◈ Chapter 81 - 13-Coming of Age Day
*
The early morning air filled with the scent of the sea.
At Abamis, the main training ground of the Haenrel family, Kanniel blocked the sword energy flying over the sea fog.
The sword energy flying at him was similar to that of the Yakhok family, which was designed to safely hunt vicious monsters.
The difference is that although it was somewhat less powerful than Count Yakhok, the number of blows was much greater.
Despite the sharp attack, which was closer to actual combat than training, Canniel struck down the violent sword technique without a problem.
"Is this the second time I've crossed swords with you? Indeed, it's interesting. I'd believe it even if it was a different person than last time."
I used my sword energy to approach Kanniel.
My aura, which was in contact with his sword, could not withstand the condensation and exploded.
I got the idea from Jin and imitated it.
The auror mixed with Hwajeong's mana had a stronger repulsion than pure mana.
If you put it in an aura and explode it, you could produce cannon-like power with each attack, similar to what Jin did.
Of course, my body was also caught up in the explosion, so I had no choice but to control its power.
Kanniel spoke to me as he chewed the explosion with self-defense skills like a sword master.
"It is a combination of the Yakhok family's sword skills and an auror focused on destruction. If you were an ordinary sword expert, you would have collapsed a long time ago from mana depletion. Is that a blessing you have received? It is an endless source of mana. You have obtained the wish that knights dream of. ."
"I haven't shown you everything yet."
By default, I am a swordsman genius.
In other words, it is not a task to make a sword technique that you have seen once become your own.
And not long ago, I vividly witnessed the martial arts of a fallen saint with my own eyes.
An unknown sword technique drawn from him rushed towards Kanniel.
Antenor's swordsmanship contained one trick.
How do you deal with someone stronger than you?
He must have designed it after experiencing countless battles as he had to fight against the demon king Moloch before betraying him in the War of the Gods.
The answer Antenor gave was Donggwijin.
His swordsmanship, composed under the absolute proposition of giving flesh and taking bones, was performed from beginning to end as if walking a tightrope at the threshold of death.
It was literally a suicide sword technique that contained the will to kill you without fail before I die.
"There are four different sword techniques. There is one trick I learned in combat. I use them well without getting my legs tangled."
"...Do you see everything?"
"You will see this when you become a sword master. I can see that you can easily deal with up to four advanced sword experts."
Even though the floor of the training hall exploded and the air was torn apart, Kanniel did not waver as he received the sword.
"But even if you have just achieved Sword Master, you will need ten advanced people to deal with you."
At that moment, Canniel's arm came between the two hands holding the sword.
In the blink of an eye, his arms were pinned and he was pinned to the floor.
Before I knew it, Kanniel aimed the sword he had taken from me at his neck.
"It's all good, but if you can't handle the last sword technique, give up. It's not something worth trying clumsily. If you can't handle mana delicately, you'll die without being able to do anything before you even build a trail."
"Okay, I know."
Still, I asked you to spar just to test it out, just in case.
I lowered my sword, took the hand he gave me, and stood up, shaking the dirt off my body.
Kanniel returned my sword and asked in a tone that was difficult to discern.
"Has Dantian not recovered yet?"
Creating a fleshy body was a very risky act.
Because Hwajeong's mana had to be extracted and used without neutralization.
If I hadn't increased the total amount of mana by grabbing the dantian, my body would have been cremated on the Plains of Leuktra.
All I can say is that I was lucky.
However, this novel is a definitive edition.
This is a cruel world where risky actions, no matter how unexpected, naturally leave scars on users.
After creating Jin's physical body, the physical body was able to be protected with mana, but it became unstable, as if the dantian would break.
Since the dantian could not maintain the center of gravity, it was difficult to use mana delicately.
To some extent, even the clean sword aura that symbolized a sword expert was on the verge of faltering after a while.
That's why he changed his swordsmanship to focus on instantaneous firepower by neutralizing Hwajeong's mana.
"There is no sign of recovery now. Maybe my growth has stopped here."
"...There must be some way. I'll find out."
"It's okay. No matter what I bring, it won't have any effect."
After seeing the power outage in Jindo, he declared that there was virtually no hope.
I have no regrets.
Because Antenor was not an enemy of a level I could deal with.
