WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Genius Knight of a Fallen Race ◈

Chapter 35: The Way to Save Humanity

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On the first day of the jousting tournament, each competitor was scheduled for three matches.

If someone was unhorsed in a single clash, the match ended there. Otherwise, points were earned by striking shields or armor, and several passes were needed, so each match took quite a while.

Though the tournament had begun early, the sun was already starting to set by the time every knight had finished their matches.

Naturally, Shan crushed every opponent he faced.

He struck the first opponent squarely in the head and knocked them down. He hit the second in the unguarded chest, then brought down the third with a blow to the shoulder.

“Shan! Shan! Shan!”

“Damn it! That Alto brat ruined me again!”

“Keep it down, idiot. He’ll hear you.”

The cheers grew louder each time.

Of course, the screams and jeers of people ruined by their bets were always louder.

The day ended with the announcer offering condolences for the two knights who had unfortunately lost their lives.

There were various safety measures in place, but deaths occurred every year due to inadequate equipment or sheer misfortune. The crowd simply accepted it as one of those things.

After observing a moment of silence with everyone else, Shan looked toward the banner hanging along one side of the tournament grounds.

At the top of the standings was the name Shan Barendil.

Among those with three wins and no losses, Shan had the highest score because he had always brought down an opponent in a single strike.

“I expected it, but you truly were overwhelming.”

Shan could only smile awkwardly at Roden’s words.

Saying it had not been difficult would have been rude with the other knights nearby, but saying it had been difficult would have been a lie.

Just then, Sir Katra approached Shan with an apologetic look. Katra’s matches had apparently not gone well today, judging by the several additional lance marks on their armor.

“I’m sorry to ask after being invited, but would it be all right if I brought a few more companions? They all want to see the cockatrice’s head.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you!”

“Come to think of it, how did you do today?”

“One win and two losses. I’ll probably be eliminated tomorrow. I hope you’ll fight hard enough for my share as well.”

Sir Katra gave a bitter smile.

Katra’s equipment and skill could not exactly be called among the best of the knights gathered here, so it could not be helped.

Before leaving, Shan waved once toward the remaining spectators.

As darkness gradually fell, his two glowing green eyes left a deep impression on the crowd.

* * *

When the knights arrived, Weavers Estate was thrown into chaos by the unexpected visitors.

Kalion hurried out, bowed deeply, and welcomed them in as though he were a shopkeeper greeting a rush of customers.

“Oh my, it is nothing but an honor for brave knights such as yourselves to visit such a humble place... Quickly, prepare food!”

“Yes, Master!”

One of the knights watched the servants rush about, then muttered.

“I thought he looked familiar. Isn’t that the head of the capital’s Merchant Guild? Did he sponsor that armor too?”

“Yes. He’s been supporting me since I was young. My squire is also the heir to this house.”

“Ah, that explains why he looked a little older...”

The knights turned to Roden, who had silently been leading Shan’s horse, and nodded as though they finally understood.

Interestingly, the knights’ treatment of Kalion became noticeably more respectful after that.

Until then, they had ignored his fawning as though a gnat were buzzing nearby. Now they made eye contact and offered small nods of greeting.

Seeing that, Shan thought he understood why Kalion had been so obsessed with cultivating connections among knights.

Unless one was an oddball like Darkal, that was apparently necessary to receive even basic courtesy from proud, haughty knights.

A short while later, Shan led the knights to where the cockatrice had been displayed inside the estate.

The knights gasped when they saw its head mounted on the wall.

“It really is a cockatrice! The stone skin, the beak, it looks exactly as the stories described. It isn’t a fake, either!”

“The cut is incredibly clean...”

“Oh, I cut it after hunting it. During the fight, I cut it closer to the middle.”

“The middle? How did you manage that? Can you tell us more?”

They shared the fuller story over dinner.

Since the meal had been prepared in a hurry, there were no dishes that needed to simmer or cook for a long time. Most of the food had been quickly grilled or stir-fried.

Fortunately, the cook was skilled, and the knights happily stuffed themselves.

“It happened while we were exploring the Demon Realm and entered a certain canyon. Suddenly, the ground rumbled...”

Having told the explorers in Sedil City about it over and over, Shan had become quite skilled at recounting the story.

As Shan made up the story of hunting the cockatrice, the knights responded with heated enthusiasm.

Had they heard such a story yesterday, they would have thought Shan a liar. But this boy had already proven his skill by securing three overwhelming victories in the jousting tournament.

