Side Story Chapter 71
Joshua and Cain were watching the Imperial Knights training in the Palace’s vast training grounds. There were only about three hundred Imperial Knights in the Palace because the other seven hundred of them were scattered to all parts of the country to stop the civil war.
“It has been well over a decade since I disappeared, but it looks like they got worse than when I was around,” Joshua assessed.
Cain bitterly smiled. “There are two reasons for that.”
“What are they?”
“The moment you ascended the throne, the Imperial Knights stagnated. The previous Knight-Commander, Rod, and Valmont dun Brown, his heir, resigned. Some of the captains did the same because they disagreed with the new leadership. And the junior knights had to fill in for them.”
Joshua nodded. “I think I have a rough idea of what happened.”
“Although you tried to train the knights… that didn’t amount to much because a spear is a very tricky weapon to master.”
Joshua’s Magic Spear Art was the best in the continent—there was no denying it. However, teaching someone else was a different matter. His spear art techniques could not be easily taught without a degree of innate talent; case in point: Kireua, Joshua’s son who was hopeless with spears.
“What is the second reason? Joshua asked.
“You’re their idol, but you disappeared.”
“It’s because I disappeared?”
“Many of our Imperial Knights became Imperial Knights because you, Joshua Sanders, were in the Palace, Your Majesty. You’re called the strongest person on the continent, so they must have thought they would be able to learn something. Besides, it’s relatively easy to become an Imperial Knight of the Avalon Empire compared to other countries since an applicant only has to beat one of our own,” Cain explained.
“But it feels like their loyalty is very shallow. From what I remember, I regularly gave proper lessons…”
“The problem is that the knights couldn’t keep up with your lessons. Over a decade has passed, and I was also wandering around the entire continent to find you. So it’s understandable for the knights to be tempted by offers from outside the Palace.”
That was exactly what happened. The first thing that the rebel armies had done after starting their rebellions was to recruit government personnel, which included the Imperial Knights. Many of them had left at the time, so the Imperial Family had to quickly recruit fresh manpower.
“Then how strong are our Imperial Knights, objectively speaking?” Joshua asked.
“Aside from a number of captains, the overall level… is lower than the two other empires and similar to a small or medium kingdom.”
“…That is problematic. I talked all big.”
“I had no idea why you were so confident,” Cain said.
Joshua scratched the back of his head. Many people dwelled in the past, and Joshua wasn’t an exception.
“You said that since we’re hosting the tournament, we’re going to choose how the tournament is going to proceed, yes?” Joshua asked.
“That is correct.”
“How about we put a limit on the number of participants and create a team of strong, reliable knights to participate in the tournament?”
Cain shook his head. “It’s not going to work. The official reason for starting the tournament is to help as many knights as possible gain experience.”
“Mmm…”
“For the same reason, the other countries won’t view me participating in the tournament in a positive light since my prowess has already been proven.”
An emperor directly fighting against the knights from another country was preposterous and disgraceful. On top of that, Joshua didn’t have the power to fight them right now, so if even Cain couldn’t become the leader of this tournament team…
“We lose,” Joshua concluded.
“Yes, we lose,”
“Shall we cancel it?”
“Do you really think the Hubalt Empire would let you? According to our intel, all of the Four Paladins are eager to participate in the tournament,” Cain reported.
“Where did you get that intel from?”
“Some of Lilith Aphrodite’s people are still in Hubalt.”
“So it’s reliable intel.” Joshua nodded.
“That is why we need to come up with a countermeasure as soon as possible.”
While Joshua and Cain were talking, one of the Imperial Knights approached them.
“Umm… Your Majesty.”
His name was Decker, the captain of the Ninth Battalion, and he was in charge of the Imperial Knights’ morning training.
“What is it?” Cain asked.
“I know I’m overstepping my bounds… but would that be okay if I ask a favor?”
“A favor?”
Decker nodded. When Cain glanced behind Decker, he saw hundreds of sparkling eyes looking back.
‘…So that’s it.’
“I’ll do a short lesson,” Cain said, slightly embarrassed.
“Well, umm…”
Cain paused mid-stride.
“We were hoping for a lesson from His Majesty, not you, Sir Cain…”
The Imperial Knights’ main job was guarding the Imperial Family, but they were asking for a lesson from their emperor, whom they were supposed to be protecting. The continent was a big place, but such a sight could be only witnessed in the Avalon Empire.
However, knowing Joshua’s condition, Cain tensed up.
-It’s okay.
Joshua was using telepathy to speak to Cain, a technique used by the strong based on the exquisite principle of space.
-Are you sure about this?
-I told you that there’s no problem unless I’m going up against the real deal.
-But if you get hurt…
-Judging from our Imperial Knights’ current level, I don’t think it’ll happen.
Joshua took a look around and headed to the armory, which was located in the corner of the training area. He picked up a long wooden staff and returned to the knights.
