Chapter 222: Curse of the Great Knight [1]

Chapter 221

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Episode 56 - Curse of the Great Knight [1]

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"Oh, hello, sir. Are you my Guardian Knight?"

"Yes, I am."

"I heard Dad say that people call you the Knight of Honor."

"Yes, that’s true. That’s me."

"Hahaha, that’s a funny name, sir."

"If you think it’s funny, then it’s funny. Ah, and you may call me Sir Raon."

"Okay, Sir Raon."

It had been some time ago. Back then, Raon met the little girl who would be placed under his protection.

As a Guardian Knight, he bore an honorable title granted only to those who were more than qualified.

They were strong enough to carry that title.

They were more than worthy of swearing loyalty to the heirs of the nobility.

During the Dark Era, the heirs of countless noble families lived under constant threat.

Whether from monsters, humans, or villains, any danger was considered a serious threat.

That was why the title of Guardian Knight had been created.

It was not merely a title.

To Raon, it was a dream he had always aspired to fulfill.

Because his master had once been a Guardian Knight.

Raon admired him deeply. He followed him everywhere, learned everything from him, and, above all, strove to uphold his virtues.

He was someone Raon respected with all his heart; however, all human relationships eventually come to an end.

After his master died, Raon, who had been raised by him, continued to follow his teachings.

For years, Raon walked a path similar to his master’s. However, his master had always told him that he needed to find his own path.

Never pursue the same path as everyone else.

Raon always remembered those words, even when he accomplished feats similar to those his master had achieved in the past.

He did not do those things simply to fulfill his dream; he did them because that was who he was and because that was how he had been raised.

He walked a path that he believed was truly his own.

Then, one day, while passing through an area, he came across a horde of demons.

They had massacred an entire noble family, and by the time he arrived, the only survivor he found was a child hiding.

Raon remembered the day his master had taken him in years ago, and he saw himself reflected in the boy who had just lost his entire family.

From that day on, from the moment Raon took the boy in among those ruins, the child followed him everywhere, and a few years later...

He finally received the title of Guardian Knight.

And now, standing before him, was the little girl to whom he had sworn his loyalty.

The one he had vowed to protect until the day he died.

It had not been a forced decision, nor one driven by the pursuit of his dream.

It was a decision he had made of his own free will.

"Sir Raon, can we go outside? I’m bored."

"Of course, young miss. Where would you like to go?"

"Umm... to the ice cream shop... No, a dessert shop would be better. Mom likes desserts."

"Then we’ll bring some back for your mother as well."

"Yay! Then let’s hurry."

Even though she was only around ten years old,

she was already known as a future prodigy. She possessed an extraordinary memory, capable of recalling even the smallest detail of anything she was told.

She read books far too complex for someone her age and grasped the principles of magic with remarkable ease.

’Once she awakens, people believe she will become a Mage.’

Raon, who had spent so much time with Vilenia and watched her grow up firsthand, could also say that she possessed all the qualities needed to become a great Mage.

The days, weeks, and months passed quickly, even though the sky had always been black.

The girl to whom he had sworn his loyalty always wore a smile.

’I would be happy if everything could stay like this forever.’

Raon was more than satisfied with his life. There was no reason to abandon everything and live quietly in a cabin deep within a forest.

He had always known that pursuing his dream was his greatest happiness.

However, sooner or later, war reached the Kingdom.

And when he returned from the battlefield, Raon realized that nothing was right.

From the day assassins broke into the mansion, they had been forced to leave.

’What happened to the Viscount and his wife?’

’Why did they send assassins?’

’What is going on with the sudden halt in the war?’

’Why are things becoming so strange right after my return?’

’Something isn’t right.’

’I am considered one of the three strongest knights in this Kingdom. As long as I remain by the young miss’s side, nothing should happen to her.’

After they left the mansion and headed to the summer estate owned by Vilenia’s parents, not far from the Royal Capital,

Raon waited to receive some news from them.

He had sent them letters informing them that assassins had invaded the mansion where they had been staying.

He also told them that they had relocated to the summer estate.

However, weeks passed, and no reply ever came.

But then, suddenly and for some reason,

Raon began to feel strange.

