Chapter 10

He was wise. He did not act hastily because he already knew the feeling of being betrayed.

He thought the fifth prince might lie, so he expressed his intention to join after regaining his sword skills.

A knight who swore allegiance but was eventually betrayed.

The Fifth prince, Raymond nodded silently because he could guess how hurt he must be.

“When I regain my lost sword skills, I must join your secret squad. I swear on my sword.”

The oath of the knight. It might be simple but this is a heavy oath that must be followed.

“Old man.” Raymond quietly called the blue-tower.

“Yes, Your Grace the Fifth.”

Lisefield, bowed his head as he approached.

“Give it to Lord Gestein.”

“Yes, sir.”

It opened in the open space. When Lisefield gestured lightly, an old book escaped and was placed in front of Gestein, a middle-aged knight.

“What is this?”

“This is a written sword test. You have a talent for swordsmanship, so you can learn by yourself.”

“Of course.”

Several complicated feelings were buried in Gestein’s gaze toward the sword book at the foot.

‘Is that a single-armed sword skill written down in that sword book? Is that what the Fifth Prince refers to? Maybe he’s lying?’

Various thoughts were mixed up as he was surrounded by the confusion.

“I think you have a lot of doubts. If you don’t believe it, read it first.”

There was anxiety and suspicion.

Raymond recommended confidently. He was sure any talented person like Gestein would change mind as soon as he opened the sword book.

“I’ll read it.”

Gestain briefly laid down the sword and opened the sword book.

“Hey, this is….”

It’s a reaction as I expected. I managed to endure the smile spreading around my mouth. It’s going as planned.

“Do you feel it?”

Raymond asked a question, but there was no answer for a long time. Instead, Gestein was searching through the pages of the sword book like a haunted man.

He was about to be sucked into a book.

“Fifth Prince, where did you get this?”

He trained the sword for over 30 years. He had never heard of such a sword skill before so naturally he got curious.

“I’ll let you know that slowly.”

It was better to keep silent because it was clear that if he told a lie, Gestein would notice and doubt him, and that he would not believe it even if he honestly told the truth.

“I’ll give you three months. Can you get back the sword skill that you lost?”

Gestein was a talented Knight who could rise to the level of Swordmaster.

Raymond thought it wouldn’t take long to get back his lost sword skills.

“Enough, Your Grace the fifth.”

“I’ll look forward to the day you come to me.”

Finishing his speech, he turned away from Gestein. Alex and Lisefield followed as they began to step toward the Slum’s Fortress.

“I didn’t know Lord Gestein would be in the slums.”

Gestein, the captain of the Frosted Shield, was one of the few high-ranking knights and was a celebrity in the Empire.

It was also widespread that he was betrayed, but everyone involved was silent because the other party involved was from the powerhouse.

“He must have wanted to get out of the mountain duke’s grasp.”

That’s probably why he hid in the slums of the capital.

“How did you know the Five Princes?”

“I have my ways.”Raymond doesn’t have to tell them. They wouldn’t believe him even if he told them.

“May I ask you a question, Your Grace the Fifth?”

Alex, who had been quiet so far, couldn’t resist his curiosity and spoke carefully.

“If only I could answer.”

“May I know why you have him for three months?”

He must have been very curious when he skipped etiquette and asked questions.

“The feast to celebrate the victory of the Great War.”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…”

“I’m going to throw off the stigma of being an asshole there.”

Yeah, everything will start at the banquet in three months.

“Fire Arrow.”

Along with spouting the starter, the completed arrow of the flame flew toward the target.

“Not enough.”

He cleaned the sweat drops forming on his head. His body doesn’t have any strength because he used up all his mana.

Unlike Raymond, who had a stiff face, Lisefield, who was watching the whole process from the side, could hardly keep his big mouth shut.

He was shocked by the talent of the fifth prince who defied the common sense that it takes more than three years for a genius to reach the level of an intermediate wizard.

“Are you already in the mid-level Wizard?”

“No, it’s not enough. I just used up Mana to make that one.”

There was a huge amount of mana that the spear of sacrifice basically bears, but to use it, he must dedicate his vitality to it.

Then he’ll be down for a few more days, and the Emperor will go crazy. If he falls again this time, he may have restrictions on training.

“You’ve completely used up your mana, but also you have produced an intermediate spell level. You’ve reached the level of a Mid-level wizard.”

“Thanks to the secret transmission.”

“No, Fifth Prince. The secret transmission also has its own limits. Learning this doesn’t mean you’ll grow as fast as you are doing now Fifth Prince. If it was thanks to the Secret Transmission, there would have been many geniuses on the tower already.”Lisefield said. Unfortunately, after ancient times, as the Pilius Empire began to fall, the Matap Union, including the Blue Tower, also produced few Sages. Therefore, everyone was full of desire for the level of the Sage.

“The secret transmission of the blue tower is excellent enough.”

Raymond spoke from the bottom of his heart. Although he is said to be talented, he would not have been able to reach the level of a mid-level wizard this quickly if it were not for the “secret transmission” which contains many mana techniques.

“Thank you, Your Grace, the fifth Prince.”

Lisefield bowed slightly. A faint smile spread around his mouth thanks to the consideration of the fifth prince, who built up his self-esteem that almost collapsed.

“How’s Dessia Helly?”

“She is already moving beyond the intermediate level wizard to the higher level.”

“Really? Good to hear that.”

Unlike Lisefield, who delivered the news with a surprised voice, Raymond nodded with a calm look.

Everything was going as expected.

“How long do you think she’ll take to get to the Top wizard?”

“I don’t think it’s going to take another month. Genius takes more than 5 years. But Desia has been learning magic for about three years. This feat is really incredible.”