“This’ll be enough,” he said. The knights’ eyes sparkled like stars, their murmurings slowly swelling in volume.
“I-Is this real?”
“Oh my goodness. We’re going to learn swordsmanship from His Majesty…”
“I’m not dreaming, right?”
Decker swiftly returned to the knights as well. The only reason why he was in charge of the Imperial Knights’ morning training was that he was the newest captain. The other captains—who had skipped the training to practice alone—would probably cry in disappointment after they heard the news.
‘Hehehe, it’s karma! They put me in charge of the morning training just because they were too lazy to do it themselves,’ Decker gloated.
“Let’s not use our mana since we’re just sparring, not actually fighting,” Joshua said, hiding the real reason. However, the knights were totally convinced.
“Woaaaahhh!”
“He’s being considerate because he’s worried about hurting us, right?”
“That is His Majesty! Well, yeah. We, the Imperial Knights, are His Majesty’s property.”
“I feel like I’m getting rewarded today for the ten years I endured here!”
“I want to try sparring with you too, Your Majesty! Please!”
“Why don’t the rookies take the hint and sit out of this?”
Everyone was causing a commotion—it was a dream come true. All of them were volunteering to fight Joshua first.
‘It’ll be a good experience for me too since I’ve never encountered a situation where I have to beat many people using a minimal amount of power and while moving as little as possible,’ Joshua thought.
Of course, he didn’t think he was going to lose to them as none of them were going to use their mana, but there was one thing Joshua hadn’t noticed at all…
Cain blinked in confusion. He suddenly detected people coming from behind him. Based on their light footsteps alone, Cain was able to figure out that they were…
‘Two women.’
This was the training area of the Imperial Palace, which only the Imperial Knights used to train. It didn’t seem like either of the women had learned to use swords or martial arts.
They quickly arrived right behind Cain and poked him in the back. Since he knew they were coming, he turned his head right away.
He couldn’t help but let out a gasp. “Princess Ir-Iruca?”
“It’s really you, Sir Cain!”
An elegant woman, only recently twenty years old, beamed at him, but Cain’s expression turned grim.
“Y-Your Highness, how did you get here…?” Cain stammered. “W-Wait, if you’re here, then…?”
“Are you looking for me?”
“Urgh!”
“Long time no see.” An astonishingly beautiful woman with shoulder-length pale blue hair offered him a smile.
“W-When d-did you…?”
“There are too many things going on in the Palace, so it’s hard to not hear about it.”
“I-I see.” Cain slowly nodded.
“But what’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“No, you’re mistaken,” Cain sternly replied, desperately trying to not be conscious of the knights and him. Cain had prayed that she wouldn’t be here because she knew everything.
“…Hmph, there’s the man who vanished for over a decade and now is causing all kinds of trouble—like starting an international tournament.” The woman with pale blue hair narrowed her eyes.
“Ahem…”
“Why didn’t you try to stop him?”
“I definitely did,” Cain firmly answered.
“So why did things turn out this way?”
“It’s not like he listens when somebody tries to stop him.”
“Well, that’s true,” the woman agreed with an easy nod. That only made Cain more distressed.
‘S-She’s not the kind of person who’d let this kind of mistake slide this easily.’
“What is he doing now?” the woman asked.
“The knights asked His Majesty for a lesson.”
“Ahhh, so in other words, someone has been working all night on the battlefield and didn’t even have time to wash herself, but he has been casually training the knights without even sparing a thought toward helping her?”
Cain took a step backward. ‘I’m sorry, master.’
It might have been different with other people, but Cain couldn’t stop the woman in front of him. He didn’t even have a way to do so. She became unpredictable once her lid was flipped and she was also the smartest person in the Avalon Empire.
“Let’s see how much stronger His Majesty has gotten,” the woman said.
“A-And after that…?”
“Isn’t that obvious? I should make him work for the same amount of time he's been playing.”
Cain squeezed his eyes shut. How would she respond after she heard that Joshua was unable to use most of his power, never mind that he hadn’t become stronger? Right at this moment, Cain was genuinely concerned about his master. Just like how Cain had joked before, this woman might really tear out all of Joshua’s hair.
‘…I need to stop this,’ Cain resolved. On the other hand, Cain also wanted to see Joshua getting nagged by his wife, but Cain knew why Joshua had had to disappear.
Cain shook his head. “I-I don’t think you have to watch—”
“We finished deciding the order!” Decker shouted at exactly the worst possible moment.
Cain's eyes widened.
“I’ll be the first one to spar against you, Your Majesty,” Decker continued.
Cain raised his fingers. “H-h-he…!”
The woman’s sky-blue eyes turned sharp, cutting Cain off.
Ignorant of the deeply emotional experience Cain was going through, Joshua responded to Decker rather unusually.
“Why bother taking turns?”
“Pardon?”
Joshua spun his staff and grinned. “Just come at me all at once. I’m a busy man.”
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om