I Became a Dark Knight the Empress Is Obsessed With

196 – Side Story: Afternoon in Freesia – (5)

Thus began the journey to the land of beasts.

The advance party including Hilda went ahead, and Millia and her party followed behind.

Anyway, the administrator said that it would be a long journey that would take at least a week, so it didn’t really matter who went first.

Let’s wait a moment. The gate of the great ice wall located at the northernmost point of Eisenward opened and the drawbridge slowly lowered.

“Let’s go!”

Led by the energetically shouting knight, a crowd of people wearing thick winter clothing marches out.

The sight, which was supposed to be magnificent, also looked like a herd of wild animals crossing a river.

The weather was very clear, as if celebrating the start of the journey. Milia stopped walking involuntarily, looking at the northernmost scenery stretching out to the end of the horizon.

What unfolded before her eyes was a pure white landscape that perfectly fit the description of a snowy country. Merta ran with her eyes sparkling, as if she was amazed at the snow that crunched under her every step.

“Hahaha! It’s snow! Snow!”

But soon the wind began to blow.

Hooo!

“Ugh, euuheuuk!”

A sharp, biting wind blew.

Merta stepped back in horror.

“Assistant Professor Merta, you’d better fasten your clothes properly. Otherwise, you might just freeze to death.”

“Ah, hahaha. Yes, that really is true.”

Although it is still early winter, this is the coldest area in Eisenward. Even the locals, accustomed to the cold, do not venture into the forest in winter.

“But is Sir Fried okay?”

“huh?”

Milia spoke to the sturdy man walking ahead with a fresh expression.

In fact, Fried wasn’t even wearing a single proper winter coat.

I knew he had a strong body, but I didn’t think he would be able to withstand the bitter cold of winter.

But Fried smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.

“… … Well, that’s a bit complicated. For one reason or another, my body has become unable to feel the cold.”

“That can’t be… … .”

“Yeah. Because I received Emma’s blood. I’m weak to heat, but strong to cold.”

Millia also heard the story of Fried becoming a blood relative during the attack on the sect. She also heard rumors that the Empress was seeking a way to cure the national crisis by borrowing the power of the entire empire.

But does that mean that it hasn’t been cured even after two years?

“Because the blood was so strong, there was nothing I could do.”

“Because it was the blood of the founder.”

“that’s right.”

Emma, ​​the progenitor of the bloodline.

She lost her life after transferring all her power to Fried during the attack of the sect. It is said that a monument honoring Emma was erected in the mausoleum, which must have been an extraordinary treatment for someone who was once a public enemy of the empire.

“Well, it’s not that uncomfortable. Aside from the problem of having to constantly take in blood, my senses and physical abilities have become stronger, and my resilience has improved.”

“Hmm… … .”

“What if you want to become a blood relative too?”

As Milia’s expression hardened, Fried waved his hand.

“No, I’m just kidding. First of all, me too… … .”

That was the moment.

――Keeeeeeeek!

A tearing cry shook the forest.

The source of the sound was right inside the lush bushes.

Millia’s ears accurately discerned the direction and prepared to respond.

But there was someone who acted faster than her.

Sling.

The moment Millia turned her head, a silver blade had already popped out from the scabbard tied to Fried’s waist.

And without hesitation, he threw Ernst, who was filled with mana.

Paaak!

Pervert!

The precisely placed sword oxidized the bushes and only stopped destroying several nearby trees after it had been knocked down.

Both the leaders who were ahead and the ones who were following behind were silent.

The destructive power is overwhelming for a simple sword.

Moreover, the precision of his swordsmanship was so exquisite that it astonished even the most seasoned imperial knights.

“Wow, you are truly amazing!”

It was the knight leading the way who broke the silence.

“This, this is the power of a Guardian Knight, no, the best knight of the Empire! I, Riana, am so touched――.”

“Be quiet. It’s not over yet.”

The moment the knight with her horse’s tail cut off tilted her head, a huge shadow emerged from the cut bushes.

It was a wolf.

No, it was closer to a demon in the shape of a wolf than a wolf.

Claws the size of a child’s body and thick, strong legs like the pillars of an old tree. A long, slit mouth with dozens of fangs visible through it. And finally, blazing eyes.

The monster was gushing blood like a waterfall from its exposed bone wounds, but its momentum showed no sign of abating.

“Ma, Ma-su!”

A voice full of astonishment flowed out.

Demon. A monster found only in a very small number of areas on the continent.

Unlike normal wild beasts, its entire body was deformed and twisted due to the power of mana.

Even a knight who could do one man’s share had to be fully prepared and tense to face the demon, a formidable opponent.

however.

Fried slowly raised his hand.

Then he lifted his index finger and pointed to the ribs clearly visible between the wounds on the demon’s body.

Finally, he clenched his fist――.

Break!

With a dull thud, dozens of bloody awls shot out from inside the demon’s body.

That was the end of it.

thud.

