Chapter 252 : Chapter 252

Chapter 252

This ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍was Yulian’s room, assigned to him through Crown Prince Marcelo’s consideration after he left the prison.

“Are ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you feeling better?”

Killian ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍asked as he casually sat down in a chair.

Yulian ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had already recovered somewhat through healing magic and recovery potions.

“Have ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you decided not to show even the bare minimum of respect now?”

“There ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is no one watching.”

“Even if there is no one watching... I am still your...”

“More importantly, what happened?”

“Hmm...”

Yulian groaned, pressing a hand to his head.

“I am not asking to blame you.”

Killian warned him not to hide anything needlessly and make matters worse. He was both the commander of the Annihilation Squad, which investigated every incident that occurred in Eurasia, and the Tactician of the Blue Knight Order.

“Who was it that came all the way to the Ocean Current Nation and got you out of prison?”

“That was at Mother’s request...”

“Do you want to go back to prison?”

“No, that is...”

“Remember that I am the only person here who can help you. I need to understand the situation properly if I am to help.”

At the word help, Yulian looked uncomfortable, but he opened his mouth.

“The ruler of the mountain range suddenly appeared.”

“A ruler?”

“No, at this point, I do not even know whether that bastard really was the ruler.”

“...”

“Do not look at me like that. I know well enough that I am pathetic.”

Yulian continued with a grimace.

While their mountain subjugation had been progressing successfully, they had happened to encounter a monster on the level of a ruler. The subjugation force, which did not include a 7-star knight, suffered severe losses.

Killian already knew that much.

“According to the rangers’ reports, it was not a place where something like that should have appeared...”

Yulian muttered, still wearing an expression of disbelief.

It was a reaction Killian often saw from people who had panicked in a subjugation battle.

‘It seems similar incidents have been happening often lately.’

There were hundreds of mountain ranges across the Continent, and their rulers shared one trait.

Namely, rulers never revealed themselves below the middle reaches of a mountain range.

There were many theories about why, but no clear reason had yet been found.

Those who climbed mountain ranges were merely grateful that they could preserve their lives without bringing a Superhuman along.

But the rule that had held until now was beginning to break because of the variants that had recently started appearing.

‘It is not a good sign.’

“Finding the cave was purely by chance. There... I witnessed an unbelievable sight.”

As though he had recalled that moment, Yulian’s face went pale.

“A human was eating monsters.”

“A human?”

It was not particularly surprising for omnivorous monsters to eat humans.

But the reverse was another matter.

“The corpses of half-eaten monsters were piled up nearby.”

There were creatures known to inhabit the mountain range, along with high-grade monsters he had never seen before.

The places where their Magic Stones should have been were hollowed out, and the rotting corpses gave off a stench sharp enough to sting the nose.

‘It was too vivid to dismiss as a mistake.’

“And the moment I stared into its red eyes, shameful as it is to say... it felt as though my heart had stopped.”

Yulian’s breathing quickened as the memory formed in his mind.

“The thought of resisting never even occurred to me. I thought I was certainly going to die.”

Hoo...

As if to shake off the pressure, Yulian let out a deep breath.

“Then it suddenly muttered something I could not understand. It was closer to human speech than a monster’s cry.”

That was why he believed his opponent had been human rather than a monster.

Yulian continued without pause.

“When I opened my eyes again, I was outside the cave. I desperately ran down the mountain range, and after that, as you know... I was imprisoned and interrogated by people whose language I could not even understand.”

He ended with a resentful air, saying that if there had been someone who understood Continental, they should not have treated him this way.

That was not what Killian wanted to know.

“Was it really human?”

“What?”

“The thing you said you encountered in the cave. Could it have been a humanoid monster?”

“The cave was dark, and I was not in my right mind, so even the flames of the Red Flame Sword did not illuminate it well. But its appearance was no different from a human’s. While I was in prison, I wondered whether it might have been an undead like a Death Knight or Lich. But those creatures are not the kind that fill their bellies with monsters, are they?”

“And there was no Barrier guarding the cave.”

“I am not an idiot. If there had been one, I would not have entered.”

Thinking he had been dismissed, Yulian raised his voice.

Ignoring Yulian’s attempts to defend himself, Killian sank into thought.

‘Yes. No matter how foolish Yulian is, he would not casually enter somewhere protected by a Barrier.’

Then why had the Barrier reacted to him?

And there was the human Yulian had encountered inside the dungeon.

‘Whether that thing was human or monster, there was no reason to leave Yulian alive.’

Rather, after Yulian had discovered the secret acts being carried out in such a place, it should have killed him to silence him.

‘Yet it deliberately sent him here, to the Ocean Current Nation...’

Using a Formula like one the Monster Lord of the past might have used, no less.

‘The more I learn, the less anything makes sense.’

Just as Crown Prince Marcelo had sent an expedition to confirm Yulian’s story, Killian wanted to mobilize the Annihilation Squad at once.

“More importantly, how did you get here? It does not look as though you brought a Knight Order with you.”

“It would take too long to explain the tracking method.”

He simply pointed at the necklace Yulian was wearing.

“I see... I survived thanks to it. Though the competition for the throne is over.”

“You will have to take responsibility for losing the knights.”

“I intend to.”

Yulian spoke bitterly, then his face twisted.

“Damn it, the throne was right in front of me...”

Tears welled up in his eyes.

It was probably the bitterness of seeing the dream he had dedicated his entire life to collapse.

