《The Swordmaster of the Frontier is Strong》 Prologue ¡°A swordmaster from the frontier? That person is the new knight commander?¡± A rumor that had recently heated the backstreets. The word was that a swordmaster from the frontier would be joining the knights order. And not just as a regular soldier, but as a knight commander. It was an unavoidable topic of conversation. ¡°Tsk, even the empire¡¯s knights are declining.¡± A bald man said, setting down his mug of beer. ¡°No matter how lacking they are in talent, giving a high-ranking position to a non-academy graduate, a vagabond who used to run a swordsmanship school, is absurd.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Hiding in the frontier means he¡¯s not confident in his skills. What the hell are they thinking, installing someone like that as a knight commander?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even funny. How can a swindler who rips off money by promising to teach swordsmanship to children be a knight commander?¡± Several voices of dissatisfaction were heard, and the surrounding patrons nodded as if they agreed. ¡°Why not choose from among the adventurers?¡± As the baldy grumbled, the mustached man across from him clicked his tongue. ¡°Hey, man, haven¡¯t you heard the news? An A-rank adventurer called the peak of adventurers, Gr¨¹ndel, had one of his arms cut off in a duel with the 3rd Knight Commander.¡± ¡°What? Gr¨¹ndel lost?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just losing. He was beaten so badly by her that he turned into a bloody mess.¡± Baldy had just finished a quest and returned to the city. Of course, he hadn¡¯t heard the news of the duel that happened three days earlier. The mustached man continued, ¡°No matter how great you adventurers claim to be, you all can¡¯t compare to a knight commander. There¡¯s a reason why adventurers linger in that slum of a hometown. The Empire¡¯s wall is that high.¡± ¡°Gr¨¹ndel lost¡­ by such a wide margin.¡± ¡°The 3rd Knight Commander, who cut off Gr¨¹ndel¡¯s arm, personally handpicked that swordmaster from the frontier.¡± Thus, the adventurer¡¯s hometown was abuzz with the topic of ¡®The Swordmaster from the Borderlands.¡¯ Whether he was a suitable figure for the position. Though a rather pointless conversation, knight commander is a position that draws the eyes of the Empire¡¯s citizens. Recently, with the increased frequency of demon appearances, it was natural to follow the knights¡¯ movements. ¡°I can¡¯t approve. He will tarnish the knight order¡¯s honor.¡± ¡°So what if you don¡¯t recognize him? If another knight commander recognizes him, he¡¯s more than enough for the position. Coming from the streets, he might even speak up for us adventurers.¡± ¡°Speak up, my foot. It¡¯s a parachute appointment. He won¡¯t achieve anything, and he¡¯ll be demoted in a year. Just wait and see.¡± The adventurers¡¯ voices grew louder. As the drunken faces spat and yelled, the tavern owner busily served beer. Meanwhile. In a corner, sipping his beer, Liorne thought, ¡®I agree too. Becoming a knight commander out of nowhere.¡¯ As the voices around him grew, Liorne¡¯s shoulders hunched. At least his face wasn¡¯t recognized. Otherwise, he might have been hit with a rock. Liorne subtly raised his hand and ordered another beer. He, who would be praised as the Empire¡¯s only sword in the near future, ¡°¡­The food in the city certainly is delicious.¡± To Liorne, chewing on jerky, it was still a story of the future. CH 1 I accepted the offer to become a Brigade commander. I had no reason to refuse since they were paying me a lot. [You can become the empire¡¯s greatest swordmaster, not just a frontier swordmaster but a sword of the empire!] I skimmed the letter sent by the 3rd Knight Commander and took a swig of beer. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± 3rd Knight Commander, Anna Terba. She asked for help at the training center during her vacation, claiming that her carriage had broken down. It was a shallow connection where we only shared a drink. ¡°But out of nowhere, she sends a letter asking me to take the position of Brigade commander¡­.¡± I gulped down the remaining beer and picked up the pungent-smelling jerky. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± No matter how much I thought about it, chewing on the smelly jerky. Even after downing the third lukewarm glass of beer. ¡°Why on earth?