While Noah was attending the opening ceremony, Theodore visited the Imperial Archives.
One of the reasons why the knights of the empire were stronger than those of other countries was this archive.
“I’m requesting a review of the Purple Sector.”
“Executive Theodore, I will identify you.”
The sector with the highest rating among viewing ratings assigned according to the colors of the rainbow.
The Purple Sector was the heart of the Empire’s swordsmanship, which only collected the records of Master Knights.
“Confirmed. May there be light for the seeker.”
The genius of a small country is stagnant from the moment he becomes a master knight.
Who dares to teach Master Knight?
From then on, he had no choice but to pioneer unexplored territory on his own.
The Empire, on the other hand, was different.
Master Knight belonging to the Empire was able to read other records of this place on the condition that he leave his enlightenment in the Purple Sector.
A record of Master Knights that only Master Knights can read.
All the enlightenment of all master knights that existed in the history of the empire were stored here.
While others closed their eyes and groped the ground, the Empire moved forward with a map and a lantern.
“Here you are.”
What Theodore found in the Purple Sector was the record of state historian Vincent Lichtenauer.
“I must have seen something similar.”
State historian Vincent, now in seclusion, conducted research on peculiar constitutions in his later years.
“A study on the conditions for the manifestation of the Mystic Eye? I managed to get permission from the imperial family. Causes and Treatment of Congenital Aura Impairment? Arnie-chan was of the same constitution. Looks like you haven’t found a cure.”
Theodore, who was flipping through the contents, stopped his hand at the sudden feeling of presence.
This is the Purple Sector.
Only Master Knight can enter.
“It’s rare, Your Majesty.”
Theodore greeted me with the utmost courtesy.
“To think that someone who has already memorized all the records of this place is looking for this place.”
The master of the empire was there.
* * *
Since the specific task was not disclosed, the operation meeting ended at the line of setting a course of action.
“Next is the list of people of interest.”
“Person of interest?”
“There is a saying that if you know your enemy and know yourself, you will win a hundred times. We need to share at least some information. Especially Noah, you know very little about articles from other countries.”
“Even if you say this or that, you will know everything when you put your swords together.”
“I can’t say it myself, but the students of Nightray are famous. Even if you become a high ranker, you scrape information from other countries. If you greet them without any preparation, you will get a serious nose injury.”
“There must be 1,000 top rankers, all of them?”
“Rather, because there are 1,000 people. From their point of view, the top rankers are enemies they may face in the future, but they are also their top priority scouting targets.”
Unless they belonged to the 8th generation family or the core munpa of Geomrim, there were many cases where they left Nightray and went abroad.
It was possible to receive the highest level of treatment abroad even if the skills belonged to the second group in Korea.
After all, knights also have to make a living, so going to another country was not a bad choice for those who belonged to an ambiguous position.
As a result, overseas scouts eagerly collected information about the Night Ray students.
“In that sense, it might be an advantage to have a high percentage of first-year participants this time.”
A 4-year senior next to me helped me out.
This person called Leo was a person who lost the semi-final against Veronica due to an injury, but was a top 114 in the rankings.
Excluding Veronica, he was the highest ranked person on the Night Ray side.
‘Certainly strong.’
Skill is also a skill, but it was also an advantage that the feet were as wide as the years accumulated.
The Night Ray side was largely divided into Noah’s classmates and seniors, but Leo could be said to be the leader of the seniors’ side.
‘If I’m wrong, this could have been divided into two factions like Hell Week.’
Fortunately, Veronica’s presence was in the middle, bridging the two sides.
As long as she was there, cooperative battles would be no problem.
“Among the participants in this Top Sword, most of the ones we need to be very careful about are foreign teams.”
“I thought someone came out from the Black Forest, too?”
“I’m not really interested in competitions like this. In terms of nightrays, they are not even top rankers. On the other hand, foreign teams are different.”
“There aren’t any guys who look particularly great.”
Veronica shook her head at Noah’s words.
“Overseas teams are determined and participated as a team, so their ability to cooperate is excellent. What if several opponents, even those weaker than you, attack at the same time?”
Veronica pointed to a group of other contestants nearby.
These were the people I met on the train with Noah.
“A good example of that is the Madeira team over there.”
Tiu reacted to the word Madeira.
“If it’s Madeira… … Is it Lord Oren’s country?”
“Oh, really?”
“Noah, you didn’t know? It must have been explained in the first class.”
“When you say that, it seems like it was.”
As a guest instructor at Nightray, Oren showed amazing aura control.
Of course, since he was a veteran knight, he was not comparable to the students who participated in the Top Sword, but any country that produced such a knight would surely have the potential.
“Hmmm, Prince Ricardo participated in Top Sword last year as well. They were pretty strong favorites until the second half.”
“You said you were a winner? Certainly, the prince seems to be doing a bit, but the rest seems to be around the upper rank cutoff.”
“It is not all about individual skills. Top Sword is basically a solo battle, but that doesn’t stop participants from forming their own collaborators. Those who participated as a team from the beginning take the task in such a way that the remaining ones push one person to the end.”
It meant sacrificing even in the individual round.
From noble mtl dot com.