Other than Shan, only one knight gathered here had achieved three wins, and even that knight had barely managed to win after nearly losing several times.

“A cockatrice hunt! Just hearing it makes my blood boil!”

“If you ever get another chance like that, make sure to call me.”

“This fellow hunted one alone. Why would he need companions now?”

“You never know! Just because someone hunted the same monster once doesn’t mean the second time will go safely... Ah, I don’t mean to disrespect you, Sir Shan!”

The knights talking however they pleased had all become red-faced.

They had been drinking the wine served with the food like mad.

As they grew drunk, confidential matters began to emerge one by one.

“Do you know why this jousting tournament is being held?”

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“I happened to hear that the two princes intend to make those who prove themselves in this tournament their vassals, then send them on an expedition into the Demon Realm.”

“Ah, because of that rumor? About His Majesty the King?”

The king’s health had worsened, and the two princes were searching for a magical device that could restore it. By now, anyone with the right connections knew that much.

Sir Katra looked at Shan.

“What are you thinking of doing, Sir Shan? I understand you are a wandering knight. If you win, will you offer your lance to one of the princes?”

“From what I’ve heard, they don’t seem likely to accept the lance of an Alto.”

“Ah...”

The other knights sighed at Shan’s reply.

Those with severe prejudice against the Altos, as well as followers of the Old Faith, had not come here in the first place. Everyone present could only regret that Shan might not be able to make use of his outstanding talent.

“I should speak to my lord. A knight this gifted cannot be left to wander simply because he is an Alto.”

“I was going to speak to my lord first, so don’t cut in line!”

“What did you say?”

Their squabbling did not last long before the dining room became no different from a tavern full of drunken louts.

Some talked with their mouths stuffed full of food, spraying bits everywhere. Others dropped wine bottles and soaked the carpet.

“Bwahaha!”

“Another drink!”

It was hard to believe they were all meant to compete in another jousting match tomorrow.

‘I feel like I’m the only one here who follows knightly etiquette...’

Watching them, Shan briefly wondered whether the etiquette lessons he had taken in the past had been of any use.

Then again, they were among fellow knights, so perhaps this was simply how they acted.

They probably also wanted to escape the pressure of having to risk their lives in battle tomorrow.

Sir Katra and the other knights left before the curfew began instead of collapsing where they sat.

Kalion invited them to stay the night, but they all preferred to sleep somewhere with people who could properly care for their weapons and horses.

After the heavily intoxicated knights left while singing, Shan looked at Roden’s tired expression and asked, “Was talking with the other squires fun?”

“I don’t know. They all treated me like an old man.”

A knight’s squire was both an assistant who served at their side and an heir being trained to become a knight.

There were exceptions like Shan, who had been intensively trained by retired knights such as Sir Darkal and had not gone through the squire process. Still, becoming a knight after serving as a squire was far more common.

Most squires were therefore in their teens.

Roden had only just turned twenty, so the age gap was not that large. Still, hearing that Roden had been left out because Roden looked older made Shan burst out laughing before he could stop himself.

“Don’t laugh, you brat. More importantly, you reek of alcohol. How much did you drink?”

“I don’t know. Maybe seven bottles?”

“You’re tiny, but you can drink like a fish. How does all that fit inside you?”

“Everyone else ate and drank about that much. Come to think of it, I feel bad for your father. They brought out so much expensive wine. Maybe we shouldn’t have invited them.”

“Your father will like it. Look at him. He’s practically glowing.”

Sure enough, Kalion was smiling broadly as he gave instructions for the cleanup.

It seemed he was pleased to have received some degree of respect from the knights thanks to Shan.

“Besides, Kalion had the servants secretly place a lot of money on you winning all three matches at betting houses everywhere. The profits alone should more than cover tonight’s dinner.”

Before today’s tournament, Shan had been practically unknown. Almost no one had bet that he would win all three matches.

In that situation, the servants acting on Kalion’s instructions had secretly bet on Shan winning every match. There was no need to explain how much they had earned.

“Well, more important than that money is that fewer people will doubt you hunted a cockatrice after today. There will still be people insisting it was a lie, but more than enough people have seen the real thing now.”

The goodwill and reputation Shan built among the knights also became a weapon that could not be ignored.

If royalty or nobles tried to restrict Shan’s rights because he was an Alto, support from others of the knightly class would be the strongest shield he could have.

