I Became a Swordsmanship Genius in the Game

Chapter 49. The Lord’s Favor

Hyunwoo, guided by the knight Noctis, headed to the inner castle.

The aftermath of the war had reached even the deepest part of Sylvester, the inner castle.

The once-achromatic walls of the inner castle were stained black in various places.

Hyunwoo passed through the stained corridor and arrived at Lord Bation's office.

Noctis stopped in front of the office door.

“Go in. The lord has ordered you to enter alone.”

Hyunwoo nodded his head and carefully opened the door.

“You called for me?”

As Hyunwoo stepped inside, he was startled by the bizarre sight.

The room was filled with strange objects that made it look like a mad scientist's laboratory.

He carefully set foot in the cluttered interior.

Something like tree bark got caught on his foot.

Thump―

‘…Anesta's shell?’

The things rolling around on the floor were pieces of the dead Anesta's shell.

As Hyunwoo was distracted by the messy scene of the office, Bation’s voice was heard.

“…You’ve come.”

His appearance as he spoke was worn out with fatigue.

His already protruding eyelids were even more swollen.

The pieces of Anesta’s shell were not only rolling on the office floor but were also piled up on his desk.

Bation was touching the shell even as Hyunwoo approached.

It seemed he had been doing this ever since Anesta was caught.

Bation pointed to a seat in the office with his hand.

“Sit.”

“Yes.”

Hyunwoo sat in the seat Bation had pointed to.

Bation also got up from his seat and moved to a seat in front of me.

He, who had sat down, narrowed his eyes as he looked at me.

“I can feel mana.”

“I was fortunate to gain a small enlightenment this time.”

“Enlightenment, you say….”

Bation tilted his head, then smiled.

“You were gone for a long time after the battle ended, didn't you pick up something useful?”

“……”

I couldn't tell if he was probing me, knowing something, or just making a simple joke.

As Hyunwoo was smiling awkwardly while choosing his words, Bation placed a piece of Anesta’s shell on the table.

Thud―

“I have investigated the creature's shell through various magical procedures.”

“Did you obtain any useful results?”

“About your ability.”

“My ability, you mean?”

“I'm talking about the black flame. I learned that the black flame you used played a large role in Anesta's death.”

Bation looked at Hyunwoo with eyes full of a magician's characteristic curiosity.

It seemed his interest lay more in my ability than in Anesta itself. To be precise, it was Cheonbyeondo's ability, though.

Bation, unaware of this, urged Hyunwoo on.

“I would like to see that ability for myself.”

The black flame.

It wasn't a particularly burdensome task, aside from the pain, so I nodded once and carefully placed my hand on Cheonbyeondo.

“May I draw my sword?”

“By all means.”

“If so, a moment.”

Hyunwoo ignited a black flame on Cheonbyeondo.

Fwoosh―!

⌜Abyssal Ether⌟

“Oho.”

Unlike Hyunwoo’s face, which was contorted in pain, Bation pushed his face closer with an interested look.

Then, he grabbed the black flame with his hand.

Hyunwoo flinched in surprise for a moment, but soon focused on creating the black flame.

Even an ordinary demon could not be safe grasping the Abyssal Ether.

However, Bation, the ruler of a castle, was no ordinary demon.

At Bation's touch, the black flame died down.

Pshsh―

“Hmm….”

Bation tilted his head, looking at the black flame lingering on his fingers.

“It's not much, contrary to what I thought. Did it only work specially on Anesta?”

As if Bation's interest had quickly faded, he wore a bored expression and released his mana,instantly extinguishing the black flame.

Hyunwoo scratched the back of his head, looking awkward.

“Haha… it’s just a mere trick.”

I don't know if it will be different later when Cheonbyeondo awakens further and becomes stronger.

In the current situation, it was true that it was nothing to Bation.

Bation, his interest completely gone, sank deep into his chair.

Then he took out a small plaque from his pocket and placed it in front of Hyunwoo.

“Take it.”

“This is…?”

“It is the Sylvester Honorary Plaque. It will come in handy when you visit Sylvester in the future.”

An honorary plaque was no different from a certificate guaranteed by the lord.

It could be of great help when operating in the Sylvester region.

For example, it was an item that felt like a VIP membership card, which could give you a bigger discount when purchasing items if you possessed it.

As Hyunwoo held the plaque and examined it from all angles, Bation opened his mouth.

“It will be useful if you come to reside in Sylvester in the future.”

“……?”

A strange phrase was mixed in, too odd to just let it pass with one ear.

“Reside in Sylvester, you say… what do you mean by that…?”

At Hyunwoo’s question, Bation's thick lips twisted.

Perhaps, he had smiled.

“I shall make a formal request.”

I had only come to receive a reward for protecting Gert Castle.

“How about becoming a knight of Sylvester?”

As if bestowing a great prize, Bation nodded his head with a satisfied smile.

The situation was taking a strange turn.

***

Hyunwoo’s face hardened for a moment at Bation’s proposal.

‘A knight.’

Becoming a demon's knight meant being granted the right to enjoy many privileges.

It was the same as saying that Hyunwoo would no longer have to suffer the contempt of being a gladiator slave.

From a gladiator slave to the status of a knight in one go.

It was a truly unconventional offer.

‘It certainly is, but….’

Hyunwoo shook his head horizontally.

Because his purpose was not honor or status.

“I am sorry. I appreciate the offer, but I must refuse.”

“…You refuse?”

