Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 62

6. Returning

1

“Captain!” The Lakan Knights, startled, shouted and rushed forward.

As they approached, they checked Marina’s condition. It was broken and shattered in many places, but fortunately, Philip in the cockpit was safe.

“I won. Now, you all retreat,” Hwang Bo-sung confidently demanded of Luke, having returned the wooden puppet beyond the barrier.

“Alright. A promise is a promise,” Luke conceded.

“That won’t do. If we return like this, we might be disciplined,” his subordinates objected from the side, but Luke waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s okay. We can just say we looked but didn’t find anyone.”

“Still…”

“Don’t worry. None of the expedition’s leaders will question me.”

As Luke said, no one could. His exploits in Eisenberg had earned him the title of a warrior of God, and he had become a new hero of the Holy Empire after saving the Pope from an assassination attempt. Moreover, rumors spread that the Pope had shown him special attention by calling him separately before leaving, so even Count Marquez, who could be considered his direct superior, and Marquis Valentino, the commander-in-chief of the expedition, could not treat Luke carelessly.

Having reassured his subordinates, Luke approached Hwang Bo-sung and spoke to him. “You have tremendous skill. You must have been one of the strongest in the Southern Continent.”

‘…’ Hwang Bo-sung’s face stiffened. It seemed like praise at first glance, but there was a hidden barb in his words.

‘Judging by the way he says ‘was,’ he must have seen through my current state?’ Hwang Bo-sung could only exert about half of his original strength due to the curse of the demonic soldiers.

Luke had accurately recognized that.

“What is your relationship with that priest?” Luke asked.

“He is my benefactor,” Hwang Bo-sung replied.

“I see. So that’s why you stepped in,” Luke nodded as if he understood, and then spoke again after a moment. “I have a proposal for you. Would you be willing to come under my command?”

Everyone’s eyes widened at those words. Hwang Bo-sung, who had received such an unexpected proposal, also wore an absurd expression.

“You want me to become your subordinate?” he asked.

“Yes, if you come under me, I will give you the best treatment,” Luke replied.

Hwang Bo-sung’s bewildered expression soon turned sour. Although he was born out of wedlock, he was born into a prestigious martial arts family and had always followed an elite path. He had almost fallen into the abyss after being betrayed by his half-brother, but his sky-high pride and self-esteem had not disappeared. And now, he was being asked to join a mercenary group, which was no different from a gang of wandering warriors?

‘But, considering his strength, his current status might be fake.’ Philip, whom he had fought earlier, was strong, but this leader seemed much stronger. Not only was he powerful, but his eyes, which seemed deep and experienced for his age, suggested that he was a person of considerable intellect.

‘He might be a nobleman disguised as a mercenary… But even so, I can’t just bow down to him.’ In fact, since his time with Luther and Bless, several high-ranking priests and nobles who had recognized Hwang Bo-sung’s skills had made offers to recruit him. However, he had no desire to be under anyone, so he had rejected them outright.

“I am Hwang Bo-sung. I only follow those who are worth following,” he stated.

“I am worth it. Actually, this is a secret, but I am not a mercenary. My true identity is Marquis Lakan of the Baroque Empire,” Luke revealed.

‘A descendant of the hero Lakan!!’ Hwang Bo-sung was greatly surprised by Luke’s quiet words. He, who had dedicated his life to martial arts, had heard the most about, and even come to respect, the hero Lakan since coming to the Rodisia Continent! Therefore, he also knew well about Lakan’s descendants. He knew that he had rebuilt his declining family and become a great noble of the Baroque Empire two years ago, and that he was a Rune Knight who was demonstrating his skills and reputation. And now, that person was right in front of him!

“Above all, if you pledge your loyalty to me, I will remove the curse on your body,” Luke added.

Hwang Bo-sung’s eyes widened. Even before hearing that he was a descendant of Lakan, he had thought that he was an extraordinary person, but he never imagined that he would be able to see that he was cursed.

