CHAPTER 162: WHAT HONOR DEMANDS

The Margrave stroked his chin and asked.

"What kind of person is Aint Armian?"

"Someone who can become a sword capable of slaying a cow."

"To receive proper recognition of value from a merchant."

That’s the highest praise.

"Go to the annex palace. Katrina has been waiting for you."

"How is the Countess doing?"

"What is it about you, who tries to eat away at the pillar of our family, that she likes so much..."

"Building a new pillar and sharing it isn’t eating away—it’s a fair distribution of profits."

As if he didn’t want to hear any more, the Margrave waved his hand, dismissing Gerhard.

"Ah, before that."

His eyes changed.

"I still haven’t received compensation for mobilizing my family’s knights. Nor have I heard how you knew."

"That’s a family trade secret, so I can’t tell you."

It wasn’t a family secret but a personal one.

"As you might guess, the spirit creatures didn’t occur naturally but were summoned by demonic creatures. And that summoning requires sacrifices."

So, Your Lordship.

"Do you know where the surviving desert tribes are?"

==

Tap-

After closing the door behind him, Gerhard belatedly remembered a forgotten part.

’Ah, I forgot about the mine.’

Well, it doesn’t matter.

It’s not like he could propose developing a mine in this situation, and he hadn’t thought of an appropriate proposal that would tempt the Margrave yet.

There was still plenty of time.

At least no one would forcibly take over the mine.

Just then, his eyes met with a man coming up the stairs.

"Gerhard?"

"Rudger."

"The Margrave is doing something uninteresting."

A peculiar look passed between them.

’After me, it’s a private meeting with Rudger right away.’

The fact that they were made to encounter each other was clearly intentional.

’What happened between Altriark and Schwaben recently?’

He had heard about a minor dispute. If so, this was simply a demonstration.

In the process, the Margrave had used Gerhard.

’Hmm.’

But considering their relationship so far and their future relationship, it was something he could overlook.

Though minor, these small things accumulated to form a massive debt, so it was more profitable to gather them and explode them all at once.

"Let’s go, Young Master."

"Yes."

Passing by Rudger, Gerhard arrived with Rapelle at another door.

"Come in."

A voice was heard from inside before Gerhard could knock. Entering, he saw a woman with crossed legs, looking out the window.

Long black hair reaching her waist, skin slightly tanned by the sun, and sapphire-like blue eyes.

She was Katrina Altriark, the mistress of Altriark.

"Welcome. Coffee? Or tea?"

"You’re preparing it yourself?"

"Consider it an honor. Even those haughty Margraves don’t get to drink tea personally made by me."

"It’s an honor."

Gerhard sat down before her.

"You don’t look so good. I heard you encountered a demonic creature."

"It wasn’t bad. Demonic creatures weren’t as formidable as I thought."

"Really?"

"Really."

The coffee the Countess made was exceptionally delicious.

"It has a good aroma."

"It’s what you gave me. Don’t you remember?"

"You still haven’t finished it all?"

"You know, don’t you? I prefer alcohol over these things."

"That’s why I brought this. Orbis, vintage 55, the pride of Fridien."

Gerhard took out alcohol from his subspace.

"It seems you’ve become distant from Schwaben these days."

The Countess asked, receiving the alcohol.

"What makes you think that?"

"The Margrave met with me before Rudger."

Though it might seem trivial, the prestige and hierarchy among nobles were quite strict.

No matter how much the Margraves had the right to elect the Emperor, and how much power and strength they possessed comparable to the Emperor, the Emperor was still the Emperor.

Normally, the Margrave should have met with Rudger first, not Gerhard.

"That’s right."

The Countess nodded calmly.

"Whether it’s because they’ve taken the imperial throne three times in a row, their noses have become quite high."

I’m not interested in the imperial throne, but I don’t want to be someone’s pawn.

"It’s almost painful to hear how much Schwaben wants to consolidate the imperial throne."

Imperial succession that wasn’t hereditary but achieved through the votes of the Margraves.

It was a structure that inevitably strengthened the power of the nobility.

"So don’t ask when you already know. I’ve answered because it seems like I’ve used you, but..."

In response to the cool warning embedded in her gentleness, Gerhard took out an antique box from his subspace.

"A gift I prepared for the Countess."

"Oh my, between us, why such a thing?"

Despite her words, her hand swiftly snatched the box like a hawk targeting its prey.

Click, elegant glass bottles were revealed.

"What’s this?"

"It’s the latest cosmetics newly released from Flos."

Flos was a luxury brand operated by the Golden Turtle Company.

"This makes the skin brighter and cleaner. This is a perfume that harmonizes with body odor for a more natural scent."

"And this?"

"A shampoo that makes hair soft and flowing."

"What about this?"

"It’s a product with the effect you’ve been longing for."

"Really?"

The Countess’s eyes sparkled. She immediately opened the lid, sprayed a little on her palm, and rubbed it.

But there was no dramatic change.

Her hands were still full of calluses and scars.

"There’s no change at all?"

"You know, don’t you? Cosmetics don’t show significant changes after just one or two uses. I can’t guarantee they’ll completely disappear, but by the time you finish that bottle, things should be quite different."

"I’ll believe you."

The Countess closed the box with a pleased expression.

"How’s Emond doing?"

"Yes, my brother is doing well. He’s established his position as a professor."

"Of course, whose son is he after all."

"How is Alkmion?"

"He’s in Falancia."

Falancia was one of the seven fortresses of the barrier. And it was at the very front line.

"He must be getting a lot of experience."

"When you’re young, you need to experience things to hone yourself."

"Alkmion will be entering the Academy next year, right?"

