The first day of training was over.
I looked down at the soldiers from the podium.
‘Why does every single one of them have a dazed expression?’
Among them, some soldiers looked like they were about to foam at the mouth, their eyes wild.
I glanced back slightly.
The Astra direct line family members stared at me with shameless expressions.
“Wasn’t that a bit too much?”
When I asked, the direct line members looked at me as if to say, What do you mean by that?
“We didn’t even do half of Astra’s training yet?”
At Adam’s puzzled words, the twin sisters Cara and Lizzy nodded vigorously.
“It was only about the level of the beginner training room!”
“Exactly that!”
Milan shrugged with a relaxed expression.
“Well, ordinary people probably can’t keep up with Astra’s training.”
Though the Western Army was said to be the worst among the imperial guards, they were also soldiers carefully selected to join.
The soldiers seemed furious that they were being called ordinary people.
Loreina sighed, crossing her arms.
“Overall, it’s pathetic. Not even keeping up with Armand’s speed—he’s the youngest of the Astra third generation.”
Christie, the cousin and Black Flame Dragon’s older sister, sighed while cupping her cheek with one hand.
“Even wearing heavy armor, they can’t block Lizzy’s attacks... How pitiful, so fragile.”
Christie moaned softly, pointing with the tip of her fan toward one side of the training ground.
There lay a huge pile of broken heavy armor.
‘Cara and Lizzy specialize in speed-focused assassination.’
In other words, compared to heavy armor soldiers, their physical strength is ridiculously weak.
Lizzy (the younger sister) is even physically weaker than Cara (the older sister).
That heavy armored tankers can’t block Lizzy’s attacks is a serious problem.
I furrowed my brows, and a heavy armor soldier, flustered, spoke up.
“T-there was a problem with the armor. Wherever Lizzy Astra threw a punch, it broke...!”
I sighed.
“Everything has a ‘center.’ If you strike the center of the body containing magical power, it’s natural for it to break.”
“N-natural?”
“Natural?”
“Are you saying it’s natural to break heavy armor in Astra?”
The soldiers gasped.
I frowned and just as I opened my mouth to say something, the Astra relatives spoke before me.
“The fool is the one who couldn’t dodge the attack.”
Loreina.
“It’s your fault.”
“You’re the one at fault!”
Cara and Lizzy.
“Making excuses after getting hit is pathetic.”
Milan.
“Idiot! What right does a tanker who couldn’t withstand the attack have to speak?”
Adam.
I looked at the soldier with cold eyes.
“...Fine.”
The soldiers gaped.
“B-but...!”
The Astra relatives shouted simultaneously.
“The one who got hit is at fault─!!”
It was grandfather’s doctrine.
“The one who got hit is at fault.”
Astra does not make excuses for defeat.
When we spoke with cold faces, the soldiers stammered.
“What on earth is Astra...”
“A m-monster...”
The soldiers turned pale.
At that moment, Liantin clapped her hands loudly.
“Well then, is it time to study now?”
“Now? The training just ended...”
“So what?”
Even after brutal training that feels like death, Astra always attends the next lesson.
Of course, it also serves as a review meeting.
Liantin said cheerfully,
“I’ll drill you until you can recite everything about the monsters that appear in the new imperial palace cemetery even in your sleep.”
Oh ho ho ho!
The soldiers, looking almost about to cry, followed her.
I watched from the podium as the soldiers chased after Liantin.
‘The aura has thinned.’
Even from afar, the chaotic aura that felt like they were shouting “I’m ~Nоvеlght~ here!” was now orderly.
Truly direct descendants.
‘Now, then...’
At that moment.
I felt an intense magical wave from somewhere.
The Astra blood relatives, sensitive to presence, all turned their gazes toward the training ground entrance.
“What, what is this wave?”
Adam muttered in a flustered voice, and Loreina chuckled dryly.
“Stronger than you at least, Adam.”
Milan, who looked bored all day, suddenly flashed in his eyes.
“This is interesting...”
The Astra relatives looked at the person entering the training ground.
More precisely, the one walking behind Selene.
