Chapter 1: The Reincarnation of the Barbarian

Year 1446 of the Fairy Calendar

In the center of the Alfeed continent, there was the Kingdom of Calvania. Its capital, the royal city of Calvania, was ruled by the royal family and had been founded by the Holy King Arthur. To the northeast, in the depths of the forest of Shaltos, there stood the tombstone of a certain knight, and here in this forest, a new legend would begin.

“Yah! Yah! Yah!” somebody was yelling.

It was the night of a violent storm. Rain and tremendous gusts of wind swirled and blew wildly as lightning cut through a night sky dark as the ocean’s depths. A single horse galloped through the groaning trees that were battered by the wind and rain. Straddling the horse’s back and holding its reins was what looked to be a boy. He had clear blue eyes and short blond hair that was soft like cotton. The boy’s age was about fifteen or sixteen years old. His smooth and porcelain-white skin, somewhat small and dainty body, and delicate features were androgynous, or shall we say, feminine. However, he gave off no hint of cowardice or unreliability. The boy exuded the kind of dignified spirit and elegance one couldn’t hide and could make those who faced him kneel before him. He wore a cloak over a gorgeous surcoat, and on his waist was a rapier. His attire was the uniform for students, or squires, at the Calvania Royal Fairy Knight Academy.

“I can’t die now!” The boy laid into the horse with his whip and desperately raced through the forest. “I have to summon him!”

What he pictured in his heart, seared by the fires of urgency, was the legend of a certain knight, the knight called Sir Sid “The Barbarian.” The stories passed down about the man were those of a cruel and inhumane knight who was a disgrace to chivalry. However, ever since the boy was a child, his father told him about Sid’s true nature.

It was about a thousand years ago, in the age of legend. It is said that the greatest heroic king of the legendary age, the Holy King Arthur, pacified the chaotic warfare-ravaged continent, prevented the invasion of the demon lord, and saved the world. In the royal family of Calvania, there are unwritten instructions that their founder, the Holy King Arthur himself, entrusted to future generations...

“My children, those who have received the blessing of Éclair, the fairy god of light, heed my words. One day, a great calamity shall befall you and your land. But do not fear, for you shall have a knight to protect you. In the depths of the sacred forest of Shaltos is where he sleeps. When calamity befalls you, when you are in your time of desperation, offer onto his gravestone your blood and call his name. He is my loyal knight and my vassal. Call on the true name of my most beloved friend. He shall awaken by the ancient pact and will surely answer to you.”

The boy suddenly came back to his senses and pulled on the reins to stop his horse. It neighed and raised its forelegs, so the boy soothed it enough to dismount. There was an open spot in the midst of the dense forest. It was a small hill, and at the top was something rectangular. Right then, a flash of lightning pierced the night sky, and a thunderous roar shook the air. The world turned white for a moment. However, that bright light was blocked by the object standing atop the hill, which cast a black shadow that stretched and engulfed the boy.

“It’s really here...” He walked up the hill half in a daze. The object was a grave. Transcending time eternal, and on the brink of decay, the grave stood in isolation on top of the hill. Only the name carved onto the gravestone could be read—barely.

It was the name of the legendary knight that, for better or worse, shined brilliantly in the history of old: “Sid Blitze.”

“The royal instructions passed down from the founder, Arthur. The magic of resurrection and reincarnation...” he muttered to himself and drew the rapier that was at his hip, grasping the blade with his left hand. He pulled the sword, leaving his hand with a shallow cut from which blood flowed. Then, as he touched the tombstone with his bloodied palm, he said pleadingly, “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t awaken you from your peaceful slumber, but right now I must implore you.” The rain washed away the blood on his hand and the surface of the tombstone. “I know I’m asking for a lot, but please lend me your strength!” The boy knelt before the tombstone and hung his head in prayer. “Please answer my call and save this dying country! I, Alvin Noll Calvania, descendant of the founder, Arthur, beseech you!” Alvin chanted the knight’s name, his true second name that was lost long ago: “Sir Sid Blitze, the Lightning Knight! Awaken now from your long slumber and fulfill the ancient pact!”

As he shouted, the sound of thunder once again cut through the night as if it were heralding the end of the world. Lightning branched into multiple strands and split the sky into pieces, scorching his vision and turning the world white. Eventually, the light subsided and darkness returned.

