“You said you need companions?”
“That’s right.”
Rodos nodded.
“I assumed you would handle it alone. I never expected you to ask for help.”
Igrun could not hide his surprise.
Except when Sparring with Igrun, Rodos had always trained alone.
He had been the very image of a steadfast warrior.
For someone like that to come looking for companions was bound to be surprising.
“It is a mission I cannot accomplish alone.”
Rodos spoke briefly.
At his current level, it was not a mission he could complete by himself.
“Ah.”
Igrun nodded in understanding.
He knew very well just how difficult the missions assigned by the House could be.
During his time as Knight Commander, he had seen countless members of the House fail their missions and return in miserable condition.
“I know your abilities well, Young Master, but a Gold Mission will not be easy.”
Igrun shrugged.
‘For some reason, I feel like he might actually succeed.’
His long-honed instincts as a Swordsman told him so.
Judging by everything Rodos had shown so far, he might very well succeed.
“Putting that aside, why have you come to the Knight Order if you are looking for companions? Do you need a Knight?”
“I came to find companions who will fight alongside me.”
“Companions, you say.”
Igrun studied Rodos for a moment.
He wanted to see his expression.
‘He is serious.’
Rodos’s expression was completely serious.
It was the same face he had worn when proposing their wager.
Looking for companions within the Knight Order… Igrun found the idea interesting.
He pointed to himself.
“Do you perhaps want me?”
“No.”
Rodos answered immediately.
Of course not.
He had no intention of taking Igrun with him.
‘A man who serves as Knight Commander cannot simply become my companion.’
Rodos knew very well that doing so would put Igrun in a difficult position.
“That is a relief. There are Young Masters who tell me to participate in their missions and stand on the front lines for them. Tch.”
Igrun clicked his tongue.
“The Knight Order and I do not belong to the House. We belong to the Empire. Did you know that?”
“I did.”
Rodos nodded.
‘They may be stationed within the House’s territory, but they do not belong to the House.’
The Sixth Knight Order was stationed within the territory of House Augustus, but it was an Imperial Knight Order that moved under the Empire’s command.
“The Knight Order assists the House in defending its territory, but as a rule, we do not interfere in the House’s affairs. There are apparently some Young Masters who do not understand that.”
Igrun shook his head.
There were occasionally Young Masters who had possessed so much from childhood that they had no idea how the world actually worked.
“We maintain a close relationship with the House, but I cannot requisition Knights to assist the Young Masters with their missions. That is an imperial order. Of course, there are times when I would rather ignore imperial orders, but a man who gets paid a salary has to follow them.”
Igrun disliked rigid rules, but now that he held the position of Knight Commander, he had to obey orders.
A Knight who refused to follow orders was no different from a mercenary.
“So you are saying it is impossible.”
“Yes. I cannot drag Imperial Knights into the House’s affairs. Personally, I would like to help you, Young Master, but impossible is impossible.”
Igrun’s expression was firm.
Even if Rodos was disappointed, there was nothing he could do about it.
The world did not always bend to one’s wishes.
“That does not matter.”
Yet Rodos’s expression remained serious, as though it truly did not matter.
Because it really did not.
“?”
Igrun tilted his head.
It did not matter?
He could not tell whether Rodos intended to stubbornly push ahead despite being told it was impossible, or whether he had another plan.
“Apprentice Knights.”
“Are you saying you intend to take Apprentice Knights on a Gold Mission?”
Rodos nodded.
“As far as I know, Apprentice Knights do not belong to the Empire.”
Rodos recalled a memory from his days as the Great Warrior.
He had heard about it while drinking with a former Swordsman from an Imperial Knight Order who had once visited the North.
‘So that tedious story actually proved useful.’
The man had rambled on so much that Rodos’s ears had nearly hurt, but he had never expected the information to prove useful like this.
The Empire’s system for training Knights worked as follows.
Each Knight Order selected and trained its own Apprentice Knights before sending them to Imperial Knight Headquarters, where they underwent an evaluation and were appointed as Full-Fledged Knights.
Therefore, Apprentice Knights were personnel managed independently by their respective Knight Orders.
Until they were appointed as Full-Fledged Knights, they followed the orders of their Knight Order rather than those of the Empire.
“Very well. I will give you permission to take an Apprentice Knight.”
It was not a bad proposal.
It was certainly dangerous, but if they returned safely, the experience would prove invaluable to the Knights.
A single real battle was more valuable than a hundred practice sessions.
‘He will handle it somehow.’
Igrun was not worried.
He felt that Rodos could develop an Apprentice Knight to a level suitable for a Gold Mission.
When everyone in both the Knight Order and the House had thought it impossible, Rodos had still claimed victory in the Duel.
“Let us go immediately.”
“I will guide you.”
Rodos followed Igrun out of the Knight Commander’s Office.
***
After entering the Training Grounds, Rodos and Igrun immediately headed toward the area where the Knights were training.
Numerous Apprentice Knights were training there.
It was also the place where Rodos trained every day.
“HAH!”
“Listen to that voice! Again!”
“HAH!!!”
The Apprentice Knights swung their swords in accordance with the Instructor’s commands.
They were so immersed in training that they did not even notice the Knight Commander’s arrival.
‘They are all working hard.’
The atmosphere was different from when Rodos had first come to the Training Grounds.
Perhaps watching Rodos change day after day had inspired them, because the Knights were training harder than ever.
“Is there a Knight who catches your eye?”
“Over there.”
Rodos pointed toward one of the Apprentice Knights.
“Hah….”