His body was growing weaker and weaker, although the change was almost imperceptible.

Of course, it wasn’t much, and his overall strength remained almost exactly the same.

So, at first, he thought it was because he was being overly vigilant.

Ever since the assassins had invaded the mansion, he hadn’t slept, fearing that the same scene would happen again.

Knock! Knock!

Raon raised his head and looked toward the door.

"You may come in, Young Miss."

The door slowly opened, and a little girl appeared.

Vilenia looked at Raon and asked in a worried tone,

"Sir, are you really alright? You’ve had a terrible cough these past few days."

Raon smiled.

"Not at all. I might feel a little tired, but that’s all. As for the cough, well, it’s really not a big deal."

However, deep down, he knew something was wrong with his body.

He was a Seven-Star Awakened, and ordinary illnesses simply couldn’t affect him.

Perhaps some side effect or a violent mana backlash could have caused damage to his body.

But until a few days ago, he had been perfectly fine.

"Liar."

Vilenia puffed out her cheeks as she walked out of the room.

Raon watched her leave in surprise, as it was the first time he had ever seen her angry.

But he didn’t want to appear weak.

Not when he was her Guardian Knight. Showing weakness meant he didn’t deserve to be her Guardian Knight.

Raon let out a sigh, but then a voice came from the doorway.

"The Young Miss isn’t naïve, Sir Raon."

Looking up, Raon saw Teresa, Vilenia’s maid.

Raon smiled faintly and replied,

"I know, and I’m fully aware of that."

"But it is certainly strange for a Seven-Star Awakened to be half-sick, although it’s a good thing that your strength hasn’t declined in the slightest."

Raon clenched his fist and asked,

"Do you think it’s poison...? The food prepared by the servants has been a little... different from usual."

"It was them."

Raon looked at Teresa in surprise and asked,

"And what did you do to them?"

"Of course, I killed them. In the process, I discovered that most of the maids had been replaced by people disguised as the originals."

"That means the real maids died long ago, and those people were merely impersonating them."

"Yes, and fortunately—or unfortunately—you were the only one who was given a poison whose name I don’t know."

Raon nodded before letting out a sigh of relief.

He didn’t care what happened to him, but he couldn’t allow Vilenia or the others to be poisoned.

Even so, Raon still couldn’t understand who was trying to kill them.

At first, he thought it was the enemy kingdom, but when Teresa went out to investigate...

She discovered that the leaders of the other Knight Orders, those with whom Raon had never formed any relationship, had not suffered any attacks.

Meanwhile, those who had been connected to him had all been targeted by assassins.

’In the end, someone is after me and everyone close to me.’

But he still didn’t know why.

’Besides, what happened to the Viscount and his wife...?’

He had immediately ruled out the possibility that the Viscount was trying to kill him.

Raon knew the Viscount well enough, and the Viscount had even allowed him to become the Guardian Knight of his only daughter.

He had no reason to kill Raon.

’It’s been almost five months without any news from him, and the war has been at a standstill for the past two months.’

Lost in thought, Raon was about to say something to Teresa when...

"Cough...!"

He covered his mouth with his hand as a violent coughing fit overtook him.

Then he looked at his palm and noticed several drops of blood.

"...."

"I’ll try to find out the name of the poison and see if there’s an antidote."

Raon nodded.

"Alright."

"Then I’ll take my leave."

Teresa left shortly afterward, leaving Raon’s room in silence.

He looked out the window. Outside was a vast garden, and beyond it stretched a forest blanketed with fallen leaves.

The sky, as always, was black with a faint white mark.

That meant it was night, and the moon had risen.

Raon gazed outside for a moment before lying down on the bed.

’I hope nothing bad happens.’

However, things never went as hoped.

The following day, a messenger from the king arrived to deliver a decree to Raon.

"From this moment onward, Raon Rosenberg is stripped of the title of Guardian Knight, and by the king’s decree, disobeying this order shall be considered an act of defiance. Therefore, he shall be deemed a criminal and executed in accordance with the Laws of the Kingdom of Valroa."

"You are hereby stripped of your accomplishments, your previous titles, and your position as Guardian Knight."