Silence.

In front of Alvin, there was only the tombstone, unchanged. Nothing happened. No one answered Alvin’s call; there was only the sound of rain. As he realized this cruel reality, Alvin released his hands that were still held in prayer and felt weak.

“H-Heh heh...of course.” He laughed. “In the end, it was just a legend. There’s no such thing as magic that can bring the dead back to life.” Alvin rested his head on the tombstone and pounded it weakly.

At that moment, there came the sound of horse hooves approaching from behind and something heavy falling.

“What?!” Alvin instantly stood up and turned around to brace himself. It was then that he could see his poor horse had been cut down at the foot of the hill.

“Hey, Prince Alvin! Short time no see, eh?! How ya been?” A single knight clad in black armor rode atop a black horse known as a phantom steed. The knight carried a sword on his shoulder, and his wicked face was twisted in amusement. “How about we end our little game of tag? Eh, Prince?”

“A dark knight!”

“That’s right. It is I, the great Jeeza of the Dark Order of Opus. No hard feelings, but I’ll be the one killing you this evening!” the man, Jeeza, said as he nimbly dismounted from his phantom steed. The Dark Order of Opus was a forbidden, heretical religion dedicated to the dark fairy god, Opus. They possessed a powerful force known as the dark knights, and it is said that they are behind every crime that occurs in the country—murder, kidnapping, slave trading, drug trafficking.

Earlier that day, Alvin had taken a small entourage on a patrol around the surrounding area of the royal capital. During the patrol, this man, the dark knight Jeeza, suddenly attacked. Alvin’s entourage was no match when faced with his overwhelming ferocity and were quickly wiped out. Alvin barely escaped and ended up here.

“No more games. It’s time to face the music, Prince Alvin.” Jeeza spoke casually but gave off a chilling aura and murderous intent as he focused on Alvin.

“My employer wants you dead. So, I’m sorry, but I just can’t let you off the hook. You should curse your misfortune for being born in this era as a boy in the royal family,” he declared. The next instant, Jeeza ran up the hill—a predator chasing its prey—and closed in on Alvin. Using this momentum, he slashed up from below. With no time to flee, Alvin swiftly brought his rapier to bear and guarded low, clashing violently with Jeeza’s blade. Considering the difference in their skill, it was a miracle that Alvin’s defense made it in time.

“Ahh!” Alvin’s body was thrown into the air by impact of their blades clashing. Alvin’s dainty frame hit the ground over and over as it rolled down the slope on the opposite side of the hill.

“Hmm?” As Jeeza looked down on Alvin, he tilted his head to the side as if he had noticed something. “Hey...why did you sound like a woman just now?”

In stunned silence, Alvin quickly used the rapier like a cane to once again stand and looked up at Jeeza with defiance. Jeeza looked down and stared at Alvin’s figure. Alvin’s clothes and cloak stuck firmly to his rain-drenched body, partially revealing a frame that, for a guy, was a little...

For a moment of silence, Jeeza stared impolitely at Alvin’s body, but he soon let out a vulgar laugh as if he had realized something. “Hey, ‘Prince.’ Is that what’s going on?”

“Wh-What do you mean?!” Alvin said as if he didn’t know what Jeeza was saying. However, the slightly nervous expression that showed for a moment on Alvin’s face didn’t go unnoticed by Jeeza.

“Ha ha ha! Now that’s a surprise! Talk about unheard of, eh, Prince?! Well, not like it matters to me. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m going to kill you, right?!”

Alvin couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

“But before I do, it looks like I get to have some fun.” As Jeeza looked at Alvin, his expression changed. He no longer looked like a cruel assassin. His eyes shone like a hunter who was targeting the finest of prey. Alvin felt an instinctual fear and disgust as Jeeza stared and licked his lips.

“I thought this assignment was going to be boring as hell,” Jeeza said, “but it looks like I’m going to get an unexpected bonus! Ha ha ha!”

Alvin’s body, which had been sturdy until now, trembled helplessly. He was too shocked to say anything. An end more painful, cruel, and humiliating than death awaited him just moments away. His assured fate and inevitable despair plunged his vision into an illusion of darkness. Still, he couldn’t give up.

“I...” Alvin grabbed his rapier with a trembling hand. He desperately suppressed his fear, for that would only bring about a deeper despair and a crueler end. He had to fight. He swore an oath to protect this country, to change it. He swore to his late father, the king...

