Chapter 284: Chapter 4. The Promise
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When the Holy Knight named Dreyfus swung his longsword down, Cyd knew things were about to get bad. Under the sweltering sun, he was now approaching his most powerful state. Dreyfus strike came crashing down like a mountain, and Cyd's long-dormant instincts, stirred by the fierce wind, awakened like a sleeping tiger.
Cyd's lowered left hand twitched slightly, a simple motion that made Dreyfus narrow his eyes. A surge of deadly danger rushed toward him, yet he continued to strike without hesitation.
Boom—!
The ground seemed to be hit by a meteor, leaving a massive crater, but it lasted only for an instant before a spiraling force gouged it out entirely. A transparent vortex formed purely from power drilled through Dreyfus's body like a drill.
Dreyfus looked down at his chest. A finger was only a few millimeters from his heart, and spiral-like cracks were spreading outward from where the finger touched.
That finger had stopped right before his sword made contact with Cyd's body. Even so, Dreyfus hadn't hesitated to strike.
His will, like his magical power, was unyielding. As long as his resolve remained firm, his sword could pierce through anything, and his body could withstand any attack. His will would never be tainted by evil. But...
Crack—!
His once-impenetrable armor shattered into pieces on the ground, leaving Dreyfus' muscular torso exposed. He looked toward the sky behind him, where a swirling pattern had carved through the thick clouds.
"It seems... I've lost."
Dreyfus sheathed his sword, admitting defeat. His body couldn't endure the destructive power of Cyd's finger, and his sword couldn't pierce the white-haired youth standing before him. The sheer world-shaking force Cyd commanded made him seem almost immortal.
"Your Majesty, I believe Cyd has the strength and virtue to become the Great Holy Knight. All he lacks is the necessary achievements." Despite Cyd's great power, he had lived as an ordinary traveler, which might explain why Bartra sought to recruit him. As for his character, Dreyfus couldn't imagine someone so free-spirited and noble turning to evil.
Cyd let out a sigh of relief, not because he was recognized by Dreyfus, but because Dreyfus was unharmed. His natural reflex upon touching an enemy was to destroy the part he made contact with, and he had nearly turned Dreyfus into as many shattered pieces as his armor.
"In truth, I'm not merely recruiting for the sake of recruitment," Bartra stroked his beard, his eyes as deep as the future they could foresee. He slowly spoke the words that had filled the entire continent with unease.
"The Holy War."
An ancient prophecy from Britannia foretold that when a meteor sliced through the sky in the shape of a cross, Britannia's greatest threat would descend. This was a trial of fate established long ago—the Holy War between the Guiders of Light and the Blood of Darkness.
Dreyfus's eyes sharpened. If this was about the Holy War, then as many powerful Holy Knights as possible were needed.
"So, Your Majesty is preparing for the Holy War?"
"No. I am seeking to avoid it."
"Huh?" Dreyfus was stunned. Though not a mere brute fixated on combat, his first thought had been to face the Holy War head-on and emerge victorious.
But Bartra wanted to avoid it. From the perspective of protecting the people, this was the best option. War brought casualties and losses. With his magical power of "Clairvoyance," Bartra could completely avoid war, cutting off any triggers before they happened.
As a knight sworn to protect the kingdom, avoiding war was naturally the best outcome. But... without war, what would Holy Knights exist for?
"Cyd, I hope you can help me avoid the Holy War foretold in the ancient prophecy."
Bartra walked up to Cyd.
"I sense that you don't particularly like war. So, will you help me avoid all conflicts, ensuring peace for this kingdom until you find what you're searching for?"
"Sure," Cyd replied casually, shrugging. "As long as I can bring someone along with me, right?"
Bartra tilted his head toward the tree where Cyd had previously been lying. There, a petite girl in a black robe was peeking out from behind the tree, half of her face showing.
"Is she family? That's fine. The salary for the Great Holy Knight should be more than enough to support many people."
"Let me just say, I have no interest in holding the position of the Great Holy Knight," Cyd replied as he released his grip, returning to the tree. He hefted the [Reforged Pandora] and cradled Medusa in his arms. "That position's too troublesome, and I'm not cut out for it."
"Really? I have a feeling you'll become the next Great Holy Knight soon. How can I put it?" Bartra rubbed his brow, struggling to find the right words before offering the least reliable explanation.
"A gut feeling. You'll become incredibly noble."
The blessing of Queen Hera ensured that wherever Cyd went, he would gradually and invisibly ascend to nobility.
"That's something I didn't consider," Cyd muttered, his eye twitching. In this world where blessings could take physical form, he wouldn't be surprised if he accidentally stumbled into rebellion and became king. That would be the death of him.
"Your Majesty..."
"You don't need to address me like that. You're my guest, so just call me by my name," Bartra said, his informal behavior perhaps explaining why he commanded such respect. His unpretentious actions naturally earned others' trust.
"Alright then, Bartra. Let me ask you about the current state of the Kingdom of Liones." Cyd swallowed the words, "For the kingdom's safety, maybe you should exile me to the frontier," and instead asked, "You're not naive enough to think avoiding war means not preparing for it at all, are you?"
"Exactly. Avoiding the Holy War is also part of the prophecy. While my 'Clairvoyance' can help us avoid the triggers for war, perhaps avoiding those triggers is what leads to the war itself. Fate is unpredictable."
"So?"
"I intend to form the strongest knight order in the world to fight against the enemies in the Holy War. Though it contradicts the promise I just made, I..." Bartra, with a sincere expression, extended his hand toward Cyd. "Will you help me create such an order? This world needs heroes."
"Heroes, huh? That title's always a headache," Cyd muttered.
He had just recently shaken off the burden of being called a hero and passed that responsibility on to someone else, and now here it was again.
"I'm no hero. I'm just doing what's easy for me."
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