Chapter 149: Reunion
"I wish to become a Knight. Even if I am just a wild Knight without a family coat of arms, even if I serve as a squire for others for life, even if I am unable to become an official Knight for my entire life, it will be fine as long as I can become a Knight."
For Cohen Asta, becoming a true Knight had always been his wish.
However, it was unfortunate that he wasn't a child of nobility, so it was impossible for him to be sent to an elite Knight to learn under him as a squire. He also wasn't a talented warrior who would send teachers into a frenzy fighting over him. He was just an ordinary farmer's child. Needless to say studying at a Knight Academy, he wasn't even able to read. Thus, he was never able to take the first step in accomplishing his dream.
Thus, he decided to lower his goal and set out to become an ordinary warrior as his goal. However, the result was even more disappointing.
"Regardless of what close-combat class it is, you won't be able to meet the standards if you don't even have basic strength. It would be best for you to return."
Unable to even carry the sandbags used for training; unable to carry the wooden spear; exhausted after swinging the wooden sword a few times; it was no wonder that no one was willing to accept him.
His physique still remained his fatal flaw among his fellow peers. Even though his conspicuous golden hair and exquisite features made him a popular figure among the young, his weak limbs still made him unsure of himself.
Little Cohen felt despair at the fact that even ordinary militias were unwilling to accept him. Even so, he didn't plan to give up.
"Since I lack talent, I will make up for it with hard work."
Thus, Cohen's neighbors would always see him awake early in the morning, running by the river and carrying sandbags.
Every day, after he finished his daily duties, he headed to the various stores to help others move their goods. Part of the reason was to earn money, but more than that, he hoped to train himself through such a method to build up his strength.
Even though training was extremely tiring, it was effective. At the very least, his pale limbs became slightly more muscular and tanned. Going by the words of the neighbor Big Sister Lisa, he finally looked masculine.
However, his changes were more like evolving from a hamster into a squirrel, fighting prowess increasing from five to six and not panting the moment he started running. However, what he was unable to carry before, he was still unable to carry. For the time being, it was still impossible for him to swing metal swords.
Thus, even though he felt self-satisfaction at his improvement, he was still eliminated from the first round of the selection process for the divisions. After all, the East Mist wasn't wealthy and it couldn't afford to sustain a large army while the civilians were extremely passionate about joining the army. As such, the registration numbers far surpassed the required personnel in the divisions and this caused the standards to be heightened. Cohen had been too far from the starting line from the very start, and it was impossible for him to become a warrior at all.
Even so, he was unwilling to give up. As long as he worked hard to train himself up, the accumulation of his hard work would soon result in a qualitative change for him.
However, it was a pity that what awaited him was a series of failure.
"It is impossible for you to become a Knight, give up. No, I'm not talking about your birthright. The Mist Country has always operated by meritocracy and there are quite a few farmers who became Knights and fief lords. I am speaking about your abilities. if you're unable to even wield a two-handed sword, how can you get on the battlefield? Since you aren't even able to get on the battlefield, how can you be titled a Knight?"
A Lord Knight who was touched by his efforts intended to accept him as his page, but after conducting some tests, he gave up on the idea.
"Aiyo, isn't this our future Lord Knight? Hehe, nice to meet you, Lord. Lord, have you just returned from your patrol? Did you achieve anything? Did you defeat a Demon or a Beastman? Or did you just triumph over an evil dragon? Ah, how incredible, Cohen. He is our future Dragon Slaying Hero. Hahaha!"
While his usual physical training had received the approval of a few, there were also a few youngsters who found him an eyesore and took this opportunity to mock him.
Even so, he persisted. At this point, he probably could no longer remember why he chose to embark on this thorny path from the very start.
Was it because he was saved by a group of Knights when he was attacked by wild beasts when he was younger? Or was he moved by the stories of his ancestors which he had heard since his childhood? Was it when he saw the victorious homecoming march of the Knights? Or was it when he swore to use his both hands to protect his family and friends?
There was no path of return, and he did not intend to back out either. Thus, he could only continue persisting….
"Trust yourself, you can do it. I was also extremely thin and weak when I was younger, but look at how far I came. Right, Prince Roland seems to be intending to create a division. Do you want to give it a try?"