It was the sound of the demon’s huge body collapsing.

“… … .”

Everyone was speechless as they watched the giant beast fall without even uttering a single cry.

Regardless, Fried frowned and licked the blood off his face.

“… … Phew. You dirty piece of shit.”

And he clicked his tongue as if he had tasted something he had never seen before.

“Blood magic… … .”

One of the apprentice magicians under the Black Tower Lord opened his mouth with a trembling voice.

A school of magic that uses blood, known as ancient sorcery.

It was a serious crime that could have resulted in the death penalty if it was discovered that he was researching it, but Fried didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it.

Maybe it was natural.

Who else but Empress Lincia Airn can judge him?

That was the current status of the national secretary, Fried Iscobal.

“Gulp.”

Millia realized anew how much she was looking down on her opponent.

“You are so cool!”

“Assistant Professor Merta, please read the mood… … .”

However, Merta was jumping around while looking at Fried’s back.

*

After that, he encountered the demon several times, but each time, Fried’s lightning-quick sword strike split the demon in two.

The knight Rihanna was busy flattering him with all sorts of flattery, while Fried just nodded with an annoyed look on his face.

The wizards seemed to be both afraid and intrigued by the sorcery known as blood magic, and they only watched Fried’s fingertips, but he never used blood magic again.

Merta asked the reason in a subtle way.

“I can’t just bite the back of someone’s neck here just to make them bleed.”

He gave a very common-sensical answer.

Anyway, thanks to his efforts, we were able to proceed without much damage.

There were still two days left until the Land of the Beasts, but the concentration of mana could already be felt.

So, as it began to get dark, we decided to stop marching and camp.

We tried to light a bonfire, but the weather made it difficult to light.

“Just leave it to me!”

Merta used her spirit magic to summon a nearby fire spirit, and soon a warm glow enveloped the campsite.

“After all, spirit magic is a fraud.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Fried muttered as he watched this.

Looking at the wind spirit floating in the sky, Milia also expressed her agreement.

“By the way, you’ve gotten a lot stronger.”

After a while, while they were huddled together in front of the fire spirit and warming themselves by the fire, Millia asked casually.

“Well… … In the end, there’s nothing left to do in the palace except training. And Eina Kyung is so enthusiastic about teaching me.”

“There are no more enemies for the Empire, are there?”

“You have to prepare for all variables.”

“You are right.”

Milia rubbed her hands together, feeling the warmth.

My hands were numb, perhaps because I had been exposed to the freezing cold all day.

It would have been okay if she had been surrounded by mana, but the current Milia was unable to store mana in her danjeon, and even the circuits throughout her entire body were a mess. The current Milia was practically no different from an ordinary person with only a trained body.

Fried’s expression hardened as he looked at the sight.

“Is that why you want to save Manwolhwa?”

“… … To be honest, yes.”

Although he told Seira that he wasn’t interested, the Manwolhwa was Milia’s only escape.

“No matter what, I want to do at least one person’s share.”

Millia’s condition could not be described simply as having lost her danjeon.

The largest piece of the human being that makes up Millia Liantour has been torn off.

That’s been holding me back for two years.

I tried not to show it, but I had no choice but to be honest in front of Fried.

“……ha.”

My sister was right.

She is such an easy woman.

“It’s a pity.”

Fried put a hand on her shoulder and said, but Millia shook her head.

“No. I have no regrets. I just did what I had to do.”

“… … .”

“Even Sir Fried took the risk of becoming a blood relative. To me, it was simply a risk of losing mana.”

As Millia shrugged her shoulders, Fried smiled bitterly.

“As expected, Millia, you are strong-willed.”

“… … .”

“In that respect, I emulate you. Your uprightness and righteousness.”

“You’ve developed a new work commentary that I’ve never seen before.”

“… … Haha. Does that sound right?”

Fried chuckled.

It wasn’t a very bad feeling.

“Should I just sleep now?”

As she said that, Milia got up from her seat and took out the bundle she had packed.

Then suddenly my foot slipped on the snow.

Swish.

The strap of the bundle he was carrying came loose and its contents spilled out.

“… … .”

And Fried’s gaze was fixed on the poured luggage.

A streamlined sword with two halves.

It was a fragment of the Runesword that Millia had cherished and brought all the way to Eisenward.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Millia looked at Fried, who was just staring at the shattered shards of the Runesword.

It was so embarrassing that she couldn’t stand it, so Milia hurriedly packed up her stuff.

Fried opened his mouth.

“You still have it.”

“Ah, no, this is… … .”

I was wondering what to say in response, but I couldn’t think of a good excuse.

“I’m just keeping it because I feel bad about it! My sister said that if I melted it down and sold it, I could get the money to buy a house! It’s too much!”

What eventually came out of her mouth was something a child would say when throwing a tantrum.

“… … .”

“… … Ah, ahhh… … .”

Silence again.

Milia felt shame rising to the very tip of her head.