ã€ŠLord of Calderaã€‹


 Chapter 4 Saving The Knight

    The vige chief asked in a trembling voice. If a knight visited with soldiers, the responsibility of hosting themy solely on the vige. If the number of soldiers was small, they could manage, but if it was arge group, it would be an enormous burden.

    How long they stayed in the vige was also a concern.

    ''If it''s only for a short time, it''s fine, but if they intend to stay for a long time, the vige will be ruined.''

    The vige chief''s mouth felt dry. Just thinking about the behavior of the soldiers and the costs involved made his legs tremble.

    "There were no soldiers."

    "What? No soldiers? The knight came alone?"

    "Yes !"

    "Huh¡­"

    The vige chief''s mind raced after hearing the young man''s response. If the knight hade alone, it was unlikely that he was a vassal knight serving a specific noble family. He was probably a wandering knight searching for a lord or a mercenary knight earning his keep by intervening in other people''s wars.

    "Then, did you see a family crest? Like a picture of an animal?"

    "No, there was nothing like that."

    "Hmm!"

    Not using a family crest meant there was a dishonorable reason behind it. In that case, it was highly likely he was a mercenary knight. Someone without backing, without connections, merely surviving day by day through mercenary work.

    ''That changes things.''

    A mercenary knight without backing or connections was no different from a mere traveler.

    There might be a difference in status and strength, but if they handled it quietly, no one woulde looking for him.

    Watching the vige chief''s eyes dart around, Ss clicked his tongue internally.

    ''So he ns to kill him secretly and steal his belongings.''

    In truth, it was not umon for mercenary knights or travelers without connections to disappear like that. In fact, Brick Vige itself had done this to travelers a few times. The problem was that the vige chief was making a huge mistake right now.

    The person in question was not a mere mercenary knight but a vassal knight of the Corleone family.

    "Ahem, Ss, you should head home for now."

    The vige chief waved Ss away as if shooing him off. It was a gesture indicating he had no intention of sharing the spoils after dealing with the knight.

    "Yes, then take care."

    "Right,e by againter if you have anything you''ve hunted."

    After saying that, the vige chief turned away and began to whisper. He seemed to lower his voice, but Ss''s keen ears caught everything.

    "Prepare some good food for the knight. And don''t forget to put plenty of that stuff."

    "Don''t worry. One sip and he''ll be out cold."

    "Good. I happen to know a fence who can¡­"

    Ss almost let out a snicker. It was pathetic how greed had blinded them to the danger they were walking into.

    ''I''d better prepare to cover the traces.''

    Recalling events before his regression, Ssrushed back to his hut. Tonight was the night the knight would escape ande to his hut.

    * * *

    In the dark dawn, Ss lit a fire around the hut and organized his tools. He prepared items to erase footprints and bloodstains and cleared out the underground hideout.

    ''He should be here soon.''@@novelbin@@

    "Catch him!"

    "Don''t let him escape!"

    As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he heard the raucous shouts from the vige. Torches lit up the entire vige as shadows moved frantically.

    Amidst themotion, a figure on horseback headed toward him. The horse copsed as if it had been hit by something, and the rider tumbled to the ground.

    "Ugh, cough!"

    ''He''s here.''

    The one who arrived at the hut was a young knight. Dressed in in clothes as if his armor and sword had been taken, his shoulder bore a wound from a pitchfork.

    "Hey, youmoner! Hide me!"

    ''Seriously.''

    Even when he was near death, he spoke in such a manner. Ss already knew about the nobles'' sense of superiority, but he couldn''t help but shake his head.

    "If you hide me, I will reward youter! If you want... !"

    "That''s not necessary."

    "What!? No...!"

    The knight''s face turned pale as if he took it as a refusal. Ss opened the door to the hut and gestured for the knight toe in.

    "I don''t need a reward, so pleasee in. There''s a ce to hide."

    "Th-thank you!"

    The knight hurriedly stumbled into the hut. Ss opened the cleverly hidden door to the basement.

    "Go in."

    "I won''t forget this favor. I swear on my name..."

    "This isn''t the time for that."

    There was no time to listen to thanks. Ss pushed the knight in and urged him.

    "Whatever happens outside, you must note out. No matter what happens, stay put."

    "I understand. I swear."

    Ss felt a slight sense of relief at the knight''s resolute eyes. The worst-case scenario would be if the knight decided, ''I''d rather die fighting!'' and ran out in the middle. If that happened, Ss wouldn''t be able to escape suspicion either. Fortunately, it seemed this knight had enough sense.

    ''Let''s hurry.''

    Ss quickly cleaned up the area with the tools he had prepared. He erased the bloodstains, wiped away footprints, and left a few fake traces. As soon as he finished the final task, the vigers gathered outside his hut.

    "Ss! Come out here!"

    The vige chief''s angry voice came from outside. Ss poked his head out with a bewildered expression.

    "What''s going on at this hour?"

    "Did anyonee here just now?"

    "Oh, now that you mention it, someone dide."

    "Is that so?"

    The vige chief''s eyes gleamed with hostility. His nerves were on edge from losing track of the knight. Ss began to give the response he had prepared.

    "He knocked on my door, demanding Ie out."

    "And then?"

 Chapter 6 The Count Child

    It was about a dayter that the knight regained consciousness. Just as he was changing the bandages, the knight opened his mouth with a dry voice.

    "Water... !"

    "It''s here."

    As Ss handed him the water, the knight quickly snatched it and began to gulp it down. After drinking two bowls in quick session, he seemed to recover a bit and took a breath.

    "Thank you."

    "It''s nothing."

    "No, you saved my life. I will never forget your favor."

    Seeing the knight bowed his head, unlike the forceful attitude from yesterday, Ss was slightly surprised. It was rare for a knight to acknowledge a favor so readily. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the knight was quite young. He looked like he had just finished his squire training and be a knight.

    ''Is he a believer in chivalry?''

    Knights typically value chivalry, but among them, there are those who dedicate their lives to it. From Ss''s perspective, the knight in front of him seemed to belong to that category.

    "My name is Roderick Vale. What is your name?"

    "Ss. Ss, son of Lyria."

    "Lu, Ss ?"

    The knight, Roderick, flinched at the name. Ss¡ªwasn''t that the same name he had been searching for ? The name Lyria also sounded familiar. It was certainly the name of the woman his lord had mentioned.

    With a sense of hope, Roderick asked Ss.

    "Have you lived in this vige all your life ?"

    "I was born here, but my maternal grandfather and mother lived in Baneheim to the north."

    "Baneheim !"

    If he was referring to Baneheim, that was certainly where the woman originally lived! It felt like the jigsaw puzzle that had been misaligned was finally clicking into ce. Roderick recalled how he came to this vige, beginning with a single remark from the Count.

    ''When I visited Baneheim in the north on knightly duty, I spent several months with a woman there. Find out about her''

    The Count had always been a man of strong duty and responsibility. He must have worried that perhaps he had fathered a child during that time, something he had long forgotten.

    Even if he had a child from an outside affair, he had to fulfill his obligations.

    As the knights descended into the north, they didn''t pay much attention to this matter. They assumed that if he had fathered a child, that child would have alreadye to take a position as a concubine and wouldn''t remain in the countryside.

    Unfortunately, the knights'' assumptions were misguided.

    ''Norman ? It''s been quite some time since he left. I heard his daughter was carrying a knight''s child, but where could a pregnant woman have gone ?''

    The circumstances clearly indicated that no other man had been visiting her. Everyone in the vige unanimously dered that the only father could be the count. The startled knights returned to ry the information directly to the count.

    __"Find her. No, find my child."

    Who would dare disobey such an order? The knights scattered in all directions to gather information. Fortunately, Roderick managed to hear news about an old hunter and a pregnant woman, and he headed towards Brick Vige while concealing his identity.

    He could have used the count''s crest, but doing so could tarnish his lord''s honor.

    ''But those damned vigers¡­!''

    He never imagined that he would be mistaken for a mercenary knight and attacked. Even now, just thinking about it made him grit his teeth. Roderick tried to suppress his anger and carefully examined Ss. Upon closer look, the resemnce was quite striking.@@novelbin@@

    Especially the dark brown hair and purple eyes¡ªweren''t they just like the count''s?

    "Hmm, do you have any family members living with you?"

    "My grandfather, the hunter, has passed away. My father had a brief connection with my mother, but beyond that, I don''t know much. They said he was a knight with a red dragon emblem on his armor."

    "...!"

    Wasn''t the red dragon the emblem of the Corleone family? Moreover, the fact that his grandfather was a hunter living in the north was even more telling. At this point, there was no room for doubt. Roderick''s voice trembled as he made one final confirmation.

    "W-what was your grandfather''s name?"

    "Norman. He said his name was Norman."

    "Oh !"

    Roderick felt tears welling up in his eyes. To fulfill his lord''smand and simultaneously discover such a connection¡ªit was almost too much to bear!

    From the moment the vigers rushed to protect him, he sensed that Ss was no ordinary child. Yet, he never expected that he would be the blood of his lord !

    "Sir Roderick pays his respects to the young master !"

    "Huh? Young master ?"

    Seeing Roderick kneel painfully with one knee on the ground, Ss tilted his head in confusion. Noticing Ss''s puzzled expression, Roderick continued, "I understand this must be surprising for you. Allow me to exin. I am originally from the Corleone family¡­"

    ***

    Hearing the grand exnation, Ss nodded as if he finally understood the situation.

    "I see. Sir Roderick, you came to fetch me."

    "That''s correct. Although things turned out this way because of a problem..."

    Roderick trailed off. He hade to greet Ss, only to nearly lose his life to a mere vige mob, a humiliation unbefitting a knight. The more he thought about it, the more anger and shame surged within him.

    "I understand the circumstances. However, for now, you should rest until your wounds heal."

    "No, I''m fine. This wound is nothing; I can go to the neighboring vige right away and contact the count..."

    "Sir Roderick."

    Ss spoke softly to Roderick.

    "Though I know little about being a knight, I understand that the body is a valuable asset. I can''t allow you to overexert yourself while injured."

    "However, now that I know the situation, I must hurry..."

    "For me, it''s only a matter of arriving a few days early. But for you, Sir Roderick, this is precious time for your recovery. You will stand on the battlefield again someday, so take care of yourself."

 Chapter 9 The Custom Of Hospitality

    The vige chief let out a sigh of relief at Ss''s words. At least it meant he would be spared for now. However, at the same time, a surge of anger rose within him.

    ''Pay the price? This insolent brat¡­!''

    The thought that a young boy, barely out of childhood, would dare speak of repercussions to him, the vige chief, was infuriating. He wanted nothing more than to shout back and dismiss the nonsense. However, escaping from here was his priority.

    "Of course, the first option. It''s my fault this has happened¡ªhow could I resent you for it? I''ve realized it''s all the consequences of my past wrongdoings."

    Tears welled up in the chief''s eyes as if he had genuinely repented. It was a performance convincing enough to deceive anyone. Ss stared at him for a moment, then lightly nodded and pointed toward the vige with his stick.

    "Alright, I''ll trust you. I''ll spare you, so go on."

    "Th-thank you! May the goddess bless your merciful heart!"

    The vige chief bowed his head to Ss several times before running back to the vige. As he put some distance between himself and the hut, his expression changed. The tears vanished, reced by a face twisted in rage.

    ''Just you wait, boy! Before today is over, I''ll have you kneeling before me, begging for mercy!''

    Grinding his teeth audibly, the chief disappeared over the hill. Watching him go, a cold smile formed on Ss''s lips.

    "You''ve chosen the second option. Then, you''ll pay the price."

    Back at the hut, Ss exined the situation in detail to Roderick. The basement was well soundproofed, so he hadn''t been able to hear everything that had transpired.

    "These wretched bastards!"

    Roderick fumed upon hearing the full story. Even if there had been a real debt, charging excessive interest alone would have been cruel. But to fabricate a debt entirely and keep someone bound for life? It was beyond wicked.

    "I will never forgive them!"

    "Calm down, Roderick."

    "How can I possibly stay calm?"

    Despite Ss''s attempt to calm him, Roderick couldn''t contain his anger.

    "That scoundrel tried to frame you for something you didn''t owe, and despite you sparing him, he still had the nerve to threaten you with future regrets!"

    The more he thought about it, the more furious he became. He had suspected as much when they were first attacked, but now it was clear that the entire vige was corrupt to the core. Unlike the enraged Roderick, Ss could only manage a bitter smile.

    "I''m not worried about myself, but I am concerned for you. The vige chief isn''t the type to make empty threats, so something will likely happen before the day is over."@@novelbin@@

    "If that old man returns with others, then I''ll fight too!"

    Roderick dered boldly, ready to die in battle rather than allow harm toe to his lord''s kin. However, Ss shook his head.

    "Stop. Aren''t you my guest? Allow me to protect you ording to the custom of hospitality. Otherwise, how could I face my mother after death?"

    "...!"

    The custom of hospitality¡ªone of the sacred traditions¡ªdictated that a host must do their utmost to treat and protect their guests. Failing to uphold it would be the ultimate dishonor. However, it was rare for people to truly observe this custom.

    Even among nobles who valued honor, if a powerful individual demanded they hand over a guest, they would oftenply. Commoners, naturally, were even less bound by it. After all, Roderick himself had been robbed despite arriving as a guest.

    ''Yet, to think someone raised amongmoners would uphold the tradition so thoroughly.''

    What an honorable person this was. It was a virtue seldom seen even among nobility.

    "Understood. But if you find yourself in danger, I will still intervene. It is my duty to ensure your safety."

    "Stopping you from doing so would be asking for disloyalty, so I won''t object."

    With Ss''s permission granted, Roderick clenched his fist. If that vige chief dide back, he wouldn''t let it slide.

    The young master may have spared him even after his threats, but Roderick wasn''t so forgiving.

    At that moment, Roderick noticed a wooden stick in the corner.

    "Young master, what is that wooden stick for?"

    "Oh, I used it to chase away wild animals. Don''t mind it."

    Ss smiled as he pushed the stick further into the corner. Roderick looked puzzled, ncing in the direction where the stick disappeared.

    Judging by the fresh blood on it, had he perhaps used it to fend off a fox or something?

    ''But for that, it seems a little too fresh¡­''

 Chapter 11 Knight Gaiden

    "All you trash think the same way. You''ve been leeching off me for 15 years, and now you want to take my skills and toss me aside? Even demons from hell would be disgusted by you and run away."

    "Th-that bastard!"

    Ss''s taunts made the vigers'' faces flush with anger. Their hands trembled as if they were ready to kill him, but they couldn''t bring themselves to move. The moment they stepped out from their cover, they knew an arrow would hit them.

    "Anyway, you broke the warning, so you''ll have to pay the price."

    "Idiot! You really think you can take on all of us by yourself?"

    "Probably not. If you all rush me at once, I could take down maybe four of you. So, who''s going first?"

    "...."

    The vigers looked at each other, clearly reluctant to be the first to step forward, even though someone had to. Seeing them hesitate and pass the responsibility, Ss smirked.

    "Always so protective of yourselves. But it''s already toote."

    "Toote? What nonsense are you spouting?"

    Stop right there!

    At that moment, a loud shout echoed through the entire forest. Startled, all the vigers turned toward the source of the voice.

    "What is it? Who is it?"

    "Oh no, it''s a knight!"

    Riding towards them, shouting, was a knight d in full armor. Unlike the previous knight, this one had around ten mercenaries following him. The faces of all the vigers, including the chief, turned pale. A knight showing up alone was already bad, but one with mercenaries in tow was a disaster.

    The knight gradually slowed his pace, looking down arrogantly at the vigers.

    "So, you''re the ones living in that vige ?"

    "Y-yes, my lord."

    The chief quickly knelt and bowed his head. The knight they had robbed before was arrogant, but not particrly violent. In contrast, this one seemed ready to kill them at the slightest misstep.

    "I''ll ask once. Is there a boy named Ss in your vige?"

    "Pardon? Did you say Ss?"

    "Don''t make me repeat myself."

    "I-I''m sorry! That boy over there is Ss!"

    Terrified by the knight''s growling voice, the chief hurriedly pointed to the top of the hill. The knight''s eyes shed as he looked up at Ss.

    ***

    Dark brown hair and eyes of a rare violet hue on the continent, and a face strikingly simr to his lord''s.

    ''Damn, it''s definitely his child.''

    Sir Gaiden, a knight of the Corleone family, cursed inwardly. It all started with the Count''s order. Suddenly, he was tasked with finding the Count''s illegitimate child. For Gaiden, who was livingfortably within the territory, it was an inconvenient job.

    But that would have been fine if it were just that. He could take his time searching while enjoying the support funds for the search, making life rtivelyfortable. The real problem was the fury of the Countess, who was seething with anger.

    "An illegitimate child! An illegitimate child! And not just anyone¡ªhim!"

    Even if the search for the illegitimate child was conducted discreetly, it couldn''t be hidden within the family. The Countess, upon hearing the news, flew into a rage. The existence of an illegitimate child meant her husband had been with another woman¡ªan ordinarymoner, not even a noblewoman.

    The enraged Countess called upon knights she had connections with and gave them private instructions. Gaiden was one of them.

    " Gaiden, if you find that child, do not simply bring him back. Put him in his ce."

    "What do you mean, mydy?"

    "Don''t let that lowborn think he can behave like a noble. Frighten him and make him cower, so that my lord will be disappointed in him."

    Roderick was a typical noble of martial prowess. The Corleone family was famous for its military prowess, and thus, they ced great importance on honor and valor. If the illegitimate child acted confidently, the Count''s estimation of him would rise, while the Countess''s resentment would deepen.

    Her intention was clear: ruin his first impression and, at the same time, satisfy her own anger. Gaiden, who had benefited considerably from the Countess, couldn''t refuse such a request.

    ''At least it''s not a difficult task.''

    As long as the Count hadn''t officially acknowledged the child, he wasn''t even certain of his existence. Gaiden couldn''t kill or harm him, but scaring him was easy enough. Treating him like a serf and asionally shouting at him would be sufficient. From amoner''s perspective, that alone would make them fear for their life.@@novelbin@@

    "E-excuse me, my lord. May I ask why you''re looking for Ss¡­?"

    The vige chief''s question broke Gaiden''s train of thought. Gaiden red at the chief with an irritated expression.

    "Do you think you can do whatever you want? Get lost!"

    "Y-yes!"

    The vigers hurriedly fled, helping the injured as they went. It was better to keep their distance rather than get caught up in the wrath of the knights and mercenaries. Once the vige chief and the residents disappeared, Gaiden urged his horse forward toward Ss.

    "Are you Ss?"

    Gaiden lowered his voice and red at Ss with narrowed eyes. It was a threat that would normally make an ordinarymoner flinch and kneel. However, Ss calmly nodded his head.

    "Yes, I am."

    ''Look at this guy?''

    Gaiden''s eyes twitched at the unexpected response.

    "You brat! How dare you be so insolent as amoner! Can''t you kneel right now?"

    "How strange. Didn''t the Corleone familye to find me?"

    "W-what?"

    "I saw the red dragon engraved on your scabbard. I thought my father sent you to find me."

    ''What the hell!''

    Gaiden grimaced at Ss''s words. If the illegitimate child already knew his status, the situation changed. It became difficult to instill fear in someone who was already assured that they wouldn''t be harmed.

    ''Should I treat him like a young master now?''

    But the thought of the Countess''s bribes kept shing before him. If he backed down now, the hefty bribe he was expecting in the future would disappear. Just thinking about it was too much to bear. After a long moment of contemtion, Gaiden came to a conclusion.

    ''It can''t be helped. I''ll have to stick to the original n, even if it gets a bit rough.''

    After all, he was just an illegitimate child, not a legitimate heir. No matter what he did, as long as heter feigned innocence and gained the Countess''s favor, he would be fine. Having made up his mind, Gaiden red at Ss and shouted loudly.

    "You audacious brat! Where did you hear rumors to act like a young master? Capture him and make him kneel before me!"

    "Yes!"

    At their employer''smand, the mercenaries approached Ss. Ss stood still, coldly ring at Gaiden.

    ''I knew it, this money-grubbing bastard.''

    Gaiden Borel. A knight of the Corleone family who had sumbed to greed, acting as the Countess''s pawn. Even before his regression, he had tormented Ss frequently under the Countess''s orders.

    ''He must want to create some reason to be in her good graces to avoid losing his funding.''

    It had been the same even before his regression. At that time, Gaiden had deliberately taken the long route to corner Ss severely. He used informalnguage and didn''t hesitate to threaten him with words like "If you''re not the Count''s real child, you''ll have your head cut off," or even brandishing a sword.

    ''It was ridiculous that heter pretended it never happened.''

    After being officially acknowledged by the Count, Ss reported him. But Gaiden was brazen. Hepletely denied the urrence of such events.

    ''¡ªHow could I act that way toward someone who might be the Count''s true heir?''

    Thanks to his oath of honor as a knight, Ss ended up being the one used of nder. In short, Gaiden was a piece of trash who would exchange honor for a few gold coins.

    However, there was one thing different from then and now. Just before Ss was captured, the door of the cabin burst open.

    "Who dares to harm the young master!"

 Chapter 14 The Village Chiefs Deceit

    "I see you remember my face."

    "Ah, no, um, that is...!"

    With Roderick growling in front of him, the vige chief opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish. His mind wentpletely nk, and he couldn''t think of anything. The other vigers were simrly frozen in fear. Some lost their strength and copsed to the ground, while others trembled all over.

    "If it were up to me, I wouldn''t want to kill you nicely, but there''s no time. I''ll end it with a noose around your neck, so be grateful."

    "Ugh, uh! Just a moment! Please spare me!"

    "What are you doing? Hang him!"

    "Yes!"

    The vige chief''s pleas fell on deaf ears. At Roderick''smand, the mercenaries grabbed the chief''s shoulders and pushed him down. Then they took out a rope to hang him. As the rope was about to wrap around his neck, the vige chief panicked.

    "Sir knight! I don''t mind dying, but please at least let me send a message to the lord before you kill me!"

    "What? The lord?"

    Roderick frowned. If there was a lord, it meant someone was collecting taxes, right? That made things a bit moreplicated. No matter how much the man deserved to die, he was a potential source of tax revenue for the lord.

    Even in a small vige, if there were too many deaths, there was a high possibility the lord would protest.

    "Y-yes! Thisnd belongs to the baron, Count Rudger!"

    Feeling he had found a way to save himself, the vige chief quickly added. Roderick fell into thought at the chief''s words. Count Rudger was a noble Roderick had seen before. A rather greedy and authoritative noble.

    If he proceeded with the execution now, it was highly likely there would be a conflict with the Corleone family.

    ''This is troublesome. Should I send a letter to get permission for the execution?''

    The permission itself would be granted immediately. After all, they were going to kill a noble. The problemy elsewhere.

    He can''t just keep watching these guys until then.

    To get permission, Roderick would have to make a round trip from Count Rudger''s castle, which was far away, to Brick Vige. Naturally, that would waste a considerable amount of time. During that time, he wouldn''t have the money to keep hiring mercenaries. If he loosened his watch, there was a high chance the vigers would escape.

    Moreover, what if even those who hadmitted great sins were still paying taxes to the count? There was a good chance they would only deal with a few innkeepers.

    ''There must be a way out, even if the sky falls!''

    Seeing Roderick deep in thought, the vige chief internally cheered. He had taken a gamble, and it seemed to be working. He couldn''t help but think that he was indeed lucky.

    "It''s a lie."

    "...!"

    All eyes suddenly focused on Ss, who spoke calmly amidst the many gazes.

    "There''s no lord in this vige. Therefore, we don''t need permission for the execution."

    "Y-you outsider hunter! How dare you lie to the knight, ugh!?"

    The vige chief, who was pointing his finger, fell backward with a thud. Roderick, filled with rage, ran over and kicked him in the chin.

    "You scoundrel! How dare you point your finger at my lord!"

    "Wha? What do you mean...?"

    "This man is of the Corleone bloodline! Show him the proper respect!"

    The vigers, including the chief, blinked in confusion. After a moment, they began toprehend the situation and gasped in shock.

    A natural-born son. Although rare, there are instances when a noble acknowledges a child conceived by a woman of noble status, epting the child into the family.

    Who would have thought such luck woulde to Ss!

    "S-so, if Ss defends us, can we all be saved?"

    "Exactly! We''ve lived together for over 15 years..."@@novelbin@@

    The vigers, who had been talking amongst themselves, gradually became more solemn. Memories of how they had treated Ss began to surface. They had haggled over the price of meat and hides, prevented him from living in the vige, and used him withoutpensation whenever they needed something.

    In the end, they had even tried to pin fake debts on him and threatened him. It would be a miracle if he didn''t want to kill them instead of defending them.

    As the vigers turned pale, Ss continued to speak.

    "This vige is a pioneer settlement that was established 30 years ago. It''s so remote that no one ever dered it as theirnd."

    "Then what was that guy saying earlier...?"

    "I was simply referring to the most powerful lord nearby in a hurry. If I go to get permission for the execution, that lord will naturally im it as hisnd."

    Even though it was a small vige, it was still and that could pay taxes. It had simply been left alone because it was too far away to manage. But if the vige willingly offered to serve the lord and pay taxes, saying, ''We don''t need anything from you,'' it was obvious the lord would dly ept it as his ownnd.

    "Is that true?"

    "No, no! That''s not it!"

    Once everything was uncovered, the vige chief trembled all over. There were no excuses left to offer.

    Roderick looked down at the chief with cold eyes.

    "Hang him from a tree. After a day, tear the corpse apart and throw it into the forest."

    "Ah, no! Knight! No, my lord! Please spare me, my lord!"

    The vige chief clung to Ss, but Ss only smiled coldly in response.

    "I told you there would be a price to pay."

    "My lord! Please forgive me! Aaaah!"

    The mercenaries skillfully wrapped a rope around the vige chief''s neck. Trapped in the powerful grip, the chief screamed and struggled, but it was futile.

    Soon the rope was secured to the tree, and like a pulley, the chief was hoisted into the air. After struggling and gasping for a while, his body soon became still.

    All that remained was the old corpse dangling from the tree.

 Chapter 17 Expert Level Riding Skills

    After a moment of hesitation, Roderick nodded. Truthfully, he wasn''t entirelyfortable with hastily teaching riding skills here. There''s always a risk of falling for beginners. But it wasn''t an option to have the young master walk if they couldn''t find a cart.

    "The problem is that my horse is quite temperamental. It''s not suitable for a beginner."

    "Don''t worry. The one I ride is a gentle one. Even a beginner can manage it without any issues."

    "That''s a relief, but..."

    "Come now, let''s go to the young master."

    Gaiden lifted the hesitant Roderick and led him to Ss. With everything going ording to n, he couldn''t help but smile. Ss, who was in the middle of preparing his bow and arrows, blinked at their words.

    "Learn how to ride a horse?"

    "Yes, the situation calls for it."

    Roderick repeated Gaiden''s earlier exnation¡ªthat if they couldn''t secure a carriage, they might need to use horses instead. He also mentioned that since riding was a skill all nobles needed to learn eventually, it would be wise to take this opportunity. After hearing the reasoning, Ss nodded.

    "I see. In that case, it''s definitely good to learn."

    "Exactly. If you learn it now and return with confidence, wouldn''t it enhance your dignity?"

    Gaiden eagerly added hisment to Ss''s positive response. He then quickly brought his horse forward. It was a ratherrge and imposing brown warhorse.

    "This is one of my prized horses. It''s gentle, obedient, and doesn''t mind people, making it easy to ride. Unless something unusual happens, it should allow you to ride it without trouble, young master."

    "I''ve seen it several times, and it''s truly a magnificent horse. I''ll dly borrow it then."

    Ss took the reins from Gaiden and mounted the saddle. Roderick stood nearby, carefully helping him up. Watching this, Gaiden smirked inwardly.

    ''It is a gentle one, but it''s quite particr about its rider.''

    Some horses, even if not aggressive, be difficult when a new rider takes the reins. Gaiden''s horse was one of those. When an unfamiliar rider mounted, it would get unsettled and resist, making it impossible for a beginner to control.

    ''It may not buck him off, but it definitely won''t go where he wants it to.''

    Riding was already difficult to learn in a short time. Ss would likely struggle to control the horse and eventually have no choice but to dismount. Later, when the mercenary returned with a pony, Gaiden nned to suggest that since it was the only option avable, Ss should practice riding it instead.

    Whether he rode a pony amidst warhorses or walked alongside the mercenaries, either way, it would be an embarrassing sight.

    Snort!

    "Calm down, just let me borrow your back for a bit."

    As expected, the horse shook its head in resistance when the unfamiliar person mounted. Ss gently patted its mane, trying to soothe it, while Gaiden watched with a smirk.

    ''What a fool. Stroking a horse that dislikes unfamiliar touches won''t...''

    Gaiden''s expression began to change. Normally, the horse would turn its head away when touched by a stranger, but it was calming down under Ss''s touch. Eventually, it stopped resisting altogether and epted his hand. With the horse now calm, Ss took the reins and began to move forward.@@novelbin@@

    "Is this how it''s done?"

    "It''s dangerous to move now! Start by going at a gentle pace...!"

    Roderick shouted in rm, but Ss ignored him and urged the horse forward. The horse obediently followed Ss''s lead, maintaining a steady pace. It even sped up and slowed down slightly as Ss guided it, circling around the area.

    Afterpleting fiveps, Ss stopped, and the two knights stared at him in disbelief. His movements were far too skilled for someone who imed to be a beginner.

    "Y-Young Master, have you ridden a horse before?"

    "No, I haven''t."

    "Then how...?"

    Ss stroked the horse''s mane as he answered the knights'' questions.

    "When you''ve lived as a hunter for a long time, you start to understand the mind of your prey. You begin to sense what the animal is thinking, almost as if you can hold it in your hands. It''s a kind of connection."

    "A connection...?"

    "This horse has carried many riders before, hasn''t it? When you understand its mind and trust it, it naturally responds and takes care of its rider. I just followed where it led me."

    "Ah!"

    Roderick was impressed. There''s a saying that even a farmer who tills the fields holds a piece of profound wisdom. Wasn''t that precisely what Ss was showing now? To chase animals, understand their hearts, and be one with them through this connection¡ªit was something extraordinary that naturally inspired admiration.

    Ss, gazing into the forest with a distant look, muttered inwardly.

    "Connection, my foot. As if something like that exists."

    In truth, everything he just said was made up to sound good. A hunter connecting with their prey? It was just about reading habits and anticipating the target. Hunting is nothing more than a battle of wits between two creatures. There''s no such thing as some grand connection.

    He just rode horses endlessly before his regression.

    He had always been a wanderer, constantly traveling with a horse, and when he was pursued by the emperor''s army, he had spent entire days in the saddle.

    He had even eaten meals while on horseback. Naturally, his understanding of horses was as thorough as any nomad''s.

    [You have perfectly handled a horse you''ve never seen before, gaining experience points.]

    [Your riding skill level is now ''Expert''.]

    As Ss received the pleasant notifications, he turned his head slightly. Gaiden, who had encouraged him to ride, was still in shock.

    ''It seems he was hoping to get one over on me, but his thoughts are too predictable.''

    As a smirk appeared on Ss''s lips, Gaiden flinched. Ss then spoke softly to Gaiden.

    "Sir Gaiden."

    "Yes, yes?"

    "Thank you for lending me your horse. While I''m learning, I imagine you''ll have to walk, but I will never forget your consideration."

    "..."

    The atmosphere shifted as Gaiden struggled to find words. Ss''s smooth response had caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless.

 Chapter 20 Dealing With A Troll

    "Uh, um...?"

    The mercenaries blinked as they alternated their gaze between the troll and Ss. It was so sudden that they couldn''t grasp what was happening. The first to regain his senses was Eric once again.

    "Didn''t you hear what the young master said, you fools! Grab your weapons! I said, grab your weapons!"

    "Y-Yeah! Weapons!"

    Only then did the mercenariese to their senses, grabbing their spears and axes, taking abat stance. No matter how scared they were, years of experience did not disappear.

    ''Thanks to that young master, we''ve avoided the worst situation.''

    Eric wiped the cold sweat from his brow as he tightly gripped his axe. The worst-case scenario would have been for them to panic and scatter in all directions. If that had happened, the troll would have swept through them like catching mice.

    But thanks to Ss''s timely shout, everyone was able to maintain their formation.

    ''Damn, the problem is that I''ve never fought a troll before.''

    They managed to keep their formation somehow, but that was Eric''s limit. Just keeping his wits about him was already overwhelming. As Eric bit his lip, he heard Ss''s voice booming.

    "Don''t show any signs of fear! Look the beast in the eyes!"

    Despite their fear, Eric and the mercenaries followed Ss''smand. The troll, hit by the arrow, was backing away while touching its wound. Unlike earlier, it clearly showed that it had lost itsposure. With his bow aimed at the troll, Ss continued to shout.

    "From its size, it looks like it hasn''t been an adult for long! If we threaten it like this, we can definitely drive it away! Hold your ground, and when I give the signal, shout with all your might!"

