Episode 128
Al and Jeff were startled as they watched the flask bubble and froth.
“Whoa! Jeff, is that…?”
“Oh my god! Bro, it is! That’s the fermentation reaction we’ve been hoping for! Quick, get ready!”
The two snatched the flask from Zeke’s hands, placing it on the lab table, and hurriedly donned their goggles and masks.
They gestured for Zeke to step back.
Though Zeke was immune to all toxins, he obliged, stepping back to watch the twins bustle about.
Al and Jeff began mixing various chemicals with the soma Zeke had fermented.
The raw soma in the flask was repeatedly distilled with the chemicals.
About an hour later, Al carefully extracted a test tube glowing with a blue hue from the incubator.
He gently placed it in a beaker for a reaction test.
Al and Jeff examined the sample under a magnifying device.
Their faces suddenly turned serious.
Zeke, observing them, tilted his head in curiosity.
“Did it fail?”
Al and Jeff exchanged glances.
“Did you see that?”
“Yeah, you saw it too, right?”
Then, out of nowhere, they erupted into cheers, jumping up and down.
“We did it! We actually did it!”
“Damn, we’re geniuses! We succeeded!”
Al and Jeff had successfully developed an antibiotic using the soma Zeke had fermented.
They turned to Zeke, shouting excitedly.
“Sir Zeke! How on earth did you ferment the soma earlier?”
“Yeah! We tried everything, and nothing worked!”
Zeke hesitated, unsure how to explain his power of decay, and finally said, “It’s classified.”
The twins didn’t dare probe further into what a pureblood Draker deemed ‘classified.’
Zeke asked them, “Will you need more fermented raw materials to commercialize this antibiotic?”
Al shook his head.
“With this sample, we can culture and ferment the raw materials.”
Jeff added, “It might take longer than what you did, Sir Zeke, since culturing takes time.”
Relieved that they could safely produce the antibiotic even if it took longer, Zeke nodded.
“Now that you’ve made the antibiotic sample, you won’t need additional funding, right?”
The twins’ faces turned pale, and they stammered.
“Sir Zeke! This is just a sample! A sample!”
“Yeah! We still have a lot of experiments to conduct, including clinical trials, and…”
Zeke grinned at them.
“I’m just kidding. I’ll continue the funding.”
Al and Jeff looked at him, dumbfounded.
They had been out-pranked by Zeke, a rare occurrence for the mischievous twins.
Having secured their results, Al and Jeff carefully stored the antibiotic sample and packed up their tools.
As Zeke saw them off, he said, “Next time, I’ll visit your lab.”
The twins hiccupped in unison.
“There’s really no need for that…”
“We can just keep in touch from afar.”
When their carriage arrived, they quickly loaded their tools and made a hasty retreat.
Decker, watching the twins flee, was taken aback.
“Wow, you managed to handle those troublemakers so easily, young master.”
Zeke chuckled wryly at Decker’s comment.
“Thinking of them as kids makes it harder to deal with. Anyway, Decker, I need to talk to you.”
“You want me to lead the knights?”
Decker looked surprised at Zeke’s proposal.
Zeke nodded, sipping his fragrant tea.
“You’ve heard I didn’t join a knight order at the induction ceremony, right?”
Decker nodded, recalling the news from Duke.
“I was shocked when I heard from the Duke. You said it was no big deal when you stopped by the mansion before your mission. But then you took on an A-rank mission alone…”
“Sorry if I worried you. But joining a knight order would tie me down and take away my freedom.”
For Zeke, training alone was the fastest way to grow stronger. He didn’t need to be bound to a knight order.
Decker, concerned, said, “Running a knight order isn’t easy, young master. Without financial backing, it’s hard to maintain.”
“Don’t worry about that. I have enough funds.”
“If you’re relying on the family’s black card and estate taxes, that’s not enough to run a knight order…”
“Do you know the Reinhardt Trading Company?”
Decker had heard of it, as it was rapidly growing in Alencia.
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“I’m a major shareholder there.”
“What?”
Zeke continued, “You’ve heard about the mithril mine that Graham Bank invested in, right?”
“I’ve heard about it, but…”
“I’m a major shareholder there too.”
Decker was speechless, his mouth agape.
He, who always maintained a composed demeanor, was visibly shocked.
‘Better keep the syndicate I run a secret. Decker might faint.’
Even what he had just revealed placed him among the wealthiest on the continent.
Decker wiped his brow and said, “I knew you were extraordinary, young master, but… I understand. Still, running a knight order is no small feat, even with ample funds.”
“I’ve already found someone to manage it.”
“Who is it?”
“The elders of Agamemnon have agreed to help. The Achilles, Hector, and Ajax families have also offered their support. The Graham family too.”
“My goodness…”
With the elders of Agamemnon, who once ran the largest knight order in Midland, there was no issue in managing the order.
And with the support of the prestigious families of Achilles, Hector, Ajax, and Graham, there was nothing to worry about.
Decker, acknowledging Zeke’s thorough preparation, conceded.
“I really can’t compete with you, young master.”
