Chapter 50
The dazzling sunlight shattered against the sand of the training ground, casting long shadows of the two men.
As the sparring match began, neither waited for the other; they lunged forward simultaneously.
*Clang—!*
The sound of clashing blades shattered the silence of the training ground.
It was a match that clearly carried a different weight compared to the previous one.
Locked in a blade-lock, they probed each other.
The standoff between the two left everyone around them breathless.
The Captain of the Blue Knights, having parried Aiden’s heavy sword, wiped away cold sweat and muttered in distress.
"…This won't be easy."
Yet, the competitive spirit burning in his eyes was fiercer than ever.
His hand, gripping the sword, throbbed with numbness.
He finally understood the sheer power that had caused the Red Knight to lose his rapier so helplessly earlier.
How much time had passed as they remained locked in a stalemate, each searching for an opening?
Just as silence settled over the training ground, it was Aiden who broke it first.
"I have a proposal."
"What is it?"
"How about we allow the use of Aura?"
Aura is a power accessible only to those who have reached a certain level of enlightenment in swordsmanship; by channeling condensed energy into the blade, one can unleash greater strength and destructive force.
Unless one is of a high caliber, it is rarely used in sparring due to the risk of severe injury from even a minor mistake.
The Captain of the Blue Knights raised an eyebrow.
"You'll regret it."
"I will not."
"Very well. From the moment we disengage, we shall use Aura freely."
The moment their eyes met, confirming the agreement to use Aura, they broke the lock. Simultaneously, blue Aura erupted from both of their swords.
The Captain’s azure Aura swirled like a wildfire, colliding with Aiden’s blade.
With a thunderous explosion centered on the two, sand from the training ground erupted into the air.
It was a level of destructive power unlike any of the previous matches.
As if by mutual agreement, the two distanced themselves to mitigate the impact.
While the sandstorm made it difficult to even open their eyes, Aiden’s sword struck like lightning, descending as if to shatter the Captain’s blade.
*Boom—!*
The force was so immense that it sounded not like metal clashing, but like an explosion.
Sweat poured down the Captain’s forehead.
It was clearly an ordinary longsword, yet it felt as if he were clashing with a 'Sword Breaker,' a weapon designed specifically to shatter blades.
*I won't be able to use this sword again.*
The Captain felt a sense of novelty at the way Aiden treated his sword like a consumable.
Knights treat their swords as their own lives, taking great care not to chip the edge.
The mercenary's unfamiliar style of fighting made his blood boil.
How long had it been since he felt this sensation?
However, he knew he wouldn't last long fighting in such a reckless manner.
The Captain took a short breath and condensed his Aura. He intended to end the match within a few exchanges.
A blue light began to burn fiercely along his blade.
Aiden, too, drew up his Aura to match him.
The two swung their swords simultaneously, clashing with sharp intensity.
In an instant, a stinging shockwave swept through the surroundings.
"Urgh…!"
The Captain of the Blue Knights groaned, coughing up blood.
To have traded blows and be the only one to suffer internal injuries meant he had lost the battle of Aura.
Before he could even catch his breath, the attack continued.
Aiden lowered his center of gravity and spun rapidly, aiming for the side of his opponent's lower body.
The Captain wasted movement trying to dodge Aiden’s blade.
*To aim for the lower body…*
His attacks were not standardized like those of the knights, making them impossible to predict easily.
But the problem was that he had left that small opening.
In the split second he lost his balance and his sword’s trajectory went awry, the tip of Aiden’s blade stopped right in front of the Captain’s throat.
Blood stained the lips of the Captain, who was gasping for air. It was from his internal injuries.
"It's… over."
Aiden also let out a deep sigh and sheathed his sword. The Aura that had burned like a flame slowly faded away.
"That was a good match."
"…Who on earth are you?"
The Captain of the Blue Knights coughed repeatedly, spitting out blood.
"Where have you been hiding with such skills, and why appear only now?"
"Until recently, I was with the Gold Coin Mercenary Corps."
At the calmly revealed truth, the Captain’s brow furrowed.
"Don't tell me, an executive level?"
"…."
"…Ah, you should have told me that beforehand."
As if he finally understood the source of Aiden’s strength, the Captain relaxed his body and slowly closed his eyes.
He had been holding on through sheer willpower; having reached his limit, he lost consciousness and collapsed on the spot.
✦ ✦ ✦
The Papiope Duchy was turned upside down.
The Duke had allowed a summary version of the knighthood exam as a reward for the man who had volunteered to protect her daughter… but that man had defeated the Captain of the Papiope Knights in an exhibition match.
It was an unprecedented event.
The knights of Papiope were of far superior quality to those of other houses.
This was because they did not value family or lineage, hiring knights solely based on merit.
Yet, he had defeated such a Papiope knight—and a Captain who had used Aura at that.
The fallen Captain of the Blue Knights fortunately regained consciousness after a few hours… but he received a verdict from the physician that he would have to spend a full week in the infirmary due to his internal injuries.
Declan, the former Duke, and Viviana, the current Duchess, pondered what to do with Aiden, who had far exceeded their expectations.
"In any case, shouldn't Aiden be placed in the Blue Knights, which focuses on swordsmanship?"
At Declan’s suggestion, the Duchess shook her head.
"No. Aiden is too strong to be placed as a knight under the Captain of the Blue Knights."
"Hmm… I suppose that's true."
"Besides, if he joins the Blue Knights, the Captain will be branded with the label of having lost to a mere knight."
It was a major issue that could even escalate into a violation of the chain of command.
"But putting him in the Red Knights is out of the question, as he is not an Abiliter…."
"Tsk, why are you worrying so much? If he can't go to the Blue or the Red, there is only one option left, isn't there?"
"Don't tell me, Father, what you are thinking right now is…."
"Yes, the Black Knights."
The Black Knights.
It was a unit that had vanished when all its members left the order alongside Declan’s retirement.
The Black Knights were composed of knights designated by Declan, regardless of whether they were Abiliters or commoners.
Most of them were like extensions of Declan’s own limbs.
In other words, if they placed Aiden into the Black Knights…
It meant everything would be solved.
The Duchess clapped her hands, a look of realization crossing her face as if she had only just remembered the existence of the Black Knights.
"My goodness, why didn't I think of putting him in the Black Knights from the start…."
Declan quickly drew a line.
"I'm sorry, my daughter, but this father knew from the beginning."
"Father, really…! Then why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because I was serious about taking him as a knight under my own command. I was a bit greedy for him."
"How on earth did you recognize Aiden’s skills, Father?"
To the Duchess’s question, Declan revealed the truth with a solemn expression.
"I didn't know either."
To say he didn't know while wearing such a dignified expression?
As the Duchess’s face crumpled, Declan scratched his head and opened his mouth as if to make an excuse.
"I thought he would fight well seeing his well-trained muscles, but… I didn't know he would exceed my expectations by this much."
The Duchess suppressed the urge to scold her father, asking if this was the time for jokes, and returned to the main point.
"…Fortunately, the position of Captain of the Black Knights is vacant. I don't know if he will welcome joining the Black Knights, which currently has no one else."
To that, Declan chuckled and spoke as if there was nothing to worry about.
"Do you still not know? Aiden’s goal is not to become a knight of Papiope. He is…."
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