Return of the Calamity-Class Death Knight

Chapter 24

[Quality Checker – Kawaii]

Chapter 24: Proof (2)

“You seem very tired, so rest for today. Let’s discuss the details about the duel tomorrow,”

The Duke said, instructing a servant to guide Damien to the guest room.

As befitting a renowned wealthy family, Damien received exceptionally lavish treatment. The hospitality extended to him was incredibly luxurious.

During his bath, several servants, about three or four, hovered nearby, attending to his needs.

The dishes served for dinner were all made by top-tier chefs, each meal being of exquisite quality.

Over five servants stood near him, awaiting Damien’s orders at any time.

“Never have I indulged in such luxury before in my life.”

Up until now and likely in the future, it was an extraordinary extravagance, to a degree where one couldn’t fathom whether such luxury could be sustained.

‘But compared to this, everything else seems insignificant.’

Sitting on the bed, Damien retrieved a Balance pill.

Inside the wooden box were delicately packaged five pills.

Upon a closer look, he noticed golden inscriptions on the lids.

Balance pills

Crafted by Azort Archaeus of the Alchemy Association in the year 197.

‘Could this be the Azort Archaeus ?’

With a surprised expression, Damien double-checked the inscriptions multiple times.

Azort Archaeus.

Among the few alchemists known as the leaders of the Alchemy Association, he was one of the rare Grand Alchemists.

‘If this was truly made by that Azort, then it must be astronomically expensive.’

Of course, compared to the legendary elixirs created by Azort, the Balance pills might seem lacking in many aspects.

Nevertheless, in comparison, the Balance pills were undoubtedly remarkable elixirs, albeit inferior.

‘An elixir that enhances physical abilities just by consuming it.’

Damien had only heard rumors about it, but this was his first time witnessing it firsthand.

‘It’s said to excel in healing injuries as well.’

However, Damien had no intention of using the Balance pills for healing. The injury he had sustained was so minor that he could easily heal it by himself.

Damien intended to use these elixirs for their original purpose.

‘I shouldn’t just consume them; I should combine their use with training.’

Ordinarily, an elixir couldn’t be completely absorbed; consuming it meant losing about half of its potency.

However, Damien Haksen was confident in fully absorbing the power of the elixir.

‘A much-needed treasure has come to me.’

Damien had an accurate understanding of his condition.

Currently, both his physical and magical abilities were severely lacking.

While the magical deficiency had somewhat been resolved through the supreme Absorption Technique, his physical strength was still feeble. It had barely been a month since his regression.

‘With my current condition… I can’t compete with a high class knight.’

Damien recalled Karl Heimlich.

Though he could somehow manage to surpass Ernest Horowitz in combat, there was no way he could defeat Karl Heimlich.

Of course, in terms of skill and experience alone, Damien had long surpassed Karl Heimlich by several hundredfold.

The issue lay with his physique and mana. With these two being so inadequate, Damien couldn’t defeat Karl Heimlich.

There were limitations to compensating for insufficient strength with skill alone.

‘Since it’s come up, why not train right away?’

It was the moment Damien was about to retrieve one of the Balance pills.

“Lord Damien Haksen, are you sleeping?”

The sound of knocking on the door accompanied the voice of a servant.

“What’s the matter?”

“His Excellency requests your audience.”

Though curious about the effectiveness of the Balance pills, Damien couldn’t refuse an audience with the duke.

Closing the box’s lid, he stepped outside.

Following the servant, Damien headed to the duke’s study.

“Oh, have you arrived?”

As Damien entered the study, the duke greeted him warmly.

“Don’t stand there, come over and take a seat.”

The duke personally guided Damien to the table, even going as far as pouring tea that had been prepared in advance.

“Did you rest well last night? How’s the injury? Do you feel any sort of discomfort?”

It was an overwhelming display of kindness, which was extremely uncomfortable for Damien.

It seemed the duke was quite impressed by Damien’s skills he demonstrated the day before.

“Apologies for summoning you so early. There are quite a few matters I have to discuss regarding the duel.”