¡± I could not understand why I had been chosen by the empire. * * * [Teheiran Empire Chronicle] Living in a fantasy novel I bought because of its beautiful cover for almost 30 years. I was sold as a labor servant to a frontier noble as soon as I was born. A pair of men and women who appeared to be my parents sold me for the price of my body, laughing as if they had everything in the world for the mere cost of three boxes of apples. I didn¡¯t really resent my parents. Even though I was sold as a slave, I was able to enjoy a prosperous childhood. My master wasn¡¯t too bad, and even his daughter, who was unusually mature for her age, treated her labor servant kindly. Though I was called a labor servant, I was more like a house cleaner who managed all the household chores. Moreover, my master always gave me time to train, saying that I should be able to defend myself. In the past, my master¡¯s profession was that of an imperial knight. The strength emanating from his old body was definitely impressive. [You really have no talent, Liorne. Even the basic process of encasing a blade with magical energy is too much for you] However, young me had no talent and could not learn complex swordsmanship. I only learned the basics of swinging, cutting, and stabbing. Simple training of gripping the wooden sword and swinging it in the air. I loved my training sessions since I could swing the sword freely. ¡®How much did the cover of a book, whose first page I couldn¡¯t even turn, shimmer?¡¯ A world I knew nothing about and was immersed in. My body strongly agreed that I had to protect myself. I swung the wooden sword relentlessly. Whether it rained or snowed, I swung the wooden sword whenever I had time. Trait: Unfaltering Will Your will does not break easily. Thanks to the only trait I possessed, I swung even when my muscles tore, stayed up all night swinging, and swung indiscriminately during breaks. [Why is Lio always swinging a sword? Whether reading a book, taking a walk, or fishing. There are so many other fun things to do.] My master¡¯s daughter always followed my training and nagged me. Perhaps she was being petulant because her only peer and friend wouldn¡¯t play with her. [I just¡­ find swinging the sword fun.] [Again, just because? You¡¯re really boring, Leo.] [Why don¡¯t you join me, Miss?] [Eek? No! Why do I have to train even on my day off?] Though the young lady whined every time, she eventually reluctantly held a wooden sword and trained with me. The sound of cutting the wind grazed my cheeks. Hot sweat drops trickled down my neck. I may have projected my will to live into the act of swinging the wooden sword as a child. ¡®I am alive here.¡¯ Somehow, I had to survive. Trait Evolves! Trait: Unquenchable Ember Even if your will is trampled and broken, it will ignite again. Thus, 17 years after being born, my trait evolved. However, there was no time to revel in joy as a calamity struck. ¡°We, we have to run¡­ Leo!¡± I still remember that day. The day I met my bloodied master and his daughter while carrying firewood back to the mansion. ¡°Liorne, you must protect my daughter! Even if it costs us our lives!¡± ¡°What are you talking about to Lio now? Leave someone like me and run! Hurry!¡± A demon with large horns was chasing my master. ¡°¡­ Why are you drawing your sword¡­ Run! Quickly!¡± The young lady grabbed my sleeve, tears mixed with blood in her eyes. It was impossible to pick her up and flee. ¡°The wound is too severe. I will follow you soon.¡± I shook off her hand and stood in the demon¡¯s way. ¡°No! Leo!!!¡± It was natural to flee from a force that seemed to engulf the surroundings, but I swung my sword. Perhaps it was due to the confidence from my training. Or maybe, without realizing it, I had come to consider my master as family. I fought the demon with all I had. Even when slammed into the ground and unable to breathe, even when its claws pierced my abdomen, I ignited the will to live. Then I realized. With willpower alone, I could stay alive without breathing, even if I suffered grave injuries. Trait Evolves! Trait: One Who Awakens to Tribulation. Nothing can shake you. After several days of continuous battle, I eventually won. But all I held in my hand was the head of a demon, boasting a large horn. The mansion, filled with the smell of blood. My master¡¯s corpse found near the river. His daughter was missing, her body not even found. I lifted my master¡¯s corpse, my vision stained with blood. Perhaps my master knew from the moment he ran that he would surely die soon. I wanted to look away from my blood-soaked master. I wanted to believe he was still alive. But hus daughter¡¯s voice urging me to flee was all that echoed in my ears. Thus, my second life¡¯s first home was lost. ¡°Ah? Sir Liorne? This way. The commander is waiting for you!¡± Before I knew it, I had arrived at the knight¡¯s headquarters. I snapped out of my thoughts at the gatekeeper¡¯s words, saluting sharply. * * * ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Sir Swordmaster of the Frontier.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes.¡± The gatekeeper, smiling frivolously, extended his hand for a handshake. I reluctantly took his hand. ¡°Isn¡¯t there one of your disciples in our Knight Order? He keeps singing your praises.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! He says he made it this far with just six months of your teaching! I want to learn from you too!