Chapter 169: A Knight’s Plea

Our connection began at the Yode.

Long ago, in the imperial palace, I brought him to my side. He had emerged as a palace knight using the traces of the dead Prince Owen, and he surely unraveled on his own.

Before that, he came to me with a favorable bid.

‘Golden Wind.’

Instead of the name Golden Wave, he approached me as a single knight.

There was no damn story or other conditions. The conditions were that I couldn’t help him.

He accepted all the conditions that seemed sacred as they were.

‘Sir Asard…’

He was a man with a story.

Even the mere fact that he took a position in my royal capital from his own house was a debt.

Though it was disappointing that he came as if cast out from his family’s honor, Sir Asard added even more betrayal.

It wasn’t just the gold.

But I allowed one thing.

‘To watch.’

I let him watch the Iron Fist’s training.

I let him briefly embrace the knights’ training.

When he commanded to perform a mission, it was a hard loss even for Arne around.

‘I want to taste it.’

He brings out the mystery.

Having difficulty with elves or princes during missions, he kept the mission to himself and hardened it.

Opi came from the Gate of the Sky Knights and asked about this.

‘It’s hard.’

He said it was a stone, and as if to seal the connection, he buried himself.

If the family sent people, he seemed only to walk and train.

Turn around, and turn around again.

He endured the night swinging his sword.

‘He succeeded.’

As you can see, he succeeded in climbing up the family in a difficult game.

The outside affairs were hard things poured onto our entangled family, and such a family could have a chance.

Now, that very man coming to me is strange.

‘Even if there is love and hate…’

He had come to me once or twice.

Even as his own family flowed, he remained silent and trapped.

The family came indifferently, but his eyes were always cold. It was clear he had put aside many thoughts and many missions to come to me.

It was a difficult path.

‘Above the risen family…’

Like a prince who cannot properly prepare for a picture or training, Opi had no chance to speak about this.

Today, instead of the name Prince Sir Asard, I call out.

‘If I start the story properly, I’ll say this.’

‘…’

‘Aseod Hiira, what do you want?’

Instead of answering, he knelt.

It was a martial art of losing in a duel and losing oneself.

‘…I ask for help. My family is in crisis. The Golden Wind raises its chest, and other families are too harsh.’

‘Is that so?’

I asked without surprise.

‘Now, there is nothing to turn away or hide.’

He was asking me to go help the family.

I could mobilize many troops, and there might be more politics to consider than expected.

He said it was only himself.

Still, there was no excellence.

I looked into his eyes and said.

‘The numbers are more than enough.’

‘Prepare, we have to move quickly. We need to know more than the gold.’

From the moment he returned, maybe it was already decided that I would help him.

‘It’s not a pilgrimage. It seems things will go well.’

It was a test of Sir Asard’s loyalty.

With free martial arts and independence, Sir Asard was valuable enough.

‘Rather, the fact that he is not helping me is an unexpected gain.’

I thought of a way for him to help me.

So I had to move quickly.

‘Golden Wind?’

‘Yes, if the Golden Wind moves, I have to enlist as a volunteer force of the Golden.’

‘…Thank you for your hard work.’

‘That’s it.’

Sir Asard understood quickly the moment he lost his words.

The direction the volunteer force of the Golden went was two directions. One toward the men of Yode, the other toward Count Hiira.

If Count Hiira listened to Sir Asard’s words, I could receive all of that.

‘No one can command me.’

No one could bestow glory on me, and they dared not withdraw the golden shield.

I could move following Count Hiira’s support.

Though it was a surprising story.

‘Changed nobles like this kind of crazy act.’

That’s what justification is.

Even if the opponent dares not match, if the numerical aid is visible, it soon becomes a plausible ladder.

Simply those above them don’t know about their justifications, justifications.

The method was set, so I had to act.

Leading Sir Asard, I quickly moved toward a valley.

‘…Where?’

“A place to buy us time. This way.”

‘Huh?’

Wooong—Woong—

As he stepped up, the Mirajin embedded in the night rushed with mana. The magic circle suddenly began to flare up.

“Did you know the target? Whether it’s war inspiration or healing, I don’t know.”

“Y-yes!”

The coordinates overlapped.

I had the coordinates from Arne, so it wasn’t that busy yet.

Ooh—

Mana began to amplify instantly. As I infused mana, the golden light flared up greatly.

“Now, go and come back.”

“Yes!”

Hwaaak—

The moment the golden light completely vanished.

Aseod Hiira’s body disappeared entirely.

It seemed he was at war with Count Hiira, so he fell covered by Sir Asard’s mana.

‘…Then, shall I prepare.’

While he brings the justification, I must quickly walk to the temple again.

Very quickly.