Chapter 80 – 3-Star Knight (1)

“……You really buried them.”

“Yes.”

“I mean, you really buried them in the ground. With only their heads showing.”

“Yes.”

“I am asking how you did it. Even I could not do that.”

Count Levi chuckled as if it were absurd.

He had just returned from the place Henry had mentioned earlier.

The claim that there were knights and a mage was true, and the claim that they were buried was also true.

Because the three were buried in the ground with faces as if they had lost something major in life.

With precisely only their heads showing.

“First, I extracted the internal details. Afterward, I subdued them, bound them so they could not escape, and buried them. I also prepared for any unforeseen circumstances by infusing mana into the soil.”

“……How?”

“I did my best.”

“Do you think that just because an Academy trainee does their best, it is possible to subdue a 2-star knight, a 3-star knight, and even a 3-star mage?”

“Fortunately, it was possible.”

The Count was at a loss for words.

Henry Camilton was no fool.

Rather, he was at an extremely bright level.

‘It is not that he failed to understand my words. He must simply not want to speak.’

If so, there was nothing that could be done.

He was a senior knight and a higher noble, but even so, he did not have the authority to pry into the foundation of the opponent’s strength.

“You did a great job.”

“It was only natural that I do it.”

“I will deliver the performance report to the Academy as you wish. How much should I write in?”

“May I ask one thing first?”

“Just ask.”

“How do you plan to handle the bandits?”

“I will have to think about it. I am just as out of it as the fellows buried in the ground right now. Just when I thought I solved a headache, to think something like this would pop out again.”

The homework assigned to the Count right now was not just one or two things.

He had to find the enemy within that Henry mentioned, decide on the treatment of the bandits, and also calculate what kind of compensation he could extract from Count Madison.

“It would be nice if we could extract something from the Quellei Sect bastards too, but that probably won’t work. Since they are practically no different from mercenaries who use magic.”

“Have you not found the spies?”

“How could I find them when those bastards won’t talk? Unless we torture the fellows you buried, that is.”

Of course, he had no intention of torturing them.

They were precious hostages and evidence, and whatever they extracted from Count Madison would likely be in the form of a ransom.

Even just thinking about it made irritation surge, but in the end, that was how relations between nobles went.

“I know who they are.”

“Right, you…… know?”

“Yes.”

“You mean you know the guys who colluded? Is that what you meant earlier when you said you extracted the internal details?”

“I also grasped the circumstances of how the bandits ended up in that place. They were not originally bandits.”

“Don’t tell me you are trying to say Count Madison’s knights forcibly led them around, or something like that?”

“Yes.”

“And so you are trying to ask me to show leniency?”

“Yes.”

“That won’t do. If they committed a wrong, they must pay for their crime. At any rate, those things stole something. A result crafted by someone’s efforts, that is.”

“……”

“However, there are classes even in thievery. Those who stole food because they were hungry are detained for three months and then released. We do it that way in my territory.”

“Thank you.”

“I also prepared various programs so that the same thing won’t be repeated. If they learn skills during those three months, earning their own living will not be a problem. So, who is the enemy within?”

“They are knights.”

“Knights, plural? Damn it. It seems the Order of Knights, which has only ten members, will end up reduced to a single digit. Their names?”

“Sir Barrett and…”

“Drop the ‘Sir’.”

“Barrett and Curtis. They joined hands about half a year ago and were promised better treatment by Count Madison.”

“Arrogant bastards. It might be greedy of me, but there is one more thing I want to ask. Who is the fellow who received a similar offer but rejected it?”

“Sir Dennis.”

“I should give him a chance. If they do not confess honestly, the number of my Order of Knights will decrease by three.”

The young Lord rubbed his face roughly.

After staring at Henry’s face with a troubled look, he spoke.

“I want to give you a reward.”

“I want to know the meaning of what you called a noble supremacist. Also what they were aiming for.”

“An answer different from what I expected. Fine, let us go with that. That Madison fellow is a guy who thinks there is something impassable between nobles and commoners. Not a matter of talent or anything like that, but he believes there is something like the gap between humans and monkeys.”

“Are there many such people?”

“An extreme number. They have practically formed a faction already. It is sweet, isn’t it? ‘I am qualitatively different from other humans. I was born that way.’ It is an incomparably excellent ideology for fools to fall into.”

It was a thought anyone could have at least once.

Especially those who could handle mana.

However, at some point, realizing reality and returning to a sane mindset was the general process.

“Three things overlapped for such a thing to occur: the fact that they can manipulate mana, the difference in status as nobles, and clearly lagging intelligence. If it were royalty, that would be one thing, but seeing half-baked nobles in such a state is merely laughable.”

“I understand.”

“I stand on the opposite side. That is why they targeted me. Actually, using the word target is also a bit of a misnomer. They did not send an assassin, they merely tried to nibble away at the territory bit by bit.”

“Is that all?”

“Not quite. Just as I told you in the first place, making me divert my knights to the outside must have been their goal. Ultimately, it was to plunder the warehouse.”

“Then in that warehouse…”

“There must be something that must not be revealed. I am a noble, Henry Camilton. As Count Levi, I am not that clean.”

Henry nodded.

This was as far as the allowed answer went.

In fact, this alone was sufficiently shocking content.

“Thank you.”

“The report?”

“I merely performed the assigned task. There were no variables, and fortunately, I was able to handle it well.”

“I will handle it that way. Shall we end our conversation here? Since I will have to drop by the Academy as soon as I put out the urgent fire anyway.”