“Is that, really true?” he asked.

“Yes. I promise in the name of Lakan,” Luke affirmed.

Hwang Bo-sung’s heart was greatly shaken by those words. He thought that it would be okay to entrust his body to someone of this caliber. Since he had no intention of returning to his family, it seemed like a good idea to make a new start in a new place.

‘But I have a debt to repay to the priest.’ As Hwang Bo-sung hesitated, looking at Priest Luther, Luke stepped forward.

“What is the priest’s name?” Luke inquired.

“I am Luther of the Holy Order, one of the seven pillars that serve Elkasel [a major religious order],” Luther replied.

‘Priest Luther!’ According to the information Luke had obtained from the information guild, the Holy Order was the most pure and devoted to serving the people from the beginning among the seven factions that made up the Elkasel Order. Priest Luther was a high-ranking priest who was in charge of the Holy Order and was famous for his harsh criticism of Archbishop Constantine.

Anyway, Luke had never imagined that Priest Luther would be in this rural territory instead of Bless.

‘Oh, my? It looks like a windfall is coming my way?’ Luke, inwardly smiling with satisfaction, made a proposal to him. “Priest Luther. If you send Sir Hwang Bo-sung to me, I will build several temples for the Holy Order. In addition, I will donate 1 million pesos over the next five years.”

Hwang Bo-sung’s mouth dropped open at Luke’s generous offer. The temples were one thing, but 1 million pesos was an enormous sum. In the currency of the South, it was 50,000 gold coins, which was a huge sum that he could not easily access even when he was in the Hwangbo family, which divided the upper echelons of the Song Empire.

However, Priest Luther shook his head with a calm face. “I refuse,” he said.

“Why is that?” Luke asked.

“Although Brother Hwang Bo-sung is helping our temple, he is not an officially affiliated priest or holy knight of the Holy Order. Therefore, I believe that his decision on where to go is his own,” Luther explained.

Luke, who was inwardly flustered, relaxed his expression at those words. “Is that so? What do you say, Sir Hwang Bo-sung? Will you join me?”

“I…” Hwang Bo-sung had been following Luther for the past year and had been observing the Holy Order. The Holy Order was truly run by kind and pure priests. They were as different as heaven and earth from the priests of other factions who were consumed by greed and only paid lip service to God. The priests of the Holy Order wanted to help more of the poor, but unfortunately, they did not have much money. Unlike other archbishops, they did not run territories or trading companies, nor did they look after nobles or merchants and receive compensation. They were always serving the poor and starving people, so although the number of believers had increased a lot, the donations were very small.

‘There is a limit to what I can do by helping from the side. Wouldn’t it be a shortcut to repay Priest Luther’s kindness by giving the Holy Order the money they need most? And I’m also curious about what kind of person the descendant of the hero Lakan, who is still respected by many people even after 500 years, is like…’ Thinking so, Hwang Bo-sung knelt on one knee towards Luke and performed the po-gwon-ji-rye [a formal kneeling bow] greeting. “Hwang Bo-sung of the Hwangbo family. From today, I will serve you as my lord!”

“Hahaha! Meeting you here in the Holy Empire has been my greatest gain!” Luke smiled brightly as he personally helped Hwang Bo-sung up. This was the meeting with Hwang Bo-sung, who would later make his name known throughout the Rodisia Continent with the nicknames of the Fist Lord or the King of Power.

2

Some time later, the suppression of the rebellion in the Conrad region was completed. Although they had missed the Perriad family and some key nobles, the expeditionary force had succeeded in pacifying Elbera and its surrounding territories and eliminating the remaining resistance.

“We will return to Bless tomorrow,” Luke declared after visiting Count Marquez’s camp.

“What happened to the rebels who attacked Bless?” Philip asked.

“It is said that Duke Gregory and the Undying Legion arrived in time to defeat them, thanks to Marquis Suleiman’s forces,” Luke replied.

