Chapter 18 – Reasons for the Fall of the King of the North
#1
If it weren’t for Grand Duke Lancel, I would have lost my head.
Immediately after, Lawrence said the following:
<I’m sorry, I was told that the Grand Duke prefers this manner of speech.>
Lancel Gaudi had to completely reassess his impression of Lawrence.
At first, he thought Lawrence was just someone who had gained power in a very negative way.
Like Demian, whom he had personally beheaded.
After their conversation, Lawrence transformed into a mysterious child of the Montemer family with unique abilities, and now, he added a new layer to his evaluation—Lawrence possessed a high level of information-gathering skills.
‘He already knows me so well. And honestly, I don’t even feel that offended…’
Even though he was a famous Grand Duke, the North was a rather closed-off place.
Didn’t he stay in the annex without leaving?
When did he gather information, and how did he use it so effectively?
The Grand Duke found himself increasingly intrigued by the boy named Lawrence.
The two of them were on their way to the training hall, intending to meet someone who was always there.
He was surely busy with the preparations for the subjugation battle, but he’d have a moment for them.
“Can treatment really be done through physical movement?”
“Yes. To activate the artifact, strenuous physical labour is necessary.”
“Hmm. Fighting you wouldn’t be fun for me. Instead, let me introduce my daughter. Unlike your sister, she enjoys physical activity.”
“I understand.”
He remembered.
Another reason why the Grand Duke’s family walked the path to ruin.
The eldest and only daughter of the Gaudi family.
[Undead Crusher: Leila Gaudi].
Later, she would abandon the Gaudi name and be taken as a slave to join the undead army, becoming a butcher of the undead and a battle maniac.
She was a woman who died bitterly on the battlefield while avenging her brother’s death and might have been the Empire’s first female Master.
If the person Lawrence was thinking of matched this description—
“Hey, hey, are you going to slack off or what!?”
“Lady, can’t you see we’re working our hardest!?”
“Hard work isn’t what matters. What matters is whether you satisfy me. Since you still have the energy to talk, the load must be light, huh?”
“Argh! We’re going, we’re going! I swear, you’ve picked up all the worst habits from the Grand Duke!”
“Hahaha! Move faster, so you don’t die!”
At the booming voice, the Grand Duke sighed softly.
Then he turned to Lawrence with a word of caution.
“As you can hear, she’s like that, so please forgive her if she’s a bit rude.”
“It’s all right. She’s very much like you, Grand Duke, which is good to see.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. How did things end up like this…”
Well, isn’t it because you’re so easy-going, Grand Duke?
Lawrence chuckled softly and looked toward the girl standing in the training hall.
She was tall, a full head taller than him, and looked strong, as if she had grown up eating well.
After seeing the petite Loria, this girl certainly gave off the vibe of an older sister.
As soon as Leila noticed the Grand Duke entering the training hall, she strode over.
Then, she started bombarding him with complaints.
“Father! I heard you blew up the castle gate again!? How many times has it been now? I’ve told you not to do that—huh, who’s this?”
“Well, it was an emergency that time. Introduce yourself. This is Lawrence, of the Montemer family.”
“Montemer, huh… Ah, that family of frail scholars!?”
“…”
She was definitely the type who explained exactly why Lawrence could say such things and still stay alive.
#2
“Oh ho, I’m sparring with this kid…? But is it okay? He’s a mage, you know.”
“It’s fine. Just go easy on him.”
“Fine, fine. But he’s eleven years old? Wow… he looks like he’d suit holding a shield and axe.”
“Watch your words a bit. He is our guest, after all.”
I can hear everything, you know.
Lawrence listened to the conversation between the father and daughter, letting out an exasperated smile.
Leila slung a training sword over her shoulder and strode toward him.
‘My goal is to secure the capacity of Negative Energy, so I’ll have to move diligently.’
He was well aware.
Right now, defeating her was an impossible task.
After all, Lawrence himself was a mage, not a knight.
But this would be a great opportunity.
Facing a knight directly and analyzing their movements would surely be productive.
Repetitive training leads to familiarity.
And familiarity increases the chances of survival.
Lawrence picked up an ordinary longsword and awkwardly took his stance.
“You’ve never held a sword before, have you?”
“Yes, that’s right. Still, I’ll give it my best.”
“Hah… Fine, let’s start with a light warm-up.”
Whoosh—.
As she kicked off the ground and charged, it felt as if a car was speeding straight toward him.
Leila swung her sword lightly.
Thwack—!
Lawrence calmly raised his sword to block hers.
“Huh?”
“I’ll be learning from you.”
“Heh, I like it. You’ve got good eyes.”
Her eyes gleamed.
Her speed gradually increased, and surprisingly, Lawrence managed to block her attacks.
The secret lay in his eyes.
‘She’s unconsciously moving mana. This is practically a cheat code, huh?’
Knights use mana to enhance their bodies, and they constantly manipulate it.
Because of this, experienced knights instinctively move mana even in unarmed combat.
Mana is something to be sensed, not seen.
But to Lawrence, that mana was clearly visible.
“You’re blocking well!?”
“Hah! Hah!”
“I’ve been bored since my brother fell ill, so this is great!”
But he quickly realized that seeing mana and keeping up with her movements were entirely different matters.
Once his coordination started to falter, he had no choice but to keep getting hit.
In the end, the spar ended with him dropping his sword.
“You’ve inherited the Grand Duke’s martial prowess perfectly. Whew… You’re amazing.”
“I had fun too. You’ve got talent, you know?”
“Haha, but I’m a mage.”
More precisely, I’m an artifact creator.
