Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 57

Surviving as the 5th Prince of Hellmang – 057

057

On the way to Godron County, where the Northern Liberation Army and the 3rd Knights were scheduled to converge.

Clatter, clatter. Chee-eee!

I admired the scenery outside the train window. Reina and Alfonso, riding in the same compartment, were faintly reflected in the glass.

Alfonso was nodding off, and Reina was watching outside with hawk-like eyes.

‘It’s the perfect spot for an ambush.’

The train was winding through the mountains.

I chuckled, imagining bandits suddenly appearing from the mountainside and attacking the train.

This time, 7-star mage Fran couldn’t accompany us, but the 3rd Knights were with us instead. If we were attacked, we would have to worry about their safety instead.

The only serious threats would be if the 1st or 2nd Prince deliberately tried to eliminate me, or an attack by assassins of 6-star level or higher.

If such a situation occurred now, without Fran by my side, it would be very difficult.

Well, it’s okay.

The locations of the kingdom’s 6-star or higher-level powerhouses are being closely monitored through the [Library] (a magical information network). Since they are always in the public eye, the information isn’t as expensive as you might think. We just need to be careful of anyone suddenly disappearing without a trace.

So, I decided to stop worrying unnecessarily and review my future plans.

The eastward journey I decided on to get the kingdom to recognize the existence of the Northern Liberation Army had three objectives.

‘First, suppress the pirates.’

Thanks to the development of the magic stone mine and the political achievements related to the Northern Liberation Army, the [Support] (public approval and resources) from the west and north has increased significantly.

In the case of Mairton County, it has become possible to purchase even ‘historical’ grade items from the [General Store] (a magical shop that manifests items based on accumulated support).

It was a bit disappointing that most of them were impractical art pieces like the [Statue of the Earth Mother] and [Woman Looking at the Sun].

Surely there must be a way to utilize them…

The [General Store] creates ‘real’ things.

If I buy them, there will be two genuine articles. It felt like I could do something interesting.

I decided to think about it again later. While thinking about what to do in the east, I realized I had suddenly gone off on a tangent.

Back to the original topic.

Suppressing the pirates was a good opportunity to increase the [Support] in the eastern region, which was almost non-existent compared to the north and west.

Apart from the issues related to the [General Store], [Support] is very important. A king without the support of his people is destined to fall.

‘I need to meet a healer along the way.’

I needed to scout a healer who would use Jenesen (a rare herb) to create a new drug to treat Red Star Fever. He would later develop many medicines for the poor who have difficulty affording priests.

I had already identified his location through the [Library]. I was planning to visit him briefly while I was out dealing with pirates.

‘And finally······.’

“We’re almost there. Once we pass through that tunnel, we’ll be in Godron County,” Alfonso said; I didn’t notice when he woke up.

“Did you sleep well?”

“How could you say such a thing! How could I possibly doze off while escorting Your Highness? I was just deep in thought. It must be because my eyes are a little small that it looked like I was dozing off.”

His words flowed smoothly.

“In a few hours, the 3rd Knights and the Northern Liberation Army will meet. Wow! It’s a historic moment. I wonder how fiercely they will compete? I’m so excited.”

Is this guy making fun of me right now?

The guy shut his mouth at my scowling face.

Chee-eee! Clatter, clatter.

Just in time, the train entered the tunnel, and the surroundings became dark. It was just like my mind, which was troubled about how to harmonize the Northern Liberation Army and the 3rd Knights.

***

Evan, having arrived at Godron County, went with Alfonso and Vernon to meet the lord of the territory.

Meanwhile, Adolf, Reina, and the members of the 3rd Knights, led by a knight from Godron County, set off for the gathering place to meet the Northern Liberation Army.

It was to prepare in advance to welcome Evan.

It would be Evan’s monumental first expedition, a declaration that the 3rd Knights and the Northern Liberation Army would join forces to suppress the eastern pirates.

Adolf glanced back.

The five senior knights of the 3rd Knights were moving with indifferent faces.

Only five people?

You might think so, but it was truly a powerful force.

The senior knights were all 5-star knights, evaluated to be able to face more than 1,000 ordinary soldiers alone. It was like a moving military unit.

‘I heard that the executives of the Northern Liberation Army are also 5-star level?’

