Future Knight [EN]: Chapter 36

“To look at a friend with such resentment just because of one woman, tsk tsk. Don’t worry. After rain, the ground hardens [meaning, difficulties make you stronger]. This is advice from a senior in life, not just a friend.”

Even with the elder’s consolation, Kang Chan’s resentful gaze remained.

Zekeon shrugged again at Kang Chan and prepared to leave.

Since their misunderstanding would naturally resolve itself once Jeina woke up, Zekeon didn’t want to stay there any longer and incur Kang Chan’s resentment.

“Anyway, once that girl wakes up, your misunderstanding will naturally be resolved, so don’t worry too much. I’m going to head out now. Oh, right, I was waiting to say this, but I won’t be here for about ten days. There’s a meeting of my kin. See you in ten days.”

Kang Chan nodded silently, and Zekeon returned to his lair via spatial teleportation.

With Zekeon gone, Kang Chan, truly alone, held Jeina’s hand tightly, staying by her side and praying for her safe awakening.

After some time, Jeina opened her eyes and saw Kang Chan asleep, holding her hand tightly. She stroked his face and said,

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t trust you, Mister.”

Jeina wept, and Kang Chan woke up to her crying and jumped up.

“Why are you crying, Jeina?”

However, Jeina turned away towards the wall, avoiding Kang Chan, and couldn’t say anything. Kang Chan shook her shoulder and gently comforted her.

“Are you still angry?”

‘Zekeon, you liar, you said everything would be resolved when she woke up.’

“No, I’m not angry anymore.”

Hearing the nasal tone in her voice, Kang Chan felt his heart burn even more.

“Then why are you crying? Look at me.”

Kang Chan pulled Jeina’s shoulder, and Jeina slowly turned around, her face covered in tears.

“Our misunderstanding is really resolved, right?”

Jeina slowly nodded.

“Then don’t cry.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Jeina got up, hugged Kang Chan, and started crying even harder.

“It’s okay, I’m fine.”

“But I hit you, Mister.”

“It’s okay, you can make up for it in the future.”

Hearing the word ‘make up,’ Jeina flinched for a moment, then looked up at Kang Chan and slowly closed her eyes. Then, as if asking him to hit her in the same way, she offered her cheek to Kang Chan.

“Why are you doing this suddenly?”

“Hit me the same way.”

Hearing her words, Kang Chan couldn’t help but laugh at her actions, but he held it back.

What he meant by ‘make up’ was for her to love him even more, but Jeina misunderstood and readily offered her cheek, saying she would make up for it by being hit in the same way, which made Kang Chan laugh.

And he slowly started to feel playful.

“Oh, really? Okay, Jeina knows how hard she hit me, right?”

Jeina nodded calmly.

“Then here I go. Clench your teeth.”

Jeina nodded again and really clenched her teeth.

“One, twooo…”

To heighten the tension, Kang Chan took his time as much as possible, repeatedly touching and removing his palm from Jeina’s cheek.

Then Jeina seemed to be very nervous, her eyelids twitching.

“Threee!”

Kang Chan shouted the last count loudly, and Jeina clenched her teeth tightly. But what came instead was not Kang Chan’s palm but his shameless lips.

*Kiss!*

Jeina, who had been very nervous, was surprised and opened her eyes when his lips touched her cheek.

“What, don’t joke around and hit me for real.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why? I did wrong to you, Mister.”

“How can I hit my lovely girlfriend’s cheek?”

“But…”

Kang Chan hugged Jeina so she couldn’t say anything more. And he whispered softly in her ear.

“Just stay by my side and make up for it with love for the rest of your life.”

“Mister.”

Jeina, her face flushed, smiled with happiness and kissed Kang Chan’s lips, and Kang Chan hugged Jeina and slowly fell onto the bed.

Then, Kang Chan’s room, which had been swept by a northern cold wave, began to blaze with the flames of ecstasy rising from the two of them.

12. Restless Movement

It was a night when the full moon shone brightly.

Dark elves with jet-black skin were moving quickly through the trees in the forest.

“Yaro, lead Team A in this direction. Yati, you lead Team B in that direction. Yari, you follow me. The goal is to identify the location of the enemy Gigantes [a race of giants] and troop concentrations. Everyone, remember that you must never leave any traces. I stake the honor of our Blacklion family on this.”

“Yes, Yara.”

Everyone nodded, and the dark elf called Yara also nodded and shouted softly.

“Scatter!”

At Yara’s cry, about 20 dark elves disappeared in incredibly agile movements towards their respective directions.

* * *

“Do you have any worries from the morning?”

“Ah! Lord Elradion.”

“You’ve become too emaciated lately, facing the war.”

“Ah, yes. I have some concerns. Oh, right! By the way, haven’t you noticed anything strange lately?”

“Strange things?”

Artheon opened his mouth, looking at the forest full of morning mist with anxious eyes.