If Jin's physical body had not been created at that time, he would have died.
However, losing the growth engine is painful.
Moreover, if the moment comes two or three more times when I have to summon the physical body again, my dantian will break and I will die from mana reflux.
I could only hope that there would be as little crisis as possible.
There is no need to talk about gloomy things for a long time.
I turned around.
"What about the other children? Mion has become an intermediate sword user."
"The saint will soon become a senior. Perhaps due to the influence of the holy sword, his growth rate is faster than you. Lord Wigner is also an intermediate rank."
"How is Ember?"
"Even if I teach, sword experts do not grow that quickly. My instruction is limited to the swordsmanship aspect, and improving your dantian is your own effort. Still, everyone is working hard, so you will see results soon."
If you had just trained with Canniel, it was nice to see him crawling on the floor.
It seems like everyone is making an effort in their own way.
Although I am still at the level of a newborn chick.
Canniel asked me as we walked from the training hall towards the mansion.
"Your Majesty has begun to show his ambition. I heard that your army encamped at Handar Castle is slowly making movements. What do you plan to do?"
While the De Jeevitz family absorbed Haenrell, movements in the central region also became more frequent.
The emperor may have judged that it might become difficult to control the north if left any longer, so he was blatantly increasing the number of troops deployed along the border.
If Runea takes command, Sadal will grow stronger.
Resign for the Empire or fight for the North?
Either way, the North will be forced to choose.
What the emperor doesn't know is that my choice was quicker than expected.
"If you ask me to fuck you, I have to pierce your anus. Is there anything special about being an emperor?"
"...I don't know what that means, but I guess I'll take care of it."
When science comes to another world, it makes guns.
It's a cliché of a retail store.
But what if the liberal arts department comes to another world?
Split the world in half.
You barbaric medieval bastards, have a taste of the humanities of the developed Earth.
Just thinking about what would happen in the future made me laugh.
Kanniel hesitated for a while as if he was deciding what to say in response to his son's fiery remarks, then opened his mouth.
"I would like to help you, but the situation at Keldarin Fortress is also difficult. As I said before, I also plan to follow Count Yakhok and leave there today."
Antenor's ambition to dominate the North was blocked, and the path for the beasts beyond the Gray Mountains to come down comfortably disappeared.
It seemed like the Great Demon of the Beast over there had begun commanding the monsters to turn the situation around.
The continent of Esteria is so large, so why are they all from the north?
It was reassuring to see Canniel personally step forward at a time when strength reinforcement was needed.
However, he could not guarantee that much safety.
"You are free because you paid for all your sins on the battlefield. No one will criticize you if you let go of the affairs of the North."
"I'm not possessed by the ghost of my ancestor. It's just chivalry to protect innocent people. Abamis has also become stable, so there's no reason for me to stay anymore."
"If you say so, I won't see you off."
It didn't make sense for me to worry about the Sword Master either.
I readily respected his wishes.
"You said you were going to the central region too, right? Take care of yourself."
With those words, Kanniel left Abamis early in the morning along with Count Yakhok's procession.
It was truly a refreshing farewell.
As I returned to my office and opened a bottle of liquor, I watched the procession through the window.
While listening to Amber's nagging who had just come to work.
"You tend to drink alcohol in the morning."
"You are still young and don't know. Drinking during the day gives you a sense of immorality."
As she pulled out her chair, Amber stroked his hair.
"The only young people here are you and Mion. I am an adult."
"What do you mean?"
"Today is my 18th birthday. In other words, I became an adult today."
I dozed off for a while.
I was wondering if I heard correctly.
"So does that mean today is your coming of age day?"
"I guess so."
In the Oxburg Empire, Coming of Age Day is a day with a very special status.
To some extent, it is treated as the second most valuable day in a person's life after marriage.
That's why I couldn't help but be surprised by Amber, who went to work as usual without any problem.
She seemed to have no other thoughts and was going over her unfinished papers from last night again.
It was so peaceful that it actually seemed like I was nervous.
If you look closely, you might think this person is from another world.
"Lord Ember Cutter. Why don't you put those documents down and go on an outing today? By order of the Commander, I will grant you special leave."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden? Are you treating me like an adult? There's no need. I have a lot of work to do."
"Aye! What a vicious master you are going to make of me! Don't talk to me and get out!"
