Breakers

"Ya, ya! Stay away! Don’t tease me! Why the hell did you bring this brat? I had decided we’re to keep it a secret! This is a breach of contract!”

Amita banged their tail against the floor.

It seemed like they were angrier than usual.

However, as usual, the party didn’t pay attention to Amita’s anger.

"The raccoon wearing glasses is cute!”

Caitlin patted her cheeks and sighed.

Caitlin’s eyes shone brightly when she saw Amita wearing large, round glasses.

That wasn’t all. Amita was squatting on the floor and embroidering a piece of cloth that Daphne was holding.

"Raccoon person, what are you doing?”

Carack asked the question that the party was curious about and Amita hit the ground with their tail again.

"Can't you tell just by looking? I am embroidering!”

There were coloured threads on a needle and a green cloth that fit well with Daphne. Felicia sighed when she saw the embroidery.

This was because they were sophisticated magic patterns and not just decorative embroidery.

However, the rest of the people just saw Amita’s small hands holding a needle.

“Cute...”

Caitlin said once again, and Delia and Seira nodded in agreement.

Amita cried out again,

"Aish! Why did he come here?! And you! Don’t smile or laugh! That expression is annoying!”

The target of Amita’s needle was the sword duke, who laughed and pointed at Amita’s neck.

"Amita, that necklace is something else. Did you change your job into a pet or something?”

A collar meant it was an animal with a master. Although it was necessary to disguise Amita as an ordinary raccoon, a collar was still a collar.

“Kiiii! This is a fashion item! Fashion!”

Amita jumped up and exclaimed, causing the sword duke to laugh even more. Daphne embraced Amita from behind.

"Amita, calm down. It suits you very well.”

"Ohh...”

Although they were supposed to be comforting words, Amita’s shoulders sagged after hearing that the collar fit them. Their voice also became heavy like they felt a sudden fatigue.

"Why the hell did you bring him anyway? I had decided to keep it a secret.”

As Amita directed the question to In-gong, the sword duke then opened his mouth again.

"I asked him to invite me. I heard that 9th Prince’s party arrived with a raccoon, so I thought it might be you.”

They hadn’t had one with them at Thunderdoom Fortress, so he was sure it was Amita when a raccoon suddenly appeared.

“However, it is really surprising. I told them your location but... I honestly hadn’t expected you to accept the commission or to follow them.”

"It is a long story, very long...”

Amita sighed with a grim expression.

Felicia glanced at Amita and asked in a cautious voice,

"Then Amita, how is your progress now?”

“What? Don’t ask, don’t ask! I hate people who pressure me about orders the most!”

Amita kicked their arms and legs from within Daphne’s arms. The startled Felicia quickly explained,

"I’m not trying to pressure you. It's just that Silvan will go to a different place from us in a week. I want to give him the sword before that.”

“Felicia.”

Silvan stared at Felicia with moist eyes like he was touched. However, Felicia just pushed him aside and asked Amita again,

"How is it?"

It was for the sake of a brother and sister. Amita was weak in this regard and shook their head quietly.

"Uhh, I’ve drafted the blueprint but haven’t started working on it yet. It is possible if I raise the priority of the sword from now on but...”

Amita glanced at Felicia and Silvan and sighed. It was because of Felicia’s words and Silvan’s eager expression.

"Well, I am tired of making armor, but the exterior will be simple. It will be like the sword duke’s sword.”

Amita pointed to the sword hanging from the sword duke’s waist and the sword duke caressed it with a cheerful face.

"Simplicity is best.”

As they had already seen at Thunderdoom Fortress, there were no decorations on the sword duke’s sword. The sheath was shabby and the handle simple.

However, Silvan nodded like he liked it.

“Thank you. I will wait happily.”

He was pleased about the fact that it would be similar to the sword duke’s sword. It was something that Silvan would have asked for.

Once Amita gave their permission, Felicia looked at In-gong and Caitlin with an apologetic expression.

“Shutra, Caitlin, I’m sorry. Please understand.”

“Yes, Unni. I’m fine.”

"I'm okay."

Caitlin and In-gong answered coolly. Caitlin thought that Felicia had a good heart.

While In-gong… he had plenty of things to receive from Amita. 'And... I am going to take Amita on this journey.’

Silvan was going to a different area, so it was reasonable to supply him with his equipment first.

"Uhh, I am getting chills all of a sudden.”

Amita suddenly shivered like they heard In-gong’s thoughts.

"By the way, are you leaving after a week?”

"Yes, there is a new mission.”

Felicia answered Amita’s question. Amita frowned, then they said to In-gong,

“Um... 9th Prince, give me Earth Quaker and White Eagle. I will go ahead with their readjustment. I’ll have to hurry.”

"Will it be possible in time?”

“I will see. It isn’t a new item but a readjustment.”

Earth Quaker and White Eagle could be said to be In-gong’s main force. As the period of unavailability increased, it would become more burdensome. It would be good to do it while in the relatively safe Demon King’s Palace.

"Well, it is good to see you. I won’t be staying in the Demon King’s Palace for a long time, but I will often come to visit.”

The sword duke laughed as he spoke and Amita waved their hand with a sour expression.

"You will disturb my work. Don't come, don't come. Don’t laugh.”

“Amita.”

Daphne soothed Amita in an affectionate voice. It worked as Amita shook their tail and said,

“Well, yes. That reminds me, I have one thing to show you. I completed it over the past few days. It is a good feeling when something is completed.”

"Ohh, what is it?”

Carack asked Amita excitedly.

"Your shield. Well, it is for 9th Prince, but it will be yours.”

“Ohh!”