¡± The gatekeeper seems unaware. That the title ¡®Swordmaster of the Frontier¡¯ is a mockery of my situation, of hiding in the frontier and running a swordsmanship training center. The person named Leorn is not the protagonist of this world. A painful realization, learned from past experiences. ¡°If the opportunity arises, please train with me!¡± ¡°¡­Yes, take care.¡± I bid the gatekeeper farewell. With listless steps, I headed towards the 3rd Knight Brigade¡¯s barracks. How high the white fence was. Just looking up made me sigh involuntarily. * * * Anna Terba paused while tying her long golden hair, looking out the window. She had spotted Liorne, who was limping along. ¡°That young man? The knight commander of the newly-formed 7th Knight Brigade.¡± The red-haired man beside Anna spoke. ¡°He looks ordinary, trusting him with the knight commander¡¯s position?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind. Complaining about too much work lately, finally snapped, have you?¡± ¡°Sorry. Unfortunately, I¡¯m fine.¡± Anna¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Liorne. She lifted a teacup with her pinkie raised. ¡°Taikan, you better be careful too. When Liorne takes the helm, our standing will diminish.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying, that young man, who just became the knight commander, could surpass us and become the Legion Commander of the army? That¡¯s absurd!¡± ¡°Yep. It¡¯s the most likely scenario.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Taikan lounged on the sofa, smirking. ¡°I don¡¯t know what potential you see in him, but his background is dubious, from the streets. Whether royalty or nobility, outsiders will shake him. Without backing, he won¡¯t withstand it.¡± Taikan was not wrong. Regardless of the success or failure of a mission, politicians will shake the newly appointed commander with all sorts of schemes. The reason is simple. To promote someone from their own family or someone they can manipulate into the commander¡¯s position. Anna was also fed up with their schemes. Uncharacteristically for her, known as a workaholic, she took a 3-day vacation because of the forces shaking her from outside. ¡°Taikan. Do you know why a worthless Baroness like me has survived as a Knight Commander till now?¡± At the moment she was contemplating giving up her position, she discovered Liorne on her vacation. Anna thought. It¡¯s fate, no, it¡¯s inevitable. ¡°Strength. Overwhelming strength that can crush even titles. Liorne has the ability to show that overwhelming strength.¡± Despite Anna¡¯s conviction, Taikan shook his head. How could a man with fish-like eyes and drooping shoulders like he¡¯s about to die possess overwhelming strength? It doesn¡¯t make sense. Knock, knock¨D ¡°Are you in?¡± In the meantime, Liorne knocked on the office door. * * * Is this a scam? I pondered seriously. With my vivid memories of my previous life, I had no choice but to take another look at the contract that Anna had proposed. ¡°A salary of four hundred thousand gold coins¡­¡± I almost choked, swallowing my saliva. ¡°Is it not enough?¡± ¡°No, how could that be? No way.¡± I knew that the current era had a similar transition from the Middle Ages to the industrial age. Since the average annual salary of the empire¡¯s citizens was three hundred thousand gold coins, I could see that the monthly salary was astronomical. ¡°That¡¯s not all. If you succeed in your mission or are recognized for your exceptional work, you can receive a medal.¡± Anna shook the jewel brooch on her shoulder. ¡°With a first-class medal award, you can earn more than double your salary.¡± Double? You can receive a salary and an award as well? I set down the cup I was holding, astonished to the point where even my attribute as ¡®One Who Awakens to Tribulation¡¯ seemed pale. Anna opened the cap of a fountain pen and laid it down in front of me. ¡°You said it last time. You want to make the private academy bigger and more systematic. You need money for that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ you¡¯re right, but¡­¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no opportunity like this. Besides, if you do your job as the Brigade commander well and retire honorably, there¡¯s a high chance of receiving a title. It will greatly help in running the academy.¡± I looked around the office. The empire¡¯s flag was lavishly framed, and the award of appointment as brigade commander, stamped with the emperor¡¯s seal, was hanging on the wall. I couldn¡¯t judge the authenticity with my eyes, but from the atmosphere of the room, I was sure she wasn¡¯t a scammer. But why me? ¡°Why did I choose you?¡± It seemed Anna had heard my mutterings. ¡°I don¡¯t understand it either. How loudly did I have to shout at the Brigade meeting that I would recommend this Liorne?¡± Taikan brushed his long hair aside as he spoke. I stared at the contract intensely. After wetting my throat with a sip of tea, I opened my mouth. ¡°To be frank, Knight Commander Anna, you haven¡¯t seen my skills. And the looks around me seem not so favorable. Why do you insist on me?