There were a few who bore expectations from him. Every time Big Brother Cloone returned and saw how hard Cohen worked, he would try to encourage him.
Right, to Cohen and the others, Cloone, who came from the same village as them, was an impressive figure. He was the pride and hope of Darr Village. Even though he was young, he was already serving as a part of the Royal Knights. Even though he wasn't an official Knight yet, in the eyes of the villagers, it was just a matter of time.
It was only that he had recently adopted a cute little girl called Ailee. Despite his tough life, he had somehow just become an unwedded father. This made many young girls cry.
Under Big Brother Cloone's encouragement, Cohen was even more motivated and worked even harder. However, what came his way was just failure after failure.
Until one day when he met a black cat. A black cat that, bizarrely, was capable of speaking the human language. There, he met the turning point of his life.
"Meow, I've found a treasure. To think that he would be an Elemental Son! Sign a contract with me and become a magical girl… magical boy!"
Cohen was first taken aback. Initially, he thought that it was just a joke from one of the spellcasters. In the end, under the verification of Big Brother Cloone, he realized that this black cat was actually an incredible figure. She was the beloved pet of Prince Roland, a cat who was capable of casting magic.
She actually said that he had outstanding talents in magic and she wanted to groom him to become a Mage. Without a doubt, that was an occupation that held even greater potential than a Knight and logically speaking, he should have leapt at the opportunity.
But...
"Lord, I thank you for your appreciation. However, my goal is to become a Knight. Perhaps, the route of a spellcaster just isn't one for me."
Alright, a bizarre expression immediately appeared on the black cat's face. That look of incomprehension and shock made Cohen worry if he had accidentally offended her.
After a brief moment of silence, that black cat continued speaking.
"Alright, if you want to be a Knight, so be it. Let me introduce you to someone. He will hoodwink… guide you. From the perspective of a Knight, he should be an incredible figure. Yeah, even though he is a complete idiot when it comes to magic. However, I think that he should be a suitable teacher for you."
--------------------
"Roland, I found your brother."
When I heard those words, I was taken aback. Isn't my brother, Karwenz, still in the Chaos Abyss? How could this darned cat meet him?
"You possess incredible swordsmanship talent, and you are obviously a godsent Warrior. Yet, you chose to become a Mage. On the other hand, he, as the Elemental Son, a person born with incredible talents in magic, chose to become an iron can (Knight). Given how awkward you two are, what else can you two be other than brothers?"
Alright, that darned cat sure didn't mince her words. Naturally, I took good care of her for that.
However, I had confidence in her choice of people. Thus, my interest toward this little friend known as Cohen was piqued and I arranged for a meeting with him.
"Pri… Prince Roland! Lord Harloys said that you can make me a Knight…"
That fellow was so agitated that he kept trembling before me. Stuttering, he accidentally bit his tongue. Through the System Interface, my interest in him deepened.
【Cohen Asta Class: NoneStrength: 5Agility: 7Stamina: 7Intelligence: 14Will: 11Charm: 10Race Talent: Elemental SonSystem Evaluation: For a person with such terrible strength and talent for magic to refuse to become a Mage and insisting on becoming a Knight instead, he is truly your brother.】
【Race Talent Elemental Son: Do you find the lengthy incantations hard to remember? The complicated magic formulas hard to comprehend? This isn't a problem for the Elemental Son. They are born with the ability to manipulate elements and their commands can be used to replace the ineffective magic incantations. They are the favored ones of the world, the illegitimate son of Magic and Elements, destined to be a great Mage.】
Soon, after some interaction, I roughly understood what was going on.
It was no wonder that Harloys said that he was my brother. He wanted to become a melee fighter when he only possessed 5 Strength. His talent as a Mage had hindered his path as a Knight; it was truly rare to see a person with such an awkward personality.
After a short moment of interacting with him, I started to grow fond of this slightly shy boy. After all, these days, more and more youngsters were more obsessed with "making a fortune," and the number of "idiots" who persisted for their dreams was lessening. Those who persisted despite seeing no rewards on sight was even rarer.
In a certain sense, I am the same awkward "obstinate buffalo" as he is. Thus, I accepted him in as my third page.
