Chapter 89 – Reason (2)

“I heard you are going out on a mission.”

“That is correct.”

“Didn’t you already achieve significant results not too long ago, Henry? Is there a reason you’re trying to perform another mission after such a short time?”

“It is because I concluded that real combat experience is necessary to grow as a knight.”

“Excellent. But that is not a sufficient reason.”

The headmaster of the Vallaran Royal Knight Academy,

Versailles Bergant, shook his head lightly as if something was strange.

“To say it is purely for experience, the conditions of the mission are rather demanding, aren’t they?”

“Viscount Camilton is in the Heritz region.”

“To see your father? A Class A trainee can go out freely as much as they want. You could even stay for about a month and return…”

“I could not turn away from a place in need of help.”

“If it were simply to help others, you would have secured a larger number of people, right? But there were only two, including trainee Austin.”

“I thought it was sufficient.”

“You seem to have gained confidence in your own skills?”

From right after arriving at the headmaster’s office,

Henry had been suffering from a persistent barrage of questions.

No matter what he said, he would counter with a rational reason, and even if Henry replied, he would only show a smile that seemed to say ‘I know everything.’

“Trainee Henry Camilton.”

“Yes.”

“How much do you think your skill amounts to?”

“I judged that it is equivalent to a 1-star knight.”

“Is that all?”

“…Yes?”

“I think that with the potential trainee Henry possesses, there is ample room for him to have grown. Were there no additional achievements you’ve made?”

“Ah, that is…”

“There were indeed. I thought as much. This request is a first-class one, same as the one Henry performed previously, but it involves facing monsters.”

“Yes.”

“Which means you might experience a crisis if you are careless. To the point where your life is in danger. And judging by my assessment, Henry Camilton was not a trainee to overrate his own skills. Am I correct?”

“…I am simply grateful that you look upon me favorably.”

“The expression ‘saw you accurately’ would sound better. So, how much did you grow?”

“It was not a level to brag about anywhere.”

“A slight achievement. Yet sometimes that slight achievement becomes a yardstick to gauge one’s level. Keep it in mind, Henry. Once this mission is over, you will have to take time to verify your skills.”

“…I am curious as to what that is for.”

“To feel the joy of being an educator, no doubt. Also, it will be of great help in the process of choosing the group trainee Henry Camilton will belong to after graduation. Since everyone wants outstanding talent, it is only natural, right?”

[He’s trying to raise your market value lol, I suspected it]

[Now, he is trash, right??]

[Just ask him straight out lol: how much for 2-star? lol]

“Headmaster. May I ask one thing?”

Henry, who was observing the chat, spoke. The headmaster nodded gently.

“Speak.”

“Has there ever been a case where a graduate with 2-star level skills emerged from the academy?”

“Not many. There were about thirty people throughout the academy’s history. The introduction fee was 120,000 gold.”

“…Thank you.”

“As of this moment, I plan to expand all authorities of trainee Henry Camilton. You can withdraw 200 gold every month from the central bank, and additionally, I will let you rent one artifact. Is there anything else you particularly need?”

“No.”

“Excellent. You may leave. I pray you successfully complete this mission too.”

Henry left the headmaster’s office, barely giving a greeting.

Although he knew what kind of person the headmaster was, he had not imagined he would be this blatant.

The viewers were the same.

[So shameless lol]

[No, is it really okay to be this money-crazy openly?? Doesn’t the king say anything??]

[lol 120k gold is a bit too much honestly]

[But can’t you collect it if you try? Even back then, he hit 10k gold in a single day]

[Wasn’t that possible because he swept up all the artifacts?? It seems like it would work if he went and earned money steadily lol]

The atmosphere was divided between the reaction that 120,000 gold was excessive, and the thought that there was no reason he couldn’t collect it if he tried.

‘…Actually, it isn’t that difficult.’

Henry was in a position where he saw it as possible.

Back when he made a profit of fifteen thousand gold,

artifacts were artifacts, but in truth, he had been able to secure a significant amount of money just by selling a few items from the Sponsor Shop.

Now, sponsorships had also accumulated more generously than back then.

In fact, right now, Henry could even scrape up all the cash Durandal had prepared if he set his mind to it.

‘I should think about it in advance.’

Henry’s skills had not been revealed yet.

Because both Rousseau and Count Levi, who had assigned the last mission, were keeping the secret.

‘I can think about it after it gets exposed. But the problem is…’

Just in case.

It was if the headmaster came to know the fact that Henry was a 3-star.

He was a man who demanded 120,000 gold even for a 2-star.

What if he was a 3-star?

He couldn’t even imagine how much he would demand.

“I have completed the interview.”

Henry, who had returned to Rousseau’s office, reported.

“…Your expression doesn’t look good.”

“He asked how much I’ve grown as a knight.”

“You didn’t answer honestly, did you?”

“Yes. But…”

“We should be more careful.”

“Yes.”

Rousseau stiffened his face as if displeased.

But what could he do?

The opponent was in the position of sitting at the highest spot in the academy.

“…Ah, the mission? If you want, I will get you another one.”

“The mission is suitable. I think I can go with Austin tomorrow.”

“I should call Sir Melissa.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if I went to see her this time?”

“It is what Sir Melissa herself wanted.”

Saying so, Rousseau felt a strange sensation.

As if facing a rival, he was feeling a strange rejection toward Melissa.

“Anyway, Henry, focus only on this mission. I will handle other matters. You know what I mean, right?”

“Thank you.”

“Nothing to thank me for. It is something I do because I want to.”

Saying so, Rousseau turned around coolly.

Since Melissa was there, they wouldn’t have to worry about the mission.

First, he would send a message to the Royal Knights, and Rousseau himself had a separate place to visit.