    With Ss''s steady voice, the mercenaries began to regain their confidence. The certainty of amander inspires courage in his subordinates. Ss was now the verymander of the battlefield.

    "Lord Roderick! Step in front of the mercenaries and point your sword! Don''t let it approach carelessly!"

    "I heed yourmand, my lord!"

    Suppressing a surge of emotions he couldn''t quite ce, Roderick stepped forward. When his shining armor and sword appeared, the troll hesitated even more. But soon, it bared its teeth menacingly and took a step forward. It was the stubbornness of a beast that wouldn''t be outdone by its prey.

    ''Krawaaaaak!''

    "...!"

    The roar that erupted right in front of them froze the entire group of mercenaries. The strength drained from their legs, and it felt like they would copse with just a moment of wobbling. But Ss did not budge. He had experienced threats far worse than this before his return.

    As the troll bellowed, Ss drew back his bow towards its gaping mouth.

    Thwack!

    ''Kwooooorgh! Waaaaaak!''

    The arrow struck directly into the troll''s open mouth. As it staggered backward in pain, Ss shouted.

    "Don''t back down! Just like it did, shout with all your might!"

    "I-Iyaaaaah!"

    "Uwaaaah!"

    The mercenaries let out a collective roar with all their strength. As many of them shouted at once, a resonance rivaling the troll''s roar echoed back. With an arrow lodged in one eye and its mouth, the troll was gradually losing its bravado and stepping back.

    Guwooooorgh...

    "Good, you''re doing well!"

    Ss encouraged the mercenaries while inwardly smiling. In truth, he had known about this troll even before his return. Having lived in an environment without natural enemies, it was a coward that avoided fights at all costs.

    It looked terrifying on the outside, but in reality, it would run away at the slightest hint of danger. Even before his return, when Ss shot arrows with the intent to kill, it had fled quickly.

    ''So far, it''s holding on because of the mercenaries'' first impressions.''

    Even a stupid troll can distinguish whether it is being feared or not. It likely felt emboldened by the frightened demeanor of the mercenaries when they first encountered it. However, thanks to Ss and the mercenaries'' response, that confidence had beenpletely shattered.

    What remained was a decisive blow to break its will. Ss swiftly loosed another arrow.

    Thwack!

    ''Krawaak!''

    "Direct hit!"

    As another arrow pierced the troll''s eye, the mercenaries cheered. It was the same left eye as the first arrow that had struck it. Perhaps because it had taken two direct hits, the troll continued to retreat.

    "It''s lost its spirit! Step up again¡­!?"

    As Ss was about to give anothermand, he realized something was off. The troll, which had been retreating, began to stagger. After swaying back and forth like a drunken person for a while, it eventually fell backward, head over heels.

    Thud.@@novelbin@@

    As the troll''s massive body hit the ground, everyone fell silent. Even Ss was taken aback and lost for words. This was a troll, known for its regeneration and thick skin, which usually wouldn''t die easily¡ªeven if it were pierced through like a hedgehog. And yet, it had died from three arrows?

    He wondered if it was just pretending to be dead, but there was no sign of movement.

    "What''s happening? Is it really dead?"

    "Someone check it out."

 Chapter 24 A Good First Impression

    "Lord Gordon is here to see you, my lord. Truly, you are a remarkable young man."

    "You tter me."

    Unaware of Ss''s true feelings, Gordon greeted him with admiration. Once their introductions concluded, Gordon looked toward the sunset sky and spoke.

    "It would be appropriate to inform the Countess of your arrival, but it has already grown dark. You must be tired from your journey, so how about resting well and meeting tomorrow instead?"

    "I would be happy to do so. Thank you for your consideration."

    Ss readily epted Gordon''s suggestion. In fact, the mention of the sunset was somewhat of an excuse. If it were an important matter, he could easily find the time. However, dying for a day had another reason.

    ''He must be telling me to prepare myself a bit.''@@novelbin@@

    It also served as a chance for the count to mentally prepare before meeting his son. For Ss, it was a proposal that had no downsides. No matter how good his looks and demeanor were, a shabby appearance would diminish his charm by half.

    Considering the importance of their first meeting, it was rather a proposal he would prefer to ask for himself.

    "The servants will guide you to the bath. After that, we will escort you to your guest room."

    "Very well, I''ll see youter then."

    Maintaining a polite demeanor until the end, Ss turned away. Gordon watched him with sparkling eyes, stroking his beard.

    ''Truly extraordinary. This young man raised amongmoners is even more impressive than other noble youths¡­ Oh dear, that''s not right.''

    To break the chain of thought, he shook his head. What he needed to focus on now was notparing him to others, but rather the information he had to ry to his lord.

    Gordon turned his attention to Roderick, who had returned frompleting his mission.

    "Thank you for your hard work, Sir Roderick. It must have been quite a struggle."

    "How could I fear hardship when carrying out my lord''s mission? It was simply my duty."

    Gordon nodded at Roderick''s dignified response. Although he was a young knight, Roderick was deeply loyal and sincere. Therefore, one could trust that his words were not false.

    "You must have observed him closely while bringing him here. What kind of person is he?"

    "He was an extraordinary individual! Without a doubt, he carries the blood of a dragon!"

    "Is that so?"

    Gordon replied somewhat dubiously to Roderick''s words. A knight who had been soposed until now was suddenly so excited. It was as if he had met a hero straight out of an epic.

    Once Roderick started talking, he continued with excitement.

    "The journey was an adventure. Everything began when I arrived in that remote vige."

    "Hmmm, that sounds intriguing. Could you borate?"

    "Yes, I entered the vige without sensing anything amiss. But I was ambushed by those vile vigers¡­"

    A bitter smile formed on Gordon''s lips. Roderick was a good knight, but he had a tendency to romanticize chivalry and epic tales. Such knights often exaggerated even the smallest of adventures into something grand.

    ''It seems something noteworthy must have happened.''

    With this thought, Gordon listened to the story with a light heart. But by the time Roderick finished his tale, Gordon''s eyes were shaken with disbelief and confusion.

    ***

    "Ah, this feels good."

    Ss''s face rxed as he sank into the warm bathwater. It had been ages since he had taken up the entirerge tub by himself. In fact, ever since he left his family before his regression, he hadn''t experienced such luxury even once.

    ''Thinking about all the hardships I endured makes my teeth grind even now.''

    This world had extreme disparities in living standards based on wealth. When he boldly left his family, he thought, "Since I''vee this far, I might as well enjoy the adventure." It wasn''t until several dayster that he realized that was all a foolish thought. With the difort of living, he felt like he was going insane.

    ''The food was disgustingly bad, bugs swarmed like crazy, and if you neglected your weapons, they''d be useless in no time.''

    Just recalling that time still made his body tremble. He had no intention of living in such squalor again. Having suffered so much before his regression, he nned to rise as high as possible in this life and livefortably in his old age.

    ''To do that, I need a good first impression.''

    That''s how people are. If they don''t have anything particrly special, they think, "I''ll just support them normally."

    But what if that person is a genius? What if, by pouring support into them, they might be a figure that goes down in history?

    Curiosity would naturally push them to support him. Ss nned to appeal to his extraordinary qualities and gain as much support from the Count''s family as possible.

    ''Well, I''ve alreadyid out the bait.''

    Thanks to the foolish Gaiden, he had more than enough opportunities to shine. The rest would be conveyed to his father through Roderick. Now, all he needed was to make a solid first impression.

    "Young master, I will wash your body for you."

    "Understood."

    At the maid''s words, Ss rose from the water. Although it was a bit embarrassing, it was customary for nobles in this world to leave such tasks to their servants. Remainingposed in such situations was also a sign of noble dignity. If he expressed embarrassment, he might just hear something like, "I guess the blood of amoner can''t be helped."

    " Then, please excuse me... Oh my."

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Oh, it''s nothing."

    The maids paused for a moment but soon began to carefully wash Ss''s body. After drying off, Ss smiled with refreshment and left the bath. Momentster, in the now-empty bath, the maids whispered among themselves.

    "My goodness, he''s still not even of age, yet he''s so sturdy."

    "Is it true that even a small piece of nobility is still noble?"

    Unbeknownst to him, Ss was already disying the dignity of nobility.

 Chapter 28

    "She said my father was a responsible man and that he would definitelye looking for me. Even if hardships awaited, she said he would ept me. But she also told me that it would be a heavy burden for him, and I must reject him."

    Ss paused for a moment and then gave a sad smile.

    "If I truly wanted to follow my mother''s wishes, I shouldn''t havee in the first ce. But I couldn''t bear to disappoint my father who wanted to see me, and I couldn''t resist my own desire to see him."

    "Then what do you n to do now? From what I hear, it seems you''ve achieved your goal." "Now that I''ve seen my father, I have no regrets. I n to return and live a life that suits me."

    Helena had to lift her fan to hide the grin spreading across her face. The mother and son pair, who had been such thorns in her side, at least knew their ce. Though the boy was born annoyingly, she was willing to let him go peacefully if he left on his own.

    "If that''s your decision¡ª"

    "What nonsense is this?!"

    Just as Helena was about to nod, she was startled and looked at the count. Unable to contain his agitation, Count Bill mmed his desk with a loud bang.

    "A burden, you say! What kind of father would consider his child a burden? I finally have the chance to fulfill my duty as a father, and you speak of cutting ties!"

    ''Oh no¡­!''

    Helena''s face stiffened at the count''s outburst. Come to think of it, it was the count himself who had brought this illegitimate child to fulfill his duty as a father. No matter how much he said it was fine, the count wasn''t one to ept things so easily.

    And what about this statement just now? The faithful woman who had remained chaste until her death had told her son not to burden his father, putting his welfare above all else. Even her well-behaved son had intended to respect his mother''s wishes and not trouble his father.

    Given the emotional state the count was in, this only served to pour oil on the fire.

    "That''s enough! Tomorrow, I will officially add your name to the family lineage, so stop saying unnecessary things!"

    "Dear !!"

    Helena let out an unintentional scream. There is a vast difference between merely being listed in the noble registry and being added to the family lineage. The former only elevates one''s status to that of a noble, without granting any official standing within the family or any rights within the household.

    However, thetter was different. It not only recognized all the rights held as a blood rtive but also granted session rights if all legitimate heirs were deceased.

    "How can that even be...?"

    "No, Father, you mustn''t!"

    Before Helena could protest, Ss quickly interrupted her with a loud shout. He immediately dropped to his knees and bowed his head to the floor.

    "How could I go against my mother''s dying wish and cause trouble for you, Father? Please, take back what you said!"

    "How frustrating! Don''t you realize that your behavior is the very thing piercing my heart? Or are you just making excuses to escape the family?"

    "How could you say such a thing? I would never do that."

    "Then why are you being so stubborn?"

    Count Bill looked at Ss with a sorrowful expression, as if chastising him for not understanding his father''s feelings.

    Before responding, Ss quickly pinched his thigh and twisted it 90 degrees.

    ''Awaken, my tear ducts, with the pain!''

    With his eyes glistening, Ss met the Count''s gaze. The tear-filled eyes made the Count flinch. Ss then did his best to tremble his voice naturally.

    "How could I not want to be with you, Father? Even the most humble creatures yearn for their parents."

    Finally, a single tear rolled down his wet eyes.

    "However, I am already an unfilial son who could do nothing for my mother when she passed away. If I were to trouble you by disregarding herst words, how could I face her after death?"

    With moist, glistening eyes, a vibration of sorrow, and a poem filled with regret and longing, Ss''s performance seemed to portray a simple filial son. Yet, it was abination of three techniques expertly woven together!

    At this point, Ss added the final touch to his act.

    "And as amoner, how much gossip would there be about my being by your side? I know that all of it would be your burden. I cannot prioritize my own desires knowing that."@@novelbin@@

    "Gossip? Do you think Bill Corleone would fear the nder ofmoners?"

    Count Bill bellowed with a mighty roar. He shouted so loudly that even those outside the office were taken aback.

    "Fine! If you insist on stubbornness until the end, then I have no choice but to do this!"

    ng!

    The Count stepped back and drew the sword hanging nearby. Belverke. A treasured sword passed down through the Corleone family, symbolizing the head of the household. Holding the legendary sword that was said to have in the ck dragon, the Count dered,

    "I, Bill Corleone, swear here before our ancestors! Ss is my son and a member of the Corleone family, and anyone who doubts this shall not be forgiven!"

    In the solemnity of the oath, no one dared to speak. After sheathing Belverke, the Count approached Ss and ced his hands on his shoulders.

    "I have sworn an oath that I can never break. You must not refuse to be my son either."

    With a calm yet fatherly voice, Ss trembled.

    "Is it truly alright for me? Will it be fine for me to be your son, Father?"

    "Who would dare say otherwise? I, your father, have given my permission!"

    "Father!"

    While the two shared an emotional embrace, Helena could only open her mouth in shock. She could no longer counter their sentiments. Count Bill was a man who upheld his obligations and oaths, and even his wife Helena could not be exempt from such promises.

 Chapter 29

    "Now that it is settled, my dear wife, please take care of Ss. He is now family."

    "..."

    Seeing her husband speaking affectionately without understanding her inner thoughts, Helena could only nod reluctantly, unaware of the slight smile that crept onto Ss''s face as he leaned against the Count.

    "Ahhh!"

    Crash!

    Returning to her room, Helena threw anything she could grab in anger. The surrounding servants trembled as they watched her outburst.

    "L-Lady, please calm down..."

    "Do I look like I can calm down?!"

    Helena could not contain her fury, even at the words of the maid who had served her for many years.

    "That lowly creature dares to engrave his name into our family? How could such a thing happen!"

    Having a name added to the family lineage wasn''t a huge deal. If you really want to break it down, it''s simply a proper acknowledgment of noble status. While he may gain session rights, in the case of inheriting the headship of the family, legitimate children take precedence over illegitimate ones.

    Unless both legitimate children get struck by lightning, there was no way Ss would inherit the family.

    However, the very idea of that illegitimate child obtaining a title as an "equal member of the family" was an intolerable humiliation for Helena.

    "Where is Lord Gaiden?! Didn''t hee with you? Why can''t I see him?!"

    "W-Well¡­ he said he''s been feeling unwelltely¡­"

    Even at Helena''s call, Gaiden pretended to be sick and did not respond. He had already taken a lot of money from her, and failing the request made it obvious that he didn''t want to be a scapegoat for her anger.

    Whether he met her or not, their connection was already severed, so there was no reason to face humiliation bying.

    "That ipetent fool until the very end!"

    Having no one left to vent her anger on, Helena gritted her teeth. Another piece of pottery in her hand was about to shatter.

    A maid outside, having received something, cautiously opened her mouth.

    "Lady, a letter has arrived."

    "A letter? From whom?"

    "It''s from Lady Martina."

    Helena furrowed her brow. Martina Valente. A widow she met during her visit to the old capital. In the social world, she was quite well-known as a teacher of etiquette for noble youths.

    They weren''t exactly friends, but whenever Helena had business in the capital, she would meet and converse with her once.

    ''Why is Lady Martina suddenly sending a letter?''

    With that question in mind, Helena took the letter and unfolded it. It stated that she had gone to the capital to pay her respects to a deceased acquaintance and wanted to pass through the Corleone territory on her way back. The letter also had a light tone, suggesting that they catch up after a long time.

    Just as Helena sighed and was about to write a reply of agreement, a thought struck her.

    ''Wait, Lady Martina? Etiquette training?''

    Suddenly, Martina''s reputation came to mind. The results of her teaching were nothing short of perfect, but to the students, she was an iron-willed woman who was far too harsh.

    And it just so happened that there was someone in the Corleone family who desperately needed noble etiquette training.

    A sharp smile graced Helena''s lips.

    The Count of Corleone was bustling with chatter about Ss. It was already astonishing that Count Bill, a symbol of sincerity, had fathered a child outside of marriage. But now, to bring that illegitimate son into the fold and publicly acknowledge him as his own?

    "Oh my, at first I thought it was just a rumor," one servant remarked.

    "Indeed, even the lord was not immune to youthful indiscretions," another replied.

    Most discussions ended with mere gossip about the count''s past romance. However, some among the servants broached a more sensitive topic.

    "So does this mean we now have another young master to serve?"

    How should they treat Ss, who was now recognized as a child of the count? The situation was tooplicated to simply treat him as the count''s new offspring.

    "Young master? He''s just a half-breed withmoner blood in him," one scoffed.

    "I''ve worked in other noble houses, and the treatment for illegitimate children is always the same," another added.

    "It''s best to ignore him rather than risk incurring thedy''s ire," one concluded.

    The consensus among the servants was simr: since Ss sharedmoner heritage, they had no reason to treat him with deference. Unless he could offer them some advantage, it was better to avoid the risk of drawing the countess''s wrath.

    Moreover, the treatment of illegitimate children in other noble families was not particrly favorable. The conclusion was clear.

    "Let''s treat him like he doesn''t exist," one servant suggested.

    "That sounds good. After all, he probably has no authority to punish us anyway," another agreed.

    "Honestly, it''s annoying to think that amoner might assume a position of power," someone added.

    The servants chuckled lightly, trying to wrap up the conversation. But before they could, an elderly servant clicked his tongue.

    "Tsk, tsk. You youngsters are just begging for trouble," he said.@@novelbin@@

    "Why are you suddenly cursing at us, old man?" one servant replied.

    "Did you not hear the lord''s warning? He said that if anyone disrespected the young master, they would not be forgiven."

    "What? Is that really true?"

    "It is! You might not know it, but if you act up, your heads might roll!"

    "Oh,e on..."

    When the elderly servant first spoke, the others found it hard to believe. Would the count really go that far for just an illegitimate child? No matter how esteemed Count Bill was, it seemed excessive. The servants found it more believable that the old man had misunderstood.

    Their doubts were dispelled following Gordon''s announcement.

    "I believe many of you are unsure how to treat the new young master."

    "W-well..."

    "Listen. The only thing I want to say is to serve him just like any other young master. If you show any disrespect, I won''t forgive you."

    The servants looked at each other in shock. Did that mean they were really expected to treat him like a legitimate heir?

 Chapter 33

    As Helena said, there wasn''t a single person here who didn''t know him. Matthias Merino. He was one of the most renowned holy knights of the church. He was also a prominent figure among the radical inquisitors.

    Known as ''Matthias of the Red Hammer'' due to his nature of wielding his hammer mercilessly against those he deemed enemies of the faith.

    "To think I would be educating a member of the Corleone family. I could never have imagined this just a few days ago."

    Hearing Matthias''s words, the knights around him nodded unconsciously. The church, which exerted influence through the power of faith, and the nobility, who wielded worldly power, coexisted out of necessity, but their rtionship was not exactly friendly. Especially with a fanatic like Matthias, it was even worse.

    Naturally, the Count had strongly opposed it when it was first brought up.

    "Nonsense! How can you bring in a fanatic like him?"

    "Think about it. Regardless of his extremism, he is influential and holds a high position. Despite his radical methods, he has aplished much, hasn''t he?"

    "He has alsomitted just as many insane acts as his aplishments."

    Matthias, whenever he suspected something, would kill anymoner who stood in his way and storm into a noble''s territory to conduct searches. Naturally, no one liked him. The church itself had once even considered emunicating him, regardless of his piety.

    But, absurdly enough, whenever Matthias found something suspicious, there indeed turned out to be something there¡ªdemon worshippers, dark sorcerers, even necromancers. Though many innocents became victims during his searches, he also saved ten times as many people.

    "Still, he has many supporters because of his aplishments. Imagine if someone like that became Ss''s mentor. Ss would gain a strong backer in the church, and it could improve rtions between the church and the Corleone family."

    "But what if Matthias doesn''t take a liking to Ss...?"

    "The boy has never disappointed us. There''s no need to worry."

    "Hmph, if you insist, then do as you wish."

    Despite his lingering concerns, the Count granted permission. So far, Helena''s educational methods had never been wrong. Although it was a misunderstanding, it allowed them to invite Matthias.

    Hiding her true intentions, Helena smiled and asked Matthias for a favor.

    "Please, Sir Matthias, guide Ss well. He''s never been exposed to theology before."

    "Of course. If it is to spread the word of the goddess, I will dedicate myself with my life."

    "And this is something I''m only telling you, Sir Matthias¡­"

    Helena leaned in and whispered softly into Matthias''s ear.

    "I fear our Ss might not have any faith."

    "What!? How could that be...!"

    "Shh. You''re speaking too loudly."

    Matthias, his face flushed, barely managed to close his mouth. It wasn''t for Ss''s sake, but out of consideration for Helena, who had entrusted him with this responsibility. If it became public knowledge that Sscked faith, he could be branded an enemy of the church or even emunicated.

    "That''s why I''ve been so worried I can''t sleep at night. Please, Sir Matthias, show him the greatness of the goddess."

    "Of course! I will make sure to instill the goddess''s teachings firmly in him!"

    Helena struggled to hold back herughter at Matthias''s determined demeanor. The bait had been set. Now all she had to do was wait for the fish to bite.

    ''Whether he bes devoted to the teachings and joins the church, or rebels and earns the church''s ire, it''s fine either way. Even if he tries to find a bnce, he''ll only receive mediocre reviews.''

    She was hoping for either the first or second oue. If it was the first, she''d never have to see him again; if it was the second, he would face life-threatening hardships. Feeling satisfied for the first time in a while, Helena awaited the oue, finally able to sleep soundly.

    ***

    A few dayster, Helena received an urgent report from a maid who came rushing in.

    "Sir Matthias and the Count are arguing with each other?"

    "Yes, madam. It doesn''t look good."

    Something must have happened! If those two were arguing, it was almost certainly about Ss. Helena quickly prepared to go out and headed to the study.@@novelbin@@

    Just as the maid had said, the two men were arguing loudly enough for their voices to be heard outside.

    "My lord, this is the will of the gods!"

    "It''s your will, not the gods''! Don''t speak nonsense!"

    "It''s also for the young master''s sake!"

    "But he said he didn''t want it!"

    As her suspicions were confirmed, a broad smile spread across Helena''s face. She tried to keep her expression neutral, mindful of the servants around her, but she simply couldn''t contain her delight.

    "There are times when a parent must make decisions for their child''s sake!"

    "Forcing him to join the church won''t make him happy."

    "My lord, please!"

    "Enough! This discussion is over!"

    Upon hearing the dismissal, Helena quickly stepped away from the door. It sounded like Matthias was trying to send Ss to the church. If Ss had refused, it must not have been of his own volition.

    ''So, they want to send him to the church to straighten him out since hecks devotion.''

    That meant he had been marked by the church. As Helena quickly hid herughter with a fan, Matthias stormed out of the door, his face flushed.

    Waiting around the corner, Helena saw the red-faced Matthias approaching.

    "Sir Matthias, what happened?"

    "Mydy!"

    Matthias''s eyes lit up as he saw Helena, and he approached her with an urgent expression, clearly seeking her help.

    "It''s good that you''re here! Could you please speak to the Count?"

    "Is this about our Ss?"

    "Yes, it is!

    "What exactly has Ss done?"

    Feigning concern, Helena asked, and Matthias sighed deeply.

    "It''s difficult to put into words. After spending time with him, I realized that the young master is truly..."

    "Yes, please go on."

    "He is truly someone sent to us by the goddess."

    "...?"

    Helena blinked in confusion, not quite understanding Matthias''s words. What was he saying?

    "After speaking with him for a long time, I found that the young master is notcking in faith. He serves the goddess with such a remarkable perspective, and his profound understanding is beyond what even the church''s priests can easily match."

    "..."

    "If he were to be the church''s sword, he would truly be the embodiment of the goddess and make a name for himself. He would be remembered in history as a shining beacon for a thousand years."

    "..."

    "I foresaw this future and invited him to join the church, but the young master, being excessively humble, refused my offer. I was so regretful that I spoke to the Count, but he dismissed my words outright!"

    Matthias sighed deeply, looking as if he had just lost a chest full of precious jewels.

    "Of course, even in the secr world, he could still make a name for himself, but it''s such a pity that he won''t serve as a member of the church. Please, mydy, speak to the Count. The young master''s true ce is with the church."

    With that, Matthias pleaded once more with Helena before walking off into the distance. She stood there, speechless and stunned. The atmosphere was so tense that even the maids didn''t dare speak to her. Momentster, Helena''s body slowly copsed.

    Thud

    "Ahhh! Mydy! The madam has fainted!"

    "Quick, fetch the priest! Right now!"

    While all themotion was happening upstairs, Ss was leisurely savoring tea in his room. Next to his teacupy the textbook he had used in his recent lesson.

    Fiddling with the theology book, which was still damp with tears of emotion, Ss chuckled lightly.

    "Piece of cake."

 Chapter 36

    "Think again. Toby is not someone fit to be a bodyguard."

    The count desperately tried to dissuade Ss. Just removing the title "Sir" from Toby showed how he felt about him.

    "He has no loyalty, no honor, and no beliefs. He''s just a fool obsessed with money and drowning in alcohol. How could you possibly take someone like that as your protector?"

    People referred to him as the reckless knight Toby. He had many disgraceful nicknames, such as the gambling knight, the mouse lost in drink, and the money-crazed fool.

    Naturally, no one among the count or his fellow knights had a good opinion of him. It was no wonder he was called the disgrace of the Corleone Order.

    Because of his conduct, he was the only vassal among the knights of the Corleone family on a temporary contract rather than a lifetime one.

    "I wouldn''t mind if he were kicked out right now. A bodyguard, my foot."

    "But father, you are still employing him, aren''t you?"

    "Well, it''s because hisbat skills are exceptional!"

    The count shouted in an irritated voice.

    "Regardless of his behavior, he fights like five knights. Thanks to him, many lives among the locals and knights have been saved, so it''s better to keep him around."

    If it weren''t for that, he would have kicked him out long ago, the count sighed. Ss hid a smile and muttered to himself.

    ''What I want is precisely that strength.''

    In this world, there is no concept of sword energy or sword masters. No matter how much a human trains, they are still just human. However, when they do train, the potential for growth is much higher than on Earth.

    If trained to the extreme, they can fight on par with trolls. That alone makes them formidable among regr soldiers, but it doesn''t mean they can sweep across the battlefield alone.

    If several knights who are weaker than him rush at him from all directions, he would be helpless, and if he''s really unlucky, a single arrow shot by a soldier could take him down.

    ''But a very small number of humans are exceptions to this rule.''

    Those with blood from beings stronger than humans in their lineage. Or those who are favored by gods or spirits and receive their strength.

    Such individuals possess powers that transcend humanity as they train, often turning the tide of unfavorable battles with their mythic strength.

    Toby was one of those exceptions. His bloodline was mixed with that of a storm giant.

    Moreover, Toby will leave the family within a year.

    He has caused multiple problems due to his reckless behavior, and right after causing an incident, he even demanded a pay raise from Count Bill.

    Ultimately, the count, unable to tolerate him any longer, would kick Toby out despite his strength. If he didn''t act now, he wouldn''t have time to take him as a confidant.

    "I understand what you''re saying, Father. But I still want to make him my bodyguard."@@novelbin@@

    "No, why Toby of all people?"

    "Isn''t it a shame to waste such power on someone whose behavior is so reckless? With just a little refinement, he could be a knight capable of turning the world upside down."

    Ss appealed to the count with a passionate expression.

    "Please trust him to me. I will surely rehabilitate Sir Toby."

    "Your intentions aremendable, but he is not someone who will change his mind..."

    "Isn''t it better than making no attempt at all?"

    "True, it couldn''t get any worse than it is now."

    After a moment of hesitation, the count decided to grant Ss''s request. Who knows? Perhaps that reckless fool could be a bit more human. He didn''t expect full rehabilitation; it would be a great sess if he could just restrain his debauchery a little.

    "Very well. I will appoint Toby as your bodyguard."

    "Thank you."

    "I''ll call him over now, so you can at least see his face"

    Count Bill ordered a servant to summon Toby. After a while, the servant returned alone. Seeing the servant''s face ashen, the count asked:

    "Why did youe back alone? Where is Sir Toby?"

    "W-well..."

    "Speak. Did he go out?"

    "He said he can''te because he''s... hungover..."

    The count froze, and Ss blinked in disbelief. No matter that it wasn''t a lifetime contract, refusing amand from his lord? And the reason was a hangover. This was beyond imagination¡ªhe was truly a madman.

    After a moment, the count, sshing cold water on his face, spoke in a trembling voice.

    "Call Sir Roderick. Go with him to find Toby."

    "Thank you."

    "Even if you give up on rehabilitating him, I won''t hold it against you."

    "No, I will do my best."

    Ss thought to himself. He would make this fool kneel before him by the end of the day.

    ***

    "It''s been a while since Ist saw Roderick, but this isn''t exactly a situation for warm greetings."

    After hearing the circumstances, Roderick erupted in anger.

    "How could a knight dare to behave like that?"

    Ss nodded in agreement. While it was one thing to act up in front of other nobles, to defy his lord''smand was simply outrageous. At this point, Toby seemed to regard himself more as a mercenary than a knight.

    "What kind of person do you think Sir Toby is?"

    Having been formally recognized by the count, Ss spoke with more familiarity than before. Roderick naturally epted this tone and responded.

    "He''s just as the rumors say. He''s obsessed with money, indulges in women, and is drowning in alcohol."

    Now he could add the title of disloyal wretch for refusing his lord''smand to that description, he thought bitterly. After a short while, the two arrived at the lodging where Toby was staying.

    "Sir Toby! Come out this instant!"

    Roderick banged on the door and shouted. When there was no response from inside, he raised his voice even more.

    "If you don''te out, I will break down this door!"

    "Damn it, I''lle out, so stop making such a fuss."

    Finally, the door creaked open. The knight who emerged had the tanned skin typical of southern folk. His hair was disheveled, and there was crust in his eyes, indicating that he had just woken up.

 Chapter 39

    However, he didn''t want to be tied to a young master with no power due to a lifelong contract. All that was left was the bluff. If he seeded, he could get the method to undo the curse without any cost.

    ''Just as my father said.''

    Though he was scorned as an ignorant mercenary knight by those around him, he was actually a very wise man. Toby recalled his father''s old advice.

    ''Toby, listen well to your father''s words and remember them''

    ''Yes, Father''

    ''Most of the world''s problems can be solved with violence. There''s no beating stronger than a fist. So, if things getplicated, just beat them up.''

    It was excellent teaching. Just as his father said, most of life''s affairs could be resolved with violence. But Toby asked once more, just to be sure.

    ''Then, what if I can''t use violence against someone?''

    ''Threaten to beat them up or kill them. Anyone who is human cares for their own body, so they will back down.''

    ''Indeed!''

    It was fortunate he asked that back then. Even against someone he shouldn''t use violence against, just creating an atmosphere as if he would turn everything upside down mostly worked. asionally, there were times it didn''t work and he found himself in danger, but at least he was certain it would definitely work on the young master right in front of him.

    ''After all, he''s just a noble young master. Has he ever faced real danger?''

    There''s a huge difference between someone who has experienced the battlefield and someone who hasn''t. When faced with real danger for the first time, even the strongest man would tremble. Not to mention Ss, who was still just a boy. He was already closing his eyes in fear.

    Ss, who had been quiet, slightly opened his eyes and said,

    "Sir Toby, may I offer a prayer to the goddess before I answer?"

    "Of course. But if you still can''t answer after your prayer, my fist won''t remain idle."

    "I understand."

    Ss extended his hand towards the heavens, taking a prayerful posture and murmuring,

    "I swear by the goddess in the name of my mother, Lyria, my grandfather, Norman, and my father, Bill."

    "...?"

    What kind of swearing is this at a time like this? What could there possibly be to swear about in this situation? Toby tilted his head in confusion but was stunned by what Ss said next.

    "If the brat before me harms me and I still tell him how to undo this, let me gouge out my own eyes."

    ''What?''

    For a moment, Toby wondered if he had misheard. But there was no time to resolve his doubts, as Ss''s prayer continued.

    "And cut off my tongue, cut off my ears, cut off my nose, split my belly open to take out my insides, and give my flesh to the wolves and dogs as food, and let me live and suffer until all of that is done¡­."@@novelbin@@

    What followed was a parade of torture that made even Toby feel nauseous. It was iprehensible where one would hear of such tortures.

    The swearing that went on for a while stopped at the point where it mentioned giving even thest piece of bone as food for monsters. But that wasn''t the end.

    "Moreover, if I am harmed and still tell him how to undo this, let my soul, which has left my body, not find rest when it ascends to heaven, let it wander only in darkness, and let it feel the pain of burning in eternal mes¡­."

    Just when it seemed that the physical pain had ended, what came next was a parade of tortures for the soul. Again, all sorts of creative tortures emerged.

    While one could endure physical pain, it was astonishing how someone could evene up with methods for torturing a soul.

    The lengthy swearing, which involved torturing the soul, concluded with a request to give the shattered soul as food for demons.

    "Now, this is the end of the oath."

    Ss looked at the dazed Toby with a bright smile.

    "Sir Toby."

    "_y- yes?"

    "Now, go ahead and hit me, brat."

    "...."

