Mana began to fill her sword. The pale white mana took form, soon becoming an aura. Before their eyes appeared the stable light of mana that only a Sword Master could create. Derek and the beginner class students forgot to breathe as they stared at Erin in that moment.

* * *

Ferdin knew he had made a reckless choice. Though Amon and Hellix were strong, their opponent was Count Leon. But he couldn’t let Karon die. Before being Erin’s family, Karon was his knight.

He recalled the conversation he had with the Princess just before departing. When Ferdin was about to leave after hearing about Karon, the Princess had come looking for him.

“Are you going to stop Count Leon, Ferdin?”

“Princess? How did you know?”

“It’s dangerous.”

“I know. But Karon is my knight and my fiancée’s brother.”

“This is why I dislike you. You’re foolish, kind, and too principled…”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for this conversation.”

“But that’s probably why Lady Erin likes you.”

Ferdin’s face hardened as he looked at Princess Asili. Her complexion didn’t look good—she appeared ready to collapse at any moment.

“God has shown me several possible futures, Ferdin.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you go there, all of your knight candidates except you will die.”

The Princess spoke while trembling. Her eyes were filled with terror as she recalled the future she had seen.

“I’ll find Lady Erin. Don’t send Derek to the western forest. Tell him to take the beginner class knights and meet Lady Erin. Ask him to guide her.”

“…”

“It will be too late if you leave after finding Lady Erin. You must depart immediately.”

After finishing her words, the Princess staggered. Ferdin grabbed her arm to steady her.

“If Derek follows you, he will certainly die. He’s weaker than the other knights.”

“If you say anything more…”

“Ferdin Lexia, listen to me. I already told you last time—I was destined to die anyway.”

“…”

“Tell Lord Amon to provoke Count Leon. He’s simple-minded and will fall for it.”

The Princess shook her head. Her complexion grew increasingly pale, but she didn’t stop speaking.

“The Emperor is not in his right mind. He’s been corrupted by evil. God will not forgive him. But before that… your knights must not die.”

“Princess?”

“If Lord Karon dies, Lady Erin will…”

“…”

“Don’t do anything foolish like not calling Lady Erin because it’s dangerous.”

Ferdin bit his lower lip firmly.

“Because that’s not what she wants.”

“…”

“She becomes stronger when she’s alone.”

At that moment, the Princess’s pupils contracted. She spoke in an unfamiliar woman’s voice that Ferdin had never heard before.

“Ferdin Lexia, through our past promise, I can lend you strength only once.”

It was just for a brief moment. After those words, the Princess appeared even more exhausted. She seemed to have said everything she needed to say and didn’t continue. Without hesitation, she turned and walked away. Her staggering figure looked precarious.

Ferdin knew she was going to find Erin. He didn’t fully understand what the Princess had said—why her voice had momentarily changed, and what past promise she was referring to. But he vaguely sensed it was connected to the memories Erin had experienced.

Ferdin stared ahead. Count Leon was looking at his knight candidates with contempt.

The first to move was Count Leon. He attempted to strike Karon’s neck. But in that moment, Karon rolled away—a movement he had prepared in advance. If he had been even slightly slower, his head would have been severed.

Count Leon didn’t stop. He swung his sword again, the blade full of k*lling intent once more targeting Karon’s neck. Hellix rushed toward Count Leon and blocked his sword.

“Ugh!”

Despite only blocking one strike, Hellix felt his insides twist. If Count Leon had attacked with his full strength, he would have collapsed immediately. Meanwhile, Amon pulled Karon behind him for protection.

He handed Karon the sword hanging at his waist. “Take up the sword, Karon Liserth. Even if you die, die fighting.”

At Amon’s words, Karon gripped the sword handle tightly and replied, “I’ve shown an unseemly display.”

Watching this, the Count sneered. He turned to his knights and said, “None of you are to interfere.”

Amon smirked at this sight. “Well, I suppose that’s fair. Being a Sword Master, you can handle us alone.”

Count Leon didn’t respond. He lunged forward with his sword, not even bothering to infuse it with mana. If they wanted to buy time, he would indulge them.

“I’ll play with them before k*lling them.”

While he couldn’t kill Ferdin, his knight candidates were fair game. Moreover, he had orders from Ditrion to kill Karon as cruelly as possible. Initially, he hadn’t given it much thought, but Amon’s provocation had a significant impact.

Since becoming a Sword Master, Count Leon had never let anyone who disrespected him live. Amon looked at Hellix and said, “Hellix, I don’t know what you and Erin were doing in the west, but I can tell you’ve gotten stronger since last time.”

“…”

“How long can you hold out?”

“If we attack together, ten minutes.”

“D*mn, we’re all too weak.”

Hellix raised his sword. As Amon said, Hellix had grown somewhat stronger after gaining insight in the west. But not enough to face a Sword Master.

Even with both him and Amon attacking together, they could only last ten minutes. Hellix couldn’t guarantee that Erin would arrive within that time.

“But we must try anyway.” With that thought, Hellix launched himself forward.

* * *

The battle was one-sided. Count Leon literally toyed with Ferdin’s knights. Amon felt powerless in the face of such absolute strength. He realized how much Erin had been holding back when sparring with him.

Their wounds increased steadily while the smile on Count Leon’s face grew deeper. The first to fall was Karon. After being kicked in the stomach by Count Leon, he couldn’t get up.

But the Count couldn’t finish him off because Ferdin blocked him with his sword. No matter how insignificant the opponent, it was annoying to be repeatedly thwarted.

Nevertheless, Count Leon was enjoying himself. If he had fought them with his full strength, k*lling Karon would have been effortless despite any interference.

“Your Highness, the level of your knights is pathetic,” he mocked as he swung his sword. Amon blocked the strike, but he too had reached his limit. He exhaled a ragged breath.

Thunk!

Amon looked down at his stomach.

“Let’s end this. It’s no longer amusing.”

He saw Count Leon’s sword piercing his abdomen.

‘During the monster subjugation, Erin injured her back protecting me,’ he thought absently as his consciousness faded.

‘This hurts like h*ll.’

He should have properly thanked her then. How had she endured this pain with her untrained body?

Perhaps it was because he was near death, but all sorts of thoughts crossed his mind. Amon looked back at Hellix, whose condition was hardly better than his own. Covered in wounds, he was barely holding onto his sword.

“Hey, Hellix.”

“Don’t speak.”

“I’m sorry.”

“D*mn it.”

“Take care of His Highness.”

With that, Amon collapsed. Hellix struggled to keep his eyes open, but his body simply wouldn’t obey him. Seeing them in this state, Count Leon clicked his tongue.

“Your knights are all talk. Their actual skills are pathetic.”

He thrust his sword toward the fallen Hellix—a strike filled with k*lling intent.

Clang!

Count Leon’s eyes widened in surprise. Ferdin had blocked his sword.

“Your swordsmanship has improved significantly since I last saw you, Your Highness.”

“It’s been quite some time since you became my brother’s swordsmanship instructor. It would be strange if I hadn’t improved.”

“Indeed. His Highness Ditrion wanted me, after all.”

Count Leon smiled as he spoke. He noticed that Ferdin had reached his limit just by blocking that one strike.

“Your Highness Ferdin, now that all your knight candidates have fallen, what will you do?”

Ferdin didn’t answer but pointed his sword toward Count Leon. The Count looked at him with interest before shaking his head.