Chapter 136 : Chapter 136

Chapter 136

“The august King of Eurasia!”

The voice of a knight in charge of the banquet hall's security rang out.

As the hall fell silent, the sound of footsteps echoing on the marble floor grew closer.

“His Majesty, Simon Eurasia, is arriving!”

Slowly, the gold-ornamented doors opened.

The gazes of everyone gathered at the banquet turned towards the doors in unison.

Thud. Thump.

The sound of the royal court knights stamping their feet announced the king's arrival.

As the doors opened completely, Simon, draped in an ash-gray cloak, walked in without an escort.

Thump.

With every step he took.

Thud.

A magnificent aura filled the banquet hall.

Looks of awe and respect filled the eyes of the distinguished guests.

“Distinguished guests attending the banquet, pay your respects to His Majesty the King!”

As Escardo, standing behind the king, shouted, hundreds of distinguished guests and royal nobles bowed their heads deeply to show their respect.

In a fleeting moment, Simon ascended to the highest point of the banquet hall.

“Everyone, raise your heads.”

Simon Eurasia.

One of the strongest knights who, beyond the frontier, now symbolized the Eastern Continent.

It was a well-known story among those in the know that he, who rarely showed his face at official events even after becoming king, was engrossed in training with the goal of reaching the 9-star level.

At the sound of his voice, the faces of the invited guests flushed.

“Quite a number of guests have visited the kingdom. Considering the current state of the continent, it is a truly grateful matter.”

From left to right, his gaze swept over the guests once before his mouth opened.

“Eurasia is recreating the glory of the past.”

Edan Eurasia, the king who saved the nation, the invincible knight who, as the center of the Kingdom Alliance, had chilled the Empire's heart.

No one was unaware that the glory Simon spoke of was that moment in time.

“To get to where we are today, much blood had to be shed, and much more blood will be shed in the future.”

Excitement and solemnity, anticipation and competitiveness, and so on.

Those stimulated by Simon's words expressed various emotions through their expressions or gestures in the silence.

There were even some whose mana unknowingly leaked out.

As the emotions they emanated mixed, the vast banquet hall filled with a strange heat.

“Before long, the continent will draw a new map, but that is not today.”

Grin.

Simon's smiling gaze turned towards the four princes.

“During this short banquet period, the four princes will welcome you. I hope you will enjoy Eurasia's banquet.”

With that short congratulatory speech, Simon left the banquet hall.

Not long after, the distinguished guests crowded around the four princes, and the banquet hall regained its vitality.

***

‘It really is boring.’

Killian scanned the people gathered in the banquet hall with a dry gaze.

The elders and young heads of the eastern and western frontier families, respectively.

The knights and mages who had begun to make a name for themselves.

The direct descendants of allied families and those who had been granted titles.

The priests from the Pantera Temple, dispatched after receiving a donation.

In addition, there were even delegations from neighboring kingdoms who had come to confirm Eurasia's well-being with their own eyes.

On the first day alone, over a hundred people had exchanged greetings with Killian, formed personal relationships, and promised to contact him anytime if they needed help in the future.

‘To think I have to do this for five more days... It’s driving me crazy.’

It would have been more meaningful to conduct reaction experiments in the Holy Nation.

Swallowing a sigh that threatened to escape, he tilted the glass he was holding.

The sweet and slightly bitter aroma of aged grapes seemed to tickle his nose.

He took a sip, swallowing the red liquid in the glass to soothe his boredom.

‘A banquet.’

Although he had been sealed in a blade for a long time, he was now a respectable prince and knight of a nation.

He was not unaware of the importance of building relationships with people.

However, that was something others could easily do in his stead.

Killian's gaze turned to Julian, who was dealing with dozens of distinguished guests at the same time.

‘That foolish brother of mine. He’s like a fish in water.’

Even if the Empire was shaking due to the war for the throne, the Empire was still the Empire.

Considering that a huge enemy was standing firm, being stuck at a banquet like this felt like a waste of time.

‘I wonder what His Majesty is thinking.’

The Simon Eurasia he understood was a man who valued justification but did not miss out on practical gains.

For instance, in the Kurt Mountain Range Subjugation, Eurasia lost quite a few knights, but as a result, the surviving knights used that experience as a stepping stone to grow to the next level.

Many surviving low-ranking knights crossed the threshold to become high-ranking knights, and the high-ranking knights achieved the level of Master.

In the war that followed, the performance of the high-ranking knights had a significant impact on the outcome of the war.

A man like that had opened such a long banquet.

Even if it was a New Year's event to show Eurasia's strength.

‘This is precious time to be wasted just on a banquet.’

If he could, he would want to hide his presence just like at the Bastoni's banquet.

‘…….’

It was just frustrating that he couldn't even do that because of his promise to Simon.

“His Majesty is doing this for your sake. This time, break your stubbornness and follow His Majesty's command. A knight of Eurasia speaks with his sword.”

Escardo said all of this was a measure to help Killian lay a foundation as a prince.

Just as the four princes were tied up in the banquet hall, Simon and the three queens were probably receiving distinguished guests separately.

Another sip.

He moistened his throat with the red liquid.

‘I think I’ve met almost all the necessary connections among those registered on the invitation list.’

He observed his three older brothers, who were engaged in lively conversation not far away.

The most people were gathered around Demian, and Julian and Paian were also continuing their conversations without a break, just as much.

And.

Killian was standing far from the center of the banquet, sipping wine by himself.

“Who could possibly approach you when you're reeking of such annoyance.”

A man whose martial artist's body could not be hidden even by his banquet attire approached.

“Sir Lorenzo.”

Killian gave the young head of the Bastoni Family a friendly smile.

“You still don't seem to enjoy banquets.”

“I'd rather swing my sword one more time in this time.”

