The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Chapter 73

The knighting ceremony was conducted swiftly.

Due to the large number of knights, totaling sixty, being knighted, some formal procedures were omitted.

Being the youngest yet of the highest status, Raul recited the knight’s oath on behalf of everyone and knelt.

Afterward, Prince Gerard, the sixth prince, passed among the knights, tapping their shoulders with the king’s sword, followed by the head of the Knights’ Association attaching a small badge to each, signifying their official knight order.

The ceremony concluded with all knights drawing swords bestowed upon them by the king. Murmurs filled the air. Once the official event ended, a banquet took place inside the Colosseum.

Naturally, the stars of the day were the newly knighted. However, Raul and the members of the First Knight Order were nowhere to be found.

“Really, should we admire them or what?”

“One would think they could rest on such a day….”

As the ceremony wrapped up, dusk approached. Raul and his knights had skipped the banquet to subdue a gate they hadn’t been able to deal with earlier.

Since they all had already been assigned to their orders, they weren’t targets for noble families’ solicitations, but banquet attendees felt a tinge of disappointment at not meeting the day’s heroes.

“A 15-year-old expert, now a certified knight. That must be breaking a record by a long shot, isn’t it?”

“Officially, yes. I’ve heard that masters of the kingdom surpassed the expert level even younger, though no one knows for certain.”

“To think we assumed their house was past its prime. Count Ashton’s Household has truly taken flight.”

“Indeed. And consider the ages of the knights knighted today besides Raul. What feats might they achieve in a decade?”

The banquet hall buzzed with chatter about Raul and the First Knight Order, along with the Count Ashton’s House.

Of course, the other fifteen knights knighted that day weren’t overlooked.

Lesser noble families were eagerly vying to attract them.

But what differed this year was the knights’ rather lukewarm attitudes.

“Sir, congratulations. If you find the time, please grace our Lendraine family’s party with your presence. Our head of the family wishes to converse with you.”

“Is that so? When is the party?”

“Next Tuesday. Should you need accommodation, our family’s estate is at your disposal…”

“Next week, hm… I’ll see if I can make it.”

The knight passed the invitation he received to his squire indifferently.

The squire’s bag was already bursting with invitations from noble families.

Yet, hidden in the knight’s pocket was another invitation.

This special one bore the crest of the Count Ashton’s House.

* * *

After the knighting ceremony, Raul’s life seemed to return to its usual routine. He continued to subdue gates daily and visited the academy on class days. But Raul’s stature had significantly risen, incomparable to his past.

– The youngest Sword Expert recognized by the kingdom.

– The owner of the First Knight Order, comprised entirely of armor users.

– A divine messenger blessed by the gods.

– A true knight dedicated to the welfare of the citizens.

The titles describing Raul were so numerous that they were almost impossible to organize.

Not just Raul, but also the First Knight Order , and even the mercenaries temporarily under his command, received the adoring gazes and respect of the citizens.

Naturally, the knights’ pride soared, and the mercenaries were motivated to clear gates in hopes of securing a permanent place in the First Knight Order .

Dozens of visitors flocked daily to the Count Ashton’s mansion seeking an audience with Raul or to deliver invitations. However, only a few ever got the chance to meet him, making Raul one of the hardest individuals to meet in the capital Thurium.

Several days later, in front of the Count Ashton’s mansion, even before dawn broke, the place teemed with crowds. Both the capital’s guards and Raul’s mercenaries were mobilized to manage the throngs, while inside the mansion, many were busy preparing for something.

The reason so many had gathered from early on was because today marked the open recruitment for members of the First Knight Order and the Knight Order.

Finally, the mansion’s large gate opened and people began to enter.

“Soldier applicants, head to the first training ground at the back! This way please!”

“Squires, to the second training ground! To the right…”

“Technicians and administrative applicants, building 3. Don’t get lost; follow the guide!”

“Knights are…”

“Mages are…”

Dozens of servants wearing sashes and holding signposts sorted the applicants and directed them to their respective testing locations.

Despite this, the line outside the mansion didn’t seem to get any shorter; if anything, it appeared to grow.

“Wow, there’s so many. Can we really finish this today?”

“Yet, you, as the deputy leader, are only overseeing the knights, right? I can barely breathe. We expected many, but this is just too much.”

Homer, a knight in charge of the soldier examination, responded with a sigh to Jake, who shook his head as if he was fed up.

The other knights nearby nodded quietly in agreement, clearly overwhelmed by the turnout.

It was evident they had already surpassed their expected numbers.

Moreover, the examination wasn’t just for today but was scheduled to continue for a total of three days, selecting the truly eligible candidates from today’s crowd.

“Oh, why does the Master always have to undertake such massive projects…”

“I wonder if the Master is regretting this sight as well.”

Their gazes turned towards the main building. On the terrace of the third floor, Raul was seen with his arms crossed, his blonde hair fluttering as he looked towards the main gate.

