Captain Ordine of the O’Neil Kingdom.
Even though he’s already a super famous guy, to me, he’s an especially memorable name.
He was the person that I went head-to-head with during the Dragon Heart theft incident.
Back then, I was riding high on confidence.
I had just discovered a new use for teleportation and was starting to actively apply it in battle.
I was so brimming with arrogance that I truly believed there was no one I could lose to.
Which was why I boldly declared that I would infiltrate the O’Neil Kingdom’s treasury and snatch the Dragon Heart.
But the one who crushed my arrogance was none other than Ordine.
Not only was his swordplay superior to mine, but Ordine quickly adapted to my unconventional attacks that leaped through space.
Even though I wasn’t in the best state to face him calmly due to the urgency of the situation, Ordine’s ability to adjust was truly jaw-dropping.
I instantly understood why Ordine was called a “Genius Knight.”
Even with his massive size, Ordine had a lightning-fast mind, and before long, he figured out my techniques and started to counter them.
He anticipated my movements and swung his blade accordingly, even baiting me into attacks by pretending to leave openings.
All this within a mere ten minutes.
The last memory I had of Ordine was of a man with rippling muscles who seemed built like a fortress, with a brain and instincts sharper than anyone else’s.
But then…
“Ah, so it’s today. The kingdom welcomes the promising youths of the empire. I hope you’ll gain something during your stay.”
“Huh…is this the same Ordine I remember?”
Physically, he looked the same – still sporting those ripped muscles that seemed about to burst. The only noticeable change was a few strands of gray hair interspersed in his otherwise dark locks. Everything else about his appearance was as it had always been. If anything, his muscles looked even bulkier, almost like he’d been working out like crazy.
But the vibe he radiated was entirely different.
Back when I stole the Dragon Heart and Ordine relentlessly chased me down, he was filled with confidence – a good kind of confidence. It wasn’t the arrogance I had back then, but rather a reassuring self-assurance born of genuine skill. He felt larger-than-life because of it.
But now, that commanding aura was nowhere to be found.
“What’s happened to him…?”
A loser.
That was my first thought when I saw Ordine. He was steeped in an overwhelming sense of defeat, like a knight who’d just lost everything in a futile battle and was now facing retirement.
No one spoke. It seemed like everyone, not just me, had noticed something was off about Ordine.
Even Professor Amillion, who was trying her best not to show it, looked flustered, and the knight named Elizar seemed to have a bittersweet expression.
“Is there anything you’d like to ask?”
“…”
“If not, I’ll take my leave. I’m a bit busy.”
“Yes, thank you!”
With a slight nod after Elaine’s thank-you, Ordine left, and Elizar guided us outside. Ordine, the man who once terrified me, now looked so defeated it was embarrassing.
How could this once powerful person be so crushed?
“This is probably the last time we’ll meet the Grandmaster. He’s very busy, as you can see.”
“What happened?”
“Hmm…”
Unable to resist my curiosity, I asked Elizar.
Elizar looked at me, surprised, then smiled brightly, though it was clear she wasn’t going to divulge more information.
“That’s something for the adults to handle!”
“…”
Elizar responded clearly and firmly, leaving no room for questioning. She was determined not to divulge any further details.
“Maybe it’s related to black magic?”
Her reaction only made me even more curious.
“Alright, today’s schedule is done! I’ll show you around the Knights Order Dormitory, where you’ll be staying!”
Elizar guided us with a cheerful voice and springy steps, almost like she was deliberately trying to keep the mood light.
“This is a bad time.”
“No, it can’t be helped. We’ve been planning this for a while.”
“…”
Amillion watched her friend, who was putting on a brave face but was clearly upset, and gave a sorrowful smile.
Amillion knew what had happened recently in the O’Neil Kingdom – it was a massive event, even if it didn’t make headlines.
The total annihilation of the “Silver Eagle Knights,” one of the strongest forces within the O’Neil Kingdom’s Knight Order, shook everyone who knew about it.
When news of the Silver Eagles’ complete destruction first broke, even Amillion refused to believe it. How could a knight order with enough power to conquer an entire city vanish so easily?
