As it happened, Meken was still a knight of the Yellow Elephant , but he was no longer the order’s vice-captain. His downfall was the result of several crushing blows: a humiliating defeat at the hands of a Sword Walker , being blacklisted by the terrifying noble Daisy White , and the lingering aftereffects of a severed arm that prevented him from wielding a sword properly. Following that day’s duel, Meken’s life had essentially crumbled.
From Meken’s perspective, I must have been his sworn enemy. If his life were a novel, I would have been the ultimate villain. Yet, Meken didn’t draw his sword or challenge me to a duel of honor for revenge. He likely felt it too—the sheer change in my presence.
“It’s here.”
Meken obediently led the way to the Yellow Elephant headquarters. The building where Bermartin stayed was not far from the center of Cherny . As Meken tried to make a hasty exit, I grabbed his arm.
“Please, see me through to the end.”
“…….”
Meken’s face flushed a shade of crimson so deep it seemed impossible for it to darken further. Without a word, he entered the building. Following him inside, I saw numerous knights. Many gazes turned toward me as I trailed behind Meken—some wary of an outsider, others curious about an Orc, a rare sight in the city. Feeling the stares, Sherizik muttered under her breath.
“Being beautiful is so exhausting.”
I was glad the knights didn’t hear her. Had they caught her words, they would have immediately felt their honor insulted and challenged her to a duel. I followed Meken in silence. He climbed the stairs to the third floor without a word and pounded on a door.
“ Sir Bermartin ! You have a visitor!”
The door opened shortly after.
An old man stepped out. He had a magnificent beard and wore shimmering silver armor; his face was exactly as I remembered.
“Who seeks this Bermartin ?”
Bermartin .
The old knight who had told me to come back when I was a mere, clumsy swordsman stood there. Bermartin looked at Meken before shifting his gaze to me. The moment our eyes met, he broke into a wide grin. Seeing his face, I realized my worry that he might have forgotten me was unfounded. The old knight had not forgotten the boy he met that day.
“The boy who harbored a rare sense of romance in this era has returned.”
“You remember me.”
“How could I not? You’re the boy who defeated our rising vice-captain and demanded a flag as a trophy to restore the honor of a dead knight. Furthermore—”
Bermartin took a step closer.
“It was the moment I reunited with a Descendant of Steel , whom I thought had vanished. How could I, Bermartin of Steel , ever forget that?”
Descendant of Steel .
Right.
Sir Bermartin was the first person to use that term. I looked at the old knight. I had many questions for him. Back then, Bermartin had said he couldn’t explain anything, no matter what I asked. He told me to earn the qualification first. That qualification was simple.
Wings .
“So. Have you made your Wings ?”
Now, I possessed the qualification.
“Yes.”
“May I see them for myself?”
“Please do.”
At my response, Bermartin stroked his beard. He then glanced briefly at Meken.
“I’ll have to prepare a place, then.”
*
Bermartin descended the stairs to the first floor of the headquarters. At the appearance of their captain, the knights stopped what they were doing and bowed respectfully. Their eyes held deep respect rather than mere obligation. Bermartin issued orders to his subordinates.
“Prepare a place.”
Prepare a place.
I wasn’t sure what he meant, but the knights began moving busily the moment the words left his mouth. Seeing my furrowed brow, Bermartin explained.
“I can’t keep calling you ‘ Descendant of Steel .’ What was your name again?”
“You may call me Arhan Caravan .”
“…… Caravan , is it? Hide that surname if you can. Unless you want to meet a sudden, violent end at the hands of ancient beings who remember history. Regardless, I shall call you Arhan .”
Bermartin cleared his throat, adjusting his voice.
“The place being prepared is a duel arena. It’s a tradition passed down in our order. Whether it’s a new recruit or someone we’re hiring, everyone must prove their skills in front of the entire Yellow Elephant Knights .”
“Are you putting me in that position now?”
“I am.”
“Can’t you just check the Wings right here?”
“I could. But this is half personal greed and half cleaning up the mess you made.”
“Mess?”
When I asked, Bermartin answered immediately.
“ Arhan , didn’t you tell the Steel Legion’s conscription officer that you belonged to our order without a word to me? I know your intention was to contact me beforehand, but…… there were those in my order who weren’t pleased with your actions. Especially the new vice-captain, Sir Annie . She pressured me, asking if you were using our name to evade military service, or if I had taken money to register a noble’s son.”
“…….”
“I know you well enough from the romantic display you showed that day. You wouldn’t use my order’s name just to dodge service. However, I cannot unilaterally handle the matter of putting your name on our roster and providing the documents. I need consensus. That’s why I intend to show Sir Annie and the other knights your proof. That you are worthy of having your name among the Yellow Elephant Knights .”
Ah.
“Don’t take it personally. I told you, I understand your intentions. Haha. It’s just a shame the other knights couldn’t grasp your pure, boyish motives. They’ve all grown old and jaded, losing their spark. To be honest, it’s not that I don’t want to see the Wings of Steel myself, so I apologize in advance.”
