I Became a Mythical Knight King

Chapter 105: Hector (2)

“You’ve arrived.”

As soon as he arrived at Yoo Seong Castle, Jimmy greeted him as always.

However, before Yoo Seong could exchange greetings with Jimmy, he quickly extended his hand.

Just as always, Rene, who had arrived alongside him, felt dizzy and stumbled slightly.

“Ugh… Thank you.”

Supporting her lightly by the waist, Rene expressed her gratitude with a pale complexion.

It seemed that she only experienced dizziness when moving to Yoo Seong Castle. Normally, she didn’t feel this way when using Blink or other teleportation methods.

‘Is there something unique about this place?’

Perhaps it wasn’t the teleportation itself but something about Yoo Seong Castle that caused it.

However, since the dizziness was minor and quickly passed, Yoo Seong didn’t dwell on it too much.

Once Rene was steady on her feet again, Yoo Seong released her waist, glanced at Jillian, and then turned to face Jimmy.

Jimmy, who didn’t have much to say, simply gave a light smile, standing alongside Bianca, the barmaid.

It wasn’t as though the two were having a private moment. Just like outside, a victory celebration was underway at Yoo Seong Castle.

“Sorry if I interrupted.”

“Haha, not at all.”

Jimmy, holding a mug of beer, laughed cheerfully, while Bianca also flashed a refreshing smile.

Both of them had bold personalities, but their friendliness with Rene likely played a part.

“Mhm, you two look good together.”

“Haha, thank you.”

As Rene teased with a light whistle, Jimmy blushed happily. Bianca’s face turned a little pink as well.

“The atmosphere in the castle seems lively.”

“Yes, everyone is grateful to you, the Successor.”

Jimmy’s immediate response was not flattery but a reflection of reality.

The soldiers were in high spirits after a resounding victory. Coupled with the liquor and meat Yoo Seong had provided, it was only natural that they’d feel elated.

“The knights are approaching.”

Bianca, pointing this out, subtly tugged at Jimmy’s sleeve. Indeed, in the distance, the knights, led by Kate, were approaching.

“It was nice chatting. Rest well.”

“Yes, I’ll take my leave.”

Jimmy bowed politely to Yoo Seong and nodded in greeting to Kate before leaving with Bianca.

Now, the knights were before him.

“Hello!”

Morgan was the first to wave enthusiastically. Kate shot her a brief glance before bowing formally to Yoo Seong.

“For the glory of Camelot.”

“For the glory of Camelot.”

Responding in kind, Yoo Seong noticed Kate’s soft smile, while Morgan shook her head lightly, a faint grin on her lips.

Behind them, Hector silently chuckled.

“Vanadain and Diana are here too.”

At Yoo Seong’s remark, Vanadain furrowed his brows slightly and said, “You speak as if I’m not usually around.”

“Well, you’re hardly ever here.”

Vanadain momentarily hesitated at Yoo Seong’s blunt reply, then muttered, “…Still, I’m here during the conquests.”

“That’s true.”

Embarrassed, Vanadain’s cheeks turned slightly red. Diana, on the other hand, remained as composed as ever.

“By the way, how’s the mood in the castle? It seems good, but with all the new additions, there must be challenges.”

Yoo Seong’s question was answered first by Kate.

“As you said, morale is high. The new recruits have integrated well with the existing forces without any issues.”

“But the quarters have become cramped again. The lines for the mess hall, baths, and toilets have gotten longer. We’ll need to expand soon.”

Morgan followed up with complaints about the soldiers’ inconveniences, which caused Kate to frown slightly, though she didn’t refute them.

Hector added, “The tavern feels too small too. It would be nice to have other recreational facilities if possible.”

This suggestion, echoing the soldiers’ sentiments, was met with a stern response from Kate.

“Hector, isn’t the tavern enough? What more do you need?”

“Well, various things, perhaps?”

“Mm-hmm, like a red-light district.”

Morgan’s mischievous interjection caused Kate’s face to flush red, while Hector responded with an awkward laugh.

It was at this point that Vanadain quietly raised his hand, seeking to speak.

“A gambling hall would suffice, even if a red-light district is out of the question.”

Hector and Morgan nodded in agreement, prompting Kate to frown again but refrain from outright dismissing the idea.

Then Diana’s voice broke the moment.

“Vanadain, do you gamble?”

Her tone was as flat as usual, but for some reason, Vanadain’s face turned pale with embarrassment.

“No, it’s not that I gamble myself…”

As Vanadain stammered, a bead of sweat formed on his temple. Seeing his rare discomfort, the others watched in amusement.

“Alright, I’ll look into adding recreational facilities where feasible.”

Though the conversation had veered into sensitive territory, Yoo Seong recognized the necessity. Stress relief was vital for soldiers.

“Still, the housing and dining issues seem most pressing. The larger the army, the more urgent those needs become.”

Indeed, with nearly 100 additional soldiers joining after the last expansion, temporary barracks had sprung up in the camp. Dining areas, bathrooms, and other facilities were all strained.

“Luckily, we’ve earned enough points from this victory to make improvements. After upgrading the heavy infantry unit, I’ll allocate the remaining points to infrastructure.”

Hector’s eyes lit up.

“Oh! The heavy infantry is finally getting upgraded?”

