How to Live as a Genius Knight in a Fantasy World

31.

“His Majesty the King is entering!”

As the attention of the people turned towards the inside of the hall at the appearance of King Arden VI, the ruler of the kingdom and the descendant of a great hero.

Dressed in a dazzling crown despite his magnificent attire, Rohan’s initial impression upon seeing the king was not about his adornments.

Even before the kingdom was established, the Arden family had a reputation as skilled swordsmen.

There seemed to be no lack of blood in the king’s well-trained body, and the aura of rigor naturally emanating from his trained physique further accentuated his majesty.

At first glance, he seemed more like a warrior than a king.

As he naturally took his seat on the throne, the knights who had entered with him positioned themselves around the throne as if guarding it.

Amidst the solemn atmosphere, a man standing to the left of the throne, Lord Frederick, with a sturdy body that belied his age and sharp eyes typical of the Arden faction, stepped forward after scanning the people beneath the dais and began to speak.

Despite the grandiose start of his speech, in essence, it was a call for loyalty to the royal family and a reminder to fulfill one’s duties in the kingdom.

After Lord Frederick’s speech concluded, the king finally spoke himself.

“People of the realm, have you enjoyed the festival?”

In his dignified voice befitting his appearance, the people filling the hall responded with enthusiasm.

As the king raised his hand to calm down those enthused by his voice, he continued speaking.

“This gathering was created for those who have faithfully served the crown for a year and worked hard for the prosperity of the kingdom. I am truly pleased that you have enjoyed the time here. Just as the festival was enjoyable, its end should be no different, don’t you agree?”

Upon the king’s words, cheers erupted here and there, as people anticipated the upcoming events.

“There are those among the subjects of the realm who have made significant contributions over the past year. Every effort deserves its due recognition. It is time for them to receive their rightful rewards. Viscount, please proceed.”

The ceremony of bestowal commanded by the king went on for quite some time.

After explaining, Lord Frederick handed over the certificates personally, detailing not only the accomplishments before receiving the title but also the obligations that came with the new title.

From those newly ennobled to those who had distinguished themselves in service, including those inheriting ancestral titles, the number of recipients was by no means small.

Only after all of their turns had passed did the order of the tournament winners, including Rohan, come up.

Although the tournament was aimed at those not knighted, in a world where martial prowess was highly valued, Rohan’s participation was no trivial matter.

Awards for fields such as tailoring, cooking, and sword-making were presented first, and finally, it was Rohan’s turn.

“Rohan of Ezel, step forward.”

At the Viscount’s command, Rohan took two steps forward.

“Rohan of Ezel, as the champion of the martial arts competition, you have shown exceptional skill and gained renown through honorable combat. In addition to the tournament prize, knighthood is bestowed upon you. Kneel, Rohan of Ezel!”

‘A knight…?’

Rohan, taken aback by the unexpected reward, trembled slightly, but he was not naive enough to not sense why such a reward was given in such a solemn place.

Following those who had received the accolade before, he knelt down, and the king standing beside the viscount drew his sword.

“I ask Ezell’s Rohan. Will you swear to be loyal to the royal family as a new knight, walking with courage along the path stained with blood?”

“I swear.”

“Will you consider honor and justice as the highest virtues, swearing to dedicate yourself to them?”

“I swear.”

“From this day forth, you are appointed as a knight of the Arden Kingdom. Heavy responsibilities rest upon your shoulders. Protect the kingdom, fight against the hands of evil. Furthermore, a new castle is bestowed upon you. Iriltas. From today, you shall be known as Rohan Iriltas.”

With these words, the king, by tapping Rohan’s shoulders with the drawn sword, signified the completion of the ceremony.

Shaken by the unexpected reward, Rohan’s body trembled.

He had become a knight thanks to the tournament he had entered without much thought.

Not just any noble, but a knight directly appointed by the king himself.

Moreover, receiving a castle as well, it could be considered an achievement worthy of being passed down as a legend in the Ezell region for generations to come.

“I will repay… Arhen.”

A colleague he had not yet seen due to his busy schedule came to mind.

News had reached him that his condition had rapidly improved thanks to the potions received through the Earl’s care and the excellent care of the healer, but he felt he must visit before departing.

Though he had participated for money, the income was now insignificant, as being treated as a core military force wherever he went was the status of a knight.

As Rohan left the palace, filled with deep joy, the viscount Ezell remained in the deserted palace.

He was there to meet Count Frederick.

“It’s been a while, Viscount.”

“Count, it’s been a while. Thank you for meeting me at this late hour.”

“No need for formalities. You wouldn’t call me at this hour without a reason. Have you been well?”

“I faced some challenges, but I managed to overcome them.”

“I heard you had a hard time in Prielle. So, what brings you here?”

“…In truth, I encountered a group of trolls on my way to Arden. Four of them appeared at once in the forest.”

“Hmm, unusual. But not impossible. You made it here in one piece?”

“I brought many knights with me. We were lucky. Anyway, we killed the trolls and searched their lair. I wanted to show my apprentice what could be obtained from creatures.”

“Hmm, and?”

“I found this bead there.”

“I don’t sense any energy from it…”

“True. But doesn’t it seem like it’s been touched by human hands?”

“Hmm… So, what is this? You wouldn’t have brought it to me just because it’s suspicious.”

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“I consulted the tower. More precisely, I asked a friend in the tower personally. It emitted dark magic.”

“What? Dark magic? Am I hearing this correctly?”