“Alright, enough complaints. This is an important event, selecting those who will become our comrades and subordinates. Let’s proceed with the evaluations without any issues. Positions, everyone!”

“To your positions!”

At Philip’s command, everyone scattered to their designated areas.

Though spoken, there truly wasn’t anyone who harbored real complaints. The influx of so many applicants signified the enhancement of their status.

Standing on the terrace and watching the applicants enter, Raul broke the silence.

“Will there be any issue with the examination process?”

“No. Though the number of people is greater than expected, the tests we’ve prepared should sufficiently screen through the candidates,” Bernard responded as if it was a given, given the thorough preparation for such a significant event.

“I’ve mentioned this before, but we need to recruit as many as possible this time. Pass those who seem to have potential for now. I’ll make the final decisions. And in my absence, Philip will be in charge, so if any problems arise, consult with him,” Raul instructed.

“We’ll handle it as you’ve ordered. But, if I may ask, why the rush? The master’s and our knight order’s reputation is already spreading throughout the kingdom. Wouldn’t we draw better talents if we took our time?”

Bernard inquired after a moment of hesitation. Raul remained silent for a while, gazing contemplatively at the mansion below.

“In five days.”

“Pardon?”

“In five days, a significant event that will end this peaceful era is going to happen.”

Bernard seemed to ponder Raul’s words for a moment before his expression hardened, and he replied calmly, “We need to hasten our schedule then. I will make sure we narrow down to the most useful individuals.”

With no trace of doubt on his face, Bernard bowed and left. After Bernard’s departure, Raul’s expression turned blank as his hands tightly gripped the terrace’s railing.

“In five days…”

A peaceful era was coming to an end, and an age of turmoil was beginning. Despite all the preparations, why did it feel lacking? Knowing parts of the future, Raul felt nothing but suffocation.

‘The future I know will continue to change. There will come a time when the knowledge I possess becomes utterly useless. Will I be able to find the right path then?’

If this were truly a game, one would simply sprint down the path toward the prepared ending.

But having become a part of that game’s world, would the ending the players sought coincide with the ending he desired?

If not…

Raul’s eyes began to glow with a golden light.

* * *

Two days passed.

The preliminary trials, akin to a war, were over, and now only the final evaluation remained.

Raul, pressing down on his throbbing head, made his way to the examination hall. Over the past two days, while many have struggled, Raul undoubtedly faced the toughest challenges. He spent these days visiting no less than four free cities to conduct evaluations. This time, the recruitment wasn’t only conducted at the mansion in the capital but also at the branches located in the free cities. Fortunately, the final candidates were sorted before Raul’s arrival, but scrutinizing over a thousand individuals through analysis wasn’t an easy task.

“Phew. Am I really going to go bald over this?”

Nevertheless, it was a task that couldn’t be neglected. As the guild’s reputation grew, attracting scrutiny was only natural. If new members were being recruited during this time, it was inevitable that spies would be sent.

There’s a saying that there’s no enemy as terrifying as an untrustworthy ally. Raul certainly didn’t want to welcome any unwelcomed guests into the guild during this critical period of establishment.

Of course, analysis wasn’t flawless, but it could at least serve the purpose of a sieve.

“Today’s candidates to review are….”

A sigh escaped Raul’s lips as he flipped through the documents.

After a lengthy evaluation, the final candidates were selected. This recruitment aimed not for mercenaries under fixed-term contracts but for full-fledged membership in the First Knight Order. Thus, applications were also accepted from among the thousand mercenaries previously employed, leading to a rigorous selection process.

And as a result, including the four free cities, the guild was able to expand its roster by a total of 3,500 members.

[First Knight Order]

Level: Lv.6

Renown: Prominent guild in the kingdom

Total Members: Regular guild members 50/350, Irregular guild members 3,430.

Composition: Knights 70. Squires 130. NCO candidates 100. Regular soldiers 3,000. Administrative staff 150. Technical staff (including low-level mages and alchemists) 30.

There was no change in the number of regular guild members who received support from the system. The plan was to selectively and gradually recruit truly reliable and promising individuals. About 50 promising, young individuals like Josh, who toiled for a month, were employed as squires.

Older mercenaries or those not suited to be knights due to B-Grade status were selected as NCO candidates. Being a knight wasn’t solely about combat prowess which necessitated these decisions.

With the organization’s expansion, there was also a need to recruit more individuals for administrative tasks and those skilled in equipment management and supply as technical staff.

3,500 members.

Though it might seem like a large number, Raul still found it insufficient.

“I wanted to reach 5,000… But it can’t be helped. We can’t just accept those who aren’t skilled enough.”

What Raul desired was a guild comprised solely of soldiers of Sword User level, capable of manipulating mana. Facing other players’ guilds that could grow into Sword Users within six months made this a necessary choice.

Disappointment aside, the evaluation process was not yet complete. There were still those who required special consideration.

“What to do?”

It almost seemed as if the corners of Raul’s mouth were curving up in anticipation.

(To be continued)