Chapter 33 Imperial Knights (part 1)

—Asher Frostblade's perspective.

My head hurt so much that I couldn't control it. By the time I opened my eyes, I was no longer on the battlefield. So where was I?

I was lying on a very uncomfortable bed and looked right next to me: a wooden table with some herbs, bandages and one of those jars with a liquid on it. The table wasn't big at all, just big enough for those things to be there.

"Sigh."

I sighed lightly, but quickly remembered the monsters.

What happened to the monsters?

Was it all over or is this some kind of enlightenment?

I looked around; it looked like one of those tents that are big and have wide spaces. Its shape was similar to a house, but this tent, because of its design, was a medieval tent, the kind that princes or kings use to hide in.

But where was I? I don't even remember fainting or dying - is this all an illusion?

"It's nothing like what you're thinking " Encrid's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"I-I didn't die?"

"Of course not. An army of knights arrived and are currently taking care of the monsters. You were asleep for two hours."

"But... I don't remember falling asleep or seeing those knights."

"Well... " he paused.

"What's wrong?"

"They fainted you, since you were in an unconscious state; you couldn't even control yourself."

"Who fainted me?" was the question I asked.

"Oriana Mengral" Encrid spoke and my eyes widened like saucers.

Why would a "Sword Monarch" be in this place? I thought they only moved in situations where the continent really needed their help. So why is she here?

"Why is she here?"

"Muffled sound."

Suddenly, footsteps were heard behind the tent. The cloth tent that gave entrance to this place opened and Oriana entered. She was wearing black armor and had a large sword at her waist. It was then that I stared at her without understanding why she was here.

"Are you okay?" was the first thing she said.

I nodded and spoke:

"Yes, but... Why are you here?"

"I was bored."

"..."

I narrowed my eyes and thought of only one thing:

She's here just because she was bored? What does that mean?

Then, she approached me, sat down on a seat that was on the other side of the bed and put her sword right next to her while her gaze came back to me again.

"Where is...?"

"..."

"Where is your sword?"

It was then that I was surprised by Oriana's question. How did she know about the sword that is actually Encrid, but in her sword form?

"Did she... see it when she was unconscious...? Impossible. Encrid always comes back in the event of need."

I didn't think it was true, but.... She saw Encrid once in his human form and now she saw him again, but this time in his sword form. This is a problem.

"I must change the subject," I thought.

"What happened to the monsters...?"

"What are you trying to hide from me?"

"..."

I was silent for a moment. It's impossible for me to escape from her, but it's possible to trick her, though that didn't work.

The only way I can escape her questions would be to answer her, but.... It's impossible unless Encrid reveals her identity.

"What do I do?", I asked Encrid.

"..."

"It's a problem... but it's not like I keep myself hidden all the time either," Encrid mentioned.

So, is that an "answer him" or is that "don't answer him at all costs"? I was very confused by those words.

"So what happened to that sword, where did you get it from and how did you...?"

"Starburst."

It was then that a deafening explosion resounded and Oriana's questions stopped. For a moment I thought I should reveal something about Encrid, but fortunately that explosion managed to avoid those questions.

"Wait here, that's right, look in the drawer of that table."

Oriana came out of the tent and then I looked at the table where the doctors' things were. I looked at a drawer, opened it and took out two coins.

They looked like gold, but I looked at a single drawing on it. It was that of a knight raising a sword while holding a shield. Then I looked at some small letters on the coin.

[Knight's Achievement]

It was then that my eyes widened like saucers as I read the words on the coin.

This... is a knight's achievement. Not only is it one, but it's also two achievements. Maybe it's because of the demon mission and also because I acted at the moment when the hordes of monsters were approaching. But how did they bring these two achievements in less than an hour?

I didn't care and just admired the coin. It felt like my efforts had finally paid off, but I quickly controlled my emotions and kept my usual cool, stoic, emotionless expression.

Then I looked down at my white mask, which had a few scratches on it, but it was no big deal. I grabbed it and put it back on my face.

It was then that I got out of bed. My back ached and I had a pain in my head, maybe from lying down too long. Then I pulled up the tent and got out of the tent only to look at the craters, monster horns and the knights fighting the monsters.

"All that... happened in a few hours," I thought the moment I looked at that whole scene in front of me.

I was impressed, but again I returned to my common expression. Then I looked around and there were more tents scattered everywhere. There were some knights guarding those tents and also some people wearing white robes and a doctor-like hat.

"A healer or something" was what I thought at that moment.

"Bang!"

"Boom!!!"

Explosions and booms on the battlefield echoed loudly. After looking at the scene, I couldn't believe it.

"Why do more monsters keep appearing? Something is strange."

Although there were hundreds of knights fighting and killing the monsters, there were still many monsters still appearing, but from the number it seemed like they were decreasing drastically.

But strangely, the monsters were the same. There might not be any more of those two breeds of monsters in this forest for a long time.

"Are you okay...?" A familiar voice spoke right behind me.

I turned around and Alice was right in front of me. She was looking at me with worried eyes.

"Yes..."

"So, what will we do once we get back to Nortil?" she asked.

