CHAPTER 163
As they left the campsite.
The knights of Blue Ram Knight Order exchanged quick glances with each other.
"At this rate, it seems like the commander's opinion..."
"Yeah, it won't change."
"Honestly, we respect and rely on him for his personality, but sometimes it's really frustrating."
The knights all sighed in unison.
Due to Kanata's frustratingly stubborn personality, they were all starting to get headaches.
"So, what do you all plan to do?"
In response to someone's question, all the knights clamped their mouths shut.
It was difficult to answer recklessly in this situation.
In their hearts, they wanted to support Katana, but the man's will was too resolute.
However, it didn't sit right with them to suddenly serve Elric as their lord either.
Most of all, there was no certainty yet that Elric could truly lead them.
On the other hand, there were no such doubts about Kanata.
"For now, let's just observe a bit longer. In the meantime, Sir Kanata or Lord Herman might change their minds. We should also subtly check the opinions of the Blue Hawks."
From the start, they never had any thoughts of protesting or going on strike to assert their opinions.
With the Paul Weyl incident, their position was already precarious. They didn't want to unnecessarily provoke Herman.
In the end, the knights' sighs only grew louder throughout the night.
***
Meanwhile, at that same time.
Isabelle was meeting with Herman.
Herman, looking quite satisfied, had a pleased expression on his face. In contrast, Isabelle's face was full of fatigue.
"It seems it's turning out even better than I expected."
"What is?"
"What else? Elric, of course. I think we might be able to approach
Isabelle's tired face suddenly showed a hint of surprise.
"Are you saying it's that significant?"
She knew very well how much time and effort Herman and the Blue Hawks had devoted to honing
Though Elric was exceptional in magic, the fact that he had such sharp insight in martial arts as well was unexpected.
Of course, most of the time Herman and the others had spent was for interpreting the techniques, but it was still an impressive feat.
"His comprehension isn't just good; it's exceptionally good. His physical ability is remarkable. I've heard that the Melvinger bloodline is said to excel in both martial and intellectual pursuits, but this surpasses what I imagined."
In the past, there had been many rumors within the Melvinger family about exceptionally talented individuals who chose other paths, often leaving magic behind.
In fact, some of them changed their surnames and went on to leave significant marks in the history of the Empire.
Most of them were outstanding strategists or scholars, but among them, there were definitely martial artists as well.
'Come to think of it, wasn't the Golden Lion blonde like the Melvingers?'
Because of this, there was a common joke that those with blazing golden hair had inherited superior genes.
Such was the prestige of the Melvinger family, and questions about whether certain traits or genes were passed down exclusively within their family were still frequently discussed in academic circles.
And yet.
It seemed that Elric was undoubtedly one of the most exceptional among them.
Herman had already heard countless times from Lasalle and Haman about how extraordinary Elric was, to the point of exhaustion.
As a result, Herman, who had marked Elric as his successor, couldn't help but smile.
And the more he thought about it, the more confident he became.
Elric was the one who would complete
No, he would even surpass it and ultimately defeat the Golden Lion.
"Everyone keeps singing praises about Elric, Elric, Elric. It makes me proud, but it's a little frustrating too. No one recognizes all the paperwork I'm buried in all day."
Isabelle pouted her lips as if she was sulking.
Just earlier, she had been preoccupied with understanding matters related to Wynz Territory before going to war, but no one seemed to acknowledge her efforts, making her feel somewhat bitter.
"Haha. How could that be? Everyone knows you're working hard. It's just that you're not always in the spotlight, so they forget to mention it. But deep down, they're all grateful."
"Yeah, right. It's like making someone bow after they've already asked for a favor."
"Haha, seems like my daughter is pretty upset.... But even Elric said to take good care of you."
At those words, Isabelle's eyes brightened for a moment.
"Really? Lord Elric said that?"
"Haha! Look at you. You didn't even listen to your own father, but as soon as I mention Elric, your attitude completely changes."
As Herman chuckled, Isabelle quickly waved her hand.
"Hey, you can't even joke anymore."
"It didn't seem like a joke at all."
"Still, did Lord Elric really say that? Honestly, among all these sweaty men, the only one who's thoughtful is Lord Elric."
"See, see? Now you're just saying it openly, huh?"
Herman shook his head, but there was a smile on his face. He, like his sworn brothers, hoped things would go well between Elric and Isabelle.
When his daughter's engagement was broken, although she had seemed fine on the surface, he knew how deeply hurt she had been inside.
"So, are you planning to leave things as they are?"
"What do you mean?"
"The commander of Blue Ram, of course."
"Ah, you're talking about that."
"As expected, you already knew."
Isabelle shook her head.
