The soldiers cried out urgently at the appearance of the Goblin legion, but the knights casually strode forward as if it were of little concern.
"Why are those fellows so frightened of re Goblins?"
"Now that there is why they remain commoners their entire lives."
"Heh heh! Well, that is true."
The knights drew their swords one by one and advanced toward the Goblins. They swung their Aura-infused blades, sending the Goblins' heads flying into the air.
Swoosh!
K-kragh!
A one-sided slaughter ensued.
Goblins are, in fact, monsters that even an Aura Novice can readily defeat. Furthermore, even those without Aura could hunt them successfully if they applied themselves. They were the lowest-ranked among monsters.
So why was a 'subjugation force' assembled specifically for Goblins?
It was because of the Goblin Lord, a being that defied common sense.
A Goblin Lord could match the power of an Aura Expert with its raw strength alone. Since a knight commander of most families typically reached the Aura Expert level, that made the Goblin Lord formidable in its own right.
However, the true terror of a Goblin Lord lay in its characteristic as a 'Lord.'
Once a Lord erged, Goblins moved as a unified legion, operating tactically and systematically. Simultaneously, their numbers grew so imnse that even skilled knights would hesitate to confront the entire Goblin legion.
Of course, if one had attained at least the rank of Aura Expert, the sheer number of Goblins wouldn't pose much difficulty, but...
The reality is that most knights encounter the barrier of Aura Expert and abandon their pursuit, ending their progression.
Moreover, there were only three Aura Experts present here: the subjugation commander directing from a distance, the deputy commander leading the knights dispatched by the Elder Council, and the woman beside now, Lea Praha.
I didn't expect she would reach Expert level within a week, though.
I suppressed an incredulous laugh, observing Lea, who appeared concerned about the squires sustaining injuries.
If I were to na the strongest individuals from my past life, I would definitively point to the three Grand Masters. But if asked who possessed the greatest natural talent, everyone would indicate one woman: Lea Praha, the youngest daughter of House Praha.
Had it not been for the poisons administered by the Elder Council and the unfavorable circumstances I had created around her, she could have easily ascended to Grand Master.
But fifteen years of injected poison sufficed to extinguish her talent, and the conditions I established wore down her spirit. Yet, she still wielded her sword for the North and her family. That's why I held her in such high regard.
Aid in securing my revenge, Lea, and this ti, I will ensure you live a life of happiness. I made this silent vow, drawing the bowstring as I aid at a Goblin fleeing from a distance.
Swish!
The arrow flew and pierced the Goblin's head.
The final remaining Goblin perished, and the subjugation's first battle concluded.
* * *
When dawn broke the next day, the subjugation force resud its march.
The region we currently traversed was known as Gremlin's Knoll, a small mountain range blanketed in heavy snow and piercing cold.
Amidst the snow, wild flowers erged, lightly staining the knights' armor as they were trampled underfoot.
One of the knights grumbled, snapping off a bare branch that obstructed his path. Snap.
"Damn it. The sun is up, and not a single bloody gremlin in sight. I just want to finish this job and rest."
"Keep searching. Sir Louis of the most esteed Berg family stated so—surely a Lord must be present here."
"Forget a Lord, I don't even see a single ordinary Goblin."
"Oh dear... you're in big trouble now. How dare you contradict the words of soone who is destined to beco the Ducal House's son-in-law?"
The knights chuckled among themselves, joking at the expense of Louis Berg. In other words, at my expense.
It seed they doubted the presence of a Goblin Lord here.
Then again, a Lord-level entity doesn't materialize easily, and why would they trust the claim of so newcor to the North who asserted a Lord had appeared, presenting evidence they'd never encountered before?
I’d be frustrated too if I were in their position.
But that was a different matter.
How dare a re knight speak and behave in such a manner toward the son of a Count's family?
I drew my bowstring taut and aid at the knight. Then, I released the arrow with a soft thud.
Swish!
Thwump!
The arrow sliced through the knight's cheek and continued its trajectory, lightly embedding itself in a nearby tree. Since it contained no Aura, the tree neither shattered nor splintered.
The knight wiped his cheek, examined the blood on his hand, then his expression contorted as he shouted at . "What do you think you're doing?!"
"My apologies. I mistook you for a Goblin and fired, but it seems I was in error. I was so convinced, judging by the foul stench emanating from your mouth."
As I tilted my head in feigned confusion, laughter erupted from the squires. The knight, his face flushed with anger, glared at them, then gritted his teeth and moved away from his position.
Lea chuckled softly and remarked, "Seeing that, you do indeed seem to possess the temperant of a wastrel after all."
"Didn't I tell you so?" She really didn’t listen, did she?
In any case.
"...It's about ti they appeared," I muttered to myself.
"What do you an?" Lea inquired curiously.
Seeing her remain by my side, she must be rather bored. Honestly, she could simply conceal herself sowhere and no one would trouble her. I couldn't determine whether she was being foolish or simply deeply committed to her duty.
I glanced at Lea and said, "The Goblins. It's about ti they began to appear."
When a Goblin Lord erged, the Goblin population increased exponentially, but not a single one had been sighted thus far. So where had all those numbers vanished to?
