Upper levels of Astrion’s main citadel.

Just below the palace of the House’s heir apparent stood Trisan’s personal residence.

“They’ve returned?”

“Yes, my lord. The Border Patrol entrance trial has just concluded.”

A Blue Knight of the Border Patrol knelt before Trisan.

“Who came back first?”

“Kyrie and Nereus, my lord.”

Trisan, who had been trimming his mustache with calm precision, froze mid-motion.

“Kyrie and Nereus?”

The razor halted above his cheek.

“You’re telling me the two of them returned together?”

“Yes, my lord.”

His grip on the ivory-handled razor tightened.

So what I saw was true. Nereus… you dare make a fool of me?

The handle bent almost to breaking before straightening again.

“Bring that brat to me. At once.”

“Yes, my lord!”

The Blue Knight scrambled out.

“My lord.”

“I told you to bring him here—”

“He… he’s already come to see you.”

“What?”

“He’s waiting in the drawing room, sir.”

Trisan dropped his grooming kit and stormed out.

Crash!

The door to the reception hall burst open.

“So you finally—!”

He was about to unleash his fury—

“Lord Trisan! What exactly were you trying to pull?”

—but Nereus was faster.

“How dare you raise your voice to me!”

“I could ask you the same thing!”

Nereus shouted until his teeth were bared.

“You ordered me to eliminate Kyrie. I did everything I could—pressed my men, rallied villagers, built a containment line. I tried to drive the greenskin horde toward him. But that bastard Karl ruined everything. His greenskins slammed straight into my lines!”

“K-Karl? What does that name have to do with this?”

“The ambush during the hunt failed, so I aimed for his return route instead. We seized the pier, took his ship, and I even risked disgrace by fighting him directly during the trial. Then Karl’s men fired flaming arrows at me.”

“…”

“The reeds caught fire. My troops and I nearly burned alive. You can ask them yourself—they’ll tell you I had Kyrie beaten with lightning. If not for that bastard Karl, I would’ve won!”

Nereus’s fists trembled violently.

Trisan slowly shut his mouth.

“….”

“I thought, as you asked, that the young lord of Andromeda had sent Karl to keep me in check. But when I interrogated him, another name came up. Were you planning to have me eliminated too? Was Karl next after me? Planning to wipe us all out?”

Now it made sense.

A fine mess.

Nereus lifted his head.

“My lord, I won’t believe you intended to have me killed. If you doubted me because you saw me hand a vial of Stormcloud Elixir to Kyrie, I understand.”

His sea-green eyes were heavy with fatigue.

He was still wearing his armor, streaked with mud and soot, the smell of battle clinging to him.

“But I did my utmost. I believe I deserve proper compensation—and another chance.”

His voice had softened.

“Another chance?”

Trisan, faintly stung by guilt, repeated the words.

“As promised—please grant me the Elixir of Hundred Thunders. I’ll join the Border Patrol and keep Kyrie in check.”

The response sent a chill through him.

Nereus joining the Border Patrol?

Not bad.

No—excellent.

What Trisan feared most was Kyrie excelling within the Patrol and Andromeda using that achievement to adopt him formally into the main line.

If this one joins too, that changes everything.

He’ll keep competing with Kyrie. Even if their results are close, Andromeda won’t have grounds to adopt Kyrie alone. And if Nereus performs better, I can push for his own adoption—adding another man to my faction.

He hadn’t even considered the Border Patrol a fitting destination for Nereus’s rank. Now it seemed fortune itself had intervened.

So he never meant betrayal after all.

Judging by his tone, even handing that Stormcloud Elixir to Kyrie must have had its reasons.

“I see there were circumstances. Communication between our sides was poor—some fault of mine as well.”

“Thank you for understanding, my lord.”

“As proof of trust, the Elixir of Hundred Thunders will be prepared without delay. I hope we can continue to rely on one another.”

“I feel the same, my lord. Thanks to you, I can keep fighting Kyrie.”

Trisan sent him off in a far gentler mood than when he’d entered.

Still… what a blindly zealous swordsman. All that talent, wasted on obsession.

A satisfied smile crept across his lips.

“Chamberlain.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Contact the alchemical workshop. Tell them to set aside that vial of the Elixir of Hundred Thunders we discussed.”

At that moment, Trisan still believed everything was back on track.

“What?”

“They say it’s already been sold, sir. Production is shifting to the Ten-Thousand-Thunder grade on the lord’s direct orders, so the Hundred-Thunder line won’t resume for some time.”

“Can’t we procure one elsewhere?”

“Ordinarily we could requisition one from another unit, but it’s not the season for generosity—every division’s hoarding supplies for their new knights. I’ll try, but as you know, my lord, it will be difficult.”

Only when he heard the words ‘the Elixir’s gone’ did Trisan’s optimism collapse.

Impossible.

He imagined Nereus’s face contorted in anger.

‘My lord, what of the promised Elixir?’

He could almost hear the echo—his own dignity crumpling.

No. I can’t let that happen.

He wasn’t afraid of being branded by his superiors. His open rivalry with Lady Andromeda, the heir’s first daughter, proved that much.

Knights prized clarity of purpose.

Just as senior knights had respected Kyrie’s oath of bodily loss, defiance could be worn as an honor.

But being struck down from below—

—that was fatal.