“Thinking you could relax by my side was your mistake, Decker. I don’t let talented people go to waste.”
In his past life, talented individuals were constantly lost to war.
After the war, no one remained by Zeke’s side.
He wandered the ashes of the continent alone.
‘Compared to then, this is a paradise of talent.’
Decker asked Zeke, “How do you plan to structure the knight order? Liam and Felix are promising, but they lack the experience to be full knights.”
“They’ll be apprentice knights. You’ll meet the full knights soon, so don’t worry.”
A week later, as Zeke had said, two knights arrived at the mansion.
“Wow! Zeke’s loaded!”
“Ugh, Diego, keep it down. I haven’t slept in a week, and my head’s pounding.”
It was Diego and Aster, fresh from completing their graduation exams at Valhalla.
They had turned down offers from other knight orders to come straight to Zeke.
Zeke welcomed them at the mansion.
“Diego, Aster. It’s been a while.”
As soon as they arrived, Zeke ushered them into a carriage.
“Zeke, bro! Where are we going?”
“Just follow me.”
Zeke took them to the Duchy of Troy.
Upon reaching the northern region of Troy, where Zeke’s lordship lay, Diego and Aster were awestruck by the castle.
“Wow, is this your castle, Master?”
“Yes, it’s not huge, but it’s comfortable.”
By Zeke’s standards, it was small, but it was far from modest.
While Diego and Aster marveled at the castle, Decker approached from a distance.
“You’ve arrived, young master.”
In full armor, Decker looked every bit the knight, not a mere attendant.
Diego and Aster immediately recognized his prowess.
Zeke introduced them to Decker.
“Diego and Aster. Both are Valhalla graduates.”
Decker looked at them with approval.
“You’ve brought excellent prospects.”
An experienced knight, Decker quickly recognized their potential.
Zeke led them to the training grounds with Decker.
“Wow.”
Diego and Aster were taken aback.
The training grounds, unlike the old castle’s classic architecture, were state-of-the-art.
In the training grounds, Farrell of the Achilles family was rigorously training Liam, Felix, and dozens of men.
Diego and Aster recognized them.
They were the Delphoa 8th Knight Order, whom Zeke had hired and sent south.
The southern sun had tanned them, giving them a more robust appearance.
Having faced the harsh cartels and rebels of the south, their eyes were fierce, and scars marked their bodies.
Farrell, noticing Zeke and Decker, approached them.
“Welcome, Lord, Commander.”
Pharrell had completely switched his allegiance from the Achilles Knights to Zeke’s side.
Zeke appointed him as the deputy leader of the knights.
Pharrell looked at Diego and Aster with a satisfied expression.
“So, these are the knights my lord mentioned.”
Seeing Pharrell, a league champion and a renowned knight from the central region, Diego and Aster felt a renewed sense of tension.
Zeke addressed Decker and Pharrell.
“For the time being, you’ll stay here and help organize the knights. If you need anything for training, just let me know.”
“Understood, my lord.”
Diego and Aster, catching the fiery determination in Pharrell’s eyes, began to question if they had made the right choice.
This marked the true beginning of the “Black Sword Knights” that Zeke had founded.
For a month, Zeke focused on establishing the foundation of the Black Sword Knights in the territory of Troy.
Once the groundwork was laid, he called Felix aside.
“Ugh, you called for me, Master.”
“I told you to call me ‘my lord.’”
“Ugh, it’s hard to change old habits. What did you need, my lord?”
Zeke looked at Felix and spoke.
“Felix, you’re originally from the Duchy of Troy, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. That’s why I was initially assigned to guide you here.”
“Is the place where you lived with your grandfather far from here?”
Felix munched on some snacks from the table as he replied.
“No, it’s not far. If we ride, we can get there in half a day.”
Zeke stood up.
“Let’s go.”
“Huh? Where to?”
“To your hometown.”
Felix looked bewildered as he asked, “Why are we going there?”
“When I met Golin, he mentioned a paladin who might be your grandfather, asking to have an orichalcum hammer turned into a sword.”
“A story about my grandfather?”
“Yes. Golin said there was a paladin who made such a request. Does that ring any bells?”
Felix shook his head. “No, I’ve never seen an orichalcum sword… My sword was made at the village forge. It’s not great, but I’ve grown attached to it.”
Zeke stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps your grandfather left some clues behind. If he risked his life to escape the Holy Kingdom after the fall of the Arc Paladins, there must be something.”
“Hmm. So, it wasn’t just political intrigue that led to his downfall?”
“That’s likely. The Holy Kingdom may appear peaceful and prosperous on the surface, but it’s rotten to the core.”
The Holy Kingdom was notorious for having the widest gap between rich and poor across the central continent. The elite lived in luxury rivaling any royalty, while ordinary citizens struggled more than the poorest elsewhere. The corruption within the church was well-known, but it had persisted for over a century, leaving little hope for change.
Felix, with an unusually determined look, stood up.
“If it’s for my grandfather’s honor, then of course we must go. Let’s go, my lord.”
“Your enthusiasm is commendable, but wipe those crumbs off your face first, Felix.”
“Ah, right. Haha.”