The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 98

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 98

Chapter Title: Winter's King

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Snowflake patterns engraved themselves around the spot where Nina stood, and at the same time, the ground began to freeze over.

The surrounding temperature plummeted sharply in an instant, and she could see the lake slowly freezing.

White breath like clouds poured out with every exhale. Yet neither Nina nor Adrian felt cold.

On the contrary, they felt a profound peace.

The white mist swirling around the pale Belak began to recede.

Its translucent body emitted a bluish glow.

"It really looks like a ghost."

At Nina's words, Adrian glanced at her before quickly fixing his gaze back on Belak.

"I've never seen a Belak like that before."

The Belak, which had been floating idly in the air, now began drifting slowly toward them.

Nina raised her sword.

At that moment, Belak vanished.

'Huh?'

As she faltered in surprise, Belak reappeared behind her.

Adrian's sword grazed Belak.

-Kiiiiik!

Belak recoiled with a bizarre screech. Adrian said,

"Nina, it doesn't feel like it's cutting into anything."

"You don't think it's immaterial, so our swords can't touch it, do you?"

Like, swords from the mortal world can't harm ghosts.

Nina took a deep breath and shot forward like a spring. Her sword sliced precisely through Belak's midsection.

-Kiiik!!

Belak shrieked and thrashed about. But there was no visible change to its form. Nina was dumbfounded.

"No damage at all."

Belak raised both arms as if enraged. At the same time, white smoke began pouring from what had been its mouth.

The two quickly dodged to either side.

It seemed like an offensive version of that earlier cold mist.

'It's like spraying liquid nitrogen.'

With that thought, Nina gripped her sword and shouted,

The frost pattern engraved on the blade of her famed sword glowed vividly, as if alight.

"Hyah!!"

Nina swung her sword, cleaving through the billowing mist.

The fog parted like a waterfall split in two, and her attack reached its target.

Belak, its head cleaved in half, froze in place for a moment.

Then, slowly, with its head split open to either side, it turned toward Nina.

"Ugh, I hate that. I really hate it. I hate it so much!!"

Nina let out a wail, and Adrian said,

"Nina, can you handle it alone for a minute?"

"Of course! I'll make sure not to kill it while you're gone!"

As Adrian tried to leave the battlefield, Belak vanished with a pop and reappeared in front of him, blocking his path.

But Nina kicked Belak with all her might.

-Kek!

Belak flew back with a strange yelp.

"Aha, so it takes damage when it's trying to attack someone. As expected."

That earlier hit during the mist spray must have been because it had to materialize to attack.

Belak, pushed back by the kick, let out another eerie screech and charged at Nina.

Pop, pop, pop.

Sounds of it vanishing and reappearing echoed continuously.

In the meantime, Adrian slipped into the shadows and disappeared.

Nina dodged attacks while observing her foe.

'This would be tough for anyone who isn't an elite of the Ebony Knight Order.'

Appearing and vanishing, immune to physical attacks—it was sure to throw off most opponents.

Only veterans of the Ebony Knight Order, who had faced countless Belaks, would think, 'Then find a new weak point,' and grip their weapons tighter.

'Average fighters would struggle.'

To fight Belaks, raw power wasn't enough. You needed quick wits too.

Nina tested whether she could strike with just her famed sword, without wrapping it in spirit power.

When it vanished and reappeared to attack, she could counter without spirits—it was plenty effective.

It just required top-notch reflexes to keep up with its erratic movements.

'And it's tough too.'

Regular Rengshi steel wouldn't penetrate easily.

But famed steel was sharp enough.

'The cold mist is annoying, though.'

Cold made hands numb and slowed movements—inescapable for humans.

'Maybe request winter-proof, fire-resistant uniforms.'

She even had the leisure for such thoughts now.

"Nina!"

Adrian's call came from afar, and Nina shouted,

Her sword turned golden. Belak flinched as if sensing terror in that instant.

Nina seized the opening. As the golden sword slashed through Belak, it didn't burst into flames like usual but rather...

'Golden fireflies?'

Belak dissolved into scattered motes of golden light.

Clink-

Something dropped to the ground. Nina squinted at the object.

It was a skull wrapped in silver.

'Ugh.'

This revolting feeling.

She reluctantly peered inside the skull and found a small fragment embedded there.

'Ugh, I really hate it. I really, really hate it.'

No wonder it didn't seem like an ordinary Belak.

As she looked away from the skull, her energy began draining away again.

'Again!'

Before collapsing, she knelt preemptively, and the drain stopped.

"Huh?"

Peeking inside once more, the fragment was gone. Compared to last time, far less energy had been sapped.

'And now I'm starving again!'

As Nina sighed, Adrian ran up.

"Nina, you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?"

With no one around to see, his speech returned to normal.

"No, there was a spirit fragment inside. That's why my energy started draining."

Nina stood up.

"This time it was really just a little. Though I'm hungry now. More importantly, this isn't a real human skull, is it?"

"That's what I think too."

"Did you catch your target?"

Adrian nodded. Worried, Nina asked,

"I killed the Belak—did that kill your guy too?"

"No idea why, but he's still alive. I've got him trussed up tight."

"Then let's head back. I want to sleep in my bed."

"...Yeah."

Adrian's reply was a beat late.

Nina gazed at the distant castle. The sun had fully set, and dusk blanketed everything.

"Should we camp till morning? The sun's down anyway."

"I'll get it ready quick."

Nina nodded at Adrian's words.

She had no idea how he'd subdued the heretic, but if Adrian said he had it under control, then he did.

In a flash, he built a fire, set up bedding, and kneaded the hardtack before placing it on the pan.

Meanwhile, Nina caught two waterfowl from the lake and handed them to Adrian.

Adrian pushed the perfectly baked, round, flat hardtack toward Nina, then dressed the waterfowl she'd caught and began roasting them over the campfire.

"Why does hardtack taste good when you cook it, Adrian?"

The hardtack was round and firm.

You could eat it dry with water, or mix with water and bake or boil it.

The baked version, seasoned just right with the salt and sugar he'd brought, was crispy and savory-sweet—delicious.

She devoured about three servings' worth of the remaining hardtack on her own, then finished a whole greasy waterfowl Adrian had roasted, eyeing the last one.

Adrian chuckled and handed her the remaining bird.

Only after finishing did the hunger subside.

"You okay, Adrian?"

"I'm fine. Want more roasted?"

"No, eat now."

At Nina's words, Adrian plated the rest for himself.

Nina poked at the skull, and Adrian grimaced, wrapping it up and stowing it in his bag.

"How is a humanoid Belak even possible?"

Human souls were gifts from the gods, so unlike other creatures, they didn't get hijacked by corrupted spirits to become Belaks.

"Maybe it used a body. There was a fragment in the skull, right?"

At Adrian's words, Nina narrowed her eyes with a hum.

"If it hadn't been you or the Young Master, we'd have been in serious trouble. It was S-rank."