The duke continued speaking while pouring tea into his cup.

“The duel is scheduled to take place after a month at the Leafy Hill between Micheal Ryan Bloom and you.”

Damien recalled his memory about the Leafy Hill.

The Leafy Hill was a land situated on the boundary between the Duke’s and Marquis’ territories.

With its even terrain and solid geology, it was a suitable place for a duel.

“I don’t doubt your abilities, but I’d like to hear how you plan to prepare for the duel during the remaining time.”

“Well, I don’t have any special plans, I just intend to focus on training as I have been doing.”

During this time, Damien intended to use the Balance pills to significantly boost his physical abilities.

“It’s good to stick to what you’re familiar with. But Damien, since you’re here, wouldn’t it be nice to receive some special training?”

“Special training?”

“If you wish, you could receive guidance from knight Karl Heimlich.”

Had it been another knight, they would have likely cheered loudly.

Karl Heimlich was one of the only three high-class knights in the Apple Kingdom.

Receiving guidance from him was an opportunity that couldn’t be obtained even with fortune.

“Oh, it’s alright. I prefer training alone.”

However, Damien flatly declined.

‘A high-class knight and such.’

He wouldn’t be interested even if a master-class knight were to come. High-class knights were not something he would even consider.

The duke chuckled at Damien’s firm refusal to train under one of the strongest individuals in the Apple Kingdom.

“Hahaha, such a firm refusal. Karl might feel a bit wounded by your pride if he hears about this.”

“If Your Excellency is concerned, I’ll consider receiving guidance from sir Karl.”

“No, it’s fine. From what I have seen so far, you’ve grown this much without a mentor. Self-training seems to suit your nature better, so I won’t interfere in this aspect any further.”

Damien looked directly at the duke instead of raising his teacup.

He hadn’t been here for even a day, yet it seemed as if his information had been thoroughly investigated.

‘Or perhaps they’ve been collecting information about me in advance.’

Damien had recently started gaining rapid fame as a knight, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he drew the attention of the Duchy.

“It seems I’ve held you up for too long. You may go and attend to your matters now.”

Without further ado, Damien briefly bid farewell to the Duke and left the study.

“To refuse guidance from a high-class knight.”

As Damien left, the Duke raised the corner of his mouth.

“Karl Heimlich, it’s a pity.”

Someone emerged from behind the large curtain in the study.

The retired knight, Karl Heimlich, responded with an indifferent expression.

“I am not feeling regretful at all.”

“Is that so?.”

“Indeed.”

Despite the answer, the gaze in Karl’s eyes was filled with discontent.

“Karl, what do you think about that fellow?”

Upon the Duke’s inquiry, Karl Heimlich pondered for a moment.

“…He’s an outstanding young man. Despite his young age, he has honed his skills to the extreme. His proficiency in manipulating mana is flawless.”

It was indeed the highest praise among praises.

Despite being declined for guidance, Karl Heimlich evaluated Damien Haksen without any personal bias.

The Duke appreciated this aspect of Karl Heimlich.

Unlike Ernest Horowitz, he knew how to clearly differentiate between business and personal matters.

“It’s a shame you couldn’t take him as your disciple…”

“I mentioned it’s not something I regret.”

Karl Heimlich immediately replied. The Duke chuckled again, patting his belly.

“Then, in a fight between him and Michael Ryan Bloom, who do you think would win?”

Karl Heimlich fell into contemplation, this time for a much longer period than before.

“It’s difficult to give a definite answer.”

Soon, he spoke with a grave expression.

“Didn’t Damien Haksen break through the Duchy’s defenses and repel a mid-class knights attack?”

“Michael Ryan Bloom could probably do the same.”

Even the Duke nodded at his words.

Michael Ryan Bloom was indeed a monster to that extent.

“When I first saw Michael Ryan Bloom, it felt like seeing a boiling volcano. Now he’s quiet, but I felt as if someday, if he erupts, he would engulf the whole world.”

To reach the high class as a knight, Karl Heimlich himself was acknowledged as a genius.

Michael Ryan Bloom was such an extraordinary genius that even someone like Karl couldn’t deny it.

