At my word "Next?", the knights exchanged glances but made no moves.
Click.
In the dead silence, the sound of a door opening echoed like thunder.
"What's this? Not training and all gathered here? What's going on?"
The knights looked at the newcomer like he was their savior, eyes pleading.
"Colin!"
"Lord Colin!"
"Colin, come quick!"
"Your brother, Yuren Rox, is here!"
The person entering was my brother, Colin Rox, and the crowd rushed to him, shouting over each other.
So that's Colin. Different mother, so he looks similar yet distinct.
"Speak one at a time! Who's here?"
"Your brother, Lord Yuren Rox!"
"What? Why's he here? Where is he?"
Colin scanned the room, looking for me. Our eyes met, but he kept searching elsewhere.
"Where?"
"Right there!"
A female knight pointed at me in the center of the crowd.
"What nonsense. Yuren doesn't look like that—he's a pig… huh?"
Colin started arguing, then his jaw dropped.
"No way… Is it really?"
I expected he wouldn't recognize me due to my transformation, but being brothers, he figured it out, albeit late. Or maybe he saw the Marquis in my face.
"Yuren?"
"Yeah."
This guy's already talking casually.
Colin approached. He was average height, but since I'd grown, he had to look up slightly.
"How the hell…"
Still in disbelief, he kept eyeing me up and down.
"Lost some weight."
"This isn't just weight loss. You're way taller too."
Colin kept speaking informally.
"Losing weight made me grow taller."
He shook his head, trying to snap out of it.
"Why's everyone acting like this?"
He pointed at Mellai, Lula, and Carik, unconscious and lined against the wall.
"Well…"
A pink-haired female knight sticking close to Colin explained everything.
"No way!"
That's the second "no way" from Colin.
"So, it's true you killed an orc warrior?"
"Yeah, it's true."
"How could you?!"
His face contorted in disbelief.
"Calling me 'you'? Watch it, kid."
"Urgh."
I teased playfully, but his scowl didn't budge.
"I don't believe it."
"What?"
"I can't believe you got that strong!"
"Little brother, you wanna go?"
"I never saw you as my brother! Just a pig born two years earlier with nothing to show for it!"
This won't do. Time to teach this punk some manners.
"Fine. I'll show you why I'm the big brother. Bring it."
I grabbed a training sword stuck in the ground, keeping my distance.
"That's what I wanted, Yuren!"
"How about a bet?"
"A bet?"
"Yeah. Loser grants the winner's wish."
"Fine. If I win, I'll make you crawl at my feet."
I don't fight losing battles. I was absolutely sure I'd win.
"Sword."
At Colin's word, the pink-haired knight handed him a training sword, whispering something—likely how I knocked out the other three.
But Colin was worrying for nothing. I wasn't letting him off easy.
Buzz.
Determined not to lose, Colin activated his aura fully from the start, his body overflowing with it.
Let's see.
[Creator's Eye activated.]
[Name: Colin Rox]
[Traits: Swift Sword lv2, Agile Movement lv2, Sword Emperor]
[Affection: -78 (Extreme Dislike)]
So he inherited Sword Emperor. Good thing it's not murderous intent.
Impressive stats, but they didn't faze me.
"Haa!"
While Creator's Eye was active, Colin charged, swinging his sword.
His speed was decent, so I moved to dodge with Lesser Dragon Step, but a message appeared.
[While Creator's Eye is active, Celestial Martial Body's Heavenly Vision activates simultaneously.]
[Heavenly Vision is subordinated to Creator's Eye.]
[Creator's Eye has leveled up.]
[Creator's Eye lv2 achieved.]
What the—?!
The message didn't stop Colin, so I prepared to dodge, but I could see everything—where he'd swing, which foot he'd step with, how his aura flowed. All clear as day.
Clang!
I swung at the weakest point of his aura-clad training sword.
"Urgh!"
Feeling the impact, Colin quickly retreated.
"You—!"
Whoosh!
As if he hadn't been pushed back, he charged again, aiming a straight thrust at my chest. But I saw his movements and aura flow perfectly.
Thwack!
"Argh!"
Dodging his thrust, I lightly struck his wrist, sending his sword flying.
"How…?"
"Pick it up. I'll keep going until you're satisfied."
"Damn it!"
