The knights were happy.

“I’ve received blessings from both of them. Kyrie’s starlight blessing stimulates the nerves more deeply, and Nereus’s starlight blessing makes the heart resound. If one is a pure knight type, Kyrie is better. If one has even a trace of affinity for lightning-arts, Nereus is the better choice.”

“I don’t know if we deserve treatment this generous even before work has begun. A lightning-art blessing? I can’t even imagine how much gold you’d have to spend to gather lightning-art mages for something of this level.”

“Ah, I can’t go back to those people now. Compared to what Sir Kyrie gives—what they gave wasn’t even a blessing.”

All day, they swung swords to their fill and strengthened nerves and muscles through lightning-art blessings.

“Before, I contracted directly with Governor Gracchus. It wasn’t bad. As befitted a man of his standing, supply distribution was smooth, and the payment was significant. But in the end, a Blue Knight is a Blue Knight. Discussions of contract and pay seemed to him petty, tedious matters.”

“I mean, I sort of get it. Someone of his stature would find it awkward to talk about a few gold coins, a few silver coins. We’d also leave that sort of thing to adjutants. But then he should have at least let an administrator draft a written contract. Instead, he said nothing at all, and when the battle ended, he piled up the spoils and told us to take as much as we wanted. Then, when we actually did take as much as we wanted, he gave us looks. What exactly were we supposed to do?”

“But look at Kyrie. Even after becoming the adopted son of the House Lord, gaining a noble status, he does not hesitate to go over every clause of the contract. Some might sneer that a lofty Blue Knight has stepped into the mud, but we should learn from the one who enters the mud first to dig out the pearl.”

The knights felt at ease because the contract had been written clearly.

They spent their days fighting, training, and relaxing in a continuous cycle.

“We need to discuss provisions distribution…”

“The ballista draw weights need to be separated by makes and limbs. Among the fifteen mercenary groups, some use steel bow-bodies, some composite, some bone. Should we unify, or establish separate supply chains…”

“We need to know how much consecrated water and medicinal herb supply will be issued so we can gauge how much to personally prepare…”

During this time, the sub-commanders of each mercenary group were being worked to death.

And every one of those sub-commanders sought out a single person.

“Sub-Hundred-Leader Joy!”

Joy ran endlessly all day.

“Aaaaargh!”

The wax-and-cosmetic male disguise she wore was melting off with sweat.

The battles hadn’t even begun.

But battle was only a small part of war.

Food, medicine, maps, marching schedules, unit organization, standardized signal calls, banners, ballista bolts, and everything else—

All of it fell to the adjutant.

The fact that she had already summoned Gabeng first proved just how overworked she was.

I’m going to die.

Late night.

Joy headed toward her quarters, swinging a wide-brimmed steel kettlehelm lazily in one hand.

If she were not a transcendence-tier cultivator, she would truly have died of exhaustion by now.

She gazed up at the moon high overhead.

Three or four hours and the sun will rise.

Then she noticed a figure standing near her lodging.

A face tanned handsomely like hers, but with long, luxuriant silver hair.

“Knight Peijin?”

It was Peijin of the New Moon.

“Sub-Hundred-Leader Joy. You’ve returned.”

“No need to raise your speech. Why would a knight address a lowly adjutant so highly?”

Peijin had ranked among the top performers in every training bout for days now, one of those who came to the private residence daily to receive lightning-art blessings.

She was one of the few women among them, instantly noticeable for her foreign beauty, and she commanded a mercenary company large enough to operate over ten ballista batteries. Of course Joy recognized her.

“You are not a lowly adjutant. You are the adjutant of my employer, Kyrie of House Astreios, son of the House Lord. Naturally, I address you with respect.”

And Peijin had come specifically to find her.

“If you insist that strongly, refusing would be rude. But it is still improper for an adjutant to speak casually to a knight. Would it be acceptable if I speak comfortably only with you, Peijin?”

“Yes, Joy.”

“Then, Peijin—what brings you? If it is about resupplying the heavy ballista bolts, I already received notice from your sub-commander earlier…”

Joy wondered if there had been some issue with supply or contracts.

“Kyrie requested it.”

“…Requested?”

“He asked me to teach you swordsmanship. Ah—of course, this is not without exchange. I, too, have received blessings.”

What came out of Peijin’s mouth was beyond anything Joy expected.

A knight will teach me swordsmanship? Me?

Her eyelids, heavy as lead, snapped open.

There are so many knights… perhaps asking one wasn’t impossible? No. They’d never look at someone like me.

She had asked herself that, dreamed it silently.

Now it was real.

“Are… are you saying that you will personally instruct me in swordsmanship, Peijin?”

“Yes. If I am not to your liking, or if you are too exhausted—”

“No, no! Not at all! How could that be? To learn swordsmanship from Peijin of the New Moon—this would be an honor. A lifelong honor. It’s just… it feels unreal. Even if the Lord requested it, still…”

Peijin smiled like something out of a myth and turned.

“Follow me.”

She led Joy to the training grounds behind the residence.

Night wind stirred Peijin’s silver hair.

“I was born common.”

“…Yes?”

“By luck, I entered the Blue Knight training hall, and there I stepped onto the path toward transcendence. Unfortunately, I had no affinity for lightning-arts and could not become a Blue Knight. But I did have the ability to live by the sword.”

