Chapter 87
“I heard that you've gotten an imperial edict?”
That was the first thing Duke Agnus asked when the three of them arrived at the reception hall. Joshua grinned in response.
“I thought I could have a quiet life here, but I guess I was wrong.”
“Yeah, your expression doesn’t seem like that's what you truly think…” Duke Agnus snorted and chuckled. “Does it mean you'll follow His Majesty's orders and join the Imperial Knights Order of the imperial family?”
“I guess… After all, I’m just a powerless subject of the empire.”
“Hooh.” Duke Agnus hollowly chuckled as he stood up from his seat.
However, Count Arie bron Sten was caught by panic.?
“Are you leaving already?”
“I already know what he thinks, so yes.”
“That’s it? Why is the conversation between the two of you so depressing?”
Count Sten muttered with a dumbfounded look.
However, he eventually smiled at Joshua and asked. “It’s my turn then?”
At that, Count Sten licked his lips and said, “Are you aware of who I am?”
Joshua nodded gently in response.
“A proud knight of the empire. A Master. You are Count Arie bron Sten.”
“Huh?” However, it seemed Count Sten was surprised at Joshua’s response. “Since you know who I am, why are you so calm?”
“I already know that we will meet one day, so why should I panic?”
“I like your audacity.” Count Sten chuckled. However, his face quickly turned indifferent as he said, “You did something pretty intriguing.”
Count Sten licked his lips once more and continued. “It’s just for the sake of confirming things, but I want to know whether you really said it or not.”
After a brief moment of contemplation, Joshua said, “If the Count is referring to what I said about the rapier, then yes, I said it.”
Count Sten stared at Joshua’s calm face for a moment before saying, “Oh, so you really said that the rapier that I?use, is the greatest piece of rubbish to ever exist and that it’s a weapon only girls would use?”
“...”
At Count Sten's question, Joshua kept his mouth shut. He understood from past experiences that a hurried response in a circumstance where he didn't even know the other person's intentions would only aggravate the problem.
Duke Agnus chimed in. “Well, my son managed to prove it, so the rest of the world might believe it as well.”
“...”
“Use your own mouth to speak. Do you really believe that rapiers are garbage?”
“I—” Joshua started. “I don't consider rapiers to be trash. But…”
Count Sten came to a halt with a look of sadness on his face.
“I don't believe any weapon can compare to the spear,” Joshua concluded.
It was a clever answer.
Duke Agnus flinched as he heard Joshua's answer.
The spear was an unrivaled weapon for Joshua.
This meant that even his greatsword couldn’t compare to the spear in Joshua’s eyes.
Count Sten with a unique sense of humor laughed. “Ha… hahaha!”
However, he looked like he was simultaneously angry and pleased.
With tears in his eyes after laughing, Count Sten finally spoke, “I thought that you had so much trust in your father that you went crazy, but it seems that you’re too proud of your own abilities.”
“...” Joshua didn’t know what to say.
“Truly arrogant and conceited…” Count Sten's eyes narrowed in an instant.
“...!”
Joshua's pupils dilated.
Count Sten's body reacted on its own the minute his eyes landed on Joshua.
He gave off a unique air that stunned Joshua’s nerves.
However, Joshua was well aware of that ‘air’.
Joshua involuntarily clenched his fists and muttered to himself, ‘Killing intent!’
It was an energy only Masters could exude. Ordinary people and even knights would falter in the face of this ominous air, but Joshua remained calm.
“...”
.
Joshua quietly circulated his mana.
Killing intent was a kind of will.
The ultimate will to kill the opponent.
The intangible will could be exhibited openly, but it had an indescribable driving force.
Of course, one’s abilities didn’t depend on the strength of their killing intent.
‘The greatest assassin is born with the best killer intent. Lives aren’t precious to them, and they are willing to reap lives whenever they like. As such, they are never nervous about assassinating their targets.’
One could kill someone on the spur of the moment.
Once, twice, or perhaps three times would be too much for an ordinary person to bear. After all, who wouldn’t feel repulsed when taking another's life?
However, assassins were the exception. Because of their innate killing intent, they hardly have any emotions toward taking someone's life.