Duke Gregory did not stop there and led his troops to pursue the fleeing Suleiman army. The pursuit continued to Langhel, Suleiman’s stronghold. Marquis Suleiman, who had suffered repeated defeats, was killed, and many of the rebel leaders were either killed or captured.

“That’s a relief. But there are still some territories left in the Saxon region and others, aren’t there? Aren’t we going to be dispatched to suppress them?” Philip asked.

“That is…” Luke told them the story he had heard from Count Marquez. When the two largest forces among the rebel forces were annihilated, the remaining forces were frightened and began to surrender or claim to be loyal subjects of Veronica III. As a result, the chaos in the Holy Empire, which had been triggered by Archbishop Constantine’s tyranny and the backlash from ambitious high-ranking clergy and nobles in various regions, ended in an instant.

“It’s absurd, but it’s a good thing. Then are we going back to the territory?” Philip asked.

“Not yet. I have a promise with Reina, and there are a few things I need to take care of for her,” Luke replied. For this, Luke was willing to put in a little effort in Bless.

“I see. But what about the mercenaries we recruited here?” Philip asked. They were mercenaries who had been accepted to gain merit. Now that the rebellion had been suppressed, they were no longer needed. However, Philip felt that it was a waste to abandon them, as they had become a strong force comparable to the Holy Empire army after being worked hard for the past two months. Since their lazy mentality as mercenaries had been completely changed, if he taught them swordsmanship a little more, they would become a considerable force.

“If we promise them good treatment, many of them will follow us,” Philip suggested.

“Is that so? You can take care of it,” Luke said.

“Yes, leave it to me!” Philip exclaimed. The next day, the expeditionary force, having dismantled their camp, began to return to Bless, leaving behind only some security forces.

“Waaaah! It’s the Red Wolf Mercenary Corps!” the people shouted.

“Where, where? Where is the warrior of God who is said to split meteors falling from the sky in half?” others asked.

“Captain Leff, I love you!” some exclaimed.

When the expeditionary force arrived near Bless, the people came out to greet them enthusiastically. However, the most popular among the expeditionary force were the Red Wolf Mercenary Corps and Captain Leff. A large number of the capital’s residents had gathered to see the Red Wolf Mercenary Corps, and as they passed by, they gave them bouquets of flowers or sprinkled flower petals from baskets. In particular, young women would call out Captain Leff’s name with affectionate voices or cheer.

The members of the Red Wolf Mercenary Corps were bewildered by the unprecedented welcome. “No, what’s going on?” one asked.

“I know. Usually, it’s the regular knight order or the royal guard that gets cheered…” another said. They were unaware that Archbishop Constantine had been widely promoting the war situation through the city’s notice boards in order to strengthen his political position. That was why the people’s reaction felt strange to them.

“Well, it’s better than being treated like leftover soup,” one mercenary said.

“That’s right. Before, they looked at us as if we were thugs…” another added. No matter how well the mercenaries fought, the people’s perception of them was not good. No one liked those who fought among themselves at the slightest provocation and engaged in looting and rape whenever they had the chance. But this time, the reaction was different. The residents of Bless enthusiastically welcomed the mercenaries, who marched in formation more precisely than the regular army soldiers.

“I think I made the right decision to join the Red Wolf Mercenary Corps,” one mercenary said.

“Me too,” another agreed. While the mercenaries at the front were talking to each other, Luke was riding a horse with the Lakan Knights at the rear of the mercenary corps. Philip, looking around at the welcoming crowd, smiled and opened his mouth. “Hehe, Captain Leff, you must be very happy. Young and pretty ladies are calling out your name and are very excited. Some of them look like they’re about to throw their underwear off?”

“Are you jealous?” Luke asked.

“Of course, I’m jealous. Tch, I also had a draw with an enemy sword master in the Gigantic Duel, but why is there no one calling out my name?” Philip grumbled.

