CHAPTER 33

Is it deliberate, or is he just not clever enough…?

It was apparent that he was the latter, still looking solemn.

I rushed over to my introduction to change the mood.

"Is it my turn now? I'm Jun Karentia, Vice Commander of the Black Knights."

Until now, except for the young Sevi, I was respectful to everyone, but now I have officially become the Vice Commander and have my own unit.

It was necessary to stop respecting for efficiency.

I cleared my throat and continued in a determined tone.

"As you all know, I'm a supportive wizard, and I'm there to make you strong. In the future, you will grow at a rate that no one can imagine and become the pinnacle of the Black Knights."

Everyone gulped at the word pinnacle.

It is still most effective to shake the compensation specifically in front of you.

I put saliva on my lips in a hurry. Then I spoke with confidence.

"A maximum of six months is set to become an elite."

"Hyuk…!"

"I understand that it takes three years to be promoted to the second group…"

Julieta and Nova gulped in disbelief.

Sevi, on the other hand, nodded his head as if it were possible enough.

Come to think of it, for Sevi, I am a great person who made him a wizard with only a few weeks of training.

In fact, the time for him to manifest his wizardry is approaching and I just put a spoon on it, because no one else knows about it.

I nodded with a stern face like August.

One more wrinkle appeared between August's eyebrows, as if he had noticed me imitating him.

"… I'll do my best!"

"Roll me to the right path where I won't die!"

"I-I hate dying, but… I'll try my best..!"

Not only Nova and Sevi, but also Julieta, who was so dramatic, made her eyes shine.

Perhaps because they were children of an average age of 17, there was a naive and direct response.

Maybe that's why.

What Meyer said was even more heartbreaking.

It was as Meyer said. To be honest, I was bluffing at Meyer.

I spoke proudly, but my decision never killed an expedition member. I've never been given that responsibility in the first place.

I was just… I was just guarding the side of death.

It was natural for Meyer to be serious about the death of an expedition member. He's a man who's always growing responsibility.

But I still didn't think Meyer's conclusion was right.

Just drawing a line won't solve anything.

If you're going to take responsibility, you have to take it right.

I took a deep breath and exhaled. Their lives are already in my hands. Then…

Don't let them die in the first place. Raise them hard, so that they won't die for any trivial matter.

To the last expedition and the future worthy of the Seven heroes.

CHAPTER 5. Meyer Knox's Secret

Sevi, Julieta, and Nova were more hectic every day.

Still, it was fortunate that Sevi woke up as a wizard and no longer had to go back and forth between the training center and the spire.

'It's about time Sevi learned a magic trick… I think Julieta can move on. I think it's okay to put it on with Nova.'

While walking in the hallway, I always thought about how to raise the special unit.

Then there were times when I fell into the wrong path, but this was the moment.

"Oh, no… I must have misunderstood the floors without even knowing it."

I clicked my tongue. I was tempted to go back the way I came, but when I tried to draw the structure of the castle in my mind, it seemed much faster to go straight ahead and then go up the stairs.

"That's how you learn about structure."

I took a light step.

But it was a funny look at the castle of Nokentoria.

I thought there would be a staircase around here, but I was looking in the wrong place.

"Maybe it's because it's nature, but the structure itself is kind of a maze…"

It was probably designed to prevent assassination attempts.

I had an idea of how complicated it was, since I, a person who often looks for directions, would get lost.

'I've had enough. Should I just go back?'

But what's his stubbornness? Now that I've come to this, I thought I'd go as far as I can.

You can hear people talking quietly through the window, but inside the building is quiet.

Sunlight shining through the window split the hallway in half.

At the border of darkness and light, I walked in with a throbbing feeling as if I were on an adventure.

As I walked around the corridor, I didn't see a single person.

How many servants and Black Knights work in the castle of Nokentoria. It was really strange.

No way, I stepped foot into a place where I shouldn't be?

But if there was such a place, Meyer, the butler, or Mary would have warned in advance.

Many thoughts came and went in the short span of time.

That's when I saw a door open at an angle. That's the way out, isn't it? I happily opened the door.

The door that I thought was the exit led to a room.

It was a room that was completely closed on all sides. The light from one of the small windows on the high side lit up the room slightly.

"Here is…"

I looked around with a furrowed brow.

The room was dimly lit because sunlight didn't penetrate well, but it seemed to be to preserve the paintings on the walls.

But as if that wasn't enough, there were also curtains over the paintings.

My eyes touched the biggest picture in the middle of the room.

The curtain was not properly drawn, so the end of the picture was slightly visible.

What kind of painting is it so strictly managed?

After a long adventure, curiosity soared as it felt like a treasure box hidden elsewhere.

I was in conflict for a while.

Wouldn't it be okay to take a look at it for a second? I slipped the curtain back.

"It's a portrait."

It was a painting of a well-built man with silver gray hair in uniform, a noble lady with light brown hair, and a young boy with black hair who looked about five years old.

The color of the hair was not like a family at all, but the boy's face was quite similar to the other two.

And… The man's face with silver gray hair is ripe for the day.

"You look just like Meyer Knox."

Surely, the portraits in Nokentoria Castle must be those of the Knox family.

Probably Meyer's father, the previous Grand Duke.

Then the black-haired boy here is Meyer Knox…

Faced with an unexpected young Meyer Knox, I made eye contact with the boy in the painting.

"Look at the stern facial expressions since he was young. The atmosphere is not a joke."

I raised my head with a giggle.

At the moment my gaze reached the previous Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, I realized something and opened my mouth in dismay at the shock of being hit on the back of the head.

It was. Neither the Grand Duke or the Grand Duchess had black hair.

However, young Meyer's face clearly showed the two.

Hair that cannot be genetically produced. There was only one such case.

'Meyer's black hair… Was it caused by mana?'

The Demon King's magic must have dyed his hair black.

Black hair is also a common hair color, so I never noticed it.

"Who's there?"

It was then that I heard an old man's hostile voice clearly behind me.

I closed the curtains and turned my back, feeling confused.

At the entrance, Vince, the butler with a stiff face, was staring at me.

"… Vice Commander?"

Only then did Vince's face soften a little after noticing who I was.

But he said in a firm voice, whether he had lifted his guard.

"This place is off limits, Vice Commander."

"Oh, I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional, I just got lost…"

I made an excuse as if I had been caught doing something bad.

My heart was pounding as I felt as if I had come into contact with a taboo that I should not have seen.

Vince approached me in an unknown face.

While I stood there looking at him, Vince tapped the wrinkled curtain and mumbled.

"I was away for a while after dusting off, but I didn't know there was a guest in the meantime… It was my fault for not being careful."

"I… Didn't know this was a restricted area."

"I should have told you about this before… This old man guessed that His Excellency had mentioned it. His Excellency didn't have anything special to say either, did he?"

"… Yes."

"Then His Excellency may have hoped that the Vice Commander would come here someday."

"…"

But I guessed he didn't want me to face the truth this quickly. I sighed.

Vince glanced at my troubled face and said.

"It looks like you've seen the portrait."

"… Yes."

"Looks like you've also noticed Your Excellency's secret."

I nodded with a hint. I wasn't stupid enough not to know what I saw wasn't supposed to be seen.

Vince blinked his wrinkled eyes as if he didn't understand my reaction.

"… Pardon? What?"

I asked again without realizing it. What possible reason could I have to be afraid? Is Meyer going to be angry with me because I went into a restricted area?

"Your Excellency's hair… The true nature of the mana."