Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Chapter 20: The Coldwind Knights

The Coldwind Knights, led by Grand Duke Decius, were a small but elite group of fifty members.

They moved solely under the command of Grand Duke Decius, taking on no other missions.

The group was organized with five generals, each commanding nine elite knights.

Though small in number, the group was made up of only the finest, handpicked individuals.

The knights were some of the most talented individuals in the empire, rigorously trained and structured into a flawless command hierarchy.

They wore the distinctive T-shaped helmets that covered their foreheads and noses, the symbol of the Coldwind Knights.

Dressed in lightweight armor for easy movement, it was clear they had confidence in their combat abilities.

Their armor, worn and scarred, bore marks of battle, indicating they had recently been on the battlefield.

“Hmm.”

Grand Duke Decius, the only one without a helmet, looked at the gruesome scene before him, momentarily lost for words.

Despite having seen many battlefields, it was the first time he had encountered so many corpses with expressions of terror frozen on their faces.

And standing in the middle of the bloodbath was a single boy.

“Could he have done this alone?”

Grand Duke Decius narrowed his eyes, studying the boy carefully.

The boy had an indifferent expression, as if he existed in another world. Without the bodies, he might have looked like an ordinary child.

But Decius instinctively knew this boy was anything but ordinary.

Though his tangled curly hair covered his eyes and his body appeared thin, his physique was solid, almost as if his body were made of pure muscle.

“Release the prisoners.”

Decius pointed to the cages scattered around, filled with people, and gave his order.

The knights moved with precision, freeing the prisoners while some set up a perimeter and others surrounded the boy.

The aura emanating from the elite knights was like a fierce storm.

Each one was formidable.

A young man with a ponytail, who introduced himself as Shong, quickly approached the boy.

“Karon! Are you alright? I got caught sneaking around earlier but barely managed to escape. That’s when I ran into these folks.”

Decius’s eyes flickered with interest. It was rare to see someone speak so casually in front of his knights.

The boy remained silent. However, he briefly swept his sharp gaze over the Coldwind Knights before returning to his indifferent expression.

Decius didn’t miss that moment.

“Karon? Is that the boy’s name?”

Approaching on horseback, Decius listened to their conversation and asked. Karon stayed silent, so Shong answered instead.

“Yes, that’s correct. He’s not much of a talker… Almost like he’s mute. Haha.”

Shong scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.

But his attempt to ease the atmosphere only deepened the knights’ suspicion. The elite knights were already on guard, hands on their swords. Their presence was sharp, almost suffocating.

This was why they were called the Coldwind Knights.

“How curious.”

For some reason, Decius was reminded of his adopted daughter. Though Karon seemed older, there was an uncanny similarity in the air around them.

Curious, Decius dismounted and approached the pair. Two elite knights quickly flanked him as bodyguards.

“Boy. Did you kill all these people?”

At last, Karon looked at Decius. He seemed to consider the question for a long time before finally answering.

“Yes.”

His tone was flat and emotionless.

Instantly, the chilling gazes of the elite knights focused on Karon.

As the tension built, Decius raised a hand, signaling for restraint.

Almost as if by magic, the lethal atmosphere vanished.

“Haha! Say ‘yes, sir!’ Karon!”

Shong, having anticipated Karon’s answer, slapped him on the back and tried to lighten the mood.

“Sorry about that. He’s not good at social interactions. He even talks to me like that. Haha!”

Decius paid little attention to Shong’s attempt at humor and scanned the corpses. He seemed unfazed by Karon’s tone.

Given Decius’s status, this level of indifference was unusual.

He noticed the severed head on the ground. From the clean cut and the angle, it was clear he hadn’t died in battle. This was an execution. The skill needed to pull that off was exceptional.

Yet, it was troubling to Decius how unfazed Karon seemed after killing so many people.

“Hmm. You’ve done our work for us. You’re young, but your skills are impressive. Where are you from?”

“A wandering mercenary group.”

Karon’s answer was still curt.

“Hah! You disrespectful brat! Do you have a death wish?”

One of the giant elite knights standing beside Decius grabbed the axe strapped to his back and roared, releasing a suffocating wave of energy.

“Yikes!”

Shong yelped and ducked behind Karon.

“Valtara.”

Decius shot a sharp glance at the giant. The knight snorted but obediently stepped back.

Without Decius’s command, drawing a weapon was forbidden.

“Forgive the rudeness. He’s overly hot-blooded.”

Decius offered a soft smile as he apologized, making Karon’s expression more complicated.

For the first time, Karon had encountered someone he couldn’t easily read. Decius’s aura was powerful but strange.

Not just Decius—the entire knight group gave off a peculiar vibe.

“And who might you be?”

“Ah, I forgot to introduce us.”

At Karon’s question, Decius chuckled, acknowledging his mistake.

Then, he proudly placed a hand on his hip and lifted his chin.

“I am Decius, Grand Duke of the Great Rob Empire. And these are my finest knights! The Coldwind Knights!”

The elite knights averted their gazes. This was always the most embarrassing moment for them.

Meanwhile, Karon and Shong had contrasting reactions to his introduction.

Karon wore an expression as if he were thinking, “Why is he acting like that?” Meanwhile, Shong’s jaw practically dropped in astonishment, staring at Decius as if spellbound before he hurriedly threw himself to the ground.