“Why? Should I promote you now?” Luke teased.

“No, thank you. If I did that here, I would only get cursed at,” Philip replied. After grumbling for a while, Philip changed the subject. “More importantly, have the high-ranking nobles been bothering you with recruitment offers lately?”

“Ah, that? It seems that Duke Gregory said something before he left,” Luke replied. Before returning to Bless, Duke Gregory had issued a strict order to the leaders of the expeditionary force to leave the Red Wolf Mercenary Corps and Captain Leff alone. Everyone did not know the exact reason, but no noble dared to disobey his words, who was the best knight of the Holy Empire, the commander of the Undying Legion, and the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army.

“More importantly, how many of the mercenaries said they would join us?” Philip asked.

“Except for a few who wanted to return home, almost all of them said they would stay,” Luke replied.

“That’s unexpected?” Philip said. Luke had thought that if half of them remained, it would be a success. That was how free-spirited mercenaries were. But for most of the 3,000 mercenaries to say they would stay.

“Especially the experts and other useful guys all said they would follow us,” Luke added. Unknown to the two, Luke was being seen as the reincarnation of the mercenary king Gilford from 300 years ago by the mercenaries. Their desire was to stay by his side and write legends together. This was especially true for mercenaries who were confident in their skills.

“It’s good that more people than I expected are staying, but it won’t be easy to take them to the territory,” Luke said.

“I’m planning to give them a week’s vacation. They’ve made money and must be very tired from the expedition. In the meantime, we can call ships from the territory to take them,” Philip replied. It was impossible to travel by land to the Kingdom of Castia, as they had done when they came to the Holy Empire. No country would like more than 3,000 foreign soldiers entering as they pleased. Therefore, Philip was planning to call in the transport ships of the Kirilov Trading Company to the port city on the upper reaches of the Rio River.

“Certainly, the waterway is faster and better for avoiding attention. But is the territory doing well?” Luke asked. Luke had summoned an agent from the Argos overseas branch in the Kingdom of Castia near the end of the expedition. He was curious about the situation in the Marquisate of Lakan, and he needed to keep an eye on the movements of his enemies. The agent had arrived this morning, and he had seen Philip meeting and talking with him. That was why he asked.

“I was about to report this anyway. The Lakan territory is running smoothly without any issues. However, Princess Magreta visited recently, and on the same day, a knight who identified himself as Shaykan appeared and displayed incredible skill.”

“Princess Magreta?”

“Yes. Sebastian, who has transformed into the lord, is currently dealing with her, but we need to find a way to either get rid of her soon or prevent her from even approaching.”

The vassals of the Marquisate of Lakan were aware of Princess Magreta’s intentions.

No one was foolish enough not to see that she was trying to ensnare a young and promising great lord with her charms and take over everything he possessed.

However, they couldn’t openly mistreat a princess from another country, so they were treating her with courtesy for the time being.

“What a troublesome woman. I need to take action as soon as I return to the territory.”

Luke didn’t particularly like Princess Magreta either. No, he was annoyed that she kept trying tricks that wouldn’t work.

“By the way, what happened to the one called Shaykan?”

Luke’s face showed a hint of tension as he asked the question.

In fact, he was more surprised by Shaykan’s appearance than by Magreta’s, because that was the name of the Orc Hero he had fought in the Principality of Navarr.

He was worried that he might have come to the territory to seek revenge for what happened back then.

“Baron Rogers and Kaper fought him, but both of them were defeated. Do you know him?”

“Hmm, he is the Orc Hero who caused the monster wave in the Principality of Navarr.”

“What? He was a human, not an Orc?”

Philip’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I was quite surprised when I found out he was human when I fought him at the end. But he didn’t cause any trouble in the territory, did he?”

“He just told us to remember his name and then disappeared.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

If someone like Shaykan had caused a disturbance in the territory, it would have suffered considerable damage.