“It’s about time.”

The upgrade to elite heavy infantry was due. While not flashy, it marked a critical step. The next upgrade would likely bring significant changes.

“Additionally, Rando’s ballista unit will be upgraded too.”

“To elite ballista units?”

“Yes.”

Morgan grinned as she took a drag from her pipe.

Amid the lively chatter, Yoo Seong noticed two individuals remaining silent—Roland and Jillian. While Roland’s quiet demeanor was normal, Jillian’s concentration was unusual. Her eyes were fixed on the under-construction magic tower.

‘If I ask, she’ll start talking about architectural styles and techniques.’

Yoo Seong decided against it for now, given the group’s presence.

“Alright, time to set out for the next conquest. Ready?”

“Yes. It is a knight’s duty to heed their lord’s call at any moment.”

Kate’s disciplined reply earned an exasperated glance from Morgan, who quickly smiled and added, “Kate’s right. Besides, the soldiers might prefer having us out of the way for a bit.”

While generally true, Yoo Seong doubted it, given the knights’ popularity.

“Anyway, everything’s set. Let’s move.”

With a final pat on Jillian’s shoulder to snap her out of her trance, Yoo Seong and his knights stepped toward the violet barrier for the fourth conquest.

Attaching the invitation to the violet barrier, Yoo Seong blinked and found himself in an unfamiliar black void.

There was no sign of Rene or the knights—or even himself.

Before fear or confusion could settle in, he blinked again.

A whisper from a strangely familiar yet unfamiliar woman reached his ears, and the scene shifted.

A flat hill, shrouded in heavy fog under a gloomy sky.

Yoo Seong noticed small people around him—smaller not in stature but as if shrunken to 70% of their normal size.

What was happening?

“Boss, it’s almost time.”

The voice came from a red-haired man standing nearby.

“Boss?”

It took Yoo Seong a moment to realize the man was addressing him.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I’m fine.”

As soon as Hector responded, narrowing his brow, he noticed his voice was unfamiliar—deep and resonant, unlike his usual tone. It was a voice that felt strangely familiar, yet alien at the same time.

[It seems these are my memories.]

A familiar voice suddenly spoke in his mind.

“Hector?”

[Yes, it’s me.]

When Yoo Seong questioned internally, Hector’s voice promptly replied. Yoo Seong instinctively glanced around, but Hector was nowhere to be seen.

[I’m with you now, successor. It appears this expedition is based on my memories. But it doesn’t seem like you’re just watching them unfold—you’re experiencing them firsthand.]

Experiencing memories.

At that moment, Yoo Seong realized why his voice sounded both familiar and unfamiliar. Normally, one doesn’t truly hear their own voice. The voice heard when speaking differs from the one heard from outside—because your voice resonates through your body as well, making it lower and heavier.

Thus, the voice he now perceived—Hector’s voice—sounded different from what he was used to hearing when Hector spoke. Nevertheless, its tone and cadence were unmistakable.

‘So, they called you “boss?”’

[With my build, wouldn’t I naturally be the leader anywhere I went?]

It was a fair point.

Instead of dwelling on the title, Yoo Seong shifted his attention back to his surroundings, taking in the view.

‘Ah, I see. This must be what it’s like to see through Hector’s eyes.’

The reason people seemed so small made sense now. With Hector standing at a towering 2 meters and 40 centimeters, the world itself must have appeared scaled down.

But what kind of memory was this? And what would he need to do to complete this expedition?

“They’re coming.”

The red-haired man beside him—Hank—spoke up.

[Pieces of my memory seem to be returning now.]

It wasn’t just the man’s name. Fragments of information—like the name of the hill they stood on and the name of the gang gathered around—began to surface in Hector’s mind.

But the most pressing matter was what Hank mentioned.

Challengers.

Those ascending the hill to face Hector.

Turning his gaze in the direction Hank indicated, Yoo Seong saw three figures climbing the slope.

‘Wait a second.’

They weren’t unfamiliar. Or rather, they were unfamiliar faces, but he instantly knew who they were.

‘Kate? That’s Kate, isn’t it?’

[Yes, it seems to be Kate.]

At the front of the group was a small girl. Though her face was youthful, looking barely into her early teens, the golden hair shimmering like molten sunlight was unmistakable.

[Her expression is even sterner than usual.]

Her face, always disciplined but now even more so, looked downright rigid. There wasn’t a trace of her usual gentle smile—only the resolute determination of someone climbing the hill to fight.

‘This reminds me of her days in the peasant militia.’

Her attire was strikingly similar to what she wore during those days. True to her nature, she carried a banner—unsurprisingly, the banner of Camelot.

‘The one following her is Sir Kay.’

The handsome young man climbing just behind her was vastly different. With a relaxed smile on his face, he seemed unaffected by the tension. Already an adult, his appearance had hardly changed since Yoo Seong last saw him.

And then there was the third figure.

Like Kate, he had golden hair—bright and radiant—and looked to be in his mid-teens. His golden eyes gleamed as he ascended the hill.

Yoo Seong immediately recognized him, not because of the two companions climbing with him, but because of the massive sword strapped to his back.

Arthur Pendragon.

The king who forged the world of humans.

He stood atop the hill now, gazing directly at Hector—no, at Yoo Seong.