A year is indeed a long time. It was enough time for Alon to officially undergo the succession ceremony and become the Count of Palatio, and it also allowed him to steadily become accustomed to the duties that a Count must manage. However, one year is by no means enough time for an ordinary person with no prior knowledge of swordsmanship to become a “Master Knight.”

“Evan.”

“Yes?”

“Master Knight… that means Swordmaster, right?”

“Yes… that’s correct.”

Swordmaster.

To Alon, who had read countless fantasy novels, the title seemed rather unimpressive. However, unlike other mass-produced fantasy settings where simply wielding an aura blade was enough to be considered a Swordmaster, Alon knew that the Swordmasters of this world operated on a completely different scale.

Information about the Swordmasters of Psychedelia flashed through Alon’s mind.

In this world, a Swordmaster wasn’t just someone who could wield an “aura blade.” A Swordmaster was a being who, beyond that, could unlock a unique ability called a “Derivative” and could leap over castle walls with a single bound. In other words, a Swordmaster in this world was more accurately described as a superhuman rather than just a swordsman who wielded an aura-clad blade.

“So, are you telling me that Deus has become one of those Swordmasters?”

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“…Well, technically, he’s just on the verge of becoming one. While it’s true that he’s been recognized as a Master Knight, according to information from the guild, he hasn’t yet created a Derivative.”

“…? Then he’s not really a Master Knight, is he?”

“That might be due to the northern barbarians.”

“Ah.”

At Evan’s words, Alon immediately understood why Deus was recognized as a Master Knight.

“War?”

“Yes.”

Caliburn had been waging war against the northern barbarians for over ten years, and last year, they had lost one of their five Master Knights in the northern conflict. Remembering this, Alon nodded.

“They’re trying to quell anxiety while also proclaiming that they’re still strong.”

“There are probably a few other reasons as well, but that seems to be the main one.”

“So, Deus isn’t quite at the level of a Master Knight yet?”

“No, it’s just that he hasn’t unlocked his Derivative yet. But according to the Information Guild, he’s already considered to be at the level of a Master Knight. They say that even Fiola, the Fourth Sword and a Master Knight herself, was defeated by Deus in a duel.”

Hearing Evan’s words, Alon let out a small laugh and muttered to himself.

“…How old is the youngest Master Knight?”

“As far as I know, the youngest was 32 years old. Reinhardt, the First Sword of Caliburn, held the record. Or at least, he used to.”

“Was he the youngest?”

“Yes. Isn’t he quite famous?”

Alon nodded at Evan’s words. While he wasn’t particularly interested in fame, he knew that Reinhardt was an extraordinarily powerful individual. He remembered how Reinhardt always appeared during the third main episode of the game to temporarily assist the protagonist as an ally.

‘Didn’t he start wielding a sword at the age of five with incredible talent?’

Recalling the typical narration that would accompany Reinhardt’s entrance as a companion, Alon let out a laugh. It had taken Reinhardt over twenty years to reach the level of a Master Knight, despite his unbelievable talent and strength.

“…Becoming a Master Knight in just one year… does that even make sense?”

“It’s absolutely unbelievable. Even those with talent take five years just to awaken mana, ten years to envelop their swords in it, and decades to create a Derivative. Yet Deus cleared the first two stages in just one year.”

As Evan spoke, clicking his tongue with a hint of envy, Alon found himself unconsciously rubbing his chin.

‘I knew he had talent, but I never imagined it would be to this extent… Well, it’s a good thing.’

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From Alon’s perspective, Deus’s success wasn’t something to mourn but to celebrate. The more successful Deus became, the more opportunities Alon would have to benefit from it in the future.

‘Opportunities… I should be able to seize them, right?’

Alon glanced at the letters sitting on a desk in the corner of his office. The letters were from Yutia, who was in the Holy Kingdom of Rosario.

‘…Or maybe I won’t…’

The reason Alon had such a conflicted expression was that over the past year, he had only received letters from Yutia. It seemed that the five of them were still communicating with each other.

‘Well, I guess it can’t be helped since I’ve never met them in person. But still, I prepared personal gifts for each of them, so not getting even a word of thanks feels a bit too much, doesn’t it…?’

Though Alon’s expression remained neutral, there was a hint of frustration as he shook his head slightly. In truth, considering his original goal, Alon should have been grateful that the Five Sins hadn’t destroyed any kingdoms.

And so, with a slightly bitter expression, Alon thought to himself:

‘As long as they’re living well, that’s enough for me.’

***

In the central district of Caliburn’s capital, Kirdam, there is a grand mansion located in the southern area, where only the highest-ranking nobles of the country reside. It was here that Deus Macallian, the leader of the famous knight order “Eclipse” and the youngest person in the country to be granted the title of Master Knight, lived.