    At Ss''s words, Toby became like a mute who had swallowed honey. The various conditions for torture just moments ago had only one stiption:

    It was when Toby had caused harm that he would tell the method to undo it. Naturally, no one would disclose the method after making such a vow.

    Even the most cowardly person would not speak a word after such an oath. Toby closed his eyes and recalled his father''s old advice.

    "But Father, what if it doesn''t work on a real scoundrel?"

    "Then just do as the scoundrel says."

    "Really? Why?"

    "Why would it be?"

    His father patted Toby''s head as he spoke.

    "If you don''t do what the scoundrel says, then you will be the one who is in trouble."

    Truly a wise man. It had turned out exactly that way.

    "Damn it, I''m in trouble."

    If this reached the count''s ears, Toby would be finished. It wouldn''t just be a matter of being kicked out; he could be torn apart by furious knights.

    Even if he managed to escape, they would definitely chase him down to kill him. It would have been manageable during his prime, but with his weakened strength now, survival would be difficult.

    "I have toe up with something!"

    Fueled by his survival instinct, Toby desperately wracked his brain. Soon, he found the only way he could survive.

    When Toby opened his eyes again, he looked at Ss with eyes full of respect.

    "Excellent. You truly are of the Corleone bloodline."

    "...."

    "In fact, I was testing you. You are worthy of being my lord."

    "...."

    "Please don''t be upset that a mere knight tested you. Any knight seeks and serves a suitable lord."

    "Oh, goddess."

    Ignoring Toby''s nonsensical ramblings, Ss opened his mouth again.

    "If this brat doesn''t kneel within 30 seconds and still tells me how to undo this, let him gouge out my eyes¡­."

    "Lord! I, Toby, kneel!"

    "Moreover, if this brat doesn''t put his head to the ground and still tells me how to undo this, let him cut off my nose¡­."

    "Look! My forehead is pressed firmly to the ground!"

    "Also, if this brat doesn''t crawl all the way over there and still tells me how to undo this, let him cut off my ears¡­."

    "I had a nickname of ''Earthworm Toby'' once, you see!"

    Toby desperately crawled on the ground, thinking. Truly, his father''s words had never been wrong.

 Chapter 40

    Toby doesn''t know much about Ss. He only arrived at the Corleone family a few months ago, and he didn''t particrly take an interest in him. However, he had heard rumors that Ss showed genius-level achievements in various fields. He was now feeling the truth of that rumor deeply.

    Ss disyed his extraordinary talent even under criticism.

    "Put your feet down. Can''t you stand straight?"

    "...!"

    Toby''s body trembled as he raised one leg and pressed his forehead against the ground. His whole body was numb, and it felt like he would copse the moment he rxed. Of course, if that happened, something even more painful would follow. No matter how hard it was, he had no choice but to endure it.

    ''Why on earth am I so exhausted?''

    Toby had wielded a sword on the battlefield all day long before. He had enough stamina to withstand just about anything. But Ss''s criticism quickly drained all that energy.

    "Hey, Toby."

    "Yes, my lord!"

    "You look like you''re struggling a lot. Should we call it quits here?"

    His voice was so gentle. But this was a trap. Having realized this through previous experiences, Toby shouted.

    "I''m fine!"

    "Oh dear, you still want to keep going even though you''re struggling?"

    "That''s right! My rudeness is unforgivable, so please punish me as you see fit! I beg you to discipline me as much as you like!"

    His voice was filled with desperation and self-reproach, a plea so moving that even a wicked ve owner would feel weak-hearted for a moment. Ss clutched his chest with eyes that glistened with tears.

    "Your loyalty touches me."

    "That''s too much praise, my lord!"

    "As a lord, I cannot disregard the feelings of my vassal! We will proceed as you wish!"

    "Excuse me?"

    "Now, let''s roll around until that guilt is released! That''s an extra 30 minutes!"

    ''Damn....''

    At Ss''s cheerful voice, Toby''s eyes trembled. The criticism ended two hourster.

    ***

    "Cough! Huh!"

    Exhausted, Tobyy down on the ground. He no longer had the strength to even twitch a finger. Ss watched him and chuckled.

    "Be d this is where it ends. I was actually thinking of making you endure more."

    "Huh! Thank you for your mercy, my lord!"

    Though it sounded insincere, Toby desperately replied. What could he do now that he was already in a pitiful position? He had no choice but to grovel.

    Once his breathing calmed down a bit, Ss looked down at Toby''s face and spoke.

    "Let''s get back to the main point. I''ll teach you the release method, and in return, you will swear your loyalty to me. How about it?"@@novelbin@@

    "Well, my lord, I think there''s a slight issue with that."

    "Do you want to roll around some more?"

    "No! It''s not that; it''s a practical issue!"

    Toby waved his hands and began to exin carefully.

    "Think about it. I am currently serving Count."

    "That''s true."

    "If I swear loyalty to you, I would obviously have to terminate my contract with the Count."

    "Of course, there can''t be a knight serving two lords."

    "But, my lord, can you pay me a sry? I''m not saying I want a lot. Just the bare minimum, really."

    "Hmm."

    Ss stroked his chin at the reasonable point. That was definitely a blind spot.

    "Indeed, my circumstances are a bitcking to fulfill my duties as a lord."

    A lifelong contract isn''t a ve contract to unterally devote oneself until death. A lord has the obligation to provide an appropriate reward to the knight who pledges loyalty. It''s no wonder knights dream of lifelong contracts with noble families. They make such pledges because there is something substantial to gain.

    If a knight bound by a lifelong contract can''t even receive minimal treatment, that alone bes a huge disgrace. If that state persists for several years, it''s not seen as a defect if the knight unterally withdraws their loyalty.

    "Well, that''s something we can resolve quickly, so it''s not a big deal."

    "Really?"

    "Yeah. At the very least, you won''t be getting less gold coins."

    Toby blinked in surprise. What kind of magic would make that possible? A knight bound by a lifelong contract doesn''t get a sry that''s just pocket money for a young nobleman.

    Yet, to think he could give the same amount without cutting it at all.

    "Anyway, I''ll take care of the sry issue, so don''t worry."

    "If you say so, my lord¡­"

    "Then let''s get to the loyalty pledge. If you want to learn the release method quickly."

    "Understood."

    As he knelt down for the loyalty pledge, Toby''s eyes suddenly widened.

    ''Wait a minute, wouldn''t it be okay to learn the release method right away and then run off?''

    If it were a lifelong contract in front of many people, he could never escape. With his name, family, and face all known, how could he possibly run away? But if it''s a private contract in a ce like this? Obviously, it wouldn''t have any binding power other than his own conscience.

    However, the hope that shed momentarily was quickly dashed.

    "By the way, when you swear your loyalty, you don''t have to swear to the goddess."

    "Excuse me? Then who do I swear to?"

    "To whom else? You must swear by your great ancestors and the bloodline of giants."

    "..."

    Toby closed his mouth. Then the situation was different. A pledge made regarding his bloodline was rted to his own power. He had heard of a past ancestor who broke a vow invoking the bloodline and lost all of his strength.

    That''s why his father had always cautioned him: never break a vow sworn on your bloodline.

    ''Damn it, I''m trapped.''

    But of course, the young lord knew about the release method. He must have already been aware of this fact. Despairing, Toby shouted.

    "I swear by my great ancestors and bloodline that if you provide me with the exact release method to regain my strength, I will devote my loyalty for a lifetime."

    Setting a condition was thest small resistance. Ss smiled satisfactorily and nodded.

    "Alright, I''ll tell you now. You were curious about the release method from the curse, right?"

    "Y-yes."

    "Your release method is¡­"

    ***

    After Ss left, Toby stood nkly in his lodging. The more he thought about it, the more he was astounded.

    "Damn it, is that really the way to break the curse?"

    When he first heard it, he thought Ss was joking. He was so bbergasted that he forgot he was being ckmailed.

    "Young master, are you joking?"

    "I''m very serious. And you should call me your lord."

    "You have to tell me the exact method to break the curse if you want my loyalty!"

    "That is the method to break the curse."

    "Drinking warm beer to break a curse makes no sense!"

 Chapter 41

    It was a curse he couldn''t break, even after consulting everyone knowledgeable about magic. There was no way it would be broken just by drinking warm beer.

    He was pulling his hair out at the thought that he had been mocked until now. Seeing him like that, Ss clicked his tongue and exined.

    "Do you know what a curse is? Do you understand how it works?"

    "Well... I don''t know. I''m a knight, not a magician."

    "Then listen up. Generally, the more difficult the conditions are to break a curse, the easier it is to forcibly lift it."

    For example, let''s say there''s a curse that can only be broken by eating a flower that blooms only at the top of the highest mountain in the world. Naturally, a person cursed that way would likely never be able to break it, no matter how hard they tried.

    However, the more difficult the condition bes, the weaker the curse''s "thickness" gets. If someone who knows the structure hits it with a hammer, it shatters. This is generally how curses are forcibly broken.

    "So, those who cast curses don''t usually set difficult conditions. They instead twist easy conditions into a knot."

    "Twist it into a knot?"

    "Let''s say someone has been cursed. But the method to break the curse is to kick a child. That''s an incredibly easy condition."

    "That''s true. There are kids everywhere."

    A curse that can be broken quickly if one puts their mind to it, regardless of their character. If the condition is this simple, the curse''s thickness bes stronger.

    It would never shatter, no matter how much you hit it with an ordinary hammer from the outside. To break such a curse, the cursed individual has no choice but to break it themselves.

    "But what if the person cursed is a priest who loves children? Wouldn''t they inadvertently break the curse?"

    "¡­"

    Toby became a mute, as if he had swallowed honey. Indeed, in such a case, unless they knew the condition, they would never be able to break the curse in their lifetime.

    Seeing Toby speechless, Ss calmly exined.

    "You''re from the south, right?"

    "That''s right."

    "Which do you prefer, beer or wine?"

    "Northern folks'' beer is just piss. The wine from the south is true alcohol."

    "Would you drink warm beer if I had it?"

    "Beer that''s not cold is tasteless, so why would I¡­"

    Toby covered his face with both hands. Thinking about it, he realized that if it were his personality, it would be a curse he could never break. Before his regression, Toby had broken the curse because his enemies had given him warm beer to humiliate him.

    ___"It seems Sir Toby is thirsty after being locked up! I''ll bring you warm beer!"

    "You bastards! If you can''t give me wine, at least give me water! Warm beer? Not even a dog would lick that!"

    "Hmph, isn''t that just the right drink for you? Take the water away! If you''re thirsty, you can drink that."

    "You sons of bitches! Take good care of the keys! The day I break free from these chains will be your funeral day!"

    As a result, because of that bastard''s humiliation, the curse was lifted, and Toby''s massacre began.

    Additionally, Ss became widely known for the method to break the curse at that time.@@novelbin@@

    "Damn it, why did I even talk about alcohol to that damn brat?"

    Among the spoils gained from the fight with that brat, there was an unusually high-quality wine. In contrast, there was not a single beer, which he hated. So he had provocatively mentioned that he had some taste in alcohol and would be happy to share if they could just get along.

    Who would have thought that he''d take that seriously and use it for a curse?

    "Ugh, at least I realized it now, I guess."

    What he had told Ss about feeling like he had lost his wings wasn''t a lie. How fortunate it was to be able to go back to that time.

    Even though he ended up binding himself to a lifelong contract that he never wanted, at least under a lord with that level of skill, he wouldn''t go hungry.

    At that moment, several other knights visited his lodging.

    "Lord Toby!"

    "What''s going on? Why are so many knights visiting my lodging, which you usually don''t?"

    Toby had been living a half-outcast life in the knight order. He had never received such a visit from so many knights unless he had caused an incident.

    He felt as if he had unwittingly gotten into some trouble when one knight suddenly shouted.

    "Lord Toby, is it true?"

    "How would I know if you just blurt out that it''s true?"

    "I heard that you reflected on your past behavior and swore before the lord to be a true knight. Is that true?"

    Toby''s face slightly twitched. He recalled the words Ss had given him before leaving after revealing the method to break the curse.

    ''As your lord, I give you my first order. Stop pretending.''

    ''What do you mean?''

    ''You don''t have topletely change your behavior, but at least make it seem like you have. You said you resolved to be a noble knight.''

    He reluctantly nodded. Honestly, he thought it was pointless to do so now. However, since it was his lord''s order, he had to give it a try.

    "Yes, reflecting on my past actions, I found many points to improve, and I swore to be a true knight."

    The knights blinked in surprise at Toby''s words. Seeing their reactions made Toby smirk.

    ''Well, I wouldn''t believe it either¡­''

    "How surprising! sir Toby has made such a grand resolution!"

    "Indeed, the lord has truly changed you!"

    "...!?"

    Toby flinched at their intense reactions. Contrary to his expectations, the knights showered him with praise for his words of repentance.

    ''What''s with these guys?''

    Toby tilted his head, confused. What reason did they have to believe him so easily? Toby''s assumption was correct. They were not trusting him, but rather Ss.

    ''''I knew Lord Ss was no ordinary person, but¡­ ''''

    ''''I never imagined he would even change Lord Toby!''''

    ''''Calling him a seed of a hero is not an exaggeration.''''

    Since arriving at Count Corleone''s household, Ss had been making waves. This time, he had proimed the "Deration of Rebirth for Lord Toby." Naturally, from the knights'' perspective, it was only natural to think that the lord had achieved yet another aplishment.

    Unaware of this fact, Toby cleared his throat and began to fabricate a story.

    "Yes, the lord has given me light while I wandered in darkness."

    "What happened? I want to know what prompted your change of heart!"

    "That would be this morning. Awakened by a stern reprimand, I sensed a fateful encounter. When I opened the door, there he stood, with the sun at his back¡­"

    "Ohhh!"

    Ignoring the captivated knights, Toby put on a distant expression. Every time he recited a dramatic line, the knights were moved, and it made him want to chuckle.

    ''This is more fun than I thought.''

    It was the moment when a vassal perfectly understood his lord.

 Chapter 44

    On the third day since Ss began his sword training, Werner visited the count''s office.

    "I need to teach Young Master Ss the me Wind Sword."

    "...!?"

    The count dropped his pen in shock at the unexpected statement. The me Sword, all of a sudden?

    "What do you mean by that? He hasn''t even mastered The Wind Sword yet."

    The Corleone family''s swordsmanship is divided into two categories. One is the basic sword style, the Wind Sword, which is permitted only for those who have signed a lifetime contract as knights.

    The other is the me Wind Sword, which can only be learned by a select few close knights approved by the family''s direct lineage or head.

    "I''ve already registered that child in the family tree, so there''s no reason I can''t teach him. But shouldn''t he first learn The Wind Sword?"

    Although the names of the sword styles differ, there is a connection between the two. The Wind Sword is grounded in basic techniques, while the me Sword is its application.

    In other words, one must first solidify their basics with The Wind Sword before learning the me Wind Sword.

    "And isn''t The Wind Sword not a simple technique? It would take quite a while to master."

    Though it is a fundamental sword style, it was founded by the first ancestor known as the Dragon yer. To fully learn its essence takes at least three years.

    "I don''t know what talent you see in that child, but at the very least, teach him the entirety of The Wind Sword before discussing this."

    "It won''t take a month."

    "¡­What did you say?"

    "The time for him to master The Wind Sword entirely is sufficient within a month."

    "...!"

    Unconsciously, the count stood up abruptly. The shocking statement was so overwhelming that he didn''t even notice the sound of his chair falling over.

    "Are you serious?"

    "Honestly speaking, this estimate is on the longer side."

    Ss perfectly mimicked the movements of the sword upon seeing them just once. If he were to focus purely on learning the forms, it wouldn''t take even a week.

    However, swordsmanship is a skill meant to be used in realbat. If one merely learns the forms, it is meaningless.

    That''s why he added an additional three weeks. Mastering the application of swordsmanship is naturally more difficult than simply learning the forms.

    "In a month, you''ll be able to see it firsthand, Your Excellency. You''ll witness him using The Wind Sword in practical situations."

    "Ho."

    At the firm response, the count was left speechless. To learn enough to actually use swordsmanship in practice within a month? And not just any swordsmanship, but The Wind Sword?

    Had any other knight besides Sir Werner said the same thing, he would have first questioned their sanity.

    "How far do you see that child''s talent going?"

    "With my limited understanding, I believe¡­"

    After a brief pause, Werner spoke seriously.

    "I believe we will witness the reincarnation of His Excellency Leonick, the founder of the Corleone family."

    Leonick Corleone. The great knight said to possess the blood of dragons and the heart of a lion. He was known as the Dragon yer who single-handedly yed a ck dragon with a single sword.

    The people of the Empire refer to him as thest remnant of the mythological era, thest figure who could achieve great feats with nothing but their human body.

    ''But the fact that Ss might be the reincarnation of the founder.''

    The count felt his heart racing. From the beginning, he had thought his child was extraordinary. He was pleased with that exceptional talent, but guilt and responsibility alsopelled him to do everything within reason.

    However, now he felt entirely different emotions surging within him.

    ''I want to see how far that child can go.''

    It was not simply because he was a father. As a knight who admired epics, he was genuinely curious.

    If he were to fully unleash that talent, what kind of being would he have be when he reached adulthood?

    The count, lost in thought with his eyes closed, soon nodded his head.

    "Very well. Do as you wish."

    "What do you mean?"

    "I''m talking about the me Wind Sword. Teach him as you desire."

    "Thank you, Your Excellency!"

    "Why thank me for teaching my own child?"

    If he had any talent for swordsmanship, it was a style he would have taught regardless. It was just the timing that was elerated due to Werner''s request.

    Still, he never expected it to speed up this much.

    Just as Werner was about to leave the office after their conversation, the butler Gordon entered.

    "Your Excellency, Young Master Dani has returned."

    "What? Dani?"

    At the sudden news, the count wore a nk expression. Dani Corleone, the second son born to Helena.

    He had apanied his older brother to the capital to see him off to the academy and had ended up staying there for the past six months.

    Now, the boy who had been in the capital without a word for all this time had returned.

    "Where is he now?"

    "Well¡­"

    "Father!"

    Just before Gordon could respond, the door burst open, and someone rushed in. A boy with violet eyes resembling the count and golden hair like Helena''s, the same age as Ss.

    It was the face of the second son he hadn''t seen for half a year. The count suppressed a sigh wanting to escape and forced a smile.

    "Wee back, Dani. Did you enjoy your time in the capital?"

    "That''s not what''s important right now!"

    Dani stepped forward and mmed his hand on the desk. The rude action caused not only the count but also Werner and Gordon to frown. But Dani, oblivious to their reactions, huffed and continued speaking.

    "I heard that a lowly bloodline has entered this illustrious Corleone family. Is that true?"

    "Your brother has simply been born."

    "Brother? How can you call something so inferior that it wouldn''t even suffice to wipe my feet a brother?"

    "Can''t you watch your words!"

    Bang.

    The count could no longer contain himself and mmed his hand on the desk. He exerted so much force that one of the desk''s legs broke with a crack.

    Only then did Dani step back in surprise. The count red at him, suppressing his anger.

    "Even if he doesn''t please you, that child is also my blood. I won''t force you to get along, but at least maintain a minimum line of courtesy."

    "...."

    Dani fell silent at the count''s scolding. However, his face was filled with undisguised discontent.

    Seeing that, Count Bill sighed deeply.

    He understood Dani''s feelings. It was essentially the same as discovering that his father hadmitted an infidelity. But even so, wasn''t it a bit too much? Helena herself never spoke with such foulnguage.

    "You must be tired from returning from the capital, so take a good rest today. We''ll talk tomorrow."

    "¡­Yes."

    Dani replied in a barely audible voice and left the office. The count sighed and turned to Werner.

    "Sir Werner."

    "Yes, Your Excellency."

    "Stay close to Ss today. I n for them to meet tomorrow if possible, but I doubt that boy will wait patiently given his personality. He might seek out Ss, so I need you to stop him."@@novelbin@@

    "Understood. Don''t worry."

    "I''m counting on you."

    Sir Werner bowed deeply and left the office. The count, left alone, scanned the room.

    Seeing the desk, which had been tilted due to the broken leg, and the chairs that had fallen over, he sighed again.

    ***

    Ss was swinging his sword vigorously in the training grounds. He was practicing on his own while Werner was at the count''s office. Next to him, Toby, who had now be Ss''s knight, gaped and yawned.

    "This is my first time guarding someone, and it''s more boring than I imagined. I''m about to fall asleep."

    "Control your expressions. Others are watching."

    "Eh, if someone is watching, they''d notice right away. There''s no one around now."

    Waving his hand as if to say not to worry, Toby resumed watching Ss''s swordsmanship with a bored expression. After watching for a while, Toby spoke up.

    "My lord, have you learned The Wind Sword somewhere?"

    "Why do you ask that?"

    "Your movements are those of aplete expert. It doesn''t seem like you''ve swung it just a few times."

    "I just mastered it in an instant thanks to my genius talent."

    "That seems a bit different¡­"

    Toby scratched his cheek with a puzzled expression. Ss, who had been swinging his sword with a serious demeanor, couldn''t help but chuckle inwardly.

 Chapter 46

    "It never fails to defy expectations."

    Werner felt a throbbing headache as he bowed his head to Dani.

    "Wee, Young Master Dani. What brings you to the training grounds?"

    "Do I need a reason toe? I can go wherever I please within the family grounds."

    "That may be true, but¡­"

    Werner''s eyes narrowed as he tried to pacify Dani. It was because of the knight standing behind him¡ªan unfamiliar face and an unfamiliar style of armor, clearly someone from outside the family.

    "Who is that, Young Master?"

    "Ah, you mean Sir Gino."

    Dani smiled, puffing his chest out as if showing off a prized possession.

    "He''s a knight I met in the capital recently. He used to be with the Golden Lion Order and said he wanted to pledge his loyalty to me."

    "I am Gino Rubl. I''ve heard much of your reputation, Sir Werner."

    The knight who introduced himself as Gino bowed slightly toward Werner. Although his greeting was polite, his squared shoulders and bright smile hinted at the confidence of a young knight.

    Werner''s eyes flickered as he observed the two.

    "Are you saying you''ve entered a lifelong contract?"

    "Well, that''s how it turned out."

    "If I may ask, what is Sir Gino''s sry¡­?"

    "Don''t worry about that; I''ve arranged it myself."

    Dani cut him off before he could finish, his face showing clear irritation, signaling that he wanted no further discussion.

    Werner sighed inwardly, having guessed the situation.

    ''He must have asked for help from his maternal family.''

    Helena''s family, the Barzini family, was well-known for its wealth. Moreover, the current head of the Barzini family was Dani''s maternal grandfather.

    If the grandson requested it, they likely provided the funds for the knight''s sry without much thought. The problem was the ripple effects that would follow.

    ''How can a knight hired with external funds truly be considered one''s own?''

    Regardless of the ideals of knighthood, reality isn''t a romance. Knights, too, are human and often tempted by glittering gold. It is even said that half of a knight''s loyalty stems from wealth. But to pay the sry using someone else''s money, not one''s own?

    It wouldn''t be surprising if the knight''s loyalty shifted to the one funding him. Unlike Sir Toby, who remained loyal despite knowing his lord''s circumstances.

    ''That''s all the influence of the Barzini family.''

    While Werner clicked his tongue inwardly, Dani wrinkled his nose and sniffed the air.

    "By the way, Sir Werner, why does the training ground reek so badly?"

    "The smell, you say¡­?"

    "As I said before, it smells likemoners. It''s a disgrace that this sacred training ground reeks like this."

    Dani pinched his nose and nced at Ss. As Dani''s gaze settled on Ss, Werner, who had stiffened, asked.

    "Who is he?"

    "He is Young Master Dani. I believe you''ve heard of him before¡­"

    "Ah!"

    Ss pped his hands as if he had finally remembered andughed.

    "Oh, so it''s my brother! Nice to meet you, brother!"

    Ss cheerfully opened his arms as if inviting an embrace. The gesture caused everyone in the training grounds to freeze. A momentter, Dani''s face turned bright red as he regained his senses.

    "You lowly wretch! Who are you calling brother!"

    "I heard about you. We''re the same age, but your birthday is a bitter, right? So I''m your older brother, correct?"

    "Shut up! Where does a farmhand who skinned animals get off pretending to be a noble!"

    Dani pointed at Ss''s face, shouting insults. Ss tilted his head and nced at Werner, who looked flustered.

    "Sir Werner."

    "Yes?"

    "I''ve heard that nobles sometimes adoptmoners. Is that correct?"

    "Th-that''s correct."

    It''s rare, but it''s not unheard of. One of the paths formoners to rise to nobility is through adoption.

    "If amoner bes adopted, they be siblings with the noble''s biological children, right?"

    "That''s correct."

    "I''m not sure, but in such cases, do they address each other differently?"

    "¡­No, it''s the same."

    "Then, I''m not sure why my younger brother is treating me like this."

    Seeing Ss shrug his shoulders, a vein bulged on Dani''s forehead.

    "You fool! Do you think this situation is the same?"

    "What''s different?"

    "Of course it is! Listen carefully!"

    When nobles adopt amoner, it''s usually for the family''s benefit. For instance, it might be due to exceptional talent in strategy or swordsmanship.

    Or it could be to forge ties with a powerful mercenary captain or military leader. In such cases, adoption is a form of contract.@@novelbin@@

    The noble status is granted, and the family supports them in exchange for their service. Naturally, the children have no qualms about addressing each other as siblings.

    Even though they are called children, they are, in essence, vassals. And if changing how they address each other fosters camaraderie, then it''s a small price to pay.

    "Do you think you''re the same? You came into this family solely relying on my father''s kindness!"

    "Hmm, I see."

    Ss nodded as if he understood. Then, in a tone full of regret, he said:

    "I''m sorry. I have nothing to offer you."

    "What?"

    "How could I not want to fulfill my duties as an elder brother? But I have no wealth or power¡­ I truly wished to be a proper brother to you."

    Dani tilted his head in confusion at the sudden statement. A few secondster, he pieced together the context.

    "We share the same father, so we are siblings."

    "But you''re amoner, a lowborn."

    "Even unrted nobles call an adoptedmoner sibling."

    "They do it because it''s beneficial."

    "Oh, so you''ll be happy to treat me as an older brother if it benefits you?"

    "What? "

    "But I have nothing to give you. Since I don''t have the money or power you like, I can''t be your older brother."

    "You scoundrel!"

    Dani, now fuming, clenched his fists so tightly they nearly cracked. How dare he insinuate that his attitude changed based on benefit like a leech!

    What infuriated him more was that he couldn''t find a way to deny it, considering what he had just said.

    "I''ll deal with you right now¡­!"

    "Young Master Dani!"

    Werner intervened just as Dani was about to charge. Toby, who had remained quiet, stepped forward.

    "That''s enough, Young Master Dani."

    "And who are you to stop me!"

    "I am Toby Baston. I am a knight loyal to Young Master Ss."

    "What? This lowly knight took a lifelong oath?"

    Dani stared at Ss in disbelief, but soon, the shock on his face turned into a sneer.

    "Ah, now I remember. Sir Toby from the south, or rather, Toby the Gold-Grubber, was it?"

    "Young Master!"

    "I''ve been called that before."

    Despite Werner''s attempt to stop the insult, Toby epted it without concern. Having lived through enough insults, especially in the notoriously foul-mouthed southern region, this was nothing.

    "Yes, it''s a fitting master-servant pair. But to think you also have a knight?"

    Dani''s smile deepened. He wanted to challenge the lowly one to a duel immediately. However, his opponent was aplete novice who had just begun learning the sword.

    Even if he won, he''d be criticized for challenging someone so inexperienced. But if his opponent had a knight, the situation was different.

    "Ss, was it? I challenge you to a duel for insulting my honor."

    "Young Master Dani, but Young Master Ss is¡­"

    "He''s just started learning, right? But since he has a knight, he can send his representative."

    Werner fell silent. Technically, proxy duels were allowed. It wasn''t a direct fight but a contest between knights under theirmand.

    ''He has no way out.''

 Chapter 47

    If one avoids a duel due tock of skill, it''s not shameful. However, if they refuse despite having the capability, it is disgraceful.

    It also suggests ack of trust in one''s knight''s abilities. Proud knights would take such a sentiment as a grave insult.

    "If you win, I will call you my brother. But if I win, you must address me as Young Master. What do you say?"

    Just in case he tried to avoid it, Dani dangled a tempting bait. If Ss still refused, it would be an admission of cowardice.

    Werner looked uneasy, while Ss and Toby whispered to each other from behind.

    ''''Hey, doesn''t he know your skills?''''

    ''''Probably not.''''

    ''''Why?''''

    ''''He left for the capital before I made a name for myself.''''

    ''''So, he only knows your bad reputation?''''

    ''''Sounds like it¡­?''''

    The master and servant, having gathered their thoughts, exchanged a sly smile. As the two continued their conversation, Werner shook his head and spoke up.

    "Master Dani, if I may advise you, it would be best not to proceed."

    "Are you defending him now?"

    "It''s not that. It''s just that Sir Toby is incredibly strong¡ª"

    "That''s nonsense! A duel?!"

    At that moment, Ss quickly cut Werner off and stepped forward without hesitation.

    "Even if you agree to a duel, how can I trust you''ll keep your word? Unless you swear an oath, I can''t believe you!"

    "Oh? So, if I swear an oath, you''re saying you''ll ept the duel?"

    "N-No, that''s not what I meant...!"

    Oh no, what a mistake! Dani smiled triumphantly as he watched Ss''s flustered reaction. How typical of amoner. Nobles live and die by a single slip of the tongue.

    "Very well! I swear by the great ancestor Leonik and the goddess that if my knight loses, I will call you my elder brother!"

    "W-What?!"

    He actually swore! This was a disaster! Ss, utterly taken aback, stepped back in shock. Dani, baring his teeth,ughed at the sight.

    "Now, swear your own oath! If you im to be a noble, you won''t go back on your word, will you?"

    "D-Damn it! I, I¡ª!"

    "My lord! Please do it!"

    Toby stepped forward, standing in front of the regretful Ss. He embodied the spirit of a knight ready to face death.

    "How can I call myself a knight if I don''t defend my lord''s honor? I swear I will win, even if it costs me my life. Please, allow me to fight!"

    "But the opponent is from the Golden Lion Knights! Even I have heard of their fame! I can''t lose you!"

    "How can a knight avoid a battle because of reputation?!"

    Toby dropped to his knees, pleading earnestly.

    "Though I may be a knight from a rural part of the South, I still know a knight''s duty! Please, allow me to fight!"

    "Very well... if that''s truly your wish...!"

    Moved by his vassal''s loyalty, tears welled up in Ss''s eyes as he stood up. Clenching his fists, he was filled with a sense of resolve.

    "Fine! If I lose, I will call you ''young master'' and serve you with all my devotion! I swear this by the great ancestor Leonik and the goddess!"

    "Haha! Your courage is at least worthy of a noble!"

    Dani burst intoughter and gestured to Gino, who confidently stepped forward.

    "My lord, what should I do?"

    "He is a knight with spirit. Give him the treatment he deserves."

    "Understood."

    On the surface, it sounded respectful, but the hidden meaning was clear¡ªkill him under the guise of an ident. There was no reason to spare the servant of a detestablemoner.

    Hearing their exchange, Toby bit his lip as if he sensed his fate and approached Werner.

    "Sir Werner, please do not stop the duel, no matter what happens to me. It would be an insult to me."

    "What are you talking about? You''re the strongest one here¡ª"

    "It seems it''s time! Please dere the start of the duel!"

    Before Werner could respond, the two knights faced each other. Toby drew his sword with a tense expression, while Gino lookedpletely at ease. It was strange¡ªWerner''s eyesight might have worsened recently, but it wasn''t bad enough to mistake the expressions on their faces.

    "Sir Werner, when will you begin? We''re already prepared."

    At Dani''s urging, Werner gave up trying to make sense of it. If they were both eager to fight, what else could he do?

    "...May this duel be one without shame before the goddess. Draw your swords."

    Whatever happens, happens.

    ***

    ''This is the perfect stage to showcase my skills.''

    Dani''s knight, Gino, was quite pleased with the situation. Since signing a lifelong contract, he hadn''t had the chance to demonstrate his abilities to Dani. A knight who swears loyalty to his lord must prove himself one way or another.

    Even the most generous lord would frown upon an idle knight wasting his hefty sry.

    ''And a duel, no less¡ªthis is my specialty.''

    The Golden Lion Knights were originally founded tobat humans rather than monsters, and Gino was above average even among them. Though he had been expelled due to his behavior, he was confident in hisbat skills against other people.

    ''Alright, let''s finish this in one blow.''

    Nothing left a strong impression like a swift, decisive victory. Lowering his stance and raising his sword horizontally, he saw the southern knight readying his own posture.

    Foolishly, the man was preparing to parry. Confident of his victory, Gino charged forward and swung his sword horizontally with all his might.

    ng.

    ''I''ve won!''

    The moment the swords shed, Gino felt certain of his victory. His de had smoothly slid past after the initial impact. Though he didn''t feel the sensation of cutting flesh, how could the sky be so clear before his eyes?