And they weren’t even in a war or on a mission – according to the official statement from the O’Neil Kingdom, their annihilation happened during a simple training exercise.
Of course, this strange event had people speculating that black magic might have been involved.
“Is it something you can’t talk about?”
“…Yeah. It’s an ultra-high-security matter even within the Knight Order.”
“Things must be tough for you guys right now.”
“They’re tough for everyone. You guys had trouble at your Academy, right?”
“Yeah, but at least we didn’t lose anyone.”
Elizar gave a bitter laugh at Amillion’s words.
Losing no lives – those were words to envy.
“I actually had a senior I admired who was part of the Silver Eagles.”
“Ah…”
“Can’t even imagine him falling. Haha.”
“…”
Amillion didn’t know what to say to her friend’s sorrowful words. She understood well how devastating the loss of someone close could be. So instead, she gently took Elizar’s hand.
Elizar smiled faintly at the gesture.
“I’ve never seen Captain Ordine like this either.”
“…He does look pretty downbeat.”
“Yeah. He was the sole survivor that day.”
“Huh? You mean…!”
At Elizar’s words, Amillion immediately thought of Yuria, who had been investigating black magic and undead creatures. Maybe Captain Ordine could provide some clues about black magic.
“Nope. He refuses to talk about it with outsiders.”
“…Right.”
Though Amillion nodded to Elizar’s words, she didn’t give up just yet. Part of the reason she came to the O’Neil Kingdom was for her own purposes – to investigate the recent events here.
Even though no one had asked her, she was working with Yuria. Thanks to that, Amillion already had a good understanding of black magic, undead creatures, and the organization behind it.
And this whole ordeal was more than just curiosity; she wanted to help Yuria, and Yuria’s work was not just for the empire but for the entire world.
“What if I—”
“Hmm?”
“Could I visit the location where the incident happened?”
“Uh…”
Seeing Elizar’s thoughtful expression, Amillion was sure she’d get permission.
If it had been impossible, Elizar would have rejected her outright.
Apparently, the location of the incident wasn’t such a super-secret location after all.
Wooong…
Due to their intense conversation, neither of them noticed the faint humming sound coming from inside the room.
“So if I piece everything together…”
With painstaking effort, I went over what I had learned by poking around the knight orders.
The entire O’Neil Kingdom’s Knights Order was in mourning over the loss of the Silver Eagles.
Of course, if the Grandmaster was in such a state, it was only natural that everyone under him would feel the same way.
After eavesdropping on the conversation between Professor Amillion and her friend Elizar, I gathered as much information as possible.
It turned out that, contrary to my expectations, the Silver Eagles really did meet their demise during a training exercise.
Whether it was intentional or accidental, they encountered trouble while out on a drill.
One new fact I managed to uncover that wasn’t widely known: there was a survivor.
Captain Ordine.
Finally, the defeated look on Captain Ordine’s face earlier started to make sense. He probably just had to stand by and watch helplessly as his subordinates were wiped out by black magic he’d never encountered before.
And considering that even someone with Ordine’s skill level couldn’t put up any resistance and barely escaped with his life, it was clear that the enemy was quite powerful.
The location of the incident was, surprisingly, not that far from here.
The Knights Order, along with investigators from the kingdom, thoroughly examined the site but couldn’t find any useful traces that might lead them to the enemy.
“I could’ve used Yuria here right about now…”
I missed her presence.
With her expertise, Yuria might’ve found some traces of black magic that the investigators from O’Neil Kingdom missed. It was clear that this was the first time the O’Neil was facing such magic, whereas Yuria had been researching it for a long time.
If I go to the location and find nothing, maybe it’s worth sneaking back home and bringing Yuria here.
If even that yields nothing…
“I’ll worry about that when it comes to it.”
Worrying too much can make you miss your real opportunities.
Right now, I have a clear plan of action, so I should focus on executing it.
“One more thing though…”
I visualized the ceiling of Ordine’s office I had glimpsed earlier.
Normally, sneaking into someone as formidable as Ordine’s office would be a super risky move, but for some reason, Ordine just seemed like he wouldn’t mind if I showed up unnoticed.
Wooong…
Cautiously, I opened a teleportation rift.
