The Extra Wants To Live

"Now that he become a real knight, he should get used to commanding."

Billford was officially knighted last spring.

The knighthood was simple, as there was no atmosphere to make a big deal out of Lilly's work. It would be nice to make the once-in-a-lifetime knighthood extravagant, but Billford asked to keep it simple first.

"Are the seeds there yet?"

"Yes. I'll have to look into it some more."

Absurdly, when Billford became a knight from a seed, all three of them—Carl, Catherine, and Billford—got into trouble over the seed issue.

Billford was originally Catherine's squire, but he also served Carl in place of Harmon, who was unable to participate in the battle.

But since Billford became a knight, Catherine naturally lost her squire, Carl also lost his squire to replace Harmon in battle, and Billford was also left without a squire.

For now, they were receiving help from soldiers, but this also had its limits.

They would like to plant the seeds right away.

Even if they didn't have more than 10 people like other high-ranking noble families, shouldn't they have at least one? But the situation was not one where they could do that.

First of all, if you were a seed, you must always follow it and serve its own knight.

No one could bring in Carl, his closest aides Catherine and Billford's squire, who were secretly plotting all sorts of secret schemes without anyone knowing.

There, Carl became the Archduke and had honor and authority, but on the surface, he appeared to have no vested interests.

This went for Catherine and, sadly, for Billford, who was of common birth. Against this backdrop, it was impossible to secure a seed from a noble family.

Then what about those of commoner origin? That too had its problems.

There must certainly be talented people among the common people.

However, they could not bring in people who were in shambles because they couldn't eat properly or who couldn't read or write because they couldn't learn, and turn them into seeds.

It is virtually impossible to find a commoner with genius talent like Billford, who was sold as a child and given a good diet to hone his talents.

If it were easy, the aristocracy would have collapsed long ago, and democracy would have ruled the world.

Then, how about getting it from the Laurel Union or Hilpin?

That won't work either.

Carl must maintain a balance and cannot appear to favor any of those who join him.

It's a total mess.

"If this continues, I'll become more accustomed to not having seeds."

"It doesn't matter to me or Billford, but shouldn't you, Lord Carl, get used to such things?"

"That's what I'm saying."

Carl laughs softly and speaks calmly as he watches the soldiers running around the training grounds.

"My mana is starting to build up now."

Catherine's eyes widen at Carl's words.

Until now, Carl was able to kill any mana user on his own with just a handful of mana.

How much power would he have if he accumulated a lot of mana?

"Congratulations."

"That's right. It's just something that you've gained because the time has come, and it also means that your body has stopped growing, so it's not something to celebrate."

Despite Catherine's congratulations, Carl remained indifferent.

With a powerful growth force that surpassed that of a human, Carl was able to achieve a complete body in less than two years.

And the enormous amount of power that was used for it was now just beginning to accumulate in Carl's body in the form of mana.

The amount of mana increasing is so fast that he can feel it growing even at this very moment.

In just a little while, he'll be able to fight like the character in the original who suffered from that disease, using up a lot of mana.

"Even so, without Carl's efforts, I wouldn't have been able to grow this quickly."

"Isn't it all thanks to Catherine and Billford help?"

"If you would please say so, I would be more than happy to accept it."

"Ha ha ha..."

For Carl, who learned the world by staying in the library and reading books, the only thing he learned formally from others was martial arts.

The only people he can call his teachers are Catherine and Billford.

"I'm starting to get really anxious now. I've always been running towards becoming a master, but this is the first time I've felt this anxious."

Catherine confides her uneasy feelings to Carl.

"Are you afraid of being overtaken?"

"Yes, I am afraid. Billford is more talented than I am, and I am sure that Carl will surpass me in no time."

Catherine is not someone who lacks the skills and talent to go anywhere.

He became an imperial knight based on his skills alone, and at a young age, he possesses outstanding martial skills that are not lacking even if we say he is a top-tier mana user.

