The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 26

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 26

Chapter Title: Belak in the Capital

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Everyone had stood by with their hands behind their backs when the Belak from the Violet Forest were only a problem for the Rubaenu Ducal Family, but now they were appearing even in the capital.

Among the capital's residents protected by the Great Barrier, there must be some who had never even laid eyes on a Belak.

But it wasn't as if the Belak had broken through the barrier and entered the capital, so these must be entirely artificial manifestations.

'Heretics, perhaps.'

There was only one suspect that came to mind.

In this situation, fully rebuilding the Ebony Knight Order would only benefit the ducal family—there was no way it could backfire.

'The temple will be busy too.'

He lit a scrap of paper in the lamp and gazed at the chessboard.

He picked up the queen, advanced it one square, surveyed the entire board, then closed his eyes.

Just before dawn broke, Jin stretched languidly as he arrived at the training grounds. Nina strode out briskly and greeted him.

"Good morning."

"Yeah, good morning."

Jin asked with anticipation.

"So, what training today?"

"Basic training."

"Huh?"

"Basics. Everything starts with solid fundamentals. The answer lies in your lower body and core muscles."

"Basics..."

"That's why your skills aren't improving—with that face like you hate it so much."

"Whoa, talking back now."

"Want to give it a try? If you even graze me, I'll move on to the next stage."

"Excluding spirits?" Jin asked, and Nina nodded.

"Excluding spirits."

"Alright."

Jin's voice brimmed with confidence. Nina handed him a wooden practice sword.

"What about you?"

"Bare hands are enough for me."

"...No mercy, then."

"If I go easy, it'll be a disaster, Vice-Captain. Let's see just how good the Captain really is."

That way, she could push him hard without complaints later, Nina thought with a sly grin.

Jin faced Nina and raised his wooden sword high.

That was the signal—they clashed. At first, Jin's swings lacked power.

But when Nina effortlessly dodged his wooden sword in their first exchange and punched his solar plexus, things changed.

"Hey, cough, for real."

"I went easy."

Otherwise you'd be out cold right now, Nina thought, shaking her head as power began to fill Jin's wooden sword.

Yet his sword couldn't even touch her swaying hair. Nina made no unnecessary dodges.

She slipped past his wooden sword by a paper's thickness and struck various points with her fist.

Side, back, neck, nape.

For Jin, it was enough to make him jump. Striking him with her fist meant getting that close, but his sword simply wouldn't connect.

Gradually putting more sincerity into her moves, and later even infusing killing intent into her attacks, Nina still didn't take a single hit.

Instead, Jin rolled across the ground after eating a kick.

"Oops, sorry. I kicked a bit hard there. You okay?"

Surprised by her own kick, Nina rushed over. Jin curled up, clutching his stomach and groaning, then looked up with teary eyes.

"I'll... do basics."

"Good boy."

Nina laughed and helped him to his feet.

"Alright, then."

"Ugh?!"

Jin suddenly felt his whole body compressed and braced against the ground.

Nina was impressed.

"Whoa, it worked. Five times gravity!"

Nina broke into a cold sweat.

"But the mana drain is intense."

It wasn't a one-time use; maintaining the spirit's power continuously meant she couldn't hold it for long.

'Still, I should try it today. Need to see how far I can push when using both mana and stamina at once.'

Knowing her limits was crucial.

"Let's begin today's basic training."

Nina picked up a training iron sword. She too needed consistent practice to keep her body in top form.

Seeing her draw her sword, Jin barely stood and gripped his own iron sword.

By the end of morning training, Jin was a drenched, crumpled rag.

Nina was soaked in sweat as well. Jin gritted his teeth.

Nina had trained at least twice as fast.

'Ha, but no more. This is beyond willpower.'

His body was screaming limits; not a single spot was pain-free.

Nina released the gravity and took a deep breath.

"Ah, nothing's ever easy."

Training wasn't easy for her either. But unlike Jin, she wasn't sprawled out, unable to twitch a finger.

"Jin, rest up properly and go wash."

Jin could only groan in response. Nina washed roughly at the well and had breakfast.

After devouring about eight plates of roasted potatoes, Nina headed to Kiril's greenhouse.

It was filled with all sorts of herbs and plants. Nina found the section labeled with the plants Kiril had brought.

Golden light sparkled and began sprinkling over the soil.

"Oh? It—it worked!"

It's taking! It's growing!

The plants shot up, buds forming, then blooming—

'Huh?'

In that instant, her mana drained completely, and her vision went pitch black.

When she came to, she was on a bed in the infirmary.

"Huh..."

"'Huh' what? Don't spout nonsense."

Kiril snapped, and Nina turned to look at her. Kiril's deep blue eyes glared with irritation.

"Who in their right mind uses spirit power until they pass out? Oh, right here."

Kiril whacked her forehead with the muddler she held.

"Ow!"

Nina teared up and shot a protesting glare, but she lacked the strength to even lift a finger.

This was entirely different from hunger or muscle pain.

'So this is what it feels like when mana is sucked dry.'

A vague emptiness and weakness she couldn't quite articulate.

Her body felt ice-cold, as if all warmth had been drained.

"I feel so weak..."

Nina sighed deeply, and Kiril clicked her tongue.

"Do you know how scared everyone was finding you collapsed in the greenhouse?"

Kiril recalled entering the greenhouse. Adrian was already there by then.

He had been staring down at Nina collapsed at his feet, frozen like a statue, not daring to even check on her.

Kiril had been the one to rush over in shock. When she said Nina was just asleep, Adrian finally seemed to breathe.

She had given Adrian an earful too, so now it was Nina's turn.

As Kiril force-fed her bitterly acrid medicine by the spoonful amid a torrent of scolding—leaving Nina mentally pulverized—Adrian entered.

Kiril stood and said,

"She's had her medicine, so now she just needs deep rest to recover her mana."

Adrian gave a slight nod, and Kiril promptly left without another word.

Adrian approached the bedside and looked down at Nina. She groaned,

"I just choked down medicine so bitter I wished I was dead and endured Kiril's lecture. Cut me some slack."

Adrian furrowed his brow, then pushed her aside and climbed onto the narrow bed.

It was quite cramped. For two to lie down, they had to press right up against each other.

Adrian pulled her to lean against his shoulder. A soft pillow propped up her back.

Kiril's medicine tasted awful but worked wonders—her fingertips warmed, and some strength returned.

"Nina Randell."

"Yes."

"What was so urgent?"

Nina looked up at him, then slumped against his shoulder with a sigh.

"I already wasted two years."

A weak murmur slipped out unwittingly.