Chapter 128

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His vision wavered, and he stumbled.

Helia caught him before he fell. But as he met her gaze, an unsettling feeling washed over him.

He couldn’t understand why he felt this way about Helia.

The strange memory fragment lingered, replaying in his mind as if someone was forcing it upon him.

His expression darkened.

Helia, supporting him, noticed the change.

“Teacher, are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“I’m glad to hear that, but…”

“I’m alright now. Let me go.”

Hans instinctively pulled away from Helia, needing space.

Helia, though slightly hurt, released him.

Seeing her obediently step back, a pang of guilt struck him.

‘Am I overreacting? Am I hurting her?’

But the thought vanished as he saw the kingdom’s soldiers approaching with the rest of the Royal Knights.

He stared blankly, then spoke.

“What’s going on?”

“As you commanded, we’ve eliminated all the monsters outside, alongside the kingdom’s forces.”

“?”

“This fortress is ours now, Commander.”

While Hans had been fighting Ares, the remaining Royal Knights had joined the kingdom’s army.

Already at an advantage, the kingdom’s forces, bolstered by their arrival, had quickly overwhelmed the remaining monsters.

The soldiers, standing in formation, looked at Hans expectantly.

It was unnerving.

He instinctively averted his gaze, but there was no escape. The other unit members were also looking at him.

He finally understood what they wanted.

‘A victory declaration? From me?’

A victory declaration was a formal announcement of their triumph. It was more important than it seemed.

Until the commander declared victory, the soldiers couldn’t be certain.

Moreover, the commander’s declaration could significantly impact morale.

Hans, who loathed being the center of attention, turned to Melissa.

“Melissa, why don’t you make the declaration?”

“What?”

“You were the one who led the soldiers.”

“…But…”

“Don’t dismiss your accomplishments.”

Hans had simply wanted to avoid the spotlight, but Melissa was shocked.

Objectively, the Royal Knights had been the key to this victory.

She had been confident at first.

The kingdom’s elite soldiers, well-trained and equipped, along with the Royal Guard… she had even thought they didn’t need the Royal Knights.

But the reality of facing a blood demon had been different. Numbers and training had meant nothing.

If the Royal Knights hadn’t infiltrated the fortress and dealt with the Mud Guardian…

They wouldn’t have won so easily. Even if they had managed to win, the casualties would have been immense.

Yet, he was offering her the credit.

‘Why are you doing this?’

🚨 Important Notice 🚨

); }

Melissa couldn’t understand.

Wasn’t it normal to exaggerate one’s accomplishments? But she quickly found the answer in Hans’s eyes.

He was the Commander of the Royal Knights, the one who mediated between the races, the one who had even earned the orcs’ respect.

Could he be unaware of the potential friction between the Royal Knights and the Royal Guard?

Of course not.

He knew.

Yet, he chose to offer her the credit.

It wasn’t mockery.

He was looking at the bigger picture, something beyond this battle.

‘He genuinely wants to defeat the demons.’

Hans was looking ahead, towards a future where the continent was free from monsters and demons.

A treasure humans had once enjoyed but now forgotten.

The treasure of freedom.

That’s why he was giving up the credit for this battle, to maintain amicable relations. He didn’t care about personal glory.

Shame washed over Melissa.

‘Why did I become a knight?’ ‘

Wasn’t it to protect the helpless and fight the kingdom’s enemies?’ But what about now?

‘I was blinded by jealousy and forgot the greater good.’

Disheartened by the grim reality, she had become complacent, envious of those who surpassed her.

That was Melissa, and many other so-called heroes of this era.

“Thank you, Sir Hans. But I cannot make the declaration.”

“Why not?”

“I am not worthy.”

“Not worthy?”

“Indeed. So, I ask you, Sir Hans.”

Melissa lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.

She was ashamed as a fellow knight. But it was alright. She could redeem herself.

‘What the hell is wrong with her? Seriously…’

Hans, oblivious to Melissa’s inner turmoil, cursed inwardly.

He had thought it was most fitting for Melissa, the Captain of the Royal Guard, to make the declaration.

But she had suddenly had an epiphany and insisted he do it. Resigned to his fate, Hans thought for a moment, then raised his sword.

“We are victorious!!!!”

[Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!]

A short, simple declaration.

But its effect was profound.

The soldiers roared, their cheers echoing as if to announce their victory to the entire continent.

News of the victory spread quickly throughout the kingdom.

The King, confident of their success, had already planned the next stage, to solidify their position by publicizing the victory and then proceed with his next plan.

He immediately dispatched soldiers and engineers to repair the fortress and station troops there.

Simultaneously, the weakening barrier protecting the Holy Empires was reinforced.

This was the first victory and territorial gain in nearly a hundred years since the demon invasion. The news galvanized the other races.

The Human Kingdom had been the most weakened nation and race, unable to even produce a proper Royal Knight, looked down upon for their past actions.

Yet, they had been the first to reclaim territory and reinforce the barrier. The other races couldn’t help but be affected.

Greed also played a part.

‘Isn’t this our chance to reclaim our lost lands?’

‘If this works out…’

‘We can do it too!’

The desire to reclaim their former territories was shared by all races. The Royal Knights’ reckless expedition had been driven by this desire.

While it had ultimately failed…

The frozen ambition now thawed, burning brightly once more. And at the center of this ambition were the Royal Knights.

Hans hadn’t anticipated it, but he had effectively demonstrated the immense risk of expeditions without the Royal Knights.

Their value had skyrocketed.

This meant their influence would grow significantly.

While it could lead to the Royal Knights becoming more involved in national politics, the immediate threat took precedence.

There were more pressing matters than worrying about an uncertain future.

As the other races’ reliance on the Royal Knights intensified, Hans remained at the fortress.

“I didn’t expect the King to come here in person.”

“He said the royal treasure is here.”

“That’s right.”

Hans nodded.

A royal treasure of the Human Kingdom was hidden within Ares’ Bridge. A treasure created by the first King to protect his people.

While scattered now, if they could find and utilize it, they could gain an advantage in the war against the demons.

The King looked around the fortress, then ran his hand along a wall in the courtyard.

The seemingly ordinary floor on the left side of the courtyard creaked open, revealing a stone door.

“It seems it’s hidden underground.”

“Yes, we couldn’t risk losing it.”

“Then put the treasure to good use.”

Hans turned away, leaving the rest to the King.

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[Translator Notes]