“No, it’s fine…….”
I couldn’t bring myself to tell the laughing Bermartin that his order’s name was simply the first one that came to mind, that I had no such noble intentions, and that I was actually the most jaded person there. As I nodded in feigned agreement, Liam muttered.
「The old man is pure, while the youngster is crafty. What a funny sight.」
“…….”
「If you’re truly sorry, show them the Wings of Steel properly. Show not just that old knight, but all the others, a sight they will never forget. Spread the greatest wings that everyone has forgotten.」
Liam spoke in a solemn voice. Instead of answering, I simply nodded.
Bermartin soon asked me.
“Once you’re up there, just show us what you’ve gained. Normally, we’d use blunted swords, but the situation is so sensitive right now that even that is difficult. You’ll be using wooden swords.”
“That’s fine.”
“According to tradition, you may choose your opponent yourself. Whom will you choose?”
Bermartin glanced at Meken once more. I also looked at Meken.
“I choose Sir Meken .”
Bermartin smiled as if he had expected it. However…
“And.”
I couldn’t stop there.
“ Sir Annie , the new vice-captain who doubted my qualifications. After her, I’d like to face three more knights who have made a name for themselves here.”
“Five in total? You’ll face them one after another?”
“No, not one after another.”
The City of Blades. The capital of the Iron Kingdom . This was the place to showcase the Wings of Steel and the glory of the Caravans once more. I couldn’t let such an occasion be a dull duel.
“I will face all five at once.”
Bermartin’s eyes widened at my words. Beside him, my Master, floating in the air, gave a smirk.
「A bit lacking, but that should suffice.」
This is bad. For some reason, I feel like I’m becoming more like my Master every day.
“How hot-blooded.”
“…….”
“I don’t dislike a male like that.”
……If only Sherizik weren’t here, it would have been perfect.
*
Prepare yourself.
After hearing those words, Meken kept his mouth tightly shut. His face was so flushed it looked ready to burst. His hands trembled as he held a sharpened wooden sword. Fighting five at once? In Meken’s mind, this damn brat was clearly drunk on his early achievements and had become arrogant.
‘How dare he.’
Even if he suffered from aftereffects, Meken was a Sword Runner . Sir Annie , the new female knight who had taken his place, was also a Sword Runner . Two Sword Runners and three seasoned Sword Walkers . This was a force that a swordsman who had only just manifested wings could not hope to handle—especially if they were all knights used to working together. Knights grew stronger the more they fought as one. This brat clearly didn’t even know that basic fact.
‘Is heaven giving me a chance?’
When he first encountered the boy in the center of Cherny , it had been hard to suppress his rage. The anger from that day had crawled back up, making it difficult to endure. It was an unbearable humiliation. How could the one who ruined his path to success appear so boldly before him!
But the boy who had stood as Petel’s proxy warrior was gone. The boy who had once held a sharp, venomous edge was now intoxicated by arrogance. Meken didn’t know what he had discussed with Bermartin , but the boy even showed a sense of leisure now. Humans were truly predictable.
‘I acknowledge your grit back then. But now that you’ve lost that edge, you will pay the price.’
The Meken of the past had been arrogant. But the Meken who had honed himself through defeat was different. He had not neglected his training. However, Meken was certain the boy had grown lazy. He was sure the boy had become laxer than before. Because that was exactly what Meken himself had done in the past. Drunk on success, he had become lazy, arrogant, and careless. Meken gripped his wooden sword with trembling hands.
‘I will bring ruin to you as well.’
Meken panted. The new vice-captain, Sir Annie , looked at Meken’s face and spoke.
“Control yourself.”
“I am not excited.”
“Are you telling such a blatant lie? Sir Meken , I believe an ally who cannot maintain their composure is more dangerous than an enemy. I respect you as my senior, but if you were my subordinate, I would have removed you from the roster immediately. So, do something about that unsightly, flushed face. Before I slap it for you.”
“……Understood.”
Meken barely held back a torrent of curses. Endure. I must endure. Annie wasn’t wrong. She was a more skilled knight than Meken and had achieved much as vice-captain. He couldn’t afford any friction in this situation where they had to cooperate to take down his enemy. Never.
Meken looked at the high-spirited boy. At that moment, Meken didn’t know.
‘I’ll take you down a peg.’
He didn’t know that there were many people in the world different from himself. That he was still a human living trapped in narrow-minded thinking. That the boy had not lived lazily. And that the boy was a far greater person than Meken could ever be.
‘I will have my revenge. I will definitely have it.’
And so, five knights and one boy stood in opposition.
*
“If you become unable to continue the match, if your wooden sword breaks, or if you step outside the designated area, you lose. I warn you, do not use techniques intended to take a life. This is a place of proof and a display of martial prowess. This is not a duel of honor, nor is it a battle between life and death. Keep that in mind.”
Bermartin gave a clear warning. He spoke to everyone, but his words were directed at one person. Everyone present knew who Bermartin was warning: Meken, the knight who still couldn’t hide his agitation. Vice-captain Annie’s expression was completely contorted.