"Cough, since that's the case, I'll teach some of the necessary lessons for a Knight. First, you have to learn how to connect with the world and control your magic power…. This isn't a necessary lesson for a Knight, but a lesson for a Mage? Young man, there's no need to be so anxious. You have to remain humble and learn patiently. Have you never heard of Mage Knight? This is a necessary lesson for an outstanding Knight. Ordinary Knights wouldn't even get an opportunity to learn such advanced lessons. Right, I have a few close combat classes that are suitable for you. Do you want to give them a try?"
Putting aside how I managed to guide (hoodwink) this young man afterwards, I am quite contented with the decision I made. After all, given how unqualified the other two pages of mine were, this young man was truly of great help.
Even though the help he had provided me was on another aspect...
"Big Brother Roland, I have accidentally overcooked the meat. It is a little charred, but my intuition tells me that it will be delicious. Why don't you give it a try? Perhaps this might turn out to be a new taste that is to your liking."
No, it was impossible for it to be delicious. After all, one side was charred while the other side was raw. It was a problem of whether it was safe for me to eat it. Besides, your intuition had never been accurate.
"That's weird. I had strictly followed the proportions using the Alchemic recipe. Ten grams of salt, one gram of sugar, so how could it taste that bad…. Ah, I missed that decimal point and added ten times more salt (Ah, I mixed up sugar and salt as well)... Why don't you just make do with it?"
Should I say, as expected of an Alchemist? To think that you would actually bring the entire Alchemy set for outdoor camping. The lunch you made bore the scent of chemistry with it. But how was it that the product you made would be so fearsome? What is with that oily green substance? Are you sure that I can make do with it? How about you try it for yourself before passing it to me? I finally understand how you managed to remain a third-rate Alchemist even after so many years. Can't you just happen to get it right for once?
Typically speaking, a Knight's page was the personal assistant of the Knight. Going by the traditions, a page was responsible for the logistics their master required. If the master was unhappy with their work, regardless of how powerful that page was, he was unlikely to ever become an official Knight.
Before becoming a Knight, they were in a teacher-apprentice relationship, as well as a master-servant relationship. Some of them even regarded it as a father-son relationship. However, it was clear that the two pages I had chosen beforehand weren't really reliable. Most of the time, it was me, the master, who was taking care of them. Their passion toward their training was also unseemly.
As a princess, Reyne had totally no concept of outdoor survival. On the other hand, Kathleen was born from a prestigious family of Knights. Even though her family had fallen from grace, it was understandable why she was lacking practical skills.
If not for Cohen producing some edible meat stew, I, who was already tired from the long journey, would have to make some food myself. It was truly a wonder who the servant was now.
Based on the predetermined grouping, I should have been a single group with my three pages. However, Reyne said that she had already reached Gold-rank, and with the Roland Sacred Sword in her hands, she could stand on her own and deal with the enemies by herself, no longer requiring my guidance.
Fine, I'll accept that. After all, it was impossible for one to grow without experiencing practical fights. I'll let you try it for yourself then. In fact, afraid that you might have insufficient manpower, I sent my other two pages to follow you, so show me some results.
However, one's power rank did not represent one's actual fighting power. In terms of actual power, a tenacious Bronze-rank was able to frighten this Gold-rank, who had yet to see blood. On the battlefield, a moment's hesitation could easily mean death.
In the end, it went exactly as I expected. If not for the Blood Tribe Assassin I sent interjecting at a timely moment, this East Mist princess might have to consider converting into an Undead.
"Lass, it's still too early for you to leave my apprenticeship."
Thus, we converged together and operated as a team afterwards. With the assistance of my pages, I felt even more fatigued. Not only did I have to hunt those roaming cavalries, I had to spend time to take care of these rookies. I felt like I was playing the role of a teacher and a parent simultaneously.
Fortunately, the farmer-born lad, Cohen, wielded a certain level of survival skills. He could build temporary shelters and settle some of the daily necessities. In a way, he was truly a great help.
Helpless, I even called out Reyne's secret bodyguard, Susanna, and had her find a way to teach these rookies some basic outdoor survival skills. At the very least, they should know how to make the basic barbecued meat, meat stew, and such.
After all, it was impossible for one to bring sufficient dry rations for a prolonged wilderness campaign. Meat stew and barbecued meat were two of the most basic dishes, but just depending on these two would cause one to suffer from imbalanced nutrition and this would eventually lower fighting prowess.