“And what about Damien Haksen?”

At the Duke’s question, Karl fell into contemplation again, this time for a much longer period.

“…It’s oddly clear, to the point where it seems strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s glaringly obvious that he’s a low-class knight, in fact, the top-tier among them. But there is something about him that makes me feel uncomfortable instead.”

If Karl Heimlich had been ten years younger, he might not have noticed the oddity. But his experience as knight was ringing alarm bells. There was something about Damien Haksen.

“So, it’s difficult to give a definite answer.”

Karl Heimlich lowered his head, seemingly ashamed.

However, the Duke didn’t blame Karl Heimlich.

“You also cannot determine the outcome… that’s very interesting indeed.”

The Duke’s eyes gleamed as he muttered softly.

“An inherently confusing market is indeed a treasure trove that one can firmly grasp.”

Though quiet now, Goldpixie Duke was renowned in his younger days as a born gambler.

He fearlessly invested in fields others wouldn’t dare, often yielding substantial profits.

“Damien Haksen is a man worth investing in.”

***

“Surely, Karl Heimlich was there.”

Inside the room, Damien Haksen thought to himself.

From the moment he entered, Damien sensed Karl Heimlich’s presence.

Curious as to why Karl Heimlich was concealing himself, he pretended to leave and hid behind the door.

‘He was constantly gauging me through Karl Heimlich.’

Continuously masquerading as a low-class was rewarding.

He hadn’t concealed himself perfectly, but he succeeded in deceiving Karl Heimlich’s insight.

‘Continuously testing me. Humans are indeed tiresome creatures.’

Currently bound by a cooperative relationship, the Duke wasn’t someone Damien wanted to be close to for long.

“Now, I should go test the effects of the Balance pills.”

Leaving the study, Damien headed towards the training grounds.

About ten knights were already fully engrossed in their training in the outdoor training ground.

“Look over there, isn’t that Damien Haksen?”

“The guy His Excellency designated as our representative?”

As soon as Damien appeared, the knights’ attention shifted towards him.

Meanwhile, Damien didn’t pay any attention to the knights, busy inspecting the facilities of the training ground.

“As expected of the Duchy. Plenty of excellent equipment.”

Various exercise equipment to build strength, golems for sparring, magical cuffs that can adjust weights, and so on—things Damien had used when working as a mercenary.

He was admiring the training equipment when a group of knights approached him. One stepped forward and spoke,

“Are you Damien Haksen?”

Damien glanced at the knight, momentarily pausing his examination of the magical tools.

The knight was notably short. His stature was so petite that one might mistake him for a boy.

“I am Pavel Vermound.”

Despite his small stature, his skills were evidently strong. It was apparent from him speaking on behalf of the Duchy’s knights.

“You got elected as a representative this time? Accepting such a position after attacking the Duchy, where has your conscience gone, lad?”

Damien glanced over Pavel Vermound and the other knights.

“You’re new faces. Who are you all?”

“Good question. We’re the duelists participating in this match.”

Damien counted the knights. They were five in number. Probably including substitutes.

“Yesterday, we were all training outdoors, leaving our positions empty. You were lucky. If we were there, you wouldn’t have been able to rampage as you did.”

Damien looked at Pavel Vermound with a slightly puzzled expression.

He couldn’t understand how someone who had heard everything that happened the day before could belittle himself like this.

“Come to think of it, I’ve seen these types of guys before in my past life.”

It was when Damien worked as a mercenary.

His mercenary group had participated in territorial battles, leaving a remarkable mark.

The noble who hired the mercenary group had quite an affinity for them. Yet, there was an incident when the eldest son of that noble had provoked Damien Haksen.

Of course, Damien Haksen promptly retaliated on the battlefield.

“Those who’ve always experienced success, and have talent and the power of their family behind them, tend to be like this. They cannot face reality.”

Their arrogance stemmed from a lifetime of constant success.

“Why the silence? If you can’t trust me, prove it here and now.”

Pavel Vermound rested his hand on the training sword.

“Too bothersome, just leave.”