‘How much gold have I saved up until now?’

The Royal Central Bank.

He planned to open the Chief Instructor’s salary box that he had steadily saved.

***

In the basement of the Duke of Roderick’s estate, there was a space where only a very few of the family could enter.

The entrance was a thick iron door.

The moment the door closed, light was completely blocked, and there was no way to escape other than the door.

A space for the family’s shadows.

This place was used as a training ground, and it was a location where a variety of environments could be created by mobilizing numerous artifacts.

Until just a week ago, it was a parched desert where not a single drop of water could be found, and until yesterday, it was a dark forest where one could not see even an inch ahead.

But now it was ordinary.

Even the lights were turned on brightly.

There was only one case where the training ground changed to this state.

“I greet the Master.”

The master of the House of Roderick.

For they only stopped training when Cape Roderick visited.

Cape silently looked down at his subordinates.

A number that exceeded thirty by a rough estimate.

Each and every one of them was an assassin who had undergone extreme training processes, especially fully armed mentally.

It was a military force that most noble houses desired, but it was also a group they did not dare to raise.

Because if they were caught, it would be to the point where cleaning up afterward was impossible.

Of course, Roderick was capable.

The wealth of the Roderick family could sufficiently block the eyes and ears of the royal bureaucrats.

“The number of personnel should be sufficient.”

Then Cape spoke. The shadows concentrated on their master’s voice.

“Marshal.”

“Yes, Master.”

“There is something to handle. Draw out ten people and send them to me. The composition is same as always.”

It meant sending one 6-star to play the leader role and nine 5-stars.

“The mission content is capture. The target’s skill is equivalent to a 5-star.”

“Yes.”

“Also, Marshal, you are excluded from this mission.”

“…I receive your command.”

“Hurry. There is not much time.”

“Yes.”

Clank!

Cape left the training ground as soon as he finished speaking.

It was an action no different from usual. When dealing with shadows, Cape was of a personality to speak only what was absolutely necessary.

However.

The leader of the shadows, Marshal, was feeling a strange sense of incongruity.

‘…Exclude?’

Marshal stared blankly at the closed iron door.

Cape Roderick instructed Marshal to draw out personnel and send them.

Marshal’s role was to follow the master’s command.

It was something that should have ended with organizing a team of ten and sending them to the Duke, but Marshal was hesitating in a manner unlike him.

‘The target is a 5-star. The mission is securing, not execution. The reason to exclude me from such a mission…’

Silence flowed.

The shadows were loyal to their master, but they respected their leader, Marshal, just as much.

There was no one who could urge him on just because the handling of the matter was delayed.

Thanks to that, Marshal was able to reach a conclusion.

‘The young master must have stepped out of the academy.’

It was definitely related to Austin Roderick.

The second son of the Roderick family.

A being who received the same blood, but had his life completely stolen by the eldest.

Until not long ago, the Duke had been waiting in a state of half-giving up on Austin.

Because as long as he remained inside the fence of the academy, even the Duke could not lay a hand on him at will.

But if he left the academy, the story was different.

‘I heard the news that he rose to Class A… but why make such a choice!’

Marshal’s mouth felt completely parched.

The moment the master commands, the shadow obeys.

There was no one who could resist in front of that grand premise.

Austin would soon be dragged here, and he would end up in an even more harsh environment under the pretext of having escaped control for a short time.

What about after a few years passed in such a manner?

He wouldn’t even be able to think of daring to resist.

“…I will call your names.”

Marshal too could not refuse the master’s command.

If there was any difference between him and other shadows, it was the fact that he could feel a sense of rejection toward the master’s command.

Because even that could not be tolerated, the Duke had excluded Marshal from this mission.

“Tiny, Muron, Harris…”

Before he knew it,

while worrying about Austin, Marshal selected the optimal personnel to carry out the mission.

His wrinkled eyes trembled.

He was unwilling. He wanted to refuse the command. But naturally, it was impossible.

“You will perform this mission. Failure will not be tolerated.”

The iron door opened, and closed.

Darkness arrived once again. Forcing away the scenes rising in his mind, Marshal began to concentrate on training.

It was at that moment.

‘Did another instruction come down to me?’

Marshal recalled an extremely simple thought.

To him, it was no different from an enlightenment.

Duke Roderick’s instruction was merely to form the team and exclude Marshal from the process of performing the mission.

But what about after that?

Was there not no command directing him to focus on training without leaving this place, or to perform another mission?

‘…I must see the young master.’

A shadow cannot leave the estate without the Duke’s command.

But Marshal was their leader.

A significant number of constraints binding the shadows did not apply to Marshal.

Marshal opened the iron door. He stepped out of the training ground. The movement of the shadows was not visible yet.

The academy was just a stone’s throw away.

He used the passage maintained under the headmaster’s tacit approval. As always, he moved along the route Austin used to walk.

‘…Young master.’

Just as expected,

today was no different. Austin was with the companion he always walked with.

But today, an unfamiliar face was with them.

‘Why is a Royal Knight…’

The 7-star knight, Melissa.

Naturally, she was someone Marshal knew as well.

‘It will be dangerous.’

Marshal concentrated on concealing his presence. Others didn’t matter, but if it was Melissa, she was a target even Marshal had to be careful of.

Of course, if he concentrated only on hiding his presence like now, it was not a big problem.

For no matter how great a Royal Knight was, finding Marshal when he was tightly hidden was impossible.

‘Is she an escort? No, that can’t be. When it is merely a trainee’s mission…’

The moment he thought so,

Marshal ended up freezing at the situation that suddenly unfolded.

‘…No way? Did he find me?’

Henry Camilton.

Austin’s companion was looking precisely at the position where Marshal was crouching.

BJ Swordmaster