“What?”

Why was Mercedes here when she should be the hero of the empire? Grid suspected his eyes and doubted his ears. “Wandering knight? You left the empire?”

It was impossible. Even if Mercedes wanted it, the empire wouldn’t have let her go. Wouldn’t the emperor be a fool not to keep a legendary hero? Grid knew this, but he couldn’t help having expectations. In the first place, Mercedes had a serious nature and didn’t know how to joke.

“...Is this real?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I really left. To be precise, I got kicked out. Can Your Majesty take me?”

“Ha..!” A smile crossed Grid’s face. He didn’t even have time to feel suspicious about Mercedes being ‘kicked out.’ Grid felt so happy that his head was refreshed. Then he acted rashly.

“I’m happy! I’m really happy, Mercedes! Of course, you’re welcome!” Grid hugged Mercedes’ slender body as hard as possible. Mercedes was embarrassed, but Grid didn’t care. He felt like he would miss her and hugged her desperately. “Haha! I’m so happy! I never thought this day would come!”

If there was a game that classified cards from the F class to the SSS class, Mercedes was undoubtedly an SSS card, and this was before she became a legend. At present, Grid didn’t even dare deduce her value. Now that she had come to serve him, he was happy enough to tear up. He imagined Khan smiling at him in the sky.

“...” Mercedes’ face turned extremely red. Grid’s smile was as bright as the sun, his chest was hard, and she felt his hot breath against her ear. Mercedes was grateful to Grid for saving her from a crisis as well as healing the wounds of the old heroes... Yes, Grid stirred Mercedes’ heart. Mercedes clearly realized that she had been longing for Grid.

“I...” Abandoning resistance, she spoke in a trembling voice as she rested her face against Grid’s chest, “Can I stay with you?”

This was Grid’s answer, “Always, always stay with me.”

It was like this. Mercedes’ confession entered his ears, “I have lived for 27 years as a swordsman and a knight.”

“I know.”

“So, I don’t know the role of a woman.”

“Huh? Really? I see.”

“But I will do my best."

“Yes. Thank you.”

“As Your Majesty’s knight and mis...”

“Mis?”

“Mis...!”

Mistress! Mercedes hadn’t experienced a first love and couldn’t say the unfamiliar word. She couldn’t say ‘as Your Majesty’s knight and mistress.’ The words turned around and around in her head. Grid cocked his head in confusion. “Mis-mis-mis?”

Was it something like true true true? (similar in Korean)

“Well, it’s okay. In any case, I welcome you once again.” Grid was so intoxicated with joy at obtaining Mercedes that he ignored his trivial curiosity. Anyone watching them now would become so frustrated that they would collapse.

***

[The level of the Overgeared Skeleton (1) has risen!]

[The level of the Overgeared Skeleton (2) has risen!]

Grid had an unexpected harvest as he walked with the children. It was the growth of the Overgeared Skeletons. In the process of moving from Titan to the border, Grid faced all sorts of monsters. There were many low-level monsters suitable for the Overgeared Skeletons.

“Really cute.” With her eyes shining like lanterns, Mercedes looked like a naive girl. She couldn’t keep her eyes off the Overgeared Skeletons. That’s right. She wasn’t calling Noe or the children rescued from the magic tower cute. Instead, Mercedes had a great fascination with the Overgeared Skeletons.

‘Her taste is truly...’ Grid clicked his tongue, but the Overgeared Skeletons had a different look from ordinary skeletons. Their faces and eyes were bigger. So, it was true that they looked cute at first glance. In that case, Mercedes’ taste couldn’t be called strange.

Clack! Clack clack!

Mercedes patted their heads, and the eyes of the Overgeared Skeletons curved like crescent moons. They liked Mercedes too. Mercedes admired them. “This is the first time I’ve seen undead expressing emotions.”

“There aren’t skeletons like these kids in the empire?”

“They can’t be found anywhere on the continent. These children have a sense of empathy that’s almost life-like. They’re very special children.”

“Hrmm.”

It’s true that they were special kids. They could raise their levels, equip items, and even learn skills. It was difficult to see them as simply summoned undead. They were more like pets. However...

‘They are weak.’

Grid looked at the status windows of the level 70 Overgeared Skeletons.

[Overgeared Skeleton (1)]

[Lv. 70

Health: 1,045/1,045 Mana: 3/3

Strength: 127

Stamina: 100

Agility: 127

Intelligence: 1

Remaining Stat Points: 0

Items Worn:

Weapon: Sturdy Long Sword

Secondary Weapon: Silver Thread.

Armor: Dependable Armor

Exclusive Skills: Silver Thread Shooting, Silver Thread Avoidance, Beginner Mining Technique Lv. 6, Beginner Sword Mastery Lv. 2, Beginner Petrification Resistance, Beginner Physical Resistance, Beginner Magic Resistance, Strike, Bite, Skull Headbutt]

[Overgeared Skeleton (2)]

[Lv. 70

Health: 1,045/1,045

Mana: 525/525

Strength: 25

Stamina: 100

Agility: 55

Intelligence: 175

Remaining Stat Points: 0

Items Worn:

Weapon: Sharp Dagger

Secondary Weapon: Good Shield

Armor: Dependable Armor

Exclusive Skills: Silver Thread Avoidance, Beginner Mining Technique Lv. 6, Beginner Mental Focus Lv. 1, Beginner Petrification Resistance, Beginner Magic Resistance, Beginner Instantaneous Acceleration, Strike, Bite, Skull Headbutt.]