“Hahaha. You haven't changed a bit, even after taking on a major position in the kingdom. Don't you feel the gazes of those who wish to speak with you?”

“If they approach me with courage like you, I will entertain them anytime.”

“Then I shall take up a moment of your time.”

“Would you please do so?”

It was a pleasure to talk with Lorenzo Bastoni, who yearned for growth as a knight.

He told me that after the subjugation, he had gritted his teeth and reached 6-star, and that the restoration of his annihilated knight order had also progressed considerably.

“If it weren't for you, Sir, I wouldn't have even thought of challenging the wall.”

The level of a Superhuman, which only the talented could reach.

He said it was because of Killian's influence that he was able to pioneer his own way of the sword.

Lorenzo, having received advice on how to stabilize his 6-star level, left with a happy face.

Afterwards, a few knights who had mustered up their courage approached him to ask for advice.

‘Much better.’

While talking about Ke and Shik, he pictured the kingdom's current situation in his mind.

The Annihilation Squad was currently scattered and stationed in the kingdom's main castle.

Even without him, it was now natural for them to move under Serena's command.

‘I should hold the ranking tournament again soon.’

The Annihilation Squad was exposed to the mission of hunting Superhumans in addition to gathering intelligence.

Almadin, Id, Raven.

If these three new members were added, Serena's Carpe Illusion would become closer to its complete form.

‘Now, we should be able to catch a half-baked Superhuman with just the Annihilation Squad.’

If we used Almadin's magic tools, it would be possible to develop a new Shik.

Just the thought of it made his heart race.

A smile must have unknowingly crept onto his lips.

The face of the woman, a baron's daughter from the eastern frontier with whom he was having a clumsy conversation about mana, blushed.

“Your Highness, Prince Killian, if you have time, could you perhaps teach me the sword yourself?”

“You will have to endure a process where your flesh is torn and your bones are exposed. You'll have to swing a sword under the scorching sun every day, so you'll be far from having fair skin. Ke and Shik require more resolve. In the worst case, you should also be prepared to become crippled.”

“……!!”

“If you are fine with that, I am willing to guide you. The birth of an excellent knight means the strengthening of Eurasia's military power.”

“I-Is that so...”

The flustered baron's daughter, who was rambling, hastily left the spot.

It was a trivial sight.

‘Are there no noble ladies willing to risk their lives for mana?’

Loen Favre, Serena Constantine, Sharle Cornelia, and even the recent Lan de Styx.

Compared to the women he had met, she was a conversational partner who could not possibly satisfy him.

Enduring the ticklish urge to swing his sword right away.

“P-Prince Killian. I am from the western frontier...”

“Have you forged a Mana Heart?”

“Yes! It is lacking compared to the level Your Highness has achieved, but I have forged a 3-star Mana Heart and am training in Shik.”

“Nice to meet you. Let's have a drink first.”

Killian welcomed the young head of some family from the western frontier who had courageously approached him.

“It is an honor!”

The young head tilted his glass, unable to hide his nervousness.

How many times had the glasses been emptied and refilled like that?

An old man dressed in a pure white banquet suit stood before Killian.

“Cardinal Bergo, what brings you here?”

The priests Eurasia had invited were limited to the Pantera Temple.

They had not sent separate invitations to those belonging to the Papal Office.

This was to draw a clear line that they were not involved in the bloody purge the Holy Nation was conducting.

“I have lived as God's representative for decades. It seems I have only been running without rest all this time.”

“There is no point in saying such things to an unbeliever. How did you get here? I don't recall sending an invitation to the Papal Office.”

“His Holiness the Pope was so considerate as to tell me to take a vacation. I used the invitation of the Chief Priest of the Pantera Temple instead. I hope you will be generous enough to understand. Hahahaha.”

Bergo tilted his glass with his characteristic laugh.

‘What is he plotting again?’

Unlike their smiling faces, they were a bunch skilled in politics.

He wouldn't have come here for no reason.

“More than that, you are quite amazing. It has not been long since I arrived at the banquet, but I have indeed heard some incredible rumors.”

“……?”

“To converse with the Fourth Prince, one must have a deep knowledge of swords and magic. A baron's daughter approached with an undeserving heart and was so greatly hurt that she has stopped eating and drinking. The marriage talks with the princess of Cornelia are true, and the Third Prince Julian is sponsoring the relationship between them.”

“…….”

Bergo added a few more rumors to his lips as if enjoying it.

“Gossips love to talk.”

“But new information can also be created through the mouths of gossips.”

“What are you plotting again?”

“Hahaha. As I said, I only visited for a vacation. And while I'm here, I'll also have an audience with His Majesty the King.”

‘Was his purpose His Majesty?’

That was not something he could do anything about.

“Please enjoy the banquet.”

Bergo, who had bowed politely, leisurely stepped back.

For five days after that, new people came and went.

It was on the sixth day, just before the closing, that the atmosphere of the banquet changed.

On the seventh and final day of the banquet, all the distinguished guests would be busy preparing to return.

For the attendees, the sixth day was practically the last chance to build friendships with each other.

“…….”

When Killian suddenly turned his head, there was a man in a servant's attire.

It was Zhairo, the Vice Guild Master of the Walkers hired from Hennessy for the banquet.

He filled Killian's glass and opened his mouth.

“I am here to report a special matter.”

“Speak.”

“An envoy from the Empire has arrived. They say they came via the Pantera Temple using a Warp Stone.”

“There are quite a few uninvited guests.”

Killian drained the filled glass in one go.

“Who is the head of the delegation?”

“The master of the White Magic Tower.”

Zhairo quietly continued.

“It is the White Duke, Rastian Arken.”

Tip: Tap/click the left or right side of the screen to go to previous/next chapter.