“Ahhh!” Alvin bellowed like he was admonishing himself for his weakness while also invigorating his will to live. Then he ran toward the man on top of the hill with his sword at the ready.

There was nothing. Until now, this man had nothing. No mind or body to feel, and no consciousness to think. Nothingness. Darkness. Zero. Sky. White. Emptiness. He was merely part of these concepts, forever wandering and adrift in nothingness. However, when someone suddenly called his name, a change occurred in this man of the void.

“Sid.”

By being called by that familiar name, the man who was a concept of the void took on an outline. His self took shape, and the next thing he knew...

“Hmm? Where am I?” The man, Sid, was standing in a strange space. It was a silent world composed of only black and white. There was a pitch-black sky and pouring rain. Plains spread out in a wide expanse with gentle hills that rose up in the distance. The corpses of countless knights were folded on the ground, continuing to the end of the horizon. The swords, spears, and war banners that were stabbed in the earth acted as their gravestones. Occasionally, lightning would seep through cracks in the sky and illuminate these grave markers in the darkness.

“There was a battle here?” He took in the desolation of this place. It was a dead world—a stagnate place where the march of time had ceased. Sid was somehow convinced that this was his world, but on this ruined landscape, there was one thing that was different.

In this black-and-white world, a young man who still retained his color stood silent with his back to Sid. Clad in a magnificent cloak, the young man had blond hair as soft as cotton and a regal stature. Sid stared at his back in disbelief.

“So, you’ve awakened, Sir Sid,” the young man said with his back still turned. A strange feeling welled up in Sid’s chest. It was a feeling that resembled nostalgia.

“That voice. Is that you, Arthur?”

In response to Sid’s question, the young man spun around and revealed his worried face.

“It’s been a long time, Sid.”

“It has, Arthur. I’m glad to see you.” Having been separated from him for so long, Sid gave a sentimental smile. At the same time, though, he was perplexed.

“I should have died when you attacked me. Why am I in this place?” Sid asked.

But Arthur didn’t answer, and with a grave expression, continued. “I’m sorry, but there’s no time. I’ll be brief. Sir Sid, I want you to return to the world of the living—a second life.”

“Huh? What? A second life?”

“In the world of the living, a thousand years have already passed since your death. I want you to serve as a knight to my descendant living there now. I want you to protect them.”

“Hmm? You want me to honor a king other than you?” Sid closed his eyes and thought for a while. He eventually opened them, looked down a little sadly, and shook his head. “No. I’m sorry, Arthur. I can’t do that, not even at your request.” Sid looked around at this lonely world and said, “I’m not interested in a second life. I lived my life to the fullest, and even though it ended the way it did, I was able to live chivalrously. I have no regrets.”

“Sid...”

“Besides, what would you expect me to do in a world without you?” Sid said jokingly and shrugged his shoulders. “I mean, you know me, right? I’m a natural-born demon. You were the person who gave me a reason to wield a sword. I was able to be a knight because of you. Because you were there...” Sid looked straight at Arthur. “Anyway, I was just your knight. I have no intention of offering my sword to any other lord but you. I’m sorry, but please let me rest in peace,” Sid said and started to close his eyes.

“Even so, I implore you, Sir Sid—I have no choice but to do so,” Arthur pleaded. “If you still consider this fool to be your lord, please live once more. I want you to help my descendant who is summoning you now.”

Sid said nothing.

“The truth is, I wanted to let you rest in peace too. However, I must protect them...for the sake of the world.”

Still, Sid was silent.

“I’m not asking you to swear fealty. I just want you to protect them. They are the hope of this world. So...”

Sid stared at Arthur, who looked like he was on the verge of tears. “Hey, come on,” Sid said, his lips twisting into a thin smile. “I don’t want the person who’s supposed to be my lord to have such a sorry look on their face.”

“Sid?”

“Ha ha ha. Fine, I get it, my friend. How can I say no when you’re this persistent?” Sid gave a mischievous smile and quickly looked over his former lord. “If that is your wish, then I’ll do my best to fulfill it—because I am your knight.”

“Th-Thank you, Sid.”

“However, Arthur,” Sid said in a carefree manner as Arthur smiled. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to need to find out for myself whether or not this descendant of yours is a king worthy of my blade.”

