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‘So I even cast a spell specifically to block my presence, how did this person know about that?’

‘Well, it wasn’t sensed through aura, that’s why.’

Seeing Eusus flustered, Repenhardt chuckled to himself. Indeed, his sense of perception had not detected Eusus. Just as in the Principality of Chatan, where Sillan had deceived Lantas’s senses, a powerful magical protection or a divine spell could fool an aura user’s senses.

However, Repenhardt possessed not only a keen sense of perception but also an exceptional ability to detect magical energy. It was clear that, although the physical presence was undetectable, the magic of invisibility was slowly leaking out. If he couldn’t sense that, he might as well return the title of Demon King from his previous life.

Moreover, Repenhardt had a good guess as to why Eusus had resorted to such a tactic.

“You wanted to test my skills, didn’t you? But to throw all your knights into the experiment just for that, isn’t that a bit too much, don’t you think?”

Eusus’s face hardened.

It was true. Initially, he had planned to jump out immediately. However, seeing the collapsed city wall changed his mind.

The thief’s skills were entirely different from last night. He didn’t know why, but unlike yesterday, he was openly using the power of aura. Moreover, it was a golden aura, easily recognizable.

There was only one martial art in the vast continent that used a golden aura. At least, that pilgrim boy had told one truth.

The successor of Gym Unbreakable, the esteemed Fist King Gerard’s disciple; he couldn’t guarantee victory even with Eldrad’s power, but it was a battle he could not afford to lose. He had to overpower the opponent to retrieve the relic.

So, after much deliberation, Eusus abandoned his men. In a true battle between the strong, ordinary knights had no place. Facing a proper aura user, the knights would only be a hindrance. Thus, observing the opponent’s battle to gain more information was deemed a better strategy for winning.

Judging by the odds alone, Eusus’s decision was correct. However, it was also true that such an act was considered despicable, something the renowned Golden Knight should never resort to.

“People say you’re a knight of great light and justice, but you’ve got quite the cunning side, haven’t you?”

“Uh, umm…”

Eusus could only groan in response to Repenhardt’s mocking. He hadn’t thought he’d be discovered, and at that moment, he couldn’t think of a retort.

As if to drive the point home, Repenhardt posed another question.

“Or why on earth did you show up so late? You would have been here sooner even if you had been rolling around naked with a woman.”

Eusus von Tenes was left speechless, and the expressions of the Tenes Knights gradually turned stern.

“Could it be…”

“There’s no way Lord Eusus would…”

The murmurings of his subordinates were clearly audible. As suspicion and distrust grew in their eyes, Eusus tried to maintain his composure and shouted.

“I accidentally fell asleep due to exhaustion. That’s why I didn’t wake up on time!”

“You’re saying you didn’t wake up even with the walls being smashed? Are you some kind of Sleeping Beauty knight?”

The noise from the collapsing walls was one thing, but it felt like an earthquake, shaking the ground. Even if he was soundly asleep in bed, he would have rolled off from the impact.

“Quiet, you scoundrel!”

Eusus roared, the distrust among the knights growing stronger. He couldn’t let him continue talking, or dishonorable stories might start to spread. He needed to silence the other party.

“I will question you for tarnishing the name of Tenes!”

Wielding the magic sword Eldran, Eusus soared into the air.

“Blade of the sky, tear through the void!”

Swinging his sword, Eusus chanted. Blades of wind targeted Repenhardt as he lowered his stance and burst out.

“Haap!”

Suddenly, a golden storm exploded from his entire body, engulfing all the blades of wind in the air and dissipating them. He could dispel magic with merely the manifestation of his aura? Grinding his teeth, Eusus continued his outcry.

“Eyes of Death, piercing through shadows, the roar of a leopard, dwelling in limbs! With the senses of a dragon, I shall oversee the world!”

Facing the enhanced Eusus, Repenhardt quickly lunged forward, launching a magnificent spinning kick. Eusus easily avoided the attack by leaping back. Repenhardt’s eyes gleamed.

“It’s good to dodge, but you shouldn’t fly into the air like that!”

How much blood had he seen spilled when he sparred with Gerard doing just that? With a triumphant smile, Repenhardt prepared for a follow-up, leveraging his momentum for a long swing.

“I shall become a feather, riding the wind!”

Eusus kicked off the air, launching himself again. This caused the timing to miss, and the punch hit nothing but air.

‘Ah, that’s right, the fellow can use magic, too.’

Using the 4th circle spell, Wind Walk, one could leap off the air again. Of course, it required a high sense of balance, so magicians only used it to slow their fall, but it was a spell highly favored by skilled magic swordsmen.

‘Damn, Siris used it well too, why didn’t I think of that?’

Having landed back on the ground, Repenhardt took his stance. Eusus, keeping a distance, glared at him, grinding his teeth. Feeling the overt hostility, Repenhardt clicked his tongue. Had he been too sarcastic? The anger was evident.

‘Well, I didn’t really mean to criticize.’

But looking at what he was doing, irritation swelled up unwittingly, scratching his temper.

‘But still, why such an overreaction, this guy?’

Truthfully, the technique of manipulating the Voice of Elucion was known only to Repenhardt. In his previous life, quite a few people were aware of it, but it was he who researched and presented the method at the magicians’ conference, so there was no one in this era who would know.

In other words, for the von Tenes family, the Voice of Elucion was just one of the unidentified relics from the Silver Age. Even if it were lost, there would be no problem at all. Thus, Repenhardt planned to steal it without much guilt.

