I Became a Mythical Knight King

Chapter 35: Pioneering (2)

[—–the fire of — shall — in the abyss—]

The content of the voice was still incomprehensible.

However, Yoo Seong instinctively felt it.

It was a woman’s voice.

Who could she be?

Could she also be related to Camelot?

Or was she perhaps an entity hostile to Camelot, like the Spider Queen?

‘By advancing the exploration, I can now discern gender.’

The voice became slightly clearer.

This implied that as the castle’s exploration progressed further, the identity of the voice might become clearer.

Yoo Seong looked at the building where he had carefully set Rene down.

The bright silver glow that had burst forth right after defeating the Spider Queen had turned into a soft light, now enveloping the entire building.

What lay inside?

The object was emitting that faint light.

“Rene, I’ll carry you for now.”

As Yoo Seong approached Rene, who was limp from expending all her magic and unable to even move a finger, he spoke. Rene, seemingly too drained to speak, only slightly moved her lips and eventually gave a small nod.

Yoo Seong chuckled at her state and securely carried her on his back.

“I’ll lead the way.”

Kate, who had been watching Yoo Seong carry Rene with a warm expression, took the lead, while Vanadain and Diana naturally took positions behind Yoo Seong to guard their surroundings.

It seemed they had instinctively arranged themselves into a formation.

Shortly after, the group entered the building.

The interior was easy to survey, thanks to the soft light spreading from within.

‘Is this some kind of precision workshop?’

Large, enigmatic machinery was lined up like an assembly line in what seemed like a warehouse. While it didn’t look like a blacksmith’s forge, it gave off a similar vibe.

And at the center of the building—

A pitch-black shield floated in midair, emitting a faint light.

Its height was about one meter.

It was a classic round shield design, approximately 60 centimeters in diameter—fairly large.

Engraved on its black surface was the emblem of a golden lion.

Rene stared blankly at the shield and Yoo Seong was no different.

Even though it was their first time seeing the shield, they both felt a strange ache in their hearts the moment they faced it.

What could it be?

Was it the aura of the Lady of the Lake emanating from the shield?

“The shield of Gareth.”

Kate’s words broke the silence.

When everyone, including Yoo Seong, turned to her, Kate blinked in surprise as if startled by her own words.

It seemed as though the name had spilled out of her the moment she saw the shield.

“Kate, do you recognize this shield?”

At Yoo Seong’s question, Kate opened and closed her lips a few times before eventually shaking her head.

“I don’t remember. But…Gareth. I think it’s Gareth’s shield.”

Yoo Seong turned to Vanadain and Diana.

Both of them were exhibiting reactions similar to Kate’s.

They didn’t remember, but they somehow knew this shield.

Its owner was Gareth.

“Gareth, a Knight of the Round Table.”

One of the twelve knights who guarded King Arthur.

Yoo Seong didn’t know much about him.

But as he faced the shield, he remembered the names of the Knights of the Round Table he had come across in Fantasy Monarch.

“Oh my. So this shield belongs to one of the Knights of the Round Table?”

Rene, who had somewhat regained her strength on the way there, expressed her amazement, albeit with a weak voice and pale face.

It was a relic of a Knight of the Round Table, after all.

In this world, the Knights of the Round Table were not only myth and legend but also history. It was natural to be awed by them, regardless of one’s strength.

‘Gareth’s shield.’

Why was a shield belonging to a Knight of the Round Table here?

Could this castle truly be a part of Camelot?

Taking a deep breath, Yoo Seong approached the shield and reached out his hand.

At that moment, Gareth’s shield shone brightly once more, as if it had found its rightful place, and flew directly to attach itself to Yoo Seong’s left arm.

[Shield of the Golden Lion]
Gareth’s shield, a relic of the Knights of the Round Table.
Used by Gareth, the younger brother of Agravain, it holds immense protective power.
It has the ability to return to its owner when dropped.

[Unique Skill: Golden Lion’s Barrier]
Deploys a golden barrier over the shield’s surface.
The higher the user’s virtue score, the larger and stronger the barrier becomes.

After reading the system text, Yoo Seong looked at the shield again.

Even though it was strapped to his arm, it was so light that it felt as though it weighed nothing, allowing him to move freely.

Yoo Seong carefully ran his hand over the shield’s surface.

In that instant, a man’s face appeared in his mind.

Despite his large and sturdy frame, his face was youthful.

It was the face of a brown-haired young man grinning like a mischievous boy.

‘Gareth.’

Agravain’s younger brother.

The Shield of the Round Table.

As his face faded away, Yoo Seong returned to the present and looked at the knights. He was startled to see a soft light emanating from the entire bodies of Kate, Vanadain, and Diana.

“Uh, sis?”

Rene called out in surprise, but Kate didn’t answer.

She merely stood with her eyes closed and a serene expression on her face.

Instead of disturbing the knights, Yoo Seong opened his system interface.

As expected, changes appeared before his eyes.