People usually thought of Herman as a symbol of justice.
Unyielding and righteous, they pictured a man with firm resolve and indomitable spirit.
But she knew better.
Her father wasn't just like that.
He had a cunning side as well.
After all, where did she think she got her own tactics from?
He wasn't born into a merchant family for nothing.
"So what are you planning to do?"
"For now, let it be."
"But..."
"Dissatisfaction doesn't disappear just because you suppress it. The more you press it down, the more it will explode in the end. Sometimes, you have to let things flow naturally. This isn't something for me to intervene in. It's something Elric and the knights must resolve among themselves."
Herman was firm in his belief that he should not get involved in this matter.
Otherwise, it would only plant the seeds for more conflict.
"Whether Elric keeps this house in his plans or excludes it from the blueprint for the Blue Lion, that's his decision to make. But I'm not too worried. You seem to feel the same way, don't you?"
Seeing her father's warm smile, Isabelle could only shake her head.
"There's no fooling you, Father. Fine, I'll leave it alone for now."
Isabelle tossed the papers she had been holding into the fireplace. They quickly turned to black ash as the flames engulfed them.
She had thought about addressing it as a chance to reorganize the family order, similar to the Paul Weyl incident, but Herman had said not to bother, so she decided to stay her hand.
She also didn't want to stir up any unnecessary trouble within the family right before a major battle.
"Still, just because I'm standing by doesn't mean I won't keep an eye on things."
"As I said, I'm not going to interfere."
"That's enough for me."
Click-clack!
With the sound of her heels, Isabelle exited the tent.
Herman shook his head.
"Looks like some of those with grievances will have to take off their uniforms after this battle."
He murmured to himself as if afraid of his daughter's resolute tone, but deep down, he was pleased to see how much Isabelle had matured.
It seemed the time for a generational shift was drawing near.
***
About ten days after they had left the Weyl family's territory, the march reached the vicinity of Wynz Territory.
During that time, Elric had the opportunity to learn not just the basics, but also the martial arts of Herman and the Blue Hawks in succession.
Though he hadn't yet grasped the ultimate or secret techniques, he had fully memorized the forms and techniques, an impressive feat in itself.
Moreover, he had begun to work on the
Even though he was still just memorizing the forms, they were already proving to be incredibly difficult.
'What kind of person could have perfected something like this? It's amazing that someone like that remained so obscure.'
The world truly was vast.
That was Elric's first thought.
Since the birth of the Empire—no, since the dawn of human history, this era, in which humanity was granted its greatest power by the gods, was truly filled with remarkable individuals.
'But that just makes it more interesting.'
As Elric was lost in thought, the march arrived at a vast military camp.
The camp was situated on a hill overlooking Wynz Territory, with flags bearing the symbols of the Empire and the Imperial family fluttering high above.
It was a sign that they had reached the main headquarters of the subjugation army.
Beside it, numerous other camps had been set up, each displaying their own distinctive banners.
By this time, the Weyl family's march also began to unfurl their banners.
There were two.
One was the crest of the Weyl family, symbolized by the Blue Lion.
The other was the emblem of an owl perched on a book— the symbol of Melvinger.
The book represented knowledge and magic.
The owl symbolized a magician in pursuit of truth.
Just as the owl awakens in the dark and peers through the night, this crest represents their will to cut through the unknown and the irrational, pursuing truth and reason.
It was a crest that had faded from public view after Usdun Melvinger closed his eyes and the magic royal family had rapidly declined.
Yet now, it was flying high and proudly once again!
"Hah...!"
"I heard the Emperor granted a Golden Bull to Melvinger, but it was true?"
"But to boldly display their banner like that... Their confidence is something else."
"The media has been buzzing lately with stories about that young head of the family. No wonder their heads are held high."
The nobles and officers who had already joined the subjugation army under the Emperor's orders looked at the Melvinger banner with clear displeasure.
Among them, some clicked their tongues openly, mocking the display.
They thought that, after being in the spotlight so much lately, Elric was letting it get to his head.
Raising one's banner on the front lines was never just a simple gesture.
It symbolized the history and tradition of the family and a determination to bring glory to their name.
If they lost in battle or disgraced themselves, it would mean the family's honor would plummet.
For Melvinger, who hadn't yet fully built up their strength, such an act could easily lead to the fall of their noble magic lineage.
No matter how much the media spotlighted them, in the end, they were still young and inexperienced in the eyes of these onlookers.
Moreover, the entourage following behind them looked rather ridiculous.
As the murmurs of ridicule spread among the nobles, a crowd gathered at the entrance of the camp to greet the march.
"You've endured a long journey, Blue Lion."
It was Crown Prince Zeraitz, smiling brightly.
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]