Chapter 16: The Revenge of Xiu Gus

Noble Phantasm,

the materialized miracle, a proof of heroism held by the champion,

the crystallization of humanity's prayers for miracles and longing, the strongest weapon called "Noble Fantasy".

And in this ambiguous world,

this miracle is held by the living!

#

Meanwhile, on the other side,

At this moment, the companion cavalry corps is encircling a hill on the battlefield's flank; all Knights dismount, leading their horses from bottom to top into two rows.

Tap, tap, tap.

When an unusually heavy hoofbeat, heavier than a normal warhorse's, sounds,

Thump!

All Knights bearing a single hand simultaneously raise their gauntlets to strike their hearts!

"—Commander!"

Amid the respectful calls of the Knights, the fierce figure atop the tall black warhorse flips and dismounts,

He has short black hair, a stern expression that never smiles, and wears a deep‑blue banner emblazoned with a standing yellow lion.

Hector raises the banner, hands the whip to the attending deputy, lifts his head slightly, and looks toward the road's apex formed by the Knights' ranks.

"Lars Hawkins, has been waiting for you for a long time!"

"Woven Hawkins, has been waiting for you for a long time!"

Two blue‑haired Knights who have long been waiting here bow, place a hand on their chests, stand on either side, and shout loudly:

"Commander—"

"Bring us the 'true Knight' Aidodado, and his comrade, the scout Knight Wallace, who upholds the Knight spirit."

The two inhale deeply and roar sorrowfully:

"Return home!"

Hector's gaze sharpens at the words, yet he does not move his feet, as if watching something.

He is waiting for the miracle.

It is also his first time witnessing a Noble Phantasm manifest as a miracle; although the ceremony has been arranged according to protocol, he feels a bit uneasy now.

It is not that he cares less about Aidodado; the Noble Phantasm is somewhat more important for the empire's great deeds and his own future.

He certainly respects Knights who embody the Knight spirit, but after all, any Knight can utter a couple of lines about the spirit; over the years he has seen many Knights who shouted the spirit, charged, and died.

Yet a Knight driven by genuine pure faith, performing miraculous deeds and even causing legendary materializations, is exceedingly rare,

and he must personally inherit that Knight's will and fulfill his ideal!

"Indeed, why has there been no movement all this time?"

After a while,

Hector, standing a bit awkwardly, lowers his voice and asks the elderly deputy beside him,

"Um, old man, do I still need to say something?"

The little old deputy, dressed in a white, cinched‑waist magician's robe unlike a Knight's, rolls his eyes upon hearing Hector's words.

"At this moment, you should respond, as a superior, acknowledge his merit; only then can the Noble Phantasm truly manifest."

"It should have been Lord Seleucus who did it, but since you desire it, you must be more devout!"

"Hey, don't be so blunt."

Hector clears his throat awkwardly,

under the witness of hundreds of Knights—

his expression hardens, he steps forward, and draws the Knight's sword at his waist.

Facing the sun, he solemnly declares:

"I, Hector, third commander of the companion cavalry corps, son of General Parmaniu, hereby acknowledge—"

"Knight Aidodado, truly worthy of the king's Knight!"

"For the king's great deeds, at the cost of our lives, we bear witness together!"

"By the king's command, we vow—"

"Declare!"

"I shall convey your heroic spirit, recount your deeds, and grant you honor!"

"I shall honor your unfulfilled wish, retrieve your remains, and return them to your homeland!"

"Conquering the king and the Greek gods, I shall die to fulfill the resolve."

"Proclaim with ceremony!"

The oath concludes,

in the next instant,

a sudden gust of wind whirls the grass from the horizon!

the dim yellow clouds across the sky suddenly swirl, finally coalescing into a counter‑clockwise vortex.

the whole sky darkens silently!

Then—

"Swish!"

A flash of white light erupts; the moment of birth has arrived!

A massive surge of magic instantly bridges earth and sky, forming a radiant holy pillar that displays the miracle called the Noble Phantasm!

Here it comes!

Sir Hector's complexion brightened,

But, a moment later, he blinked bewilderedly, staring dumbfounded at the suddenly rising holy pillar of light.

Everything was normal.

Only

the spot where your Noble Phantasm descended

why is it a bit crooked?

#

Xiugusu coldly stared at the pillar of light that appeared at the western pass,

He believed,

Not only he saw it, but also the fools behind him who were giving an elaborate Knight ceremony to an ordinary soldier should have seen it too.

And this was exactly his doing on purpose.

He distorted the legendary deeds attributed to Aido Ado, even adding bricks and tiles to them, deceiving the Knights, making them believe that the "true Knight" Aido Ado was created.

However,

Knight Aido Ado never performed those so‑called feats,

Aido Ado was merely an ordinary, unlucky soldier under his command who was killed in an ambush.

A desperate charge, a reckless messenger run, a death‑defying rescue, even a life‑risking slaying of Britannia's future king.

The one who truly performed those legendary deeds, moving hearts and spawning miracles, was not Aido Ado, but the fraudster who killed Aido Ado to escape.

The Knight lords are not fools, nor are they all brain‑washed idiots by the Knight spirit,

They held an elaborate funeral for Aido Ado, even having the entire Knight Order see off someone who wasn't even a professional Knight, spreading this miraculous feat far and wide; part of this was for the Knight spirit they believed in, but it cannot be denied—

They also pursued the power of such miracles.

Noble Phantasm!

When miracles arise from various coincidences, showing omens and prototypes, they instantly become more important than this uneventful war.

Now, the allied Knight cavalry circles Aido Ado's corpse, desperately building momentum, awaiting a miracle from the heavens, as the Noble Phantasm condenses,

but what they didn't expect was—

this Noble Phantasm does not belong to Aido Ado at all, but to the fraudster who toyed with everyone,

they will feel anger, feel cheated, feel humiliation,

then,

this mocked insult will turn into the drive that moves their army!

But—

Xiugusu cracked his whip, riding his warhorse at a speed beyond reason, and began to gallop wildly,

a fierce, forcibly suppressed glare appeared in his eyes,

"What I seek—"

"... is merely to slaughter you, you mongrel!!!"

The warhorse's speed began to surge wildly upward, leaping beyond common sense under the force of a power called Combat Skill!

60 km/h!

70 km/h!

80 km/h!

99 km/h!!!

Xiugusu clung to the horse's back, his cheek pressed against the warhorse's neck, straining his neck upward, his gaze darting through the swiftly passing scenery.

Getting closer, getting closer!

The pillar of light that marked the enemy, reaching through heaven and earth, was now right before his eyes!

He saw the Knight within the pillar, saw a dazzling golden hair, and saw the bundle of white roses he was holding!

Indeed,

it was him; although his appearance now differed, Xiugusu clearly remembered—

that bundle of white roses that shouldn't bloom in this season!

(End of Chapter)