    "...The sky?"

    Wait, why could he see the sky? Before he could process the thought, a powerful impact struck Gino''s entire body.

    Thud thud thud

    "Ugh!"

    It was only after tumbling across the ground several times that Gino realized what had happened. At the moment their swords had first shed, his opponent hadunched him into the air¡ªsword and all. And only now had he crashed to the ground and rolled to a stop.

    "What the¡­ ugh!"

    Stunned by the incredible strength, Gino''s body shivered before he lost consciousness. Both his arms were dangling, broken from trying to block that monstrous power. It was no wonder he passed out after hitting the ground with broken arms.

    "...."

    "...."

    A heavy silence fell over the training ground. Toby sheathed his sword and bowed his head slightly toward Gino.

    "It was a good match."

    "...."

    "Just a hair''s breadth difference. If my reaction had been even a moment slower, my head would have been taken off..."@@novelbin@@

    "Stop talking nonsense, sir."

    Werner, unable to hold back any longer, finally spoke up. He had to say something reasonable.

 Chapter 48

    Seeing Gino rolling on the ground, Dani was at a loss for words. He couldn''tprehend what had just happened. Was Gino, who had been strong even in the Golden Lion Knights, really sent flying by that drunken fool?

    ''Am I dreaming right now?''

    Even when he pinched his cheek to check, all he felt was pain. It wasn''t until he pulled it hard enough to nearly injure his cheek that he epted it. This nightmare was reality itself.

    "What an incredibly honorable duel it was. Isn''t that right, brother?"

    At Ss''sment, who had moved closer, Dani flinched. It suddenly reminded him of the oath he had taken before the duel.

    ''Damn it¡­!''

    If it were an oath made only in front of the parties involved, it might have been different. But with Sir Werner as a notary present, it was now an oath he couldn''t escape from.

    "Brother, you''re awfully quiet. Brother?"

    "...."

    Dani clenched his mouth shut at Ss''s sly voice. Damn it, what should he do? Should he just hold out and say nothing? Just as he contemted this, Ss whispered in his ear.

    "If you don''t call me brother even once after swearing to do so, it''s a breach of oath. Do you understand what that means?"

    Dani''s hands trembled. It was a convenient interpretation for that guy, but he couldn''t outright say it was wrong either. As he racked his brain, he locked eyes with Sir Werner, who stood firmly.

    Then, in the most sorrowful voice he could muster, he spoke.

    "Sir Werner."

    "Oaths are sacred, Young Master Dani. Please do not seek a way to avoid them."

    "...."

    His attempt to ask for a favorable interpretation of the oath crumbled before it even began. If he spoke any further, it might even be interpreted in Ss''s favor.

    After taking a few deep breaths, Dani finally opened his mouth.

    "¡­Brother."

    "Hmm? What did you just say?"

    "B-brother¡­!"

    Each word felt like his insides were being torn apart. After barely managing to say "brother" loud enough to be heard, he looked at Ss with a face that seemed to ask if that was sufficient. Ss''s eyes widened in shock.

    "No way, how do you know that?"

    "...?"

    Dani was confused by Ss''s reaction. He had called him as requested, but now this was the response? As Dani tilted his head in confusion, Ss began to chatter away.

    "Didn''t you just say ''briar-leaf''? It''s a rare vegetable known for its thorny leaves and burdock-like roots. It only grows in certain southern regions, so few people are familiar with it."

    "...!"

    "Since it grows in the southern regions, Sir Toby might not know about it. What do you think?"

    "Oh, I know. Briar-leaf, that''s a pretty rare nt. By the way, I didn''t expect Young Master Dani to know about briar-leaf''."

    "Right? It''s quite surprising."

    These bastards! Watching the two nodding at each other made Dani''s eyes twitch. It sounded like nonsense, but the underlying intention was clear.

    ''Just say it straight, you bastard. Stop twisting your words.''

    Reading the unspoken pressure from the two, Dani took a deep breath. The moment he let his guard down, it felt like they would jump at him with oaths and all. After grinding his teeth, Dani clearly spoke so everyone could hear.

    "Brother."

    "What was that? briar-leaf?"

    "Brother! Brother Ss!"

    He put in so much effort that blood started trickling from his mouth. Seeing this, Ss nodded satisfactorily and opened his arms wide.

    "That''s right! You''re calling me Brother Ss. Well done, little brother!"

    "...!"

    Suppressing his anger, Dani turned his back to Ss and headed outside the training hall. If he stayed there any longer, he felt like he would vomit blood from pent-up frustration.

    As Dani walked away, Ss exchanged nces with Toby.

    ''''Well done.''''

    ''It was a piece of cake.''''

    With grins, the master and servant gave each other a thumbs-up. Werner, who had been watching this scene, stood there with his mouth agape.

    ''Could it be that Ss has this side to him?''

    He had only thought of him as a pure hero, but here he was, scheming and setting traps. The image he had built up until now crumbled in an instant. Contrary to his expectations, Ss was not just a pure knight!

    ''A man with the heart of a lion and the cunning of a fox. Perhaps he''s more suited to be a great lord than a heroic knight.''

    ¡­Once someone falls under a spell, they tend to interpret things positively, no matter what.

    ***

    After the duel incident, Dani never sought out Ss again. Even when the count tried to introduce them personally, he desperately refused. It was only natural. Once an oath was made, it couldn''t be taken back.

    If he were to talk to Ss, he''d have to call him "brother" somehow, and who would willingly meet someone under those circumstances? It''s not like he could just keep his mouth shut forever with Ss right in front of him.

    However, no matter how much Dani tried toy low, the circumstances around him wouldn''t let him be.

    "Did you hear about Sir Toby''s duel?"@@novelbin@@

    "I heard Young Master Dani''s knight got utterly destroyed."

    "Tsk tsk, they say fools are brave."

    Although the details of the oath were not revealed, the duel between Gino and Toby, along with its oue, had spread. The other knights and servants dismissed it as a fight born of foolish arrogance and mocked Gino.

    They called him an idiot for challenging a skilled opponent without knowing his strength. Every time Dani heard these words, it drove him mad.

    It was Dani who had prompted Gino into the duel, so wasn''t all of this really aimed at him?

    ''Shut up, shut up! Are you mocking me right now?!''

    The urge to grab the servants by the cor and shout at them had crossed his mind dozens of times. But if he did that, the entire situation and the oath would be exposed.

    On top of that, as the legitimate son of the Corleone family, he''d surely be branded an idiot for failing to recognize the skill of his own family''s knight.

 Chapter 50

    "I''ll say it again, this is just the advance payment. If you seed in the job, I''ll pay you double this amount."

    Dani spoke with a triumphant tone, his expression clearly showing the satisfaction of making an offer too good to refuse. Seeing that Dani already seemed to assume his eptance, Max''s expression hardened.

    __''No matter how much money you have, it''s not worth risking your life. I''ll take my leave now''

    ...Or so he thought, but the amount was too much. If he received both the advance and the remaining bnce, he could livefortably for the rest of his life.

    ''This is driving me crazy.''

    If the task had been an assassination, he would have refused without hesitation. But all he had to do was disrupt someone''s sleep. It didn''t seem that risky, and even if he got caught, as long as Dani protected him, it might be manageable.

    He might not escape a whipping, but given that it was a prank against a noble, it was a small price to pay.

    "¡­Alright, I''ll do as you say, young master."

    "Smart choice."

    Dani grinned widely at Max''s answer. With low risk and a high reward, it was almost impossible for anyone to refuse.

    "But even if I manage to avoid being caught during the operation, it would still be suspicious if the warehouse keeper like me is seen wandering the halls."

    "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of that. I''ll give them an exnation."

    He could easily make up a story about Max running errands that frequently took him near the hallways. Everyone knew that Max and Dani were close anyway.

    "Just remember, if you want to receive the rest of the payment, don''t get caught. The additionalpensation is only for a sessful job."

    "I understand."

    Even without being told, Max had no intention of being caught. No matter how safe it might seem, he didn''t want to be whipped. Once Max left, Dani, now alone in the room, thought about Ss.

    ''Let''s see how long you canst.''

    Hiring Max and paying him such a significant amount wasn''t just for a simple prank. ording to Dani ''s investigation, Ss had already built considerable trust within the family.

    So, Dani nned to start by breaking that trust.

    ''If you start showing signs of madness, do you think others will trust you as they did before?''

    Unidentified noises,ck of sleep, and suspicious circumstances¡ªif he managed to leave no trace, what would happen then? No matter how sane a person is, they eventually lose their grip on reality when pushed too far.

    Even if Ss managed to keep his sanity, it didn''t matter. As long as heined of pain, Dani could easily im it was due to hallucinations or mental illness. By then, Ss''s trust would fade, leaving only the image of a lunatic bastard.

    ''At most, it''ll take two months. I''ll just wait patiently.''

    Although Max was prone to exaggeration, he was skilled in this type of covert work.

    Dani was confident that if he waited, the desired result woulde.

    ***

    Even the most loyal vassal doesn''t stay by their lord''s side all day. No matter how devoted they are, knights are still human.

    Without adequate sleep and leisure time, they couldn''t endure. After all, they didn''t earn theirrge sries just to save them. Typically, knights had their holidays aligned with their lord''s schedule, and they would spend the entire day resting without any duties. Toby was no different.

    "Thanks for your hard work this month. Here''s your sry."

    Toby, receiving the clinking pouch of gold coins, clicked his tongue. The amount hadn''t changed, but the person giving it had.

    "Can''t I just receive it directly from the count himself? It''d be more convenient."

    "What are you talking about? I''m the one giving you your sry, so why should you receive it from my father?"

    "Well¡­ sigh, never mind."

    Though it was merely a formality for Ss to give Toby his sry, Toby understood its importance. Formalities might seem trivial, but they often held great significance.

    With this simple act, Toby became Ss''s vassal instead of just the count''s.

    "Now that you''ve received your sry, are you going out for a drink?"

    "Of course. I haven''t had a droptely while guarding you."@@novelbin@@

    "Perfect timing. I have a favor to ask."

    "You could have the servants do that¡­"

    "I''ll add some money for your drinks."

    "Anything you need, just let me know."

    Amused by the quick change in attitude, Ss handed Toby a note.

    "Buy these items. A week''s supply should be enough."

    "Let''s see¡­ thorn lotus, water caltrop, and ck herb? What are these?"

    "They''re herbs used for medicine."

    More specifically, they were herbs whosebination hadn''t been publicly disclosed yet. For now, they were only used as ornamental nts or seasonings in stews. But if these herbs werebined in precise proportions, they became a potent sleeping aid.

    It had minimal side effects and was effective, making it popr among nobles.

    "I''d prefer to buy it as a prepared medicine, but since I''m the only one who knows the form, I''ll have to make it myself."

    "Why do you need sleeping medicine all of a sudden? Are you having trouble sleeping?"

    "No, but I think I might need it soon."

    Ss nced toward the warehouse with a grin.

    "Someone will being to disturb my sleep soon."

    ***

    Three dayster, Max decided to execute the n. He had just heard from Dani that the servants were already on board. With everything prepared, Max silently walked down the dark hallway.

    "Who''s there?! What are you doing at this hour¡­ oh, Max?"

    "Yes, it''s me. The young master asked me to run an errand."

    "Ah, that''s right. I was told."

    asionally, he ran into one or two people, but thanks to the prior arrangements, he passed by without any suspicion. When he reached Ss''s room, only one maid was guarding the door.

    With a satisfied grin, Max threw a small metal ball to the side.

    ng.

    "What was that!?"

    Startled by the sudden noise, the maid turned her head. Taking advantage of the distraction, Max slipped into Ss''s room. The door was designed to make little noise when opening, andbined with Max''s skills, it was almostpletely silent.

    ''Not bad, I still got it.''

 Chapter 51

    Praising himself, Max nced at Ss''s bed. Ss was sleeping soundly, unaware of anything around him. Max carefully crawled under the bed and tapped directly beneath Ss''s pillow.

    ''I''ll start by waking him up lightly.''

    Vibrations tend to sound loud only to those nearby. Adding the prepared metal piece and tapping it increased its effectiveness.

    When someone wakes up the first time, they might think it was just their imagination and go back to sleep. That''s when the real fun would begin.

    Ting, ting, ting.

    ''Good sound!''

    Max smiled at the ringing noise from the metal piece. He thought that with a few more taps, the noise would be enough to wake Ss up.

    Twenty minutes passed.

    ''He''s not waking up.''

    Even after all that tapping, Ss remained asleep. At one point, Max had hit the metal piece so hard that it nearly echoed outside the room. For someone so close, it should have sounded like thunder, yet he kept sleeping.

    ''What''s going on?''

    Unable to contain his frustration, Max crawled out from under the bed. It was risky, but he had to check. When he looked at Ss''s face, he was at a loss for words.

    Snoooore, snoooore. "¡­He''s really sleeping deeply."

    Max stared at Ss''s face in disbelief. He was sleeping so soundly that he wouldn''t wake up even if someone carried him away. If it had been an assassin''s mission, killing Ss would have been easy.

    ''Damn it, what am I supposed to do now?''

    If noise didn''t wake him, there was nothing Max could do. If he touched Ss directly, he would be executed, regardless of Dani''s protection. With a deep sigh, Max gave up the operation and left the room.

    It was a long-term mission anyway. Tonight wasn''t the only chance; he could try again next time.

    ***

    A weekter, Max was screaming in frustration alone in the warehouse.

    "This is ridiculous! How can a person sleep so soundly!?"

    At first, he thought it was just one particrly tiring night. But no, it wasn''t. The next night, and the night after that, Ss continued to sleep deeply. It had been a week now. Instead of driving Ss crazy, Max felt like he was the one going insane.

    ''If he doesn''t wake up even to the sound of a teacup shattering right next to him, what am I supposed to do?!''

    On the sixth night, Max, unable to take it anymore, had pushed a teacup nearby, shattering it. He figured that would be enough to wake Ss. But it didn''t. Even when a maid rushed in, startled, Ss continued to sleep soundly.

    With no progress, Dani called Max back and scolded him.

    "When are you nning to start? Are you waiting for him to die of old age before you begin?"

    "Well¡­ actually, I''ve already started."

    "What? Then why haven''t I heard anything?"

    "There''s a problem. The young master sleeps too well."

    "What kind of bullshit is that?!"

    Dani, irritated, shouted while Max shrank back and exined the situation. Once the young master falls asleep, it''s as if nothing could wake him, not even if someone tried to carry him away. No matter how loud the noise, there was no reaction. Unless someone physically touched him, there was no way to wake him up.

    "To be honest, I still doubt he would wake up. I''ve never seen a human sleep so deeply without the aid of medication."

    "Is that so¡­?"

    After a brief moment of contemtion, a smile crept onto Dani''s lips.

    "In that case, we''ll change the n."

    "What do you mean by ''change''¡­?"

    "If nothing wakes him up, then there''s no need to just threaten him with noise. Visual threats are far scarier, after all."

    Max tilted his head, not understanding the words, as Dani took a dagger from a nearby drawer.

    "Take this."

    "Why are you giving me a dagger all of a sudden?"

    "Go and stick it next to that illegitimate child''s pillow. You can do that much, right?"

    "What!?"

    Max was horrified. That was unmistakably the behavior of an assassin!

    "I can''t do it! I absolutely can''t!"

    "Did I tell you to kill him? I just said to stick it next to his pillow."

    "The risk isn''t evenparable!"

    If he got caught making noise, he could brush it off as a prank ordered by the young master. But this? If he got caught, he would die instantly. Even if they didn''t kill him on the spot, he''d surely be tortured about who was behind it.

    ''And then you''d pretend you didn''t know anything!''@@novelbin@@

    This wasn''t something that could be passed off as a sibling''s prank. If Max got caught, Dani would most likely cut ties and abandon him. He couldn''t bear that kind of risk.

    Noticing Max''s firm resolve, Dani clicked his tongue and proposed a new condition.

    "I''ll pay you five times the remaining amount. And after this task, you won''t have to do anything like this ever again."

    "¡­!"

    Max''s eyes wavered at Dani''s words. All he had to do was take one risk, and he''d receive five times the amount? Even though he wanted to refuse immediately, he hesitated at the tempting offer.

    "Didn''t you say that even if you carried him away, he wouldn''t know? Then just do it once. You won''t be caught the first time, will you?"

    That was true. The young master slept so deeply that he might not even wake up if a building copsed next to him. At least, the first attempt wouldn''t be caught.

    And with that single, unnoticed attempt, he could collect all the money.

    "Just once."

    "Yes, once is enough."

    Max sighed at Dani''s confirmation, already nning to leave the mansion the moment he got paid.

    ***

    That night, Max entered Ss''s room as usual. Ss was still sleeping like a log,pletely unaware of the world. Max, just in case, put on a mask and drew the dagger from his waist.

    It was a situation where anyone would scream "assassin" if they saw him. But Max wasn''t worried.

    ''There''s no way a young master who sleeps so deeply would wake up today of all days.''

    All he had to do was ce the dagger next to the pillow and run. As Max cautiously approached the bed, he noticed something unusual.

    ''Huh? Why is there a sword next to the bed? It wasn''t there before¡­''

    It was as if someone had prepared for an enemy''s attack. Thinking it was an overreaction, Max shook his head and was about to stick the dagger into the pillow.

    "...."

    "...."

    Ss, with his eyes open, met Max''s gaze. Frozen in ce, Max stared as Ss, in a loud and clear voice, said:

    "Assassin!"

    "No, no, that''s not it!"

    But before Max could finish his excuse, Ss grabbed his sword.

 Chapter 52

    "Hey, you!"

    Max jumped back in shock, retreating out of the range of Ss''s sword. It was already a situation where no excuse would work.

    A string of curses popped into Max''s head, but there wasn''t even enough time to spit them out.

    ''Run!''

    The job and everything else didn''t matter anymore. If he didn''t flee immediately, the knights would capture and kill him.

    Just as Max was about to open the door, a teacup flew from Ss'' hand.

    Crash!

    "Oof!"

    The teacup struck Max''s head, shattering on impact and causing him to stumble. In that brief moment, Ss darted out and blocked the door.

    "There''s no escape!"

    ''Damn it...!''

    Max barely managed to regain his senses, biting his lip as he stepped back. Now, the only escape route left was the window behind him.

    After a moment of hesitation, Max turned, sprinted, and threw himself toward the ss.

    Smash!

    "Argh!"

    Max tumbled to the ground from the second floor, shaking off the ss shards. Fortunately, the high-quality ss wasn''t too sharp when it broke. He let out a small sigh of relief, but that relief was short-lived.

    "What was that sound!?"

    "It came from over there!"

    ''I knew this would happen.''

    That''s why Max always hated breaking through windows. It was like announcing his location to the whole neighborhood.

    Luckily, he had managed to distance himself from Ss. If he could hide his mask and dagger, he could return to being an innocent warehouse worker.

    Just as he thought that and prepared to slip into the shadows, a voice rang out.

    "Assassin!"

    "...!"

    Max''s heart sank at the sound from nearby. When he turned his head, he saw thest person he wanted to encounter.

    ''This is insane! Why is this drunken fool here?''

    It was Toby Bastone, a knight infamous for his reckless behavior but renowned for his unmatched physical strength within his household. He was also someone Max had no chance of defeating, even in a perfect ambush.

    Toby grinned at Max, who stood frozen in fear.

    "Don''t worry. I won''t touch you. I''m not the one who''ll deal with you."

    "...?"

    What was he talking about? There was an assassin who had just attacked his lord¡ªor at least, someone who looked like one¡ªstanding right in front of him, and yet he wasn''t going to attack?

    Max cursed under his breath, unable to ask directly for fear of being exposed. But his question was soon answered.

    Thud.

    "Hmph."

    A sound from behind startled Max, and he trembled as he turned his head. Ss, holding his sword, had already arrived. It seemed he had jumped out from the window Max had just broken.

    Ss dusted off the dirt from hisnding and gripped his sword firmly.

    "Toby, make sure he can''t escape."

    "Don''t worry, sir. If he tries anything, I''ll skewer him with this."

    Toby lightly tapped his spear, causing Max to break out in a cold sweat. With Toby''s monstrous strength, if he threw that spear, Max wouldn''t have time to dodge; he''d be impaled instantly.

    Max gritted his teeth and readjusted his grip on his dagger, realizing his escape route waspletely blocked.

    ''There''s no other way. I''ll have to take that young lord as a hostage!''

    There was no longer any way to exin his situation, and there was no way to escape undetected. His only option left was to take a hostage.

    Although he wasn''t sure if that would guarantee his survival, there was at least a slim chance.

    ''Luckily, Toby''s only blocking my escape. A young lord who''s barely been training with a sword for a month should be easy enough to...!?''

    Before Max could finish his thought, a lightning-fast strike from Ss''s sword made him freeze. Instinctively, he raised his dagger to block, and sparks flew as the weapons shed.

    ng!

    ''Ugh!''

    The sheer force of Ss''s attack made Max''s arm tremble violently. Despite the difference between a dagger and a longsword, the strike had far more power than Max expected.

    ''This young lord isn''t a novice!''

    Cold sweat ran down Max''s back. He had thought it would be easy enough to take Ss hostage with a bit of effort, but now he had to worry about his own life.

    Seeing Max manage to block the surprise attack, Ss smiled, seemingly impressed.

    "Oh, not bad. I guess I can go a bit harder."

    "...!?"

    Max initially thought Ss was bluffing, but before that thought could even finish, another barrage of rapid thrusts came his way.

    Max had no choice but to focus all his energy on parrying Ss''s strikes. There was no time to think about anything else. All he could do was block the de that was right in front of his face.

    While Max was struggling to fend off Ss''s attacks, time continued to pass, and a crowd had started to gather around them.

    "Sir Toby, what''s happening here?"

    "The young lord... he''s fighting!"

    The knights gasped in shock as they saw Ss shing swords with an unknown assant.

    "What are we waiting for? Let''s help him!"

    "No! Stop, all of you!"

    Some of the knights drew their swords and charged forward, but Toby stepped in their way.

    Frustrated at being blocked, the knights frowned and shouted.

    "Sir Toby, why are you stopping us!?"

    "Lord Ss is your master! You should be the first to help him..." they yelled in outrage.

    Toby, however, lowered his head solemnly, wearing a heavy expression.

    "Do you think I don''t want to help? But the problem is his identity!" Toby said.

    "His identity? Isn''t he just an assassin?"

    "He''s no ordinary assassin! That guy... he''s an assassin from the heretic cults of the East!"

    "What!" The knights gasped, exchanging startled nces. Eastern heretic assassins were notorious, even within the Empire.

    These assassins were known for their fanatical devotion, willing to die without hesitation, and for undergoing ten years of body modifications just for a single mission.

    And now, Ss was fighting one of those dangerous killers?

    "An assassin from the East? Are you sure?" one knight asked in disbelief.

    ''Sure? Are you kidding me? Where''s this drunk fool getting this nonsense from?'' Max thought, shocked even more than the knights.@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 54

    So much so, that a saying spread among the people:

    "No amount of wealth or followers can protect your life. If you''ve be the target of the ck Moon, prepare for death."

    Arrogant as it may have sounded, that was the level of fear the ck Moonmanded¡ªuntil their leader made a fatal mistake.

    ''The problem was when they started assassinating nobles,'' Max thought.

    To be honest, the noble who was killed wasn''t anyone significant¡ªjust a rural baron on the Empire''s far edge. His fief consisted of nothing more than a tiny vige. The leader of the ck Moon had seen this contract as insignificant.

    "It should be fine. It''s just a rural baron," he had thought.

    Who would care about the death of a minor noble from a backwater region? Nobody in the capital would even notice. In contrast,moners would grow more fearful of the ck Moon, knowing that even nobles could fall at their hands.

    It was an incredibly foolish assumption. The moment the noble''s assassination reached the ears of the lords, their response was immediate.

    "Are these lunatics begging for death?" the lords had eximed.

    And just like that, the ck Moon was crushed. Enormous bounties were ced on every member of the organization, and the lords issued orders to eliminate the ck Moon from their territories. Anyone suspected of being part of the ck Moon was executed on the spot throughout the Empire.

    The knights, especially those of noble blood, hunted down members of the ck Moon relentlessly, often pursuing them to the ends of the earth to sever their heads. Evenmoners were eager to hunt the assassins, hoping to improve their fortunes. Some assassins were even killed by mobs of beggars driven mad by the bounty.

    ''It took only two years for the organization to copse,'' Max recalled.

    Considering their previous notoriety, the ck Moon''s fall was shockingly swift. The eradication efforts were so thorough that even now, 15 yearster, the bounties remained active despite the organization being long defunct.

    Max, who had once been a member of the ck Moon, was no exception.

    "I-I don''t know what you''re talking about," Max stammered.

    "Don''t pretend, Number 21," Ss replied.

    "...!"@@novelbin@@

    Max''s face crumbled at the mention of "Number 21"¡ªthe number he had been assigned when he was a rookie assassin being trained by the ck Moon. It was information that even most other members of the organization didn''t know!

    "How... how do you know that?"

    "There are ways to find these things out," Ss said, leaning casually against the wall, as if relishing the mystery he was creating. The truth, however, was much simpler.

    ''Obviously, I read it in your diary,'' Ss thought.

    In his previous life, both Dani and Helena had relentlessly tormented Ss. The insomnia tactic Max had attempted this time was one of the many forms of harassment Ss had endured back then.

    At the time, not knowing the cause of the strange noises that disrupted his sleep had driven Ss to the brink of madness. People thought he was losing his mind, and hisints of suffering were met with mockery.

    It wasn''t until muchter that he learned it was all a scheme by Dani and Max.

    ''That''s why I killed you when we met again,'' Ss thought, recalling the day they reunited yearster, after the count''s death, when Ss had been driven out of the family.

    Ss had tracked down Max to a western estate and, since Max hadn''t recognized him, he had quietly followed Max back to his hideout before attacking him.

    "You bastard! Finally, I''ve caught you!""Gah! Y-Young Master?! Ugh!"

    Max hadn''t even been able to put up much of a fight, and Ss had beaten him senseless for about thirty minutes. Eventually, either because Ss had struck him wrong or because he had failed to control his strength, Max had died during the beating.

    Fortunately, Ss had managed to get off with just a fine due to his noble status.

    ''I found your diary then, too,'' Ss remembered.

    After Max''s death, Ss had searched his hideout out of curiosity, wondering why Max hade to the westernnds. That was when he had found the diary, hidden carefully but not well enough to evade discovery in such a temporary shelter.

    "Kill me, please," Max said now.

    "Isn''t it usually, ''Please spare me,'' in situations like this?" Ss responded.

    "Is there even a way for me to live?" Max muttered, his face showing that he had given up. He had been branded a noble assassin, so he was already a dead man. All that remained was whether he would die quickly or painfully.

    "What if there is a way for you to live?"

    "¡­!?"

    Max''s eyes widened in shock. Was there really a way out of this situation?

    "Is there really a way?" Max asked, suddenly hopeful.

    "There is, but only if you do exactly as I say," Ss replied.

    "Tell me! Please, tell me!"

    "But first, let''s clear one thing up. It was Dani who put you up to this, wasn''t it?"

    "¡­Yes."

    Max hesitated for a moment before answering. At this point, he no longer cared about any retaliation from Dani. What could be worse than the fate he was already facing? Ss, satisfied with the confirmation, smiled.

    "Good. Here''s what''s going to happen. Until my father returns in the morning, you''ll stay here. When he arrives, he''s going to interrogate you, and you''ll do this¡­"

    Ss proceeded to exin his n in detail. It took quite a while to go through everything, and as Ss spoke, Max''s expression gradually shifted from attentive to one of utter disbelief.

    "You''re joking, right?"

    "I''m not. I''mpletely serious."

    "You think that will actually work? For real?"

    "It will, at least here."

    In a household full of romantic knights like Count Leonard, such a n was bound to seed. Even the knights under the count were so much like him that there would be little opposition.

    After some thought, Max sighed deeply and said, "Before I do as you say, I have one request."

    "What is it?"

    "In the kitchen, there''s some ground wasabi. Roll it into a ball the size of my pinky finger and put it in my mouth."

    He needed tears¡ªlots of them.

    "An assassin! In my domain, of all ces, an assassin!" Count Leonard bellowed in fury as he returned in the morning. The knights stood by nervously, swallowing hard at the sight of their lord''s unprecedented rage.

    "What happened to Ss? If he was injured in any way¡­" the count began, his voice trembling with concern.

    "Please, calm yourself, my lord. Young Master Ss ispletely fine."

    Werner, the senior knight, took charge and tried to calm the count. Although it was a dire situation, the oue had been the best possible one.

    "As I mentioned earlier, my lord, the young master is unharmed. In fact, he fought the assassin alone and subdued him. So please, calm yourself."

    "Huff¡­ huff¡­"

    The count gripped his trembling hands tightly, working to suppress his rage. As his mind regained some rity, he began to see the situation more clearly. An assassin had infiltrated the estate, yet it was Ss who had turned the tables and subdued the attacker?

 Chapter 55

    "Fortunately, it seems the assassin didn''t know how to fight head-on."

    Assassins weren''t soldiers or knights. They didn''t need to know how to fight in openbat¡ªusing poison or striking in the dead of night was enough to get the job done. The assassin sent after Ss had likely relied on thetter tactic, or so the count thought, sighing in relief.

    "No, my lord," Werner interrupted.

    "What do you mean, no?"

    "The assassin may not have been on the level of a knight, but he was still quite skilled. If it had been an inexperienced squire or even an ordinary soldier, they would have been in serious danger."

    "¡­!"

    The count''s eyes widened in shock. His son, who had only been training in swordsmanship for a month, had managed to subdue an assassin who could have been a serious threat even to a seasoned soldier?

    "Is this true?"

    "There were dozens of exchanges, my lord. Not only I but many other knights witnessed it," Werner confirmed.

    The count nced around, and the other knights nodded in agreement. Feeling a mix of awe and disbelief, the count sank into his chair, letting out a deep breath.

    "What is that boy going to do next to astonish me?"

    "He''ll likely continue to surprise you for quite some time," Werner said with a hint of amusement.

    "It doesn''t feel like a joke. He''s already done so much more than I could have imagined," the count muttered, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. Under different circumstances, he would have been overjoyed at his son''s talent. But now, the looming threat of the assassin cast a shadow over any pride he felt.

    Thinking about the assassin again, the count''s expression hardened.

    "They said the assassin is Max?"

    "Yes, my lord."

    "I''ve never once treated my servants poorly, and yet that wretch dared¡­"

    Max had served the family long before anyone knew of Ss''s potential. He couldn''t have infiltrated the household from the start with the intention of killing them. It had to be a spur-of-the-moment decision, likely instigated by someone else''s order.

    "Bring Max before me! I''ll begin the interrogation in front of everyone!"

    A short whileter, Max was dragged out of the warehouse. Bound tightly, he was thrown to the ground in front of the gathered knights with a thud.

    Thud!

    "Ugh!" Max groaned in pain, but no one showed him any sympathy. The count, with Dani and Ss standing on either side of him, ground his teeth in fury.

    "Max! I can''t believe you''re an assassin!" the count shouted.

    "M-My lord¡­" Max muttered, his voice trembling as he lifted his head to meet the count''s gaze, only to quickly lower it again in shame. His entire demeanor screamed of guilt and regret.

    But to the count, this disy only seemed like a further insult.

    "You hid behind the guise of a cripple for years! What, after killing Ss, were you nning to kill me next?"

    "N-No, my lord! Never! I would never dare harm you!"

    "Silence! You dare to pretend loyalty after epting money to kill me?"

    "It wasn''t for money, my lord! I was threatened! If not for the ckmail¡­!"

    "What? ckmail?" The count blinked in surprise, having expected a mercenary motivation. But now Max was iming he had been forced into it?

    Immediately, murmurs spread among the servants and knights nearby.

    "I am an assassin, that much is true. I was trained to be one. But I gave up that life over a decade ago!"

    "What are you saying? Exin yourself!" the count demanded, his voice thunderous.

    Max, with a pained expression, began to tell his story. How he had been an orphan taken in by an assassin organization, how he had endured agonizing days filled with blood and pain, how he had befriended others only to watch them be killed one by one. He told of the heartless overseers who forced them to mutte the corpses of their friends during their final tests.

    When Max had refused, he''d been marked for execution, but the hideout had been raided by soldiers. He had narrowly escaped and had gone on to bury his friends before walking away into the sunset, leaving the life of an assassin behind him.

    This heart-wrenching tale, though over-dramatized, was delivered with tearful emotion, a tear jerking blockbuster of sorrow and tragedy.

    "All I wanted after that lucky escape was to live a quiet, ordinary life... but then¡­ then they found me again¡­ and..." Max''s voice broke as he began to sob.

    "Hmm." The count, though still wary, found himself cooling off as Max''s story went on. His intense anger gave way to a more measured response. The surrounding knights clicked their tongues in disapproval, while some of the more soft-hearted maids dabbed their eyes with handkerchiefs.