Of course, they could have stopped him if they mobilized the Silver Knights and the Gigantes [elite warriors], but considering his ability to transform into a dragon, half of the territory’s forces might have been wiped out.

Anyway, he didn’t know why he appeared in the Lakan territory, but it didn’t seem like he was there for revenge.

‘Come to think of it, he said he had deep resentment towards the Baroque Imperial Family? I should find him and meet him soon.’

The thought that he might gain a powerful ally made the corners of his mouth curl up slightly.

As he chatted with Philip, they soon passed the welcoming crowd and reached the wasteland outside the east gate where the expedition ceremony had taken place.

Marquis Valentino, the commander-in-chief, gave a brief speech with words of praise and then dismissed the expeditionary force.

As the expeditionary force, which had been disbanded into unit groups, left to return to their original posts, a messenger sent by Marquis Valentino came to Luke and spoke to him.

“His Excellency requests that you accompany him to the Holy Imperial Palace. He said there will be rewards for your achievements.”

“Is that so? Lead the way.”

Following the messenger, he found that Marquis Valentino and the other leaders of the expeditionary force were still there.

“Isn’t Commander Leif the only one who was conscripted from the mercenaries?”

“He has achieved more than the regular army.”

“Is the reason why Grand Duke Gregory told us to leave him alone because he wants to recruit him into the Undying Legion [elite holy knights]?”

“Well, there has never been a case of a mercenary joining the Undying Legion in its history, so we’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?”

Luke overheard the leaders talking while glancing at him.

Luke didn’t pay much attention to it, but Count Marquez was different.

His expression was distorted.

The Count had spent a lot of money to gather skilled mercenaries, saying that he would achieve enough merit to put Gregory in his place.

Leif and the Red Wolf Mercenary Company were among those recruited.

They had been very active in this expedition.

However, the problem was that they didn’t just make the 4th Army stand out. Rather, they had relegated him and the 4th Army to mere supporting roles.

‘Damn it, a mercenary, of all people…’

Marquez glared at Luke with envious eyes, who had somehow risen to an equal, or even higher, position than himself.

However, Luke showed no reaction to him.

“If everyone is here, let’s depart.”

At Marquis Valentino’s words, the group boarded the carriages that had been prepared in advance and entered Bles.

Passing through the inner city gate, magnificent and antique-style buildings made of white marble came into view.

It was the Holy Imperial Palace, which he had seen before.

The most splendid building within the Holy Imperial Palace was the main hall used by the Pope when conducting official duties.

The sunlight that shone into the main hall was reflected by the delicately and beautifully decorated stained glass, turning into a dazzling array of colors.

The mystical light made the statues, reliefs, and murals of the past saints and saintesses of the Elkasel Order [religious order], which were decorated around the main hall, appear even more vivid.

‘Amazing. To create such a beautiful and solemn atmosphere! It makes one’s faith in God naturally rise.’

Luke was looking around in admiration when a servant standing in front of a huge bronze door engraved with the wooden cross emblem symbolizing the Holy Empire shouted.

“Marquis Valentino and the leaders of the expeditionary force, who have made great contributions to the eradication of the rebels, are entering!”

Screech!

As they entered through the opened door, Reina was sitting on the highest platform, wearing golden robes and a crown.

Below her stood Archbishop Constantine and Grand Duke Gregory, and next to the red carpet in the center, dozens of high-ranking priests and nobles of the Holy Empire were standing.

“Blessings to His Holiness the Pope, the apostle of the main god Elkasel!”

At Marquis Valentino’s lead, Luke and Count Marquez, along with the other leaders of the expeditionary force, made the sign of the cross and bowed.

“You have all worked hard.”

“No, Your Holiness. We have only done our duty.”

“Oh my, is that so? Then I guess I don’t need to give out any rewards.”

“Huh? Th, that’s…”

“Hahaha, I’m just joking. How could I not reward the brave warriors who have worked hard for the country?”