The answer was—
Thwump! Thump! Thwump!
"Ambush! Check the trees, beneath the ground! Inspect everywhere!"
—an ambush.
I withdrew my short spear and thrust it toward a Goblin descending from above with a dagger.
Thwuck!
The Goblin emitted a faint death rattle and expired, collapsing to the ground.
"Move back. This is your first genuine combat experience, isn't it?" I said to Lea.
Setting aside whether I should comnd her for attaining the Aura Expert stage without proper combat experience, I first needed to extract her from this chaotic confrontation.
But Lea rendered my concern irrelevant. She cut down a Goblin, saying, "What did you say?" Red blood spattered across her face, staining her pure white armor crimson. How many had she slain in that brief interval?
"...Nothing. Continue eliminating them."
"Understood!"
Lea gradually moved away from , slaughtering Goblins, and I shook my head as I watched her.
"What a feisty one. In any case... their numbers are substantial."
Though the knights and soldiers fought the Goblins, there were simply too many.
Occasionally, Goblins broke through the lines, and as the soldiers spread thinner trying to hold them back, their losses began to rise.
"Damn it! How can our ranks be penetrated by re Goblins?!"
The knights berated the squires and soldiers, but they were already struggling to contend with dozens of Goblins each, making it difficult to do anything beyond shouting. Casualties increased, and even knights began sustaining injuries.
"No choice, I suppose," I muttered, scratching my head.
I had hoped to avoid using Aura so soon, but at this rate, excessive ti would be squandered.
Taking a deep breath, I drew the bowstring back as far as it would go. With a subtle twist of the string, I aligned over twenty arrows—sothing only possible with precise Aura control.
The scent of callia perated the air around .
Thwack.
When I released the bowstring, the twenty arrows multiplied in flight, spiraling through the air and diffusing the scent of callia blossoms.
This was the Divine Archer's Original Technique: Full Bloom. A phantom image manifested, as if countless branches extended outward, blooming with callia flowers at their ends.
A delicate floral fragrance spread. The Goblins touched by the flower petals exploded, marking the grand finale.
Splat. SPLATTER.
The confrontation ended instantaneously, and the knights turned to regard with expressions of disbelief. So appeared completely stunned.
I paid them no mind.
Magnificent.
I smiled with satisfaction, curling the corners of my lips as I examined the Divine Archer's bow.
I quite appreciated the power of this technique I had just acquired.
* * *
Lea Praha, like the other knights, stared at Louis Berg with an expression of bewildernt.
"What in the..."
Words failed her. Who could have imagined he could annihilate the entire Goblin legion with rely twenty arrows?
Certainly, a few fortunate Goblins had survived, but their numbers were negligible, and they were swiftly dispatched by other knights.
In essence, he had concluded the battle single-handedly.
Lea's eyes glead as she regarded Louis. She had remained close to Louis throughout solely to observe him.
She was grateful that he had redied her ailnt, and she appreciated his apparent fondness for her, but she couldn't help herself.
Because I must ascertain his true purpose.
His family belonged to the Noble Faction, he was an ardent supporter of Artezia Duchy, and he had approached her with such convenient timing.
But based on her continued surveillance, he didn't appear to harbor any intention of undermining their House. Had he ant to manipulate her, he would have exerted himself to display only his virtuous side, yet he rely revealed his temperantal nature.
...I don’t get him at all.
Lea sighed softly and shook her head. It seed she would need to remain in his company for a while longer.
* * *
That evening, the knights of the Elder Council discreetly left their respective tents and assembled in a secluded location.
One of the knights bit his lip and spoke. "Damn it... I underestimated him because he was an archer, but he's simply a monster."
"We need to engage him assuming he's at least at the Aura Expert level. Should the deputy commander confront him?"
"Then what about the damned Praha girl?!"
"Tch, matters have grown complicated."
The knights of the Council had received a single directive from the High Elder: to eliminate both Louis Berg and Lea Praha during the subjugation.
The knights' original strategy was to take Louis Berg hostage and kill Lea. After all, they had never imagined that the wastrel of the Berg family would possess such formidable power.
However, Louis's capabilities far exceeded their expectations, and the initial plan had to be abandoned.
"...Then how about implenting the Seventh Elder's plan?"
"The Seventh Elder's plan?"
The knights contemplated silently. If the High Elder's command was to eliminate both of them, the Seventh Elder's instruction was to kill only Lea Praha.
And since that could be accomplished through poisoning, the risk was considerably lower than confronting both targets directly.
The concern was whether the Seventh Elder could withstand the High Elder's wrath.
...No alternative. Facing two Experts imposes too great a burden. It's far preferable to grasp at the prospect offered by the Seventh Elder.
The deputy commander finalized his decision, his gaze downcast. "We will implent the Seventh Elder's plan. After poisoning that woman, we will attribute it to Louis Berg."
"Yes, sir!"
Moonlight slanted through the trees, illuminating the knights. They swiftly whispered about their future sches, while a figure perched on a branch above observed them, shaking his head.
"...How is it that they’re proceeding exactly as I predicted?"
The raven-haired man, Louis Berg, sat upon a branch, watching their retreating forms.
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