As if he had not even considered a refusal, Bation smacked his lips.

Regardless of what Bation thought, I had no choice but to refuse.

It wasn't even a matter to contemplate.

I couldn't restrict my movements by becoming a knight.

In a situation where I didn't know what variables might arise in the future, reducing my range of action was too great a risk.

Furthermore.

‘If I become a knight, I’ll have to move while being mindful of the demon race.’

Hyunwoo discreetly checked Bation’s expression.

I didn't know his inner thoughts, but he was wearing an unfazed expression.

‘At least magic isn’t flying at me right away.’

At that level, he was a very gentle one among the demon race.

Therefore, Hyunwoo had long since given up on the idea of working under someone.

Because becoming a knight who serves a lord, while it might guarantee a stable life for a while, did not guarantee survival in the Demon World.

Hyunwoo, having organized his thoughts, continued to speak calmly.

“Becoming a knight of Bation is a great honor for me as well. But please understand that I must refuse due to unavoidable circumstances.”

“Is there another reason?”

“I have something I must do.”

“Haven't you already achieved that? Anesta is dead.”

“It is another matter.”

“Is it perhaps related to the reason you entered the arena?”

Hyunwoo nodded his head silently.

I was thinking of a reason, and I was pleased that Bation had misunderstood on his own.

Bation nodded his head.

“I see. Then it can’t be helped.”

He had an expression as if he were bestowing mercy.

He rested his chin on his hand, contemplated for a moment, and then opened his mouth.

“Still, you have achieved a great merit, so I must give you something to save my face.”

“The honorary plaque is more than enough for me.”

Bation snapped his fingers, cutting off Hyunwoo’s words.

Snap―

“Then how about this.”

“What…?”

“I had never seen an arena in my life, and I didn't know there were people like you. They have something called ‘sponsorship’ there, right?”

“Yes… that’s right.”

A sense of unease, as if he was about to do something, enveloped me.

‘Don't do anything useless…! Just give me Mana Stones.’

The unease became a reality.

“I shall sponsor you. With this, you have no reason to refuse, do you?” Latest content publıshed on novel(ꜰ)ire.net

“I…”

When Hyunwoo couldn't answer easily, the excited Bation continued to speak.

He seemed to be admiring his own generosity and magnanimity.

Bation pointed to Hyunwoo’s neck.

“You'll be able to take off that filthy collar right away, too.”

The collar on Hyunwoo’s neck was a bomb collar to control the gladiators who went out on requests.

Hyunwoo fiddled with the collar.

The hard texture was truly disgusting.

He could free me from the collar….

‘It’s not just a bluff.’

Someone of Bation’s stature was more than capable of making Hyunwoo a free gladiator, freeing him from the control of the arena.

However, compared to ‘that existence’ I had in mind, he was a firefly before the sun.

It was frightening to have to refuse in succession, but….

This time too, the answer was a refusal.

“Thank you for the offer, but…”

“But?”

Bation’s expression was changing slightly.

Hyunwoo, who was about to utter a refusal, swallowed the words that had touched the tip of his tongue due to a strange sensation.

If he refused his favor one more time, it was clear that the great merit of saving Sylvester would have already vanished to the back of Bation’s mind.

How did I even get this far.

I had no intention of letting my relationship with Bation be ruined over a refusal.

Hyunwoo hurriedly raised his voice.

“T-there is already a sponsor who is in contact with me!”

“Who is it that dares to refuse my sponsorship?”

“A moment…”

Hyunwoo leaned his upper body towards Bation and covered his mouth with his hand.

At Hyunwoo’s gesture of whispering, Bation also leaned forward.

“The one who will be my sponsor is…”

When Hyunwoo whispered the name of a certain being for a moment, Bation was startled and drew back.

“…Is that true?”

“Yes. It is true.”

I hadn't met him yet, but since I planned to make contact soon, it wasn't a complete lie.

Hyunwoo showcased the facial expressions he had been practicing all this time and wore a confident look, as if there was not a shred of falsehood.

‘There's no risk of getting caught anyway.’

Even for Bation before me, he wouldn't be able to utter such words carelessly in front of ‘that existence’.

Seeing Hyunwoo’s upright expression, Bation nodded his head.

He had coveted the talent for a long time and was about to persuade him to keep him by his side, but he had almost made a big mistake.

“I see. To think that person would take an interest… consider the sponsorship offer unheard of.”

Upon mentioning ‘that existence’, Bation seemed to feel a sense of pride that his own judgment was the same as that person’s.

As his expression softened, Hyunwoo sighed in relief internally.

It was a place where I had clearly come to receive a reward, but I felt like I was walking on thin ice.

Bation, oblivious to my feelings, began to continue speaking.

“It is vexing that you have refused all my favors, but since I have decided to grant you a prize, I will send a suitable gift to the arena separately. You will be able to receive it when it arrives.”

“…Yes. I can only be grateful for your deep generosity.”

I was curious about the gift Bation would send to the arena, but for now, I wanted to get out of this place.

Fortunately, the lord’s dismissal order came.

Hyunwoo hurriedly exchanged farewells and was about to go outside, but he stopped.

He had briefly forgotten what he needed to check while defending against Bation's attack(?).

“But… this honorary plaque. Can it be transferred by any chance?”

At Hyunwoo’s question, Bation’s brow furrowed even more, but if he was going to do it, he planned to do it properly.

Because he could almost see Pierre’s eyes flipping over at the sight of this honorary plaque.