At that moment, a powerful bolt of lightning cut the darkness of the night and struck the gravestone standing on the hill. With a roaring sound, it turned the gravestone to dust and scorched the earth. The world was turned incandescent, and when the light had subsided, there was a figure crackling with electricity. He seemed to be around twenty years old. He had black hair and black eyes. His body was thin but sturdy, and he wore simple old-fashioned knightly garb.

“All right, so who am I pledging my sword to this lifetime?” the man, Sid, said firmly. Then, with a flick of his cloak, he stood up.

“Huh?!” Alvin was shocked by the man apparently summoned by lightning on top of the hill. Presently, Alvin’s entire body was battered, and Jeeza was holding him up in the air by his collar. However, all of that instantly vanished from his mind.

Jeeza was licking his lips as he finally planned to—“Wh-What?” His attention was completely stolen by the man who suddenly appeared.

The man in question was on top of the hill quietly opening and squeezing his hand like he was making sure of something. Though, he soon looked at his surroundings and noticed Alvin and Jeeza.

“Who the hell are you?! Wh-Where the hell did you come from?!” Jeeza howled, but the man ignored him and locked eyes with Alvin. Then, he squinted as if he realized something and vanished.

“Huh?” Alvin’s body was suddenly yanked away from Jeeza’s grip. For an instant, his body was weightless, and everything around him was a blur. By the time Alvin realized what was going on...

“Are you all right?” the man asked as he carried Alvin.

“Um...”

“Wh-What was that?! H-How did you move so fast?!” Jeeza yelled, as he was now a dozen or so meters away from them.

The man didn’t have an ounce of hesitation and was completely on guard as he held Alvin and glared at Jeeza. Also—

“M-My hand?!” Suddenly, Alvin felt a scorching-hot sensation on the back of his right hand. He looked, and there was a crest in the shape of a sword that felt like fire.

“You’re the one who summoned me, right?” the man said as he showed Alvin the back of his own right hand, upon which the same sword crest had emerged. Alvin felt himself connected to the man through this crest—it was something like a spiritual channel.

“Wh-Who are you?!” Alvin hastily asked, still being held by the man.

“When you ask someone else’s name, you should say your own first. Isn’t that right, boy?”

“Y-Yes! I’m sorry!” Alvin said and shrank in fear as he introduced himself. “I’m Alvin Noll Calvania, descendant of Arthur, the founder of my lineage.”

“Alvin, huh? I see... It’s a good name.” Sid grinned and said, “My name is Sid, Sid Blitze. The first knight of the great holy king, Arthur.”

“Y-You’re Sid? You’re really the legendary Sir Sid?”

Sid smiled gently at Alvin’s inquiry. “Yes, I am. I answered your summons and came here. That man is your enemy, right?” Sid asked and looked over at the speechless Jeeza, who was standing a dozen or so meters away.

“Y-Yes! He’s my enemy.”

“Then stand back. I’ll take care of this quickly,” Sid said and set Alvin down, but his injuries were so severe that he couldn’t stand and slumped to the ground. Sid then stepped forward as if to hide Alvin behind him. “I’ll protect you.”

“Th-Thank you, but please be careful! The enemy is a dark knight,” Alvin shouted nervously.

Sid spoke firmly and said, “Hmph, relax. I’m pretty strong myself.” Then, with his back to Alvin, he faced Jeeza head-on.

Jeeza clicked his tongue in disgust and became obviously wary. His prior carefree attitude was nowhere to be seen, and he now had the eyes of a warrior and ruthless killer. However, Sid didn’t waver or flinch under his gaze.

“Just where the hell did you crawl out of?” Jeeza said.

Sid answered with only silence.

“Still, that’s some pretty big talk. Sid? That’s the name of that knight from the legendary era a thousand years ago, isn’t it?”

Sid didn’t speak.

“It’s said he was the ultimate knight—even better than the three great knights. His twin blades were unmatched. You’ve got to be pretty cocky if you’re calling yourself the cruel and inhumane Sid the Barbarian, huh?!”

“Ha ha ha!” Sid laughed at Jeeza’s words. “Cruel and inhumane? Is that what I’m being called these days? That is rich! It’s an honor for a knight to leave his mark on history, but being infamous isn’t so bad either!”