As such, mature adventuring teams were often skilled in outdoor survival techniques. The renowned Master of Survival Bear Grylls had once said, "The wilderness is my life. The wilderness is the most natural outdoor food trove. Anything can be eaten once beheaded!"
After completing my hunt, I returned to my camp and caught the whiff of a familiar meat stew. Instantly, my appetite was whetted.
"Hm? How fragrant. There seems to be wild herbs and vegetables as well? Susanna sure did well. You all learned fast, to think that your cooking skills would reach such a level so quickly…"
I was unable to speak further. What entered my vision upon reaching the campsite was a young lady dressed in a maid costume busying about. That was a familiar figure that should have never appeared here.
【Ding! A wandering wild maid has appeared. Thank the maid from saving you from the mysterious mixture hell. Otherwise, what would have been waiting for you would be a mixture created from Reyne and Kathleen's hard work—Green Slime Cooking! Er, as someone who was aware of the matter beforehand, I...】
Ignoring the nonsense the System came up with, that familiar figure made me feel like I was in a dream.
That familiar bow, that familiar gleam of her spectacles… and that unfamiliar passion and temperature. While I was still in a daze, that wild maid had already given me a hug.
"Welcome back, master. Do you want to bathe first, eat your breakfast first… or eat me?"
Alright, I don't know whether I can really eat you, but that dagger-like cold glare of yours felt like it was ready to eat me.
"Elisa!?"
Chapter 150: Secret
"Big Brother Roland really treats me well. He often tells me bedtime stories and we would spend the night with just each other."
"As expected of an undeveloped little girl. To think that you're still interested in listening to bedtime stories. Let Big Sister teach you a life lesson. All of those bedtime stories are lies. Princesses are all flower vases who are unable to withstand pressure and princes were all perverts with fetishes. In fact, there are many such examples around us."
"Y-you, you are slandering me!"
"However, it is no wonder you are so naïve. After all, children have the right to remain ignorant. When I was younger, I often listened to master's stories as well. I have heard them for around a century now. Oh, should I call him honey now? It does feel a little embarrassing to call him that."
There wasn't the slightest bit of embarrassment on Elisa, who was chuckling behind her hands. With just a few words, she managed to infuriate Reyne. However, it seemed like I was somehow attacked by her venomous mouth as well.
"Looks like Elisa must have met Karwenz. It is true that he is a pervert. It isn't bizarre for her to come to such a conclusion. Yeah, she definitely isn't referring to me."
Shaking my head, I ignored the discussion over there and turned my attention to the feast before me. For numerous reasons, this seemed to be the first time I was eating food made by Elisa personally.
After several experiments the last few days, I had no choice but to take my ladle myself. However, I had long since gotten sick of the food I cooked myself. Cohen's cooking skills were also very average. I had been craving for good food recently, and as long as Elisa's food was not bad, I would be extremely satisfied.
She had made common meat stew. The meat was cut thinly and there were bits of wild grasses floating on top. An indescribable herb had added to the allure of the stew, and the green onion-like aroma whetted my appetite.
"Delicious!"
Even though I had guessed that the cooking skills of the veteran maid Elisa wouldn't be bad, I was still pleasantly surprised by the taste of the meat stew.
The stew was thick but smooth, and its aroma tackled my nose as I gulped down the soup. In fact, even after swallowing it, the aftertaste lingered in my mouth, enticing me to take another mouthful. There was also barbecued meat by the side glazed with wild honey and herbs. My stomach immediately grumbled in protest.
"What kind of herb is this? It must be extremely expensive! Yeah, delicious!"
I immediately started to dig in. On the other end, Kathleen and Cohen exchanged gazes before digging in as well.
From how ravenously they were devouring the food, it seemed like I wasn't the only one tortured by the lack of good food.
The most delicious feast I remembered was the one I had before my Ascension. However, due to time restraints, Elisa didn't get to make it herself. It was truly to pleasant surprise to taste her handicraft now.
"Hey, if you don't dig in, we'll be finishing all of it."
"I have no appetite," Reyne said obstinately. However, the moment she said such words, her stomach immediately rumbled. Her face immediately flushed.
