In wuxia novels, among the representative forces that appear are the Demonic Cult and the North Sea Ice Palace.
If you've dabbled in wuxia during your school days, you'd probably know that these two factions are quite strong.
So much so that it's exhaustingly common for them to be depicted as the strongest singular force.
And the reason martial artists belonging to the North Sea Ice Palace or the Demonic Cult frequently appear as the strongest single force is thanks to the individual strength of each martial artist belonging to them.
Living in harsh environments and fighting battles every single day, it's only natural they'd become strong.
In that sense, those called Lionel could be said to be this world's North Sea Ice Palace and Demonic Cult.
Having fought the magical beasts of the harsh and barren eastern lands every day, and having carved out territory from blizzards and mountains of ice—how could they not be strong?
Additionally, in such an environment, the fierce and savage multitudes solely serve the lineage of Lionel—!
Having sworn absolute obedience to the family they've served for generations, inheriting the bloodline of the winged lion, they built up a kingdom-scale territory and military force.
In reality, they possess the most powerful military force and territory among the kingdom's factions.
The only force where a dual logic holds: a nature that worships strength, yet absolute obedience to the royal family.
It wasn't for nothing that Ihan called them the North Sea Demonic Cult.
'If I compare it to modern times, are they guys who developed all of Siberia and then took one step further?'
Possessing such underlying strength, Lionel is powerful, a force that even Pendragon struggles to handle.
They remain as a founding merit family of the kingdom only because of an oath sworn by their ancestors for generations.
They could declare independence at any time.
And it's said that half of Lionel's mighty military power comes from a single knight order.
The strongest knight order in the north, composed only of those who inherit the Lionel bloodline or are northern champions.
The Black Iron Lion Knight Order.
Like the White Silver Lion, one of the rare knight orders permitted to use the lion crest in the kingdom.
However, the world rates the lions clad in black iron higher than the white silver lions.
It's only natural to fear a beast reigning on the black plains more than a tame beast in a zoo.
"Are you from some knight order called Black Iron Lion or something?"
"Maximus Iron de Lionel, vice-commander of the Black Iron Lion Knight Order. Call me Max. What is your name?"
"You already know."
"I want to hear it directly from the warrior's mouth."
"…Ihan. Ihan Turtle."
"Rihan, got it!"
"I said Ihan, you bastard."
A name joke heard after a while.
He's clearly doing it on purpose.
Or maybe.
"More importantly, Rahan, fight me! Let us have a deathmatch with our lives on the line!"
"…This crazy bastard."
He might just be a maniac obsessed with fighting regardless of names.
At some point forcibly renamed from Ihan to Rahan, he furrowed his brow.
This isn't someone who can be reasoned with.
Is he some kind of battle race?
'This is why the old man said not to associate with northern bastards.'
Baltar's words:
'Even if you fight, don't fight with northern bastards. They're not scary, but getting involved with them won't do your life any good.'
-He said that, and he was right.
This is why you shouldn't casually dismiss adults' words.
But he felt wronged.
It wasn't his intention—how could he not get entangled with someone who invaded on their own?
"Sigh, my fate."
He had recently shed blood, so he wanted to decline for a while.
"-Don't regret it."
Whoosh!
Ihan drew the dagger that had been lying around.
A dagger that would be no different from a toy compared to the massive axe-halberd his opponent wielded.
One might wonder what he could do with such a thing, but Max, facing his opponent, did not ignore him at all.
Rather.
'Good! It's not just thrilling, it's electrifying!'
If anything, he was excited.
His eyes were right after all.
As fierce as a northern man, and the magnitude of his aura was closer to a large beast than a human.
Max was delighted.
To think there would be a champion worthy of being his [achievement] in this utterly peaceful royal capital.
'If I defeat this man, my soul will come one step closer to Avalon!'
Max heightened his aura like that, and Ihan's aura also turned chillingly formidable.
Convinced that his opponent was no ordinary madman, he lost all desire for half-measures.
Not a light sparring match, but a life-and-death struggle.
Just as Ihan and Maximus were about to clash.
Clang!
"Ugh!?"
"You thunder-struck naked fool. I told you to stay quiet—when did I ever tell you to cause trouble?"
"…B-Brother."
"You mannerless brat."
Smack, smack!
"S-Stop! Stop hitting me, Brother! Ah, it hurts!"