Adolf stealthily brought his right hand to his heart.

[Northern Mana Training Method] acquired while becoming Evan’s escort knight. The effect was amazing, showing three or four times better efficiency than the mana training method he had been learning.

Already, the four stars he possessed were filled with mana.

It was enough to create a new star if there was an opportunity, but it wasn’t easy. That was the topic that was bothering Adolf these days.

He took his hand off his heart and glanced at one of the five senior knights.

‘Verok Biden······.’

A bastard of the Biden barony.

Despite being born into a lineage that could not become a knight, he was recognized for his outstanding talent and inherited the family’s swordsmanship that used greatswords.

He was the one who made him look bad at his first meeting with Evan.

He was the leader of the 3rd Knights’ reserve members from noble families. After being promoted to senior knight with five stars, it seemed like he had stopped playing the leader role….

“What are you glaring at, you unlucky bastard?”

His temper hadn’t changed. His disregard for commoners was the same.

If he hadn’t become Evan’s escort knight, Adolf would have had to bow his head to Verok. He breathed a sigh of relief inside at that fact.

‘Why did that guy have to come?’

Adolf felt an uneasiness that something would go wrong. And the training ground they arrived at made his concern a reality.

“You beggars? You buuuegggaarrr bastards?”

The Northern Liberation Army was in a state that couldn’t be called neat, even as a lie.

Verok muttered with sincerity, ‘Are those beggars the Northern Liberation Army?’ A Northern Liberation Army executive with a bandit-like beard overheard it.

“You have good ears, bandit. But I didn’t say bastard, did I?”

“Bandit? Are you calling Drake, the butcher who has beheaded over a thousand bastards, a bandiiiit? A guy who lived like a hothouse flower in the royal capital, where are you mouthing off!”

“Puh- Anyone listening would think you faced an entire imperial knight order alone. You’re just talking big, when all you’ve faced are fodder.”

“You son of a bitch!”

Both of their hands slowly reached for their weapons.

“Verok! You were the one who spoke too harshly first!”

Adolf quickly stepped in to mediate.

Evan would be here soon. He had to quickly sort out the situation and wait for him in formation.

“Ha······ Get out of the way, you bastard! A guy who wouldn’t even be able to talk to me if he hadn’t gone to be the escort of the 5th Prince… Why are you telling me what to do?”

Adolf had never regretted staying a 4-star knight as much as he did now.

He eventually gave Reina a look of help. It was a fact that only a few people knew, but after learning the [Northern Mana Training Method], she was on the verge of becoming a 6-star knight.

Reina stepped forward and looked at them with chilling eyes.

“His Highness will be here soon. Both of you, take your hands off your weapons.”

Drake and Verok flinched at the same time.

They instinctively felt that they were not a match for her. But there was such a thing as a man’s pride. They didn’t draw their weapons, but they glared at each other and spoke harshly.

“You bastard. I’ll see you later.”

“Hehehe, I’ve never seen a guy who says he’ll see you later actually come.”

“Hahaha, don’t worry. All the guys I told I’d see later had their heads cut off by me. It’s a story that a young one who was peacefully playing knight in the royal capital wouldn’t know.”

“Playing knight?”

The eyebrows of the senior knights who had been watching the situation twitched at Drake’s remarks. At that, a woman with an eye patch and several mid-level executives from the Northern Liberation Army side stepped forward.

A touch-and-go situation that even Reina couldn’t handle anymore.

Clap clap clap.

“The atmosphere is very good.”

With the sound of applause, Evan arrived.

He gave a quick glance at the people who looked like they were about to grab each other by the collar at any moment with a cold look, and he reached for his sword.

Sreung──!

The sound of Evan drawing his sword rang out strangely loudly.

“If you’re a knight, you should fight with your sword, not your mouth. Come out one by one. Let’s see if you use your sword as well as you use your mouth.”

A quiet training ground.

“Why isn’t anyone coming forward? Then I’ll point someone out first. Hmm······ Verok Biden, come forward. You were babbling quite loudly; let’s see if you use your sword as well as you use your mouth.”

Verok’s eyebrows twitched at Evan’s first nomination. It was because he thought that he was the one who looked down on him the most among those in the training ground.

He took a step forward and opened his mouth.