[One of the memory seals on Knight Kate has been unlocked.]
[Kingdom Swordsmanship level has increased.]
[Chivalry: Glory of Camelot has been enhanced.]

[One of the memory seals on Knight Vanadain has been unlocked.]
[Recovered unique skill: Rapid Maneuver.]

[One of the memory seals on Knight Diana has been unlocked.]
[Diana’s partner, Enika, has regained part of its original power.]
[Diana’s class has changed to Pegasus Knight.]

Yoo Seong quickly turned to Enika, who was carrying Diana and Vanadain.

A white, soft light engulfed Erica’s entire body. In a flash, the light faded, revealing not a white warhorse but a giant white Pegasus with enormous wings.

“No way. Huh?”

Rene was too shocked to form coherent words, and Yoo Seong could only blink in disbelief.

Diana opened her eyes.

Smiling softly, she stroked Erika’s mane, which had transformed before her very eyes.

“Enika.”

At Diana’s call, Enika flapped its wings gently, exuding unmistakable joy.

Yoo Seong looked at Vanadain and Kate next.

While their changes weren’t as dramatic as Erika’s, both knights had gained new strength as their memory seals were partially unlocked.

“Vanadain, Kate.”

At Yoo Seong’s call, Vanadain gave a wry smile and said:

“I still don’t remember the past. But…I feel like I now know—no, I remember how I used to fight.”

Combat techniques of the past.

The unique skill Rapid Maneuver would undoubtedly play a role in his newfound ability.

Yoo Seong then looked at Kate, whose response to his expectant gaze was a slightly awkward smile.

“I’m the same as Vanadain. I feel like I… know how to fight a little better.”

Although their memories hadn’t fully returned, all the knights had seen their combat prowess enhanced.

‘Exploration might really be worth it.’

He had gained a relic of the Round Table, restored some of the knights’ memories, and earned skill points and experience from combat.

[Damaged Barracks has been added.]
[Damaged Metal Refinery has been added.]

“Oh!”

And facilities, too.

Clenching his fist, Yoo Seong reopened the system interface.

“Just as I thought.”

What he had hoped for appeared in the list.

[Heavy Infantry: 40pt]

All conditions to add a new unit were met and a smile spread across Yoo Seong’s face.

As they exited the metal smelting plant, familiar faces came rushing toward them.

They were the forces of Camelot, led by Jimmy.

“We saw the barrier disappear and a silver flash rise up, so we came running.”

Initially, they thought they had been teleported to a completely separate space, but it turned out to be a location accessible by simply removing the barrier.

“Jimmy, by any chance, did you see any large spiders?”

“No, we didn’t.”

“Spiders? No, we didn’t see any.”

Jimmy, responding immediately to Yoo Seong’s question, looked around as if to confirm, and the other soldiers nodded in agreement.

Where had over a hundred spiders gone?

Had they vanished with the Spider Queen?

Or had they escaped beyond another barrier?

If it was the former, that was fortunate, but if it was the latter, it was cause for concern.

‘I’ll have to post sentries.’

From the status window, it seemed like they had been living without any sentry watches, but that was no longer acceptable.

Meanwhile, Jimmy, unaware of Yoo Seong’s grim thoughts, looked at Kate with an anxious expression. Understanding the meaning behind his look, Kate briefly explained what had happened within the barrier.

The defeat of the Spider Queen and her spiders.

The success of the frontier expansion resulting from it.

Even the discovery of the relics of the Knights of the Round Table within the building.

Hearing the whole story, Jimmy and the soldiers were amazed at the sight of Gareth’s shield on Yoo Seong’s arm. Their admiration doubled when they saw René on Yoo Seong’s back.

“As expected of the mage.”

“Impressive.”

“Truly remarkable.”

When the soldiers expressed their amazement at the tale of René punching through the Spider Queen’s eye and freezing her brain with magic, René blushed, giggling awkwardly.

If she had the energy, she probably would’ve scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.

“But, are you the only ones here?”

“Pardon?”

It was then, as Jimmy questioned Yoo Seong’s inquiry.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

The ground shook from behind the soldiers as a group approached in neat rows and columns.

Massive shields that could cover their entire bodies and thick silver armor.

Helmets with only slits for the eyes, sealed everywhere else.

Axes and spears that looked capable of smashing through opponents while still clad in armor.

The appearance of a twenty-member heavy infantry unit left Jimmy and the soldiers visibly astonished.

Even though they were allies, the sheer presence they exuded was overwhelming.

“Heavy Infantry Unit, reporting in response to the king’s summons.”

One soldier, standing on the far left of the heavy infantry unit, stepped forward and spoke.

It seemed he was the equivalent of Jimmy for this unit.

Sensing this, Jimmy shot a somewhat complicated glance in his direction.

Yoo Seong, instructing the heavy infantry unit to rest, turned to René. Immediately grasping Yoo Seong’s intentions, René responded with readiness.