    "I understand your situation. But then why did you return to the life of an assassin?"

    "I was ckmailed. They said that if I didn''t kill the young master, they would expose my past and desecrate the bodies of my friends. I had no choice... sob... no choice!" Max wept, his face pressed against the ground. His nose was running, and his forehead hit the floor repeatedly, clearly overwhelmed by his emotions.

    And truly, he was close to losing his mind.

    ''Young master, I asked for just a little bit of wasabi, but you brought way too much!''

    The wasabi''s spiciness was unbearable. Max had taken a huge bite of the wasabi ball and was now fighting off the intense burn in his mouth, making his emotional disy all the more convincing.

    "Who is the one that ckmailed you? Name your conspirator!" the countmanded.

    "Khh... That... It''s..." Max''s eyes flicked toward Dani, who was standing nearby, gritting his teeth in anger.

    ''This bastard! He''s really trying to drag me down with him!''

    Dani had anticipated Max would try to implicate him somehow, but this level of audacity was shocking. Still, he was prepared. As a noble skilled in scheming, he had alreadyid the groundwork to discredit any usations.

    ''Go ahead, say my name. I''ll refute it right away,'' Dani thought confidently, his mind prepared to tear apart any inconsistencies in Max''s fabricated tale.

    Dani waited, certain that he could handle whatever was thrown at him.

    "The one who''s behind this is... sob My lord, please just kill me!"

    But to everyone''s surprise, Max broke down mid-sentence, pressing his face to the floor again. The count, growing impatient, clenched his fist.

    "Why did you stop? Tell us who your conspirator is!"

    "But if I do, they''ll... they''ll desecrate my friends'' graves! They''ll seek revenge..." Max cried out.

    "If you tell me, I''ll make sure to stop them! Trust me and speak!" the count urged.@@novelbin@@

    Max''s tearful eyes once again drifted toward Dani. His lips trembled, and his whole body shook as he struggled to speak.

    "The one behind this is... sob Count... please... just kill me!"

    He nced at Dani again, sobbing, then looked up at the sky and broke down even more.

    "The one behind all this is... sob..." he began, before bursting into even louder cries. His eyes flicked toward Dani once again, drawing everyone''s attention to him. Even the servants, the knights, and the count turned to look at Dani.

    Now feeling the weight of everyone''s gaze, Dani''s face twitched with irritation.

    "The one who threatened me with revenge is... sob, sob... they... cough, cough..." Max''s incessant sobbing and coughs were now even more extreme.

    With all eyes now on Dani, his face flushed with frustration. His jaw clenched tightly.

    ''Just say it, you insane fool!'' Dani thought, his hands balling into fists, ready to explode at any moment.

 Chapter 58

    "What brings you back from the Academy? Don''t you have studies to attend to?" Dani asked, his voiceced with frustration.

    "The Academy is on break until next spring. You followed me there, iming you were doing some pre-enrollment research. Didn''t you know that much?" Ulrich replied, his gaze filled with disdain.

    Dani''s face flushed red with embarrassment. In truth, he had never done any such research. He simply wanted to visit the bustling capital of the Empire and had used it as an excuse. Of course, Ulrich knew that Dani had spent his time idling about, and his words were intended to mock him.

    "And look at this, the son of a noble swordsman using a sword so crudely," Ulrich added, eyeing Dani''s broken sword.

    "I''ll use my sword however I please. You don''t need to interfere," Dani snapped, turning his head away defiantly.

    Ulrich smirked. "You''ve gotten bold since Ist saw you. I suppose that''s why you thought you could attempt fratricide."

    "That''s not true!" Dani burst out, unable to contain his rage. He was already losing his mind from all the gossip behind his back, and now Ulrich was throwing it in his face.

    Ulrich shrugged at Dani''s outburst. "What isn''t true? That the new brother isn''t your sibling? Or that you didn''t try to have him killed?"

    "Neither! You don''t know the full story, Ulrich!" Dani shouted, his anger boiling over.

    "If you''re so aggrieved, then tell me your side. I''ve been curious to hear it anyway," Ulrich said, crossing his arms. He had only just arrived at the estate and had yet to meet their father, let alone hear the full details of the incident. All he knew were the rumors spreading among the estate''s residents.

    Finally given the chance to exin himself, Daniunched into a fervent recount of events. He described how it all started as a harmless prank. He had ordered Max to disturb Ss''s sleep, only for it to fail because Ss slept too deeply. That one unlucky night, things had gone wrong, and suddenly, he was being used of orchestrating an assassination.

    Finally, he exined how Max had betrayed him, pinning the me for the assassination attempt on him.

    "It''s outrageous! I''m being framed, and it''s driving me mad!" Dani finished, his voice filled with frustration.

    Ulrich, however, seemed unimpressed. After a moment of silence, he sighed and shook his head. "You left something out of your story, Dani."

    "What could I have possibly left out?" Dani demanded.

    "You never should have started that foolish prank in the first ce. If you hadn''t, there wouldn''t have been anything to pin on you."

    "...!"

    Dani''s face turned bright red with fury and shame. He was about to shout a retort when Ulrich raised a hand, stopping him.

    "There''s no need to hear more. It''s obvious that all of this is your own fault," Ulrich said, cutting him off.

    "I¡ª" Dani tried to argue, but Ulrich didn''t give him a chance.

    "Let me spell it out for you," Ulrich said, counting off on his fingers. "First, you turned a brother into an enemy when you didn''t need to. From what I''ve heard, he''s quite capable, and now you''ve made a dangerous rival."

    "Am I supposed to stand by while some illegitimate brat sits on top of me, acting like he''s my superior?" Dani fumed.

    "When you hit someone, don''t be surprised if they hit back. Can you guarantee you won''t be his target now?" Ulrich asked, his voice calm but cutting.

    Dani''s face went nk. He had never considered the possibility. To him, Ss had always been just the bastard half-brother with nothing but the count''s favor behind him. That was, until the assassination incident, which hadpletely changed Ss''s position in the household.

    ''What if he holds a grudge and decides to bring me down?'' Dani thought, dread creeping over him. The dynamic of victim and aggressor had been established, and if Ss decided to act, he could ruin Dani''s reputation beyond repair. A chill ran down Dani''s spine at the thought.

    "Second," Ulrich continued, "you failed to inspire loyalty in your subordinate. You practically showed Max you''d discard him at any moment. Naturally, he sold you out. What did you expect?"

    "But¡­ I''ve given him plenty of food and shelter!" Dani protested weakly.@@novelbin@@

    "In exchange for work, right? Anyone would think you were doing him a favor out of the kindness of your heart," Ulrich shot back.

    It was a sharp rebuke. Now that Dani thought about it, he had only ever interacted with Max when he needed something done. He had never shown any real care for the man. To Max, Dani had been nothing more than a client with a higher social status.

    "Third, when things went wrong, instead of taking active steps to fix the situation, you set up one flimsy countermeasure and sat back, thinking it would all work out. Do you think life works ording to the rules of a chessboard?" Ulrich asked, shaking his head.

    "..."

    Dani''s face flushed with embarrassment. As much as he wanted to argue, he couldn''t think of anything to say. This had always been the case¡ªUlrich could see the bigger picture, while Dani had always struggled with his narrow, short-sighted perspective. Dani had never been able to escape from his brother''s shadow.

    "I''ve heard enough from you," Ulrich said dismissively.

    "Are you going to see Father now?" Dani asked, desperate to change the subject.

    "Yes, and I have some people to introduce to him as well," Ulrich replied, his tone shifting slightly.

    "People to introduce?" Dani repeated, confused.

    "Master," a voice called out from behind. Dani stiffened and turned around, only to see three strange individuals standing nearby.

    One of them was a hunchbacked old man with half of his face scarred and deformed. At first nce, he seemed like a disfiguredmoner, but Dani recognized him immediately.

    ''An assassin?'' Dani thought, rmed. The man''s aura, his silent movements¡ªit all reminded Dani of Max, though this man seemed far more dangerous. His footsteps were so quiet that, even walking beside Dani, they were barely audible. Where had Ulrich found such a person?

    ''And it''s not just the old man,'' Dani noted. The other two figures were just as unusual. One was a knight with his face hidden beneath a helmet, and the other was a young man with the air of a schr. The two seemedpletely mismatched, yet both radiated an intimidating presence.

    "As you requested, we''ve scouted the estate," the knight said.

    "And what did you think of my homnd?" Ulrich asked, a grin spreading across his face.

    "It''s perfect. The security is tight, the military strong, and the geography ideal. It''s a ce well-suited for achieving great things," the schrly young man answered, his soft voice filled with barely contained excitement.

    "Hahaha! I''m d to hear it!" Ulrichughed, clearly pleased.

    "I speak only the truth, Master," the young man said with a slight bow, his loyalty and admiration evident. It was clear that this young schr was utterly devoted to Ulrich.

    Watching the exchange, Dani''s hands clenched into fists. In contrast to Max, who had betrayed him, Ulrich had gathered fiercely loyal subordinates. It was infuriating to witness the disparity.

 Chapter 60

    ''The bloodlines of mystery.''

    Toby had never encountered anyone with a different ancient bloodline besides his own. But his father had warned him time and time again.

    "Toby, we are not the only ones who carry the blood of ancient lineages. As you wander the world, you maye across others with a simr heritage."

    "Other bloodlines?" Toby had asked.

    "Yes, descendants of dragons, those blessed by spirits, or even those with the blood of demons. You won''te across them often, but they do exist." Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire

    Toby''s father, who usually spoke with a yful tone, had been deadly serious when he gave this advice. Toby could still remember the sharp focus in his father''s eyes from that day.

    "If you ever face one of them, you''ll have to fight with everything you''ve got. Relying on brute strength alone could get you killed."

    "Have you ever faced one before, Father?"

    "I fought a half-mad demon-blooded bastard once. I won, but I paid a heavy price for it."

    As he said this, Toby''s father had touched his left eye, a reminder of the battle. The eye had been shed by something sharp, leaving it blind. The scar was so deep that, if it had been any worse, it might have cost him his life.

    "Remember, it''s easy to lose your edge in a world full of weaklings, but if you let your guard down against one of these people, you could lose everything. If you''re unlucky, you won''t just lose an eye like me," his father had said,ughing in his usual way. But even in that moment, Toby hadn''t been able tough with him.

    His father had been the strongest man he knew, with masterful skills and a body in its prime. Toby wasn''t sure if he could win even now if he had to fight his father. And yet, it was one of these ancient bloodlines that had pushed his father to the brink of death.

    "...Should I use my spear?" Toby asked, swallowing nervously. It wasn''t that hecked confidence in his sword skills, but the true strength of the Baston familyy in spearbat. If he was facing an opponent he couldn''t easily defeat, he would need to use every advantage he had.

    Ss chuckled at Toby''s unease. "No need. Your sword will be enough."

    "Didn''t you just tell me to fight at full strength?" Toby asked, confused.

    "I meant you should take it seriously. No one''s asking you to fight to the death in a friendly match," Ss said, smiling.

    Toby felt a bit embarrassed. After all, this wasn''t like his father''s battle where his life was on the line. It was merely a friendly duel to test each other''s skills. No one was supposed to die, and if someone did, that would be the real problem.

    "Ulrich probably suggested the duel thinking you''re still fighting under the curse''s effects. He figures he''ll win easily enough at that level," Ss added.

    "Wait, does that mean Ulrich picked me for this duel just to show off by having his knight beat the strongest one here?" Toby said, frowning.@@novelbin@@

    "Of course. He wants to make his new knight look good by defeating the most powerful knight we have, and in the process, he''ll also unt his own insight and judgment in picking him," Ss exined.

    Toby''s expression soured further. He realized he had been chosen to make Ulrich''s knight look impressive¡ªa stepping stone for their glory.

    "I guess I have to win, then."

    "Just don''t humiliate him too much. Unlike their lords, knights don''t enjoy these things when they get too one-sided," Ss warned.

    "What do you mean? Weren''t they working together on this?" Toby asked, surprised.

    "Not quite. Sir Ray doesn''t serve Ulrich out of loyalty," Ss exined.

    Ulrich had three core subordinates: one was a strategist, another a shadow operative, and thest was Ray Winslow, the knight responsible forbat. But Ray was different from the others. While the strategist and operative served Ulrich out of genuine devotion, Ray was bound to serve him out of necessity rather than choice.

    "He follows orders, but that doesn''t mean he agrees with them. This duel probably doesn''t mean much to him¡ªit''s just something he was told to do," Ss continued.

    "Where do you get all this information?" Toby asked, amazed.

    Ss shrugged casually. "I have my ways."

    Naturally, he couldn''t exin that his knowledge came from his memories of a past life.

    "Don''t worry about politics. Just focus on the fight. It''s your first time fighting someone from a different ancient bloodline, isn''t it?"

    "Yeah, it is," Toby admitted.

    "Then this will be the first real challenge you''ve had."

    "..."

    Toby realized Ss was right. Up until now, none of the duels he had fought had been serious. Even when he held back, the fights were easy, and when he decided to fight properly, his opponents didn''tst long.

    But now, for the first time, he was about to face a real challenge¡ªsomeone who could truly test him.

    ''I like it,'' Toby thought, his grip tightening on his sword as a gleam of excitement lit up his eyes.

    Before the duel even began, a crowd of spectators had gathered to watch Ray and Toby face off. Many of them were servants who should have been working, but the count had allowed everyone to watch.

    In a world with little entertainment, such events were rare, and they were seen as a good way to boost morale.

    "Another duel? It hasn''t been long since Sir Dani''s knight was beaten senseless.""This time, it''s a knight Ulrich brought back from the capital.""I wonder how long he''llst. And what''s with the helmet in a friendly match?"

    Hearing the murmurs from the onlookers, Oscar, the young man standing beside Ulrich, frowned.

    "The servants are far too unruly."

    "Haha, it''s just the atmosphere in our family. Don''t you think it''s lively?" Ulrich replied, smiling.

    "I think the count is a bit too lenient with them. In other noble households in the capital, they wouldn''t survive such insolence," Oscar remarked. In the capital, where political intrigue was rampant, everything was tightly controlled. A servant speaking out of turn could be disastrous for a noble''s reputation.

    "In time, those types of people beg for death. I''d love to show them firsthand," Oscar added.

    "Calm down. Even though they seem undisciplined, this kind of environment has its advantages," Ulrich said, taking a sip of fruit juice.

    "Advantages?"

    "For one thing, rumors spread faster," Ulrich exined.

    "Rumors?" Oscar asked.

    "Whether good or bad, rumors tend to be exaggerated. I''ve used that to my advantage many times," Ulrich said, his tone smug.

    "So, this duel will likely work in your favor as well," Oscar concluded.

    "Exactly. For me, it''ll fuel good rumors. For my poor younger brother, it''ll be the opposite," Ulrich said, ncing toward Ss.

 Chapter 63

    His father had a knack for finding the best in people and shaping the narrative around them, guiding everyone''s perception in a positive direction. And because it was never forced, those who received his praise were always left feeling genuinely touched. His sincerity was disarming, causing people to pledge their loyalty wholeheartedly.

    ''And on the other hand, Toby''s stubbornness in resisting Father''s warmth shows just how strong-willed he is,'' Ss thought, amused by the contrast.

    Whether it was because of the curse or simply Toby''s unruly nature, he had resisted the count''s warmth for a long time.

    "Now, enough with the formalities!" the count dered. "This is a day to celebrate the return of heroes!"

    After the duel, the estate was a flurry of activity as servants scrambled to prepare for the impromptu feast. Ulrich wore a smile, but he couldn''t stop his lips from twitching in frustration.

    ''Damn it, I took a hit this time, little brother.''

    Ulrich''s eyes, narrowed into thin slits, gazed coldly at Ss across the room.

    While Toby and Ray were the stars of the duel, their lords, Ulrich and Ss, were the center of attention at the feast. However, Ulrich chose not to attend. He excused himself, iming fatigue from the journey, but the truth was he had no desire to celebrate.

    "To think it would turn out like this," Ulrich muttered through gritted teeth, clenching his fists in anger. His strategist, Oscar, cautiously stepped forward.

    "Still, you didn''t lose entirely, my lord. You''ve left a strong impression on the people, and Ray fought on par with the strongest knight in the house. It''s not a bad oue¡­"

    "Only losers think like that!" Ulrich snapped, his sharp retort causing Oscar to flinch and step back. After a moment of seething in silence, Ulrich sighed and reclined in his chair.

    "If things had gone ording to n, Ray would have been crowned the strongest knight. Imagine it¡ªat just neen, a young female knight dered the strongest."

    In that scenario, Ray would have be a singr hero, a reincarnation of legend, a figure so grand that it would have catapulted Ulrich''s status alongside her. But instead, Ray''s loss hadplicated everything.

    "Now, there are two knights, and she''s the weaker of the two. No matter how much people talk about her youth, her potential¡ªit''s all just excuses."

    In the end, everyone would remember Toby as the strongest, and Toby was Ss''s knight, not his. When people thought of the strongest knight, they would think of Ss, not him.

    "And that half-brother of mine has grown even more confident. This was supposed to be my moment to crush his rise, but instead, I''ve only fanned the mes," Ulrich growled, mming his fist on the desk. He couldn''t get Ss''s face out of his mind¡ªthe way Ss had praised him for having a great knight, but with an underlying tone that said, "But mine is still the best."

    "Damn it, it''s been a long time since I''ve been this frustrated."

    "Is it time for me to step in?" a raspy voice echoed from the corner of the room. Ulrich paused and nced toward the shadowy figure of a hunchbacked old man.

    "Do you have a n?" Ulrich asked.

    "For an assassin, there''s always one n. The methods, of course, vary."

    "Enough. Using you now would be the worst of all decisions. I''d risk everything I''ve built falling apart," Ulrich said, cutting the old man off immediately.

    "As you wish," the hunchback receded back into the shadows, leaving Ulrich to sigh again. Even so, knowing he had ast resort gave him some peace of mind. Having a final option, even if unused, providedfort.

    "Still, I need to find a way to stop Ss''s rise," Ulrich mused.

    "In that case, perhaps a gift would be a good idea," Oscar suggested.

    "A gift?" Ulrich turned to his strategist, who wore a faint smile¡ªthe kind he usually wore when he had a clever n in mind.

    "You have that sword from the dungeon, my lord," Oscar reminded him.

    "The cursed sword?" Ulrich frowned. The sword had immense power, but no one could wield it. It had been sitting in a box ever since he found it.

    "It''s almost time for theing-of-age ceremony," Oscar continued.

    "Yes, the new year is almost upon us," Ulrich agreed.

    Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire

    "And as is tradition, it would be proper to give your family a gift. That cursed sword would make the perfect gift, wouldn''t you say?"@@novelbin@@

    Ulrich''s eyes lit up as he grasped the meaning behind Oscar''s words.

    "Ah, I see!"

    "It''smon knowledge that anyone who cannot wield the sword''s power will find it to be nothing more than a piece of iron."

    "Yes."

    "But those with the ability to tap into its power often face dangerous bacsh," Oscar said with a sly smile.

    "Yes, it almost burned my hand to ashes when I tried," Ulrich recalled.

    "Exactly. But you, as a descendant of the dragon-blooded Corleone family, have the qualifications to handle it."

    Oscar''s smile widened. "Your half-brother, though a bastard, also has the blood of dragons in his veins."

    "He should be qualified to unlock the sword''s power," Ulrich said thoughtfully.

    "And he will be thrilled to receive such a powerful weapon. A gift of unimaginable strength."

    "Hahaha, excellent! This is a brilliant idea!" Ulrichughed heartily. He was already thinking about the steps to prepare for the gift¡ªhow to present it in such a way that it would ruin Ss''s growing reputation.

    ''If you''re not willing to lose something, the bacsh will alwayse, little brother. Let this be a lesson to you.''

    Ulrich''s smile turned cold as he imagined how this n would cut Ss down to size.

    Later that night, back in his quarters after the feast, Ss was quietly calcting the dates.

    "Let''s see, the new year is just around the corner, isn''t it?"

    "Not many days left now," Toby replied.

    "That''s right, mying-of-age ceremony is soon," Ss said, mostly to himself.

    In this world,ing-of-age ceremonies were held when a person turned sixteen in the new year, and it was tradition for families to give gifts to celebrate. Nobles andmoners alike observed this custom.

    "Good timing. I could use a new sword," Ss mused aloud.

    "A sword? Did someone tell you they were giving you one?" Toby asked, surprised. It wasn''t customary to ask for specific gifts¡ªit was up to the family to choose.

    "No, but I just know. My dear brother is going to gift me a very special sword," Ss said with a smirk.

    "Ulrich? He said he''d give you a sword?"

    "No, I just have my ways of knowing," Ss replied with a cryptic smile.

    "¡­?"

 Chapter 66

    In the era when dragon yers and great mages still emerged among humanity, artifacts born from ancient magic and the blessings of the gods wielded tremendous power. Some of these included cursed swords that could slice through iron as if it were paper or potions that, when consumed, could restore youth.

    Among them, there were even elixirs that granted immortality or relics that could allow a person to transcend the limits of mortality and ascend to the heavens.

    Naturally, everyone coveted these treasures, both in ancient times and now.

    ¡ª"What does life matter? If we can steal this, it''ll change everything!"

    Heroes were constantly gued by thieves of all kinds. Despite the owners'' strength, human greed often blinded individuals to their own mortality. It might have been easier to entrust these treasures to someone else, but the problem was that there was no one trustworthy enough to safeguard such power.

    ¡ª"Give me that elixir! I''ll give you half of my kingdom! Refuse, and I''ll bring my entire army down on you!"

    Even kings of great nations, driven mad by greed, pursued these treasures. There was no one to whom they could entrust such items without fear. Those without desires were attacked relentlessly, and anyone powerful enough to hold such treasures would likely im them for themselves.

    The owners of these treasures, driven to their limits, came up with an idea.

    ¡ª"Let''s hide them in a ce too dangerous and narrow for an army to enter, and we''ll install every trap and defense we can think of to fend off intruders."

    This is how the concept of dungeons was born. The idea itself was not particrly revolutionary, but the creators of these dungeons were far from ordinary humans. These were the individuals who had faced dragons'' mes with swords and magic. Naturally, the traps they designed in their dungeons were beyond anything typical.

    ¡ª"Send in more troops! All we need is to get the treasure!"

    ¡ª"Are you insane? Half the legion has already been wiped out in the dungeon!"

    ¡ª"But it''s just a human-made trap! I''m a dragon, for heaven''s sake... Aaaagh!"

    ¡ª"Insanity! A dragon was killed by the dungeon''s traps!"

    The terrifying traps inside dungeons imed not only the lives of greedy thieves and kings but even dragons. Though some managed to seed, they barely escaped with their lives, and the damage they sustained was far from insignificant. In the end, most of the treasures remained safely hidden.

    Some of them are still lying there, untouched, because their original owners died before they could retrieve them.

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    Even the least valuable item in such a vault could be considered a national treasure.

    That''s what a dungeon is: a ce where countless wonders, no longer replicable today, are sealed away. Whenever one is discovered, it sends shockwaves across the continent, like the eye of a storm. And yet, here, before everyone''s eyes, was a sword that had emerged from such a dungeon!

    The Count, his face contorted with shock, eximed, "Are you saying this sword is truly a dungeon treasure?"

    "Yes, I swear on my name," Oscar replied, confidently. To swear on one''s name was the same as staking one''s noble status. The audacity of Oscar''s deration left everyone stunned as they stared at the sword.

    Satisfied by their reactions, Oscar continued, "In fact, this weapon came to us by chance. You may know that some dungeons, over time, degrade and copse."

    "I''ve heard as much. Even the greatest magic weakens after a thousand years."

    Indeed, not even ancient magic was eternal. Without catalysts, pure magic faded over time. This was why some dungeons had copsed or weakened, despite once being imprable. It''s one reason dungeon raids that were impossible in the past were now achievable.

    "To share something for the first time here, my lord and I once discovered a dungeon. Not through its main entrance, but because its side had copsed, exposing the interior."

    "What? Then¡ª"

    "It was, unfortunately, already a ruin," Oscar cut off the knight, who was eagerly about to ask about the treasure.

    "The majority of what we found were old magic tomes. However, the magic within them had long disappeared. The pages crumbled at the slightest touch."

    A collective sigh of disappointment came from the onlookers. Each of those books would have been worth their weight in gold. Finding dungeon treasures that had deteriorated beyond use was not umon. Still, even if just one item had survived in usable condition, it would cause amotion across the continent.

    And, of course, there were a few items still intact, Oscar mused, though he had no intention of sharing that information. He allowed himself a small smile before continuing.

    "However, at the center of the dungeon, this sword remained, shining brightly, its brilliance undiminished. It was truly a beautiful sight."

    "And¡­ so?"

    "My lord and I retrieved the sword and left the dungeon. We have told no one of this until today."

    "¡­Ulrich, is this true?" The Count, who generally trusted people, couldn''t help but ask for confirmation. The story was simply too incredible. It was rare for him to ask a second time, but Ulrich nodded.

    "It is undoubtedly the truth."

    "Heh, haha!" The Count staggered slightly, overwhelmed. If this was a dungeon relic, it was a treasure on par with a national artifact. In the entire Corleone family, perhaps only the sword of their founder couldpare. The magnitude of the revtion left the Count looking at Ulrich with a mix of amazement and reproach.

    "Why on earth didn''t you tell me?"

    "My apologies. At the time, we didn''t fully understand the nature of the sword. If it had been a cursed sword rather than a blessed one, revealing it would have only caused trouble."

    "Hmm, that''s true. If it had been a cursed sword, it would have been more of a burden than a blessing," the Count agreed. Even a treasure from a dungeon would be worthless if it brought ruin to its wielder, stirring up unwanted greed and attention.

    "So, you''ve discovered what kind of sword it is now?"@@novelbin@@

    "Yes. This is a holy sword. It chooses its own master."

    "A holy sword¡­!" The revtion sent murmurs through the audience. A holy sword, capable of vanquishing evil, was an incredibly rare artifact¡ªonly five were known to exist on the entire continent.

    Before the murmurings could grow too loud, Oscar stepped forward again, silencing the crowd. "However, the issue is that the sword must choose its owner. Without its chosen master, it''s just an ordinary de."

    "What do you mean?"

 Chapter 68

    Now, watching the stunned looks on Ulrich''s and Oscar''s faces, Ss felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him, as if a weight he had carried for ten years had suddenly been lifted.

    Oscar, equally shocked, muttered under his breath, "H-How is this possible¡­?"

    "That sword¡­!" another voice eximed.

    At that moment, Max pushed through the crowd of bewildered knights, his fist clenched, and his eyes wide with excitement as he shook with emotion.

    "I''ve heard about this before, but I never thought I''d see it with my own eyes while still alive!"

    "What are you talking about, Max? Do you know what''s going on?"

    As all eyes suddenly focused on Max, Toby, with a surprised expression, added ament to support the moment.

    "That''s right! I read about it in an ancient text from the East when I was part of my old organization!" Max eximed.

    "An ancient text from the East?" someone muttered in awe, and the credibility of the story was immediately bolstered.

    "Yes, this phenomenon is called ''the sword''s cry!'' It happens when a sword meets its true master and weeps with joy!" Max dered dramatically.

    "Could it be? Has the lord been chosen by the sword?" another knight asked, astonished.

    "That''s exactly right!" Max confirmed.

    No, you idiots! Ulrich bit his tongue, barely holding back the urge to shout. The trembling of the sword was just a reaction from heating the handle. This wasn''t some mystical event!

    But the knights, knowing nothing about the true nature of the sword, fully believed the tale. They began cheering in admiration.

    "To think Lord Ss was chosen by the holy sword!"@@novelbin@@

    "Of course! It''s Lord Ss, after all!"

    Meanwhile, the cursed sword, visibly irritated, grumbled in Ss''s mind.

    ¡ªWhat nonsense... This is absurd¡­

    Ss kept hisposure, though, and yed along. "I can hear the sword''s voice," he said, raising the drama another notch.

    "The voice of the sword?!"

    ¡ªGo on, exin to them... Why I''m trembling... the sword growled sarcastically.

    "It''s saying that it''s finally found its true master and is weeping with joy!" Ss said with a straight face.

    ¡ª...What did you just say?

    The cursed sword, if it had blood, would have been boiling. Furious, it attempted to draw on more power.

    ¡ªLet''s see if you can still say such nonsense after this...!

    Suddenly, blue mes enveloped the sword, causing the knights to recoil in shock.

    "F-fire!" one shouted.

    The sword was fully aze, yet Ss remainedpletely unscathed. Max seized the opportunity once more, pumping his fist.

    "Even this phenomenon! I can''t believe I''m witnessing it for the second time in my life!"

    "Do you know what this is, Max?" Toby chimed in, providing the perfect setup.

    "Yes! It''s something I saw in the dungeon gear owned by my former organization''s leader!" Max replied, making the exnation sound more convincing. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire

    "This is known as ''True Spirit Unveiling!'' The sword is revealing its true power to its chosen master!"

    "That me must be the sword''s true power then!"

    "Exactly!" Max said, ying along with the crowd''s expectations. Ss remained still, eyes closed, creating the perfect atmosphere for the charade.

    "The sword ismunicating with our lord!" another knight eximed.

    "It reminds me of the legend of the hero who couldmune with his sword!" added another.

    "This disy is the sword''s way of expressing its joy for its chosen master!" they marveled.

    ¡ªNo, you morons! That''s not it at all! the cursed sword swore internally, but no one but Ss could hear it. And Ss, of course, ignored itpletely.

    ¡ªLet''s see if you can withstand this...!

    With its final burst of power, the cursed sword transferred the mes directly to Ss''s body. His entire figure was soon engulfed in blue fire, causing the onlookers to scream and back away.

    "It''s so hot! I can feel the heat from here!"

    "Is this really safe?!" some of the knights shouted, turning to Max for reassurance.

    Max, who had only expected the mes to reach this point, was momentarily speechless. He shot a nce at Toby for help.

    Sir Toby, what do we do?

    Just say something that sounds usible, Toby gestured.

    Will that really work?

    At this point, people will believe anything.

    Taking a deep breath, Max shouted, "That... that is a phenomenon only described in ancient records!"

    "Do you know what it is, Max?!" Toby once again provided the perfect prompt.

    "Yes! In the hidden murals of ancient caves, written in magic!" Max fabricated yet another credible-sounding exnation.

    "That is ''the Baptism of Fire!''"

    "What does that mean?" someone asked.

    "It''s the sacred me that purges all evil and purifies the chosen one! This is the sword''s way of cleansing its master!" Max exined with an air of authority.

    "That exins why Lord Ss remains unharmed in the mes!"

    "Exactly!" Max dered triumphantly, relieved that his exnation seemed to satisfy everyone.

    Upon hearing this, the knights turned back to Ss, who stood amidst the mes without a single burn or singed thread on his clothing.

    "Incredible! Look at him! Not even a hair on his head is harmed!"

    "I never thought I''d live to see something so miraculous!" another knight eximed.

    ¡ªThese... idiots... I swear... the cursed sword grumbled, seething with rage. Ss, however, calmly closed his eyes and stood in the mes, hisposure infuriating the sword even more.

    Seeing Ss so calm in the fire, the Count called out in concern, "Ss, are you alright?!"

    "I''m fine, Father. I can feel the purification... just like in the temple murals... or something," Ss replied with a serene expression.

    ¡ªHey... you bastard...! the cursed sword''s fury was palpable.

    Ss remained in the mes until the sword''s energy waspletely spent. The onlookers were utterly captivated, watching in awe as the mes died down, leaving Sspletely unharmed, his clothing untouched by the fire.

    "Wait, didn''t Lord Ss mention a temple just now? Max said something about a cave, didn''t he?" one of the knights questioned, furrowing his brow.

    "Does it really matter right now? What''s important is that Lord Ss has been chosen by the sword!" another knight replied, brushing off the inconsistency.

    "True enough. Lord Ss is truly extraordinary."

    As the knights murmured among themselves, Ulrich and Oscar, still sitting on the floor in disbelief, stared at Ss. How could he possibly be unharmed? By now, he should have been reduced to ashes, nothing but a memory!

    What kind of magic is protecting him? Oscar thought, scrutinizing Ss for any clue. Ulrich, equally stunned, muttered to himself.

    "Could it be that the sword truly chose him?"

    "Even you, my lord? Please!" Oscar groaned, exasperated by the growing confusion.

 Chapter 72

    However, Toby and Ray weren''t so easily convinced. As they neared the city gates, their expressions only grew more serious.

    Finally, as they approached the gates, Ray spoke up, his tone grim. "Something''s wrong."

    "What do you mean? The walls and gate are intact," one of the knights said, puzzled.

    "There are no people," Ray replied tly.

    "What are you talking about? There are guards standing right there," the knight pointed toward the sentries.

    "But nowhere else," Toby chimed in, scowling as he scanned the city walls. "There''s no one patrolling the walls, and I don''t see anyone out in the open between the city and the horizon. I may not know Valtor well, but for a bustling city like this, we should have seen at least some peopleing and going by now."