Of course, if they systematically pushed one person during the competition, it would be difficult to respond with moderate skills.
“Last year, the average ranking of members participating in Night Ray was 300th. But seven of them were eliminated by those knights.”
The Madeira team back then was even worse than it is today.
Individually speaking, it seems difficult to get into the upper ranks.
However, despite such a difference in skill, the strong players in the 300th place collapsed in vain.
“Prince Ricardo is a fearsome strategist. You must never get caught up in his face.”
Besides that, Veronica listed teams abroad.
Mostly because of their organizational power, they were those who demonstrated their strength beyond their individual skills.
“Nightrays are the best in the Empire. So I’m not worried about losing my personal skills. If you’re careful with them, at least you won’t be eliminated in vain.”
“hmm.”
If someone else said it, I would have been scolded for worrying so much, but when Veronica did it, the weight was different.
In fact, last year, 8 people were eliminated after that.
‘Last year, I was a freshman myself, so I couldn’t move others with the name value of the princess. But it’s different now.’
He has proven his skills, has the highest ranking, and has a reputation.
All of Nightray’s participants this time respected her words.
“My goal is to have 10 of us on the list of the last 10 top swordsmen.”
She looked back at her teammates and smiled.
“This year, let’s remind them of the horrors of the nightray.”
* * *
Meanwhile, on the podium, the winners of the previous year, Roselia and Linaria, were looking around the participants.
“sounds fun. I wish we could participate too.”
“That would be difficult. The previous year’s winner has to go to the final round.”
The top sword winner participates in the final round of the following year.
This rule was created to prevent the same person from continuing to win for the success of the tournament.
The twins are not actually participating, but participating as members of the host.
Thanks to that, they had to watch the match until the last round.
“There are a lot of kids who don’t know if they are students or not this year.”
Top swords were only open to students.
However, the Empire was the only case where only students actually participated.
As Top Sword is a national competition, there were some people in other countries who deliberately delayed being appointed knights and maintained their student status.
Due to excessive competition, everyone tended to be self-respecting this year, but until last year, those who should have been official articles actually participated.
“The Foreign Legion of Phyllis, the saints of Endor. All of them are outstanding guys.”
“But again this year the Night Ray contestants are strong.”
What was surprising was that Nightray still produced the most winners.
One ‘school’ within the empire is more powerful than other ‘countries’ outside the empire.
In fact, participants from other countries were constantly conscious of the participants of the Night Ray.
“Ah, when you wear this, the eyes of the people around you are amazing.”
Rogelia said that and shook the hem of her coat.
A knight’s coat for students studded with the pattern of the nightray.
In a world where impersonating a knight is a serious crime, the Night Ray students were the only ones who could wear a knight’s coat without being active knights.
Pride that even if you are still a student, you are already equal to the knights of other countries.
This pride has been proven through performance so far.
Nightray’s name was that heavy.
“Besides, since Veronica is participating again this year, the other guys will be amazed, right?”
veronica.
owner of the magic eye.
A monster princess called by knights from other countries.
Last year’s winners were the Ribery twins, but it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she was the MVP.
“Did we all make up our minds this year? Why are the sides so bloody?”
“It must be because of the 2nd Witchbeast War.”
A great war in which humans fought for the right to survive against the demons.
It had only been a little over 20 years since the war that swept the world was over.
Even the empire was still suffering from a chronic shortage of knights.
This generation could be said to be the descendants of the heroes who took their place in the social elite after the war.
“The absolute number of articles is smaller than ever, but the absolute level of articles is higher than ever.”
It was in this era that the largest number of Master Knights in history existed.
A new generation brought up by such a tremendous era.
Ironically, it could be said that now is the best time to train knights.
“The opening ceremony begins.”
And the one who stood at the peak of this era.
“His Majesty is entering. Everyone please stand up… … uh?”
… … It was Theodore, the head of the Ribéry family, who jumped out of the place where he was supposed to come in.
“Ah, for circumstances, I will conduct the opening ceremony on behalf of His Majesty.”
In a sudden situation, people started to mumble.
Seeing this, Theodore let out a sigh.
Of course, he wasn’t doing that to the general public’s reaction.
‘Damn it. I know you do this because you like me.’
Taking the place of the emperor at an official event, especially an international event, had great political significance.
No matter how much Theodore was the Emperor’s bailiff, the other 8th families wouldn’t like him serving as their deputy.
‘The elder of Mayer, the deputy head of Lichtenau, the head of Fabrice, and the head of Narvaez. Are they all just glaring at me like they’re going to chew me up?’
Eyesight wasn’t the problem.
I was physically sick.
‘How many people are sending telegrams? My skin is so prickly that I almost tingle.’
It was almost certain that this would happen, so I didn’t want to take on an agent.
But what can I do?
The emperor ordered me to do it instead.
‘The damn bastards will put a check on the family again.’
Just thinking about it made me sigh, but it was better that way.
Because it was a problem he could solve.
That side was much more of a concern than that.
‘Why the hell am I going over there after leaving the assistant manager?’
far away
The emperor, completely disguised so that even the other heads of household could not recognize him, winked at Theodore.
‘Are you serious?’
He was standing in the participant’s seat.