‘Isez.’
─Him.
Cara and Lizzy asked with curious expressions.
“What happened?”
“What did you teach him?”
Selene smiled lightly and looked back at Isez.
“All I taught was how to manipulate magic power.”
“Lies! He’s changed!”
“Exactly that!”
Selene raised her eyebrows and answered.
“It’s true. His magic power was so strong he couldn’t properly use it, so I just taught him the correct way to handle it.”
The relatives murmured, “Ohh...”
‘For the word “powerful” to come from Selene’s mouth...’
Selene was born with immense magical power, one of the few exceptional since birth.
Compared to her, the others were always weaker, so she rarely praised anyone easily.
The only ones Selene praised for power were my father and Alexis.
‘Normally, if someone is that powerful, they would use a different way to manipulate magic.’
My father and Selene had personal tutors assigned in Astra.
I had Alexis teach Kali.
Other outstanding knights were judged as “elite troops” from the start and received advanced training.
‘Isez was a commoner, so he probably had nowhere to learn.’
Self-study was his only option.
And during self-study, he learned the “wrong method” of manipulation.
Unable to properly use magic power, the imperial palace classified him as a weak knight.
Because of that, he had never had a proper chance to learn.
‘And thanks to Selene’s instruction, his abilities blossomed...’
Selene smiled gently and said,
“Congratulations, Erilot.”
“...”
“For acquiring the strongest sacred knight within the Imperial Guard.”
I slowly stepped down from the podium and approached him.
Isez’s gaze turned to me.
I said with a proud expression,
“Are you ready?”
Ready to crush this Western Army that ignored you.
Then.
Isez suddenly grabbed my wrist with a swift tug.
“...!”
Because of that, I stood on tiptoes and moved closer to him.
At that moment, all kinds of magical waves poured toward Isez.
Cara and Lizzy sisters threw magic-imbued daggers at his feet.
Adam also broke the podium railing with a crack and was carrying it on one shoulder.
Loreina’s arms and legs transformed instantly into a leopard form as she rushed toward us.
Milan’s chains of light blocked the space between me and Isez.
“This is amazing.”
Isez smirked and looked at the blood relatives behind my back.
The blood relatives’ bodies emitted black auras, wildly rippling like beasts.
Isez tapped his forehead against mine.
My body, exhausted from several sleepless nights, instantly recovered.
“You...”
“I’m ready.”
Inside Isez’s clear pupils reflected my wide-open eyes.
There was no longer any hesitation in his gaze.
As his magical power filled, a record opened in my mind like a book being unfolded.
Isez Karam
Blessing: Sacred Lineage
Converts magic power into sacred power and releases it externally. Can activate opponent’s cells and magic power.
‘That means he can buff blessings.’
My blessing received a buff, so I could see this information.
Amazing!
‘The applications are endless.’
He can activate magic to enhance soldiers’ abilities and activate cells to heal.
In other words, he can be a healer.
If he supports magic troops, he could create powerful barriers.
I smiled gently.
“Yes.”
I was starting to look forward to the ghoul extermination.
I returned to the mansion with my cousins.
Balzac frowned the moment he saw the cousins and said, “Ugh.”
“What’s with you guys?”
Liantin frowned.
“We were invited, you know?!”
Cara and Lizzy sisters stuck close to each other and pouted.
“Rude to guests.”
“Rude.”
Balzac squinted his eyes and flinched, hiding behind me.
Joshua lightly hit the back of Balzac’s head with the book he was holding.
“Erilot asked us to come up, so at least this time, mind your manners.”
“Why come here when Uncle Grimy has a mansion? Huh? Why come to the second count’s mansion?”
Loreina said lazily, passing by Balzac.
“Uncle said he can’t receive outside guests because he has a schedule.”
“Why do outside guests have to come now of all times?”
Balzac clicked his tongue.
During this, I exchanged glances with Mikellan, our mansion’s head steward.
“Should we investigate?”
. “Yes. There might be a big shot here who mustn’t be caught by the direct line.”
“Yes.”
Mikellan nodded with a cold expression.
