Chapter 046. Ruins (2)

"Are you really thinking of entering?"

"Of course. That's why I came all the way here, isn't it?"

"You might… no, we might be in danger."

"I don't care. Protecting you isn't that difficult."

Despite Veris's brazen demeanor, Beatrice felt her face flush.

Even in a situation where a crisis seemed imminent, he appeared remarkably relaxed. Yet for some reason, Beatrice thought that such a carefree attitude suited him well.

'No!'

Beatrice shook her head vigorously.

Hadn't she already made up her mind? Though she and he were bound under the name of betrothed… when evaluated coldly, Veris and she were merely acquaintances who knew each other's names and faces.

"Are you… strong?"

"Am I strong?"

"Gunther said that Veris, the power you possess would rank among the top three in the continent."

Upon hearing Beatrice's words, Veris chuckled.

He hadn't exactly lined up all the powerful figures across the continent, but it didn't seem entirely wrong.

This world was filled with strong beings, like the 'Knights of the Round Table' that the kingdom to the west boasted of, or the Demon Cult hiding deep in the abyss.

But the sad truth was that, unlike Veris, they would inevitably reach their limits in growth at some point.

Since acquiring the system, and furthermore the skill of passive mastery, Veris had been continuously growing. Seeing Beatrice, with her innocent face, asking again made him want to laugh.

"Yeah. I'm incredibly strong. I'd probably be able to match the Empire's greatest swordsman."

Beatrice's mouth fell open at his confident and arrogant tone.

Who was that swordsman? A commoner who had once roamed the battlefield with a single sword, who had gained noble status and then earned the title of count, the highest position one could achieve in that era.

The legendary battle that left a deep scar on the face of the famous swordsman is still talked about to this day…

'He can't be trying to become a frog in a well, can he?'

Beatrice stared blankly at Veris's back as he confidently approached the castle walls.

A student from the academy who evaluated himself as stronger than the swordsman. If that were true, she had thought about transferring to the academy to serve him instead of pursuing the Magic Tower.

* * *

Contrary to Beatrice's opinion that there was a high possibility of an unknown enemy being released from the seal, the inside of the castle was as silent as it had been in the past.

Standing in the midst of it, Veris was slightly frowning.

He felt something. Something that couldn't be detected even with his senses or by spreading mana was continuously scratching at Veris's nerves.

"Why are you like this?"

Noticing Veris's change, Beatrice asked, and he crossed his arms, looking around.

"It's strange."

"...What is?"

"I can feel something. But I don't know what it is."

Beatrice tilted her head at his sudden vague statement.

He felt something but didn't know what it was. A question about whether he was mistaken rose to her throat, but she barely managed to hold it back.

"There's something. It feels like a gaze watching us."

However, Beatrice couldn't help but feel tense at Veris's serious tone, which was different from usual.

This place was, quite literally, a space akin to an unknown world. If something was indeed watching them, it clearly meant that a very dangerous situation was approaching.

─Srrr!

After a brief silence, the iron sword meant for students, which was strapped to Veris's waist, was drawn. The sword, which students would break to the point of boredom during classes and training, was a poorly made item.

"Something is coming. Through the castle gate that we entered."

"Excuse me?"

Beatrice quickly turned her body. If Veris's words were true, did that mean something had been watching them from behind?

The place where Veris and Beatrice stood was a large plaza that one would reach by walking straight through the massive castle gate. There, they could see the tower from which Veris had once brought out a ring, but now something was trying to make contact with them without giving them a moment to breathe.

─Woooo.

Seeing Veris draw his sword, Beatrice also felt a small surge of tension and began to draw up her mana.

The mana responded to her will. Soon, the circle formed in her heart began to move, controlling the mana.

Clatter, clatter.

"...!"

Beatrice's eyes widened in surprise at the noise that soon followed.

It was a space where nothing was visible. Yet the sound that clearly reached her ears felt reminiscent of the footsteps of a quadrupedal animal, like a horse.

"A ghost riding a horse."

Beatrice shuddered at Veris's muttering voice.

Before coming down here, she had already witnessed numerous skeleton remains, evidence of necromancy. But the appearance of a being with even greater power meant that something truly serious was about to happen.

─Kyaaaah!

A sound akin to a woman's scream echoed, tearing through the space that had seemed to hold nothing.

And then, a faint emerald smoke suddenly appeared.

"Controlled by necromancy…"

The suddenly appearing smoke grew larger and then formed a being before them before vanishing.