Damien no longer felt it was worth engaging with them. He began examining the remaining magical tools.

Pavel Vermound and the other knights looked at Damien with contemptuous expressions.

“…I was curious about you, someone with exceptional skills. But now I see you’re nothing but a coward.”

“Pavel, there’s no need to engage with such a guy. Let’s go.”

Pavel Vermound and the knights departed.

Finally, Damien could inspect the training equipment without any disturbance.

“Alright, who’s up next?”

“I’ll take the challenge today!”

“Great! Come at me!”

From the rear came the sounds of Pavel Vermound and the knights engaging.

The consecutive clashing of swords indicated they were sparring.

However, something seemed odd.

A skilled knight’s swordplay should have had a distinctive rhythm.

But the sounds coming from behind were all lacking in finesse.

“Why is their skill level like this?”

In the end, Damien couldn’t resist his curiosity and had to watch the sparring scene.

On the training grounds, Pavel Vermound and the knights were paired off, dueling.

“…What?”

Having observed them for a while, Damien was left astounded.

“Why is their skill so lacking?”

Before coming to the Duchy, Damien had fought against Gerrick, a knight of Lord Ryan Bloom.

‘That knight was somewhat strong, but… since he didn’t participate in the duel, the Marquis must have even more skilled knights.’

The knights of the Duchy had skills far below Gerrick’s.

‘The knights’ skills are inadequate for winning the duel.’

The duel involved three participants, and the first to win two rounds would claim victory. Even if Damien Haksen won against Michael Ryan Bloom, if he lost the remaining two rounds, he would ultimately lose the duel.

‘So, this is why Marquis Ryan Bloom could defeat the Goldpixie Duchy in the future.’

The level of knights depends on the family that is supporting them.

Even just considering the low rank knights, there was a substantial difference between the Duke and the Marquis.

‘…What can I do?’

Damien pondered. The conclusion came quickly.

‘I have no choice. I’ll have to push them a bit.’

Damien shouted towards the knights.

“Hey, you five.”

Pavel Vermound and the other knights looked at Damien with puzzled expressions.

“I’ve had a change of heart. Let’s have a round here.”

Upon this, Pavel smirked.

“I don’t know what got into you… But fine, Let me show you my skills.”

Pavel approached, wielding a training sword.

Damien extended his hand towards Pavel.

“Just wait a moment.”

“Why? Changing your mind suddenly? It’s too late now, don’t think of running away!”

“What nonsense.”

Even for his own purposes, Damien couldn’t serve freely.

He intended to train them while training himself.

‘Strengthening through exercises is good, but sparring is still the best.’

Sparring engaged the whole body and focused on necessary muscles.

“Stay right there without moving.”

Damien started putting on the adjustable wristband he had prepared.

As he activated the device, his body felt heavier, akin to carrying wet cotton.

He wore weighted boots that burdened his muscles. He tried to bend his arm, however it felt challenging, as if metal rods were embedded in his muscles.

Lastly, he picked up a wooden magic sword used for trainings. Swinging it in the air, it felt heavy and slow, like cutting through water.

Finally, he took out the balance pills and ate it.

‘Alright. Come at me now.’

Damien flicked his finger.

“…”

Pavel Vermound stared at Damien totally speechless.

Having lived in an aristocratic society, Damien was well aware of what he was displaying—utter disrespect.

To do such a thing and in a duel? It was something one could hardly do without blatantly disregarding the other person.

‘This guy… How dare he look down on me!’

Pavel Vermound, furious, rushed at Damien, bringing his sword down towards his head.

Damien casually intercepted Pavel Vermound’s sword. The sword flew out of his grip.

“Huh?”

Damien swung the sword towards Pavel Vermound’s neck. Pavel Vermound screamed and collapsed unconscious.

“Phew… That’s quite a workout.”

Damien twisted his neck.

Just a brief movement and he already felt out of breath and muscles aching.

“What are you guys waiting for? Come at me.”

Damien called out to the remaining knights.

“If you won’t, I’ll come to you.”

[Quality Checker – Kawaii]