    "¡­!" The knights finally realized the oddity. While the city''s walls and gates appeared untouched, there were no signs of life. No travelers, no merchants, no movement¡ªnothing.

    "Damn it, something''s definitely wrong," Ulrich muttered under his breath.

    "What should we do, my lord? Do we retreat?" the knights asked, all eyes turning to Ulrich. As the next heir of the family, Ulrich was the one with the authority to make decisions in such a situation.

    After a brief hesitation, Ulrich gritted his teeth and stared at the gate. "We go in."

    "Are you sure?" one knight asked.

    "We can''t turn tail now. We''vee too far, and we need to know what''s going on. Running away just because things feel strange will ruin my reputation," Ulrich said, knowing that leaving without investigating would make him aughingstock.

    Nodding in agreement, the group advanced toward the gate. One of the knights approached the two guards standing at the gate.

    "Hey, you there! Guards!" the knight called out.

    "¡­" No response.

    "Guards! Answer me!" the knight shouted louder. Still, the guards didn''t move. Just as the knight was about to shout again, the guards grinned.

    ¡ªYou''re quick to notice, one of them hissed in a voice like scraping metal.

    "W-What the¡ª?!" The knights recoiled in shock. The voices weren''t human, and the guards began to snicker in unison like twins.

    ¡ªBut even though you noticed, you still came in. Brave, or just foolish? they taunted, their voices like nails on a chalkboard.

    "Demons!" the knight shouted, immediately drawing his sword and striking at one of the guards. But as soon as the de touched the guard''s body, it crumbled into a pile of squirming maggots.

    Disgusted, the knight stumbled back, the rest of the group recoiling in horror.

    "Ugh! What vile trickery is this?!"

    "Fall back!" Ulrich shouted, but it was toote.

    ¡ªIt''s toote, a deep voice echoed around them. ck, writhing tendrils of mist began creeping toward them from all directions, twisting like living creatures.

    "What¡­ what is that?!" one of the knights shouted.

    "I don''t know, but it''s dangerous! Fall back!" the group tried to retreat, but one knight wasn''t fast enough. The dark mist touched his arm and his horse''s side.

    "Aaaaahhh!!!" the knight screamed, his voice echoing in agony, as if his flesh were being torn off inyers.

    ¡ªKiiiiii!!! The horse''s screech followed, both human and beast caught in the mist''s torment.

    Toby, acting quickly, rode up and grabbed the knight by his right arm, pulling him away from the mist with his immense strength. The feat was something only Toby could manage.

    "Hey, snap out of it! What happened?!" Toby barked, shaking the knight.

    "I-I just saw¡­ my eyes¡­ my eyes were torn out¡­!" the knight stammered in shock.

    "What are you talking about? Your eyes are still right where they should be!" Toby snapped.

    The knight, trembling, reached up to feel his eyes, only to find that they were indeed intact. Slowly, he regained hisposure.

    "Damn it! Is this some kind of illusion?!" Toby muttered, his face tense.

    "Stay away from that ck mist! Everyone, fall back!" Ulrichmanded.

    "But there''s nowhere to fall back to!" one of the knights shouted.

    Just then, with a heavy creak, the gates of Valtor swung open. Whether by coincidence or trap, the only path left open to them was through the city gate.

    "Charge inside!" Ulrich ordered.

    At his signal, they rushed through the gate, but the moment they passed through, everything changed.

    "What¡­ the sky!" one knight gasped.

    "Damn it¡­!" another cursed.

    The sky above was now a sickly purple, and the ground itself writhed like rotting flesh. Even worse, the ck mist that had been creeping up on them was now everywhere, giving them no room to maneuver. It moved slowly, like a predator herding its prey.

    "This is bad¡­!" Toby muttered, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

    "I knew I shouldn''t havee!" Max groaned, his face a picture of despair. It was a moment of sheer hopelessness.

    Just then, Ss dismounted from his horse and walked forward.

    "Lord Ss?!"

    "Where are you going?!" Ulrich demanded.

    Ignoring their calls, Ss drew his cursed sword. Even in this nightmarish world, the de glowed with an eerie, radiant light.

    "Even if this evil cannot be cut by any ordinary de, there is nothing this sword cannot cleave!" Ss dered.

    ¡ªHeh¡­ What a fool, the cursed sword sneered.

    ¡ªWhy would I help you? This is where you meet your end¡­

    The cursed sword couldn''t help but feel triumphant. Finally, it would be free of Ss. The demon would torment and kill him, and the cursed sword would no longer be bound to its current wielder.

    "This sword''s blue mes will purify even the darkest of evils!" Ss shouted dramatically.

    ¡ªHow amusing¡­ Is that all? the swordughed mockingly.

    Ignoring the sword''s jeers, Ss thrust it into the heart of the ck mist.

    Suddenly, the sword trembled violently.

    ¡ªAaaargh! Pain! It hurts! Why does it hurt so much?! the cursed sword screamed.

    "Ah! This wicked aura¡­! It''s suppressing the sword''s power!" Ss groaned theatrically, his hands trembling as if struggling to control the de. He then leaned closer and whispered to the sword.

    "Of course it hurts, you idiot. This mist replicates pain. As long as something can feel and think, it''ll experience pain."

    ¡ªWhaaaaat?! Aaaagh! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! the sword howled.

    "Unlike moreplex emotions like desire, this mist focuses purely on recreating pain. It doesn''t care if you''re an animal, a person, or even a sentient sword."

    Even though the sword had no physical senses, the mist drew from the suffering of other beings and forced the sensation onto it.

    "And the stronger you are, the more the mist is drawn to you. Look, the mist isn''ting near me because it''s all focused on you," Ss added with a smirk.

    ¡ªUgh! Aaagh!

    "If you want to stop the pain, use your mes. Your fire should burn this mist away."

    ¡ªWhy didn''t you say so sooner, you bastard?! the sword shrieked.

    The moment Ss finished speaking, blue mes erupted from the de, instantly burning away part of the mist.

    "Oooh! The demon''s power is fading!" one of the knights eximed.

    "Truly, Lord Ss has been chosen by the holy sword!" another shouted.@@novelbin@@

    "Chosen? I told you that wasn''t true, Oscar, you idiot!" someone else muttered.

    Ignoring the chaos behind him, Ss pressed forward, cutting through the mist with his ming sword.

    "Follow me! I''ll lead the way and clear the path!" Ss called out.

    ¡ªStop it! Aaagh! Don''t shove me into that mist again! the cursed sword wailed.

    "Burn, mes! Awaken to your master''s call and purify the demon''s aura!" Ss proimed loudly.

    ¡ªThis crazy bastard! Aaaagh!

    "Lord Ss, follow him!" the knights cheered, emboldened by his disy.

    With the cursed sword unleashing its mes, Ss hacked through the mist, clearing the way. The sword, writhing in agony, had no choice but to obey, its mes zing even more fiercely. The knights, filled with newfound courage, followed closely behind their "hero," ready to face whatever came next.

 Chapter 73

    Ss led the group forward, cutting through the creeping mist with ease. Though the writhing fog seemed as if it would swallow them whole, it posed no real threat to him.

    "Hah!"@@novelbin@@

    With each swing of his sword, the mist burst into mes and retreated. The mist that had been closing in on the group also pulled back in fear, as if the fire from Ss''s sword could ignite it like a chain reaction.

    "Oooh!"

    "It''s truly the holy sword!"

    The group followed behind Ss in awe. However, as they progressed, a voice like nails scraping metal echoed from beyond the mist.

    ¡ªHow amusing, a child prancing about with a sword as if it could save you all, sneered the demon who had mimicked the guards earlier. Its voice dripped with mockery as it addressed the group.

    ¡ªHow long do you think that sword''s power willst? Ten minutes? Twenty? Or maybe it will fail you this very moment. Are you pushing yourself just to keep yourpanions safe?

    "¡­!" The group collectively flinched. There was no such thing as infinite power. Once the mes of Ss''s sword were extinguished, their lives would be in grave danger.

    "Ss, how long can you keep this up?" Ulrich asked, his voice tense.

    "Don''t worry. I can keep this up for at least an hour," Ss replied confidently. Judging by the sword''s previous performance, an hour was more than manageable.

    The demon let out a menacing, joylessugh.

    ¡ªAn hour, is it? That''s not much time. You''ll need to escape the city within that hour, but there''s only one exit, and it''s already closed.

    "We''re not leaving," Ss said inly.

    ¡ª¡­What? The demon sounded genuinely confused.

    "We''re not leaving. Why would we run? We came to kill you," Ss dered boldly.

    The demon, as well as the rest of the group, were taken aback. While it was true that they hade to deal with the demon, the situation was far from ideal for fighting. Was Ss being reckless, or was he just that confident?

    "My lord, do you have some sort of n?" one of the knights asked, his voiceced with uncertainty.

    "I do, but first, we need to find a safe ce. Everyone''s exhausted from traveling for days without rest," Ss responded calmly.

    ¡ªHa! A safe ce? In my city? There''s nowhere to hide. This entire ce is under my control! the demon cackled, filling the group with a sense of dread. If the demon''s im was true, they were effectively trapped inside the demon''sir.

    But Ss remained unfazed.

    "Don''t push yourselves too hard. I can create a temporary safe zone with the mes from the sword. We''ll rest there for now," Ss said, his voice calm andposed.

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    "How can you remain so calm in a situation like this?" Ulrich asked, almost in disbelief.

    "Is there a problem with staying calm?" Ss replied.

    "No, but¡­" Ulrich trailed off. While Ss was technically right, his level ofposure in such a dire situation was unnerving.

    Ss smirked at Ulrich''s bewilderment.

    "Don''t take the demon''s words too seriously. Do you really think it only tells the truth?" Ss asked.

    "What do you mean?" Ulrich responded, confused.

    "Demons are inherently deceptive. They thrive on negative emotions like fear, doubt, and despair. To feed on those emotions, they''ll say anything, even lies," Ss exined casually. "For example, if a demon feeds on jealousy, it''ll say something like ''Your neighbor is prettier than you.'' If it feeds on suspicion, it might say, ''Your spouse is cheating on you,'' even if the demon doesn''t know anything about your life."

    "Is that really how it works?" Ulrich asked, surprised.

    "That''s exactly how it works. So don''t take anything it says at face value," Ss said confidently.

    ¡ªYou¡­! The demon seethed, ring at Ss. The calmness of Ss''s voice was spreading among the group, lessening their fear. The demon was losing control of the situation.

    "For now, let''s focus on finding a safe ce. The saintess might have already arrived, so we should find her first," Ss said.

    ¡ªThe saintess? The demon''s voice turned cold. After a moment, a mangled body of a woman emerged from the mist, her clothes bearing the symbol of the church''s sun, a sign of her status as a saintess.

    ¡ªShe gave me quite the trouble with her holy powers. But as you can see, this is what''s left of her. The demonughed wickedly.

    "No¡­!"

    "The saintess¡­ she''s dead?" Despair spread through the group like wildfire. Even Ss''s previously calm demeanor shifted as he stared at the body with wide eyes.

    "This can''t be! That''s a fake!" Ss shouted.

    ¡ªOh? And why do you think that? the demon taunted.

    "The saintess is always apanied by holy knights. How could you have killed her while they were protecting her?" Ss demanded.

    ¡ªHa! You mean those scarecrows? The demonughed again, and soon after, ten more mutted bodies appeared from the mist¡ªmen dressed in the armor of the holy knights. Their bodies were torn apart, with their insides spilling out in gruesome detail.

    ¡ªThose so-called knights wereughably weak. Watching them die while calling out for their god was almost amusing.

    "No, that can''t be right! There had to have been more knights! You couldn''t have killed them all!" Ss''s voice wavered as if in disbelief.

    ¡ªOh, you think so? If there were more, perhaps things would''ve been different. But as it stands, this is all of them. Their mistake was underestimating me, the demon sneered.

    "No way¡­ They wouldn''t have sent so few knights to protect the saintess¡­" Ss muttered, his voice trembling as if he were losing hope.

    ¡ªStop denying reality. You''ll only embarrass yourself further. The demon mocked him, enjoying the group''s descent into despair. Even Ss seemed unable to maintain his earlier confidence.

    "Are they all dead? Was that really all the protection she had?" Ss asked, seemingly distraught.

    ¡ªHow many times must I tell you? This is all there is. Sadly, I have no more corpses to show you, the demon said, sounding almost disappointed.

    "Oh, I see. So there were only about ten knights. Well, that exins it," Ss suddenly said in a matter-of-fact tone.

    ¡ª¡­What?

 Chapter 77

    In the depths of the dark night, a demon''s eyes gleamed menacingly. It had sensed the signal it had been waiting for all along.

    "Has that woman finally fallen asleep?"

    The demon was an incubus by nature. Whenever someone fell asleep, it could instinctively sense it, and this time was no exception. The target it had been watching all along was its nemesis¡ªthe woman that humans called a saint¡ªwho had finally sumbed to slumber.

    "Heh, mortals are still limited, after all."

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    No matter how much divine power a human could wield against a demon, in the end, they were still beings of flesh and blood. They couldn''t survive without sleep. She had managed to hold out for three long days, but this was her limit. Yet, the demon had no intention of ending things here.

    "It''s still too early to rest."

    A ck mist swirled around the demon, rushing towards the central district of Valtor City. It was eager to make the humans experience agony once more. Surely, when the humans screamed in pain, the saint would awaken. She wouldn''t have time to rest, forced to spend her days sleepless once again.

    And when she was finally too weak to even resist, that''s when the demon would savor her suffering.

    "Come now, humans! Scream in agony! All of it feeds my power!"

    With a chillingugh, the demon''s mist poured into the central district. Soon, unbearable torment would engulf the city. Just the thought of the pandemonium about to unfold sent shivers of pleasure through the demon.

    "Hahaha! Scream, humans! Wake the saint from her slumber and...?"

    Snoring!

    The demon, who had been gleefully shouting, realized something was off. Even though the mist had reached the humans, they were sleeping far too peacefully. Not only were they not in pain, but they didn''t even furrow their brows in difort.

    "What the... what''s going on here?!"

    Confused, the demon approached the humans. Had the saint done something? Or was it those knights hanging around her? Holy water, a barrier, or some ancient ritual, perhaps? Had they found a way to counter it? The demon gritted its teeth and poured even more power into the mist.

    "If that''s the case, I''ll rip through their minds directly!"

    Even if they blocked indirect pain, they couldn''t stop it from invading their dreams! Just as the demon''s influence touched the minds of the sleeping humans...

    "Ooooh... this is bliss... ahhh..."

    "...They''re on drugs, aren''t they?!"

    The demon cursed. These lunatics! To escape the pain, they had turned to drugs! Though it was infuriating, this also meant the demon couldn''t inflict suffering on them. Grinding its teeth, the demon decided to focus on the saint''s dreams instead.

    "So, even the saint has resorted to this. Then I''ll mock her for it!"

    If she had resorted to using drugs, it must have been ast resort, something she didn''t want to use unless absolutely necessary. She was undoubtedly wracked with guilt at this very moment. If the demon spoke to her, mocking her, the emotional shock would surely devastate her. With a sneer, the demon entered the saint''s dream.

    "Archbishop... I''ve be an angel... flying through the sky... hmm..."

    "Why is the saint on drugs, too?!"

    The demon let out a howl of disbelief, its sense of reality utterly shattered.

    The next day, the saint, Lydia, greeted herpanions with a refreshed and radiant face. The benefits of three days of uninterrupted sleep were apparent.

    "Thank you so much. Without that potion, I don''t know what would''ve happened..."

    "I was only doing what was necessary," replied one of herpanions.@@novelbin@@

    "No, really, it was dangerous. A disaster could have unfolded if not for it," Lydia said, sighing as she recalled how close she hade to copse the previous day.

    In her past life, things had turned out exactly as she had feared.

    "The demon had killed people, drawing strength from their agony."

    The saint and her group had been trapped in Valtor City for about two weeks. They repeatedly stayed awake for three or four days straight, only to copse from exhaustion. Each time, the demon took advantage, attacking the city''s residents. The result was a tragedy: nearly a third of the city''s poption perished.

    Considering that half the poption had already fled the city, this meant that over two-thirds of the remaining people had died.

    "We eventually won, but it was mostly luck."

    If things had gone slightly worse, not only would the saint''s group have been wiped out, but the knights of the Corleone family, including Ulrich, would have perished as well. After that incident, Ulrich, who had always been eager to be at the forefront, became reluctant to visit dangerous areas in person.

    "How are the people faring?" Lydia asked.

    "After finally getting some sleep, they seem to have regained some of their strength," one of herpanions responded.

    "That''s good to hear."

    "But there''s no time to waste. If we don''t find and defeat the demon soon, this will all happen again."

    Ss, one of Lydia''spanions, nodded in agreement. They could only trick the people into taking the drug, disguised as a potion, so many times. Unless they dealt with the demon, it would be an endless cycle. But there was a problem with the current situation.

    "If I leave this area, the mist will engulf the people again," Lydia pointed out.

    "If only we and the other knights move..."

    "I don''t mean to underestimate you, but there are very limited means to effectively fight a demon. Even if you encounter it, you won''t have the necessary firepower."

    They might be able to wound the demon, but it would only retreat and heal itself. Unless they could kill it outright, confronting the demon would be meaningless. The only one with the power to deliver such a blow was Lydia, the saint herself.

    "The best solution would be to bless your weapons with a strong enchantment, but..."

    "Is that possible?" Ss asked.

    "It is... but it would require an immense amount of divine power."

    Already, Lydia was using arge amount of her strength to keep the demon from entering the central district. If she used her power to bless their weapons, she would be too weak to fight the demon herself. And if the blessing wasn''t powerful enough, it would be as good as useless.

    "Heh... checkmate, isn''t it?"

    A mocking voice came from the cursed sword hanging at Ss''s waist, its tone dripping with sarcasm. It was clear what the sword meant: What will you do now?

 Chapter 79

    A radiant light red up around Lydia as she gathered her divine energy. She gasped in surprise. The power was far beyond anything she had ever experienced before.

    With the power she had just absorbed from the sword, Lydia could now fully consecrate the weapons and armor of at least three people.

    "What if you absorb the sword''s power a few more times?" Ss asked.

    "Then I should be able to consecrate all of our weapons," Lydia replied confidently.

    "Good. In that case, perform the consecrations at lunchtime, again in the evening, and one more time tomorrow morning. We can''t keep dancing to the demon''s tune, so let''s prepare for the final battle tomorrow."

    "Yes!" Lydia nodded vigorously. In a situation where everything had seemed bleak, they finally had a glimmer of hope.

    Ss left the room to inform the Corleone family''s group about the n. As soon as he was gone, the cursed sword began to tremble and hum nervously.

    "You''re not nning to keep feeding that woman my essence, are you?" the sword groaned.

    "So what if I am?" Ss responded coolly.

    "S-stop! If you do that, my power will weaken even more! Do you want to die, enveloped in the demon''s mist, like that sword over there?"

    Ss remained unfazed. "You''re hardly any help, so I might as well use you for doping."@@novelbin@@

    The cursed sword shuddered violently at Ss''s cold tone. After a moment, it spoke in a voice twisted with desperation.

    "Fine... I''ll make a concession."

    "What now?" Ss asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "In the uing battle, wield my power freely. It would be better for you to fight with my strength than to rely on that saint. You want that, don''t you?"

    The sword was practically begging now, pushing Ss to take the deal. Ss looked at the sword for a moment before breaking into a faint smile.

    "Where do you get off trying to negotiate? Just shut up and prepare to be consumed. Soon, you''ll be a tasty snack."

    "W-wait...!"

    Ignoring the sword''s frantic pleas, Ss waited for the energy absorption to continue. Momentster, the cursed sword screamed once again.

    Ss and Ulrich spent their day walking around the city, meeting the people. One of the reasons the count had sent them in the first ce was to calm the fears of the anxious citizens. The people, who had nearly lost all hope, wept openly when they saw the sons of their lord.

    "Young master, will we really survive this?"

    "Don''t worry. We came here to protect you. If we can''t save you, we''ll bury our bones here with you."

    "Thank you... even just hearing those words is enough."

    Moved by Ss''sforting words, the townspeople bowed their heads, tears streaming down their faces. They had always thought of the nobles as distant figures, high and mighty, far removed from their daily struggles. But now, here were the lord''s sons, willing to risk their lives alongside them. It brought the people to tears of gratitude.

    Ulrich clicked his tongue softly at the sight.

    "You''ve gotten good at this, despite having no prior experience. You''re a natural," he muttered.

    "I''m only doing what I must. It''s what Father asked of me," Ss replied, but Ulrich''s expression didn''t soften.

    Though Ulrich had hoped to assert his authority during this mission, Ss was increasingly bing the leader of their group. The bnce of power had shifted.

    "I''ll leave this area to you. I''ll check the other side."

    "Understood. Be careful."

    "I can handle myself. Sir Ray is with me," Ulrich replied, slightly curtly. Ss smirked. It seemed Ulrich was bing more and morefortable showing his true feelings, now that his usual facade was no longer working. The day when Ulrich would reveal his genuine self without hesitation was not far off.

    "Young master, you''re really here..." a viger murmured.

    "Sit down. You must be exhausted after all the suffering caused by the demon," Ss replied, continuing to reassure the people after Ulrich had left. Most of them didn''t dare express anyints. Instead, they wept in joy, grateful that the count had sent his sons. It spoke volumes about Count Bill''s reputation.

    "Ah... it brings back memories..." the cursed sword suddenly murmured.

    "Memories?" Ss paused at the unexpected remark.

    "My creator once told me... to one day be a weapon that would help the world, to save those who suffered."

    "He must''ve been a fine creator."

    "Yes... though I didn''t understand it back then..."

    There was a deep bitterness in the cursed sword''s voice, filled with regret and guilt¡ªan epiphany from someone who hade to realize the truth toote.

    "Now I understand... I was meant to save people like this... that my purpose was here, all along."

    "Then..." Ss began.

    "Yes... Ss Corleone... my master..."

    The cursed sword began to glow with a soft, blue me. This fire was different from the one before¡ªit held no intention of harming Ss.

    "My name is Volberk, the Cursed Sword. I acknowledge you as my master... will you walk with me?"

    Ss''s hand trembled as he gripped the sword. The legendary cursed sword, Volberk, known as the Incarnation of Fire, was now recognizing him as its true owner. Closing his eyes briefly, Ss then tightened his grip on the sword and spoke calmly.

    "Cursed sword, Volberk."

    "Speak, my master, the one I wish to serve..." Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire

    Touching the mes that didn''t burn, Ss replied in a steady voice, "Cut the crap. Get back inside. You''re just trying to avoid getting eaten."

    "N-no, that''s not it... I''m being sincere...!"

    "If sincerity were a currency, yours would be worthless," Ss scoffed.

    "W-wait... I''m really serious this time! Please...!" Volberk pleaded, but Ss strapped the sword back to his waist and looked up at the sky. The dark clouds looming overhead still reflected the demon''s presence.

    "I''m telling the truth...! Please believe me...!"

    The consecration would soon bepleted, and tomorrow would be the day they put everything on the line.

    "Just once... trust me...!" Volberk continued to beg.

    The final battle was fast approaching.

    "Please... I don''t want to be eaten...! Spare me...!"

 Chapter 82

    Everyone turned to see three dark figures in ck armor, their forms flickering like shadows.

    You fools. Did you really think I wouldn''t prepare for this? These are the embodiments of my power, copies of the heroes of old. Do you think you can face them?

    "L-Light!" one of the knights desperately raised his relic, but the ck-armored warrior ignored it and charged forward.

    As the light burned the ck knight''s armor, its sword still swung down with force.

    -It''s useless, utterly useless! Do you realize how much power I''ve condensed into this? If you don''t swing first, you''ll die!

    "Damn¡­!" The holy knights looked at the ck knights in frustration. They had counted on the divine power, known for being a perfect counter to demons. But the demon had crammed so much raw power into its creations that it couldn''t be purified instantly. By mimicking the skills of ancient heroes, it hadpensated for its vulnerabilities.

    ''This is bad! I didn''t think the demon would have prepared this well against us!''

    Just as the knights had been strategizing on how to defeat the demon, it had been preparing its own strategies to counter them. The serpent-shaped demon let out a loud, mockingugh.

    -Kuhahaha! How do you n to fight against ancient heroes? Is there anyone among you with the skills to rival them?

    "Wooriyaah!"

    Boom!

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    In the middle of the demon''s gloating, Toby swung his consecrated weapon, smashing one of the shadow knights backward. The shadow hit the ground with a heavy thud, writhing from the impact. The demon trembled in disbelief.

    -What the hell?! Why is there someone who can actually fight them?!

    "Toby, Sir Ray! Each of you take one of the shadows! Everyone else, focus on the remaining one!"

    "Yes!" Toby and Sir Ray charged at their assigned opponents, while one of the holy knights gasped in shock.

    "W-wait! That''s reckless!"

    Fighting shadow knights, each imbued with the skill of ancient heroes, was no small feat. The logical approach would have been to focus all efforts on one shadow, then deal with the rest. But...

    ng! Smash! Swish!

    "¡­Unbelievable." The holy knight stared in disbelief as Toby and Ray fought off their shadow opponents, not yielding an inch. In fact, they were gradually pushing the shadows back. If the demon wasn''t lying, this meant that these two were close to matching the skill of the ancient heroes themselves.

    "Focus! We still have one left!" one of the holy knights shouted.

    "Y-yes!" Startled back into action, the holy knights directed their attacks toward the remaining shadow knight. Though the shadows had been fortified to resist divine power, their durability only came from increased density. Constant attacks would eventually wear them down. And with all the knights targeting a single shadow, it wouldn''tst long.

    "Light, descend!"

    "Smite the enemies of the goddess!"

    "Surround and strike!"

    Divine power surged from all directions, and the knights'' swords swung like windmills. Even though the shadows possessed the skills of ancient heroes, they were still manifestations of the demon''s power. Bombarded by divine attacks and surrounded by knights, the remaining shadow knight began to falter.

    You cursed bastards!

    As the tide of battle turned, the demon roared in fury and lunged toward Ss, the obvious leader of the group.

    So, you''re themander!

    "No, stop! Damn it!" A holy knight shouted, barely managing to block the shadow knight''s attack. They hadn''t expected the demon, who had been so cautious up until now, to suddenly charge directly into the fray.

    The demon coiled around Ss, manifesting a horrific nightmare of agony.

    Do you think your consecrated weapons can save you from this? Fall into madness from the pain!@@novelbin@@

    Kuhahahaha!

    "Ugh!?" Ss gritted his teeth as the demon''sughter echoed through the air. His eyes were ripped from their sockets, his feet split open, and his hands were torn apart, veins bulging grotesquely. His heart and intestines spilled from his body, his ribcage splitting open. The gruesome sight made everyone watching scream in horror.

    "What in the world?! What is happening?!"

    "It''s just an illusion! Keep calm!"

    "But the pain... that''s real, isn''t it?"

    It was true. The vision was an illusion conjured by the demon, but the pain Ss felt was real. He was experiencing every bit of suffering in his mind and body.

    -Scream in pain! Go mad from the agony! Kuhaha¡­ huh?

    "Ugh¡­ Do you think I''ll submit to this kind of pain?" Ss growled, his voice strained but defiant. The demon was stunned.

    -You¡­! How are you enduring this agony?!

    "If I fall here, everything is over! I can''t fall now, not while there''s so much at stake. No matter how much pain you inflict, I won''t be stopped!"

    -Impossible! No one can endure this pain just by sheer will!

    "No! My resolve is stronger than any pain!" Ss roared as mes erupted from his hand, igniting the cursed sword Volberk. Max, watching from the sidelines, muttered to himself.

    "As expected¡­ The young master is truly¡­"

    "What''s happening?! Do you know what''s going on?" a holy knight asked, bewildered by the turn of events.

    "It''s just the strength of his unyielding will... That''s all I can say," Max replied, clenching his fists as he remembered the conversation he had with Ss the previous day.

    -Max, I need you to prepare something for the final battle.

    -What now?

    -Can you make a drug that numbs pain? Enough that I won''t feel a thing, even if I''m being torn apart right in front of me?

    -I can, but you know that''s dangerous, right?

    -It''s only for a single use. Just something to counter the demon''s attacks.

    -Fine, but if it weren''t for a demon, I wouldn''t be making this stuff.

    The red vial Ss had taken earlier was the drug Max had prepared for him. Max knew full well that Ss''s endurance wasn''t just a matter of willpower.

    "Volberk, answer my call!"

    -No, stop!

    With the cursed sword aze, Ss swung it toward the demon. The demon recoiled in horror, but Ss was faster. Volberk cleaved through the demon''s true form, slicing it in half.

    Squelch.

    -How¡­ how can a human endure such pain¡­ with nothing but willpower¡­?

    "Never underestimate the strength of my resolve. For this is¡­"

    Yes, this was¡­

    "¡­the power of my conviction!"

    ¡­And, of course, the effect of a high-grade potion.

 Chapter 85

    Count Bill had returned three days earlier. ording to reports, he had sessfully dealt with the demon he faced, with minimal casualties¡ªa near-miraculous oue considering the adversary. Yet, even that impressive result paled inparison to what Ss and his group had achieved.

    "I''m so proud of you both!" Count Bill eximed, embracing his two sons. The challenges they faced were far greater than his own: a city almost overtaken, survivors held hostage, and relentless mental assaults. Yet, Ss''s team overcame all of it without a single casualty.

    "I heard a bard''s already singing songs about your deeds. I''ve never even been mentioned in one!" Billughed heartily.

    "You''ll have one soon, Father. After all, you dealt with your demon just as brilliantly," Ss replied, earning anotherugh and an embrace from the Count. It was a politepliment¡ªeveryone knew that Bill''s victory hadn''t been quite as dramatic.

    "And you did well too, Dani. You managed the estate admirably in my absence," Bill said.

    "It''s my duty, and I''m relieved to see you back safely, Father," Dani replied, his tone calm, though he was seething inside. While he was genuinely relieved his father was safe, he couldn''t hide his frustration at seeing both his brothers return unharmed.

    ''Damn it. They''re both fine. If only one of them hadn''te back.''

    Had his older brother Ulrich died, Dani would have been next in line to inherit the family title. If Ss had perished, he would have been rid of the bothersome thorn in his side. But both had returned without a scratch, leaving Dani bitterly disappointed.

    "With this, we have fulfilled our noble duty. Let us celebrate our victory with a grand banquet," Bill announced. It was customary, whether fighting enemy soldiers or demons, to hold a banquet if the battle wasn''t aplete defeat. It served both as a victory celebration and a way to honor the fallen.

    "But I know you must be exhausted. Return to your rooms and rest. We''ll hold the banquet in three days."

    "Yes, Father."

    "Oh, and Ulrich, stay with me a moment."

    "Yes."

    Ss stepped aside, while Ulrich followed his father to the study. Once inside, the Count ced a gentle hand on Ulrich''s shoulder.

    "You did very well, Ulrich."

    "Pardon?"

    "I''m proud of you for remembering your role as the heir and refraining from any reckless acts. At your age, it would''ve been easy to let your blood boil over," Bill said warmly.

    It was then that Ulrich understood why his father had called him. Bill had noticed his unease about being excluded from the tales and songs. He was reassuring Ulrich that, as the heir, he didn''t need to risk himself in such ways; his survival and stability were what mattered most.

    "If the core wavers, everything wavers. I''m d you understand this truth."

    "I only did what was necessary, Father," Ulrich replied, his toneposed.

    "The world is full of people who can''t manage to do the necessary," Bill pointed out, prompting a faint smile from Ulrich. Indeed, many noble sons had rushed heedlessly into battle, only to die young. In that sense, Ulrich''s prudence was more thanmendable.

    "You truly are my rightful heir. Don''t ever forget that."

    "Thank you, Father."

    "Forgive me for keeping you so long. Rest well."

    "Yes, Father."

    Ulrich left the study with a calm expression, but the moment he exited, his smile faded. It was time to take urgent action against his half-brother.

    "You called for me, my lord?"

    Oscar bowed slightly, pressing a cold egg to his bruised eye. Ulrich coughed ufortably at the sight.

    "Ahem, apologies. I suppose I was on edge after all we went through."

    "No need, my lord. I understand," Oscar replied, recalling the recent events in Valtor. The demon''s attacks, the saint''s peril, and Ss''s heroic feats¡ªit was enough to strain anyone''s nerves. He counted himself lucky he hadn''t blurted out anything else that could''ve led to more bruises.

    ''Good thing I didn''t mention that bandage,'' Oscar thought with relief as Ulrich sighed and began to speak.

    "Father called me in for a talk, reminding me that I am the true heir to the family."

    Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

    "As he should," Oscar replied instantly.

    "Indeed. No matter how much Ss raises his reputation, he will never be the heir."

    With two legitimate sons in line, Ss, an illegitimate son, could not im the inheritance. No matter how much his renown grew, Ulrich''s position as the heir was unshakable.

    "But that''s not the issue. The problem is that his name will now spread in theing age of turmoil."