“Ha! Yeah, you just keep talking!” Jeeza said, and then shouted in the fairy tongue, “Yates Slaatz!” which meant “feed and tear.” Irritated by Sid’s aloof attitude, Jeeza made his move toward him. While shouting in the ancient fairy language, he flourished his sword and made a sharp left diagonal slash at Sid from overhead. Sid reacted effortlessly and moved to dodge the attack. Even though the slash completely missed him, a diagonal wound was carved into Sid’s chest.

“Sir Sid?!” Alvin cried in distress.

“Ha ha! That’s what you get!” Jeeza sneered and then his onslaught continued. “Ha ha ha! Here I go!” Jeeza attacked Sid ruthlessly like a storm, slashing upward, cleaving to the side, and arcing the blade around. The tip of his sword was like a flash of lighting as it slashed, but Sid narrowly avoided his attacks with precision. However, Sid’s body was sliced again and again, and blood spilled from his wounds.

“Hey, what’s the matter?! Ha ha ha!” Jeeza’s sword howled like a whirlwind as it flashed a dozen or so times. When there was a break, Sid jumped back, landing right beside Alvin and putting some distance between him and Jeeza.

“S-Sir Sid!” Anxious, Alvin saw that Sid had been slashed all over and reduced to a wretched state.

“Ha! You’re so weak. You’re calling yourself the legendary Sid when that’s all you got?” Jeeza boasted triumphantly.

Unfazed by Jeeza’s mocking, Sid said, “I see. Your sword...is a fairy sword?”

“Good guess,” Jeeza said, with a huge grin. He showed him the ominous curved blade of his sword. A pitch-black darkness oozed from the blade like droplets of water and trickled down. “This is the dark fairy sword ‘Violence’ and its dark fairy magic is called ‘shadow blade.’ It creates blades from shadows that I can fire at high speed, which is how I was able to cut you from outside of striking distance. In fact, if I felt like it...” Jeeza casually swung his sword, and with a loud slash, a gash was carved into the ground next to Sid and ran in a straight line far into the distance behind him. “I could just slice off your head from this distance.”

Hearing Jeeza’s words sent Alvin into shock. In the dead of night, like this, those shadow blades are practically invisible. His fairy magic is truly fearsome! Alvin thought.

Knights all use special weapons known as fairy swords, which are swords created from the fairies that dwell in all things in the world. They amplify the wielder’s physical and regenerative abilities and have the power to manipulate the “concepts” that each fairy controls. That power is known as fairy magic, and through the use of their fairy swords, knights are able to use this magic. It’s one of the main reasons why a fairy knight’s fighting ability is a cut above an ordinary warrior’s.

Judging by the power of his fairy magic, that man’s sword rank must be considerably high, Alvin thought as he stared at Jeeza’s blade. Only a fairy sword can compete with another fairy sword. But Sir Sid is the most powerful knight of the legendary era. Surely, his fairy sword’s rank must be impressive. As long as he has that, he can compete with Jeeza.

“Sir Sid, your fairy sword you once wielded in the past!” Alvin shouted as he stared at Sid’s back. “A knight and their fairy sword are one and the same! If you call out its name, it will transcend space and appear before you! Now, quickly, please summon your sword! If you do, then—”

“Fairy sword? I don’t need that,” Sid replied casually.

“What?” Alvin was speechless as Sid calmly removed and threw away his now mangled cloak. Sid then grabbed the spare dagger that was hanging from Alvin’s hip and spun it around in one hand.

“I’ll be good with this for now.”

“What?!” Alvin shouted upon seeing this strange behavior. He pleaded with Sid. “W-Wait! You do know that’s a regular dagger with no powers at all, right?!”

“I do. That’s why I want it.”

“Th-This is no time for jokes! Hurry and summon your fairy sword! You’ll be killed if you don’t!” However, it seemed as if Sid was serious about fighting with the small dagger. So without summoning his fairy sword, he loosely held the blade in his hand and stared at Jeeza with composure.

“Y-You can’t be serious!” Understandably, Alvin’s mouth hung open in shock.

“Ha ha ha!” Jeeza’s laughter echoed loudly throughout the battlefield. “What is this?! Are you telling me some idiot who’s using a dagger against a fairy sword is calling himself the legendary Sid?! Ha ha ha!”

Sid chose to silently accept Jeeza’s mockery. All the while, an intense regret overwhelmed Alvin.