"Hehe, the most important thing in life is to be happy, and to do so, a satisfied stomach is a priority. Roland, take your time and don't choke. Are you still hungry? If there isn't enough food, I can make a bowl of noodles for you."
Thus, I nodded my head in sheer delight. After regaining a physical body, my greatest hobby was eating. As a result, I never turned down anyone with superior cooking skills. How could I possibly turn my head away from such an event?
But that very afternoon, I realized there were some things which one should never put into their mouths, especially when it came from a Demon who had accumulated a bucketful of resentment behind her cheerful smile.
"AHHH! My stomach hurts. My head is also spinning. This is the fourth time my stomach has been acting up today! Elisa, what exactly did you put into the food!"
"The Cursed Herb, Black Mandala Grass. Just as you said, it is an extremely expensive herb, almost equivalent to consuming gold. Right, there's also the Little Fanged Dragon meat that I had just procured. This is an extremely nutritious tonic. Aiyo, Lord, could it be that your body isn't well-nourished? It isn't good to leave your body in such a state. I shall cook another bowl of noodles to stock up on your nutrients."
To think that she would use the Black Mandala Grass which was used to create poison as green onion… The Little Fanged Dragon, otherwise known as Little Green Dragon, was also poisonous. Should I be thankful that I only suffered a stomach ache from the mixture of the two poisonous substance?
"Something's not right! Why are they alright!"
"Actually, I cleared away the poison in the meat and herbs before using them as ingredients. It must be that there is some kind of stimulant in the noodles which happened to trigger the poison in them. I'm truly sorry, master."
That impassive explanation and emotionless apology sounded like monotonous reciting. Only now did I realize that perhaps, all along, Elisa had been infuriated….
"I'm sorry, it's my fault.
Alright, a true hero knows when to back down. I understood the vindictive nature of this little lass. This likely wouldn't be the end of her vengeance. For the sake of delicious lunch in the future, I apologized immediately even though I didn't know my mistake. Was it because I had been too busy to communicate with her recently?
"It's all your fault. But since you have apologized, I will accept it then."
Elisa finally flashed a sincere smile. Afterward, she threw me a bottle, which after consuming, I felt the chaos in my stomach calming down slightly.
There was also another reason why I liked Elisa's personality. Even though she often threw tantrums, as long as I apologized, she would immediately forgive me. If she seemed to be angry in any way, it would definitely be no mistake to take the initiative to apologize in advance.
"…I am finally feeling slightly better. I am a living man; I will really die from that! Please don't come up with those kinds of jokes in the future. Right, why are you here? What's with this physical body of yours?"
It was truly an unexpected surprise for Elisa to be here. Soon, I managed to grasp what was going on.
It turned out that Elisa's physical body was an avatar created using the tributes of the Beastmen. She was barely able to come over through eating a portion of the tributes, so this avatar did not wield much strength.
While she had no problems whatsoever with operating day-to-day chores, it was impossible for her to join the battles.
"Enough. It's already great that you can come."
It's not that my M nature is working up. Rather, I had felt the agony of not having a handy assistant by my side these few days. Now that Elisa was here, I could finally dump all of my work on her.
The moment I said those words, the cold-faced Elisa smiled in satisfaction. Then, she came closer and stared at me face-to-face.
"…I know what you're thinking of. Nevertheless, your words still make me happy. This is your reward."
In a certain sense, the Demonified Elisa had become braver in expressing her emotions and pursuing her desires.
That beautiful face slowly approached mine and the frosty expression that she usually wore disappeared. Below that ice mountain was passion as fiery as the flames of hell. A bright red blush appeared on Elisa's cheeks and her seductive red cheeks were exuding incredible allure and warmth. I had nowhere to back away to.
"You… What are you all doing!!"
It was a pity that I wasn't the only one here. Putting aside the other two who were trying their best to pretend to be statues, Reyne did not intend to sit on the sidelines and watch this scene unfold before her. She immediately charged between us to tear us apart.
"Pity? I actually found it a pity?"
While I was conflicted over my own emotions, a verbal argument had broken out between Elisa and Reyne once more.
"I finally understand why master hates rascals now. Shouldn't you pretend to be oblivious when you see your parents getting intimate with one another?"
