Evil Dragon Chapter 62: Extra 1-5: Dishonesty

Chapter 62: Extra 1-5: Dishonesty

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Aika

 

Lin Nuo believed that things had gone wrong. According to Rennes, “it had already turned into ashes. Why did this side quest, to a certain extent, still complete the task? And moreover, a small evil dragon coin dropped from the sky?”

Lin Nuo pondered for a while, concluding that perhaps, under the influence of the protagonist’s halo, he found the medicine themselves and gave it to Rennes. Was it so hastily done?

Shaking his head, Lin Nuo decided to focus on the mission. The most important thing for him today was to, under Rennes’ arrangement, meet with the captain of the Royal Knights and undergo a series of training sessions, striving to qualify as a knight. Getting off the bed, Lin Nuo stretched his body, entered the bathroom for grooming, took off his loose robe, and started changing clothes.

Impeccably clean white shirt, a broad tie with rose patterns, a deep blue short jacket with gold double buttons, and striking black leather boots… a handsome attire for a prospective knight!

But… why, among these clothes, was there a pair of lantern-patterned underwear with small dragon claw imprints?

This, this didn’t match at all!

Lin Nuo picked up the underwear covered in small paw prints, remained silent for a while, and thought: Could it be that the servant who helped me change clothes saw the outfit provided by the system before and specially had these similar underwear made?

He sighed inwardly and reluctantly put on the underwear.

After tidying up, looking at his neat and clean reflection in the mirror, Lin Nuo clenched his fist: “Alright, I must gain the recognition of the captain of the Knights and smoothly join the Knights!”

In Rennes’ study, the Royal Knights’ captain, Roy Claymont, who was supposed to visit later, had arrived early.

“Your Highness,” the blond youth greeted Rennes warmly yet respectfully.

Rennes, not lifting his gaze from the documents on the desk, coldly remarked, “So early?”

Roy chuckled and walked to the dark, gilded wooden desk, leaning on it, “I heard the newcomer you allowed into the Knights, a pure-blooded human, was brought by you?”

Rennes closed the file, leaned back slightly in his chair, and replied, “Yes.”

Roy’s blue eyes sparkled with excitement: “I heard you also arranged for him to stay in the room next to yours?”

Rennes tapped the dark surface of the desk with his pale, almost translucent fingers, “Important medicinal ingredients need strict supervision.”

“Oh…” Roy licked his lips with interest, “So, it’s medicinal ingredients.”

Rennes raised an eyebrow, asking slowly, “What else could it be?”

Roy’s interest piqued further, his smile more pronounced, two sharp canine teeth almost visible, “If they are medicinal ingredients, may I… return them to you, tails and all?”

Rennes frowned, sternly stating, “You, and your companions, should keep your claws and fangs sheathed, and behave like civilized beings.”

Roy took two steps back, playfully complaining, “Oh dear, oh dear, cousin, you’re so fierce.”

Just as Roy seemed to be teasing further and Rennes was on the verge of annoyance, a servant knocked, “Your Highness, Lord Lin Nuo has arrived.”

Following this, Lin Nuo, with black hair, black eyes, fair skin, and wearing a handsome knight’s attire, entered. Seeing this neatly poised and obedient prospective knight, Roy’s eyes brightened. He restrained the playful smile from earlier, assuming the demeanor of a composed and elegant captain. Meanwhile, Rennes subtly curved his lips, transforming his “icy” face into a “gentle and warm” one.

Moving from behind the desk, Rennes walked over to Lin Nuo, personally adjusting the tie on the front of the newcomer’s attire.

“It looks good on you, very suitable,” Rennes praised without pretense after adjusting a perfect butterfly knot. Stepping back, he admired his handiwork.

Lin Nuo, his cheeks slightly flushed from the gesture, stuttered out a grateful response to Rennes.

Rennes nodded slightly in acknowledgment and introduced Lin Nuo, “This is Sir Roy Claymont, captain of the Knights. He will train you to become a qualified knight.”

Lin Nuo quickly greeted the blond youth, who assured him in a friendly tone not to be too formal, then approached him, lightly placing a hand on his shoulder. With blue eyes full of smiles, he said, “So, my dear aspiring knight, let’s head to the training grounds together. I’ll start your training soon.”

As Lin Nuo agreed, his gaze subconsciously swept over Rennes. He couldn’t help but wonder: Why did Rennes have a smile on his lips, yet his eyes seemed cold? Like… not entirely happy?

Lin Nuo’s toy wooden sword, which he used to spar with the black crow, was now in pieces and no longer usable. As a prospective knight, he received a genuine longsword forged from refined iron.