“5th Prince, I know you’ve achieved great things recently, but your confidence is too excessive. That’s usually called arrogance.”

Rumor had it that the 5th Prince had recently acquired three stars in his heart. He had reached the level of handling sword energy, going beyond the stage of strengthening the body and strengthening weapons with mana.

He had become confident because he could handle sword energy (劍氣) [Ki/Qi imbued in the sword] that could cut down trees without even touching them just by swinging his sword.

But no matter how much, that was crossing the line.

Verok was a 5-star knight who had entered the stage of a swordsman (劍絲) [Swordmaster] who could materialize it like a thin thread, going beyond a 4-star knight who freely handles sword energy.

He turned his gaze to the sword that Evan had drawn.

‘A great sword. It’s a pity to break it.’

Breaking that much would be a good lesson. He slowly drew his greatsword from his back.

Woo-oong.

His sword cried out pleasantly. It was the song of the sword, Geomyeong (劒鳴) [Sword Resonance], that occurs when a swordsman covers a weapon.

“I will concede the first move.”

Evan chuckled at his words.

“Don’t regret it.”

***

Outwardly, I was known to have three stars in my heart.

Therefore, I fully understand why the members of the Northern Liberation Army and the 3rd Knights see me as an arrogant young one.

It is common sense that even if there are ten 3-star knights who have just begun to handle sword energy, it is difficult to stop a 5-star knight. Ninety-nine out of a hundred times, they are unilaterally slaughtered.

Ah, the reason why it’s not a hundred out of a hundred?

It’s because of me.

I was planning to face Verok using only the mana from the three stars that were known to the outside world, without the aid of magic.

The ‘future’ me, who clashed swords and axes with barbarians at the Northern Berington Fortress almost every other day, had overcome countless life-threatening crises.

All of my opponents at that time were one or two levels above me. But, in the end, I was the one who survived.

I kicked off and jumped out.

I looked at Verok, who was wearing a relaxed expression, and operated mana.

The world slowed down, and my senses became more sensitive.

And.

Woo-oooong!

The cry that [Barisada] (Evan’s sword) spat out after accepting mana devoured the Geomyeong emanating from the greatsword that Verok was holding.

“Geomyeong!”

“No way! How can there be Geomyeong without a swordsman?”

“A magic sword?!”

“No! There’s no magic stone that should be embedded in a magic sword!”

Everyone gathered in the training ground was shocked by [Barisada]’s cry.

A sword not surrounded by a swordsman (劍絲) [Swordmaster’s Aura] does not cry.

That was the common sense until now.

The reason why Geomyeong occurs is because of the unique vibration caused by the swordsman. If you can imitate that vibration with sword energy, the sword is strengthened enough to block weapons surrounded by swordsmen and emits a cry.

Well, even if that wasn’t the case, [Barisada] wouldn’t break.

I lifted the sword above my head and put strength into the hand gripping the grip.

‘Make him regret the mouth that said he would concede the first move.’

Evan-style Lionel Emperor Swordsmanship, 1st Form, Breaking the Sky.

It was created by modifying [Lionel Emperor Swordsmanship] during the war with the Hamel Empire.

Hamel, which means sky in their language.

Breaking the Sky.

A form created by the ‘future’ me with wishes embedded in it.

I swung down the sword.

Verok swung his greatsword to counter it.

The belief that the greatsword would cut [Barisada] in half was felt in his bitter smile.

Breaking the Sky is a downward strike that looks similar to the Mountain Split of the Guardian Swordsmanship at first glance, but within it lies incomparable power.

[Barisada] and the greatsword collided.

Kkaang──! Shatter!!

“Verok’s greatsword!”

It was a form created to break the sky. I can’t hold my head up if I can’t even break that much of a greatsword.

To be honest, I didn’t think it would break like that. I thought it would just chip. The saying that a great artisan doesn’t discriminate against tools is all nonsense.

As expected, the mythical weapon, [Barisada].

I wanted to indulge in the feeling of breaking the greatsword a little more, but there were still many humans to deal with.

Veron, who had been strutting around saying he would concede the first move, was staring at his broken sword with a blank expression.

I turned my gaze away from him and opened my mouth, looking at the bandit beard, Drake.

“Next.”

Where, let’s see if you have the skills to babble with your mouth?