Up until now, whenever a new type of unit was added, they had promptly followed it up with additions.
—

[Unit Commander for Heavy Infantry Added: 20pt]

—

As soon as Yoo Seong activated the status window, a golden flash heralded the appearance of a new knight.

At the same time at the monastery of the Order of Omphalos, located in the northern region of Baron Volano’s territory, dedicated to the Iron Wall God Omphalos.

The Iron Wall of Omphalos symbolized the barriers protecting humanity. Naturally, the monks of the Order excelled in two main areas.

The first was defensive techniques.

For the priests of the Order of Omphalos, combat training for defense was akin to prayer. As such, even monks who weren’t combat priests were typically quite proficient in battle.

The second was construction techniques.

The teachings of Omphalos, the Iron Wall God, were straightforward: build barriers to protect humanity from external threats. Consequently, the monks of the Order excelled in construction, especially in building fortifications, and their expertise was considered the best in the world.

Capable in combat, skilled in construction, and wielding holy magic as clerics, the monks of the Order were welcomed wherever they went. After all, they could serve as doctors, architects, and warriors all in one.

Of course, those equally adept at all three were rare even within the Order. However, even formally ordained monks were proficient enough to be considered invaluable assets.

It was this versatility that justified the presence of Order monasteries across the divided world of five kingdoms and one empire. Their utility made them indispensable.

One such branch of the Order existed in the western region of the Kingdom of Silatein. Though modest in scale, the monastery resembled a fortress, as expected of the Order.

From the top floor of a high spire, which provided a view of the entire monastery and its surroundings, High Priestess Jillian, situated in the abbot’s quarters, frowned as she gazed at the refugee-filled monastery, devoid of its knight-priests and combat priests. Then, her eyes turned to the desk.

Under the bright candlelight lay two letters side by side.

One was from Count Carian, who ruled the northern region near the monastery. The other was from Priest-Knight Ruan, who had left without permission, taking the entire combat priesthood with him.

“Such bad people.”

Having lived her life as a cleric, Jillian’s knowledge of curses was limited, so calling them “bad people” was the extent of her ability to voice her displeasure.

Thus, instead of straining to come up with creative curses, she simply repeated the ones she knew.

“Really, such bad people.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Jillian walked to the desk and sat down.

At twenty-three years old, she had long black hair that reached her waist, pink eyes, and a slightly drooping gaze that added to her beauty. However, instead of a radiant smile, she furrowed her brow and made a displeased face.

The letters’ content was straightforward.

Count Carian, who had ignored the plight of refugees and watched the destruction of Baron Volano’s lands, now criticized the monastery for harboring refugees while sending troops only after the crisis had passed. His true intention was clear: to absorb the refugees, and with them, parts of Baron Volano’s territory.

Though the refugees were rapidly depleting the monastery’s provisions, sending them away was ultimately a relief. Still, the Count’s audacity was irksome.

Ruan was even more irritating.

Wasn’t she concerned about the refugees’ plight and the tragedy of Baron Volano’s lands?

While the combat priests were formidable, what could a few dozen achieve? Her instructions had been clear: stay in the monastery, protect the refugees, and avoid reckless actions. Yet, Ruan had disobeyed, leaving and showing no signs of returning.

“You’ll understand when you see Lothian for yourself, High Priestess.”

“What is there to understand? Such a bad person.”

Jillian pressed her temples, now aching, and pondered.

‘First, the Count.’

The solution was obvious. With provisions running low, the refugees would be sent to his territory. Despite her irritation, his actions were ultimately in service of protecting his lands, and he had succeeded. There was no reason not to send the refugees.

‘Next, Ruan.’

At least he was alive and unharmed. Helping the lord of Lothian to defeat trolls and rescue people was admirable, and she felt a sense of pride. But he was still frustrating.

‘He should have returned.’

After finishing his mission, he should have come back with the priests, reported on the situation, apologized, and shown his unharmed face. Why hadn’t he returned?

‘He’s asking me to come.’

No matter how she interpreted the letter, it was an invitation to Lothian.

Why?

What would she find there?

‘Does it have something to do with the lord?’

The Black Knight of Lothian.

Recently, he had gained a new epithet: the Scorching Black Knight.

Judging by his past deeds, there was indeed something extraordinary about him. He was undeniably a powerful knight.

‘But there must be more to it than that.’

Ruan wouldn’t behave like this for mere strength.

“Well, there’s no helping it.”

Muttering softly, Jillian rose and sealed the letters in a drawer before gazing out the window.

“Let’s go to Lothian.”

While sending the refugees north could be handled by other priests, Ruan’s matter required her personal involvement.

‘He’d better not disappoint me. I’ll make him regret it.’

Though she wished to confine him to the confessional for a week, she knew that would likely harm him, so three days would suffice.

Resolving herself, Jillian packed her bags with a hint of excitement. After all, it had been years since she last left the monastery.

Three days later, in the afternoon, High Priest Jillian arrived in Lothian and, as Ruan had promised, discovered the truth.