There, he has strategy, tactics, command, and political insight, and he is loyal and honest.

That's why it must have been very painful for him to endure his own servant, Billford, and his master, Carl, whom he had to protect, becoming stronger than him.

"Why don't you ask Sir Gilbert if you get the chance later?"

Carl speaks in a light voice.

"...To Sir Gilbert?"

Catherine looked a little embarrassed.

"I am a knight of the Imperial Court, so I can ask for help from Sir Gilbert. Billford and I will also receive help. Hasn't Sir Gilbert already taken my hand?"

"...I see. Yes, I will ask you to do so next time I return to Himmeln."

Even though he said that, Catherine didn't seem very comfortable.

"I have some business to attend to in Seongan Village. Do you want to come with me?"

"Are you talking about the Sisterhood of Duren?"

"That's it, and there's something else too."

"Me anytime."

Carl nodded at Catherine's answer and shouted at Billford, who was diligently commanding the soldiers.

"Billford! Keep training hard!"

"Yes! … … Yes?"

When Billford answered vigorously and turned around belatedly in bewilderment, Carl and Catherine had already stormed away.

No, I'm going to train hard anyway, but I don't know why I feel a little bit wronged.

***

Carl and Catherine wore rough, coarse cloaks with hoods pulled down to conceal their appearance.

In particular, Carl had a beautiful appearance that showed his nobility even when only the tip of his chin was visible, so he had to cover his body very meticulously.

After leaving the castle, they did not go straight to the Sisterhood of Duren, but instead headed to a remote and secluded place.

Catherine wondered what was going on but said nothing.

But when an unidentified person suddenly appeared in the alley without a sound, she couldn't help but flinch.

A man wearing a waterproof, tight-fitting suit kneels before Carl and bows his head.

His figure, crouching in the pouring rain, seemed to blend in with the scenery and was not easily visible.

When Rihanna came to visit three days ago, she secretly gave orders to 'Bloody Finger.'

Seek to establish contact with the Hadad sect in Tumari.

"What happened?"

"We have successfully infiltrated. We can move whenever you give us the order."

The Bloody Finger performed its mission admirably.

Since they came from Tumaria to Hardion, of course, they will do well.

"Thank you for your hard work. Please wait until negotiations with the Sisterhood are finished."

"Yes."

"And where is the 'ring' now?"

The man paused for a moment at Carl's words, then opened his mouth cautiously.

"I understand it is in the Marquisate of Gasteau."

"When was the last time you heard from them?"

"It was a month ago."

"… Okay, I understand."

At Carl's words, the man steps back on his knees, then stands up, bows deeply, and disappears back into the alley.

Carl stared at the puddles rippling with rainwater as if lost in thought.

Camilla, the 'Blood-Stained Ring,' is following Carl's orders and carrying out missions under Adrian as before, gathering information.

At the same time, whenever she has time, she seeks information on the Marquisate of Gasto for Carl's marriage alliance.

But somehow, strangely enough, while the thorough information on Adrian is being brought in easily, the information on Marquis Gasto's helpless daughter is being passed on here and there, of no use.

All they know about the Marquis' daughter, Elke Gasto, is that she can walk a little with the help of a cane, that she is pale and skinny, and that the Marquis is very annoying.

The members of the Bloody Finger, who were relaying this embarrassingly worthless and almost scandalous information about Elke Gasto to Carl, could not help but be more cautious.

This is, that… something… … .

… … Isn't something a bit off?

"It's too late to say this. You are my eyes and ears here and there."

Carl spoke calmly to Catherine, who was waiting quietly without saying anything.

"Don't be alarmed if they come into contact with you when necessary."

"Yes, Carl."

Catherine wondered when on earth Carl had come to recruit such people, but it was never her place to ask or question. Catherine decided to answer her lord Carl's words and not get involved in the matter any further.

Carl walked towards the Sisterhood with Catherine.

Now that they're ready, they need to pressure Lyanna into giving them more information.