¡± ¡°Is that a also for me?¡± I nodded at Taikan. ¡°Yes. You said you¡¯re the 5th Brigade Knight Commander, right?¡± He gave a hollow laugh as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. But Anna looked at me clearly. ¡°I can trust and leave it to you. Because you are the original demon. You¡¯re the hero who defeated the ancient demon, the ancestor of the demon race.¡± Huh? What¡¯s she talking about now? ¡°A sword sage who subdued a demon and achieved this feat, yet lives quietly in a remote area. Isn¡¯t that reason enough to recommend for the knight commander position?¡± She says I defeated an ancient demon. When exactly? ¡°The horn you had adorned at the place you told me was ¡®your father¡¯s tomb.¡¯ We cut off the end and analyzed its composition. Didn¡¯t it turn out to have a magical pattern similar to that of an ancient demon?¡± If she¡¯s talking about the tomb I told Anna about, it¡¯s my master¡¯s tomb. I had stuck a demon¡¯s horn in front of the tombstone to appease the unfairly killed soul. ¡®¡­But when did she find that horn?¡¯ Did she rummage through someone else¡¯s house while I was sweating alone, pretending to repair the carriage? Anna continued with a satisfied smile. ¡°The magical pattern of the ancient demon that engulfed the world 1,000 years ago has been passed down through ancient texts. Among the demons that have been subjugated so far, none had the same pattern. You are the first to succeed in subduing it, Liorne.¡± ¡°The ancient demon¡­ This young man¡­alone?¡± Taikan looked at me, springing up from his seat. ¡°A great battle that hasn¡¯t even been recorded in history. And Liorne was at the center of it.¡± ¡°To accomplish such an unbelievable feat¡­ and to be so calm about it¡­¡± Anna, shaking her head in disbelief. Taikan, mumbling to himself with his mouth agape. I calmly raised my cup between the two bewildered people. ¡®I didn¡¯t know the demon I fought back then was an ancient demon.¡¯ This was news to me. CH 2 Ancient Demon. It referred to the 7 demons, the Sin of Seven, that ruled the ancient era. The long war that began with the invasion of demons ended in a victory for humans, but still, the blood of the demons flows. An innate instinct for destruction within the blood. The horns that thicken as they use their power. Those with the bloodline of demons that live and breathe parasitically in human society were referred to as the demon tribe. They consistently caused chaos, turned against each other, and instigated various issues that could trigger wars. Naturally, the empire and various kingdoms had strained to locate the demon tribe. ¡°Ah¡­ This analysis chart¡¯s magical pattern is¡­ really¡­ really, this young man is¡­ the ancient demon¡­?¡± Taikan trembled his chubby cheeks as he touched the analysis chart that Anna handed him. He looked at me, looked away, and then looked again. Seeing his confused look, I could realize that what Anna said was true. Come to think of it, his horns were pretty big. ¡°You seem not to know. How do you feel? Aren¡¯t you excited? If this fact is revealed, you will be a hero of the empire¡­¡± ¡°Just so-so.¡± I wasn¡¯t as excited as Anna was making a fuss about. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s a demon or a regular member of the demon tribe.¡± I lost everything to his hands. Even if I won, only the bitter memory of failure remained. Rather, thinking of it, it stings inside. I sipped tea that was brewed in a pot. Anna scratched her nose and finally opened her mouth. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve explained enough, so you¡¯ll sign the contract, right?¡± ¡°Yes. But can I ask one more thing before that?¡± ¡°Of course. Feel free.¡± Anna nodded her head. I glanced at the soldiers lined up outside the window and opened my mouth. ¡°I heard rumors that Commander Anna doesn¡¯t have much power, so how were you able to appoint me?¡± ¡°Are you mocking me? Is my rank worthless?¡± ¡°I have no intention of mocking. Just pure curiosity. I find it suspicious that you were promoted to commander without any evidence, solely based on Commander Anna¡¯s opinion.¡± Taikan was not friendly to me. Every soldier I met on the way looked the same. I clearly hadn¡¯t gained recognition within the Order. ¡®But Anna¡¯s recommendation alone decided my entry.¡¯ In other words, ¡®Who are you?¡¯ It¡¯s necessary to understand the people who will be my colleagues, after all. ¡°Last year, there was a large-scale terrorist incident in Gehed territory. At that time, Anna¡¯s 3rd Knight Brigade made a great contribution. As a reward, she pleaded earnestly to appoint you.¡± The answer came from Taikan¡¯s mouth. He leaned back on the sofa, still holding the magic analysis chart. ¡®Gehed?