I was too naive and got carried away! I thought that if I could just summon the legendary Sir Sid that things would somehow work out! I wanted to believe that’s what would happen!

Sir Sid, the most powerful knight of the legendary age. However, in truth, he was just a third-rate knight lacking too much common sense to battle another knight.

I can’t believe this. He’s going up against a fairy sword with just a dagger! What kind of crazy person is Sir Sid? In the end, was his legend nothing more than a lie?! Alvin’s fascination with the legend of Sir Sid, passed down in the royal family, had led him to make the wrong decision. He shouldn’t have relied on someone from the past for help. He should have let him sleep peacefully. As Alvin’s regrets consumed him, a hand pressed tenderly on his head and gently ruffled his hair.

“Sir Sid?” When he looked up, Sid had a fearless smile on his face and was patting Alvin’s head.

“‘A knight speaks only the truth.’ I said I’d protect you, didn’t I?”

“Huh?”

Sid gave the astonished Alvin a backward glance and once again proceeded forward. It was strange. Even though Sid was trying to recklessly use a simple dagger against a knight wielding a fairy sword, Alvin still felt like he could truly rely on this person.

“But I’m sorry. It looks like I made you uneasy with all of this,” said Sid.

“What?”

“Well, it seems like my current body is far from perfect, you see. I wonder if it’s an effect of my resurrection. Both my physical strength and the mana that flows through my body are weak. That’s why my actual movements don’t quite match up with the image I have of them in my mind.”

Then, as Alvin blinked his eyes, Sid declared, “But there’s no problem. I’m already used to it.”

“Used to it? What are you saying?!”

Sid left Alvin’s question unanswered as he faced Jeeza with the dagger at the ready. As he did, Jeeza was already annoyed at Sid’s mysterious composure.

“A small fry thinking he’s some knight in shining armor—it’s not funny anymore,” Jeeza spat out, and the next moment his presence and the pressure it exuded became even greater. His fearsome killing intent seeped from his whole body and was thrown directly at Sid and Alvin.

This must be a joke! You’re telling me this man wasn’t even being serious until now?! Realizing this horrible fact, Alvin’s face turned pale and he shivered.

“I’ll show you what hell is!” In an instant, Jeeza swung his sword and let loose a shadow blade. In the darkness surrounding them, it was barely visible, but it flew at great speed toward Sid. The next moment, Alvin saw Sid’s head fly through the air and roll on the ground...

But he was only imagining that terrible future. The scene that actually played out before his eyes was much more unexpected.

“Ahhh!” What was actually thrown into the air and rolling around on the ground in a sad state was Jeeza.

“Huh?” Alvin said, befuddled. Before he realized it, Sid had closed in on Jeeza, followed through on a strike with his dagger, and was now rigidly on guard. His majestic appearance was as beautiful as a scene from a solemn painting of a knight.

“Gaah! B-Bastard! What did you just do?!” Jeeza said as he shakily stood up, coughing blood.

“I just smacked you with the flat part of my dagger,” Sid said as if he were surprised he was even being asked.

“That’s ridiculous! When did you even get close to me?! My sword attacked from completely outside of your range!”

“I mean, I could dodge something that obvious with my eyes closed.”

“What?”

“You’re some kind of squire who’s still just starting out with a sword, right? You seem to be full of yourself because you got your hands on a fairy sword, but a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, you know? You should give up quickly before you get yourself killed.” Sid’s words were simply a warning without a hint of provocation or insult. However...

“Y-You bastard! Who are you calling a squire?!” It looked like those words were enough to deeply wound Jeeza’s self-esteem. “Die, you bastard!” He kicked the earth and charged at Sid. He swung his sword down with a fierce overhead strike to split Sid’s head open, but Sid swiftly found an opening and deflected Jeeza’s sword with his dagger. He then struck Jeeza sharply in the face with the flat part of the weapon.

“Ahhh?!” There was a thud, and the incredibly heavy impact threw Jeeza backward, screaming. It was unbelievably powerful. Just how could a dagger that small and that light produce such force?