If the sacred rights of knights could be restricted because of race, what guarantee was there that someone would not later invent another excuse to restrict their own rights as well?

As Shan and Roden chatted while watching the dining room being cleaned, a servant approached Kalion and announced that a visitor had arrived.

“A visitor at this hour? Curfew will start soon.”

Though baffled, Kalion ordered the visitor to be shown in.

The servants had said the visitor was someone who had come before.

A little later, Roden returned from the reception room and called Shan over.

When Shan saw the person waiting inside, he paused to think for a moment before speaking.

“So, Sir Agon?”

“It’s Kagon!”

The male half of the princess’s two inept guard knights snapped in anger.

Unlike last time, when he had dressed plainly as a disguise, Kagon was now dressed quite luxuriously.

“Ah, yes. Sir Kagon. So why are you here?”

“Her Highness has summoned you... you, Sir Shan.”

Kagon squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, as though he did not want to say this, then added, “Of course, it is not an order. She simply wishes to congratulate you on this victory. If you have other matters to attend to, are tired, or are busy, you need not accept.”

He probably wanted to say, ‘Don’t even think of refusing when the princess has called for you.’

In any case, Shan had no particular reason not to go.

The defensive spell on his armor had not been useful since he had not been hit even once, but the princess had still arranged it for him.

Thinking a safety measure was useless simply because one had not needed it was foolish.

If she called for him, he should at least go and offer his thanks.

“Then I should go. But is it all right to enter the royal palace in the middle of the night? There’s a curfew.”

“Her Highness is waiting at a villa outside the royal palace. And what night watchman would dare stop a knight?”

“Ah.”

* * *

Shan and Roden followed Kagon through the pitch-black streets, each carrying a torch.

For Shan, who could travel perfectly well without one, it was little more than decoration.

Several night watchmen approached with a clacking sound. They recoiled in shock at Shan’s green eyes shining in the darkness, then seemed to realize something and cried out in delight.

“Are you Sir Shan? The Alto knight?”

“Ah, yes...”

“I heard you won every jousting match on the first day! It is an honor to meet you!”

As expected of a country that adored knights, news had already spread. Several night watchmen recognized Shan and reacted excitedly.

Some were indifferent or openly hostile, but even they did not criticize him outright.

No matter how foolish they were, they were not foolish enough to provoke a knight standing before them with a sword at his waist, who was rumored to have hunted a cockatrice and currently held first place in the royal jousting tournament.

“But why are you out this late at night-”

“An esteemed person has summoned him. Stand aside.”

“Ah, of course! Forgive us!”

At Kagon’s words, the night watchmen bowed deeply and stepped out of the way.

If ordinary commoners had been caught wandering around in the middle of the night, they would have been beaten with clubs immediately.

That was the power of status, the ability to break rules so naturally.

A short while later, they arrived at the princess’s villa in the district where the capital’s nobles mainly lived.

After Kagon knocked several times, a servant saw his face, quickly opened the door, ushered them inside, then slammed it shut.

Aran, the princess’s other guard knight, opened the door to the inner sitting room and greeted them.

Princess Serin sat in a cushioned chair, reading by the light of a magical tool. As when Shan had first seen her, her hair was pulled back tightly and she wore glasses.

“Shan of House Barendil pays his respects to Your Highness.”

“Ah, you came! I did not expect you to come at such a late hour. I heard what happened. You won all three matches decisively and took first place?”

“Yes...”

“Hearing that makes me truly glad I knighted you. I was happy.”

“It is thanks to Your Highness’s help.”

Shan answered politely, then raised his head to look at Serin and flinched without realizing it.

The pale, delicate cheek visible beneath her amethyst glasses was covered in a bluish bruise.

“What happened to that...?”

“He became angry, saying I had tarnished the royal family’s honor. It seems he does not realize that a prince striking his own younger sister is far more shameful.”

She did not say it outright, but it was not difficult to infer that this had happened because people had learned she had made Shan a knight.

Her miserable smile combined with her distinctive languid beauty, giving her a charm that seemed both precarious and pitiful.

Standing behind Shan, Roden nearly let out a disbelieving laugh.

‘What a schemer...’

It looked serious, but a wound like that would have healed quickly if Serin had received a healing miracle from a skilled priest directly attached to the royal family.

Even without that, she was a talented mage. She could have made a healing potion herself and either drunk it or applied it.

Anyone could see that she had deliberately left the bruise there to appeal to Shan, to say, ‘I suffered like this while standing up for you.’

