Chapter 22: Deranged Demon
Kage smiled coolly at the man who had just called him a waste product.
The Knight staggered back in shock, collapsing beside the black-haired Knight.
The black-haired Knight dropped to one knee, placed a hand over the other, and lowered his head.
"This Floor Knight, Donovan, greets the sixteenth young master."
The thin-eyed Knight glanced at his partner and hesitantly dropped to his knees.
"T—This Floor Knight Finn greets the seventeenth young master!"
Kage studied them both with a cold smile, his expression unreadable.
His gaze fixed on the thin-eyed Knight.
"Knight Finn, right...?"
Finn raised his head as Kage continued.
"Why do what you don’t want to do... of all the things I despise in this world, people who do what they don’t want to do rank in the top five. You don’t have to kneel before a waste product."
He turned to the other knight.
"The same goes for you... Knight... Donovan, isn’t it?"
Knight Donovan bowed again.
"Young Master, I dare not."
Knight Finn stared down with a slight frown, lost in thought.
’At the end of the day, he’s cannon fodder just like us... I can’t cower in fear before those who matter and do the same for this child who’s no different from us. Besides... imagine—he’s a child raised in the forest. He knows nothing about clan life. Look at him, smiling even after being called a waste product. This guy’s a premium fool.’
He lifted his chin, his eyes radiating fresh confidence.
’Right. I can’t believe I was scared for a moment.’
He examined Kage from head to toe.
’Look how battered he is... shouldn’t he have just stayed home? Brother’s so desperate for acknowledgment. Desperate people are the easiest to use and manipulate. And a desperate child? Pffttt...’
He glanced at his partner, still kneeling.
’This one’s another fool, with absolutely no insight!’
He fixed his gaze back on Kage, who was still smiling, then slowly stood up, dusting off his knee.
Knight Donovan’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing—his friend was actually standing up.
"Knight Finn! What are you doing?!"
Knight Finn folded his arms across his chest, ignoring Donovan’s outburst, and locked eyes with Kage.
"Young master, I’m sure you don’t know this, but the main clan is a vicious place for a child who grew up alone in the forest. But I can promise you protection. I heard you’re weak and talentless, plus you’re a bastard—the moment you enter the main clan, even gardeners will want to pick on you. Which is why you should forge an alliance with me."
He thumped his chest confidently.
"I can help ward off those who dare bully you, but you have to trust me. Where you’re going... is different terrain. I’m sorry for calling you a waste product, but you’ll endure worse once you reach that place, and you can’t afford to be defenseless."
"I’m a Rank Three Knight, and I’m becoming an Aspirant soon. You have nothing to worry about."
Knight Donovan stared at his partner with his mouth agape, grimacing.
Kage continued smiling. Then he glanced up for a moment, opening his eyes and studying the sky. He subtly flexed his sore fingers.
As he lowered his face, with lightning speed, he drew his sword and plunged it into the Knight’s thigh before Finn could react.
Knight Finn let out an agonized scream, but Kage didn’t stop. He drove the sword deeper, all the way to the hilt, then wrenched it downward, causing blood to gush endlessly.
Kage smiled as he worked. He twisted the blade, yanked it free, and swung upward, cleanly severing the Knight’s hand, sending it spinning through the air.
Blood splattered across his face and clothes as he pulled back and slid his sword into its sheath.
"You don’t like to kneel, right? That’s to ensure you never kneel again. The hand was a bonus."
Kage paused, suddenly remembering how the bastard had glared at him. He stepped forward. The Knight, writhing in agony on the ground, looked up with a pale face as Kage approached.
Before Finn could react, two fingers shot toward him and pierced his eyes.
Kage, with a calm expression and cold smile, slowly drove his fingers into the man’s eyes, squeezing a guttural cry from him.
Then he withdrew his bloodied hand.
And suddenly remembered Finn had called him a waste product.
Kage stepped forward again and drew the kitchen knife hidden behind his sash. He looked at Knight Donovan and commanded:
"Hold him."
Donovan was pale, frozen in shock, his eyes wide, pupils shrunk to pinpricks and trembling violently.
In his trembling state, he scurried forward and gripped his partner’s head.
Kage nodded and leaned closer, then methodically tore the corner of Finn’s mouth all the way to his ear.
He nodded again in satisfaction and stepped back.
"Let him go."
As Knight Donovan released him, the mutilated knight collapsed into a puddle of his own blood.
Knight Donovan stared at his trembling, blood-soaked hands, then looked at Kage. His face drained of all color.
His stomach lurched violently. He doubled over, stumbling away from the unconscious Finn, and emptied his stomach onto the ground.
Kage inhaled deeply, his face expressionless, and looked at Knight Donovan.
"Heavens... when will Floor Knights learn not to insult Iron blood?"
Kage studied Knight Donovan, who was clearly struggling.
"What can be done to patch him up, or do we leave him to die?"
He asked with the same flat tone.
Donovan stared at Kage with disbelief in his eyes, clearly questioning how in the world Kage was fifteen years old.
To the Floor Knight, he looked more like a lunatic—a deranged demon—than a fifteen-year-old. Who would gouge out a person’s eyes and tear their mouth with a smile?
The Knight’s heart hammered with fear, and that fear quickly reminded him he needed to answer. He roughly dropped to one knee, still trembling.
"I—I w–will pa—patch him up, sir!"
Kage glanced at the bestial carrier beside them.
"Open that..."
Donovan shot forward and gently pressed open the carrier’s door. A platform folded out, and Kage climbed it to enter the vehicle.
The interior was enormous, with plush white leather seats in back and two in front. The rear seats formed a U-shape with a table positioned in the center.
Kage hadn’t been luxurious enough to afford one of these in his past life, but he’d managed to enter a few on different occasions.
Qi-powered carriers were conveyance motors that only the most influential clans could afford, making them uncommon.
’There’s a lot I need to accomplish in this life apparently. Getting filthy rich is definitely one of them.’
Kage leaned back with a smile, leaving Knight Donovan to handle the mess outside.