"Now, wait a minute! Why are you like this all of a sudden!"
If there's even a rumor that I cheated on you on Coming of Age Day, my evaluation of the Lighthouse of Humanity will go through the roof!
That's absolutely not enough!
To my credit, I grabbed Amber by the shoulders and forced her out of her office.
◈ Chapter 82 - 13-Coming of Age Day
*
Sky Street wears street clothes and ties his hair up. Amber felt strangely awkward there. In retrospect, he joined the Knights Templar and went out wearing the armor of the Order of the Lighthouse for six whole months. Even though he was disarmed, he had made it a habit to move so as not to get his sword sheath caught, and he was a knight with perfect walking form with plenty of space between him and objects. Article. Amber rolled those words out of her mouth several times before coming to her senses.
He didn't need to be considerate. On days like this, the more he wanted to concentrate on work. Amber sighed deeply and thought it was her fault for mentioning that it was Coming of Age Day for no reason. It may be sudden, but a holiday is still a holiday. Amber resolved to do what had been left behind. She left House Haenrel's main castle and found a nearby blacksmith shop.
"I want to look at the sword."
A sword was a consumable item no matter how much aura it had. The sword he received upon joining the team had its teeth falling out, and the handle was rattling. Then, not long ago, it got twisted to its center. No matter how much money I had, I couldn't hold on any longer. Amber decided to buy something nice at this point.
The blacksmith glanced at Ember and, as if ignoring her, placed the heated iron on the anvil and hammered it. Amber's brows gathered together at that rudeness. But she knew Amber had a problem with her shabby clothing. As she sets out on a journey to the North to escape the bastard nobles, she sheds her everyday clothes and leans here and there. She was like a vagabond or a beggar. Understanding that the blacksmith's reception was probably poor, she placed her pouch of coins on her reception table. The jingling of the gold coins was not drowned out at all by the sound of the hammer.
The blacksmith looked at her coin pouch, lifted his heavy hips, took several swords, and showed them in front of Ember. Among them, Amber chose a long sword whose blade became narrower towards the tip. The blacksmith saw the sword Ember had chosen for her and soon came back with a bunch of similar ones. After picking and choosing for a while, Ember spoke as her blacksmith held one of her swords in front of her.
"It's all good, but I don't like the material surrounding the handle. Can I change it?"
"It costs extra."
"It doesn't matter. If possible, please use strong and thick bull leather. Otherwise, horse butt leather will also work. Other horse leather parts often tear along the grain. How long will it take?"
"I have the materials, so it will be finished tomorrow."
"Is it possible to have it delivered if I pay more? I'm busy."
"Of course. Where can I ship it?"
"By the nature of the Haelel family. If you say I am Ember Cutter, Operations Chief of the Human Lighthouse, the people working will understand."
When she found out her identity, she left the surprised blacksmith behind, and Ember left the blacksmith shop, sweltering with the heat of the furnace. As I was walking down the alley to do my next business, I bumped into a child.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
The boy fell hard after colliding with his body, which had been trained to the limit to withstand the mana. Amber asked in a worried tone as she handed the boy the hat that had fallen, but the boy quickly snatched the hat and ran in the opposite direction. Amber stared blankly at the back of her boy. A person behind her ran and caught her boy. It was a familiar face. He punched the boy and took his coin bag. She was hanging around Amber's waist.
"What are you doing? Does it make sense for a driver to be attacked by a pickpocket? Where are you concentrating your mind?"
Ember let out another deep sigh as she snatched her bag of flying coins.
"Barton. Are you following me?"
"Following you? I thought you already knew. Didn't you sense that too? Are you not feeling well? Could it be..."
"I still have my period left."
"I was going to ask you if you had a cold!"
Barton stroked his chin and examined Amber carefully. Malbon Bird is definitely as usual, but today Amber looked confused, as if something was missing. She tied her coin pouch back on her waist and spoke to Barton in an annoyed tone.
"What are you here for? Are you short of work? Would you like me to share some?"
"Don't talk nonsense. It's not because you like me. Bjorn told me to help you have a good Coming of Age Day. I don't know why he ordered me to do that, but if you're going to criticize me, I'm going to criticize you."
"That's too much consideration. It's not even that special of a day."