"I'm hitting you because it hurts—should I hit you to make you feel refreshed?"
"Ugh!"
…For a moment, they had to withdraw their aura.
Despite having a frame as large as a gorilla, Maximus couldn't assert himself and was being struck by a man significantly smaller than him.
Should one call it imprinted fear?
The sight of a dog completely submitting to its master after hierarchy had been thoroughly established.
In any case, it was not a pretty sight—utterly unsightly.
But Ihan.
'…What's with that human?'
He couldn't even muster the desire to mock the pathetic gorilla and unconsciously faltered.
He immediately put distance between them, concentrating strength in his calves and toes to flee at any moment.
Preparation for Gungsindanyeong.
However, since it wasn't for attack but for immediate escape from this spot, it was nothing more than going through the motions.
But what was important to Ihan wasn't victory or defeat.
[Survival.]
It had to be his most important life value, and even if someone called him a coward, as someone who wanted to live a long and happy life, running away regardless of pride when meeting an enemy he couldn't beat was the best strategy.
Rushing in was merely the worst option.
"You don't need to do that. I have no intention of killing you."
"…Then would you mind removing the awl that's trying to pierce my neck?"
"Ah, I see. Sorry. Just know it wasn't my intention."
"…Ha."
A hollow laugh escaped Ihan.
Drip.
When did it happen?
A drop of blood fell from his flank and the nape of his neck each.
As if a sharply honed ice awl had dug into his skin.
It was none other than his skin, as tough and hard as a bulletproof vest, that was easily pierced like tofu.
A situation where he nearly died.
But do you know this?
That this man truly had not the slightest intention of killing him, which was why he was still alive.
'Ha, with a monster like that existing, what the hell are the ones calling me a monster?'
Ihan felt it.
When they talk about real monsters, they mean something like that.
Magnus Julian de Lionel.
The great sovereign of the north was right before his eyes.
* * *
…Inside the building, an even deeper silence lingered.
There should normally be passing guards, instructors, or hiding cadets, but today there were noticeably none.
It's not a metaphor—would you believe me if I said there truly wasn't even a single ant?
And Ihan thought he understood why no one approached this space.
With 'that thing' present, it was only natural that instinct would keep them away.
[━━.]
"Calm down and go back in. No matter how much there's someone you want to test, you mustn't threaten them."
[━━.]
"Hoo, I'll offer sufficient sacrifices later. So please go back in for now."
[━━.]
"I promise."
He, Grand Duke Magnus, was conversing with something in the empty air.
Anyone who saw it would surely misunderstand him as crazy, but Ihan didn't think so.
Because he had actually been 'threatened' by that something.
'It's there, a massive creature.'
Ihan concentrated all his senses, focusing his gaze toward the empty space Grand Duke Magnus was looking at.
At that moment.
[━━?]
Flinch!!
Ihan finally met eyes with it—no….
'A lion?'
He locked eyes with the beast.
This was a kind of intuition, close to a guess.
Behind Grand Duke Magnus was a beast with a frame as large as an elephant, and the beast seemed to have a lush mane.
It walked on four legs, its claws would be thicker than his waist, and its fangs were exceptionally enormous.
It resembled a creature called a smilodon.
But it was definitely closer to a lion than a smilodon.
How could he be certain?
'Because I've been pricked by it.'
The one who's been pricked knows.
Its presence was similar to the lion he encountered at the zoo in his past life.
And he realized.
That lion was none other than.
'Is that the [Mystery]?'
The mysteries remaining on the continent.
Traces left from an era when mystical races, fairies, and groups like 'gods' flourished.
This was called Mystery (神祕).
'They say there are those who worship gods in the form of animals….'
Ihan recalled the information he received from Jake the day before, and part of what he had read crossed his mind.
[-The lords of the Lionel family have lived embracing Mystery for generations. And the power of that Mystery is said to rival 'Aura Users,' and along with Galahad's magic sword, it is one of the powerful forces sustaining the kingdom.]
…When he read that record back then, he thought it was just a joke.
No matter how strong Mystery or a magic sword was, how strong could they be?
He had believed they could never rival an Aura User.
But not now.
At this very moment, he was certain.
That thing.
'Wow, I don't know who would win if that old man Baltar fought it.'
Baltar Grace.
The upper limit of its power was just as invisible as that superhuman's.