Colin grabbed his sword and charged again, but I'd already read his moves.
His Swift Sword and Agile Movement were decent, but I was faster and stronger. With his every move visible, it was like fighting with an invincibility cheat.
Crack!
"Urk!"
Thud!
"Agh!"
I didn't end it quickly like the others, deliberately dragging it out. I toyed with him, striking his body with an inner-energy-infused training sword.
Thwack!
"Guh!"
Thud!
"Stop it."
Crack!
"I surrender! Stop!"
Thwack!
"I said I surrender!"
This idiot doesn't get why I'm still hitting him. I kept going.
Thud!
"Why are you doing this?! I surrendered!"
Crack!
"Aaagh!"
Crack!
"Please, stop!"
Thwack!
"Please, I beg you!"
Hearing his polite plea, I finally stopped.
"Little brother."
"Urgh…"
"Don't make me repeat myself, got it?"
"Yes…"
"Act up again, and you'll get twice this."
"I understand… sob…"
Despite enduring the beating, Colin buried his face in his arm, crying, likely more humiliated by the knights' sly glances than the pain.
"Let's go."
"Where… are we going?"
Colin almost spoke casually but corrected himself under my glare.
"I'll explain on the way."
I sent Colin to the lobby and turned to the knights.
"When that idiot Carik wakes up, tell him to know his place."
After explaining why I came, Colin requested leave and followed me.
"So, next to Laon?"
"Yeah."
"He's in the Empire…"
"Don't know. Father said to bring him, so we're going."
Heading to the mage tower for a warp, I remembered I hadn't chosen my wish.
"Hey."
"Yes."
"Your wish."
"Oh…"
Colin's face twisted in agony, just now remembering. I had no real demands, so I picked a wish for fun.
"When you're with me, always address me as 'Great Brother.'"
"Huh?"
"Every time you speak to me, say 'Great Brother.'"
"That's…"
"It's my wish. A man doesn't go back on his word, right?"
Colin's expression screamed disgust, and he clamped his mouth shut, as if refusing to speak.
"Hey."
"Yes."
Thwack!
"Urgh!"
He knew better but didn't answer properly, so I smacked his head.
"Hey."
"Yes, Great Brother."
"Good."
"Sob…"
Enjoying Colin's whimpers, I opened the mage tower's door.
"Welcome!"
"Here to use the warp."
"Where to?"
"The Empire's capital."
"Got it. Three people?"
"Yes."
After ID checks and securing entry permission to the Empire's mage tower, the process went smoothly since Colin and I were Roxes.
Once approved, we were led to the warp room.
"You can warp to another country like the Empire? That's wild," Giranox said, amazed.
"The mage tower is neutral, unaffiliated with any nation. As long as your ID checks out, you can go anywhere."
"I see."
Colin, hating to say "Great Brother," stayed silent with arms crossed.
After a quiet warp, we stepped into the Empire's capital.
"Wow."
"Oh."
"This feels so modern…"
The Empire's capital was the continent's most advanced city. Aside from building height, it felt like Seoul with its modern architecture.
"But…"
"Yes, Great Brother."
"Something's off."
The people's vibe was strange. The buildings were bright, but the people seemed dark. Something was definitely up.
"Let's find the Knight Academy. We'll ask Laon."
"Yes."
Unlike the capital's clear signage, the Empire's was less helpful, so we asked locals to find the academy.
At the academy lobby, I sent Colin to fetch Laon and sank into thought.
What's going on? Something's happening in the Empire, but I can't recall what.
While pondering alone, Colin returned with Laon, a dark-skinned, broad-shouldered man, unlike me.
"Colin, good job."
"…"
"Colin?"
"Thank you, Great Brother."
Colin tried avoiding a response but spoke after my glare.
"Yuren… Brother?"
"Yeah, it's me."
Laon's eyes widened, shocked by my changed appearance and Colin's "Great Brother" address.
"Brother."
"Yeah."
Maybe it's his nature or Colin's influence, but Laon spoke casually too.
"I heard the situation from Colin."
"Good. Tell your professor and let's go."
"There's a problem."
"Problem?"
"Not mine, but we can't leave the Empire right now."
"Can't leave?"
"Yes. You can enter, but not leave."
His words sparked a realization.
No way! It's now!
"The Crown Prince was assassinated this morning."