Chapter 86
Rattle!
The carriage jolted heavily, perhaps from hitting a stone. Brans, driving the horses, glanced into the carriage nervously, while Callias remained lost in thought without a word.
'The situation has changed considerably.'
The North, which should have fallen, did not fall. The Empire's lackeys, who should have been running rampant, lost their momentum because of Callias's Judgment Sword.
Many things had already changed.
And now, the emergence of game information he didn't know about.
That didn't mean what he already knew became worthless, but it also meant he couldn't guarantee it either.
'Is it really okay to just keep going like this?'
The answer was no.
Until now, he had only grown stronger alone.
No one cherished a scoundrel, so standing alone wasn't a choice but a compulsion.
But wasn't it different now?
What if he couldn't handle something with his own strength? What if he attempted something beyond his reach? That was why people formed groups.
Because there wasn't much one could do alone.
Callias knew which direction most beings in Karpe were heading. If he could win them over in advance and forge them into his own force, they would become quite a formidable power.
His thoughts reaching that point, Callias raised his head and looked at the twins.
'They're not useless.'
Unlike Brans, who only watched for reactions.
These ones would be profitable to raise.
Orphin still had room to grow, and the twins inevitably had even greater potential.
Rivan and Rini.
When they came of age, they would head west and achieve great merits on the Empire's frontlines.
The scenario had changed significantly, and Callias had deviated things so much that there wasn't even a route anymore, but that didn't mean their potential had disappeared.
Therefore, they were worth raising.
More so than Brans.
'But it's troublesome.'
They were worth raising.
However, he didn't want to raise them himself.
Who knows how long it would take for them to grow to a point where they could be properly used. And should he abandon even his own training to help for such a vague prospect?
Especially when his own training was already blocked by a wall.
And children are annoying.
'Should I send them to the Academy.'
If it's just providing support, it wouldn't be much of a concern.
Originally, he had considered sending Emily to broaden her horizons, but Rivan and Rini had come.
If he didn't accept them as they asked, they might really die.
Not that it mattered much whether they lived or died, but they were companions who had shared the battlefield together, even if briefly.
It's not like they wouldn't be helpful later, so if it was for Karpe's sake, supporting them wouldn't hurt.
"Orphin."
"Yes, please speak."
"I will be sending Rivan and Rini to the Royal Academy. You will prepare the necessary documents and items."
"R-really!?"
Not only Rini, but even Rivan was startled, eyes widening. Their expressions showed they hadn't expected him to go that far.
Orphin also rejoiced as if it were his own affair.
"I'm not sending them just to study swordsmanship."
"Then..."
"The Royal Academy has many noble children belonging to Karpe. Among them, you must build friendships with the children of the nobles I specify."
It was a kind of transaction.
I support the twins.
Then the twins form connections with noble children who will be helpful to me.
Those connections would naturally return to me later, so in the long run, it benefits everyone.
"Among them, there will be some who are helpful and some who aren't. Rini will be with the helpful ones. Rivan, you'll need to form friendships with the ones who aren't helpful."
"...."
"W-what? Not helpful ones...?"
He debated whether to say it, but thinking they'd find out anyway, he revealed his thoughts.
"Rivan, the nobles you need to befriend are likely the children of the corrupt ones I'll be executing in the future."
"...."
Rivan's face went pale.
Callias was essentially telling Rivan to grab their weaknesses.
"Your mission will be crucial, so if you don't want to do it, say so now. If not you, then..."
"Rini can't. I'll do it."
A slight provocation, and he took the bait.
An older brother is an older brother, I suppose.
The children of corrupt nobles would mostly be insolent like their parents, so they'd get along well with Rivan.
Since Rivan is also quite the insolent one himself.
Anyway, Rivan just needed to gradually relay information about their parents to me.
With that, I would go around cleaving those parents in two, so he might feel some guilt, and it could even become dangerous, but that's not my concern.
"It's a transaction."
"Yes, this is a transaction."
The twins use me.
I use them too.
It's just a transaction, so let's consider there's no debt to bear in mind.
Rivan extended his hand to me.
It seemed like he wanted to shake hands to seal the deal. An arrogant kid until the end.
"A handshake. It's a transaction."
I snorted.
The brat was still stiff, probably clinging to his pride.
"Put it away. A handshake is something done when both parties stand on equal footing. Don't forget your position."
Rivan's face flushed red as he clenched his fist tightly.
But it was necessary.
That arrogant personality of his needed some fixing.
"We're here!"
"Then let's end the conversation here. You're not the only ill-mannered one."
As I stepped down from the carriage, the Inquisitors of the Sixth Division were glaring at me with hostile eyes.
