Chapter 1022

Episode 1022. There is always a reward for meritorious work, but

Marquis Bernardo, who had been pondering for a long time, asked again as if to confirm after washing his face dry with both hands.

“In general, there are individual differences depending on the level of spiritual skill practitioners, but it is an established theory that they are two steps below mana users. But are you saying Sir Elio is the same as a mana user?”

The interrogator, Baron Carl Dane, replied with an unwavering look.

“In the case of the Beast King Tusalios, isn’t there only one step difference from mana users? I think Elio is also an exception. If Sir Elio hadn’t been a ‘sword expert’, he wouldn’t have survived.”

“So, does that mean that the beastman king Tusalios and Sir Elio are on the same level?”

“From what has been shown, yes. Despite my intuition as a ‘sword beginner’, Sir Elio’s realm is absolutely not a ‘sword beginner’.”

“...”

Marquis Bernardo’s thoughts deepened.

As the Marquis’ silence grew longer, Viscount Oscar Avid, who was reading the report, interjected.

“Are you certain that Sir Elio cut down the beast with ‘Aura Diffusion (Sword Light)’?”

“Even though Fabian’s testimony about the type and number of monsters was repeated several times, they were consistent.”

At the word “repeated several times,” Viscount Oscar Avid nodded.

As an interrogator, Baron Caldane’s skills are almost certain to be unmatched.

“Then it seems certain that Lord Elio’s ‘Aura Diffusion’ has the same effect as ‘Sword Expert”s ‘Mana Aura (Sword Light)’.”

Among the nobility, in order to differentiate between mana users and aura practitioners, even if they were the same sword, the mana user’s was called ‘mana aura (light of mana)’ and the aura practitioner was called ‘aura diffusion (light eruption)’.

Although it was said to be for the distinction between mana and spirit, it was discriminatory on the inside.

In fact, to the extent that it deserved to be discriminated against, the spirit practitioner’s sword light was no match for the mana user’s sword light.

Carl Dane nodded.

“If it weren’t for the same, the two of them would never have returned from Tamion.”

“If the Beast King knew, he wouldn’t stay still. To think that the human who learned from the beastman is similar to you.”

“If you get into his ears, he will definitely come.”

“Because the beastman king Tusalios is famous for his virtuous spirit. If he and Sir Elio fight, we might be able to know the true state.”

Viscount Oscar Avid seemed to be secretly hoping that such a day would come.

When the conversation between Viscount Oscar Avid and Baron Caldane reached the Beast King, Marquis Bernardo spoke.

“Good work, Baron Carl Dane. You should go out and see.”

“yes.”

Baron Caldane bowed in silence to the Marquis and the Viscount, then quietly withdrew.

When the Marquis and the two were left alone, Viscount Oscar Avid hinted.

“You must be worried that Sir Elio is a sword expert.”

“I was thinking about that. I wonder if it could be more than that.”

“I’m old, so I can’t believe I reached the sword master?”

“It wasn’t a level of skill that one could build at that age. The Beast Man King Tusalios is called the Sword Master, but he is over three hundred years old. By contrast, Sir Elio is only twenty-seven now?”

“It is surprising that you say that. However, as Baron Caldane said, it is also true that it is impossible for Sir Elio to be revived unless he is a ‘sword expert’.”

“Since Sir Elio’s aura is pure and he is from a savage, he probably has nothing to do with warlocks... It is said that he really broke down the wall between mana users and aura practitioners... Let’s do what only we know. Please inform Baron Caldane and Sir Elio and Sir Fabian of the same intention.”

“I will.”

“Kyung, do you know anything about the warlock’s stake?”

“doesn’t exist. If there had been, I would have told you right away.”

“Okay. Tomorrow, I will meet with His Excellency, Duke of Escatos, and Mage Carlos to discuss the black magician’s work. Please go back and rest.”

“Yes, have a good night.”

Viscount Oscar Avid bowed silently and then turned around and left.