The sword was straight, emitting a subtle metallic sheen. Its hilt was crafted from obsidian, adorned with a pure gold relief of a dragon. The dragon’s claws and eyes were vividly detailed, clearly a valuable weapon.

Lin Nuo held the sword and mused about the country’s apparent fondness for dragon-themed items. Be it furniture or decorations in the palace, they all had elements of dragons—majestic dragon heads, outstretched claws, and even several dragon statues in the garden.

Lin Nuo once asked Marquis Martin, acting as his “guide,” if this country had historically captured or tamed dragons, leading to the prevalence of dragon elements in the palace. Initially lively and talkative, Martin suddenly became tongue-tied at Lin Nuo’s question. His chubby face froze, and after a long pause, he blurted out, “Captured…? Tamed…?!”

He immediately covered his mouth with his hand, eyes wide with horror, as though he had uttered some blasphemous curse, vigorously shaking his head.

Startled by Martin’s abrupt change, Lin Nuo quickly apologized, explaining that it was just a casual question with no deeper meaning. After some awkward backpedaling, the topic was finally brushed aside. Having learned from this experience, Lin Nuo refrained from casually asking about dragon-related topics.

So, when he saw Roy at the training ground wearing a silver-white chainmail with a vivid light gold dragon embroidered on the chest, he concealed his surprise and assumed an expression of nonchalance.

In fact, not just Roy, almost all the knights in armor on the training ground had monstrous creatures embroidered on their chests—eagles, lions, stags…

Observing these sparkling embroidered images under the sunlight, Lin Nuo suddenly realized: Ah! I get it now! It’s a coat of arms! These are the ancestral crests of noble families!

Just like in historical dramas. I should have watched more of those. Lin Nuo thought with a hint of regret, while carefully discerning each crest: Wow, such a majestic cheetah. Oh, that must be a griffin! Huh? Is that a python… Wait, there’s even… a frog? Huh, so some nobles use frogs in their crests. Speaking of which, this frog looks quite similar to the goblin frog I conjured the other day!

As Lin Nuo happily counted the colorful crests, Roy approached him while leading a chestnut-colored steed. Lin Nuo was about to bow when a new “Side Quest Card” suddenly flashed in his mind, [**”Pretend to fall! Fall into the other person’s arms, then praise the emblem on their chest. Activate a hidden path and potentially earn a lot of points!”**]

Lin Nuo: …Is this side quest card insane? Making me, a prospective knight, suddenly stumble and fall into the arms of the Captain of the Knights? How is this any different from an intern accidentally spilling coffee on the CEO’s head?

Lin Nuo decisively ignored this task and stood at attention, addressing Roy, “Captain.”

Under the azure sky, Roy didn’t immediately respond. He tilted his head slightly, gazing at Lin Nuo with a hint of amusement, holding the gaze without blinking.

Meanwhile, the “Side Quest Card” continued its frantic countdown in Lin Nuo’s mind: [10, 9, 8…Side Quest execution failed. Hidden path not activated.]

As the side quest failed, Roy finally acted. He lightly patted Lin Nuo’s shoulder, suggesting he shouldn’t be so formal, then said, “Sir Lin Nuo, the Knight’s test involves swordsmanship and mace handling. I’ve heard from His Highness that your swordsmanship is already commendable, and you don’t need additional training. Shall we start with the mace today?”

Lin Nuo thought to himself that he didn’t know any swordsmanship; it was just a skill added by the system. He didn’t object and politely nodded, “Yes, please.”

Roy then leaped onto the horse and extended a hand to Lin Nuo, saying, “Come on up. I’ll teach you mace techniques.”

Lin Nuo widened his eyes, “Huh?! Learn right away?”

Roy chuckled, “Of course. Mace handling is best learned while mounted, to maximize its effectiveness.”

Lin Nuo was about to mount the horse when suddenly, the previously dormant “Side Quest Card” started clamoring again: [**”Immediately ride the same horse with the other person! Press close to the other person’s embrace, allowing them to whisper in your ear. Activate a hidden path and potentially earn a lot of points!”**]

Huh? What’s this? Listening to this increasingly unreliable side quest, Lin Nuo couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

As he frowned, Roy lightly smiled, withdrawing his hand, and said, “If you’re worried, let me demonstrate first. You can observe.”

Lin Nuo felt a bit impolite but thought not mounting the horse seemed like a good idea. He nodded slightly, “Thank you.”

Roy chuckled softly, then swiftly grabbed the reins and a prepared mace. He exerted force with his legs, urging the horse to a quick gallop. The chestnut steed moved rapidly over the soft grass, kicking up a breeze.

Roy first lowered the mace, then, as the specially designed target drew near, he raised the mace high and thrust it—like flowing clouds and flowing water. The target, moving swiftly and nearly invisible, was struck precisely in the center by the mace. The black stone target shattered instantly, raining down as fragments.