It wasn’t about a single vial of medicine.

A noble faction wasn’t built on resources alone but on charisma—on drawing each Blue Knight as a follower through loyalty and faith.

Fail to care for one prospective supporter, and his image as champion of the adoptees and branch-born against the tyranny of the direct line would crumble.

Trisan ground his teeth.

How did this happen?

No answer came.

Strange. I feel good—but I don’t know why.

In front of Astrion’s city walls.

“Soldiers, as of now I relinquish command of the 7th Century. It’s been an honor to serve with men like you, even for a short time.”

Kyrie took leave of Jo and his troops.

“The honor was ours, sir!”

“Salute to Sir Kyrie, Blue Knight!”
“Forever like thunder!”

Their thunderous cheer followed him.

Hopefully I didn’t wreck my evaluation making them row the whole way. Maybe I should’ve let them rough up a village or two—or drink a little.

He worried privately.

“Sir! Stay well!”
“Sir Kyrie! Thank you for everything!”
“If my sons could serve under a commander like you, I’d make soldiers of them gladly!”

No serious complaints, at least—or perhaps cleverly disguised ones.

“Well done, Sir Kyrie.”

A senior officer of the Border Patrol—an elder knight of the Constellation Seat—approached at the gate to formally relieve him of command.

“Your evaluation will combine your own report, your adjutant’s, and the examiners’. Expect results in two days. Rest until then.”

“Yes, sir.”

“There’s someone waiting for you. Go on inside.”

With only his sword and a small leather pouch, Kyrie stepped through the gates.

I did my best. I’m confident I’ll take first.

The pouch jingled with gold coins—earned from selling goblin trinkets and ogre hearts, plus ship rebates and his official pay. About fifty gold in total.

Someone waiting for me? Don’t tell me—

His hand drifted toward his sword.

Trisan, are you planning to remove me outright?

With him, it was possible.

“Kyrie!”

The worry vanished the moment he saw the gleaming carriage drawn by two unicorns and two stallions.

“Lady Andromeda?”

“Get in!”

Her tiered black hair shimmered in the light, star-bright eyes glinting through the window.

Andromeda herself had come to fetch him.

He started forward—then hesitated.

His shirt collar stuck out unevenly beneath his armor.

“After days in the field, I’m hardly presentable, my lady. I’m grateful for the honor, but I’ll follow on horseback.”

“Really?”

Andromeda opened the door and pulled him inside.

“It’s fine. You smell of smoke, but that’s nothing new. Get in.”

Then, without ceremony, she leaned close, brushing her nose lightly against his neck—a quiet act of tyranny.

Kyrie considered mentioning decorum, then decided silence was safer.

“Thank you.”

Truthfully, he was glad.

Inside the carriage.

“I’m relieved you made it back. You’ll wash and rest now, right?”

“May we stop by the alchemical workshop first? I’d like to purchase the Hundred-Thunder Elixir as soon as possible.”

He told her everything—what had happened with Nereus, what they had planned.

“…and that’s how I intend to put Trisan in a bind.”

“That would certainly trouble him,” Andromeda mused. “Even nobles can’t obtain Elixirs freely. He’ll have to buy one off another vassal at a steep price.”

She seemed pleased with the scheme.

“But are you all right?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean, if that man keeps challenging you—it won’t be easy, will it? You’ll likely serve in the same corps if your plan works.”

There was genuine concern beneath her tone.

“I’ve considered that, but—”

“Speak freely.”

“If I have to clash with Trisan anyway, I’d rather his spearhead be someone like Nereus. For him, victory’s not a means—it’s the goal itself.”

At least Nereus fought his own battles. He didn’t scheme or use monsters like Karl.

An enemy you could predict could also be used. As now.

“And… well, I am a Blue Knight. Crossing blades and lightning with him is—somewhat enjoyable.”

“Is that so?”

For a moment, Andromeda’s expression turned curious—then distant. The starlight in her eyes dilated, then dimmed again.

“Then that’s fine.”

Kyrie sensed he might have said something wrong—but wasn’t sure what.

Maybe I sounded too much like a battle maniac.

He still wasn’t skilled at reading others’ feelings.

The carriage stopped before the inner city’s alchemical workshop.

Andromeda’s attendant entered, returning moments later with a sealed vial.

Unlike the dark Stormcloud Elixir, this liquid was milky white, laced with faint blue lightning that flared and faded inside the glass.

“The current will disperse soon. It should be consumed within a week,” the clerk said.

“Understood.”

It was the Elixir of Hundred Thunders.

“Will you drink it today?”

“I’ll wait for the results. If I’m first, I’ll drink it in celebration. If I’m second… in mourning.”

He infused mana into the eye beneath his black patch and opened it.

【Hero’s Journey – Stage 12】
【Stage 1: Adoption】
【Enter House Astrios and end the life of a bastard.】
【Failure Penalty: Death】
【Success Reward: Lightningfall】

‣

【Sub-Objective 1: Graduate and enter as top rank】
【Join the Border Patrol as first place.】
【Success Reward: +25% Heavenly Lightning Conduction efficiency】
【Failure Penalty: −10% efficiency】

The next day at noon.

“All Border Patrol candidates, gather at the training ground where the briefing was held!”

The results were out.

“The top rank goes to…”

Chapter 16

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