Amidst the already strained atmosphere, Bermartin , acting as the referee, slowly raised his hand. He stroked his beard once and smiled at me. Then, he snapped his hand down.
“Begin—!”
The moment the signal was given, Meken lunged forward. Simultaneously, wings unfurled behind his back. Two pairs. Meken’s wings, which had been only one pair in the past, had increased. As soon as he spread them, his body accelerated instantly. Like a wizard’s teleportation, Meken appeared right in front of my nose.
“ Sir Meken —! I told you not to act alone—”
Vice-captain Annie shouted from afar.
But Meken seemed deaf to her, his eyes wide as he attacked first. The wooden sword in his hand became a blur. Acceleration.
「My young descendant.」
It was a rapid speed I hadn’t seen before. But now, I could see it clearly. The acceleration of wings was the connection between paths. If one could see the paths clearly, one could know in advance where the opponent’s attack was headed. I read Meken’s overly honest sword path. Compared to Edan Rhapsody , it was far too clumsy. Compared to Toma Rhapsody , it was far too pathetic. Compared to the harsh ordeals I had faced, this couldn’t even be called an ordeal.
Rather…
「Will you let him off easy?」
To him, I would be the harsh ordeal.
「Or will you show him just how relentless you are?」
The meaning behind Master’s words was simple. I had already read Meken’s sword path. Knowing how the sword would come, I could have swung my Steel and snapped his wooden sword in an instant. If the wooden sword broke, the match would be over. That was what Master meant by ‘letting him off easy.’
However.
‘I can’t do that.’
Why would I let him off easy?
‘If I hadn’t stepped up as the proxy warrior back then, if I hadn’t been there, what end would my neighbor have met? What insults would my neighbor have endured?’
I chose one of the digested swords. Then, I wedged my wooden sword against the incoming one. The blades of the wooden swords clashed, forming a binding position. A familiar setup. One I had experienced before. Meken’s eyes flickered for a moment. It seemed he, too, remembered.
“I find myself saying this twice.”
Petel’s technique: Sword Wrestling .
The technique of a veteran knight was reborn even more skillfully through my hands. Instantly, Meken’s body was hoisted into the air. Twilight . For a very brief moment, I became Petel . Accepting the surging memories, I spoke in a clear voice.
“You’re going to regret this again.”
The bold words I had spat out while breaking one of Meken’s wings in our past duel of honor. Repeating those words, I slammed Meken’s body onto the floor. With a loud crash, Meken’s body bounced off the ground. A bloody cough erupted from him. At that moment, the four knights who had been standing stunned in the back charged.
“First, maintain the formation—”
Vice-captain Annie issued a command. I saw the knights moving in perfect unison at her word. I looked at them and thought: I have no reason to torment them. In that case, it was better to end it as quickly as possible.
“Slowly…….”
I kicked off the ground. Simultaneously, the Wings of Steel flapped.
The next moment, I appeared in the center of the four knights. As they looked at my sudden appearance and tried to react, my body spun once.
『My life was like a gust of wind.』
With a single rotation, the wooden swords they were thrusting were all diverted in random directions. The four knights’ feet became tangled, and a situation even arose where their wooden swords struck their own allies. While everyone looked bewildered by the sudden turn of events, I threw the sword in my hand upward. Just as the thrown sword completed a half-turn above my head, the Wings of Steel flapped again. The next moment, I was above their heads. The sword I had thrown upward was now back in my hand.
The stance? Vertical Slash .
The First Steel . The preparatory movement for Forging .
“……Block it—!”
Annie shouted urgently.
The flustered knights barely managed to move, following the wooden sword Annie extended. But it was too late. As I fell, the vertical slash from top to bottom was completed. One wooden sword collided with four. A loud, ringing sound, like a hammer striking an anvil, echoed through the air. Annie and the other knights bit their lips. At first glance, it looked like a successful block.
But.
“Ugh—”
The First Steel does not end with a single strike.
CLANG—!
An explosive sound erupted, and the four knights were forced to their knees. The floor they were standing on gave way, and they all tumbled onto the ground as if crushed by something incredibly heavy.
And—
“You four knights.”
The four wooden swords they were holding…
“Please step outside.”
Those wooden swords were all broken.
“…….”
“What the…….”
A cold silence instantly fell over the order. One strike. With a single strike, the wooden swords of four people were snapped. One could say it was because they were wooden swords, but every knight here could feel it. Even if they hadn’t been wooden swords, the result would have been the same. If this had been a real battle instead of an agreed-upon duel, they might all have died. There was that much of a gap.
“I’ve never even heard of something like that.”
While someone muttered that, the four knights trudged outside. There was a sense of frustration, but none refused to acknowledge their defeat. I stood still and slowly looked back. I saw Meken, still groaning. The sprawled Meken met my eyes. His pupils shook violently.
“Let’s continue, Sir Meken . You look perfectly fine.”