"...That's why I told you to go. Coming-of-Age Day is so special. So don't be depressed as if you've lived the whole world and enjoy it. I understand how you feel about wanting to live like a child for the rest of your life."
Barton talked excitedly as if she was celebrating her coming of age day. Amber stroked her forehead as if she had a headache. Her voice was unusually low.
"So, let me ask you, what do you usually do on Coming of Age Day?"
"The family congratulates you on your coming of age. We eat delicious food and give you gifts. I think it was just regular clothes. If we can afford it, we buy you clothes suitable for a wedding, or you pass down your parents' formal clothes."
"That's why there's no reason for my coming-of-age day to be special. I already became an adult a long time ago."
Amber took out the words she had kept in her heart. It was a story she had never said out of her own mouth.
"There was a nobleman who wanted to use me as a plaything. When I refused, he killed my entire family. My father, my mother, and even my sister were all killed by that bastard's knight. That day, my clothes were soaked with my family's blood. This is the dress. I was already an adult by then."
"..."
"So today is a day that has no meaning to me. I will be grateful for the vacation that Bjern has given me, but there is no need to take care of me any more. Please stop and go back."
Even as she spat out her words, Amber regretted saying something unnecessary. Normally, it was a past history she would never tell anyone. Her situation, her coming of age day, changed her emotionally. Amber said she was stupid, she internally blamed herself. She says she's not special, but doesn't she think she's more special than anyone else? She would have been better off if she had worked quietly. She foolishly got caught up in the atmosphere.
Barton, who was quietly listening to the story, understood why her condition was strange. Why did she come all the way to her remote lighthouse village and become her knight, and why did she hate Bjorn so much at the time?
"If you say that, how can things work? You're trying so hard to ask me to take care of you."
"I didn't mean that. It was just..."
"Okay. Then, you can spend it thinking of it as a normal day off, not Coming of Age Day. I think I got a porter for my first holiday in a long time."
"...The way you speak so shamelessly reminds me of someone in the Oval Office."
While trying to dissuade him, Amber blamed her own fault for saying something meaningless and making him feel bad. Instead she decided to take advantage of the situation.
"Okay, but Barton, you do know that you owe me 10,000 Libra, right? I'm going to collect some of that debt today."
"10,000 Libra...? Are you talking about the bet you made when you went to Homeland? Are you really going to take that?"
"Isn't it obvious? If you had won, would you have let it go?"
"...No."
"Look. And no matter how much you spend today, you won't get any interest. If you plan to take care of it, prepare properly."
"Hey, interest?! That wasn't in the terms of the bet, you cheater!"
Despite Barton's protests, Amber paid no attention and headed to the commercial district of Abamis, which was lined with shops. Amber was a person who was very frugal with money, but he was a different story when it came to other people's money. Her steps were unusually light. She asked Ember as Barton checked how many gold coins she had in her pocket.
"So, what are you going to buy?"
"I'd like to go to a clothing store. I heard that a popular ready-to-wear store in the central region recently opened in Abamis."
Amber remembered the words of a maid who was talking about how, with the advent of factories, there was no need to pay expensive money to have clothes tailored at a dry goods store. Of course, you still have to ask a tailor to buy proper clothes, but the options are wider than before. Abamis, famous as a resort, also responded to the trend faster than any other region. She didn't really care about her clothes, but she was aware of her condition. She couldn't go around looking like a beggar forever. At this point, she was thinking of buying some casual clothes.
Amber entered her store, picked out several clothes and tried them on. Barton, who had been watching Amber's fashion show for a while, said as if he was tired and swept her face.
"Do you want to play with my money?"
"...I'm serious."
"If your eyes were bad, why didn't you tell me? You would have gone to an optician first."
"You're so pretty, but why are you so sick?"
"The plague is what you are doing right now! It's the worst! Do you want to be a human rainbow or something? Look outside. Who dresses like you?"
Amber chose to wear only bright colors and used all kinds of colors without thinking about combining them. When asked who dresses like that, Amber thought for a while. She certainly had never seen anyone dressed like this. It was then that she realized for the first time that her fashion sense was terrible. Barton said he couldn't bear to see her like that, so he endured it and picked out her clothes himself. Although her pride as a woman was hurt, she wore the clothes he had chosen for her just to see how amazing Amber's eyes were.