"Of course, a new mission. I plan to go on one that deals with dungeons."

I was curious to see a natural dungeon. The dungeon I had entered six months ago was not a natural dungeon, it was one that was built by humans.

Of course, I wouldn't risk entering a grade 8 dungeon, it's still too early to explore dungeons of a higher grade.

"But first we should wait for this to be over," Alice looked towards the monsters as she spoke.

"That's right, but... don't you think it's strange?"

"..."

"I think the same thing," she replied.

It's strange that two single races of monsters are attacking out of nowhere like this. Not only that, monsters shouldn't attack like this by just attacking the first thing they look at. This is definitely the work of someone, perhaps some person strong enough to have the power to control these monsters. It is simply impossible for these monsters to attack like this all of a sudden.

It was then that I thought of this idea that someone is behind all this, but the question is:

"Who did all this?"

"We don't know, but it's possible that this is just the beginning of something," Alice spoke.

"How long has it been since the monsters arrived?"

"So far almost 6 hours, why do you ask?"

"It's nothing, I just thought of something."

Then I looked at the scene where all the knights were fighting the monsters. I just clenched my fists. I... I want to help, but I helped enough and my body is not in good shape. I can barely stand and I feel great exhaustion both physically and mentally.

Then I sat down on the ground and looked up at the sky. It appeared to be 4 o'clock in the afternoon by the angle the sun was at.

"Sigh."

The air was mixed with a smell of burning and the sickening odor of monster blood. If I looked ahead, I could only see knights, monsters and a bloodstained ground, and more monster bodies everywhere next to some of those huge trees that stood so tall I couldn't see the end of them from down here.

This forest is even bigger than a city from my past life. Just thinking about the size of this place makes me ponder.

"How big is this world?"

A world where the dangers are even greater than in my past life and a world where magic and superhuman strength exist. It's simply like a dream to some, but the reality is not as pleasant as they think.

A world where you are risking your life at any moment.

"I thought you were inside," leaving my reflective thoughts, I looked at Oriana who I didn't even notice the moment she sat right next to me.

After staring at her, I noticed her red eyes and her silver hair that reached her waist and moved freely in the wind. Then my lips parted and I spoke.

"What do you want to ask?" It was obvious what she was thinking.

Her curious look to know, to be honest, she looks like one of those busybodies who want to know the first thing they see. All it would take would be for her to be a stalker.

"What do you take me for, brat?"

"Then why are you making that curious face?"

"..."

She fell silent and stared at me. Her face changed to a serious one and she finally spoke.

"Tell me one thing, do you know what happened north of the forest?"

"..."

"What thing?"

"I'm talking about a demon, a paladin, a carriage with people and most of all an archbishop, all of them were dead. Do you know anything about that?"

"No."

I replied, but for some reason I felt that if I told the truth, that I killed the paladin, the man and let the people who were to be sacrifices die, I shouldn't say anything about it. So my impulses acted and I just said "No" at that moment.

"Okay, I guess you don't know anything."

"..."

I looked at the battlefield again, but Oriana spoke again, changing the subject this time.

"And your sword?"

A question I wanted to avoid again came up. I didn't want to answer, so I looked her in the eyes again and spoke.

"I'm sorry, but this is something no one but me should know about, not until I'm strong enough."

"..."

She stared at me until she turned to look at the battlefield that was about two hundred meters away from us. Explosions and booms echoed every moment, as did the roars of the monsters.

The situation seemed to be calming down as more and more monsters fell defeated to the ground and the knights advanced further and further.

Then Oriana spoke up.

"My little sister is always talking things about you."

They were different words from what we were talking about, so I just looked at her blankly.

"She says you're someone amazing and kind."

"..."

"And that's why she's also going to Laosa Academy."

She kept talking without me understanding the context of her words.

What are you getting at by saying something about Gloriana? I don't even know what Oriana is thinking, and besides, I didn't even get to say goodbye to Gloriana before I started my quest for knightly achievement.

Is she trying to insinuate something?

"That's why I don't want you to die, keep that in mind. I haven't seen my little sister smile and talk so much."

"..."

I still didn't understand, but I think she's trying to say to take care of me and not die just to get these knight achievements. So why is she like this at the moment? Oriana was always hostile to me and didn't even care, but now it's different.

"Alright, then I should already..."

"Outburst."

"Raaaaaaagghhh-KKRRRAAAAAWWW!!!"

It was then that a few different monsters appeared far in the distance. But these were grade 8, much stronger monsters than grade 9, a rank I have a hard time fighting. Now, the trouble seemed like it had just started again.

"Shit, it looks like we'll be here much longer than expected," Oriana spoke and then stood up.

I already wanted to be completely healed, but there was nothing I could do. And even though I had helped enough, I wasn't satisfied and now the situation had just started all over again with grade 8 monsters.

"Is there any way for me to heal faster?"

"Yes, there is. Go into the tent and drink a vial of blue."

"Okay," I nodded. Then I stood up and started walking slowly as I staggered and felt like I was losing my balance. But I made it inside and looked at the blue-colored jar where the table from before was....