"Come along to the workshop."

Amita jumped out of Daphne’s arms and walked out of the room. Carack looked at In-gong, clearly asking for permission, and In-gong gave it to him.

“Go.”

"I’m going.”

Carack walked out of the room with light steps. The sword duke said with a smile,

"Amita now has many friends. You’ve made a good bond.”

"It is thanks to Sword Duke’s introduction.”

"Anyone can receive an introduction, but it is uncommon for anyone to move Amita. You don’t need to be so modest.”

As he said those good words, Felicia raised her hand and asked,

"Sword Duke, what happened today? Is there any more detailed information about the enemies on the periphery?”

"I’ve heard many things and the atmosphere around the Demon King’s Palace is bad. Even if the demon king doesn’t mind you competing against each other, the royal children shouldn’t harm each other. Well, it is also good that I saw 9th Prince.”

As Felicia had guessed, the sword duke had intervened to help protect In-gong.

Moreover, the sword duke’s words were true.

Even in Knight Saga, the children of the demon king never tried to harm each other by sending assassins or poisoning the food. As the sword duke said, the demon king didn’t want that. Those who tried to attack their siblings would receive the wrath of the demon king.

The sword duke then answered Felicia’s second question,

"The enemies on the periphery... Unfortunately, that information is to be distributed by the Merits Department. There is no such thing as specially hidden information.”

After returning to the mansion from the court gathering, they had met Amita straight away, so there hadn’t been a chance to check the information.

The sword duke then said,

"I’ll just say one thing. An enemy with the strength of that spearman, who showed up at Thunderdoom Fortress, hasn’t appeared.”

The Demon King’s Palace was dispatching the princes and princesses.

The surface reason was to defend each area.

However, if In-gong stepped back and looked at it, that wasn’t the whole truth. They were dispatching the princes and princesses knowing that enemies with the purple aura would appear.

In addition to that, there was a second reason.

Dispatching the princes and princesses to the outside meant that the defenses in certain areas would be strengthened. In other words, the intention was to destroy the will to attack itself.

Of course, the places where the princes and princesses were dispatched were important areas that needed to be guarded.

The basic plan was for the princes and princesses to defend the area and trace the source of the purple aura.

After hearing the sword duke’s words, In-gong recalled Zephyr’s face.

He had wanted to go to Evian.

Currently, In-gong was opposing the Death Knight and Famine Knight. However, when talking about his ultimate enemy, he couldn’t help thinking of Zephyr.

'I have to hurry.’

He had to secure Nayatra and accumulate the power to become the demon king.

'I have to go to the library. I don’t know if I can get the information needed at my current merit level, but it would be better than not checking.’

This was to prepare for the Death Knight.

Along with the Four Knights of the Apocalypse, he needed more information about Conquest, War, Death and Famine going against the elder dragons:

The extinction of a native species;

The purpose of the Death Knight in killing the guardians;

The intense affection Famine and Death had toward Conquest;

And Watcher Ainkel’s murder 1,000 years ago...

The keywords were scattered all over the place. There had to be a central axis connecting them.

Amita and Carack came back while In-gong was deep in thought.

“Prince, look at this! Didn’t it turn out well?”

Carack held out a shield excitedly. It was a diamond shaped, black shield made of black dragon scales and leather.

"It is a little rough, but it is a tough shield.”

Amita said with a proud smile.

In-gong asked Carack,

"Can I hold it for a moment?”

"Here you go."

Carack handed the shield to In-gong. Not only was the appearance crude, but it had a considerable weight.

As In-gong held the shield, letters made of light appeared in front of him.

[Strength has increased by 5.]

[Persistence has increased by 5.]

[Durability has increased by 5.]

[Built-in skill: Unite has been acquired.]

“Huh? Unite?”

In-gong muttered and Amita’s eyes shone.

"Heok, did you notice?”

“Huh? What does that mean? Unite?"

Carack asked with wide eyes. Amita responded with a laugh,

"There are additional parts. They can join with your shield.

"Additional parts?”

"Prince, give the shield back to the orc. Orc, the trigger word is caltos.”

At Amita’s prompt, In-gong passed the shield back to Carack. Carack equipped the shield on his right arm, swallowed his saliva and shouted,

“Caltos!”

The moment he shouted, there were shouts outside in the hallway. It sounded like there was a struggle.

In-gong, Silvan and Chris responded to the sound, but the sword duke raised his hand and restrained them. The reason soon appeared.

“Ohh! Ohhh!”

Additional parts flew from Amita’s workshop and clung to Carack’s shield with a loud clang. The servants were surprised due to the extra parts.

With the addition of all the extra parts, Carack’s shield nearly doubled in size. It was like looking at a big, solid gate.

“It has magic reflection ability and the physical defense also increases significantly. When it comes to simple defense, it is better than White Eagle. Don’t worry, I’ve thought of an easy way to carry the additional parts.”

Amita raised their chin proudly, then the forgotten Green Wind’s upset voice was heard in In-gong’s ear.

‘Ah, no. My presence...’

In-gong laughed and said to Amita,

"Will you be able to readjust White Eagle?”

“It will be an interesting challenge.”

It was an equipment from an elder dragon.

Green Wind sighed with relief at Amita’s answer and the others were full of expectations for their equipment.

It was at that moment...

A bell rang a few times and Flora entered the room. She was embarrassed to see the group of excited people but soon return to her usual calm expression.

"9th Prince, a letter from the 1st Prince has arrived for you.”

“From Baikal orabeoni?”

Instead of replying to Felicia’s question, Flora handed the letter to In-gong.

All eyes were focused on In-gong as he opened it.