Chapter 61 …
Ishitor’s face twisted into a grimace.
“Golden arrow… don’t tell me you got it from that damn unlucky prince?”
“Well… something like that.”
No matter how much Ikael tried to explain that Edgar had given it as a gesture of friendship, Ishitor wouldn’t understand.
So, he had no choice but to skirt around the truth.
“Did… did he give you anything besides the golden arrow?”
“Nothing. That’s it.”
“Right? That’s all?”
If Ishitor knew what other rewards Ikael had received, he would be green with envy. It wasn’t even comparable to gold.
But Ikael didn’t want to stir up unnecessary trouble, so he said nothing.
‘If Ishitor finds out I read the royal magic books, he won’t stay quiet. He’d never touch reading, though.’
For Ishitor, it was more important that he had earned the favor of the royal family than what was written in the books.
‘I didn’t expect this. Prince Edgar would help me in this way…’
At the expedition site, Edgar and Ikael had been investigating the troll incident together. As members of the two central noble families of the empire, their involvement was only natural.
At that time, Ikael made a request to Prince Edgar.
‘Your Highness, may I examine some of the royal magical texts?’
‘Magical texts?’
‘Yes. I want to thoroughly understand the seals used on the trolls.’
The royal family used highly advanced magic. Naturally, their magical texts were invaluable and not something anyone could borrow.
But surprisingly, Edgar readily agreed.
‘Very well. You have the right to examine them.’
Ikael quietly rejoiced. While the troll investigation was important, it was also an excellent opportunity to learn about the Danjeon-sealing magic.
‘We can’t assume it was the royal family who sealed the Danjeon, but this is a perfect chance to investigate!’
Edgar ordered the nearby royal library to open its secret archive. Though it wasn’t quite the same as the books held directly by the royal family, it was still an incredible opportunity.
Ikael carefully examined the contents of the books.
‘As expected. Sealing a swordsman’s Danjeon requires far more powerful magic than stuffing a troll!’
Blocking only the flow of aura within the body was an extremely complex and difficult task.
‘If it’s not just an ordinary swordsman but a Rekrit’s Danjeon, it would require even more power.’
It was still unclear whether it was the royal family, the mage tower, or some other force. But one thing was certain: it was not Prince Edgar.
The more Ikael observed Edgar, the more he realized the prince harbored no malice.
Before leaving, Ikael and Edgar shook hands in front of everyone.
‘If you ever need the royal family’s assistance, speak up. The best of everything is gathered within the royal court.’
‘Indeed. The finest knights are gathered in Rekrit.’
The two smiled at each other. Ikael thought to himself that perhaps the greatest reward of this journey was Prince Edgar himself.
‘I don’t know why a proud prince is so benevolent, but it’s fortunate. He saved lives, so perhaps it’s only natural…’
Ikael did not know that behind Edgar’s eyes lingered a long-held admiration. That night, the prince stayed awake late, unable to sleep.
Whoosh! Slash!
Edgar swung his sword in the villa’s garden.
‘One day… one day, I’ll reach that level.’
He had promised himself that he would.
Before long, Ikael and Ishitor arrived at Bronze Castle.
“Oh my, Master Ikael, you’ve brought back more luggage than when you left?”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Ikael responded absentmindedly to the maids’ remarks.
“Did you receive some… huh?!”
The maids who approached to sort the luggage were left speechless. The contents of Ikael’s luggage were far beyond what could simply be called gifts.
“Master! What is all of this?!”
When they gathered the treasures Ikael had brought, they shone like a small golden mountain.
“Can… can we just wipe them with cloth, Master?”
“Ah, Master! Where are you going?”
“To the training ground.”
Ikael tossed the treasures aside like luggage and headed straight for the training ground. His expression was calm, but his heart burned more than ever.
‘Almost there.’
He could not forget the moment he controlled the aura through the arrow.
‘Just a little more. Just a little longer, and it will be enough.’
He had defeated a troll with a single slender arrow—a feat possible only with incredibly fine control.
‘I did this under life-threatening conditions. Next time, it’ll be easier!’
There is a world of difference between finding an unknown path and retracing a familiar one.
The desert aura that had seemed so distant now felt within his grasp.
Ikael quickened his pace, eager to grasp his sword.
“Master Ikael!”
As he entered the training ground, the knights saluted energetically.
“Good.”
Among them, Instructor Lucy gave a long greeting.
“Master Ikael, I’m glad you returned safely. During your absence, the knights have been training with the first volume of the Rekrit manual.”
Ikael gave a brief nod and raised his longsword.
Slash!
“I won’t waste words. Anyone who wants to spar, step forward!”