“Y-Your Grace! Please forgive our insolence!”

“Now, now. Get up, young man. And the boy—he’s just standing there doing nothing.”

Decius helped Shong to his feet.

“Ah, y-yes. I’m honored, Your Grace.”

Shong awkwardly scratched his head as he rose. Karon was looking at him with a gaze that seemed to say, “How pathetic.”

“Well, now it’s my turn to ask some questions!”

Suddenly, Decius’s demeanor shifted dramatically, exuding a suffocating pressure that made it clear that lying was not an option.

“Why did you kill these people?”

Decius stared at Karon, his gaze as if piercing through the boy’s mind. Calmly, Karon pointed to one side and finally spoke.

“We’re noble thieves. We only came to take back what this band of robbers had stolen.”

Karon pointed towards the tent that had belonged to their leader, where knights were now seen retrieving gold and silver.

“A noble thief, huh? Just like they say, there’s not much difference between a noble thief and a robber.”

Shong looked at Karon in disbelief, as if he had just been blindsided.

“Ha ha ha! So, you’re a noble thief! That’s certainly not the answer I was expecting!”

Decius reined in the pressure he had been radiating and let out a hearty laugh. Shong, now visibly relieved, joined in with a weak, awkward chuckle.

Karon deliberately avoided mentioning the Blue Raven group. He had a gut feeling that things would only get more complicated if he did.

After laughing for quite some time, Decius mounted his horse again, reached into his saddlebag, and casually tossed something at Karon.

Catching the bag by reflex, Karon felt its weight in his hands.

“We’ll take these goods back with us. They’re too bulky for you to carry anyway. Instead, here’s some gold. There are about 40 coins in there. If you exchange it at a bank, it should be worth around 40,000 shillings. That’s likely more than the value of those stolen goods.”

“40,000 shillings!”

Considering that 2,000 shillings was roughly a mercenary’s monthly wage, this amount was equal to about two years’ pay.

Karon glanced at the freed captives. He thought that among them, there might be members of the Harb tribe.

Noticing this, Decius smirked and said, “You really are a noble thief! Don’t worry, once they’ve recovered, we’ll send the captives back to their homelands. You can relax.”

Only then did Karon avert his gaze.

While they conversed, the knights finished organizing the situation and loaded the rescued people into carriages. A knight approached to report the completion of their tasks.

Decius turned back to Karon and Shong.

“So, where do you two plan to go?”

Karon remained silent, so Shong quickly answered.

“We were thinking of heading to the port city of Bela.”

“Bela? The security there isn’t great… but I suppose it won’t matter much.” Decius glanced at Karon and muttered to himself, as if in understanding. Then, with a slightly regretful expression, he asked, “Boy, have you ever considered joining the Coldwind Knights?”

“No.”

Karon’s response was firm and immediate. Shong looked at him in shock, while Decius let out another hearty laugh.

“Haha! Bold and straightforward, aren’t you? It’s a shame. A talent like you is hard to come by. But if you ever change your mind, come find me in the capital. Understood?”

Karon gave the slightest nod. Decius chuckled, then turned his horse and called out loudly.

“Let’s head back to the capital!”

“Yes, sir!”

The knights responded energetically. After months on the battlefield, it was clear they were eager to return home.

As the Coldwind Knights slowly moved away, taking the rescued captives with them, the crushing pressure in the air lifted. Shong, who had been lowering his head, cautiously raised it and tapped Karon on the shoulder.

“Hey! Why did you turn him down? Joining the Coldwind Knights is one of the highest honors on the continent!”

“I don’t want to work under anyone.”

Shong frowned. Karon had a habit of saying such things so casually that it made Shong want to smack him upside the head.

Of course, he only imagined doing so in his mind.

“Alright, alright. So what now? I’m still heading to Bela.”

“Me too.”

“Well, then it’s settled. Let’s get moving.”

Shong led the way, and Karon followed. They entered the forest where they had hidden their horses. Thankfully, the horses were unharmed, and Shong checked his map to set their course.

“By the way, about that gold you got earlier… You’re splitting it with me, right? I mean, I did distract them for you.”

As Shong mounted his horse, he shot a hopeful glance at Karon.

Karon ignored him, mounting his horse with a faint look of exasperation.

“Do you really love money that much?”

“Obviously.”

“We’ll see.”

Karon’s curt response made Shong shout in disbelief.

“What? Are you messing with me?”

“No.”

“Ugh!”

Frustrated by Karon’s nonchalant attitude, Shong ruffled his hair in annoyance, then suddenly straightened up, as if he had come to some sort of resolution.

“Fine! Let’s just get going.”

“Don’t even think about stealing. I’ll cut off your wrist.”

Karon’s quiet, almost whisper-like warning made Shong break out into a cold sweat, swallowing nervously.

‘This guy is a devil.’

But despite the chilling words, Shong’s face was plastered with a wide grin.

“Haha! Me? I’d never do such a thing, come on. Haha…”

“Why are you going to Bela, anyway?”

Karon suddenly asked.

“Well…”

Shong hesitated briefly.

“Ah! There was a rumor that demon orbs were being gathered there. I thought I’d see if there’s anything worth taking.”

His excuse sounded flimsy, and Karon shot him a flat, unimpressed look as he passed him and rode ahead.

Shong furrowed his brow.

‘Does he know or not? I can’t figure him out. He’s so annoying.’

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