Whether this one or that one.
"Insolent."
Nothing but insolent looks.
It seemed I'd have to use some force today.
* * *
"Here you are, sir."
"Hm."
The duel would be with ordinary iron swords.
No other rules.
"Was it Dingo?"
"It's Diego."
The vice-captain of the Sixth Division.
Diego.
He had neatly trimmed blue hair, and aside from a scar on his cheek, he looked ordinary.
"Diego. Let me ask you one thing. Why are you doing this?"
What he had wanted was the right not to have to follow my orders.
I don't know why he'd want something like that.
He should have just asked to be made captain instead.
So I asked.
What his intention was.
Diego, holding his iron sword at an angle, answered with bloodshot eyes fixed on me.
"I know. That you killed our captain."
It stung, but without showing it, I asked.
"How do you know that?"
"Then prove it isn't so. With your precious Judgment Sword."
"There's no need."
"Can't do it, can you? You hypocritical bastard. I already examined the captain's body. There were definitely marks on the neck that looked like the work of a demonic beast, but nowhere else."
He was saying there were sword wounds.
"It had to be you."
"I see."
"Do you admit it?"
"So what if I do?"
I could just claim it was a duel by sword. The Order wouldn't make an issue of that anyway.
Besides, I had become captain, and with Zerban's count title, it wouldn't be a big problem.
And.
'Druma and Raiven are going to die anyway.'
Those two were dead men anyway.
Not that there are people who don't die in this world, but those two were ones with strong bonds to the hardliners, so they would have died by my hand later anyway.
Or they'd die in the civil war.
Either way, they were men who needed to die.
The Archbishop would soon scheme something, and they were his puppets.
"I will have my revenge."
"Do you have the ability?"
"More than enough!"
Whoosh—!
I dodged his swinging sword at an angle.
The killing intent was thick.
Even in a duel, he infused killing intent.
It was so ridiculous that I glared at Zenos standing quietly nearby.
"Are you just going to let this happen?"
"It's entertaining, so I'll leave it be."
Zenos wore a strange smile, finding it amusing, and let it be.
The one called a judge was also a madman, which was absurd, but nothing could be done.
'I'll have to beat him down.'
This was all because they looked down on me.
They think I'm easy prey, so they bark without knowing their place. Then I just needed to show them an overwhelming gap.
Even though I was currently blocked by a wall, I was absolutely not at a level where these guys could beat me.
Vice-captain Diego was quite skilled for a paladin, but.
"Still just vice-captain level."
Still weaker than the captain.
* * *
The situation was flowing strangely.
Those who had been openly shouting to kill Callias had fallen silent.
"...."
"...."
In the suffocating silence.
Only the two children Callias had brought were chattering as if finding it amusing.
"Did you see that?"
"Yeah. When the Count spun his sword around, even though that blue guy struck down with both hands, he ended up hitting the ground."
Rivan and Rini, who had climbed a tree to watch the duel, were full of excitement as they observed Callias's sword.
Rivan had been insulted with a fork before, but he wasn't unaware of Callias's actions in the North.
Being called the hero of the North, while he might be reluctant regarding his personality, as a knight, he couldn't help but respect him.
Looking up at the openly chattering twins, Orphin was newly surprised.
'He's become stronger than back then.'
He was showing more refined swordsmanship than when he was in the North.
If before he was strong and fast, now he seemed slower and less powerful, but that actually made it more efficient.
Should I say the unnecessary force was removed? Or should I say he was using his opponent's strength against them?
"It seems like he's playing with him."
From the outside, it looked like Diego was furiously attacking and Callias was being pushed back.
But in reality, Diego was panicking.
Minimum movement. Minimum force to deflect and block the opponent's sword.
The frustrated opponent would use big techniques, and when that happened, Callias would casually poke at the openings.
"Hah, hah. Hoo—"
Naturally, there was a difference in stamina as well.
Diego attacked while drawing upon divine power, but Callias did not.
He was fighting without consuming divine power, almost to the point where it could be said he wasn't using any at all.
"This is..."
"Zerban's scoundrel?"
Like an adult dealing with a child.
Callias remained indifferent to Diego's attacks throughout.
He was unhurried against any slash, and didn't even draw upon divine power.
How could there be such a difference in skill?
"That's the problem with paladins. You rely only on divine power and neglect physical training. That's why you're panting from just this much."
Callias leisurely raised his sword.
At the attitude that seemed to be giving instruction, Diego foamed at the mouth.
"Shut up!"
But there was no change in the outcome.
Callias dryly deflected and repelled the charging Diego's sword like a boar.
Clang—!
Swirl, thud—
The repelled sword stuck into the ground. Diego kneeling was simultaneous with that.
