One knight per knight order.
To be a true knight, you must become a Knight Order Leader.
It was a saying that one cannot become a knight by just holed up in a room training with a sword alone. In other words, to be recognized with honor in noble society, one must command a Knight Order.
Now, that meaning has twisted into a derogatory term implying that even noble bastards or commoners, who cannot lead a Knight Order despite being knights, are not true knights.
Ironically, it was acceptable for nobles with outstanding backgrounds and assets to obtain the title of Knight Order Leader, even if they were not a knight.
Gilberto, the vice Knight Order Leader born of a bastard line, was profoundly unhappy with this reality.
When he was young, he gathered peers in similar positions and petitioned the royal family to reform the outdated Knight Order structure.
In the past, only knights could interact with other knights, necessitating splitting personnel for operational efficiency. But with technological advancements today, it wasn’t necessary to deploy just one knight.
Frankly, his petition implicitly asked for more positions to be created once they reached knight status as bastards.
Yet, it was a petition born out of a genuine concern for the empire’s future, which was only retreating after the complete fall of the Demon Realm. He was quite young and impetuous back then.
However, as can be seen in the current order, nothing had changed. At least the tyrant preceding emperor didn’t take the trouble to set up execution grounds; he had to consider that a silver lining.
His peers had scattered, and Gilberto relied on the meager connections of a bastard to hop from place to place.
Then, by chance, he displayed talent in administrative work and secured a position, eventually rising to the vice Knight Order Leader.
It was quite an impressive career for a bastard. Gilberto himself was well aware of that.
Even though his skills had stagnated and he could not achieve knight status, his weak family background still meant he couldn’t realistically become a Knight Commander. But this was the highest position attainable for a bastard, which filled him with pride.
However, that pride had been diminishing in recent years.
If only those wretched commoners weren’t around.
If they hadn’t been coveting positions with their laughable skills, none of this would have happened.
He wouldn’t have been lured into the Duke of Bellamont’s offer to actively recommend him for the position of Knight Order Leader in Sky Island.
He wouldn’t have formed connections with the cult, agreeing to support Elshire Bellamont’s suppression either.
And he definitely wouldn’t have caused the Duke to sever ties in a panic after commissioning an assassination that spiraled into violent terrorism.
If it weren’t for the bitter jealousy of commoners who weren’t satisfied with positions fitting their statuses, the Knight Order leader wouldn’t have had to secretly side with the commoners and prevent any suppression to this extent.
A cult member riding a bird swooped by.
“Vice Knight Order Leader, once this chaos is over, you’ll have to pay the price for not properly managing the knight order. You can’t handle things this way.”
“Shut that mouth! This isn’t something a mere messenger can assess!”
Gilberto urged the bird to fly faster, overtaking the common cult member and heading towards the upper command of the cult.
As he skimmed past the affluent islands, he soon spotted the building that served as headquarters.
The guards were nowhere in sight, and chaos reigned supreme. A blood-soaked girl chased a group of retreating cult members. Silvery sword strikes tore through bodies, blood oozing from her pink hair.
“Craft’s head of household is already here?!”
A sense of instinctive threat welled up.
Gilberto hastily pulled on the reins. The bird that was about to land took off in a hurry. The wind surged.
Was Craft truly scheming?
While the order was typically just organizing relics, Camarot and Bellamont had come boldly for a visit, accompanied by a giant chick.
Melissa Camarot declared coldly.
“Hand over command. I’ll execute immediate judgment according to military orders.”
“I agree. I have no authority, though.”
This behavior was an abuse of the military power guaranteed to Camarot by imperial order, as their official successor.
“What military order have we violated?”
The Knight Order Leader asked in confusion.
“Collusion with the cult designated as the primary enemy by the former emperor.”
When did that military order even come about?
“This bird is a messenger sent by Craft’s head of household. It’s here to inform about the cult’s base located beneath this site.”
“Chirp? Chirp chirp.”
“It says that’s correct. Craft intended only to investigate, but sending a messenger indicates a plan to eliminate infiltrators and assault the cult.”
“Chirp? Chirp chirp.”
“Knight Order Leader, hand over command to Camarot. For the time being, this place will be managed by the Southern Command.”
Melissa Camarot acted as she said.
The special interrogation of the Camarot family ensued. Magical bullets mercilessly killed those guilty of military violations.
When the questioning ambled its way to him, the vice Knight Order Leader, Gilberto immediately fled.
Craft’s influence had reached this far!
It was unbelievable, but he had to believe it.
Because down below, the pink-haired girl was in the midst of a massacre.
The last opponent fled. Bloodied, a scuffle ensued. A scream erupted, followed by silence.