The leaders of the expeditionary force were all flustered by Reina’s lively and vibrant speech.

When they had seen her before, she had seemed childish and lacking, despite her large size.

Moreover, when the Pope had come to inspect the front lines, an assassination attempt had occurred, so they hadn’t had much of a chance to talk to her.

Therefore, it was a natural reaction for the leaders of the expeditionary force.

Only Luke, who knew the situation, sighed inwardly.

‘It’s definitely Veronica III’s personality that’s still present.’

“Ahem, what are you doing? You should express your gratitude quickly.”

At Archbishop Constantine’s words, they quickly expressed their gratitude and bowed again.

Reina, who had received a scroll of parchment from a servant, stood up and began to read it.

“Marquis Valentino, listen. For your great contribution to defeating the rebels in the Conrad region and comforting the people, I bestow upon you the title of Duke and the territory near Bles. And the commander of the 1st Army…”

The scroll of parchment contained the merits and rewards for the leaders of the expeditionary force.

The leaders of the expeditionary force received their rewards in the order they were called. Some were satisfied with this, while others, like Count Marquez, seemed dissatisfied, thinking it was not enough.

Then, at the very end, Luke’s name, or rather, Leif’s name, was called.

“Leif, the leader of the Red Wolf Mercenary Company, killed the evil Schmidt in the Gigantic Duel and prevented the Meteor Strike during the siege of Eisenberg, saving countless soldiers and citizens. Therefore, I bestow upon you the title of Baron and the territory of Alberville. Congratulations, Baron Leif.”

“Your Holiness, I am deeply grateful for your grace.”

As Reina winked slightly, Luke smiled slightly and bowed.

Grand Duke Gregory watched them with a displeased look.

“What is this? No matter how much he has achieved, isn’t it a bit too much to give a territory to a mere mercenary?”

“I agree. The Alberville territory is quite a valuable one, and to bestow it upon him…”

There was a murmur among the high-ranking priests and nobles who were lined up in the main hall.

They thought they could give him a title.

He had performed exceptionally well, and considering his popularity and skills among the people, it was necessary to keep him.

However, the Alberville territory was a place with quite fertile farmland and a considerable population in the Langhel region, where the rebels of Marquis Suleiman had risen.

Before the rebellion, it was ruled by a lord of the count rank, and it was too much to give it to a young mercenary who had only received the title of baron.

A gray-bearded old noble glanced at Constantine.

He secretly wanted his faction to receive the Alberville territory, and he had bribed the regent quite a bit to make it happen.

But now, some random guy had been given that valuable place!

Constantine looked perplexed at the gray-bearded noble’s protesting gaze. He had clearly decided on the rewards for the achievements as he had been bribed and passed them on to the Pope.

But now, it was suddenly being given to a mercenary!

“Your Holiness, isn’t there some kind of mistake?”

The gray-bearded noble couldn’t stand it any longer and stepped forward.

He was sure that Veronica III had misread someone else’s reward.

“Please review the proclamation once again…”

“How dare you! Do you dare to doubt the words of His Holiness the Pope!”

Before Reina could open her mouth, Grand Duke Gregory shouted angrily.

The gray-bearded noble trembled and waved his hands at his murderous shout.

“N, no. I just don’t understand…”

“The reward for Commander Leif is the final decision of His Holiness the Pope, so do not speak of it!”

“Y, yes, I understand.”

Seeing the gray-bearded noble being scolded, the high-ranking priests and nobles were convinced that Commander Leif had been recruited by Grand Duke Gregory.

There was a rumor from a colleague of the same faction who had served in the expeditionary force, and seeing him defend him, they couldn’t help but believe it.

‘I knew he told us to leave him alone without bothering him, he had an ulterior motive!’

‘That sly fox…’

Of course, all of this was a misunderstanding, but the nobles believed that their thoughts were correct.

Meanwhile, Constantine’s expression was serious.

Gregory had never raised his voice in the main hall before.