"Trash-level skill. Druma might have been satisfied with that, but I'm not. If the vice-captain's skill is at this level, I can tell without even looking at the skill of those beneath him."
"Ugh..."
Sparks flew in the eyes of the squad members who were watching the vice-captain's defeat with dismay.
"Do you feel wronged? If you're wronged, come up and draw your sword like your vice-captain. But this time, it won't just be a duel."
A duel.
A duel of the Order where dying was acceptable.
Not with this toy-like iron sword, but with real blades.
"...."
"...."
They had been insulted.
But no one stepped forward.
Even the vice-captain Diego had been beaten like that, so what could ordinary squad members do?
"Worthless insects. I was a fool to think you'd be even slightly useful. Like captain, like subordinates."
At the bitter insult, everyone gripped the swords at their waists.
But Callias merely laughed at them. Even if they gripped their swords, not one of them would actually step up.
Because if they came up, they wouldn't be able to go down until they died.
And the difference in strength had already been demonstrated.
"Are you wronged? That's how power works. Why do you think we fall behind the Empire? Because swords are weaker than spears? No. It's simply because we're weak. What's the reason you can only stay silent while hearing my insults? That's also because you're weak."
If you're weak, you can't even open your mouth.
That's what people are. That's the way of the world.
The strong stand proud before the weak, but the weak endlessly cower before the strong.
They lower their eyes, shrink their bodies, and even when full of dissatisfaction, they cannot express it.
Dogs tucking their tails.
That was the current state of Karpe.
"No matter how much the Empire stirs up the kingdom, we can only defend. No matter what insulting remarks they spew, we only endure steadfastly."
The miserable experience a powerless nation goes through was always like that.
It wasn't like that from the beginning.
Hundreds of years ago, the power of swords and spears was about even. There were times they were ahead.
But the Empire consumed other nations and grew in power and expanded its forces.
Karpe did not.
It was a small difference.
Karpe had power but didn't use it. And so it came to this.
"Just how long are you going to live like that?"
"Then what should we do!"
One Inquisitor shouted.
He was even on the verge of tears.
A paladin with rich sensibilities.
"It's simple. Just become stronger."
"We train all the time!"
"Then your training method must be wrong."
Saying that much, Callias closed his mouth. Because a good idea had just come to mind.
'Wrong training method.'
Right now, Callias was blocked by a wall. He had tried everything, but the wall didn't budge.
It seemed like there was no way unless he borrowed the power of Sasjakbi.
'These guys could be test subjects.'
Didn't someone say that?
The reason people teach others isn't for others, but for themselves.
By teaching others, one can understand oneself even more thoroughly.
"Follow me. Trash-level skills. I'll raise you."
Drip, drop.
From the sky that had darkened without notice, thick raindrops began to fall one by one.
"Anyone who watched the duel would know. I didn't use a single handful of divine power. How is that possible?"
"Because the difference in skill is too..."
The eyes of the vice-captain, who was lying face down in the training ground, turned toward the speaker.
Callias drove his fist into Diego's face.
Thud!
"Ugh!"
"Correct. But only half correct. It's because my basic physical abilities are high. Even if you draw out divine power to enhance your body's functions, there's not much difference from me. Then naturally, who would hold the advantage?"
"Y-you are the captain."
He's calling me captain.
Callias nodded while hiding a smile.
It was a fact commonly forgotten.
What exactly does one do with divine power?
Most use it to draw out the sword's abilities, or to dramatically raise physical capabilities.
But while doing so, they neglect physical training in reality.
Rather than bodily strength, they pray and cry out to the gods to raise the quality of their divine power—an inefficient method that the majority follows.
"And the cultivation method you're using has trash efficiency."
"But we..."
It must have been what the Order taught them.
But that was trash.
The basic holy power cultivation method had efficiency so miserable it was garbage.
"Then will you teach us, Captain?"
"I'll pass on such troublesome work. Of course, I'll do duels with you occasionally."
"...."
The members' faces contorted even more.
Not teaching them, insulting them wasn't enough—now he was going to torment them under the pretext of duels?
"Instead, take it yourselves."
"...?"
The faces of the members, trembling with humiliation, rose slightly.
"Think, discuss, and practice. Then challenge those above you and prove that you've improved."
Originally, swordsmanship isn't something to be taught.
It's something you realize and internalize yourself.
Callias would treat them with the essence of swordsmanship.
"I won't force you."
However.
"If you desire strength, follow me. You definitely won't regret it. And anyone here, if you can defeat me in a duel, I'll hand over the captain position."
Leaving only those words behind.
Callias departed without any lingering attachment.