Musou Knight: Crow of Cinders-Chapter 60: Dinner Drama

Chapter 60 – Dinner Drama

Morning arrived. Thanks to someone, I didn’t get a wink of sleep. Still, the new knowledge was somewhat useful.

While lying on the bed, I exhaled deeply and stared at the ceiling. The bullet time was activated at my will. I turned it off and closed my eyes to rest.

This cultivation method allowed me to replenish my musou force to the fullest at the expense of my proteins. The dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins, and serotonin from me and my partner were converted to energy, refilling both our musou cores.

Musou cores developed through a cycle of energy expenditure and restoration. Without consuming special items, they grew naturally over time. Dual cultivation hastened the process as we spent our energy in the activities and restored them through circulation.

Based on my level two cultivation, I estimated that my musou gauge was somewhere in the vicinity of 150 to 200 points. As for Lia’s MP, it should be around 400 to 450 points.

"M...more."

I forgot about her. Lia sat on top of me. I was supposed to be the general, not a horse. If my throat wasn’t this parched, I would have continued. I got out of bed.

"It’s morning. Go wash up."

Lia’s gaze was unfocused as she looked at me. Since she couldn’t snap out of the trance, I clapped my hands in front of her face. She regained her senses.

"W-what?"

"Go wash up. Fun time is over."

"R-right."

Lia examined her body and blushed. She grabbed her clothes and rushed out of the window, taking a shortcut back to her bedroom. She could have left via the front entrance, but doing so would have meant encountering the servants, who remained there overnight specifically to await my orders.

Sighing, I closed my eyes. My consciousness drifted to my dream world.

I woke up again in the afternoon. Though sleeping wasted my time, I had to because I needed every atom of energy I could gather. After the late lunch, I rushed to the training ground.

My routine resumed. I chased all servants out of the area and began hitting a training dummy with a wooden pole. I hoped to acquire a pole martial art this time.

By sunset, the dummy was destroyed. I obtained another badge of strength and a jar of wine. After absorbing the badge and securing the wine, I made my way back to the mansion. I stashed the wine jar in my bedroom, next to the chests of scrolls and manuals.

At dinner, Lenitia, Lia, and I gathered in the dining hall, feasting on food that Dorothy’s subordinates had prepared. While dining, Dorothy informed me of a piece of troubling news.

"Sir Crow. Just today, Lord Louis Zen, Lady Sylveria, and Lord Paul have rallied their troops. He has relayed the words that Zoli Diripio’s troops have occupied Garuda Stand. The Constantia’s King has been assassinated by his retainers, and they surrendered to Avaritia."

Lenitia dropped her spoon and stared at Dorothy in silence. Lia rushed to her side.

I wasn’t surprised. Constantia was scripted to fall. Only the protagonist trio at Garuda Stand’s local academy would form a militia group to challenge Zoli Diripio.

Thinking of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei’s knock-off characters, I clicked my tongue. Although they were supposed to be the protagonists of Constantia’s main story, one of them was destined to wed Lia.

I had to admit that I grew fond of my personal mare. Giving up my prized warhorse was never an option, even though she was destined to marry someone else.

Cuck you, Rickson. Lia is now my ride. Find someone else!

Lenitia was destined to marry Rickson as well. Thinking about the protagonist and his harem, my blood boiled.

Because of my train of thought, my expressions might have changed. Everybody was staring at my face.

"What?" I asked them.

Lia pursed her lips, amused. "You look like you’re ready for a brawl."

"Ah, I was daydreaming. It’s just the usual moment when a man imagines an impossible situation. Don’t worry about it."

"What were you thinking of?"

Changing the subject, I looked at Lenitia. "I thought of Troturre. I was thinking, had I been killed that night, he would have ruined you two."

Lenitia paused and put away her spoon and knife. She let out a long sigh and turned to Dorothy.

"Is Lord Louis Zen asking for our help?"

Dorothy smiled. "No. But if you’re eager to join the mobilization, I will relay the words for you."

"I’m going." Lenitia stood up.

Lia grabbed Lenitia’s shoulders and pushed her to the chair. "No, you won’t."

"Lia!"

"A level 3 knight on a battlefield is no different from a meat shield. Think of the scale of combat you’re getting into. We’re talking about two powerhouse nations here."

I nodded in agreement. Lenitia had never seen the real scale of battle between Invidia and Avaritia, which involved over 100,000 soldiers and a thousand knights. When musou attacks from a thousand knights occurred at once, no one under level 4 was safe.

Even though Troturre, a level 4 knight, endured several musou attacks from me before dying, a single strike from a well-trained level-5 knight would have destroyed any level 4 knight or anyone below that. Moreover, when we fought, I barely touched his soldiers. It was his musou attacks that killed his own people.

What if a thousand knights unleashed musou attacks at once? Chaos.

Lenitia yelled. "But I’m going!"

Lia shouted in her face. "We barely made it out alive a few days back! You think you can survive in a battle involving 100,000 elite knights?! Go on! Go and get yourself killed! Before you can join a battle, the Invidia men might trap you in a tent or something to use you as a toilet! What can a weak woman do?!"

Lenitia and I were taken aback. We had never seen Lia this angry.

Lia also flinched, regretting her words. However, she stood there, glaring at the troublesome princess. She uttered in a cold and low tone.

"Your Highness. Whatever decision you make, I will no longer stop you. But I implore you. Think wisely."

"..." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Lenitia closed her eyes and stood up. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

I understood her frustration. Her father had been murdered. Despite Troturre’s death, Constantia still harbored traitors who desired the king’s downfall. The death followed the script.

Nobody continued talking. We finished our dinner in silence and returned to our rooms.

.

Upon returning to my room, I grabbed another scroll and sat on my bed, ready for another hundred years of boring adventure.

BOOM.

The doors were kicked open. Lenitia stormed into my room. Two maids rushed after her with concerned expressions.

"RAVEN!"

She still called me that.

"What?"

Lenitia paused for a long time. She shifted her gaze to the maids.

"Leave us."

"..."

The maids bowed and reluctantly left. The doors were gently closed behind them.

Lenitia inhaled deeply. With determined eyes, she knelt.

"Please help me."

My eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"Help me avenge my father. Please."

"..."

She stared at my face and inhaled deeply once more. After mustering her courage, she unbuttoned her clothes.

"You’re special. You’re still level 2, yet Louis Zen favors you over me. You can summon food, weapons, and magic mounts with your sorcery. But I, a princess, have nothing... but this body."

All her clothes fell to the floor. She stood up.

"I’ll give you anything you want. Please help me restore my country and find my father’s murderer."

Oh, dear. Not this kind of drama.