Chapter 74 : Chapter 74
Chapter 74. The Knight Who Lost His Honor (3)
The old armor was crumbling.
However, he was satisfied.
Because he had definitely received the will of the Goddesses he had craved all his life.
Having completely lost his lower body, he forcibly turned his body and looked at the ceiling.
Sunlight was coming in through the broken holes of the mansion.
“Reveal your identity.”
The old armor turned its head to look where the voice was heard.
The sunlight was falling onto the man with black hair.
And that man pushed through the brightly shining light and approached him.
Ulrich Tiedemann kept the promise.
The black-haired knight was a one shining more than any knight he had seen.
-……The mage who transcended time promised me.
“What?”
The old armor lifted its arm, pointed at Blanc, and spoke.
-That the most honorable one he knew would show me the light.
Blanc roughly wiped the sweat falling from the tip of his chin.
For Blanc, although he couldn't know exactly what the old armor’s current words meant, at least he could realize it wanted something from him.
“What do you want?”
-Liquidating my fault.
The old armor looked at Blanc with fading white eyes and spoke.
-Thereby regaining my honor.
He spoke to Blanc with a cutting voice.
-Take me in as light. Let me stand by your side and make me shine.
Blanc couldn't completely understand the old armor’s words, but he nodded sincerely.
“I will do so.”
Hearing those words, the old armor’s blurry eyes bent roundly.
-Here…….
The old armor lifted its crumbling hand and beckoned Blanc to come closer.
Blanc knelt on one knee and heard the message of Ulrich he conveyed.
A single ray of falling sunlight was warmly wrapping the honorable knight and the knight who lost honor.
-Do not forget.
Blanc had the illusion that the old armor seemed to be smiling.
Even though it was a body that couldn't make facial expressions.
The old armor who conveyed the message transcending time like that.
Having finished the last words, the knight who lost honor slowly crumbled into powder and scattered in the wind.
At the spot where the armor losing its form had been, a silver dagger was lying.
A small and old dagger that looked like women or young children would use.
Blanc picked up the dagger fallen on the ground and looked at it for a long time.
“I have safely followed the star. Lord Ulrich.”
Like that, the message transcending time was connected to Blanc again.
***
Blanc and the knights returned to the Torch Knights.
Although Ronbrando was not Blanc’s superior, Blanc respected his status and honor and treated him with the courtesy due a superior.
“Hmm…….”
Ronbrando heard Blanc’s report and looked down at the 2 objects placed on his desk.
A skinny dried tree branch and the silver dagger that was said to be inside the moving old armor.
“They are things I brought because one and all looked unusual.”
“They do look so.”
Blanc showing these objects to Ronbrando wasn't to offer them to the Torch Knights.
“I have rightful ownership over the spoils discovered at the old mansion of Straus. Commander.”
Hearing Blanc’s words, the wrinkle between Ronbrando’s forehead deepened.
“……Correct. Since your movement was purely out of loyalty and goodwill toward the Gray Knights, if the Torch Knights claimed ownership over these, it would be crossing the line.”
Ronbrando chose to maintain the relationship with Aselheit’s sixth knight rather than gaining ownership over things of unknown identity.
“Thank you for safely returning Tarania. But you see…….”
Ronbrando’s eyes shone sharply.
“Isn't it certain that it is an incident related to your secret technique, White Thunderbolt? As a person involved in this situation, I want to hear an accurate explanation about that.”
This time, the wrinkle on Blanc’s forehead deepened at Ronbrando’s words.
However, the troubled expression Blanc was making now was something calculated in advance.
“I will tell you the truth.”
Blanc told Ronbrando about the White Thunderbolt, the secret technique of the Cadmus family, as prepared in advance.
That story was one that even his maternal grandfather Bartomyu would be fooled by, so Ronbrando also couldn't find fault with Blanc’s words.
“So you mean it’s an existence related to a family called Assinsao?”
“He said so.”
Blanc answered looking at the silver dagger.
“Understood.”
Ronbrando hit the desk and stood up.
Then he bowed his head to Blanc and expressed gratitude.
“Sir Blanc Cadmus, Knight of Aselheit. I will not forget the friendship you sent to the Torch Knights.”
“It is rather my honor to be of help to the Torches lighting the darkness.”
Just as they were about to finish the matter through official greetings and part ways.
The silver dagger placed on Ronbrando’s desk started to cause a vibration.
“Hmm?”
“……!”
The silver dagger causing vibration in front of the two knights started to float quietly into the air.
“……It seems it wasn't completely exterminated.”
“…….”
Ronbrando placed his hand on his waist and prepared to draw his sword at any time.
However, Blanc was glaring fiercely at the silver dagger with dismayed feelings.
Blanc knew.
That the knight who lost honor had not been exterminated.
‘Of all places, here!’
He said take me in, and Blanc answered he would do so.
But revealing his identity here where Ronbrando was watching now was something exceeding Blanc’s expectation.
The silver dagger floating in the air started spinning in place as if tilting its head.
Then started moving toward the black armor placed behind Ronbrando’s chair.
“Its purpose is firm.”