But when he turned his head toward the blood relatives, his expression softened again.
“I prepared a small party for the guests. Let’s eat in the dining room.”
“What a sharp old man. Ha ha! I like that. How about coming to our jurisdiction next time?”
Adam laughed heartily, but Mikellan dodged the answer with a smile.
After the blood relatives entered the dining room, I went upstairs to my room.
My dedicated maids, Heidi and Betty, smiled brightly as they took my coat.
“How was today?”
“I’m sad because you came home late!”
I answered while washing my hands in the basin prepared by the maids.
“It can’t be helped until the year-end festival is over. Dad even extended the curfew.”
“Any news?”
“Yes.”
Heidi took out a bundle of letters from the nightstand.
I glanced at the door and asked,
“How about Dad and my older brothers?”
“You don’t know. As you said, we secretly collected letters addressed to you from the post office.”
“Well done.”
Heidi and Betty looked pleased as if purring like full cats.
I sent them out and opened the letters.
‘Harrod’s letter (deputy commander of Egritz Army).’
I had ordered Harrod to find several elite troops and monster eggs in Egritz.
It seemed Harrod found quite a few eggs.
Good, I need to write a letter.
I took out parchment and started writing.
‘We need to hatch them in the mansion... discreetly... to the Imperial Capital... yes, done.’
Then I checked other letters.
Most were from Egritz soldiers dispatched to various places to gather information.
But...
“What is this?”
No Egritz seal, no recipient’s name.
I thought it might be a cursed letter, so I checked it with a magic tool, but there was nothing.
I tilted my head and opened the letter.
‘Hmm?’
I frowned after reading its contents.
Several days passed like that.
Finally, the eve of the year-end festival began.
The night before the ghoul extermination.
In Silin’s room of the Chateaubriand mansion, a secretive voice was heard.
“Is everything ready?”
Silin asked, and a man concealed in the darkness answered.
“Don’t worry. The young lady will get what she wants.”
“This is the first time you’ve dealt with the . I have high expectations as I’ve heard good rumors.”
Guild .
No one knows where they started or who the members are.
A few years ago, they appeared in the Imperial Capital and began secret dealings only with the highest class.
Zero percent failure rate.
They perfectly execute even seemingly impossible missions.
“Make sure Erilot Astra can’t participate in tomorrow’s extermination. If necessary, use some violent methods.”
Silin’s lips twisted arrogantly.
“Whatever you desire.”
The Western Army’s growth was abnormal.
They even used the blood relatives of our clan, who are the best among minors, so it was understandable.
Of course, they couldn’t surpass the central army in a few days...
‘It’s best to get rid of dangerous elements beforehand.’
We shall see.
I will witness that arrogant face turn pale with my own eyes.
I groaned softly.
‘I’m going to die.’
Is the eve always this hard?
The year-end festival is one of the biggest events held by the Imperial Palace.
Even the eve of that festival boasts a tremendous scale.
“Countess Erilot Astra!”
“Hello, Miss Erilot! Long time no see.”
“Oh my, the Western Army’s finest is such a lovely lady.”
I was busy greeting nobles here and there.
And...
“I am Adam Astra!”
“Nice to meet you, Duke Imond. Milan Astra.”
“I’m Loreina Astra.”
My cousins were just as busy.
Han Ji-hyuk, who stood by my side, said,
“You’re excited.”
“The third generation rarely gets to come to such festivals.”
“Because of your grandfather.”
“Yeah.”
I sighed and looked around.
‘This won’t do.’
Too many people.
On top of that, I had stayed up several nights because of the ghoul extermination.
‘If Isez hadn’t buffed me a few days ago, I would have collapsed.’
I handed juice to Han Ji-hyuk.
“I’ll be resting, so call me if the Empress comes.”
“You’re trying to escape.”
“Save me.”
“Whatever.”
I quietly left the party hall.
‘I should go somewhere with fewer people.’
The first lounge would be noisy, so I decided to go deeper inside...
Into the darkness.
When I reached a place with few people,
Whoosh!
A strange wind blew from somewhere.
“...What’s that?”