“S-Spar?!”
The exhausted knights’ eyes widened. Before them stood Silver Knight Ikael, his raised sword gleaming brightly. Not some boring textbook.
While Ikael had been away, Instructor Lucy had been in charge of the training ground. Though useful, the lessons were dreadfully dull.
And now, sparring with Ikael? Nothing could excite them more.
Yet, no one stepped forward immediately.
‘Master Ikael seems… incredibly excited!’
‘What happened while he was away?’
All the way to the training ground, Ikael had been itching to hold his sword, eager to see how far his aura circle had developed.
Unaware of this, Lucy firmly objected.
“Master Ikael! Sparring now? The knights must first perfect their basics.”
“So… is there no one who wishes to fight me?”
‘Of course there is!!’
The knights were no different from Ikael. They were desperate for a proper sparring match, but Lucy was blocking them.
“Everyone! At least properly greet Master Ikael first!”
Even in this heightened moment, Lucy insisted on following protocol. But as a river cannot be held back by a single person…
Slash!
Ikael could no longer wait. He raised his sword and shouted:
“Anyone, come at me!”
“Waaaah!!!”
The knights surged forward like a breached dam.
Lucy tried to intervene.
“N-No! Proper greetings first…”
“Waaaah!!!”
Her voice was swallowed by the wave of swords.
On one side was Ikael, and on the other, the knights raised their swords and charged.
“Why… is the formation breaking apart?!”
Then Lucy’s eyes widened in shock.
Thud!
‘N-No?!’
Ikael met the swords of multiple knights at once. Four or so blades pressed against his longsword.
Click! Click!
He held them effortlessly.
‘Even for Master Ikael… how is he doing this?!’
During the short time since the expedition, Ikael had grown significantly. He, too, was amazed.
‘The power of my aura circle!’
Whoosh!
With his heartbeat racing, the aura circle surged through his entire body, empowering every fiber.
‘Now I can do it!’
Ikael reveled in the spread of his power.
Clang!!
He struck down the knights clinging to him.
“Arrgh!”
Even though the knights had improved enormously, they could not defeat a single Ikael.
As they fell, others charged from the front and behind.
Clack! Thwack!
Ikael stepped lightly on their blades.
Thwack!!
He brought his sword down, shattering theirs.
“Ahhh!”
“Th-Their swords broke?!”
It was not the power of the longsword—it was Ikael’s own strength.
Even as the swords broke, the knights hesitated only briefly before charging again.
“Waaaah!!!”
Hee-hee—
“That’s more like it.”
Ikael smiled in satisfaction. Even clashing swords revealed that the knights’ skills had improved greatly, but his own growth far outpaced theirs.
Thwack!
Ikael leapt higher, surveying the ground below like a bird, and called to Lucy:
“Lucy, you’ve taught the knights very well. Excellent work!”
“M-Master!”
Even in that brief conversation, attacks came from beneath him.
Thud! Clang!
Ikael ruthlessly deflected or destroyed them, savoring the incredible speed. The aura circle reached every corner of his body.
“Lucy, take a leave for now! I’ll issue the permit.”
“W-What?!”
Chaaang! Thwack!
Ikael swung endlessly. A few days wouldn’t be enough to fight these frenzied knights to his satisfaction.
“I’ll take care of them while you’re gone!”
“Waaaah!!!”
Thak! Thwack!
That day, the clash of swords in Ikael’s training ground continued late into the night. It seemed like a war had broken out, yet the knights’ faces showed nothing but near-mad joy.
The results of that sparring match were spoken of for years: twenty exhausted knights and a staggering 120 broken swords.
A few days had passed since Ikael returned.
Having spent all that time at the training ground with the knights, he finally entered his palace.
“Welcome back, Master Ikael.”
“Yes.”
By now, the training ground felt more familiar than the palace.
Meanwhile, the maids had finished organizing the treasures. Ikael’s treasures were now displayed in piles throughout the palace.
“I’ll have to ask Father to open the treasure vault… there’s just too much.”
But the reply from Kairon was unexpected.
“The head of the family says it is impossible to open the treasure vault for you.”
“Huh?”
“Wherever you go, you acquire so many treasures that it’s difficult to open the vault each time, the head said.”
“I see…”
Clink—
At that moment, a messenger knight produced something from his bosom: a gleaming golden key.
“This…!”
“It is the key to the treasure vault. The head of the family has granted it to Master Ikael.”
“!”
Ikael’s eyes widened in surprise. His knights, quietly observing, were equally astonished.
Having access to the treasure vault meant far more than just holding a key.
‘All of this… for me?’