Naturally, Shan had not considered such a scheme and was looking at her with a grave expression.

“Did you get hit because of me?”

“You need not think that. It will heal soon enough. Let us stop with this uninteresting subject and sit down. The night is late, and I cannot have you stay here for the sake of appearances. Should we not make the most of what little time we have and enjoy ourselves?”

Shan and Roden sat across from the princess. Soon afterward, a maid brought them tea.

Yet the liquid inside was not ordinary tea. It was black water with a faint brown tint.

The color made it look more like a potion than tea, and Shan and Roden exchanged glances.

The apple pie the princess had offered before had looked normal, so they had simply eaten it. This, however, looked like it would cause trouble if they drank it.

‘Is this really safe to drink?’

‘I’m not sure...’

Princess Serin chuckled softly at their reaction.

“Is this your first time seeing it? This is dark tea, a specialty of the Southern Continent. It clears the mind, so it is useful in many ways.”

As she spoke, the princess added several spoonfuls of sugar from a bowl to her tea and drank it.

Shan and Roden copied her.

It was sweet, bitter, and pleasantly earthy. The flavor was unfamiliar, but not bad at all.

“It’s delicious...”

“I would like to give you some when you leave, but unfortunately, there is not much. Trade ships from the Southern Continent do not bring much of it, so we grow it separately in the royal greenhouse. Each harvest takes quite a long time.”

In other words, it was expensive and rare.

The son of the Merchant Guild’s head had not even known it existed, and the princess herself hesitated to share it with others. Its rarity went without saying.

After taking another sip of dark tea, Princess Serin caught the scent of wine on Shan and slightly wrinkled her nose.

“I do not wish to nag, but you should restrain your drinking. It is not good for adults either, but drinking at such a young age puts a great strain on the body. I want you to remain healthy for a very long time.”

“Ah, yes. I will remember that.”

Shan had not even realized alcohol could be harmful to the body, but he accepted her words despite his confusion.

Sir Darkal and the other knights often said that a man, and especially a knight, had to drink well. Still, the mage princess probably knew more about the human body.

“Good. More importantly, how was the jousting? Kagon says it is practically certain you will win.”

Kagon, standing behind her, cleared his throat.

It seemed he had watched today’s matches and told the princess about Shan’s skill.

Instead of putting on false modesty, Shan simply nodded and answered.

“Yes. Unless something unusual happens, I believe I will win.”

“Good. Very good...”

Serin answered in a languid voice, then snapped shut the book she was holding.

Shan’s answer seemed to have given her the strength to decide something she had been hesitating over.

“I told you before that I had a way to change this entire country, did I not?”

“Yes.”

“That method is the compression and division of magic stones, along with the technology to mass-produce magical devices and make them lighter. The research has already entered its final stage. Only the last verification remains.”

The two guards behind her quietly drew in their breath.

It was as though she had spoken of something she should not have revealed.

Shan and Roden knew nothing about magic, so they could not immediately understand what it meant.

Serin seemed to have expected that and immediately continued her explanation.

“Do you know why most magical devices used in the modern age are relics from the Alto era?”

“I heard it is because permanently fixing magic in place without a magic stone is impossible.”

Roden answered for Shan.

Every spell naturally required a source of power. The enchantments used by modern mages could grant only temporary power and could not make that power replenish itself.

That was why all modern magical tools were consumable.

But installing a magic stone in a magical device to provide power was impractical, because magic stones were far too large and too scarce.

Was the cockatrice’s magic stone they had acquired not larger than a human torso?

Even smaller magic stones were generally at least the size of a human head. There was no way to attach them to swords, armor, or similar equipment.

As a result, magic stones were mainly used to reinforce city walls and castle gates.

Technology for making enormous battle golems with magic stones was also being researched recently, but its practical value remained doubtful.

“This research will change all of that. If magic stones can be compressed to the size of a fingernail, all kinds of weapons and armor, as well as smaller objects, can be made into magical devices. A single large magic stone can be divided into hundreds, allowing us to mass-produce magical devices that do not produce such great effects individually.”

Armies armed with those mass-produced magical devices could wipe out every monster in the mountains and fields.

A handful of knights armed with powerful magical devices made from several magic stones could hunt down the massive monsters hiding in every corner and drive them all out of the Demon Realm.

The age of magic would return for the first time in a thousand years.

This, the princess murmured dreamily, would be an invention capable of saving Pendia and, beyond that, humanity itself.

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