But the expression on Eusus’s face was as if Repenhardt had run off with a treasure of the von Tenes family, showing an extreme reaction. Frankly, it was somewhat incomprehensible.

‘Not that a thief has any right to say this…’

With a bitter smile, Repenhardt looked at Eusus. Eusus also stared straight at Repenhardt. As they eyed each other, assessing the situation, Eusus stretched out Eldran and chanted a spell.

“Flow of purity that constitutes the world, come to my sword!”

A dazzling white energy enveloped the blade of the magic sword Eldran. Reading the magical pattern emanating from the sword, Repenhardt frowned.

‘A pure magic sword, an Arcane Blade, huh? With that, it can certainly confront aura.’

In his past life, that was the magic he most frequently used to counter the swords of aura users. Of course, Repenhardt had not wielded it directly but had mixed it with an automatic response spell, floating it in mid-air to make offense and defense possible on its own.

“Ha!”

Eusus dashed, closing the distance between them. The Arcane Blade scattered dozens of sword lights into the air. From all directions, powerful destructive energies flew at speeds beyond human limits.

With a body strengthened to the limit by the magical armor Eldrad, the Arcane Blade wielded could not be underestimated, even by Repenhardt. Retreating, he dodged the attacks continuously.

Swoosh!

In the midst of the relentless assault, the Arcane Blade merely grazed Repenhardt’s chest. He furrowed his brows momentarily. Though it was just the skin, he could definitely feel that he was cut. This was not his normal state; his entire body was enhanced with aura to be stronger than steel, yet he was wounded. Glancing down, he saw a trickle of blood seeping into his garment over his chest.

‘Indeed, it seems one cannot block an Arcane Blade with physical strength alone.’

“Die!”

With a voice full of murderous intent, Eusus slashed his sword down again. This time, Repenhardt lifted his forearm to block the attack, summoning his aura and adding a fierce spin to it.

“Spiral Guard!”

This was the strongest defense technique of Gym Unbreakable ― or rather, it was actually the only defensive technique. The philosophy of the martial art was such that most attacks could simply be endured with the body ― and Repenhardt carefully intercepted the attack. He was also ready to swiftly pull his arm back if it proved ineffective.

Crackle!

The blade and the spinning aura collided, emitting a chilling noise. Repenhardt smiled slightly.

‘This works.’

If his forearm, imbued with Spiral Guard, could withstand the Arcane Blade, it meant it could also block a blade’s aura.

With newfound confidence, Repenhardt wrapped both forearms with Spiral Guard and successively blocked the onslaught. While defending, he gradually began to counterattack. Dozens of exchanges between the two ensued, with white sword light and golden aura clashing, rending the air with deafening roars.

Boom!

As Repenhardt began to press his counterattack, Eusus appeared to be momentarily gaining the upper hand but was gradually pushed back.

Moving his limbs, Repenhardt momentarily glanced beyond the inner sanctum towards the heart of Viscount Kelberen’s castle. Observing the large fortress with fires blazing here and there, he murmured to himself.

‘I wonder how Tilla is doing.’

* * *

In the dimly lit underground dungeon, illuminated only by a small bonfire, Sillan and Siris were having their belated lunch. Despite being shackled in chains, their treatment wasn’t as bad as one might expect. Thanks to Sillan’s constant blabbering, they were spared from torture, and it became known among the knights that they were merely scapegoats. Perceived as innocent children caught in the crossfire, they were not harassed and were even provided with decent meals.

Dipping bread into soup, Sillan asked Siris, “What could it have been?”

The event in question had occurred roughly ten minutes prior. They were idly rolling around on the bed when suddenly, a loud rumble, akin to an earthquake, echoed through the ground, audible even in the depths of this windowless underground dungeon.

“Could it have been a volcanic eruption somewhere?”

However, they had never heard of any active volcanoes in the Setellad mountain range. Even when they inquired with the guard at the prison door, they received nothing but a command to stay quiet.

Ceasing her bread-tearing, Siris tilted her head in thought.

“Could it be that Lord Repenhardt has come to rescue us?”

“Huh? You seem unexpectedly sure he would come to save us, given your usual standoffish attitude towards him.”

While Sillan appeared surprised by her quick response, Siris stuttered for a moment before sighing and fiddling with her fingers.

“I don’t know… about Lord Repenhardt. Why he treats me so kindly.”

Sillan’s blunt comment, “Just because he’s an elf maniac?” left Siris momentarily dazed. Their comradeship seemed surprisingly harsh in its frankness.

“Initially, I thought he was just someone lost in role-playing,” Siris admitted.

“It does seem a bit like that, doesn’t it?” Sillan chuckled, and Siris shook her head.

“But those eyes…”

The distant gaze he sometimes showed her, laden with deep emotions, plunged her into confusion. That gaze, reminiscent of the profound affection her parents showed her in her earliest memories, was hard to dismiss as merely superficial.

“It doesn’t seem to be for such a simple reason.”

Observing Siris whisper quietly, Sillan nodded as if understanding.

“Indeed, it’s common for women to fall for men like that.”

“Excuse me?”

“The idea that if someone treats them well, there must be something more, that they’re different, special in some way. And then, after getting married, they realize they’ve been duped, crying out ‘I was fooled by this bastard!’ That’s what the nun at the orphanage I grew up in used to say.”

“Is that so?”

With a stunned expression, Siris looked at Sillan. What kind of tumultuous past did that orphanage nun have to harbor such a cynical worldview? Siris couldn’t help but wonder.