Indeed, Beatrice's words were not wrong. What appeared before them was a knight clad in black armor, mounted on a horse.

"It's a Death Knight."

Beatrice's pupils trembled violently.

No matter how much she was hailed as a future archmage or an unparalleled magical genius, her current power was meager compared to those who were skilled and experienced.

Knowing that, she understood that the power possessed by that being was anything but ordinary. She had anticipated danger, but this was beyond her imagination.

"What will you do?"

"Excuse me?"

"It seems to want to fight."

At Veris's gesture, Beatrice turned her gaze to the Death Knight.

The black knight, with glowing blue eyes, which symbolized the undead, had already dismounted and stood before them. It provocatively beckoned with its finger towards Veris and Beatrice, and there was no need to ponder what that meant.

"Do you want to fight? Or should I?"

"Are you serious? You're thinking of fighting?"

Beatrice felt a laugh bubbling up at Veris's confident demeanor.

It was a Death Knight! Compared to the terrifying horrors like the liches created by legendary masters of necromancy, it might be lacking, but that being still possessed a power that could not be underestimated.

In this situation, retreating would be the right choice. The thought of fighting against that Death Knight had never even crossed Beatrice's mind.

As Veris slowly walked toward the Death Knight, Beatrice could only stare in disbelief.

From the moment she faced that man, she had been in a continuous state of surprise. Whether he was aware of her thoughts or not, Veris soon stood before the Death Knight, who had been sending a chilling gaze.

"Beatrice."

"Yes, yes…?"

"I've heard that the offering for a Death Knight is the body of a renowned knight."

"That's… true."

"Then does that mean this person was also a knight in the past?"

"...That would be the case."

To call a being clad in armor over a gaunt frame a person was a strange evaluation from Veris, but Beatrice nodded and answered.

"I see. How pitiful you were."

"..."

It was as if Veris was trying to initiate a conversation. Naturally, it was a scene that Beatrice found quite difficult to comprehend.

"A duel. I shall grant you eternal rest."

─Huh?

Did the Death Knight, which could be assumed to lack the auditory organs a human should possess, understand the meaning of Veris's words, which shone with intent?

It narrowed its eyes and made a bizarre sound. Even Beatrice, who knew that those who had become offerings for necromancy had no memories of their past lives, was taken aback by its reaction.

─Srrr!

And then, an astonishing sight unfolded.

Taking a few steps back, Veris gripped his sword with both hands, while the Death Knight, silently emitting blue light from its eyes, also took a few steps back and drew the large greatsword strapped to its back!

"What, what is this… I've never heard of a Death Knight with a will…"

Necromancy, a forbidden art. The fact that she had encountered a Death Knight, evidence of that, was truly something that could be recorded in history as a horrific and astonishing event. But to add to that, a Death Knight with thoughts?

Look at what they were doing now. They were engaging in a 'duel,' a behavior that one would expect from knights who called themselves honorable.

─Hoo! Kaka!

Whether Beatrice was thinking about that or not, Veris and the Death Knight clashed.

Just watching was enough to make her hands sweat from the overwhelming power of the Death Knight. Yet Veris, with his graceful movements, dodged or deflected all attacks, wearing a smile that seemed out of place in this situation.

"Impressive. It seems to be the best swordsman I've faced so far."

It was a sensation he had never felt even when facing the Sword Demon in the past.

The Sword Demon had a foolish combat style that projected its power recklessly.

To put it simply, it was like a child wielding a sword, striking with brute force rather than refined strength.

Because of that, the Sword Demon had never even grazed Veris.

From the very beginning, Veris had an extraordinary level of mana sensitivity, honed through practices of refining and layering mana since his crawling days, and he possessed a delicate combat style.

But to Veris, the swordsmanship displayed by the Death Knight was anything but ordinary.

It appeared to be swinging the greatsword with sheer brute force, but the depth of the technique contained within surpassed even Gunther, the genius swordsman of the Empire.

─Crash!

Eventually, things took a turn.

Veris had initially focused on merely clashing swords without pouring all his strength into it.

However, even without exerting all his power, Veris's 'normal strike,' which had already far surpassed human levels, sliced a chunk off the Death Knight's armor.

"Oh my god."

Beatrice couldn't help but exclaim in admiration at Veris's near-miraculous ability. She was well aware that since being with him, she had become unusually generous in expressing her emotions.

In her evaluation… that man was insane. Not in a bad way, but in a good way.