“I will see you again.”

“It will be a pleasure.”

Count Levi spoke sincerely.

Although he could not know Henry’s strength precisely, he had never seen anyone stack such achievements merely during their Academy trainee days.

Since he had his own family, he might join the Royal Knights, or he might act as Viscount Camilton.

‘Perhaps it could be both.’

At any rate, the important fact was that when Henry heard the talk about noble supremacists, he showed a displeased reaction.

The Count pursed his lips.

Opening the drawer, he pulled out a fluttering sheet of paper.

It was the request form delivered to the Academy.

*Thud.*

He stamped Count Levi’s official seal with a resounding thud and handed it to Henry.

“You have completed the mission. The House of Count Levi expresses gratitude to Henry Camilton and the Academy. May you become a straight sword of Vallaran.”

***

“It should be time for him to return.”

“My friend, does it make sense to clear an A-rank request in such a short time? Wait a bit calmly. It is not like you.”

“If it is Henry, it makes sense.”

“That is undeniable, but setting aside skill, it is a matter of absolute time. It is not a mission to defeat a single strong enemy.”

Alex, the chief instructor of the Vallaran Royal Knight Academy, clicked his tongue as he looked at his sagging colleague.

The colleague was, of course, Chief Instructor Rousseau.

Rousseau, who had always been calm, composed, and quiet, had already been revealing a look of being worried to death for several days without filtering.

“Why did Austin not go together? I naturally thought they would perform it together.”

“The person in question is Henry Camilton, Rousseau. If it is your disciple, he surely had a sufficient reason. He is that kind of child, isn’t he?”

“I only find it regrettable that I cannot predict it at all. He could have at least sent a contact…”

“An excessive wish. Recall the days when you were a trainee here. What was your attitude when performing a mission?”

“……”

“Wait calmly. Even if you are the chief instructor, continuously skipping classes will bring about bad results. The Dean has been keeping a close eye on you lately. You know that too, right?”

Rousseau quietly nodded.

It was already the second time he received a call from the Dean.

Thanks to his position as chief instructor and the fact that he was Henry Camilton’s teacher, it ended at this level.

“You must keep your place to be able to help Henry. That will always be the case until the moment he leaves the Academy.”

“……You are right.”

“So today…”

At that moment, a trainee ran over at high speed.

It was a familiar face.

Alex’s disciple, Lauren, stood in front of the two instructors with a flushed face.

“Lauren. What is the matter?”

“Henry Camilton has returned.”

Rousseau and Alex stood up abruptly.

“It should be fine to skip one more day.”

Alex spoke, and Rousseau also agreed.

“I think so too.”

***

Versailles Bergent.

The Dean of the Royal Academy wore a smile of great satisfaction.

“Truly excellent. Trainee Henry Camilton has raised the name of our Academy. Count Levi is extremely pleased.”

“Thank you.”

“The reward for the request will be paid precisely. Also, you do not have to perform missions for the next three months. Of course, you can perform additional ones if you want.”

The Dean spoke with a broad grin.

Because the reward for the request was, of course, not of a material kind.

It was merely the evaluation of trainee Henry Camilton going up.

Those were things where the Dean would not suffer even a slight loss no matter how much he gave away.

However, the Academy saw significant financial gain through the trainee’s completion of the mission.

“The amount invested in Trainee Henry Camilton is not wasted. I, the Dean, am truly pleased. How grateful would I be if all trainees produced results like Henry?”

“……”

“You did a great job. Go back and rest now… Ah, what is your current achievement?”

The Dean’s eyes flashed in an instant.

It was a merchant’s eye measuring the value of goods.

“I have reached 1-star class now.”

“Matchlessly excellent. Make sure to report if you grow further. You may report to Chief Instructor Rousseau, so you must never forget.”

“I will not forget.”

*Nod. Nod.*

Dean Versailles wore an expression almost like looking at his youngest grandson.

“You also chose a decent artifact. Safety is most important, above all. Go back and rest now.”

“Thank you.”

Henry left the Dean’s office.

Rousseau was waiting when he stepped out of the building.

“Henry! Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No. More than that, there is something I want to show you.”

“To the training ground!”

“I need a moment to prepare.”

“By all means, do so!”

Rousseau led the way like an excited child. Practically pushing Henry into his personal training ground, he stood outside the entrance and waited as if keeping guard.

Henry stood alone in the training ground.

Saying he had something to prepare was true, and if Rousseau faced this result, his eyes would surely roll back in shock.

[Lol finally!!]

[If it’s level 4, what star is it? 3-star?]

[What a waste lol. If he just reveals his strength, the King might come too lol]

[But didn’t you say Austin is 5-star level??]

[Austin is 5-star right lol, but he is an assassin]

The viewers were also in a highly excited state.

The moment he received the request form from Count Levi,

Oop Oop and Cheongdam Man sent sponsorships at the same time, as if by promise.

A truly massive amount.

Adding that to the funds accumulated previously, and the settlement money generated from video view counts, a sufficient amount was gathered.

“Austin possesses a 4-star class skill as a knight as well. The information in the Sponsorship Shop does not lie. I am still lacking, but as you, the viewers, also saw, I have the gift given by the Archmage.”

That gift was none other than the traits.

It was an ability grand enough to close the gap with the opponent in a single stroke.

And now.

[You have purchased the ‘Level 4 Talent Orb Bundle’.]

The moment he consumed the six orbs held in his hand, it was clear that another trait would be granted to Henry.

BJ Swordmaster