“Okay, now here I go.” This time it was Sid making the first move. What happened next was like a replay of the scene from earlier—a one-sided beating that couldn’t even be called a fight. However, this time, the roles were reversed. Sid swung his dagger while moving at high speed around Jeeza, leaving afterimages of himself. He completely dodged Jeeza’s defense and struck sharply and powerfully all over his body. His head, right arm, left leg, torso, right shoulder, left arm, right shin, back, waist. Sid’s strikes landed over and over again like he was fighting a wooden training dummy. Every time a strike landed, Jeeza’s body flew awkwardly to and fro, almost comically.

“Gaah! That hurts! Ahh!” Jeeza desperately tried to defend by shooting off shadow blades, but he didn’t land even a scratch on Sid, who was moving like a whirlwind. He was barely even able to slash Sid’s afterimages.

“No way. How?” Alvin muttered, dumbfounded in front of such a scene. “You should only be able to counter the power of a fairy sword with a fairy sword!” No, that wasn’t true. Their caliber was fundamentally different from one another. It was simply that the tremendous difference in their abilities couldn’t be overcome by just having a fairy sword.

“I-It’s amazing...” Alvin gazed at the scene. His heart trembled with admiration at Sid’s swordsmanship and fighting skills. “So this is a knight who lived the age of legend?!”

The story of Sir Sid that Alvin heard from his late father, the king, and admired since he was a child—it was all real. Watching him now gave his heart the exact same thrill as when he first heard the story. He was enthralled by the fight and wanted to see more of the legend. Eventually, though, much sooner than later, the battle raced to its conclusion.

“Ha!”

“Ahh!” Jeeza was blown away by Sid’s right-upward slash and rolled away on the ground.

“Just give up. Knights don’t kill for no reason.” Sid declared casually to the exhausted Jeeza.

“This strength! I can’t believe it!” Jeeza said, coughing and tottering as he used his sword like a cane to bring himself to his feet. “Dammit. I had heard rumors about a knight who rested in the forest of Shaltos. Are you telling me that you’re really Sir Sid the Barbarian and that you actually rose from the dead?! Just what the hell kind of magic did you use?!”

“Who knows? I’m curious about that myself.” Sid’s laid-back presence alone was enough to overwhelm Jeeza. Completely outmatched, all he could do was feebly withdraw.

“Ha ha ha. You got me. If you’re the infamous barbarian, there’s no way I could beat you no matter how hard I try.” Jeeza smiled wickedly as he dripped with a cold sweat. “But you should have finished the job!” Suddenly, Jeeza swung his sword again, casting another shadow blade, but as it cut through the rain, it didn’t fly toward Sid.

It was aimed at Alvin. He couldn’t even react as it came at breakneck speed, invisible. Just then, there was a splash of blood. “S-Sir Sid?!” Sid had moved like the wind to reach Alvin and protect him by taking a shadow blade to his back.

“Hee hee hee! Oh, how tables have turned!” Jeeza howled.

“You...” Sid turned around, and Jeeza didn’t miss the anger on his face.

“Hee hee. Nice reaction. The cruel and inhumane Sid the Barbarian is a lot more of a softie than he was in the legend, so I figured that would work!”

Sid stood, silent.

“I’ll only aim at the prince. If you try to defeat me and move even a little bit away from his side, I may die, but at the same time, the prince’s head will go flying! So can you do it? Can you abandon the prince and take me down? You can’t! After all, you’re such a splendid knight, aren’t you?! Ha ha ha!”

Then, almost as if to prove Jeeza’s point, Sid continued to protect Alvin, unmoved.

“Now...just how many strokes from my sword will you last against, mister legendary barbarian?” With a sickening smile, Jeeza slowly raised his sword.

Oh no! I’m holding Sir Sid back! Due to his injuries, Alvin was still unable to move or stand. This meant that Sid couldn’t move from in front of him either. Alvin couldn’t help but be horrified as he was thrown from hope into the depths of despair. Sir Sid?! He looked up at Sid with desperation, but Sid just continued to stand there protecting him and staring at Jeeza. Alvin thought to himself and decided that even if he was a legendary knight, Sid couldn’t attack and protect at the same time. So with determination and resolve, he shouted, “Sir Sid, don’t worry about me. Just defeat him!”

Sid narrowed his eyes at Alvin’s words.

“He’s going to kill me anyway! So—”

“Shut up, kid! Don’t talk nonsense!” Meanwhile, Jeeza made an X with two strokes of his sword, and then that same shape was carved into Sid’s body as he stood firmly in front of Alvin.

“S-Sir Sid!”

