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They explored excellent restaurants in the Tikan, enjoyed tea time at a fantastic tea house, and admired the night view from the top floor of the island.
Even until then, Vanessa had not revealed her true intentions and continued to portray herself as a dignified elderly lady.
On the table, the final dessert of the day was served.
"These are cookies made with figs, grapes, and walnuts, called Latrie Cookies. It's my first time trying them, but I heard there's always a long line in front of the third-floor dessert shop just to eat these," Jin said.
"Oh, really?"
"Still, they say that about half of the people who wait in line end up not being able to eat them."
"Well, I can enjoy them comfortably thanks to a donation I made. I suppose the Tikan authorities wouldn't stand in line at that dessert shop?"
"No, ever since I started accompanying you, madam, a guard named Zetra has been waiting in line for me. Fortunately, they were the last remaining cookies."
Vanessa smiled and took a bite of the cookie. Crunch! The cookie broke in her mouth, making a satisfying sound.
A cool night breeze passed by the table. With a look of great satisfaction from the taste of the cookie, Vanessa's smile didn't fade from her lips for a while.
Jin had patiently waited for Vanessa to savor the cookie. And when the last cookie disappeared, he looked at her directly and spoke.
"I can't resist my curiosity any longer, Madam Vanessa Olsen."
Vanessa used an alias in the Tikan.
But she showed no sign of surprise even when Jin mentioned her real name. As she had done all along, she maintained a relaxed expression.
"It seems they must have told you my name after all the mansion was reeked with the smell of dragons. I wonder what you're curious about? I'm Jin Runcandel."
Her expression remained the same, but her tone had changed. Gone was the gentle and simple demeanor of an elderly lady, replaced by the deep and sharp gaze characteristic of the powerful martial artist.
"Didn't my father send you to test me? Yet you act as if you're on a picnic with your grandson, making me wonder if I'm mistaken."
"No, you are right. Lord Chiron sent me a letter, asking me to meet you once. Taking a short break and enjoying peaceful time... It was just a momentary whim. Seeing you reminded me of a certain time."
She sighed inwardly. Until just now, Jin hadn't completely ruled out the possibility that Vanessa Olsen was unrelated to Chiron.
"You are not surprised at all, it seems."
"It is surprising. I've never heard of someone like you, Madam Vanessa.
“The world is vast, and that includes individuals like you. Proficient in swordsmanship, magic, and shadow force..."
"It seems my father trusts you a lot, Madam Vanessa."
“Just enough for Lord Chiron to entrust his back to me.”
That was a truly shocking statement. Chiron Runcandel, the genesis knight, his own father. Jin could not imagine him to entrust others.
"...I was told that the dragons used to call you the Terror of the Ante Mountains, Madam Vanessa."
"I reminisce more often about the time when I was the Black Knight than when I was called by that childish nickname."
Jin's eyes widened.
'I couldn't grasp the relationship between my father and her, but did you mean to say that she was a former Black Knight...!'
Vanessa Olsen.
Before revealing her name to the world, she became the Black Knight of the Runcandel clan and kept by Chiron's side. She always followed Chiron silently, hiding herself behind a black helmet and armor.
'I've heard of them before, the last generation Black Knights were said to be the strongest in the clan’s history. Among them, those who fought in the Black Sea together with my father were especially remarkable.'
Vanessa Olsen was one of them.
How she went from killing dragons in the Ante Mountains to becoming a Black Knight, what achievements she had accomplished since becoming one, how many enemies she had slain alongside Chiron.
Jin couldn't immediately grasp all the details. However, he could understand the tremendous power she possessed.
And a sudden thought occurred to him.
‘My father handed over the Black Knights to Joshua because they weren't truly the strongest. There is a high possibility that retired former Black Knights, like Vanessa Olsen, are still my father's people.'
Surely that must be the case. After meeting Vanessa Olsen, he couldn't help but be convinced.
'Then those Black Knights could eventually become my people.'
Or they could become people who will kill Jin. If Jin were to disappoint Chiron and prove unsuitable for leading the clan, that is.
Jin quickly organized his thoughts and kneeled on one knee.
"I, the reserve flagbearer of the Runcandel, greet the magnificent sword who has served the clan."
It was traditional even for the flagbearers to show respect to retired Black Knights.
Among the Runcandel flagbearers and elders, there were a few who were buried in the mausoleum, but as long as the Black Knights did not commit crimes of treason, their names were always inscribed in the mausoleum.
"At least you are not a completely unworthy one."
"I apologize for the delayed greeting."
"Get your weapon and inform the gatekeeper of the Tikan teleportation that you will head to the Schutzeron Kingdom. I will have you carry out a punishment there."
Punishment?
He wanted to ask, but Jin silently returned to the mansion to prepare his weapon.
As soon as the door opened, worried faces of his companions waiting for him appeared.
"Young Master! We were all worried that something might happen to you because of that person."
"Young Master, is everything okay? We were shocked after hearing Ms. Cuicantelle. What is a hermit like her doing suddenly coming to see you...?"
"Cuicantelle made such a fuss about how things could go wrong if I am careless, I couldn't even be near you in the cat form. Who is this Vanessa person anyway?"
Kashmir, Gilly, and Murakan spoke in turn.