Was his active behavior, when he had never been interested in whether Constantine controlled the state affairs or not, simply to recruit a mercenary?

Or was it an expression of his will to actively intervene in domestic affairs in the future?

‘No, people don’t change that easily.’

Constantine tried to shake off the ominous thoughts that were beginning to creep in.

In fact, it was Reina who decided to bestow the title and the Alberville territory to Luke.

Constantine didn’t know about it at all, and Grand Duke Gregory, who heard about this fact, opposed it. He thought that he could not hand over a valuable territory of his country to Luke, a great noble of Baroque.

However, he gave in to Reina’s persuasion and stubbornness, who said that Luke was not an enemy of the Holy Empire.

‘Hahaha, I told you I would create a foundation for you, right?’

‘Thank you. It’s a bit surprising, but I will make sure your help is not in vain.’

In the chilly atmosphere of the main hall, Luke and Reina exchanged glances.

In fact, Luke didn’t expect to receive a territory, let alone a title. He thought that there was a limit to what Reina, who had a weak political position, could do.

But in the Holy Empire, she had given him a territory in addition to a title, allowing him to gain a foothold.

‘I guess it means to build up my strength in that territory. I will not betray your expectations.’

Luke opened the booklet he had received from the servant.

It was a document recording the current situation of the Alberville territory. At the very end of the document was a map showing the location of the territory.

‘It’s close to the border of the Baroque Empire. If necessary, I can lead my troops and invade the Baroque Empire right away.’

Luke, realizing that Reina had taken care of him in many ways, felt even more grateful to her.

“The award ceremony is now over. I will see you at the victory celebration banquet in the evening.”

With those words, Reina left the main hall, leaving behind the high-ranking priests and nobles who were muttering in protest.

Luke was sad that their reunion was short, but he turned away, looking forward to the evening banquet.

Archbishop Constantine and the priests and nobles in the main hall watched him with suspicious eyes.

The rebellion was over, but another storm seemed to be approaching from afar.

Luke, who had rented a room again at the inn where he had stayed before, gave his subordinates a rest.

Just as he was about to sit down to rest and meditate, he heard a sound from the window.

Wondering what it was, he turned his head and saw a small bat hovering around the window.

‘Belfar?’

Luke, who never expected him to come all the way here, opened the window with a somewhat surprised expression.

Swoosh!

As soon as he entered the room, Belfar transformed into a human form and knelt down.

“I greet my lord.”

“What brings you here?”

At Luke’s question, Belfar said with a fuss.

“It’s a disaster, my lord! The Orc Hero who fought in the Principality of Navarr has appeared in the Baroque Empire!”

He thought he was giving valuable information, but Luke’s expression was indifferent.

“…I already know.”

“Huh? You already know?”

“Yes, I heard he appeared in the Lakan territory and caused a ruckus.”

Then, Luke told him about the duel between the knights and Shaykan.

‘Kyak! That damn cat thief! If that happened, you should have told me!’

While Belfar was cursing Sebastian inwardly, Luke drew his sword and asked.

“Anyway, seeing that you came all the way here to find me, I guess you’ve finished your training?”

“Ah, th, that is…”

Belfar stammered, sweating profusely.

He was confident that his swordsmanship had improved, but he wasn’t sure if he would still be in his master’s good graces.

“It’s fate that we’ve met again like this, so we should have a test, shouldn’t we?”

“C, can’t we do it next time? There are many priests in this city, and they say there are holy knights called the Undying Legion…”

“It’s okay. If I put up a barrier, no one will know even if we duel.”

Luke, with an evil smile, actually put up a barrier in the room and then rushed at Belfar.

At first, Belfar held his own with his silver sword, but as Luke began to show his true skills, he was unilaterally beaten.

“Hiiiik! Save me, demon!”

Thwack! Thwack thwack!

For an hour after that, the sound of a leather drum being beaten never stopped in Luke’s room.