¡¯ An incident where the local knight¡¯s order in charge of security conspired with the demon tribe to assassinate their own lord. If she had resolved such a large-scale incident, it was natural for Anna to have a say. ¡°Some nobles, including the Legion Commander, opposed it to the end¡­ but Anna forcibly overcame them with force. She defeated a recommended adventurer named Gr¨¹ndel.¡± ¡°Hmph. Why did they oppose it even though the imperial family approved it?¡± Anna pouted. ¡°Didn¡¯t that Gr¨¹ndel suddenly hit me from behind, and then the court acknowledged it as a duel and dismissed it without charge? I can¡¯t understand these people.¡± ¡°Even so, you blew off an arm of an A-rank adventurer? You really have a nasty temper.¡± ¡°Taikan. It was a clear ambush. He swung his ax at the back of my head, though they brushed it off as a duel.¡± Anna swallowed her anger, biting her lower lip. Was it fun to see Anna¡¯s face turn red? Taikan kept giggling. ¡°You got your way anyway. You managed to appoint Liorne here as the 7th Brigade Knight Commander. The Legion Commander conceded quite a lot.¡± ¡°What concession? That stingy old man. If he had permitted it sooner, I wouldn¡¯t have been attacked.¡± Listening to their conversation is already tiring. Did I choose the wrong workplace? I seem to have landed in an unpopular position. I considered refusing for a moment but then¡­ ¡®How many zeros are there?¡¯ Looking at the salary written on the contract, I couldn¡¯t do that. Let¡¯s not forget the goal. What I need now is money. If the title of former knight commander comes along, it¡¯s all the better. Besides, the knight order can kill the demon tribe without any restrictions, so it¡¯s all good. ¡°Then I look forward to working with you, 7th Brigade Knight Commander.¡± I scribbled my signature in the signature field and stamped it. *** ¡°The official work will start next week. First, we need to select the elite troops to be incorporated into the 7th Knight Brigade.¡± Anna left her seat, saying she had urgent business. Taikan and I were walking alone inside the Knight Brigade headquarters. It felt a little awkward. The only good thing was that the glaring eyes had softened somewhat. I glanced over at him. Almost 2 meters tall. A well-built figure with well-defined muscles, and a long scar near his eye that made an impression. ¡°It¡¯s from fighting the demons. My most trusted aide turned out to be a demon. I was completely caught off guard.¡± Taikan said, tapping the scar with his forefinger. I quickly looked away from the wound. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What for? It¡¯s more annoying to pretend not to see something that¡¯s plainly on my face.¡± ¡°But with a scar like that, couldn¡¯t it be healed? A healer in the Knight Brigade should be sufficient.¡± Taikan shook his head. ¡°I left it on purpose. I thought I might get complacent if I forgot the memories of that day.¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be better to remove it? It makes him look scary because of the scar. ¡°Why? Are you dissatisfied?¡± ¡°¡­No, of course not.¡± ¡°A scar is said to be a badge of honor. A body without one lacks style.¡± As we exchanged such trivial chatter, we arrived at the training ground. Huff! Huff! Knights in chainmail armor clashed swords. The heated atmosphere and powerful sword strikes were exchanged. After constantly watching young trainees spar, seeing knights battle gave a different feeling. Just watching made my heart race. Unknowingly, I tightly gripped the handle of my sword. ¡°In the center of the Knight Brigade¡¯s ground is a massive training field. Any regular soldier of the empire can freely use it.¡± Taikan pointed around. From the largest Knight Brigade building to the barracks of each brigade. At last, the newly completed 7th Knight Brigade barracks were positioned. ¡°Do you know the ranks within the Knight Brigade?¡± ¡°¡­Ranks?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you receive something like a textbook? A guideline that a brigade commander should know, or an educational book about the history of the royal family?¡± ¡°I never received one. I only received a single proposal and then came to the capital.¡± Taikan sighed. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s how Anna handles things. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Though grumbling, he explained the Knight Brigade¡¯s system. I listened intently. In summary, the Knights were divided into trainees and regulars, with an 8th-grade knight position after training, then their ranking life began. High-ranking knights, 2nd grade and above, are often appointed to escort the royal family or nobility. Others defend the capital. ¡°The Legion Commander effectively commands the entire Knight Brigade. Though brigade commanders have authority, they cannot command at the legion level. Each commander leads a small elite force, except in special situations.¡± While paying close attention to Taikan¡¯s words, I quickly scanned through the textbook in my hand. ¡°Among the regular troops, soldiers of any rank can be selected for the elite troops¡­.