"That’s uncertain. Who knows if he might fail due to insufficient ability?"

"That can’t be."

Alkmion, who was evaluated as having the most excellent talent among the Margrave’s descendants?

Of course, there were some issues, but failing was out of the question.

"I think he’ll do well."

"Since you’ll be his senior, I hope you’ll guide him well."

"Yes."

The conversation blossomed.

==

People often say that the Academy is the cradle of the Empire.

It was a correct statement. Not everyone in the Empire could attend the Academy, but most capable individuals did.

Altriark had many outstanding knights, and naturally, many Academy graduates.

Even those who had left the Academy still had a great interest in it.

"Pleased to meet you all. I am Krepin, who teaches the trainees at the Altriark Knight School."

Grad entered the separate building with a knight named Krepin.

"I brought Sir Krepin for sparring. As you know, the purpose of this dispatch is to gain more experience."

Grad continued after surveying the focused students.

"Interacting with knights or mages when dispatched is also a long-standing tradition of the Academy. It’s not mandatory, so only those who want to participate need to do so."

The Academy was the Empire’s finest educational institution, but it wasn’t the only one.

In particular, the knight schools of Altriark and Berchef, renowned for their excellent knights, were said to be comparable to the Academy in terms of knight training.

"Say you’ll definitely do it."

"Berchef and Altriark knights always live up to their names. Berchef is slightly better."

"More sparring experience is beneficial and will never harm you."

Aint’s thoughts aligned with Gardner’s.

After the battle with Andromalius, he had felt his own inadequacies and had been craving practical experience.

That’s why he wanted to be dispatched to Altriark. He probably would have come even without Gerhard’s encouragement.

"I volunteer."

Just then, someone raised their hand before Aint.

It was Luina.

"Oh, if the trainees get to spar with the mounted lance competition champion, they’ll be quite pleased."

"I’d like to participate too."

"Me too."

Belatedly, Aint, Almon, Allia, and Veriana also raised their hands.

The sparring was arranged, and they were guided to the arena.

Perhaps because it was a fortress with a permanent garrison, the training ground was very spacious, and the sparring arena was set up in one part of it.

The appearance of the Academy students attracted the attention of knights and soldiers who were training.

"Trainees, assemble!"

At Krepin’s call, about a hundred trainees scattered around the training ground gathered around the arena.

"Thankfully, the students from the Academy have agreed to spar with you. Any volunteers?"

Without a moment’s hesitation, all the trainees raised their hands.

"Good. Who wants to go first?"

"Albert Pesli from Class 1."

A man who appeared to be in his mid-20s raised his hand.

The Altriark Knight School didn’t have grade levels. They merely divided students into Classes 1 through 4 based solely on ability.

"Then, who from the Academy side would like to go first?"

Grad looked around at the students, but Albert Pesli abruptly pointed at Luina.

"I’d like to fight with Luina Berchef, the mounted lance competition champion."

"Oh. Good spirit. Luina, your answer?"

"If someone challenges me, I have no reason to avoid it."

Luina stepped forward.

"The sparring will be done with blunt iron swords for dueling."

The magical barrier artifacts used at the Academy were too expensive for a mere duel if not at the Academy or Goldenheim.

"Why did you choose me?"

"Just as you, who won the mounted lance competition, can be considered the Academy’s finest knight, I too am the best at the Altriark Knight School. I don’t think the Altriark Knight School is significantly inferior to the Academy."

"I see."

Luina nodded calmly.

"Do you know? My surname is Berchef."

"I know. That’s partly why I chose you."

"No trash-talking! Begin!"

—!

Sparks flew as the dueling iron swords collided.

Just one exchange. The outcome was starkly divided in that single exchange.

"...Kuk!"

As Albert suppressed a groan and took a step back, Luina instantly followed, closing the distance.

Luina was an experienced knight.

And an experienced knight was a predator who, once spotting a weakness in the enemy, wouldn’t let go and would pursue it to the end.

——!

—!

Luina’s sword danced. Points became lines, lines became planes, blocking all of Albert’s defenses and cutting off all his sword paths.

One step became two, and two steps became three.

Barely blocking, barely dodging, barely enduring. That was all Albert could do.

Claaang!

It didn’t take long for Albert’s sword to leave its owner’s hand and soar into the air.

"Heok, heok...!"

In that brief moment, Albert’s body, drenched in sweat, was in stark contrast to Luina, whose complexion hadn’t changed at all.

Swiftly, Luina’s iron sword was placed near Albert’s neck.

"It’s over."

It’s a common story.

People always like to line up and rank things.

Among the strong, who is the strongest?

Royal Knights and Arch Mages partly satisfied that curiosity.

Though it did raise a new question: who is the strongest among Royal Knights and Arch Mages?

Which family among the Margraves is the greatest?

Everyone picked Armian, but it became a heated topic of debate again when the imperial throne changed hands a hundred years ago.

Altriark and Berchef. Berchef and Altriark were similar.

All families trained knights, but not all knights were the same. Just as not all Margraves were the same.

Who was stronger between the two knight families that protected the First Emperor’s sides had always been a hot topic.

That’s why.

Altriark had always been compared to Berchef.

And Luina had grown up hearing those words so often they were etched into her ears.

Even though monster waves had devastated the territory.

Even though they had sold the rights to the Golden Imperial Edict, and their current glory was a mere shadow of their former fame.

Nevertheless.

"Next."

They must not be intimidated by those from Altriark.

They must not be defeated.

If they fight, they must win.

That is.

"Is there no next? It seems Altriark only has cowards."

Berchef.

Luina’s eyes blazed with enthusiasm.