"...Hmm."
A dress with a good combination of light green and white. The waist was wrapped in gold-trimmed fabric, revealing her curves and matching her ash-blonde hair. Amber was about to say something to her Barton, but was silenced by her reflection in the mirror. No matter how miserable her senses were, she could tell the difference from the clothes she had chosen.
◈ Chapter 83 - 13-Coming of Age Day
Barton, who had just picked out her clothes, was equally surprised by her appearance. Because she was so busy with work that she had no time to take care of her hair, she tidied up her messy hair and put her in nice clothes, so there was nothing special about her beauty. It was the first time Barton realized that her body line was so slender. She always wore either armor or simple clothes, but her appearance was far from that of a knight. Yes, she is a grown child now. And yet, with that body, she led thousands of troops to victory on the battlefield. He made himself known to the world under the nickname of the Knight of Resourcefulness. When Barton realized that it was all because of revenge, he felt a bitter taste in his mouth at her harsh fate.
"You're good at it. I guess you often choose clothes for the ladies?"
Amber was in a bad mood and grumbled. Barton replied, shuffling through her other clothes in an attempt to control her emotions.
"That's not an insult to the man, it's a compliment."
"You should catch syphilis."
She let her curse go through one ear, as if Barton was used to it.
"I have a better eye for things than my ability to choose clothes. My father ran a small business, and I learned the trade there."
For a moment, Ember recalled her first day at Stem Wind. Barton knew right away what kind of alcohol Bjorn was drinking. At the time, she wondered how she recognized it, but it made sense if she was a merchant's child.
"Then you must have grown up without any regrets, so why did you come to such a remote area and become a knight?"
"I don't have a past that is as heartbreaking as yours. I just reached puberty late. I didn't want to become a merchant, so I ran out. Now, try on these clothes too."
Amber felt a strange sense of relief. Perhaps it's the camaraderie that comes from Barton's lack of wrinkles in her past. She believed so.
After trying on the clothes Barton had chosen several times, Amber chose four of them. Her salary as a knight was not small, but it still wasn't enough to buy four sets of women's clothes at Abba Miss' clothing store, which was famous for its high prices. Amber was considerate of Barton as he checked the gold coins in her pocket.
"I'm going to buy a suit with my own money. I'm thinking of giving it to Mion as a gift. She happens to be similar in size to me, so it will fit well."
"...I don't think Mion will like it."
"You can't wear a maid uniform even in everyday life, right? Bjorn-sama isn't the kind of person to be considerate of such things."
She doesn't exactly have the spirit to be considerate. Amber knows him well because she is closest to him. His work intensity was murderous. Basically, if a king wants to play and eat, he doesn't have to do anything, but if he decides to properly manage government, there is no end to his work. In addition, Bjorn had no idea what he was thinking, as it had been less than a month since he had taken control of Haen Lel territory, and he was squeezing the officials to do anything to extinguish it. Post-and-post processing, practical inspection, meetings, meetings, and meetings... Ember, who was similarly suffering in his entourage, would have been better off creating and leading the allied forces in preparation for war with Count Haenrel. If I stay with Bjorn, do I have to continue to live like this from now on? Amber briefly trembled as her body trembled at the dark future she could not easily fathom.
"What's next?"
After leaving the clothing store, Barton asked Amber, who had changed into the first clothes he picked out. It was noon when the shadows were short. For the first time in a long time, Amber felt a strange feeling in the air flowing below.
"Originally, I was planning to go back like this and get some sleep. But since I have a money box, I think I'll play around a little more."
"Isn't it a bit harsh to put money in someone's face?"
"If you pay back the full 10,000 Libra, you don't have to listen."
The salty sea breeze blew and made Amber's hair blow. How long has it been since the sky was clear without a single ash? Barton realized then that her hair color was not dull gray blonde. Her shiny hair, which seemed to be a mix of silver and blonde hair, caught his attention. She waved her dress as if to ask Barton to follow her.
Barton realized why Abamis was the wealthiest city in the North. This place was full of entertainment. Even the streets were rich with the songs of the minstrels who settled in the square. Amber, who was eating peaches and watching a comedy, laughed. There was no longer any gloom on her fresh face. For a moment, she stopped being an operational staff member of the Lighthouse of Humanity and became an ordinary woman celebrating her coming of age day.