"Dame Vanessa is not just any person, she was a former Black Knight. Murakan, you did well to listen to Ms. Cuicantelle. She recognized you immediately because of the dragon scent. And it is true that my father sent her, and um... she said she came to punish me."
"W-what!?"
"That woman, was it because she became a Black Knight that she suddenly disappeared from the Ante Mountains? But punishment... what does that even mean?"
"I thought it might be a test, but to say it's a punishment is quite disconcerting. I don't have much time; I have to go to the Schutzeron Kingdom. Sir Kashmir, please prepare the gateway."
"Young Master, are you sure about this? Although Vanessa Olsen is undoubtedly an extraordinary person... the fact that she was a former Black Knight is just her claim. Did she show any proof like Sir Chiron's mark?"
"She didn't show me any such proof."
"Well, why are you so simple-minded all of a sudden, kid? Are you really going to follow this woman to the Schutzeron Kingdom, believing only her words?"
"I'm being simple-minded because I need to be. Of course, there's a possibility that Damje Vanessa is not a Black Knight. However, if it's true... if she really came under my father’s orders to punish me, the moment I express doubt or refusal, it's over."
Jin didn't readily agree to the demand to go to the Schutzeron Kingdom. Rather, he took his time, claiming that he would properly confirm Vanessa's identity before making a move, as he could potentially face not just punishment but a "severe punishment."
Above all, in the worst-case scenario, there was at least one way to escape.
"Unless she was the former Black Knight known as the strongest in history, there's really no other explanation for her formidable power."
"Well, that's true. But punishment... What on earth did you do, Young Master? Was it the crime of pretending to be Zipfel as a Runcandel? Or the crime of impersonating a special task force member? The crime of maintaining continuous contact with lady Luna? Or maybe the crime of meeting with Lady Yona?"
"...Just those things alone seem quite significant, Strawberry Pie."
"Damn it! Oops, I'm sorry. Anyway, it seems that Young Master has committed quite a serious offense. I said it with my own mouth, but there are not just one or two things, so I can't even guess."
Murakan patted Gilly's back and nodded.
"But wait a minute. Even if Runcandel's intelligence is remarkable, how could they possibly know all that?"
"That's right, unless there's a spy among us reporting young master Jin’s whereabouts to Runcandel!"
When Enya exclaimed loudly, Kashmir's eyes shook for a moment. His quickly paling complexion was a clear sign of a thief caught red-handed.
Jin suppressed a chuckle as he looked at Kashmir.
‘Sir Kashmir wouldn't have reported all of that. Even if he did report everything to my father, it wouldn't be a big issue. There must be another reason why my father wants to punish me.’
In his heart, Jin wanted to assure Kashmir that everything would be fine and that he shouldn't feel guilty. But he restrained himself, considering Kashmir's position. It wasn't Kashmir's responsibility.
"Don't worry too much, everyone. If it was a grave offense, my father wouldn't have sent someone like this. He would have either killed me without anyone knowing or directly interrogated me in the Black Sea. Maybe the word 'punishment' is just a formality."
"Hmm, if it's punishment in name, then it could also be a reword. Like when he turned a blind eye to your meetings with Yona and received the thousand-poison antidote, and gave the breastplate of dark light."
"Anyway, I shouldn't keep Dame Vanessa waiting any longer. I'll go up again, so please let me know when the transfer gate is ready."
***
As soon as they arrived in the Schutzeron Kingdom, they hired a carriage.
And once again, Vanessa personally drove the carriage for three days until they reached their destination: the "Tolkar Wasteland."
It was a desolate land with nothing but dry grass and rocks. There was a reason why Vanessa chose this place.
"Here, you can use your full strength without worries, Jin Runcandel."
Vanessa said as she released the horses tied to the carriage. As the horses galloped away into the wasteland, only the two of them remained in the desolate expanse.
"Is this 'punishment' a sparring session with you, Dame Vanessa?"
"That's right. Have you thought about what your crime might be during our journey?"
Facing the silent Vanessa, Jin had thought long and hard for three days about the reason he was being punished. However, he couldn't come to a conclusion.
"I don't know."
"I like your honesty. It's because of that honesty that you find yourself being punished. Your crime is this: spreading unproven facts."
"Unproven facts...?"
"Do you really think you are capable of matching one sword with Lord Chiron?"
Ah...!
-Now I feel like I can match one sword strike with my father, Sir Kashmir.
-Oh, young master Jin. Is that true?
-I realized that after being killed by sister battle god countless times to reach that conclusion.
It came to his mind—the fact that he had told Kashmir exactly that during a drinking session after the compass theft mission.
‘Oh my, he actually relayed that directly to my father...!?’
For a moment, Jin recalled Kashmir's pale complexion when Enya mentioned the possibility of a spy. He had never even dreamed that it could be true.
Swoosh...!
Vanessa slowly drew her sword.
"The method to prove your innocence is simple and straightforward. Prove it with all your might and take responsibility for the arrogant words you spewed."
"Um, what happens if I can't prove it?"
In response, Vanessa answered with an expressionless face.
“What do you think the price for insulting Chiron Runcandel would be? From what I've observed, the minimum punishment was death.”
Amazing