That armor was the one Ronbrando wore when testing Blanc’s Demon-breaking Knight qualification.
The silver dagger flew in front of the black armor, stopped in front of it, and.
Started melting slowly into the armor.
“……It’s bizarre.”
“Indeed it is.”
Blanc also maintained feigned ignorance about what the silver dagger was doing as if he didn't know either now.
A few minutes after the dagger completely melted into the black armor.
Two white Ghost Fires bloomed from the black helmet.
“Hmm…….”
Ronbrando, befitting the Commander of the Torch Knights defeating Evil, was boldly watching the current situation deviating from common sense.
“It doesn't look like…… Evil.”
Ronbrando quickly grasped the situation and sent a gaze asking what he thought to Blanc.
Receiving that gaze, Blanc had no choice but to laugh awkwardly.
“Actually there is something I haven't told you…….”
Blanc, knowing the circumstances, tried to explain hurriedly, but.
-I like this armor. My Lord.
The knight who lost honor, who had become the black armor from the old armor, beat him to the punch.
“My Lord?”
Ronbrando made a weird expression looking at Blanc as his armor not only spoke but called Blanc 'My Lord'.
“I…… can explain everything.”
Blanc didn't show it, but he was troubled about how to explain this situation.
However, whether knowing Blanc’s mind or not, the black armor moved unhesitatingly and grabbed the black greatsword placed next to it.
“Put that down? I don't know who you are, but that sword is mine.”
Ronbrando warned the armor picking up the sword he used although temporarily, but the black armor didn't care about his warning, picked up the greatsword, and nodded as if liking it.
-There is an easy-to-handle Evil residing. I like it very much.
“I said put it down.”
Ronbrando raised his spirit and spoke fiercely, but the black armor calmly walked over and stood behind Blanc.
-I like the new body and new weapon very much. My Lord.
“Ha!”
Ronbrando, finally grasping the situation, sent a gaze to Blanc asking what he would do.
“You have been using the Demon-breaking Knight qualification very fruitfully!”
Blanc had no choice but to implore Ronbrando with an awkward expression.
“Please allow me to pay the price for this armor and greatsword. Lord Ronbrando.”
“You will have to pay a high price.”
Hearing Blanc’s words, Ronbrando’s eyes turned up fiercely.
“Although the greatsword with Evil residing is the Torch Knights’ property.”
Ronbrando pointed at the moving armor with his finger and said.
“That is mine!”
Today Ronbrando ended up watching the scene of one of his cherished collections walking out of the office on its own feet.
Ronbrando’s fingertips watching that scene were trembling.
***
“You know well the meaning a sword and armor hold for a knight too, right?”
-Please call me Barzio. My Lord.
Unlike the aggravated Blanc, the knight who lost honor, seemingly quite liking the newly obtained body, was checking the armor’s performance moving his body here and there.
“Do you know how expensive what you are wearing right now is?”
-I will do enough to differ that price.
Barzio, having even swung the greatsword, nodded as if this was enough.
If Blanc hadn't been entangled with Ronbrando by a strong bond, let alone buying the armor and greatsword, there would be nothing to say even if he were locked in the prison in the basement of the Torch Knights HQ.
-Sorry for moving suddenly, but they were things truly coveted. Moreover, in my view, since it didn't look like something the person called Ronbrando used habitually, I just beat him to the punch.
“Next time you will have to seek my permission before moving.”
-Understood. My Lord.
No matter if Blanc was a Demon-breaking Knight, keeping a living armor as a subordinate was an uncomfortable matter from the perspective of the Torch Knights who granted the title.
‘Even if a Demon-breaking Knight!’
Therefore, Ronbrando recommended Blanc undergo investigation and certification regarding Barzio.
“Cooperate as much as possible while here. If you want to stand by my side.”
-Of course. My Lord.
Barzio also grasped the situation and position he was in, so he intended to participate in the investigation done by the Torch Knights as faithfully as possible.
“I will stop by again when notice comes. It won't take long.”
At Blanc’s words, Barzio narrowed the white light and warned indirectly.
-Please do not forget what I said.
“……I will take it to heart.”
With those words, Blanc turned his body and exited the lobby of the Torch Knights.
Bright sunlight poured onto Blanc moving forward.
-…….
Barzio wearing the black armor looked at Blanc’s back pushing through the sunlight.
From the moment he left Assinsao’s mansion holding the bloodstained sword, Barzio had lost honor.
The moment he realized that what he had done by the will of the Goddess was actually for the family’s profit, he lost his way.
Therefore Barzio decided to plunge the silver dagger of the boy who was the last Assinsao into his heart.
Waiting for the honorable one promised by the mage who transcended time to come.
Barzio watched Blanc’s back and realized the sunlight shining over his shoulder was heading toward him.
Barzio inadvertently lowered his head chasing that light.
To the tip of his toe, just a little.
The sunlight starting from Blanc’s shoulder hung just a little on the tip of his toe.
-…….
Barzio lifted his foot and took one step forward following the path Blanc passed.
Then his foot was wholly wrapped in sunlight.
He found the honorable path.