“Ha ha ha! This is too good. He’s actually just standing there! Now here’s an example of a splendid knight!” Jeeza gave a triumphant laugh that echoed around them.

“S-Sir Sid, please. I’m begging you, please don’t worry about me!” Alvin said and directed a pleading gaze at Sid. However...

“Jeez, I already told you again and again, didn’t I? A knight speaks only the truth,” Sid said in a small voice.

“What?”

“I told you I’ll protect you.” In front of a stunned Alvin, Sid threw his dagger to his feet where it stuck in the ground. Then he raised his now empty right hand to the heavens. Alvin didn’t understand the reason for why he felt it, but in the midst of this raging downpour and storm, Alvin certainly sensed something quietly and powerfully rising around Sid.

“I’ll tell you something, scum,” Sid said and glared at Jeeza with angry eyes.

“H-Hey! D-Don’t try anything funny!” Jeeza barked and was about to send out another shadow blade to end it all. That’s when it happened.

“‘And their anger destroys evil,’” Sid declared and swung his right hand down. At that moment, something unforeseeable happened. There was a deafening roar and a single flash of light. The lightning that came flying from the heavens far away split the atmosphere and made a direct hit on Jeeza’s fairy sword. The power and impact of the lighting shattered it into pieces.

“Ahhh!”

A massive bolt of lightning tore through Jeeza’s entire body, causing him to fall in agony. “A-Are you...some kind of monster?!” he said in the end, his eyes full of disbelief. Charred black, Jeeza collapsed in a wretched heap to the ground and completely expired.

“Just now...was that fairy magic? B-But I’ve never heard of any fairy magic that controls lighting. Also, you didn’t wield your fairy sword in the first place, Sir Sid...”

The only people who can use magic without the aid of fairy swords or magical tools are the mysterious half-human, half-fairy female race known as the Nimue.

“Could it have been a coincidental lighting strike?” Unsure of what had happened, Alvin stood in amazement. Meanwhile, Sid stared at his right hand and didn’t even notice Alvin. He opened and squeezed his hand, making sure of something. His expression was hard to read—squinting slightly.

“U-Um, what’s wrong?” Alvin asked. For a moment, Sid remained silent.

“No, there’s no problem,” Sid muttered to himself and then turned once again to look at Alvin. “I’m more worried about you than myself. Are you okay?”

“Oh, yes. I’m fine. If I can just get some rest...” Alvin noticed that the rainstorm had subsided and so had the lightning, but the remaining wind was still blowing around the area. Then, Sid came over and kneeled down on one leg in front of Alvin, who was sitting down on the ground.

“Now, boy, you said that your name was Alvin, yes?” Sid asked calmly and then peered at Alvin’s face.

“Um, yes...that’s right.” For some reason, Alvin felt his cheeks becoming warm.

“I see. It’s a little faint, but you do look alike.”

“L-Look alike?” Alvin said, blinking.

“Yes, you look just like him—Arthur.” Sid put his hand on his chest, looked straight at Alvin, and swore proudly. “I shall once again tell you my name. I am Sid Blitze, and by the order of my eternal lord and best friend, Arthur, I have come back to this world and to your side. From this moment on, I will protect you. Any tribulations, hardships, or suffering that may befall you, I will dispel with my sword,” Sid said and looked deeply into Alvin’s eyes.

Shocked, Alvin’s pulse felt like an alarm bell, and his cheeks became even hotter than before.

“Show me your kingship, and let me see if you are a king worthy of pledging my sword to as a knight.” As Sid continued to speak, his words simply didn’t register in Alvin’s mind. Inside of Alvin’s head was a kind of fluffy euphoric feeling that made it difficult to have a proper thought. Alvin couldn’t take his eyes off of Sid, and it felt like his heart had been snatched away. It was almost as if Alvin’s very soul was being sucked into Sid’s eyes.

What?! Wh-What am I thinking this kind of girly stuff for? After thinking about it, Alvin realized that the answer was obvious. After all, in truth, he was...

“S-Sir Sid, I’m...” Alvin’s heart beat fast, his thoughts were feverish, and he had a feeling that something was about to happen. With a strange yet exciting feeling, Alvin continued to stare at Sid.

And so, this was the meeting of the knight from the legendary era who transcended time eternal and the young prospective king. Thus, a curtain rose on a new legend.