Gilberto hurriedly readied his bow. From the height where the cult’s command was visible, he pulled back the string and concentrated.
After the battle, the girl transformed into a dazed state. As she vacantly looked around, she suddenly waved at something in the sky.
An arrow left the bowstring. The arrow shaft glided silently through the air. The girl’s back drew nearer.
Her hand moved backwards as if to wave hello. The arrowhead arrived at the grasping hand. A brief tension arose. The arrow was caught.
The girl turned completely around. Her gaze lifted to where Gilberto hovered.
Her pink eyes brilliantly glimmered as they smiled dreamily. Her moist lips quivered.
“Are you the leader?”
Gilberto shuddered. Information about Craft’s head flooded his mind. The bird’s reins twitched.
“Higher!”
Gravity pressed down on him. An arrow was drawn from the quiver and placed on the string. One after another, jump sounds echoed. As he aimed at the ground, the pink figure had suddenly filled his field of vision.
“Hello.”
The girl leaped from her knife with a shockwave. The silver sword strike flashed. A crimson mark appeared on Gilberto’s neck as he dodged. A thin stream of blood burst forth.
The bow aimed for a target. The string released, and an arrow was shot.
Winds wrapped around the arrow, forming a whirlwind. The arrow shaft tainted with gem powder ignited flames, forming a stream of fire as it mixed with the whirlwind.
The massive fire arrow passed right by the girl. The trajectory struck the gem knife that was flying up to support the girl’s foot precisely. A thunderous noise erupted. The knife flew away.
An arrow was pulled from the quiver.
“Humans.”
The bowstring aimed at the descending girl.
“Cannot fly.”
The arrow was released. Flames surged, moving the level of existence. The flame vortex twisted before transforming into a dragon figure. The fire dragon soared.
The girl stared in a daze and reached out to another direction. Flames whipped up, eclipsing her sight. A gale whipped through her hair.
Suddenly, a relaxed voice resounded.
“A broom…”
A white figure soared in from the side of view.
A broom?
“Can fly.”
Gilberto hastily aimed his bowstring. He belatedly grasped the identity of the figure. A white handkerchief.
Turning his head in haste, he saw the girl leaping amid the flames. A gem pepper pot that had been used for jumping fell from her feet.
Her pink eyes radiated a smile.
A fake.
A swift sword strike swept through his view.
Blood erupted.
#
Pastel stepped on the pepper pot while slowly descending. The powder inside supported the girl’s weight.
“It’s the power of gem manipulation, not an equipment control ability.”
She rubbed her eyes, as if waking from a deep sleep. With dazed eyes, she surveyed the air.
“Knife friend, where did you fly off to?”
Not in sight at all.
I’ll have to find them after it’s over.
Upon touching the ground, she shook off the pepper pot. The energy it had lost from being used just once made the once tasty gem powder now tasteless.
What a shame.
“Oh, young lady. You fight really well, don’t you? At this rate, aren’t you going to become the youngest knight? Will my name enter the annals of that history?”
Amidst the massacre, there stood a man quietly facing off against the demon. He wielded a dagger, appearing relaxed.
Pastel blinked slowly. Memories resurfaced.
Oh my.
That’s the knight-level villain who toyed with me during the first semester terror incident!
A knight!
Demon Lord! Demon Lord!
Waaah!
Pastel was on the verge of panicking when she realized the demon was facing off against that man, and she calmed down.
Oh yeah.
The demon opened his mouth.
“If you’re going to take me on, come at me already. I’ll concede the first strike.”
What a total show of confidence.
Is this the demeanor of the Great Demon Lord?
“Hmm.”
The man scratched his head with the tip of his dagger.
“Great Demon Lord. No matter how holy the land is, wouldn’t the seal not be fully lifted? The condition of the young lady remains intact.”
Oh dear.
Exposed the Demon Lord’s bravado.
Crisis!
*
“Hah.”
The demon frowned and took a step forward.
“This is truly embarrassing.”
“Whoa, whoa.”
The man hurriedly took two steps back.
“I’m not trying to test you.”
Both hands went up.
“It’s a proposal for maintaining the status quo. I’ll just be here, and Great Demon Lord, you stay here too. The young lady is the exception.”
Huh?
“What do you believe in? It looks like the building over there only has some high-ranking civilians who can’t fight.”
“I’m just here as an escort duty for that person.”
With both hands clasped behind his head, the man sauntered around.
“If the escort target isn’t in danger, then there’s no need to obstruct you. Oh, wait!”
His gaze turned toward the girl.
“Hey, Young Lady, do you like familial murders?”
Pastel was rendered speechless.
“No…?”
“Then I guess I can leave.”
He gestured towards the building.
“It’s an opportunity to talk with your father.”
Oh dear.