    In truth, the empire''s current state was like a ticking time bomb. Barbarians were stirring in the north, great houses shed fiercely in the south, and monsters swarmed the west, forcing any capable warrior into service¡ªhence why even a woman like Ray could gain a knighthood. Only the east remained stable, but the recent demonic events had shaken the public''s confidence.

    "Meanwhile, the emperor continues hiscency, and the crown prince is obsessed with restoring imperial power without actually supporting the lords."

    "Indeed. Everyone''s patience is stretched thin. No one would be surprised if things erupted soon."

    The precarious bnce persisted mainly due to inertia and fear of civil war. People dreaded the consequences if they all rebelled at once. Someone needed to take the first step. But so far, no one had dared.

    "Yet it''s only a matter of time. Once someone challenges the empire, the lords will follow."

    "Exactly. And that time is less than a decade away."

    The emperor had lived too long, and the crown prince was eager to subdue powerful lords. Once the prince took the throne, chaos was almost guaranteed.

    "My half-brother has grown too powerful. Do you understand what I mean?"

    "You fear he may be a ruler?"

    "If he doesn''t be one, he''ll be someone''s weapon. Either oue is disturbing."

    Ss''s talents were undeniable, and he now had the hero-level knight Toby under hismand. On top of that, his recent achievements had greatly enhanced his reputation. Many families would be eager to make him their sworn sword.

    "You realize that now, while his fame is still spreading, is ourst chance to act. Miss this moment, and we''ll never be able to touch him again."

    Ulrich''s face was tense. Truthfully, it was already risky to make a move now, especially since Ss was connected with the church''s saint. Yet, this was still within the realm of possibility.

    Oscar, who had been thinking deeply, finally spoke.@@novelbin@@

    "It''s toote to kill him. And Toby''s strength is too valuable to waste. So there is only one solution."

    Ulrich nodded, understanding the suggestion immediately. "It''s the best course, though I''d rather not use it."

 Chapter 88

    "No, just something I picked up. It''s a popr trick for ying dead," Max exined, reaching for a set of cosmetic powders. He applied a few finishing touches to Ss''s face, bringing just enough color back to look natural under banquet lighting. A simple wipe of a cloth would return Ss''splexion to its ghostly pallor.

    "Is everything I requested ready?" Ss asked.

    "Yes, though it wasn''t easy sneaking it in," Max replied, gesturing to Toby, who walked over with arge bucket sloshing with a dark liquid¡ªfresh cow''s blood.

    Ss scowled at the smell. "The stench is unavoidable."

    "It''s as fresh as it gets," Max assured him.

    Ss sighed, mentally preparing himself. Then, taking a bowl, he started drinking from the bucket. One bowl, then another, and another. Each sip deepened his grimace, as the metallic taste made him want to spit it out immediately.

    "Ugh, as bad as I expected."

    "Surely that''s enough?" Toby asked, looking concerned.

    "Not yet. The more I drink, the stronger the effect will beter," Ss replied, steeling himself as he drank half the bucket before finally stopping.

    "Aah! Now I''m ready," Ss said, wiping his mouth.

    "Lord, the smell of blood is overwhelming," Maxmented.

    "I was nning to rinse my mouth anyway," Ss replied. Though he knew a faint scent might linger, he trusted it wouldn''t be enough to raise suspicion. Just as they finished, a maid knocked on the door.

    "Master Ss, the banquet preparations areplete."

    "Understood, I''ll be right there," he responded, pressing his stomach. He felt a bit queasy from the blood he''d consumed but could tolerate it for a while longer.

    The banquet was lively yet informal, meant to celebrate victory and cast away sorrow. Formalities were kept to a minimum as guests filled the hall.

    "We have triumphed! We have driven out the demon and fulfilled our duty! Knights, rejoice and enjoy this feast; this is our victory banquet!" the count dered briefly, prompting cheers from the knights. While losses had been incurred, their sessful response to such an unprecedented disaster called for celebration. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire

    As the knights reveled, the count turned to his two sons. "Are you both well-rested?"

    "Yes, we''ve recovered," Ss replied.

    "Good to hear. I wanted to sing your praises further, but¡ª"

    "We are fortunate to have returned safely, Father," Ss replied modestly. "Let those who suffered losses receive thefort they deserve."

    "Thank you, Ss," the count replied, smiling warmly. Meanwhile, Ulrich forced a smile but couldn''t shake the growing unease he felt toward his younger brother.

    ''He''s dangerous,'' Ulrich thought, recognizing how naturally Ss seemed to earn loyalty. Determined to eliminate the threat, he signaled to one of his close aides, who soon returned with a tray holding two wine sses. Ulrich picked up one and offered it to Ss.

    "Here, Ss, take this."

    "What''s this for?"

    "Now that you''re of age, it''s time you drink. Traditionally, one''s first drink is offered by family."@@novelbin@@

    Ss epted the ss with mild surprise, catching the fine scent of high-quality wine.

    "This is from Cormo in the South," Ulrich continued. "It''s limited, and only a select few can get it. This one''s just for you."

    "Oh? I didn''t expect you''d offer it to your brother before even Father," Ss remarked.

    "Apologies, Father, but the first drink should be special," Ulrich joked, winking at the count. Ss looked at the wine, clearly impressed.

    "I''ve heard of this wine''s rarity¡ªhow did you get it?"

    "I have a friend from that region who was kind enough to send it," Ulrich replied.

    "Such a rare gift¡­ Thank you, Brother."

    Ulrich smiled, raising his ss. "To my younger brother''sing of age."

    "And to my brother, for gifting me such a fine drink."

    The brothers exchanged toasts and drank, Ulrich watching Ss carefully as he sipped. Once he finished his ss, Ss exhaled and chuckled.

    "My first drink¡ªremarkably fragrant. Is it always this good?"

    "Not at all! You''re just lucky to have tasted the best right away," Ulrichughed, feeling victorious. The binding elixir he''dced in the wine would have already been absorbed, meaning Ss was now dependent on it to live.

    ''Finally¡­ I can breathe easy,'' Ulrich thought, envisioning a future where he''d reveal the truth to Ss and keep him firmly under his control. Pouring himself a fresh ss without the elixir, Ulrich grinned. "Go on, have another. Now that you''ve started, you may as well enjoy it."

    "Yes, I''d like to, but¡­ my stomach feels¡­ odd¡­?"

    Just then, Ss''s expression twisted in pain, and he fell to his knees, coughing violently before vomiting onto the floor.

    "Uurgh!"

    "What''s happening?"

    "Ss!"

    "Lord!"

    Blood poured from Ss''s mouth, sending the hall into a frenzy. Just as the count rushed toward him, Max and Toby intervened, blocking the view with Toby''srge frame while Max leaned in, pretending to wipe Ss''s face.

    The count, frantic, pushed closer, demanding, "Move! Let me see Ss!"

    "Please, Your Grace! The young lord¡­!" Max replied, feigning panic as he discreetly wiped off the makeup, revealing Ss''s pallidplexion. Ss, spitting blood and breathing raggedly, looked up at his father.

    "Father¡­!"

    "Ss!" The count, distressed, took Ss''s hand. Seeing his father''s worry, Ss quickly signaled to Toby.

    ''Press my stomach¡ªhard!''

    ''Yes, my lord!''

    Toby applied pressure to Ss''s lower abdomen, forcing the contents up. Ss''s stomach twisted, and he retched another stream of blood.

    "Gaaah!"

    "What¡­?"

    The sight of more blood shocked everyone. It looked like he had consumed a lethal poison. As the count, horrified, clutched his son''s hand, Max inspected a wine ss lying nearby. Holding it up, he sniffed the rim, then gasped.

    "Lord Ulrich! What''s the meaning of this!?"

    "What are you talking about? I didn''t do anything!" Ulrich shot back, startled.

    "Then why does this ss smell of the ck Moon''s ''Invisible Elixir''?!" Max used, his voice shaking as Ulrich''s face went pale. How could Max have identified an odorless, tasteless poison?

    Watching Ulrich''s stunned reaction, Max thought to himself with satisfaction, ''In reality, there''s no smell¡ªbut hey, when you''re an assassin, you just know these things.''

 Chapter 89

    "Transparent Elixir¡­ what on earth is that?" the count demanded, rising to his feet in shock. Max, with a grim expression, held up the wine ss, his tone serious.

    "It''s something I heard from a former associate¡ªa ck Moon assassin," he replied solemnly.

    The crowd gasped. The ck Moon, an infamous organization known to eliminate even nobles, was synonymous with death and terror.

    "Indeed," Max continued. "The Transparent Elixir is one of their poisons, a name given for its clear, colorless nature onceplete."

    "What sort of effect could reduce him to this state?" the count asked, clutching his son.

    "It''s simple. Once ingested, a person must take an antidote periodically. If they miss even one dose, the poison activates, leading to bloody vomiting and, ultimately, death."

    The gathered crowd fell silent, shocked by the sheer cruelty of such a poison¡ªdesigned to enve its victims. After a dramatic pause, Max, cing his hand on his heart, continued with a pained expression.

    "This poison, meant to control its victim, is not supposed to take effect immediately."

    "Then why is it happening now?" the count asked, his face ashen.

    Max bowed his head in shame. "It''s my fault! I offered the young master a mild tonic yesterday, and it must have conflicted with this poison."

    "A tonic? How would that rte to poison?"

    "Certain ingredients should never bebined. When mixed, they react, triggering effects prematurely. I never imagined this could happen! This is all my fault!" Maxmented, his face buried in his hands.

    Ulrich''s face turned pale as he took in Max''s exnation. Had things gone so terribly wrong by sheer coincidence?

    The count, clutching his son''s limp body, asked desperately, "Is there an antidote? If so, share the recipe at once!"

    "I don''t know the exact form," Max replied, his tone bleak. "And at this point, it''s toote."

    "No¡­" the count murmured in despair.

    "If anything could save him, it would be the legendary elixir¡ªEl.ix.er." Max emphasized each syble, ncing subtly at Ulrich.

    At the mention of the Elixir, Ulrich''s shoulders tensed. Toby, catching this, raised his voice dramatically.

    "Are you insane, Max? El.ix.er is a legend! No one actually has it!"

    "But the only thing that could save the young master is the Elixir!" Max cried. "Without it, he will die!"

    "It''s impossible! No one has that kind of medicine!" Toby bellowed, continuing the act as he noted Ulrich''s reaction. Each mention of the Elixir sent a visible tremor through him. Eventually, he clenched his jaw, clearly weighing his options.

    ''No matter what, I can''t give that up!'' Ulrich thought, conflicted. The Elixir''s worth was beyond measure, capable of bestowing nobility and title even to amoner who presented it to the emperor. Yet, if he didn''t give it up now, his reputation¡ªand perhaps his life¡ªwould be destroyed.

    "Oscar," Ulrich whispered.

    "¡­Yes, sir."

    Without needing further exnation, Oscar left swiftly, knowing exactly where to retrieve the precious Elixir.

    Oscar returned shortly, a small vial clutched in his hand. With a reluctant expression, Ulrich approached the count and handed it over.

    "Father."

    The count, shaken, looked at his son.

    "This¡­ is the antidote."@@novelbin@@

    The count''s eyes widened. The statement implied that there was, in fact, a cure and that Ulrich had been withholding it. Taking the vial, the count passed it to Max, who stepped forward.

    "Allow me, Your Grace. It requires skill to administer properly."

    With Max holding the vial, Toby moved closer to help, their expressions as solemn as ever. Meanwhile, Oscar, standing beside Ray, whispered, "Sir Ray, I¡­"

    "I''m not leaving the lord," Ray responded coldly, not even turning to look at him.

    "¡­Thank you," Oscar murmured, realizing any attempt to justify the situation was pointless. He could only feel thankful for the cor he had on Ray, one that prevented her from simply walking away.

    Then Toby eximed loudly, "Wait! This vial¡­ is it possible¡­?"

    "What?" Max responded, feigning confusion.

    "The shine¡­ the color¡­" Toby continued, his eyes wide as he examined the vial. "This is¡­ the El.ix.er!"

    "Are you serious? This is the legendary Elixir?" Max echoed loudly, heightening the crowd''s excitement.

    Around them, people whispered and gasped. The Elixir was thought to be a mythical cure-all. Even mentioning it was akin to fantasy, yet here it was.

    "Yes, I''m sure of it!" Toby replied with a flourish. "This much Elixir could cure not just one, but potentially even two cases of the incurable sleep disease!"

    At that, Oscar''s jaw dropped, horrified. But Toby pressed on.

    "Incredible! The sleep disease¡ªrumored to be incurable¡ªcould be healed with this single vial! The Elixir is truly as potent as the legends say!" he dered, drawing even more murmurs from the crowd.

    ''These idiots, just give it to him already!'' Oscar thought in frustration as the crowd continued to marvel at the supposed value of the Elixir while Ray''s hands clenched in suppressed rage beside him.

    Atst, Ray, her voice trembling, muttered, "Did you¡­ know about this?" Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire

    "Sir Ray," a voice called nervously.

    "If you lie, I''ll kill you right here," Ray replied coldly.

    Oscar, who had been silently opening and closing his mouth, finally dropped his head in a silent nod. Ray watched him intently for a moment before turning away, knowing that if he continued staring, he might actually follow through on his threat. Ss, meanwhile, opened his eyes just a sliver to check the mood, then whispered to hispanion.

    "You heard that, right?" Ss murmured.

    "I did," came the reply.

    "Good. Let''s move on to the final stage," Ss said quietly.

    Satisfied with their agreement, Max uncorked a vial and brought it to Ss''s lips. Instead of swallowing the elixir, Ss held it in his mouth, ensuring it stayed in without causing him to cough. Since the elixir hadn''t been consumed yet, the pale color induced by the poison hadn''t faded. Max embraced Ss with a serious expression and shouted dramatically.

    "Ah, oh no! The potion isn''t working!"

 Chapter 92

    Would Count Leonard really consider changing the heir over one incident? Ss wondered.

    "With an ordinary poison, it might have been easier to dismiss, but it wasn''t just any poison. It was the transparent elixir, after all. Thanks to that, Ulrich haspletely ruined his reputation," Max exined.

    "I figured as much," Ss admitted.

    If Ulrich had used a poison that simply killed, it might have been better. But he chose one that enved its victim. This went beyond mere dishonor; it was an act more akin to something a witch or demon would do.

    "In a family like ours, where deception and schemes aren''t the norm, this is a severe offense. We''re the Corleone family, and most of the knights here have been influenced by Count Leonard''s strong sense of honor," Max continued.

    Ss pped his forehead, realizing he''d overlooked that. Unless a knight was exceptionally independent, like Toby, most would take after their lord. The Corleone family was no exception, and Count Leonard''s emphasis on chivalry and honor had instilled a sense of pride among his knights. Ulrich''s actions had likely multiplied their resentment.

    "At least Dani isn''t two-faced. People are starting to think he''d be better as head than Ulrich," Max noted.

    Ss sighed. "He''s too simple-minded, that''s the problem."

    Normally, that would be a disadvantage. But now, in light of Ulrich''s scandal, people were beginning to view Dani''s simplicity as a virtue. It was almostughable.

    "Thisplicates things," Ss murmured.

    "Complicates things? Isn''t this a good turn of events?" Max replied, puzzled.

    "No, as bad as he is, Dani isn''t the answer."

    Ss didn''t like Ulrich, but for the future, he''d prefer Ulrich as the family head over Dani. The easternnds were notably peacefulpared to other regions. As a result, many lords had amassed power, and their pride had grown in proportion. If turmoil erupted, they''d likely turn on one another.

    "In that scenario, Corleone would also be affected. Worst case, with Dani as head, he could ruin everything like he did before," Ss thought.

    In his previous life, the reckless crown prince had dragged the entire family into trouble without considering the repercussions. Ss wanted to avoid that. At the very least, he needed Ulrich to take the reins, to keep control over the eastern lords until a stable power base could be established.

    "Seems I''ll have to throw him a lifeline, after all," Ss conceded.

    Max blinked, surprised. "What? Are you really going to save him after all the trouble he caused, without expecting anything in return?"

    "Who said it would be free?" Ss grinned.

    He nced at Toby, who had been muttering under his breath. "I may need him, but I''m not doing it for charity. I''ll make sure he pays up," Ss added.

    In his room, Ulrich clutched his face in frustration.

    "Damn it¡­ how did ite to this?" he muttered, seething. He''d never imagined he''d fall this far.

    To be threatened by none other than Dani for his position¡ªit was humiliating.

    "If it were Ss, I wouldn''t feel this worthless," he thought.

    After facing Ss a few times, Ulrich had reluctantly acknowledged that his half-brother was truly a step above him. It was a realization he''de to only after losing almost everything, but at least he could take sce in knowing he''d been bested by someone superior.

    "But Dani? Not Dani!" Ulrich thought bitterly.@@novelbin@@

    Dani was his hot-headed, thoughtless younger brother. To lose his position to him? The very thought was almost worse than death. Just then, a servant''s voice called from outside.

    "Sir Ulrich¡­ Max is here to see you."

    "Max? He wants to see me?" Ulrich replied, surprised.

    "Yes, sir. He said he has something to discuss¡­"

    Max was Ss''s right-hand man, a subordinate Dani had carelessly lost to Ss. And now, he wasing to see Ulrich. This could only mean one thing¡ªSs was sending him as a messenger.

    "Send him in immediately!" Ulrich ordered.

    The servant ushered Max in, and Ulrich''s frustration grew as he noticed the man''s rxed demeanor.

    "Good to see you again, Sir Ulrich," Max said with a slight bow.

    "Enough. Are you here to mock me?" Ulrich snapped.

    "Not at all, sir. I''m merely here to deliver an offer from my lord," Max replied, his tone neutral.

    "An offer? What sort of offer?" Ulrich asked, suspicious.

    "It''s an offer to restore your honor, sir," Max said smoothly.

    Ulrich''s eyes widened. His honor was the very thing that had been thrown into the mud, and here was the one responsible for taking it away, now offering to return it.

    Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire

    "Go on," Ulrich replied warily.

    "First, however, Sir Ulrich, we''ll need you to agree to one condition," Max said.

    "I knew it. There''s a price," Ulrich muttered, gritting his teeth. "What is it? Name it."

    He''d lost so much that he was prepared to give up almost anything to regain his standing. But Max''s next words made him clench his fists.

    "He requests the same amount of elixir you used at the banquet," Max stated calmly.

    "What?!" Ulrich nearlyshed out in anger. The elixir he''d used that day had already consumed nearly half of his supply. And now Ss wanted him to give up more? He''d be left with barely a single dose if heplied.

    "Ridiculous. He doesn''t even know how little I have left, and he''s demanding that much," Ulrich thought, crossing his arms and attempting to feignposure.

    "The elixir was all used up in Ss''s treatment," he lied. "How am I supposed to supply more?"

    "Is that so?" Max replied with a shrug. "In that case, I''ll take my leave."

    "W-Wait! Why are you leaving so quickly? We still have more to discuss," Ulrich stammered.

    "Ss''s instructions were clear: if there''s no elixir, there''s no deal," Max replied coolly. "There''s nothing else he needs from you."

    "I told you, I don''t have any!" Ulrich insisted.

    "Then I''ll be on my way," Max replied, turning to leave. "Oh, and by the way, Dani has been very calmtely. He''s even been studying diligently. It seems people recognize when their opportunities arise," he added with a smirk.

    Ulrich''s teeth ground together in anger. It was clear that unless he provided the elixir, Ss had no interest in negotiating. Finally, he surrendered.

    "Fine," he muttered.

    "Sorry, sir? I didn''t quite hear that," Max replied with a grin.

    "I said, I''ll give it to you! Now, just tell me what your offer is!" Ulrich spat, swallowing his pride.

    Max smiled as he took out a letter from Ss. Ulrich snatched it from him and read through it quickly. As he read, his frustrated expression gradually turned into one of disbelief.

    "He¡­ really wants me to do this?" he asked, dumbfounded.

    "Yes," Max replied.

    "Is he joking?" Ulrich asked.

    "The results will speak for themselves. Just try it," Max said withplete sincerity.

    Ulrich sighed, clutching his head. The n would likely work, and he''d regain much of his lost honor. But he couldn''t shake the feeling of utter humiliation.

    "Do I really have to live like this, dragging myself through the mud?" he thought, feeling a pang of regret.

    He''d kept his dignity intact up until now. But something about this n felt as though he''d be trading his honor for his humanity.

    "Burn the letter, and if you decide to ept, bring the elixir to the meeting point," Max instructed before leaving.

    Ulrich sat in silence for a moment, then held the letter over a candle. As he watched it burn, he couldn''t help but feel it mirrored his own situation¡ªif he didn''t make it through this, he''d be reduced to ashes.

    "Forget about dignity. This is myst lifeline," he thought with a sigh.

    Pushing back his reluctance, Ulrich leaned back in his chair and considered the strange preparation instructions.

    "...I guess I''ll need to get some wasabi from the kitchen," he muttered to himself.

    If he was going to cry, he would need a lot of tears.

 Chapter 94

    The count''s wine ss was still in his hand when a frantic voice rang out from outside the door.@@novelbin@@

    "Count! There''s something I need to tell you!"

    "What''s going on?" Bill called back, looking up in rm.

    "Sirs Ulrich and Ss¡­ they''re meeting in the garden!" came the reply.

    "What?" Bill was so startled that he dropped his wine ss, shattering it. His heart pounded. Just recently, one had poisoned the other, and now they were meeting again?

    His lingering buzz vanished instantly as he sprang to his feet and rushed toward the door.

    "Out of my way! I''ll see for myself!" hemanded, moving past the servants without hesitation. Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire

    Once Bill had departed, Max, who had been watching from a tree near the window, dropped down and hurried toward the garden, mimicking the call of a crow. The caw echoed through the trees, reaching Toby''s ears.

    "My lord, when will it be all right for us to enter the garden?" one of the servants asked anxiously.

    "Just wait a little longer. It should be over soon¡­"

    Caw, caw.

    "¡­although it seems their conversation is taking a bit longer than expected. You may enter now," Toby said, moving aside.

    "Oh, thank you, my lord," the servant replied, and the gardeners filed into the garden, still keeping their distance from Ulrich and Ss, not wanting to get too close during such a tense time.

    Ulrich frowned as he watched the servants hover at a distance. "When can we start?"

    "Everything''s ready now. Just make small talk until then," Ss instructed.

    "Small talk? About what?" Ulrich grumbled.

    "You can just mutter to yourself. As long as it looks like we''re talking," Ss replied casually.

    "That''s probably easier," Ulrich muttered.

    The two of them began speaking toward each other, though it was hardly a real conversation. They were merely murmuring nonsense and filler phrases, but from a distance, it looked like they were engaged in a genuine discussion. A few minutester, Ulrich noticed a stir near the garden entrance.

    "There''s somemotion by the garden entrance¡­" he whispered.

    Hoo-hoo, an owl called.

    Ulrich''s attention snapped back. The owl''s hoot was Max''s signal that things were about to begin. It meant Count Bill was at the entrance, arguing with Toby. Ss looked at Ulrich with a smile.

    "It''s time. Do you remember your lines?"

    "I remember them all; you don''t need to remind me," Ulrich grumbled, standing up. He couldn''t believe he was actually about to go through with this.

    With a trembling voice, he began to shout loudly.

    "Why are you stopping me? Do you have any idea what could happen if those two are left alone together?" Count Bill demanded, attempting to push his way into the garden.

    "Please, Your Grace, you must stay calm!" Toby insisted, blocking his path.

    The count was at a loss. How could Toby, a knight, stand back while Ulrich and Ss were left alone together? A knight should be by his lord''s side, after all!

    "Stand aside! I''ll break through if I have to!" Bill threatened.

    "If you step in, the curse will never be lifted!" Toby responded urgently.

    "A¡­ curse?" The count paused, taken aback. Why mention a curse now?

    "Think about it, Your Grace. This is Sir Ulrich we''re talking about. Why would he poison his own brother''s drink?" Toby asked.

    "Well¡­" Count Bill stammered, trying to think. There were countless possible reasons: jealousy, a desire for power, or perhaps a hidden personality finally surfacing. But still, Ulrich''s previous behavior didn''t entirely align with such an act.

    "My lord believes that Sir Ulrich is cursed," Toby added.

    "A dungeon curse¡­?" the count repeated in shock.

    "Ancient dungeons are often said to curse those who enter, driving them mad. Think, Your Grace¡ªwas Sir Ulrich''s behavior ever anything but exemry before this?"

    No, Ulrich had always been a proud heir, dedicated andposed. And now, without warning, he had poisoned his younger brother''s drink. It was too out of character, Bill thought, almost irrational. But if it was because of a curse from a dungeon¡­

    "That would exin everything!" Bill realized.

    It was only natural for a father to want to believe in his son. Toby, seeing the wavering look in Bill''s eyes, spoke in a heavy tone.

    "My lord believes that Sir Ulrich has been driven mad by a curse. He hopes that the holy sword might be able to lift it," Toby said.

    "Ss¡­!" the count whispered, his voice choked.

    "I trust our lord, so we must not interfere. Listening from nearby should be fine, but if you step in, everything could be ruined," Toby cautioned.

    Bill swallowed hard, nodding slowly. If there was even a chance the curse could be lifted, he was willing to do whatever it took.

    "I understand. I''ll be careful. But allow me to listen in on what they''re discussing," he requested.

    "Of course. Just make sure they don''t notice you," Toby replied.

    As Bill entered the garden cautiously, Ulrich''s voice rang out, loud and desperate.

    "Yes! This curse is eating me alive! Since that day, voices have echoed endlessly in my head!" Ulrich cried out, his voice trembling. There was a note of helplessness, as if he didn''t want this but had no choice. To any observer, he sounded like a young man losing his mind to despair.

    "Dammit, this is so humiliating," he thought as he held his face, continuing his monologue.

    "I¡­ I''m terrified of myself! I don''t know what I might do next! I never should have entered that dungeon out of greed¡­" he shouted.

    "Brother! Please, calm yourself!" Ss called out, moving to embrace him from behind.

    "Calm myself? Calm myself?" Ulrich shrieked, shaking as if truly panicking.

    In truth, he couldn''t stand having Ss wrap his arms around him like this. He felt like he was about to lose his mind for real.

    "Get away from me! I am Ulrich! I am Ulrich Corleone!" he screamed, pushing Ss away.

    "U-Ulrich¡­" Seeing his son in such agony, Bill felt tears rise to his eyes. It was true¡ªToby''s words had been true. If Ulrich was suffering under a curse, that would exin everything, including his actions toward Ss. All the pieces fit.

    "Go away! Don''te near me, Ss! Even now, the curse screams at me to kill you¡­!" Ulrich yelled.

    "I won''t leave you!" Ss replied.

    "Stay back! I can''t hold myself back anymore!" Ulrich''s patience was wearing thin, and he could barely contain his irritation. "Let''s get this over with already," he thought, prompting Ss to draw his sword.

    "Holy sword Volberk! Cleanse this curse!" Ss intoned, swinging the de downward.

    ''Hey, me. Just a quick, discreet burst at the tip, alright?'' Ss whispered mentally.

    As youmand, master¡­

    Fwoosh.

    A small burst of me ignited at the sword''s tip, almost too brief to notice, giving the illusion of a faint light. The me burned the ck herb in the censer behind Ulrich, sending dark smoke rising around him. Seeing this, Ss gave his nextmand.

    ''Now make the sword shine, as brightly as you can.''

    As you wish¡­

    A blinding light radiated from the sword, illuminating the garden. At the same time, the smoke rose behind Ulrich, making it appear as if dark energy were pouring from his body.

    "Ugh! The¡­ the curse¡­ the curse is breaking!" Ulrich groaned, clutching his chest and curling up, using his body to shield the censer from view. Count Bill watched the scene in a daze.

    The holy sword''s radiant light, the dark smoke billowing around Ulrich as he writhed in apparent agony¡ªit was a spectacle that conveyed exactly what they intended. Toby murmured in awe.

    "Sir Ulrich''s darkened soul is being purified by the light¡­"

    "Is that¡­ what''s happening?" Bill thought, watching in realization. Ulrich was finally being freed from the dreadful curse, his son triumphing over the darkness.

    "Stay strong, Ulrich! Don''t give in to the curse. You''re my heir, after all!" the count thought, biting his lip, fervently rooting for his son in silence.

    Watching the count''s intense expression, Toby mused to himself, "Hmm, maybe I should add some extramentary. Something more dramatic to make it perfect¡­"

 Chapter 97

    As soon as Ss finished securing his funds, he promptly began preparations for departure, moving so quickly that the count was taken aback.

    "Aren''t you rushing things a bit? At least wait until the weather warms up a little," the count advised.

    "The weather is more than warm enough for me, Father. As I travel, spring wille before I know it," Ss replied.

    Having lived as amon hunter for fifteen years in his previous life, Ss was no stranger to the harshness of winter. A journey with ample winter gear as a noble was hardly a challenge, especially with inns lined up along the main roads.

    "The journey itself won''t be difficult, so please don''t worry," Ss reassured him.

    "Hmm, that may be true¡­" the count murmured, still unable topletely hide his worry. He, too, had once been a wandering knight, so he understood the reality of Ss''s words. Yet as a father, he couldn''t help but be concerned.

    I know Father''s heart, but there''s no time to dy, Ss thought as he continued to reassure the count. He''d received an intense pledge of loyalty from Ray, and if she''d managed to heal whoever she intended, she would have sent word by now. The fact that no message had arrived suggested that something had gone wrong.

    By now, she should''ve had time to resolve things. If there''s still no word, then she must have encountered a problem, he thought, his suspicions growing into certainty. The timing, after all, was too coincidental. He needed to head to the West as soon as possible to understand the situation. Within a few days, Ss hadpleted all his preparations and mounted his horse, with Toby and Max following close behind, as expected.

    "Father, it''s still cold. You should go inside," Ss said.

    "Nonsense. I won''t let a little chill keep me from seeing you off," Count Bill replied, joining them just outside the castle gate. Curious townsfolk gathered to watch the rare sight of the count himself bidding farewell to Ss and hispanions.

    The count handed Ss a small pouch of gold coins, his breath visible in the cold air. "Use this for your travel expenses."

    "Thank you, Father," Ss replied.

    "There''s no need to thank me. I''m only sorry I can''t give you more. If you weren''t a wandering knight, I''d have provided as much as you needed."

    Wandering knighthood wasn''t afortable journey; rather, it was a path that required oveing hardships and helping others. The count believed that afortable journey with an excess of wealth would tarnish its meaning.

    "This is more than enough for me," Ss replied with a knowing smile. He understood the sentimentpletely, which was why he had already secured extra funds himself.

    "Then I''ll take my leave," Ss said, bowing slightly.

    "Take care," the count replied.

    "Don''t worry, Father. I''ll return safely in a year," Ss said as he turned his horse and rode off, with Toby and Max following close behind. The count watched their departure, murmuring to himself.

    "It''ll be a difficult journey, but I believe you can handle it."

    Helping others wasn''t the only challenge¡ªsurviving, eating, sleeping, and traveling were hardships in themselves. Even for someone with Ss''s experience as a hunter, living in his family''s estate was vastly different from spending a year wandering.

    "Be strong, my son," the count thought, watching Ss''s back as he disappeared over the horizon, feeling a mix of pride and apprehension. Only after Ss was far out of sight did the count turn back toward the castle.

    Once Toby saw that the count had gone back inside, he leaned in and asked, "So, what''s the n?"

    "First, we need to leave the Corleone estate," Ss replied.

    Since the Corleone territory stretched over the area, it would take five days just to exit. During that time, he''d endure some difort, as there would certainly be someone keeping an eye on them, even if the count didn''t send them directly. Only after they reached a different estate could they escape any lingering scrutiny.

    "Guess we''ll have to camp out and munch on jerky for the next five days," Ss said with a sigh.

    "What about after that?" Toby asked.

    "What do you mean? After that, I''ll be staying at a nice inn, scrubbing off all the grime, and treating myself to a meal spiced to perfection."

    Ss had always believed in travelingfortably whenever he could. It was a personal motto he''d held since long before his return.

    The lifestyle of a wandering knight onlysted for the first five days. After that, Ss and hispanions took advantage offortable inns andrge cities, making the journey much easier. Besides the physical toll of travel, there wasn''t much hardship.

    "This sausage is great; they probably wouldn''t share the recipe if I asked, right?"

    "The seafood soup is fantastic too. Let''s order another round," Max suggested.

    "The food''s good, but the wine could be better," Toby remarked.

    The three of them enjoyed a meal delivered to their second-floor room at the inn. While the meals back at the count''s estate were fine, foreign regions had their own unique vors to offer. After polishing off his te, Toby picked at a piece of meat stuck between his teeth.

    "So, Master, I don''t mind thisfort, but are we supposed to keep going like this?"

    "What do you mean?" Ss asked.

    "Well, this doesn''t exactly feel like a wandering knight''s journey. It''s a bit too¡­fortable, don''t you think?"