"Did you just see that? A sword put to one's throat! How do they do something like that?"
"Wow! This sausage has a unique taste. It tastes sweet and amazing. Take a bite."
"It is said that the Fountain of Abamis is a famous landmark in the Empire. They say that if you throw a coin into the fountain with your loved one, that love will come true. How much will you earn if you collect the coins down there?"
Amber enjoyed the sights and food of Abamis and chattered non-stop, and Barton giggled at her when he saw her like that. He thought it was like they were on a date. No, no matter who looked at it, it was an improbable date. Since I had been with her ever since her entrance exam, her realization was delayed. Barton had a feeling that what happened today would remain in her memory for a long time.
At that time, Barton saw someone who shouldn't be here.
"Wait a minute. Isn't that Lord Ragnar?"
No matter how many times I rubbed my eyes and looked again to see if it was a hallucination, it was clear. It was Lord Ragnar, the general manager of Lighthouse Village, one of the three axes guarded by the Human Lighthouse Corps. Amber also followed Barton's gaze and looked at him. The bare hair was clearly the look he had seen during the entrance exam.
"That's strange. Why is Lord Ragnar here?"
Amber's spirit, which had been distracted by the atmosphere, was corrected. It wasn't strange that Lord Ragnar was in Abamis. During the war with Count Haenrel, Bjorn summoned all three horse ships in Lighthouse Village to besiege Abamis. At that time, Ragnar personally commanded the magic sailboat and came down here. The problem is that Count Haenrel chose a grand battle rather than a siege. Bjern clicked his tongue endlessly as he watched the magic sailboat peacefully docking in Abamis.
'Lord Ragnar. It's been a while. It came down at perfect timing. It appears only after Count Haenrel dies and Abamis is occupied. Did he do this on purpose out of love for his subordinate?"
'Oh my, Commander! Absolutely not! We really did our best! Surely no one knew that Count Haenrel would make such a choice?'
'Is it? Then it seems that Ma Beom-seon's performance is not very good. 'I'm thinking of getting rid of this worthless, money-sucking scumbag right away. What does the lighthouse commander think?'
'Yes, Commander! Please reconsider! Still, there's more to it than meets the eye!'
After a brief affair with Björn, Ragnar was waiting with the horse sailboat to follow Björn's next orders. He couldn't stand Bjorn's thirst and complained every day that he wanted to return to the lighthouse village as soon as possible. Amber knew that what he hoped would not come true. He was being considered as a candidate for the currently vacant position of Deputy Commander of the Human Lighthouse. Although he did not make a contribution in this war, Ragnar was the only one who could rule over the Human Lighthouse without any problems in Bjorn's absence. Given his dedication and hard work over the years, no one will criticize him when he becomes second-in-command. What struck Amber strangely was why he was walking around in casual clothes in the commercial district of Abamis when it was probably his working hours.
What doubled that suspicion was Ragnar's continued actions. He looked around for a while, as if he was upset about something, and then disappeared into a dark alley. Amber made eye contact with Barton. He was letting everyone know that his eyes were thinking the same thing.
"I think it would be a good idea to follow along."
"Ha, I never thought something would happen until Coming of Age Day. You are born with a uniform for work."
Barton nodded and put on his mask. The North suffered from devil cults until recently. They had infiltrated all over the place. Although it was unlikely, it would be a big deal if Ragnar had any contact with the demon cult. Now that he is being mentioned as a candidate for second-in-command, he must be nipped in the bud if there is any. Ember and Barton followed Ragnar, who quickly disappeared into the alley.
Ragnar left the bright and crowded commercial district and headed towards a place with deeper shadows. He passed through streets littered with beggars and gangsters making out, and did not stop walking until he reached a shabby house. Amber plugged her nose at the smell of anger and opium emanating from the brothel. As Ragnar walked, her doubts turned to certainty. How many reasons could there be for the lightkeeper to come to Abamis's dark alley? There is definitely something there.
The place where Ragnar stopped was a general store that looked like it was on the verge of collapse. After hesitating at the door for a while, he seemed to have made up his mind and turned the doorknob of the store. Amber said to Barton.
"Give me the sword and call for assistance from the nearby Human Lighthouse as soon as possible. We'll be in that general store in 10 minutes."