The training grounds had become dangerous.
Not because of monsters.
Not because of enemy armies.
Not because of magical disasters.
But because a few hundred knights had become curious.
And curious knights were terrifying creatures.
Especially when their Lord was willing to answer questions.
The battle had long ended.
Lyra had already received treatment.
The three newly advanced Masters were resting.
The spectators should have returned to their duties.
Instead.
Every single knight remained present.
Because nobody wanted to leave.
Not after witnessing Lyra create ten Blood Swords.
The training grounds looked more like an academy lecture hall than a military facility.
Kel sat beneath a pavilion.
A cup of tea rested beside him.
Several reports remained unopened.
Meanwhile.
Hundreds of knights sat around him.
Waiting.
Watching.
Questioning.
And somehow...
Kel didn't seem bothered.
In fact.
He looked surprisingly relaxed.
The Count calmly observed the crowd.
Then asked.
"Any more questions?"
The response was immediate.
"HUNDREDS!"
The collective answer echoed throughout the training grounds.
Kel blinked.
Then nodded.
"Proceed."
The knights became excited.
Knight Rowan immediately stood.
"My Lord."
"Yes?"
"If Lady Lyra's Blood Swords represent her path..."
A pause.
"Then what do your swords represent?"
Silence.
The crowd instantly focused.
Even Lyra looked interested.
Kel thought briefly.
Then answered.
"They represent possibilities."
The crowd froze.
"...What?"
The Count pointed toward Lyra.
"Her path is focused."
Another.
"Mine isn't."
The confusion increased.
Kel continued.
"Lyra pursued a destination."
Another.
"I pursued understanding."
The explanation somehow made things worse.
Several knights developed headaches.
Meanwhile.
Lyra narrowed her eyes.
Because unlike the others...
She understood.
At least partially.
The Sovereign's Orbit Sword Arts adapted to the user.
And Kel's greatest trait wasn't power.
It was adaptability.
Possibilities.
Potential.
The ability to become whatever the situation required.
The realization made her shiver slightly.
Then another knight jumped forward.
"My Lord!"
"Yes?"
"You use Aura Swords."
"Correct."
"You use Elemental Aura Swords."
"Correct."
"You use Shape-Shifting Aura Swords."
"Correct."
The knight pointed dramatically.
"How many versions are there?!"
Kel thought.
Then answered honestly.
"I don't know."
The knight immediately sat down.
Defeated.
Completely defeated.
Meanwhile.
Another knight stood.
"My Lord."
"Yes?"
A pause.
Then came the question.
The dangerous question.
The forbidden question.
The question that changed everything.
"Can you also use Blood Swords?"
The entire training grounds became silent.
Every knight froze.
Every guard froze.
Even Gareth slowly turned his head.
Because honestly.
Everyone wanted to know.
Lyra especially.
The serpent woman narrowed her eyes.
Waiting.
Watching.
The answer seemed obvious.
No.
Surely no.
Blood Swords represented her path.
Her understanding.
Her expression.
So naturally...
Kel couldn't use them.
Right?
The Count blinked once.
Then replied casually.
"Yes."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The crowd stopped functioning.
Several brains crashed immediately.
Lyra stared.
Then stared harder.
Then somehow stared even harder.
The serpent woman felt a dangerous feeling.
A very dangerous feeling.
Suspicion.
The same suspicion she felt when Kel first negotiated with her.
The suspicion that this human wasn't normal.
Not even remotely.
Meanwhile.
Kel casually extended his hand.
The movement appeared simple.
Natural.
Ordinary.
Then...
Two crimson droplets rose from his fingertip.
The crowd froze.
The droplets floated upward.
Rotated.
Expanded.
Lengthened.
Sharpened.
And finally.
Two Blood Swords appeared.
Floating beside Kel.
Silence.
Nobody breathed.
Nobody blinked.
Nobody moved.
The two crimson swords slowly orbited around him.
Exactly.
Like Lyra's.