Lawrence wiped the sweat that flowed like rain and checked the capacity of Negative Energy displayed on his retina.
[Negative Energy]
[Accumulated Energy: 320]
[…]
[The growth of the Dragon Body is accelerated.]
[Hatchling: 29%]
Almost at 30%.
It’s a double benefit.
Lawrence also checked the capacity required to start the healing in earnest.
[Capacity required for curse absorption: 400]
‘Ha… I have to push myself much harder.’
If he keeps pushing himself to the edge without dying, he’ll grow quickly.
What reward will he get when he reaches 30%?
The pleasure of growing stronger in many ways was quite addictive.
He trudged over and picked up his sword again.
“One more round, shall we?”
“Hah! Are you sure you’re really a mage?”
“Yes.”
No, I’m not.
Leila grinned widely, excited to get to let loose after a long time.
But then, as she turned back, her steps suddenly halted.
A new piece of information appeared before Lawrence.
[Displaying the status of the observed target.]
[Chronic illness: Heart disease – Valve disorder]
[Progression: 17%]
[Healing method: Artifact implantation]
[Recommended artifact: Engraving – Berserk]
‘What?’
So, does that mean the reason she died… wasn’t because of the battle?
Lawrence slowly pieced together the events that had happened in the future.
He had heard the news of Leila’s sudden death despite her exceptional skills.
If that’s the case…
‘For now, I should just keep watching.’
The duel between the two continued.
Leila fought fiercely without using mana, bursting into laughter throughout.
Lawrence, meanwhile, absorbed her combat techniques, learning how knights fight.
The Dragon Eye was truly a mysterious ability.
‘I can finally see how she moves.’
Clang—!
The movements of her joints, the distribution of her strength, posture, stride, where she applies force and twists…
How she measures distance, attacks, retreats, and the tactical exchanges of knights.
He could see it all and respond accordingly.
The Grand Duke, who was watching, went from being intrigued to utterly astonished.
Though it was clear he had never held a sword before, he was now wielding it with remarkable skill.
And his style was strikingly similar to that of his own daughter, Leila!
“Hah, this is absurd. Why does Montemer…?”
Why is a swordsmanship prodigy born into a family of mages?
At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity.
He had heard that Lawrence lacked a Mana Core.
No matter how skilled he might become, without the ability to manifest an Aura Blade, he would remain a mere swordsman.
But still, just understanding swordsmanship itself would be valuable.
At the very least, he wouldn’t die in vain on the battlefield, struck by a blind sword.
The Grand Duke watched their duel with keen interest.
The sparring continued until evening, and before long, a crowd had gathered to watch.
“They say he’s a mage.”
“Really? Then why does he fight so well?”
“Hah… He’s a real monster, a monster.”
“When was the last time Lady Leila looked this thrilled?”
Northern soldiers gathered one by one to watch the duel.
Among them were Loria and Freya, the leader of the Phoenix Mage Corps.
“Why is he using a sword instead of studying magic?”
“I agree. It’s quite curious.”
The only one not impressed by Lawrence was Loria, who was obsessed with studying magic.
#2
“Wow… Finally over.”
“It’s exhausting to move without using mana. But why train like this? Aren’t you a mage?”
“I’m doing this to heal your brother. I asked the Grand Duke for a duel as it was necessary, and he introduced me to Lady Leila.”
“Ah… To heal my brother, you say?”
She asked in a loud voice.
Lawrence, nearly deafened, stepped back a little and spoke again.
“I believe his name was Lake. I wanted to start the procedure today, so I made a somewhat bold request.”
“…Are you serious?”
“If I were lying, the Grand Duke would have my head, wouldn’t he? How could I possibly lie?”
Lawrence joked with a smile.
Now that he had gathered enough capacity, it was time to begin.
As Lawrence left the training hall, Leila hurried over to the Grand Duke.
“Father. That guy, no, that lord said he’d heal Lake…?”
“Yes. I’ve decided to trust him.”
“But if he has ulterior motives…”
“If that’s the case, I’ll hold not only his head accountable but also the Montemer family.”
The Grand Duke resolved to observe Lawrence without emotion.
The results would determine his judgment.
So far, Lawrence had shown a promising side.
“Keep a close eye on him. It’s even better if you get along.”
“I’m not into younger men…”
“Sigh…”
“Father!”
Leaving the Grand Duke’s sincere sigh behind, the two followed Lawrence.
It was time to heal the Grand Duke’s son.
Meanwhile, Lawrence checked the message displayed on his retina.
[For more complete healing, artifact implantation is recommended.]
[Engraving: Sacred Blessing]
[It is classified as a 2nd Circle Holy Magic.]
‘Ah, right, that thing.’
Perfect timing.
Among the items he had packed, there was indeed something like that.
Lawrence headed towards his lodging.
At the door, he spoke to the Grand Duke.
“Please wait here. I’ll bring it out shortly.”
“That, is it?”
“Yes. I’d prefer if no one entered the room while I work.”
“I’ll ensure that. Work without worry.”
Lawrence nodded with a smile.
The Grand Duke, too, stood guard with an intrigued expression.
Inside his room, Lawrence rummaged through his belongings and pulled out the necessary materials.
“Whew… Time to work all night.”
Picking up a pen, drawing was his greatest joy.
This time, he had two artifacts to create.
[Sacred Blessing]
[Legacy of the Black Dragon]
‘I should find the materials for the other one. It wouldn’t hurt to owe Leila a favour.’
With a pen in hand, he began inscribing the magic circles.
Scratch, scratch—
The day of a creator had just begun.
—
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