What’s even more surprising is that it’s only been a little over two months since she reached the level of intermediate wizard, and her upgrade is just around the corner.

‘The level is said to increase if they received an enlightenment, but isn’t this a little bit too much?’Lisefield thought.

On the other hand, he was impressed by the eyes of the fifth prince.

“The magic books recommended by the Fifth Princes have been of great help to Desia.”

It was definitely the first time that the fifth prince met her. But how did Raymond get through Desia’s tendencies and habits that even her own teacher, Field, didn’t know of?

In fact, it was because of the set-up book, but Lisefield owner will never have know it.

“I’m glad then. Hasn’t Gestein contacted you?”

“Yes, can I send someone from the blue tower?”

“No, you don’t have to.” He replied with a shake of the head. Even if you don’t have to send someone, they will come to you when the time comes. Raymond can only wait until then.

And the wait continued. With a week left before the banquet, Lisefield came back to the palace of the fifth prince.

“Fifth prince, Your majesty. There’s only a week left.”

It seemed like a rush, so Lisefield was a little bit uncomfortable, but they had to let them know that there was not much time left.

Gestein must come by this afternoon at the latest in order to be verified as a member of the Secret Squad.

“I’m sure he’ll come.”

Raymond spoke in a quiet but confident voice. He believed in Gestein’s talent and his desire for the lost swordsmanship.

“Ffith Prince!”

Alex ran into the garden. A smile spread around Raymond’s mouth.

“He had arrived?”

“Yes! Sir Gestein is here! But….”

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

Anxiety rose as he looked at Alex, who was blurring the end of anxiety. However, his subsequent answer was not as expected.

“He’s not just alone. He’s here with about 20 knights.”

About 20 knights? This coincided with the number of survivors from the Frosted Shield Knights in the Setup of Book. It’s not a coincidence. I could see why Gestein brought them.

About 20 men lined up in front of the palace.

Their appearance was shabby. They were armed with old armor and swords.

However, their eyes and spirit were sharp.

The imperial knights watching them were nervous.

“You’re out of the ordinary.”

Raymond opened his mouth with a calm look on his face at the words of Lisefield, the blue tower owner.

“They are the Knights of the Frost Shield, who have protected the empire from the northern Haipel for hundreds of years. They say they’ve been secluded in recent years, so they’re bound to be sharp.”

“Do you mean they’re the Knights of the Frosted Shield?”

“Look who’s at the center of them.”

There is a knight who lost his left arm, Gestein.

It was only then that Lisefield realized that they were lined up around Gestein.

“I’ve forgotten that Lord Gestein was the Captain of the Frosted Shield.”

“It’s okay, I’ve read in a book that older people can’t remember.”

“Your Majesty the Fifth……. Really likes to joke around.”

It wasn’t a joke, but he stopped talking moderately because in front of him there was Gestein before he knew it.

“Ffith Prince.”

As he got closer, Gestein took a step forward and bowed his head and showed courtesy.

As a knight, this was a disciplined military ordinance. The same was true for other men.

They held a salute to the fifth prince in unison.

“It’s a little late.”

Unlike before, his eyes were now filled with respect towards the fifth Prince.

“Have you recovered your lost sword skills?”

“It’s not intact yet, but I can swing the sword again.”

Losing his left arm ended his life as a Knight. He failed to kill those who betrayed him and abandoned him, also he couldn’t even kill himself.

But now he has recovered some of his lost swords skills. Right now, it’s nothing compared to before, but this is enough.

He was beginning to see hope for a full recovery.

“It’s all thanks to the Fifth Prince.”

Gestain bowed his head once again. Shortly after he was convinced that he had regained his sword skills, he vowed to dedicate everything to the Fifth so he showed the utmost courtesy he could.

As a former high-ranking knight, he was well versed in etiquette.

Raymond thought it was too much, but he doesn’t have to say it now.

Hee can fix it gradually. More important than that was Gestein and about 20 men standing behind him.

‘You are not planning to set me a trap don’t you?’’

Half of the imperial knights here are from the three princes, but even if they were told to step down, they would try not to fall more than a certain distance under the pretext of stability.

At present, there is no place for more than 20 people to hold a secret meeting at the Fifth Imperial Palace.

‘But it’ll be different soon.’

The gaze on the imperial knights, which were mixed with the three princes, cooled off.

About 20 talented knights will now join, so the inside of the Fifth Imperial Palace can be guarded only by the Secre Squad.

The scope of being able to act secretly has increased significantly.

“Sir Gestein.”

“Yes, Your Grace the Fifth.”

“Is the Order of the Frosted Shield coming under my command?”

Sure enough, a smile was spreading around Gestein’s mouth.

“You knew it was the Order of the Frosted Shield, you were indeed the Fifth Prince.”

“Don’t let it go too far, I’m just pointing it out. Can you answer the question rather than that?”

“Everyone has decided to follow the Fifth Prince.”

Gestein spoke with his voice as if he had declared. Among the imperial knights, the eyes of those under the command of the third prince wriggled.

Gestein and the Frosted Shield knights didn’t miss it. Each of them remembered the faces of the imperial knights who responded in their own sight like ghosts.

If he informs the fifth princes about them, his horizons will be wider.

It was a small gift with a pledge of loyalty.

“Great.”

He nodded with a satisfied expression. Soon the eyes were on Alex.

“Alex, give them a Secret Squad uniform and call someone from the imperial family to go through the verification process.”

Although all authority over the formation of the Secret Squad is said to be for the imperial family, it had to undergo minimal identification procedures inside the imperial family as it was to select those who stood by the imperial family with weapons.

“When Lord Gestein is in uniform, Alex will guide you to find me.”

“Yes, Your Grace the Fifth.”