“Whew—”

In a stately office that wasn’t quite to his taste but one he used nonetheless, Deus let out a quiet sigh, gazing leisurely out the window toward the mansion’s garden.

“Brother!”

He spotted a young girl with the same deep purple eyes as him, waving at him with a bright smile from the garden. Seeing her, Deus couldn’t help but smile back.

The girl waved for a while before resuming her walk around the garden, and as Deus watched her, he found himself reminiscing about the past year—about the moment he had met the family he thought was dead and received the gift from the Great Moon.

A year ago, Deus Macallian had already joined the Blue Moon and was operating under its guidance. However, unlike Yutia, he wasn’t blindly devoted to the Great Moon. Although he was aware that the Great Moon had saved his life, that alone wasn’t enough to make him pledge his loyalty.

Thus, the reason Deus Macallian was affiliated with the Great Moon back then was twofold: First, to receive training from Yutia, and second, because the Great Moon had promised him the chance for revenge against the “Black Sheep.”

After all, since losing his family—whom he valued as much as his own life—Deus had been consumed by anger and festering hatred, unable to sleep at night.

Therefore, when he first received his mission, Deus wasn’t particularly pleased with it. While he understood that his previous tasks under the Blue Moon were meant to deal with dark entities, this new mission seemed entirely out of the blue.

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But when he arrived in Caliburn and reached the small inn in the southern region, where the letter from the Great Moon mentioned a “gift,” Deus couldn’t believe his eyes. His sister, who should have been killed by the Black Sheep, was there, alive and well, working at the inn.

“Ahem.”

Deus cleared his throat awkwardly, even though no one else was around. Thinking back, he still felt embarrassed about how, upon seeing his sister at the inn, he had immediately embraced her and burst into tears.

After that emotional reunion, Deus learned about everything that had happened to his sister, Silly. She recounted how she had been dragged into a dark place by the Black Sheep, waiting for her turn to be killed when a bright light suddenly pulled her back outside. She had nearly been sold to a slaver but was saved by a man named Evan. Then, Count Palatio had provided her with precious medicine and continued to support and protect her until Deus arrived.

After hearing all of this, Deus couldn’t help but wonder how the Great Moon had known all of these things. He had never mentioned his family to anyone in the Blue Moon, nor did Yutia know anything about what had happened to him, except that he had been attacked by the Black Sheep.

But before long, Deus stopped pondering this mystery. Instead, he recalled Yutia’s words—the words she would often say to him.

“He knows everything.”

“Soon, you’ll understand why I follow Him.”

At first, he had dismissed those words, but now they were starting to make sense. Remembering them, Deus offered his gratitude to the Great Moon.

For someone like him, who had been consumed by vengeance, the survival of his sister, and the fact that his own name had been secretly protecting her, was the greatest gift and an incomparable blessing.

‘No matter what happens…’

Deus vowed to repay this kindness. Following the Great Moon’s orders, he became a knight in Caliburn.

Ironically, becoming a knight was easy for him. Aside from his existing abilities, Deus discovered that he had a surprising and exceptional talent for the sword.

“He knows everything.”

It was then that Deus realized that Yutia’s words weren’t just blind fanaticism but the truth. And by the time he became a knight, Deus understood why the Great Moon had sent him here to become a knight.

‘My mission is to create a royal guard.’

Whether it was because of the battles with the barbarians or not, Caliburn allowed anyone who gained the king’s recognition to form a knight order. Moreover, if someone became a Master Knight, they were permitted to exceed the usual limit on the number of members in their knight order.

But this knight order wouldn’t be made up of street thugs. Instead, it would be composed of talented swordsmen who had come to Caliburn to become knights.

“Commander, it’s time.”

“Alright.”

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Deus stood up, acknowledging the knight who had spoken to him with eyes full of respect.

He headed toward the training grounds. The knights, dressed in the black iron armor that symbolized Eclipse, were preparing to depart on an expedition to fight the barbarians. Standing on the inspection platform, Deus looked over the assembled knights.

He knew that not all of them would return with smiles on their faces.

However, for Deus, this wasn’t a significant issue. The knight order, the royal guard that would serve the Great Moon, needed to be stronger—far stronger than they were now. Deus knew all too well that the Great Moon didn’t desire a knight order that would fall to mere northern barbarians.

And so, unlike other knight commanders who would encourage and inspire their troops, Deus drew his sword and quietly uttered the motto of Eclipse.

“Prove yourself under the moon.”

With those words, he embarked on the expedition to fight the barbarians, aiming to create the greatest knight order worthy of serving the Great Moon.