Cheers and applause erupted from the knights watching the display, praising the captain’s splendid performance. Lin Nuo couldn’t help but exclaim, “Amazing! Incredible!”

In no time, Roy rode back to Lin Nuo, smiling, and asked, “Did you see it clearly?”

Lin Nuo replied earnestly, “Grip the weapon tightly, estimate the time to raise the weapon, find the right angle—also, keep control of the horse, preferably becoming one with it.”

Roy nodded approvingly, “Very good. You understand it well.” He then extended his hand again to Lin Nuo, “Come up?”

Lin Nuo had hesitated twice now when Roy invited him to mount the horse again. For some reason, thoughts of that unreliable “Side Quest Card” made him feel like something very strange might happen.

As Lin Nuo hesitated, unsure of what to do, the previously clear sky suddenly echoed with thunder. With the thunder, the sky turned pitch black, indicating an impending storm.

Lin Nuo hurriedly said, “Oh? Why is it suddenly going to rain?—Captain, should I head to the hall first to avoid the rain?”

Roy looked up at the sky and sighed, “Ah… you go ahead. I’ll follow.”

Lin Nuo guessed Roy wanted to take the horse to the stable first, thinking he couldn’t be of much help. So, he nodded and headed swiftly toward the training hall.

Meanwhile, Roy, riding the horse, slowly made his way to the stable, observing the rolling dark clouds in the sky. He clearly understood: This wasn’t a sudden rainstorm; it was obviously his stingy elder brother, from who-knows-where, issuing a warning with these scenes.

Roy sneered disapprovingly, muttering, “Tsk, talking about being a medicinal herb but unable to endure the slightest touch—”

Another thunderous roar cut off Roy’s complaint. Due to the sudden change in weather, a fierce storm with heavy rain and even hail ensued, causing the day’s outdoor knight training to be completely canceled. Lin Nuo didn’t waste time but instead diligently studied the books Roy had pointed out to him.

Techniques about mace handling and horsemanship, far beyond Lin Nuo’s previous knowledge, should have been incomprehensible to him. Yet, perhaps due to the “Protagonist Halo,” Lin Nuo effortlessly finished reading and remembered everything.

Closing the book, a special “Skill Acquisition Card” shone brightly in his mind: [Skill acquired! Skill acquired! Good kids who pay attention in class are the best! Due to diligent listening and focused learning, you’ve gained a special exclusive skill: “Learn on the Fly!” Whenever the Protagonist encounters attack and defense techniques through observation and reading, there’s a chance to directly master them! Moreover, the better the skills of the person performing the attack or defense, the better the effect the Protagonist will gain! Of course, ‘Learning on the Fly’ results in slightly less effective mastery, but it’s still usable—And again, as the saying goes, no matter how high the Protagonist’s attack skill is in this world, it’s useless…]

Lin Nuo automatically ignored the last inexplicably pessimistic sentence, eyes shining brightly as he thought: So, since I observed Roy’s mace techniques today and read these books, does that mean I can use the mace tomorrow?

Thinking about this, he became eager to try it out.

This excited mood lasted until dinner.

Rennes claimed to have a poor appetite and preferred dining with the “Warm Lin Nuo.” So, ever since Lin Nuo moved into the palace, they had been having dinner together.

During dinner that evening, Lin Nuo couldn’t help but smile continuously due to his new skill. He wanted to share his current joy with Rennes but didn’t know where to start—after all, he couldn’t reveal anything about skills or quests to Rennes. Sitting across from Lin Nuo, Rennes’s expression worsened as he observed Lin Nuo’s occasional smile and bright eyes.

Finally, Rennes spoke up, “Are you happy today?”

Lin Nuo didn’t try to hide it, nodding enthusiastically while lifting his fork, “Yes, very happy.”

Rennes picked up a sparkling water bottle nearby and took a sip, “Oh? Care to share?”

Lin Nuo thought for a moment, looking a bit regretful, “Well… it’s hard to explain. And also, I’m not entirely sure yet. I’ll know tomorrow.”

This “Learn on the Fly” skill, how effective it would be, he could only find out by actually practicing it on the training ground tomorrow.

Rennes’s expression gradually turned gloomy. “Roy taught you well?”

Lin Nuo was solely focused on horsemanship and mace techniques, completely unaware of Rennes’s discomfort. He replied honestly, “His mace techniques are impressive, and he’s also very enthusiastic.”

Rennes took another sip of sparkling water and calmly said, “Oh? He’s impressive?”

 

“Crack.” Suddenly, the crystal glass in front of Rennes cracked and shattered into tiny pieces, all without warning.

 

 

 

 

 

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