The Overgeared Skeletons gained five stat points every time they leveled up. Unlike ordinary undead, they could grow, wear equipment items, and had high learning abilities. However, they had the limitations of a skeleton. The Overgeared Skeletons were so fragile that they would blow away with the wind or when striking the White Phosphorus Tree with an axe.

Grid had invested points into their stamina, but their survival ability was still weak. In particular, they were vulnerable to explosions and didn’t demonstrate a visible defense capability. It had gotten to the point where Grid built armor for them to increase their defense.

‘However, they show a high resistance to slashes and stabs...’

To be precise, their evasion rate was high. Stabs or slashes couldn’t strike the bones of the Overgeared Skeletons directly, entering crevices or gaps instead. Therefore, attacks would be judged as having missed their targets. Still, this only happened when they were lucky.

While Grid was regretting the weakness of the Overgeared Skeletons, Mercedes said, “The fundamental problem is that these children don’t know how to fight.”

She first pointed to Overgeared Skeleton One. “This kid has a very good strength to agility ratio. Therefore, his movements are agile and his attacks are sharp, but his intelligence is too low. He doesn’t know how to correctly take advantage of his physical ability.”

“Hasn’t he gained Sword Mastery?”

“His intelligence is so low that it is hard to apply the techniques."

“Ah...”

The problem was the one point in intelligence.

‘I also need to invest points in intelligence,’ Grid realized and was reminded of Jude. ‘Is he doing well?’

There were many people with talent in the Overgeared Kingdom. Now that Jude didn’t have to defend Winston, Grid could send someone else. He thought that he should bring Jude to his side sooner or later. Then Mercedes’ voice entered his ears, “This kid is clever, but his physical abilities are very low. He uses his skills properly, but there isn’t a big effect.”

This was the evaluation for the Overgeared Skeleton Two. Grid spoke the truth, “In the first place, he’s a candidate to become a magician.”

However, he hadn’t learned any magic. Additionally, Grid wasn’t good at making magic battle gear. As such, Overgeared Skeleton Two couldn’t exert his true strength at the present time. The moment Grid thought this...

Awooooo! The sound of wolves rang out from the sky. Grid moved his gaze to the sky and saw direwolves flapping large bat wings. They were level 200 monsters. The Overgeared Skeletons wouldn’t be able to deal with them. Mercedes moved forward with a sword in both hands, piercing through the gaps in the sharp teeth of the descending direwolves.

This was a fast and clean swordsmanship that Grid wanted to learn. It seemed that the Overgeared Skeletons were the same. Overgeared Skeleton One watched Mercedes with wide eyes and suddenly tried to hit Overgeared Skeleton Two. Overgeared Skeleton Two was turned upside down and Overgeared Skeleton One stole his dagger. He wanted to use two swords like Mercedes.

“Interesting.” Mercedes’ clear eyes shone like a lake. She held her double swords and nodded at Overgeared Skeleton One. “Okay. I will teach you simple swordsmanship.”

This was the moment that the Overgeared Skeletons gained a great mentor. Mercedes started to teach the Overgeared Skeletons basic movements that could be followed, and the Overgeared Skeletons used this whenever they encountered low-level monsters.

[The level of the Overgeared Skeleton (1) has risen!]

[The level of the Overgeared Skeleton (2) has risen!]

[The Overgeared Skeleton (1) and Overgeared Skeleton (2) have acquired the skill ‘Vaintz Swordsmanship.’]

“Wow...”

The growth rate of the Overgeared Skeletons had become noticeably faster. In particular, the jump in Overgeared Skeleton One's development was huge. Every time his intelligence increased with a level-up, his attack rate and evasion rate increased significantly. The weakness of his low durability wasn’t overcome, but the number of times his arms and legs broke had decreased.

“It’s rewarding to teach these children.” Mercedes gently patted the skulls of the Overgeared Skeletons. For some reason, Grid felt a desire to have his head patted by her.

However, he regained his spirit and wondered, ‘Wasn’t Braham favorable to the Overgeared Skeletons?’

The prideful Braham had advised Grid to raise the Overgeared Skeletons well. That’s right. The Overgeared Skeletons were recognized by the legendary knight Mercedes and the legendary magician Braham. Maybe these guys were more than Grid had expected? Grid’s expectations of them now soared into the sky.

Then a few days passed by...

“Have you been raising two families?” Lauel greeted Grid when he finally returned to Reinhardt. The other Overgeared members were also shocked. Grid arrived late with a group of children and a woman, causing them to misunderstand.

Someone muttered, “Energetic King...”

‘Secretly having two families and so many children!’ The forever single Vantner shed tears of blood.

“There are many people to meet,” Mercedes spoke while taking off her helmet. The Overgeared members could now see her name and face.

“The First Knight...!” Someone cried out.

It seemed that Mercedes’ presence was really big. Grid formally introduced her, “Everyone, say hello. This is the legendary knight that will be with us in the future.”

“What...?” The eyes of Lauel and the Overgeared members widened.