The training grounds stopped existing.
Reality stopped existing.
Logic stopped existing.
Everything stopped existing.
The knights collectively experienced emotional damage.
Meanwhile.
Lyra was frozen.
Completely frozen.
The serpent woman stared at the Blood Swords.
Then at Kel.
Then at the Blood Swords again.
Then at Kel again.
A dangerous thought appeared.
"I spent an hour nearly dying to create those..."
Another thought followed.
"And he just did it while sitting down?"
The realization physically hurt.
Nearby.
Seiren laughed so hard that her telepathic voice nearly became incoherent.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Kel remained calm.
"What's so funny?"
"Lyra's face!"
The Guardian continued laughing.
"Look at her!"
Kel glanced toward Lyra.
The serpent woman looked betrayed.
Deeply betrayed.
As though she had discovered the universe itself was unfair.
Meanwhile.
The knights slowly recovered.
Then immediately reached a conclusion.
The safest conclusion.
The only conclusion.
Their Lord was ridiculous.
The discussion resumed instantly.
"My Lord!"
"Yes?"
"Can you create ice swords?"
"Yes."
Three ice swords appeared.
The knights nodded.
Reasonable.
"My Lord!"
"Yes?"
"Lightning swords?"
"Yes."
Two lightning swords appeared.
Crackling electricity illuminated the training grounds.
The knights nodded.
Still reasonable.
"My Lord!"
"Yes?"
"Fire swords?"
"Yes."
Flaming swords appeared.
The knights nodded.
Somewhat reasonable.
"My Lord!"
"Water swords?"
"Yes."
Water swords appeared.
The knights nodded.
Acceptable.
Another knight stood.
"My Lord!"
"Yes?"
"Can you create potato swords?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
The training grounds became silent.
Even Kel blinked.
Twice.
The knight suddenly realized what he had asked.
Then slowly sat back down.
The Count considered.
Then calmly answered.
"Probably."
The training grounds exploded.
Gareth nearly fell off his chair.
Lyra covered her face.
The three Masters started laughing.
Meanwhile.
Kel genuinely looked thoughtful.
As though he was seriously considering the mechanics.
The realization terrified everyone.
Eventually.
The questioning continued.
Hours passed.
Question after question.
Answer after answer.
And throughout all of it.
Kel never became annoyed.
Never became frustrated.
Never dismissed anyone.
Instead.
He answered.
Explained.
Demonstrated.
Teaching whenever possible.
The knights gradually noticed something.
Something important.
Kel never treated questions as interruptions.
He treated them as curiosity.
As creativity.
As opportunities to learn.
And because of that.
The questions became increasingly ridiculous.
"My Lord, could Aura Swords fish?"
"Probably."
"My Lord, could Aura Swords cook?"
"Depends."
"My Lord, could Aura Swords clean armor?"
"Yes."
"My Lord, can Aura Swords write reports?"
"..."
Kel paused.
Then looked toward the giant pile of paperwork beside him.
A dangerous thought appeared in his eyes.
The knights immediately regretted asking.
Because suddenly...
Their Lord looked inspired.
Very inspired.
Far too inspired.
Meanwhile.
Lyra simply sat nearby.
Watching.
Listening.
Observing.
The serpent woman smiled softly.
Because despite all the absurdity.
Despite all the impossible demonstrations.
Despite all the chaos.
She finally understood something.
The reason people followed Kel.
The reason knights respected him.
The reason Frostbound Coast trusted him.
It wasn't because he could create Aura Swords.
Or Blood Swords.
Or Elemental Swords.
Or whatever ridiculous sword came next.
It was because he never looked down on others.
Not even once.
Every question mattered.
Every person mattered.
Every curiosity mattered.
And somehow.
That made him far more dangerous than any sword he could create.
Though...
Watching two Blood Swords casually floating beside him...
Lyra still felt slightly offended.
Because she had nearly died creating ten.
And he had created two while drinking tea.