As such, killing intent was important to assassins.
‘Killing intent?can temporarily stop an enemy from moving. The attacker can then take advantage of that time to pierce a dagger through his enemy’s vitals. As a result, the ability to control one’s?killing intent?is nothing more than a measure of an assassin's ability to carry out his mission.’
As Joshua stared at Count Sten, his gaze deepened.
In that case, did it mean that one couldn’t have killing intent unless it were innate?
The answer was a resounding no.
To master the basics of killing intent, one had to spill the blood of a thousand people at the bare minimum. All things considered, there was one individual among the people around Joshua before his regression with an unrivaled killing intent.
He was an old buddy of Joshua and a valuable person with great contributions to the development of a new martial arts philosophy.
‘Assassination King.’
Pzzzt!
A white electric charge momentarily flashed across Joshua’s eyes.
Technically speaking, Count Sten wasn’t really emitting killing intent.
He was emitting pure energy.
However, killing intent was nothing like what Count Sten was emitting.
Joshua's eyes which seemed as deep as the abyss glimmered with a strange light.
***
“This energy—”
Count Sten’s forehead twitched.
Joshua’s response in the face of a Master’s direct might was intriguing.
As a result, Count Sten decided to observe him more. He was interested in whether Joshua could do more than this or not.
In the end, he was correct.
Count Sten was astonished by Joshua’s composure.
But after a while, Joshua stopped holding on. Instead, he started pushing back. The situation changed, and it looked like they were now attempting to devour each other’s energy.
Count Sten came around and stopped observing Joshua.
He decided to increase the intensity of the might he was displaying.
“...!”
Count Sten’s eyes widened in surprise. His muscles suddenly stretched taut for some reason, but it didn’t take him long to discover the source. It was all because of killing intent.
Immediately afterward, an ominous noise rang in Count Sten’s head.
Swoosh!
“...!”
Count Sten unknowingly took a step backward. He looked at Joshua in disbelief.
‘I saw it in those two eyes.’
He saw an invisible dagger aiming for his heart.
It wasn’t an illusion spell used by mages.
Count Sten wasn’t a fool. He would never get caught in such petty tricks.
“Hahaha.”
Count Sten chuckled when he saw Joshua taking a step backward as well.
The two energies engaged in the conflict had already vanished.
“Hahaha!”
Did the result hurt his self-esteem? Not at all!
It was actually the opposite…
‘That was fun. I’m looking forward to how far he’ll grow. He's still a rough diamond in making, but I wonder how bright will he shine eventually?’
How sweet would it be to have this diamond in his bag then?
“Haaa…” Count Sten moaned. Afterward, an indescribable thrill ran down his spine and throughout his body.
“Count Sten?” Joshua muttered.
In response, Count Sten trembled and wrapped his arms around Joshua.
“Heok!”
Count Sten’s nails dug deep into Joshua’s skin.
‘I want to slash his thin neck with my rapier.’
How would it taste?
What kind of face would he make?
‘How will he look when he’s on the verge of death? Will he beg for his life?’
“Patient… I have to be patient. Later—”
“That’s enough.”
Duke Agnus softly intervened while Count Sten was desperately holding back the bloodlust rising from the depths of his heart.
‘Yeah. He’s here.’
Like a lie, Count Sten stopped trembling.
The most delectable dish had to be served last.
Not many dishes could excite Count Sten’s taste buds as much as Joshua.
Count Sten licked his lips.
Duke Agnus said, “Joshua.”
“Yes, Duke?”
Duke Agnus stared into Joshua’s eyes for a moment.
“If it is your will, I will allow you to leave the academy and…” Duke Agnus trailed off.
“...?” Joshua stared blankly at him.
Eventually, Duke Agnus continued. “Once you've decided to join the Imperial Knights Order, make your way up to the 3rd Battalion at the very least.”
Joshua's eyes momentarily widened. He knew what Duke Agnus meant.
“All right,” replied Joshua.
At that, Duke Agnus turned around and started walking away.
Joshua stared at their backs and muttered, "If it’s what you want, then I’ll do it."
His voice echoed throughout the deserted reception area.
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