Marquis Bernardo, who was left alone, once again began to meticulously read Baron Carl Dane’s report.

***

Next morning.

After breakfast, he was called by the Marquis who was resting in the barracks of the Alpha Company knights.

Thinking that he was calling because he was alive in Tamion, he ran to it in a month.

“Do not worry. It won’t happen.”

Yeon Jeok-ha replied in a determined tone.

He had barely made friends with the knights, but he couldn’t live as an acorn of cold rice among high-ranking nobles.

“Okay. Stop going back.”

“yep!”

When the rival marquis didn’t ask questions about his swordsmanship, he returned with a light heart.

***

It was around noon when Marquis Bernardo visited the central command and control barracks of the Duke of Escatos.

Duke Escatos, who knew about the visit of Marquis Bernardo, greeted him with the court mage Carlos.

Marquis Bernardo bowed down to the Duke of Escatos.

“Duke.”

“Welcome, Marquis. I heard the news. It would be nice to have the ‘Knights of the Rift’ under your command.”

“haha. Even if it wasn’t, that’s what I came for. The investigation was completed only this morning. This is a report prepared by the interrogator, Baron Carl Dane.”

Marquis Bernardo handed over the report to the Duke of Escatos.

Duke Escatos accepted and read it as if he had waited.

After a while, the report from the duke’s hand passed into the hands of the court mage, Carlos.

Duke Escatos was silent until Carlos read the report.

When Carlos raised his head, Duke Escatos was out of luck.

“It’s amazing that Sir Elio has broken down the wall between mana users and aura practitioners. I thought his aura was very special, but I didn’t expect it to be that much.”

“Viscount Oscar Avid is comparing him to the Beast King Thusalios, but I don’t know how that actually is.”

Duke Escatos’ gaze turned to the court mage, Carlos.

“Mage Carlos? How are you? Is a case like Sir Elio possible?”

The court mage Carlos replied with a calm face.

“It is not impossible at all. It is generally known that the achievement of aura practitioners is two levels lower than that of mana users... but even in the case of the Beast King Tusalios, it is only one level below.”

“Black magicians sometimes obtain great power through contracts with demons, but isn’t there any possibility?”

“Don’t you remember the day you first met Sir Elio, examining his aura with the ‘Eye of Truth’? He had no powers of black magic. If Sir Elio had been involved with the warlocks, there would have been no sightings of them.”

“Oh, that happened. If so, I will put an end to my doubts about Sir Elio. Do you know anything about warlock stakes?”

“It’s embarrassing, but I don’t know about the stake-related offer. An imperial mage might know.”

“Mage Carlos doesn’t know either, so does he?”

“The three major schools of magic in the Empire are pursuing warlocks, so they must have unknown information about them.”

The three major schools of magic in the Empire are the Hermetica Parabahad Tabula.

They had been fighting warlocks for a long time, so there was a high probability that they had advanced information.

After the conversation between the two, Marquis Bernardo asked the Duke of Escatos.

“Your Excellency, will it affect the conferment of your title if I report on Sir Elio’s merits?”

“Of course it will have a big impact. I won’t give you a title, but there’s a high possibility that he’ll grant you a fief near the Marquis’ Territory.”

Duke Escatos declared.

Even if it wasn’t, it was a situation where I asked for help from the empire, so the kingdom had to have something to brag about.

For King Escatos IV, it was a great achievement that ‘the kingdom’s army succeeded in reconnaissance of Tamion for the first time in mankind’.

Marquis Bernardo nodded.

As expected, it was only a matter of time before the fief was given to Elio.

‘Baron Elio...’

Marquis Bernardo thought about where to recommend him.

Of course, it should be a place that is neither too far nor too close to Kluton, where one’s castle is located.

‘Slash Land would be appropriate.’

Slash Land, located at the northwest end of his territory, would be safe for the king, himself, and Elio.

Of course, if Meteor Swarm survives in Hirhera, the land where it fell.