¡± ¡°From 1st to 7th Knight Brigade, each has its elite troops. All are appointed as 1st-grade knights and receive the treatment of senior officers.¡± The demons don¡¯t form a group; they move individually. Therefore, it was more reasonable to face them with an elite force rather than moving a large army. ¡°The demons are selfish creatures. They don¡¯t follow anyone easily and don¡¯t form groups. It¡¯s important to deal with them quickly with an elite force as soon as they are found. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°Yes. I understand. It¡¯s a way of selecting people I want from the regular army.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­.¡± Taikan pursed his lips, as if there was some problem. He nodded his head. ¡°There is one condition, though.¡± Condition? I turned my head to where his gaze was directed, and many knights who had finished practicing were all looking at me. It¡¯s enough to cause agoraphobia, not even frog spawn. ¡°The members can refuse the offer of their commander. There must be a mutual agreement for official entry into the 7th Knight Brigade.¡± * * * I followed Taikan and climbed onto the platform prepared in one corner of the training ground. By eye count, there were nearly 100 knights. These were the ones chosen over several days for my unit. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Everyone avoided my gaze. They either feigned ignorance or bowed their heads. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but there were less than 5 applicants. So we decided to choose the final 10 through a martial arts competition.¡± Taikan whispered so only I could hear. Then I understood why the knights were avoiding my eyes. ¡®Who would want to join under me?¡¯ A newly established Knight Brigade, with their commander coming from some remote country village. The knights do have discernment. Even I could clearly see that the 7th commander¡¯s position is a political game of the higher-ups. I bear the enormous task of safely establishing the 7th Knight Brigade in the empire as its first commander. Until the transition period is over, I must endure many external gazes, and at worst, the leader¡¯s position could be torn away due to various circumstances. It¡¯s a situation where doing well just means breaking even. Naturally, it was a position where there would be a lot of noise. ¡°What are you doing? Say some words of encouragement for the martial arts competition that will be held in a few days. You¡¯re now the leader who must command the knights.¡± Taikan slapped my shoulder. I nearly fell over, pushed suddenly. I faced the platform. There were whispers and laughter here and there. Oh no, they must have noticed that I nearly fell. ¡°Silence, all of you! Have you forgotten your duty as knights? Show respect to your leader!¡± Taikan shouted angrily. Only then did silence descend upon the crowd. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve stood in front of so many people. I don¡¯t know what to say.¡¯ I pondered, resting my chin on my hand, then took a long breath. ¡°I understand, everyone. Who would want to work under me? I must look like a parachute that will crash soon.¡± ¡°Hey, 7th commander. Why do you talk like that¡­¡± ¡°So, Taikan-nim, do I really have to choose members from this group?¡± Taikan blinked his eyes. Did he not understand because I spoke abruptly? I explained it in more detail so he could understand. ¡°If I don¡¯t need to choose members from these people, I¡¯d like to use the kids from the training center as my members.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that since you don¡¯t want to pick anyone from here, you want to welcome the students you were teaching as members?¡± ¡°Yes. I can also pay them and teach them nearby. I¡¯ve had the training center closed for the past few months, so they¡¯ll all be waiting for me¡­.¡± Whoosh! The sound of the wind swept over the platform. A fiercely shot arrow embedded itself in my footstep. Taikan tried to shout something, but he swallowed his words upon seeing a blond-haired young man approaching the platform. ¡°Sir Fenil¡­¡± The blond young man ascended to the platform. The knights, who were more at attention than when I made my appearance, stood straight. Fenil, having surveyed the knights, pulled out the sword that was embedded in the platform. ¡°7th Division Commander, apologize at once for your rude words!¡± He immediately thrust the sword at my throat. His face, as pale as if fueled by rage, had eyes gleaming like embedded rubies. Being on the receiving end of his intense gaze, a sigh escaped me involuntarily. Fenil Von der Geiger. A scion of the Geiger Duke family, and a talent evaluated as the pillar to lead the empire in the future. ¡°Your greeting is quite aggressive after such a long time, Sir Fenil.¡± ¡°Did you not speak out of turn first, Master! If you intend to mock the knights of the empire, prove it with your skills!¡± He was my former disciple.