Only now did he understand.
How this kingdom, surrounded by enemy nations on all sides, could have survived for so long.
'Even without Aura Users, as long as monsters like that are holding the line, it's fine.'
Like a reassuring aircraft carrier.
Truly….
'I'm gonna piss myself, fuck.'
Screw reassurance—he just wished they'd lose interest in him.
"-Young knight, I apologize once again. My brother committed an offense against you."
Grand Duke Magnus offered a sincere apology to Ihan, who was merely a common knight, in a manner unbefitting his status.
He didn't seem like someone who cared about authority.
Then Maximus rebelled.
"Brother, how can warriors fighting be considered an offense! Please retract your words!"
"Quiet!"
[Roar!!]
"Agh!"
Maximus was flipped over, being scolded by not only his respected brother but also the family's 'guardian deity.'
To others, it might look like he was floundering inexplicably, but to those who inherited the lion's blood, they could see it.
The massive 'pitch-black lion' was giving Maximus a knuckle sandwich.
Maximus couldn't even resist.
Well, how could a human resist that.
"Grrr…."
Maximus couldn't even think of standing up in such a humiliating posture, and only then did Magnus, now satisfied, turn his gaze back to the knight.
"…This wasn't my original intention. I simply wanted to have a conversation with you for a moment."
"M-Me?"
"Yes."
"……."
"You can rest easy. [Black King] doesn't easily harm others. It's just that he often doesn't gauge his own strength and plays pranks frequently. You only felt threatened because of that."
"…That's not reassuring at all?"
So if that lion plays that 'prank' on him again, wouldn't he feel like he'd be bidding farewell to this world?
All he wanted to do was run away.
"Oh, seeing that reaction, can you actually see Black King? Remarkable."
"……."
…He got caught.
He had revealed the lion's existence to test him, and he fell for it right away.
Ihan wondered what to do, but instead of hesitating.
"…I can't see it. I just sense its presence."
He decided to answer honestly.
He figured he couldn't hide anything from this man anyway.
Grand Duke Magnus made an expression of admiration toward him, who wore a bitter smile.
"Remarkable, to think someone who isn't even of our family's bloodline could sense Black King. And without magic or mystery…. Fascinating."
"…Could you stop showing that fascination?"
"Honestly, I'm holding myself back from wanting to test you more."
"……."
Damn it….
Ihan muttered a low curse, his head throbbing.
No, the ones taking exams are the cadets….
'Why am I the one being tested?'
[Purr.]
And being evaluated by an elephant-sized lion at that—Ihan's face scrunched up.
But.
"Hoo! So, what's the purpose of wanting to talk with me?"
"Oh? You're not trembling anymore."
"They say if you enter a tiger's den with your wits about you, you'll survive. If it's dangerous, I'll just run—what more is there to fear?"
"…I see why Black King took interest in you."
[Purr!]
Truly an amusing young one.
That half-baked and foolish youngest brother of mine still freezes like a mouse before a cat when he meets Black King, yet someone experiencing Black King for the first time is looking straight ahead and saying his piece.
He couldn't help but find him an interesting young man.
"Haha, I thought there were no more figures in the royal capital after the late king passed, but that's not the case?"
"Pardon?"
"Just talking to myself. More importantly, you asked why I wanted to meet you?"
"…Yes."
"It was nothing else. I simply wanted to have a conversation. Because Black King desired the meeting."
"Just for that reason…?"
"Even if it seems like just that, if Black King shows affection, that's reason enough to meet."
Warriors whom Black King showed 'fondness' toward would achieve fame in various ways regardless of their own will.
And those Black King had marked thus far….
'Just how will this young man leave his name in history?'
By performing great deeds worthy of being recorded in history.
That was why he wanted to meet him.
He wanted to see what kind of vessel this young man possessed.
Merely meeting would have meaning in itself.
Someone might think he had too much time on his hands, but those without deficiency tend to have leisure and strong curiosity.
No, curiosity was rather the driving force that moved a life without deficiency.
That was why.
"…Would you happen to have any thoughts of going north with me?"
"?"
"If you go, I'm even thinking of having you marry my daughter."
"……."
Grand Duke Magnus didn't even hesitate to make such crazy propositions.
…Though from Ihan's perspective, it was nothing more than an unwelcome scouting attempt.