captain's mindset. "First of all, criminals?" he chuckled again, but the sharp silver eyes made him realize the Silver Knight wasn't amused. "Correct me if I'm mistaken, but calling someone a criminal implies that they have done something wrong. For example, pulling a weapon on a defenseless mother and her child. But what did Casters do wrong to be labeled as criminals? Exist? Survive? Every being on this earth does that. Are you running a prison or a zoo?"
The captain started to respond, but he interrupted him. "And I beg to differ with you. Everyone here is innocent until proven guilty. You have abilities, don't you? Then you should know that these people, or 'peasants' as some narrow-minded individuals might say, cannot detect a Caster because they don't have magic. So how would they know if they were surrounded by them now? They wouldn't. So don't imprison people for 'lying' when you can't even prove them wrong."
He wasn't a hero, nor did he aspire to be one. He didn't randomly stand up for people. He was only doing this for Amanda and Bella. There were plenty of people in the village he didn't like and would love to see locked up or even tortured, but seeing his kind turn against him was a betrayal. He felt like he had no choice but to fight back with his words. The captain stared at him, biting his lip as if trying to hide his anger, but that didn't work.
"Brat, urchin, you insolent little mutt. Who the hell do you think you are disrespecting a-" He cut himself off, curling strands of white hair around his finger. It looked like he was about to tear it out. The captain, the leader of an army, didn't know how to defend himself with words, resulting in insults. How cute.
The captain took a deep breath and cleared his throat before speaking, "I do not have the time nor patience to argue with rebel sympathizers." He clenched his fists to signal his men to arrest people, "Take this one, along with the others who have caused trouble. We will lock down this town until I have the necessary answers." He sneered at him before turning his back and walking away, leaving his men to deal with him.
He met the knight's gaze, and his golden eyes swirled into an icy blue, just like they did when he possessed the merchant earlier today. The blue hue captivated their attention and made them follow his every word like obedient puppets. The two guards no longer tried to restrain him; instead, they parted ways to let him through. They followed him like loyal servants as he approached the captain. "Wait, please think about this," he said, surprising him. He glanced at his two guards, now under his control, before looking back into his eyes. It seemed he had noticed the difference in their eye color from before.
"You know that these people aren't criminals. You are one of them. A true leader stands up for their people and sticks together with their kind to win the war," the mysterious figure said, attempting to reason with him. "What will you do when the High Elf has no more use for you? She will discard you and drain you of everything you have."
The captain's eyes darted around, avoiding the gaze of the figure. The other guards were preoccupied with subduing the villagers, so they didn't notice the confrontation. Then, finally, he met the figure's eyes and spoke, "Do not lecture me, pest. You do not know what you are talking about," he said, holding his sword horizontally. The crystals that composed the weapon began to shift and rearrange themselves, forming a staff. His ability was dangerous, but it was also unique and beautiful. Despite his insult, the figure wasn't surprised by his reaction, given how he had argued earlier.
The man spoke with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, "If Her Majesty ever deems me useless enough to take away my magic, then I'd deserve it." He paused for a moment, seemingly doubting his own words. "You're going to pay for your insolence today," he threatened, addressing the figure directly. "Either you surrender yourself alone, or I'll drag your unconscious body back to the capital myself for your interrogation."
Maintaining a safe distance from the captain, the figure fixed him with an unwavering gaze, hoping to convey the gravity of the situation. "Consider the High Elf who once ruled this kingdom," the figure began. "He envisioned a place where all could live free from persecution. You served him, did you not? He was a just leader who treated his subjects equally and protected them from harm. That is what a true leader should be. They should defend their people, not threaten them."
Though the figure knew his abilities would have little effect on someone as powerful as the captain, he hoped his words might sway him. "How do you think the High Elf would feel if he knew about the corruption that is taking place? All of his hard work, all of the trust he built, is being squandered. That is not what he would have wanted."
At his side, his loyal guards stood ready to defend him if necessary. The villagers watched in silence, their eyes trained on him. Suddenly, they began to voice their dissent, protesting against the captain's men as if under his spell. However, it was not his magic that inspired them. Instead, his fearless defiance against the High Elf's followers, clad only in rags and a cloak, seemed to galvanize them. Despite the inevitable consequences of opposing those in power, they were encouraged to fight back and reclaim their village.
The captain glanced around, his expression revealing his annoyance, but he refrained from attacking the figure, which was peculiar. He wondered why a high-ranking captain like himself would not try to subdue a nuisance like him who was disrupting his work. Perhaps he was perplexed and taken aback by his men turning against him, or maybe his magic was working.
"The ideals of the past High Elf are of no concern to me," he declared.
The figure had miscalculated; his magic did not affect him as he had thought. The captain's gaze met his again, but he remained silent, scrutinizing him as if studying him. Had he noticed the shift in his eye color? That was not good.
"Are you attempting to buy time for yourself, or do you think I am foolish enough to question her Majesty?" he interrupted our silence, "I gave you a chance to come quietly, rebel." He looked away from him, and he followed his gaze, spotting two more guards heading their way. This was not part of his plan, and he needed to act quickly.
"The masked pest is our target. Subdue him," the captain ordered, pointing at him. With no time to spare, he held his fingers pointed to the captain, and like puppets, the men under his control went after him. He darted away from the scene, shoving past people in his path. He could hear yelling and heavy footsteps behind him. Were they coming after him without protecting their captain? They were either incompetent knights or confident in their captain's abilities. And with the captain's skill, it was no wonder he had such a high position. His powers were insignificant in combat unless he manipulated people to fight for him. Fortunately, he knew how to defend himself with his fists if necessary.
As he ran past merchants' stalls and homes, he knocked things down in his path to try and block his pursuers. Then, in the distance, he spotted it - the exit. However, three more guards blocked it. How many men did the captain bring? This was getting more complicated by the minute. As he was about to use his ability on the three guards, he felt his chest tighten. His heart was pounding against his ribcage as if it were about to break free. Pain rushed through his body, causing his legs to buckle, and he collapsed onto the ground. He clutched at his chest, struggling to breathe as the pain radiated throughout his body. He had overexerted himself, attempting to control multiple people holding the magic for an extended period and running. Having an ability like his, where he could manipulate people's lives, came at a high cost. That cost was a weakened heart.