Tahar took his seat in the imperial family’s barracks, replacing the ailing emperor.
Standing in front of a podium with a scroll of voice-amplifying magic, he calmly began his speech.
“Unfortunately, now that His Majesty the Emperor, the ruler of the empire or my father is sick, the empire needs better knights now more than ever.”
Frey laughed inwardly as she listened to Tahar’s speech.
‘You’re sitting there smiling. You knew our father would be fatally wounded, so you were even preparing for the coronation of the new emperor.’
Tahar’s speech was incitement.
The sickness of the emperor with divine power is serious.
There are those inside and outside the country who want to stop Obellir from flourishing.
Therefore, the skills and spirit of each knight are more important than ever.
If you listen to it sentence by sentence, it is not wrong.
‘But the story of undead monsters that can only be defeated with divine power is completely omitted.’
When he heard that the attack of undead monsters whose bodies were strengthened when the emperor’s health was failing was treated as a coincidence, Frey was angry.
‘I have a plan, so by the time this game is over, this bitterness will subside a little.’
Frey glanced at Duke Gelon with cold eyes.
“Then, I hope that the knights of each family will hold a great contest without breaking the rules.”
Woah-!
When Tahar announced the start of the battle for the flag, cheers erupted from all directions.
At the same time, knights from low-status families began to appear on horseback in wide fields.
“I heard he made a deal with the baron, if he captures two flags in the match, he’ll be knighted!”
“Won’t it be a bit difficult this year? If a family’s flag is taken, the knights of that family have to leave immediately.”
“Sure. There are too many great people to take the flag this year, right?”
The citizens watching from afar looked at the knights who would soon become the victims of Gelon and Prause.
After a while, the hero of last year’s battle for the flag appeared.
“Sir Carlton!”
“Wow, Sir Carlton! The legend of Gelon!”
“Did anyone bring a telescope?!”
When the popular knight came out, the crowd was in a hurry and it looked like an accident was about to happen.
It wasn’t just the citizens who were enthusiastic about Carlton’s appearance.
“Sir Carlton!”
“wow…!”
Arsene and Damon, who had been watching the knights’ entrance in the barracks of Grand Duke Prause, also cheered with their mouths wide open.
Frey laughed and stopped the children.
“They’re entering in order of rank, so Sir Luke will be next, so you’ll have to cheer louder then, okay?”
“Sir Luke?”
“Does Sir Luke fight too?”
“Yeah. Luke is a knight, too.”
The two seemed to think of Luke as something like a housekeeper.
Frey laughed and stroked the children’s hair.
“Wait a little. Luke will do great things with the wizards.”
She stared at the knights of Gelon in silence.
[“Fray. Looking at Luke’s future, I think we need to change our strategy.”]
She thought that there was no way that the strategy she had devised and modified by Daniel Prause would not work.
* * *
The new knights belonging to the Duke of Gelon admired the numerous onlookers who waved their hands and shouted at them.
“I think people are rooting for Captain Carlton most enthusiastically this year, right?”
“We were also there last year, but this year, what an honor it is to be with the Captain…”
Carlton looked away from the twinkling eyes towards him.
“There is nothing to flatter.”
“What do you mean?! There won’t be a Captain anywhere who takes care of everything from training to meals and nutritional supplements for knights.”
“I’ve been eating, sleeping, and living the way you take care of me, and I think my physical strength has improved greatly in a short time.”
The apprentice knights spoke to Carlton with pure admiration.
Every time he heard that voice full of trust without malice, Carlton felt his mind collapse.
‘Of course, you’re feeling better. Inside the meals and side dishes are full of….’
He did bad things to the knights who believed in him.
Carlton was aware of that, but at the same time, he had other thoughts.
‘It would be good for the future of the knights to win the flag battle.’
There’s no way to please the knights and himself more than victory.
After all, the amount of the Fog of Fall he’d put on them was minimal.
[“With this amount, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting near the Sacred Tower. You can’t get caught unless you decide to go to the temple and get tested.”]
Said the researcher who had devoted his life to studying the Fog of Fall in the Duke Gelon mansion.
So Carlton pushed aside his guilty conscience for a moment and spoke as usual.
“Then, let’s take the flag of the small family first and then deal with Prause.”
“At your command, Captain!”