"Parents… Who are you saying are my parents? Furthermore, I am not a rascal! I am fourteen years old! I am already of marriageable age!"
"Fourteen years old? How incredible! I thought you were only ten. Annie seemed to have surpassed you when she was only ten."
Alright, even though her words were without context, based on her downward glance, it was clear what she was referring to.
"That… Elisa, won't you take damage from your words as well?"
Alright, seeing her twisted lips and twitching eyebrows, that venomous flat-chested young lady was currently sacrificing herself to deal damage to the other party. Her heart was probably bleeding at the moment.
Just like before, in just a few words, Elisa had managed to destroy Reyne. That ineloquent Reyne could only march off to a corner and sulk.
Even though Elisa was in the midst of angering Reyne, her words suddenly echoed through the ring.
"Master, I have already investigated the source of the bloodline of the new Mist Royal Family. I'm afraid that this matter is more complicated than we expected. Using your words, it is an incredibly huge scheme, to the extent that I would only be reassured if I came over to say it myself. I have already set up the barrier. Just listen to my words and do not overreact."
-----------
A formless barrier blocked all curious gazes. I was still squatting by the side and enjoying the glow of the sun whereas Elisa was busy packing the bowls and chopsticks. Unbeknownst to the others, we were currently conversing.
"First, she is indeed of the Mist Bloodline. However, she is not your descendant. Just like you have expected, you are still an old virgin, a powerful elder of the FFF cult, a Forbidden Spell-level Archmage, and the spiritual leader of the Torch Festival. The moment I think about the fact that I am the first love of a thousand-year-old virgin, I can't help but feel agitated. After which, I can't help but instinctively feel slightly disgusted and threatened. It is said that those who restrain themselves for too long become slightly perverted. After thirty years of holding themselves back, they can do anything. As for three hundred years…"
While having salt rubbed in my wound by that venomous tongue, a shocking secret was gradually revealed right before me. I couldn't help but put aside the resentment of the demon.
This time, I was truly shocked. It was no wonder that Elisa sent her avatar down despite the costs. It wasn't sufficiently safe for her to use any other means to inform me about the matter unless it was face to face.
After a long time, Elisa was done revealing everything. Even though the wind outside was piercingly cold, cold sweat was still flowing down my back.
"If I remained ignorant of the matter all along, I would have been done for. Looks like I really mustn't underestimate my opponents."
While I couldn't help but shudder upon thinking of the possible consequences that could have occurred if Elisa had failed to find out the matter and inform me of it, I still chuckled. Schemes and traps were only fearsome when they were unnoticed. Since I had learnt of them, I could come up with plans of my own to counteract them.
"Thank you, Elisa. Your presence is truly assuring. Looks like I owe you another one. I really can't imagine what I would do without you."
"Hmph, seems like you are getting mushier and mushier. If you are truly sincere about your words, you should stop getting involved with other girls."
Even though she said so, judging from that sweet smile on the corners of her lips, it seemed like my words weren't completely useless.
While we smiling to one another, the pages behind me who were oblivious to our telepathic communication started to quietly discuss me.
"To suddenly smile lecherously when nothing has happened…. Cohen, could it be that there is still some poison lingering in the body of our teacher? He looks a little foolish and bewitched."
"... I heard from the neighboring Big Brother Cloone that men who hold it in for too long will tend to act slightly strange. Seems like Lord Elisa's appearance has delighted His Highness so greatly that he was unable to uphold his etiquette."
"Seems like you would really become a pervert after holding it in for too long. But from the looks of it, it seems like there is completely no hope for Princess Reyne."
"That... Senior Kathleen, Princess Reyne is behind you and it seems like she is infuriated."
"AHH, Your Highness, I'm sorry. Umm… Surely you won't reduce the amount we have agreed upon. I still need that money to buy a new set of Alchemy tools. Um… Even though the opponent is powerful, there is still hope for you. At the very least, there are some aspects where you two are on the same level…. Pu, I really wasn't thinking of that. Anyway, I will try my best to speak well of you before the prince!"
The apprentices seemed to have gotten into a dispute. On the other hand, I needed to reconsider my future moves.
"The Revival of the Mist? This is truly a massive and troublesome trap. Looks like I have to quickly end this war. Then, I think I should head to Antuen next."