“Get ahold of yourself, Yulian.”

“Did you not say so yourself? That if you helped me, neither the competition to become Family Head nor even the competition for the throne would be impossible?”

It was something Killian had said early after he reincarnated into the body of Killian Eurasia, in order to obtain support from Yulian and Emma Eurasia.

“I did.”

“But you must have thought I was pathetic as well.”

“Hmm. Was I that obvious?”

“You bastard...”

“Do not wallow in self-pity.”

Killian’s voice turned cold.

“Before you are a prince competing for the throne, you are a knight responsible for a Knight Order.”

“I...”

“You should have been planning for what came next while you were locked up, because merely taking responsibility would not have been enough. What kind of disgraceful display is this?”

“I trusted you...”

“I am saying that you do not even have the right to collapse.”

At the harsh rebuke, Yulian smiled weakly.

“Yes... You are right about everything.”

He had the look of a man who had given up on himself.

“Ever since you awakened again, you have always been like this. It is as though your very core has been replaced.”

Killian did not deny it.

The original Killian Eurasia had died, and he had merely taken possession of that body.

“But there is one thing you are forgetting. Not everyone can change as suddenly as you did.”

“You are making excuses to the end.”

“I did my best too!”

Killian sighed as he watched Yulian shout.

Yulian was the very person who had hastened Killian’s death. If Killian thought only of his own death, this was a man he should have killed in revenge.

‘Even someone like this is still Edan’s descendant.’

At some point, Killian had found himself in the position of personally looking after his inadequate elder brother.

It was not much different from the role he had played in leading his partners when he had been the Magic Sword.

“Think back to when I first taught you.”

“As if that counted as teaching...”

“You could not surpass 2-star.”

After reincarnating in Killian Eurasia’s body, forging his Mana Heart, and exchanging meaningful greetings, Killian had visited Yulian again and found him acting foolishly because he had fallen into a Slump.

‘Had I left him as he was, I would never have seen him again.’

Having already broken, Yulian would never have risen again.

He would have failed to find his place in Eurasia’s great undertaking, which was drawing near, and faded away quietly.

Even if he trained with the sword for his entire life, he would have reached 5-star at best.

Killian had judged that Yulian did not possess much talent as a knight.

“Yet you have already reached 5-star.”

“Do you want me to acknowledge your contribution?”

“I am not talking about my contribution. I am talking about yours.”

“What...?”

“Other people’s recognition does not matter. Whether you borrowed my strength or accepted Emma Eurasia’s support, your present self is an accomplishment you achieved with your own hands, is it not?”

“...”

Yulian’s eyes wavered slightly.

“The Empire may start a war again at any time. You do not think Eurasia can fight a proper war while the forces of the Knight Order Commander and Annihilation Squad Leader are both absent, do you?”

Killian was telling him to focus on returning to Eurasia now and take responsibility afterward.

“Damn it, I understand perfectly. So, do you intend to accept Crown Prince Marcelo’s demand?”

Marcelo’s talk of conquering the Continent when he had released Yulian from prison.

They were princes of Eurasia and served as the Annihilation Squad Leader and a Knight Order Commander, respectively.

To Crown Prince Marcelo, their positions would be highly valuable in many ways.

“We have no grounds to refuse Crown Prince Marcelo’s proposal. But if we refuse, he will not permit us to return to Eurasia.”

That might be different on the Continent.

But on the island nation of the Ocean Current Nation, there was no way to return to Eurasia without receiving help.

In truth, they had only left the prison. They were still effectively being held.

“What if we escape now and try to find the cave in the mountain range?”

“That would be a gamble.”

“Then you are saying we should help that bastard conquer the Continent?”

“I used up one valuable debt saving someone.”

“...”

“Do not worry. We only need to make him owe us another. More importantly, you must be stiff from being unable to swing a sword for so long, right?”

“...?”

“Let us loosen up for the first time in a while.”

***

The training ground at Aquares’s capital castle.

Crack. Crack.

Before more than ten court knights, Killian and Yulian clashed wooden swords.

Even without using mana, Killian was thoroughly overwhelming Yulian.

“Hey, Killian... Take it easy...”

Crack!

“Urgh...”

Yulian staggered after blocking Killian’s lightly swung wooden sword.

“Your movements are duller than they were at 4-star. It is remarkable that you carried out a subjugation operation with such skill.”

Unable to tell whether it was swordsmanship instruction or mockery, Yulian made a face and steadied his breathing.

“As the Tactician of the Blue Knight Order, I am embarrassed before the knights who departed first.”

“You...!”

Yulian bit his lip and charged.

“Guh...”

The sight of him rolling across the floor before he could even exchange five blows repeated itself.

Two days passed that way.

‘That Teruba. He has not shown his face at all.’

He had sent word and easily obtained permission to use the training ground, but that was all.

There had been no further contact from Crown Prince Marcelo or Teruba.

Even when he asked to meet them, the only response was that he should wait.

‘I need that man to sway the Crown Prince. Are they waiting for us to grow exhausted?’

“Killian, can this really... Gah!!”

“It has been a while since you had swordsmanship instruction. It seems you still have the strength to flap your lips?”

“You bastard... Really... Urgh...”

Yulian was barely managing to block Killian’s casually swung sword when—

“You are having an interesting spar.”

At the sudden voice, Killian stopped his attack.

Then.

“Would you care to cross swords with me as well?”

He met the eyes of a woman with long blue-green hair.