“It’s strange. The forest is very afraid of something. But neither the spirits nor the guardians know what’s causing it. What is making the forest tremble with such fear?”

“Hmm, come to think of it, a report came in that three elves on guard duty went missing last night. Could something have invaded this forest?”

Artheon slowly shook his head.

“That’s impossible. The trees and spirits of the forest would never fail to tell us such a fact, right? That’s why I’m more anxious.”

“Could it be the work of dark elves?”

Artheon shook his head again.

“Dark elves often come into the forest and attack our elves, but there’s no reason for the forest to tremble with fear because of them. They are elves too.”

“Then could it be the work of green elves?”

“They are too busy dealing with humans and orcs right now. In that state, dividing their forces in half to attack our elven forest would be a very foolish act, and the Green Witch knows that well.”

Elradion nodded as if agreeing with Artheon’s words.

“If that were the case, we would have already received intelligence from numerous rangers before they even arrived in the elven forest. Then what could it be?”

“It’s ominous, Lord Elradion.”

“I will order everyone to go on alert. Get some sleep, Lord Artheon.”

“Thank you, Lord Elradion.”

* * *

‘*Slap!*

The sound of a slap echoed in the dark cave.

“I told you not to leave any traces.”

“I’m sorry, Yara.”

“To tarnish the honor of our Blacklion, the best assassin family of the dark elves, I will judge your sin depending on the success of this operation. Get out!”

“Thank you, Yara.”

The dark elf who was slapped staggered and disappeared into the darkness. Yara held the parchment summarizing the intelligence and smiled evilly.

“Those quick-witted, wicked elves must have gone on alert. Heh heh, but it doesn’t matter. After all, your destruction is a predetermined history. Yati!”

“Yes, Yara!”

“Quickly deliver the number of Gigantes and the location of the troops, which we learned through soul magic, to Nemitz.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The dark elf named Yati took the parchment written with fluorescent material and disappeared into the darker part of the cave.

“Once this parchment is delivered to Nemitz, the operation will be tomorrow night. Tell the children of the family to be fully prepared.”

“Yes, Yara!”

The remaining dark elves quickly disappeared into the darkness. Yara, left alone, looked up at the faint sunlight seeping in from above the cave, narrowed her eyes at the glare, and said,

“Wicked elves who stole the light from us, this time it’s your turn to lose the light.”

In the abyss-like dark cave, a long line of soldiers continued endlessly.

They seemed to have been preparing this invasion route for a long time, removing stalactites and walls that would be obstacles in various places, widening the cave.

“Make way! Messenger!”

Yati, pushing other dark elves roughly, arrived in front of the command post.

“Stop!”

The elite guard, emitting a terrifying glint, drew their glaives [sword-like weapon] and stopped him. Yati, panting roughly, revealed his identity.

“I am a messenger from the Blacklion family of the reconnaissance team. I have top-secret information to deliver to Nemitz.”

Yati, who arrived at the command post, revealed his identity and sought Nemitz.

“Show the family crest.”

Yati took out the family’s symbol, made by carving a basilisk’s [legendary reptile] horn, from his chest. The elite guard sheathed their glaives and cleared the way.

“If you follow the center, you will see the largest tent. That is Nemitz’s residence.”

“Thank you.”

Yati, giving a rough greeting, hurried towards Nemitz’s camp, and he was finally able to deliver the parchment to Nemitz after being stopped several times again.

And Nemitz, who read the received parchment, could not hold back the laughter that burst out and burst into laughter on the spot.

“Wahahahaha!”

Green, who was next to him, wondered why he was laughing so much.

“Lord Nemitz, why are you suddenly laughing so much?”

Nemitz, unable to stop laughing, handed the parchment to Green.

Then Green, who received the parchment in a daze, began to read the contents of the parchment written with fluorescent material, and as he slowly read the text, Green’s breath gradually became rapid, and soon he threw the parchment away and shouted.

“These scammers! How dare they deceive me by flowing false information that they only made 50 units and said they were hundreds!”

“Calm down, Lord Green. Isn’t it better? We came with the power to fight hundreds of Gigantes, but the enemy only has 50 at most, so this will be an easier opponent.”

“I will take the sin of deceiving me with false information with my life, you dirty bastards!”

As Green’s eyes were stained with anger and he gnashed his teeth, Nemitz quietly got up and told the elite guard standing next to him.

“Gather the heads of each family and their staff to the conference room.”

“Yes! Commander!”

As the elite guard rushed out as quickly as possible, Nemitz looked at Green and said quietly.

“The elves who lived scattered in small units in the elven forest are gathering under Artheon. Wouldn’t it be better to hit them before they grow bigger?”

“That’s right.”

“Then I will go up tomorrow night without waiting any longer.”

“I understand. I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”

The two leaders, who bowed and exchanged greetings, headed their separate ways for the surprise invasion operation that would take place tomorrow evening.