Joy looked at her anew.

Joy herself had often been called more “handsome” than “pretty,” with strong features and a firm frame. But Peijin’s build and face were delicate.

It should have been a body that could not have survived the training hall’s brutality.

But Peijin had cut through gender, wealth, age—

And finally status itself—to stand here before Joy.

Silver hair flowing freely in the night wind. No wrappings, no padded armor, no disguise. Simply herself.

“I heard you also dream of becoming a knight.”

“Yes.”

“I still dream of becoming a Blue Knight. Kyrie’s offer is something I could not refuse. So—I will teach you.”

Joy wanted that too.

“I say this first: the training will be harsh. You know from being an adjutant that shedding one’s limits is accompanied by pain. The wall of oathmanship is higher still, and the wall of knighthood higher yet. You will doubt yourself. You will regret.”

Joy bowed deeply.

“But I think I’d regret more if I don’t try.”

Peijin laughed again.

“Yes. I thought the same.”

“It’s started.”

“Nereus, how long do you think Joy lasts? I say a week. If she lasts a week, that’s impressive.”

Lightning-art training came with serious fatigue.

There was a reason only those who were both lightning-art practitioners and knights with status could become Blue Knights.

Without the durability and recovery of a knight’s physique, one couldn’t withstand nerve overheating or muscle tearing. Even Blue Knights collapsed into sleep after intense sessions.

Their schedule differed from normal people.

So it was not strange that Frey and Nereus were awake at dawn, watching Joy and Peijin through the training hall window.

“A week?”

“Mm. A week. She’s an adjutant. A knight and an adjutant are different kinds of beings. The more she trains with Peijin, the more she’ll feel the wall. Not physical exhaustion—her spirit will bend.”

Frey spoke brightly, as always.

“Hm.”

Nereus, unusually, did not reply with harsh mockery.

Clang!

Peijin disarmed Joy, sending her sword flying.

It was the famed New Moon Sword Style.

“At least Kyrie manages his adjutant’s morale well. One might wonder why a Blue Knight bothers with such things—but if he’s entrusted administration and supply to her, it makes sense.”

“So you also think Joy won’t last long?”

Nereus followed Joy’s movements with his eyes.

His gaze passed Joy’s bright yellow eyes—then fell away.

“She’ll last longer than a week.”

“Did I underestimate her? I mean, yeah, she is still an adjutant. So… two weeks?”

Frey chirped.

Nereus didn’t nod.

Kyrie came down the stairs just then, disheveled from sleep.

“What were you two discussing?”

“Nothing important.”

Nereus shook his head.

“Frey says you assigned a knight to your adjutant. He was wondering how long she’ll keep up. Nereus says the point isn’t how long—just that you’re managing her morale.”

“Don’t embellish. I’ll pull your teeth out.”

“Aaah! Scary!”

Frey explained everything anyway.

Did he notice? Too obvious? Even these fools could have noticed…

Kyrie considered why Nereus had acknowledged it so plainly.

Peijin commands a large mercenary group and is strong. If the knights ever rally and demand pay, she’ll be their center. A lightning-art blessing puts her in my debt.

He would not take back the decision, even if noticed.

And Joy—she is the busiest right now. Mediating between mercenary companies, exhausted to the bone. If she cracks and defects to Gracchus, or simply breaks—everything collapses. Better to keep her too tired to think.

Kyrie spoke shamelessly:

“Let’s go practice lightning-arts. If Peijin is working, if Gabeng is working, if Joy is working, Blue Knights shouldn’t be idle.”

Nereus and Frey nodded.

That Blue Knight and that adjutant are the same kind. I hate to admit it—but his ambition may be larger than mine.

As expected of Kyrie. Honest and solid.

Frey practiced swordsmanship.

Kyrie and Nereus practiced Sky Bolt.

The south saw constant localized storms and towering thunderclouds—ideal for Guided Strike techniques.

“…Which is why this is a good region for Sky Bolt training.”

“Who said that?”

“My sister.”

“Your sister?”

“No—Sub-Lord Andromeda.”

“You nearly made me commit treason. If that was a trap to get me executed, it almost worked.”

Dawn broke.

The two Blue Knights lay flat on the training ground, breathing heavily.

Kyrie’s sharp features and Nereus’s bold ones were both sunken with exhaustion.

“Why won’t lightning descend?”

“I don’t understand the concept of domination. How do we draw lightning from those clouds with just our magic here?”

“Should we practice converting electromagnetic pulse into current first?”

“The loss would be over seventy percent. I’ve never felt lacking in magic compared to my peers—but now I’m gasping every day.”

They staggered toward the residence.

Their vision blurred with nerve overheating.

They would need to sleep until noon.

“My lord?”

“Joy.”

Nereus entered first.

Kyrie met Joy as she was just coming in.

“How’s your body?”

“Feels like I could die on the spot.”

“Don’t push too far. If you fall, I fall.”

“Heh. That’s too kind.”

“It’s just the truth.”

“My body wants to die, but my heart feels alive.”

She smiled as brightly as the day she knelt before him.

“Rest until noon.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Preparations?”

“We can depart within three days.”

“I’m looking forward to the Governor’s expression.”

“So am I.”

Whether night or day, they dreamed and carved it with the blade.

Master and subordinate, alike in shape.

Chapter 54

Comments