“Yes. Take a look at this.”

“…Oh my…”

Seeing the dark magic seep from the bead that touched the demon’s flesh, the count gasped, forgetting his composure.

It had been thirty years since the last dark wizard appeared in the Arden Kingdom.

Enough time had passed for even significant tragedies to be forgotten in people’s minds.

Nevertheless, the Kingdom of Arden remained one of the most hostile nations towards black magic than any other country.

The scars left by the calamity caused by a dark sorcerer thirty years ago were significant and deep in Arden.

The viscount, sighing, briefly covered his eyes and lost himself in thought.

Viscount Frederick was never one to be swayed by emotions.

The position of the King’s advisor and the head of a faction was not one where an emotionally-driven individual could hold sway.

Aligning the interests of the nation and the factions was never an easy task.

Even for someone like Viscount Frederick, the appearance of a dark sorcerer was not a matter to be taken lightly.

“If left unchecked, they will undoubtedly bring about a sight akin to hell.”

The viscount himself had directly witnessed and experienced the tragedy thirty years ago.

He knew their malevolence all too well.

It was clear that a response on a kingdom-wide scale was necessary.

What Viscount Frederick was contemplating was whether to involve the temple or not.

While the clergy’s influence would undoubtedly be a significant force in combating evil, the issue lay in what came after the dark sorcerer was dealt with.

If they were to seek their help, the kingdom would undoubtedly have to pay a price.

Material rewards aside, they would have to entertain various demands for the expansion of the clergy’s influence.

And this was a matter that did not sit well with either the king or the nobility.

“Have you informed the temple?”

“Not yet. I thought it best to inform Your Majesty first…”

“Good call. Dealing with the dark sorcerer is crucial, but His Majesty, given his nature, may not be keen on associating with the temple unnecessarily.”

“The eradication… must proceed.”

“Of course. We all experienced that tragedy firsthand. Regardless of the temple’s involvement, we must certainly put an end to them.”

The viscount’s resolute response brought a sense of relief to the marquis, whose expression brightened considerably.

As the marquis faced Viscount Frederick,

Lohan and the other soldiers suddenly found themselves with free time due to a sudden change in the schedule, each filling the void in their own way.

“Today’s the last day, huh. Kind of regrettable, isn’t it?”

“But we’re leaving tomorrow, so can you really consider it one more day?”

“Ah, well, we depart at dawn, but can that be seen as an extra day?”

“Ugh, even though I’m going back to my hometown, just thinking about the stench makes me so sad.”

“Of course you’d be sad. This place is like a backwater compared to here.”

“Yeah, even the women’s faces are different.”

Most of the soldiers chose to enjoy the scenery of a possibly last day or spent time drinking, not knowing what the future held.

Meanwhile, Lohan visited a clinic he hadn’t seen before and met Arhen.

He seemed unable to move freely, lying in bed with his upper body wrapped in bandages.

“Arhen, how have you been?”

“Oh, Lohan. Long time no see. Heard you won the tournament? Congratulations.”

“Thanks to you. I’ll treat you big time later. Oh, this is a gift.”

Offering a basket containing fruits and snacks, Arhen responded with a bright smile.

“Yeah. You participated because of me, didn’t you? hahahaha! Ouch…”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. The healers said I’m recovering well. It’ll just take a while to heal due to the severity of the wounds.”

The extent of the injuries Arghen had heard from Argen’s mouth was staggering.

It was said that three ribs were broken, and there were significant injuries to the chest and abdomen.

Fortunately, thanks to the well-trained muscles, he managed to avoid internal injuries, which was a relief.

“Well, I wonder how I’ll recover.”

“Yeah, I got a potion, and the healer seems skilled. But returning to Ezel this time is out of the question. We’ll have to follow the merchants next time or something…”

As if worried about the journey ahead, Arghen furrowed his brow.

Of course, with his stature and strength, joining the northbound journey to Ezel wouldn’t be difficult, but it was clear that it would be more uncomfortable than being with familiar faces.

As Arghen grew bored and they chatted for a long time, the story of him becoming a knight came up.

He hadn’t told the other soldiers yet, thinking they might feel awkward, but somehow, he ended up revealing it to Arghen first.

“What? Knighted? By the lord himself?”

Arghen couldn’t hide his astonishment upon hearing the news.

His voice rose, causing him to feel the pain once again.

“So, should I address you as Sir Rohan now? Should I be more formal? But what does ‘Ilitasra’ mean?”

The thought of Arghen speaking to himself in a formal manner was daunting to imagine.

However, in a society where status was clearly defined, it was an unavoidable part.

Still, in a private setting like this, he didn’t particularly want to be addressed so formally.

“It’s fine when it’s just us two. I’m curious too. I got the title, but I don’t really know what it means.”

As the two were engrossed in an unsolvable mystery, the healer who had been listening to their conversation suddenly provided the answer.

“If it’s Ilitasra… in Ancient language, it means ‘shining victory.'”

“Oh? Is that really it?”

“Yes, I’ve learned from ancient texts written in the Ancient language. You’ve received a great title.”

“Rohan, congratulations. Just obtaining the title is a remarkable feat, and to have such a great meaning! No, Ilitasra Sir! Congratulations!”

Rohan couldn’t help but smile at Arghen’s enthusiasm.

Even though it had only been a few hours since he was knighted, the reality hadn’t sunk in yet. But seeing Arghen celebrating with him, he began to feel the reality sinking in little by little.