The knights bowed their heads, feeling only trust and excitement.
* * *
By late afternoon, more than half the families had lost their flags.
Most of the flags that left the family ended up in the hands of Master Luke Divine, who was the first to attend the Flag Wars.
“In the name of His Highness Grand Duke Prause, I will take this flag—!”
“Oh, wait!”
From the ranks of knights of the baron’s flag. Even the knight of a viscount who swings his wooden sword brilliantly, but lacks the agility of each knight.
Luke swung his sword toward the flagpole and lightly took the other family’s flag.
Vikram, who was following him for defense reasons, had no choice but to fight.
“When I heard you almost became a dragon, I thought it was a pure lie, but I guess it’s true?”
“What?”
Luke handed the flag he had obtained to his adjutant and quickly began to make excuses.
“The reason I didn’t become a dragon was purely because I was lacking, Vikram.”
“Rumor has it l, that’s why you hated the Grand Duchess so much—”
“It was also because I was lacking. You know I don’t feel that way now, right?”
“I don’t know.”
“Ah, I am risking my life for the Grand Duchess now.”
Luke lowered his gaze slightly and looked at his chest.
Even Vikram knew what was inside.
[“It’s a change of strategy.”]
After Grand Duke Prause said that, the item was handed over to Luke.
‘Seeing the future and changing it…After all, it’s worth researching.’
It was at that time that Vikram felt a strange excitement.
“I thought the captain of Prause’s Knights was only a master at playing and drinking, but that was a pure lie.”
A strange voice came from behind a huge tree.
Luke straightened his grip on the wooden sword and looked in the direction the voice had come from.
“Sir Carlton, right? My young master really likes you.”
“It’s nice of you to recognize me, but…”
Whiik-!
Carlton swung his sword first.
Luke instantly read the sword’s trajectory and twisted his body.
Even though he was using a wooden sword, Carlton was radiating fearsome sword skills.
“I don’t think I can fight Sir Carlton directly after all.”
Luke quickly stepped back.
There, while Carlton drew attention, three or four knights were trying to steal the flags Prause had collected.
‘Should I use this guy?’
After catching one of them as a target, Luke swung his wooden sword wide.
“arghh!”
The moment the wooden sword spun quickly and drew a long cut across the chest of the knight.
Tuk!
Something fell to the ground.
Prause’s knights, as well as Gelon’s knights, stared at what it was.
Sir Carlton was the first to figure out what was in the small vial from the knight’s chest.
‘That’s…Isn’t it the Fog of Fall?’
* * *
“Woahh!”
Every time competent knights snatched the flag of another family, a shout that seemed to reach the sky resounded.
Everywhere was full of life, but as the early evening approached, the nobles sitting in the barracks gradually became bored.
“Can we go over there and play?”
“All the children from other families are over there.”
Damon and Arsene, unable to bear the boredom even after eating snacks twice, began begging Daniel.
He made eye contact with them and shook his head.
“No. It’s safe to be by my side. It’s time to get together for dinner soon, so let’s be patient.”
“That’s right. The food prepared by the chef in the imperial palace must be very delicious.”
Frey also helped.
Soon, if Luke and Vikram carried out the prearranged strategy, they would be able to enjoy the sight, so they couldn’t miss it.
‘I never thought Daniel would hand over the fog of Fall to Luke.’
For Frey, there was no knight better at tricking than Luke.
It’s hard to see because it’s far away, but the moment he encounters the knights of Gelon, he will definitely put his strategy into action.
The Fog of Fall came out of the uniform of the Gelon Knight.
‘Of course, the execution of the strategy is when the wizard’s wooden sword captures the magic.’
‘If Luke makes a big deal and calls the priests and Holy knight to investigate, what will Duke Gelon look like?’
It was then Frey thought of his mother, Lady Roselia.
“Your Highness. The Duke of Gelon sent someone to ask if you would like to have dinner together.” Baron Butler said.
Daniel, who was about to refuse as if he didn’t hear anything, slowly hardened his expression when he saw the letter Baron gave him.
[An old man came to the Duke of Gelon saying that he is Damon and Arsene’s grandfather.]
[He has asked for my help in getting his grandsons back, who have been kidnapped by Grand Duke Prause, and I would like to speak with you about it.]
* * *