A green-haired Apprentice Knight stood there, halfheartedly muttering the battle cry as he swung his sword.
“His name is Richard. This is probably your first time seeing him, Young Master. He spent more than two months confined to a sickbed, using an injured leg as an excuse. I believe he was discharged yesterday and returned to the Training Grounds today.”
Unlike the other Apprentice Knights, who swung their swords with intensely serious expressions, Richard looked as though he were bored to death.
‘I do not like that expression.’
Even so, Rodos’s gaze kept returning to Richard.
WHOOSH!
Despite Richard’s face making it abundantly clear that he wanted to put in as little effort as possible, his sword strike was remarkably clean.
“You noticed it as well, Young Master. That boy has talent. But he has absolutely no motivation, and the moment he gets the slightest opportunity, he tries to lie down and do nothing. He ruins the atmosphere, but there is not much I can do about it. None of the other Apprentice Knights have managed to defeat him. He is quite a headache for me as Knight Commander.”
Igrun sighed as he watched Richard.
“His sword strike is certainly different.”
Compared to those of the other Apprentice Knights, Richard’s movements were exceptionally clean and free of unnecessary motion.
Richard had talent.
If properly developed, he had the potential to become an outstanding warrior.
The problem was that he had no intention of putting in any effort whatsoever.
‘!’
At that moment, Rodos’s eyes widened.
He had sensed a familiar energy from Richard.
‘I can feel Life Force.’
He could sense it whenever Richard swung his sword.
It was the Life Force that only those from the North should possess.
However, instead of flowing freely from him, the Life Force seemed to be obstructed by something, with only the smallest traces leaking out.
Interest appeared in Rodos’s eyes.
To think he could sense Life Force from an Apprentice Knight here….
“I will take him.”
“Very well. I hope this produces good results.”
Igrun was curious to see what would happen.
He felt that Rodos might be able to ignite some passion within Richard.
Rodos strode toward Richard.
Richard’s eyes widened at the sight of Rodos approaching with two axes strapped to his back.
“Richard. I have something to tell you.”
“What is it? What business does someone as distinguished as you have with someone like me, Young Master?”
He was clearly using polite speech, but his tone was exceedingly insolent.
“You will accompany me on my Regular Mission. Prepare yourself.”
“No, thank you. I know perfectly well how dangerous Regular Missions are. I still have plenty of things I want to do, and I have no desire to die like a dog this early.”
Richard frowned.
“I think you should leave me alone and go find someone more suitable.”
He already hated training.
And now a mission?
The very idea was ridiculous.
SHING!
Instead of answering, Rodos drew his tomahawk.
For someone training to become a Knight, Richard had remarkably poor manners.
“Drawing a weapon without warning? Are you insane? Are you asking me to fight you?”
Rodos nodded.
“If you win, I will withdraw my offer.”
“Is that so?”
The instant Richard finished speaking, he shot forward like an arrow and thrust his sword.
He had heard that Rodos had won the Duel, but he did not care.
His sword was fast, and none of the Apprentice Knights had ever managed to evade it.
The blade traced a clean, efficient trajectory toward Rodos.
‘He is very confident.’
That was Rodos’s impression as he watched Richard charge toward him.
The sight of someone overflowing with reckless bravado and pride reminded Rodos somewhat of himself before he had become the Great Warrior.
In that case, there was only one thing to teach Richard.
‘Manners.’
BANG!
With a tremendous crash, Richard was slammed into the ground.
Rodos had brought his tomahawk down on him, smashing both Richard and his sword into the earth.
“?”
Richard stared up at Rodos in complete bewilderment.
He had no idea what had just happened.
“In what world are you the Young Master of a prestigious family of mages? You are a barbarian.”
Richard’s entire body trembled from the impact, but his mouth remained perfectly functional.
If he had something to say, he always said it.
That was Richard’s motto.
“Even you have to admit that what you just did was rather barbaric, do you not, Young Master?”
“…….”
Instead of answering, Rodos grabbed Richard by the neck.
He intended to finish preparing quickly and depart for the Glaci Mountains, where the mission would take place.
“Just because you are a Young Master does not mean you can treat me however you please! I am an Apprentice Knight of the Knight Order!”
Richard struggled, but he could not escape Rodos’s muscular grip.
“Let go of me!”
Ignoring Richard’s protests, Rodos struck him on the head with the haft of his axe and knocked him unconscious.
“…….”
Richard went limp and could no longer speak.
“Knight Commander?”
The Instructor looked toward Igrun at the sudden commotion.
“Do not concern yourself with it.”
Igrun raised a hand as though nothing unusual had happened.
The Instructor and the other Apprentice Knights could only watch as Richard was dragged away somewhere.
‘Good luck.’
Igrun smiled and waved them off.
***
Richard did not regain consciousness until an entire day had passed.
It was cold.
A chill unlike anything he had ever experienced gnawed at his flesh.
“Ugh….”
Clutching his aching head, Richard opened his eyes and immediately stared in shock.
Beyond the doorway stretched an immense mountain range whose end could not be seen.
The vicious snowstorm howling through the gaps between the mountains made it abundantly clear that he was no longer at the Training Grounds.
“Young Master, forgive me for asking, but where exactly are we?”
Richard’s tone was considerably more polite than it had been at the Training Grounds.
An enormous Hall stretched around a Magic Circle glowing silver.
When Richard raised his head, he saw a muscular man calmly staring outside.
“The mission site. Get a hold of yourself.”
“???”
Richard’s mind filled with countless question marks.