    Toby''s concern was clear: he was worried they''d be criticized if anyone realized how easy their journey had been. But Ss waved it off, chewing another bite of meat.

    "No one''s going to need our help in the East or the Central regions. The East is stable, and the Central region is tightly controlled by the imperial pce. Not much to get involved in."

    The only problems that arose here involved lords causing trouble, but that wasn''t a wandering knight''s responsibility. What could they do about a lord causing chaos on his ownnd?@@novelbin@@

    "But that''s not the case in the West and North," Ss continued. "Things are a mess over there. This luxury ends the moment we reach the West."

    While the North was calm for the moment, the West was already in disarray even before the major events urred. Ss might encounter other difficulties before he could even meet with Ray.

    "So enjoy this while you can. It''s thest of it," Ss concluded.

    Toby nodded and leaned backfortably. Ss hadn''t been wrong yet; if he said things would get rough soon, they probably would.

    "...I knew it would be rough, but this is just excessive," Toby muttered.

    "More of them?" Ss asked.

    "Yes, not many, but¡­" Toby replied, squinting into the dark forest where several pairs of yellow eyes watched them.

    It was a pack of wargs¡ªmonsters simr to hyenas that would attack en masse if they sensed weakness in their prey.

    "Can you chase them off?" Ss asked.

    "There are only five, so I''ll just scare them a bit," Toby said, standing up and gripping his spear. He fixed his gaze on the warg pack and swung his spear with all his strength against a nearby tree.

    CRACK!

    Yelp!

    The thick tree shook with the impact, and the wargs scattered, realizing this was no prey they could hunt. As their presence faded into the shadows, Max grumbled.

    "I''d heard that monster attacks weremon in the West, but this is beyond anything I imagined. Five ambushes on a well-traveled road!"

    Most beasts and monsters were highly territorial, keeping to their domains and avoiding humannds for fear of death. But five monster encounters on a main road meant that something was off.

    "Are attacks normally this frequent here?" Toby asked.

    "No, this is definitely out of the ordinary," Ss replied.

 Chapter 99

    "Ugh¡­" About twenty minutester, Bericy sprawled on the ground, groaning as he crawled, bruised and battered. His arms were bound with the same magical restraints that Ss and Max had broken free from. Ss clicked his tongue, looking down at him.

    "Let''s have a little talk, shall we?" Ss said.

    "After putting me through this? What do we have to discuss?" Beric spat out, grimacing.

    "Consider yourself lucky I didn''t kill you after breaking the code of hospitality," Ss replied coolly.

    At the pointed remark, Beric flinched. Hospitality wasn''t just lip service; among nobility, viting it was a grave offense. If one side broke it intentionally, the other party was permitted to kill them without fear of retribution, even from powerful noble families. It was seen as self-inflicted justice.

    "Now, look this way when I''m speaking to you," Ss instructed.

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    "I''m looking at you," Beric muttered.

    "Not like that. Are you even looking at me? Or is there something flying above my head?" Ss demanded, noticing that Beric seemed unable to meet his gaze.

    "My eyes are swollen. I can barely see," Beric groaned, flinching in pain.

    Ss sighed as he looked at Beric''s bruised face. Toby, clearly holding some resentment, had beaten him rather thoroughly. Ss nced at Toby, who looked quite pleased with himself as he dusted off his hands.

    "Ahem. I have some questions for you, though. What''s your rtionship with Ray?" Ss asked.

    "She''s my cousin. Her father is my uncle," Beric replied.

    "Cousin?"

    Ss examined Beric''s hair, which was amon brown, not the fiery red one might expect.

    "I think I know what you''re getting at, but red hair isn''tmon in our family," Beric said, catching Ss''s drift. "Though the founder had red hair, the color has faded over generations."

    "Fair enough. So, why did you try to capture us?" Ss pressed.

    "To prevent you from meeting Ray," Beric replied.

    "I can see that. What I''m asking is why you wanted to stop us," Ss rified.

    Beric paused, then sighed deeply, his face darkening as if he were about to reveal something shameful.

    "How much do you know about the West?" Beric asked.

    "It''s and overrun by monsters," Ss replied.

    "Not entirely wrong," Beric replied with a bitter smile. "But that''s an oversimplification. When you actually live here, it''s more like a war zone where wilderness and civilization collide."

    In the West, there was a saying: "Have as many children as possible, because only two, at most, will reach adulthood." The region was gued by constant monster attacks. People lived in a constant state of preparedness, and the number of knights and soldiers lost in battles was enormous. Naturally, noble families in the West were always in desperate need of strong fighters, especially a powerful knight like Ray.

    "So when she returned to the family after three years, everyone was thrilled," Beric continued. "She was already strong, and with the recent surge in monster attacks, she was seen as a great asset."

    However, the Winslow family''s hopes were quickly dashed. Upon her return, Ray refused the family''s requests for help.

    Her reason was simple: "I already have a lord to whom I''ve pledged my loyalty."

    For the family elders, her words were a thunderbolt. A knight with her skills, yet she wouldn''t lend them to her own family, instead choosing to follow a new lord? The family head and elders were determined to keep her there, and so they sent Beric to investigate who this new "lord" of Ray''s was.@@novelbin@@

    "¡­So you were on your way to the East?" Ss asked.

    "No, I wasn''t nning to go that far. I intended to get as far as the central region and then hire someone to gather information for me. I certainly didn''t expect to meet you just three days after she left," Beric admitted, lowering his head, seeming resigned to his bad luck.

    Ss stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So, let me get this straight: you wanted to stop me from meeting Ray because, if I did, the family wouldn''t be able to hold her anymore?"

    "That''s right," Beric said, ncing away. "Given time, she''d probably start to feel loyalty toward her homnd again. And she''s not the type to ignore people in need¡­"

    "Cut the nonsense," Ss said, his tone icy. Beric flinched, looking up at him with fear as Ss''s gaze turned cial.

    "Enough with the half-truths. Tell me everything. What''s really going on?" Ss demanded.

    "I¡­ I don''t know what you mean," Beric stammered.

    "There are too many gaps in your story. Why did Ray leave the family in the first ce? And if her strength was so important, why didn''t you stop her from leaving to begin with?" Ss pressed.

    In a region where power was critical, a noble family could easily prevent a sixteen-year-old from leaving. So why were they so desperate for her help now?

    "Tell me the truth. What are you hiding?" Ss asked.

    Beric clenched his mouth shut, refusing to speak, so Ss unsheathed his sword.

    "Fine. If you can''t talk, then goodbye."

    "Wait! You''re really going to kill me?" Beric asked, panicking.

    "The ones I hate most are people who twist the truth to suit themselves, leaving out what''s inconvenient and calling it ''honesty,''" Ss replied, his voice deadly calm. He raised his sword, ready to strike.

    "We thought she''d be back soon!" Beric shouted, breaking into a cold sweat. Ss halted, his de just inches away.

    "Go on," Ss said.

    "We thought she''d return shortly¡­ because her mother is still in the family," Beric admitted, trembling.

    "Her mother?" Ss asked, momentarily confused. "Isn''t Ray''s mother your aunt?"

    "No," Beric replied, exhaling deeply. "She''s an illegitimate child."

    Ray gently touched her mother''s cheek, feeling the once sunken and sallow skin now filled out slightly. Even this bit of flesh brought Ray joy. Her mother had been little more than a skeleton before.

    "Enough, my cheeks will wear away if you keep touching them," her mother chuckled softly.

    "Mother," Ray whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks. How long had it been since she''d seen her mother with a smile, moving and speaking like this?

    Since Ray was thirteen, her mother had spent almost all her time lying in bed.

    "I''m fully recovered now, Ray," her mother assured her. "I''ll be awake from now on. You don''t need to worry."

    "I know," Ray replied.

    "Oh, do you? You still shake me awake in a panic every time I fall asleep," her mother teased gently.

    Ray flushed, embarrassed. She couldn''t help it. She''d doubted so many times whether this was real. Without confirming her mother''s presence, she felt restless and unable to do anything.

    "To think I''d get to taste something as precious as an elixir. I never imagined that in my lifetime," her mother murmured.

    "My lord gave it to me," Ray said softly.

    "He must be a kind man. I wish I could meet him and thank him myself."

    Ray''s expression darkened. It wasn''t her mother who needed to meet her lord, but herself. She hadn''t even properly thanked him, let alone expressed her gratitude. She''d only made a pledge of loyalty and then left hastily. But now, she was stuck here, unable to leave.

    At that moment, a middle-aged maid entered the room, bowing deeply, her posture tense.

    "Young mistress, the viscount has summoned you."

    "¡­I''ll be back soon," Ray said to her mother.

    "Take your time, my dear. I''ll be here," her mother replied with a gentle smile.

 Chapter 103

    Leon clutched his forehead, looking bewildered.

    "Did¡­ did I just get hit?"

    The incident had happened so suddenly that he wasn''t entirely sure. It wasn''t until Ss spoke that he fully grasped the situation.

    "This time, I was faster."

    Leon''s eyes trembled at Ss''s calm voice. How could this be? He hadn''t even seen the sword move.

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    "It''s just a fluke! It has to be!" he thought, suppressing his anxiety and readying himself again. Clearly, his own impatience had left an opening for the attack. This time, he resolved to approach calmly to avoid making the same mistake.

    "If I just get close enough to knock his wooden sword aside¡­"

    Thwack.

    "Ugh!?"

    As soon as their wooden swords shed, Leon felt a spark of pain re on his forehead again. Ss''s sword had struck precisely the same spot.

    Leon staggered backward, eyes wide in disbelief.

    "What on earth¡­!?"

    Again, he hadn''t seen the attack. The speed wasn''t even that fast! As Leon struggled to process what had happened, Ss chuckled.

    "Shall we continue?"

    "¡­Of course!" Leon gritted his teeth and charged at Ss once more. This time, he nned a straightforward, powerful attack. If he struck quickly and forcefully, his opponent would have no choice but to confront him head-on.

    "Let''s see if he can handle this!"

    As Leon''s wooden sword swung down, Ss''s sword moved as well. At the moment they shed¡ª

    Thwack.

    "What¡­? He deflected my sword to the side?"

    Leon''s mind reeled. Deflecting a blow to another direction wasn''t easy¡ªit required exact control. If the force was misjudged, the deflection wouldn''t fully block the blow, or the deflector might even lose bnce. Yet Ss''s maneuver was wless.

    Without breaking his own stance, Ss''s blow disrupted Leon''s bncepletely. Another strike from Ss''s wooden sword came toward Leon, sending him staggering backward.

    Thwack.

    "Gah!"

    The third strikended on the same spot, leaving Leon dizzy and struggling to keep his focus. Ss barely managed to hold back a smirk.

    "You think you can beat me, an amateur who''s never set foot on a battlefield?"

    Ss''s frustrating "Ordinary" trait limited him from surpassing the level of "proficient" in any skill, no matter how hard he tried. His swordsmanship, like all his abilities, could never exceed average proficiency, yet he''d survived battlefields at that limit for over a decade. As a result, he was unmatched among ordinary knights. Genius or not, a mere novice with little experience stood no chance.

    "Would you like to continue?"

    "¡­No, I concede."

    Leon held his forehead, bowing his head. Though it stung, he had to admit he couldn''t win.

    As they left the training ground, Baron Caden patted Leon''s shoulder.

    "Well fought."

    "Thank you."

    Despite his words, the baron''s brow twitched slightly. This duel had been intended to humble Ss, but the effect had been the opposite. However, a noble must sometimes smile, even in the face of defeat. Caden praised Ss in as cheerful a tone as he could manage.

    "You truly are from the Corleone family¡ªa fine example of the legendary Dragonyer Leonik''s swordsmanship."

    "My ancestors'' glory is hardly mine, my lord. I am humbled."

    "No need to be. Today has opened my eyes."

    After heapingpliments on Ss, the baron paused as if suddenly recalling something.

    "Oh, it seems I''ve forgotten a matter requiring my immediate attention. I had arranged fine wine for us, but s, I won''t be able to join. Perhaps you would join my son in my ce?"

    "Of course, though I would have liked to speak with you as well, my lord."

    "My apologies; this matter is unavoidable."

    Their gazes met briefly. The baron''s mention of a wine gathering was an invitation to converse in confidence, yet by sending his son in his ce, he was making it clear this discussion wouldn''t represent the official stance of the Winslow family.

    "Ah, a true noble."@@novelbin@@

    After seeing his direct and straightforward father for so long, it was refreshing for Ss to see the subtleties of noble behavior. Nobility, after all, was inherently political.

    "Leon, I''d like you to host Sir Ss in my stead."

    "Of course, Father. I won''t bring shame to our family name."

    Leon smiled brightly as he epted his father''s instructions, causing Ss to click his tongue in amusement.

    "He''s still smiling, even with that red mark on his forehead."

    In terms of swordsmanship, Leon had much to learn, but in political insight, he was already his father''s equal.

    Ss followed Leon to the reception room, where fine wine and light refreshments had already been prepared. Evidently, it had been set up well before the duel ended.

    "This wine is from the Lergren region in the South. Its aroma is quite pleasant."

    With a brief exnation, Leon poured their sses. The wine was indeed rich in both vor and aroma. After they each took a sip, the real conversation began.

    "I''ve heard much about your aplishments, Sir Ss."

    "I simply did my duty as a knight."

    "What did you think of the western territories as you traveled?"

    "There were quite a lot of monsters."

    It was the same response he had given to Beric. There was no creativity in his answer, but honestly, it was hard to find anything else to say. Everywhere he went, it was monsters, monsters, and more monsters. In these troublesomends, anyone would associate the western territories with monsters.

    "You''re correct. The West is indeed and of hardships and, as such, always yearns for powerful knights."

    "Like Sir Ray, for example?"

    "Precisely."

    Leon looked directly at Ss as he spoke.

    "Lately, the monster situation has worsened. I always think about how reassuring it would be to have someone like my sister with us."

    "Unfortunate indeed. One can only hope for another knight like her someday."

    Despite Ss''s clear refusal, Leon''s face stiffened slightly. He quickly forced a smile and took another sip of wine.

    "Well, wouldn''t it be even more reassuring if someone who''s already here took up the role?"

 Chapter 105

    "When they y dirty, we''ll just have to y dirty right back."

    "What''s the n this time?" Toby asked, curiosity piqued.

    "Well¡­" Ss leaned in and whispered his scheme into Toby''s ear. Toby blinked as he listened.

    "You alwayse up with the wildest ideas."@@novelbin@@

    "So, can you handle it?"

    "Of course. I''ve had enough of their antics, anyway."

    Toby smirked, eager to give them a taste of their own medicine, even if it meant drawing a little ire.

    "Hey! Is anyone out there?" Toby bellowed as soon as night fell. The servant, who had been instructed to attend to anything they wanted short of arranging a meeting with Ray, came hurrying in.

    "Yes, sir! What do you need?"

    "Got any wine? Something strong, if possible."

    "Strong wine? We have some from the Arse region¡­"

    "Bring it here. I''m in the mood for something strong tonight."

    "Understood."

    The servant quickly returned with the wine. Toby was known to have a drink before bed now and then, so no one suspected anything unusual. But tonight was different. After finishing the first bottle, Toby requested even stronger spirits.

    "One more bottle!"

    "Yes, right away."

    "And another!"

    "Ah¡­ of course, sir¡­"

    "One more!"

    "Uh¡­ing!"

    Toby kept drinking, or so it seemed. As soon as he felt a light buzz, he began discreetly pouring the wine out of the window. But he didn''t stop ordering more strong wine.

    "That should do it," he thought, looking at the empty bottles scattered around. Even for someone with a high tolerance, it was enough to get thoroughly drunk. With a flushed face, Toby staggered out of his room.

    "Ugh¡­ I''m so drunk!"

    "Sir Toby!?" A servant nearby was startled at the sight of Toby swaying dramatically. A drunk knight could spell trouble, but Toby merely swayed back and forth without picking any fights.

    "Ugh¡­ I need to find the restroom¡­ Where is it again?"

    "It''s that way, sir."

    "Got it!"

    Toby staggered toward the area he had often been blocked from approaching: the center of the estate. The servants scrambled to intercept him, but Toby brushed them aside.

    "Uh¡­ sir, you can''t go there!"

    "What?! Are you saying I can''t go to the restroom?!"

    "N-no, it''s just that the restroom is not in that direction¡­"

    "Quiet! I said I''m going, and I''m going!"

    Toby pushed past the servants, who dared not oppose him too strongly for fear of getting hurt by the drunk knight. As he continued forward, two knights stepped in his path, faces set with irritation.

    "Sir Toby! This area is off-limits!"

    "A knight should not act so disgracefully!"

    Seeing the knights, Toby''s eyes gleamed. This must mean I''m close to where Ray is. He staggered, mumbling as if he were too intoxicated to understand.

    "Ugh¡­ I can''t¡­ hear what you''re saying¡­"

    "Get some rest, you drunken fool!"

    "Rest? But¡­ oh, no! I''m slipping!"

    "Wait! That''s a window¡ª!"

    The knights lunged to stop him, but Toby was faster, deliberately crashing his shoulder through the window.

    Crash!

    "Ahh!" Screams rang out as ss shattered. Toby, who had calcted his fall from the second-floor window,nded gracefully below. He hadn''t drunk nearly as much as he pretended.

    "Ugh! I feel so alive! I must sing a song!" Toby shouted, his voice booming across the estate.

    "Sir Toby, what on earth are you doing?!"

    "I am Toby! And my lord is Ss Corleone!"

    His powerful voice echoed across the estate, loud enough to wake anyone. It was the same voice that had once rallied dazed soldiers on the battlefield¡ªno one within earshot could ignore it.

    "RAY WINSLOW! Where are you?! Your lord, Ss Corleone, is here for you with an elixir in hand!"

    "Someone shut him up!" the knights shouted in desperation. A group of them rushed in to cover his mouth, but he easily pushed them away and continued to bellow.

    "Ray! Ray! Where are you? We''vee for you! The Corleone family is here!"

    "Damn it! Quiet, would you?!" Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire

    The knights were breaking into a cold sweat as they struggled to contain him. Toby remembered Ss''s advice.

    "Do you know the easiest way to be forgiven for even the rudest behavior?"

    "There''s such an easy way?"

    "Yep. Just say, ''I''m terribly sorry. I was far too drunk.'' That''s all it takes."

    Normally, such behavior would be unforgivable. Deliberately disrespecting one''s host was a severe offense, but if it could be dismissed as drunken folly? No noble could outright refuse an apology, especially for the sake of appearances.

    Toby chuckled to himself. Ss''s cleverness never ceased to amaze him. Using petty tactics to counter their petty schemes was immensely satisfying. Toby took a deep breath and bellowed again.

    "Ss Corleone! I am TOBY! Where is RAY?!"

    "We''ve got him! Muffle his mouth!"

    "Good, tie him up!"

    "Damn it, what a nasty drinking habit!"

    Knights swarmed in, hastily binding Toby with ropes, their movements swift and practiced from frequent encounters with monsters. But it was already toote.

    "Mydy, you mustn''t go there! Lord Caden insisted¡­""Silence! Sir Toby, I am here!"

    The knights'' faces turned pale as Ray''s voice rang out. Toby''s smile widened.

    Once Ray had broken through, no one could stop her. She joined Toby and made her way directly to Ss''s room. Upon seeing him, Ray''s face lit up, and she knelt on one knee.

    "Ray Winslow greets her lord."

    "It''s been a while. Did you use the elixir well?"

    "Yes, just as youmanded."

    The shadow that had clouded Ray''s face for so long had lifted, and Ss smiled, satisfied with her renewed spirit.

    "Good. I''m d I gave it to you."

    "My mother wished to meet you as well, but¡­"

    "She''s still not well, right? There''s no need for her to push herself."

    Now that he had reunited with Ray, time was on their side. It would be better to wait until her mother''s health improved before arranging a meeting.

    "But how did you end uping all this way, my lord?" Ray asked.

    "It''s a bit of a long story."

    Ss exined his journey to the West with Toby and Max as knight-errants, his encounter with Beric, and eventually, the Winslow family''s invitation. He told her about the various excuses they''d used to prevent him from seeing her.

 Chapter 108

    "And what might that be?"

    "If a conflict arises with other families on this journey, I''d like you to back any decision I make without question."

    The baron''s expression hardened. Such a request implied that Ss anticipated making at least one decision that would stir resentment among the other nobles. For a noble, this was a daunting promise, as any supporters would have to share in that resentment.

    "What exactly are you nning?"

    "I don''t know yet. We''ll only know when we get there," Ss replied ambiguously. The baron scrutinized him for a moment before sighing. Given the circumstances, he couldn''t withdraw from the agreement now. He nodded, agreeing to Ss''s terms.

    "So be it."

    "On the honor of your family name?"

    "Yes, on the honor of the Winslow name."

    With the baron''s answer, Ss smiled.

    Two dayster, Ss''s party set out to join the Winslow family''s reinforcements. Among the reinforcements were Leon, the baron''s sessor, and Beric, who had taken a beating from Toby.

    "Given the situation, you''ll apany Sir Ss. His retainers should also prove quite helpful.""Yes, sir¡­"

    Despite receiving prior notice, Leon looked distinctly unenthusiastic, hisplexion pale. Ray had been taken from him, and now he was forced to ept help in a critical family matter, having promised unconditional support in return. It was a bitter pill for Leon to swallow.

    A total defeat, he thought. It was the first time someone of his own age had toyed with him like this. For a sixteen-year-old who once felt he owned the world, this bitter defeat was a rude awakening. Seeing Leon''s state, Ss''s party kept a slight distance, allowing him his space.

    "No point in aggravating him further," Ss thought. Though Leon was brooding now, he''d soon collect himself and act rationally for his family''s benefit. But pushing him while he was feeling inferior would only risk an emotional outburst.

    As a result, Beric became the one stuck dealing with Ss''s group.

    "Hey, Sir Beric," Toby called.

    "What now?"

    "Why do you look so down? You look like you''re heading to your death."

    "Easy for you to say after you turned my face into a pulp."

    "You''re the one who attacked us first."

    "¡­."

    Beric fell silent, having no counter to that. Honestly, he wanted nothing to do with Ss''s party. Not only had they breached etiquette by exposing the family''s secrets, but they''d also overpowered him and left him lying in the dirt.

    But with Leon in such a state, Beric had no choice but to apany them, he thought with a sigh.

    "Well, what do you want? Have any questions?" he asked reluctantly.

    "Just a few. How long will it take to reach Count Hernig''s estate?"

    "It depends. If there are no issues, about a week."

    "And if there are issues?"@@novelbin@@

    "This road is notorious for frequent monster attacks, so dys aremon. If we''re unlucky, it could take over two weeks."

    As if to confirm his words, a rustling sound came from all around them. A momentter, monstrous creatures resembling twisted wild dogs burst from the forest path¡ªwargs, the same beasts that had disrupted Ss''s party''s rest before.

    Grrr¡­

    "Didn''t even need an invitation, did they?" Beric muttered, squinting at the gleaming eyes surrounding them. Excluding Ss''s party, the force consisted of ten knights and thirty soldiers. The fact that these wargs had attacked regardless showed their confidence in hunting humans. They''d likely been preying on nearby merchants and travelers for some time.

    "Need a hand?" Ss asked.

    "That would be¡ª"

    "No, we can handle this ourselves!" one knight interrupted before Beric could finish agreeing. Beric flinched, about to reprimand the knight, but the man had already charged ahead.

    "Soldiers, advance! Form a line and follow behind!" he shouted.

    "Charge!"

    Grrrr?!

    The knight''s rallying cry caught the wargs off guard, and they hesitated, thrown by the humans'' sudden counterattack. The knights charged in, their swords cleaving through the wargs, while the soldiers followed to finish off any stragglers.

    Squeal!

    "Don''t pursue! Stay in formation!" the knights ordered, calming the soldiers who''d begun to chase the fleeing wargs. It was smooth, disciplined leadership.

    Impressive, Ss thought. Most knights were so focused on personalbat prowess that they oftenckedmanding skills, but these knights demonstrated both. While the Corleone family held an edge in terms of individualbat strength, these knights excelled in leading small units.

    "Alright, back into marching formation!" the knight called out.

    "Yes, sir!"

    The soldiers quickly returned to their positions, disying the results of their regr training. Once everyone was back in formation, the knights approached Ss''s group.

    "As you can see, we''re more than capable on our own. There''s no need for our guests to lift a finger," one of the knights said. Though he spoke politely, there was a sharpness in his tone. He turned abruptly and returned to his ce, leaving Toby to mutter under his breath.

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    "What''s their problem? Did they eat something bad?"

    "Think of it as pride," Beric replied.

    "Pride?"

    "These are knights of the western territories, wherebat is a daily ordeal. They take pride in being elite, and yet here you are, not merely as helpers but as powerful reinforcements. To them, it''s baffling that outsiders from the rtively peaceful East are regarded more highly."

    Beric nced at Ss and Toby, understanding their prowess but also recognizing that the other knights did not. "I know your skills, but they don''t yet. So they''re bound to feel a little resentment."

    "But Ray is here, isn''t she? That alone should convince them," Toby said, puzzled.

    "I don''t know them," Ray replied, scanning the knights'' faces.

    "I left the family four years ago. I''ve never seen these men before."

    "In other words, they''re all neers? They must''ve joined after you left," Toby concluded.

    "Precisely," Beric confirmed. "They joined the family around the time Ray departed, so they don''t know her true abilities. Some may even think she rose through the family''s influence rather than her own merit."

 Chapter 112

    The legs of the noll, bent awkwardly in reverse joints, propelled it quickly. Fast enough that an ordinary human would never be able to catch up. But these two knights had long surpassed human limitations.

    "Where do you think you''re going?" Toby taunted.

    With a single leap, Toby and Ray closed the distance, and as the leader looked back in horror, sword and spear shed.

    sh!

    Before it could finish its scream, the leader was sliced into three pieces. Ray''s sword took its head, while Toby''s spear split its torso.

    As the leader''s body fell to the ground, Toby wiped his spear and called out casually, "Cleanupplete!"

    He sounded as if he''d just tidied up an attic. But no one responded.

    "¡­"@@novelbin@@

    "¡­"

    Both humans and monsters stood frozen as if time had stopped, enveloped in a silence so deep it was as if even a pin dropping could be heard. The nolls, staring at the enemies right before them, didn''t dare to move. After a few seconds, Toby turned and nced at the nolls, muttering to himself.

    "These guys aren''t running?"

    The nolls only flinched slightly, apparently not understanding his words, still paralyzed by fear. Ray looked to Ss for guidance.

    ''My lord, what would you have us do?''

    Ss''s subtle gesture¡ªa quick slice across his neck with his thumb¡ªanswered her.

    ''Kill them.''

    Toby and Ray nced at each other, then lifted their weapons again. The nolls finally snapped out of their terror, screaming as they realized their fate.

    Kieeee!

    Kieh! Kiheee!

    Panic-stricken, they threw down their weapons and fled, some even discarding their armor in their haste. The sight was almost surreal. Though Ray and Toby had cut down over a hundred, there were still more than four hundred remaining¡ªyet none dared to fight back.

    Kihee¡­!

    With a final shriek, thest remaining noll disappeared into the forest, leaving behind a field of over a hundred noll corpses and discarded equipment. After confirming the nolls had all vanished, Ray and Toby made their way back to Ss.

    "Could you make a little room? It''s so packed, I can''t get through," Toby grumbled, prompting the knights and soldiers to shuffle aside with uneasy looks. The scene unintentionally resembled the return of a triumphant general. When the two knights reached Ss''s side, he spoke up.

    "Well then¡­" Instantly, everyone''s attention fixed on Ss, as if awaiting a royalmand. He looked around and, with a grin, said, "How about we finish our half-eaten dinner?"

    After the battle, the attitudes around Ss''s group shifted dramatically. Winslow''s knights, in particr, were a sight to see. Where only a palpable air of disdain had hung before, they now looked upon them with outright reverence. Toby, noticing the frequent nces, sighed.

    "This is going to kill me; it''s too much pressure."

    "Didn''t you say they weren''t treating you well before?" Ss asked.

    "Yeah, but this is worse! They''re staring at us like they''d open up their bellies if we asked. There''s no middle ground with them."

    Every gaze glistened with admiration, as if they were hoping he might grace them with a word. Ss nodded, taking in the eager looks. "This might be a good chance. Go over and get some information."

    "What, me?" Toby asked.

    "They''re all dying to talk to you, aren''t they? I bet they''d tell you anything you wanted to know," Ss replied with a grin.

    "What about Sir Ray¡­?"

    "No," Ray replied immediately. Though the atmosphere around her had changed, she wasn''t interested in engaging with her family''s knights in any way, good or bad.

    "Looks like you''re the best choice after all," Ss said.

    Toby Sighed. "Fine, what do you want me to ask?"

    After a brief exnation, Toby stood up and made his way over to the Winslow camp. As soon as he approached, the knights jumped up and bowed.

    "Wee, Sir Toby!" one knight greeted him.

    "Is there anything we can do for you? Have we caused any difort?" another added.

    Toby looked ufortable at their excessive courtesy, though they continued to eye him eagerly.

    "Ahem, well, first off, why is there such a difference in troop size between our forces and theirs? We''re barely fifty here, while they''ve got two hundred," Toby asked.

    "There is a reason, sir! Winslow''s resources and manpower have been hit hard over the years¡ª" Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire

    "That''s ssified, you idiot!" Beric, who''d sprinted over, shooed the knights away. Watching them walk off in disappointment, Beric wiped the sweat from his brow.

    "Sir Toby, you can''t do this to us."

    "I didn''t do anything! They were the ones acting up," Toby replied.

    "Yes, but please refrain from questioning others aside from myself," Beric sighed. "Besides, they''re still reeling from the scene with Vindelun''s forces."

    "So that''s why they''re acting like that? It''s honestly overwhelming," Toby said.

    Beric nodded, ncing sidelong at the knights. "You saw what happened with Vindelun''s knights earlier. For the Winslow knights, that type of oue is a rare experience."

    "Meaning they finally have a chance to walk with their heads high thanks to us?"

    "Just look at the Vindelun camp." Beric gestured toward the other side, where Vindelun''s forces were stationed. Sure enough, the knights and soldiers looked disheartened and drained.

    "Like sparrows hit with a well-ced arrow," Toby muttered.

    "That''s normally us," Beric said. "But now the roles have reversed. Right now, you and Sir Ray seem like goddess-sent heroes to them."

    In short, the Winslow knights were filled with a mix of awe for the knights'' remarkable prowess, excitement over the idea that such powerful figures were on their side, and relief from years of pent-up resentment.

    "Alright, I understand a little better now," Toby replied. "Oh, and there''s onest thing¡ªwhy were we suddenly attacked by that noll horde? Does this kind of ambush happen often around here?"

    At that, Beric''s face turned grim. Shaking his head slowly, he replied, "Never. In all my life, I''ve never seen anything like it. I doubt my uncle, the Viscount, has either."

    "So this is the first time even for the western territories?" Toby asked.

    "Yes, and to be honest, it feels strange. Too strange," Beric whispered, leaning close to Toby''s ear. "Every time the Count of Herning moves, something seems to happen. It''s almost suspicious."

    Toby returned to his group, and Ss, who was scooping stew into bowls, nced up at him. "Well?"

    "Just as you thought, my lord. Not long after monsters started appearing inrge numbers, the Herning Count''s family sent over the magic artifacts."

    "And?"

    "This is the first time a massive noll horde has shown up like this," Toby added. "Beric says neither he nor the Viscount has ever seen anything like it."

    Beric had shared some other details as well¡ªthat each time Count Herning''s family made a move, strange incidents followed. He hadn''t wanted to say it outright, but everything felt far too suspicious. Ss scratched his chin, mulling it over.

    "There''s only one reason for monsters toe out in droves like this¡ªthey''re being driven out."

    It wasn''t a natural disaster, which left only one exnation: something powerful was pushing them from their territory. Normally, even the strongest predators stayed in one ce once they established their domain.

 Chapter 114

    Following Leon, Ss entered the count''s mansion. The mansion was about the same size as Count Corleone''s estate. When they reached the parlor, the door opened to reveal three people who had already arrived: Walter Vindeln and two other young men in their early twenties. While Walter seemed surprised, the other two scowled at Ss.

    "Who''s this? A face I haven''t seen before," one of them said.

    "Leon, aren''t you the representative this time?" said the other, his tone less than polite. It was clear that none of them particrly liked each other.

    "Do you fools not know manners? Is that any way to address someone you''ve just met?"

    "Ridiculous. Why should we show respect to someone from the Winslow family?" one of the young men sneered.

    "Apologies, but he''s not one of us," Leon replied calmly.

    "What? Then who on earth is he?" asked the two bewildered young men, looking at Leon in confusion.

    Leon confidently raised his voice, "He is Sir Ss Corleone, a knight and son of the Corleone family. Show him the proper respect."

    "Greetings. I''m Ss Corleone, here as an ally of the Winslow family," Ss said with a respectful bow after Leon''s introduction. Blinking in surprise for a moment, the two young men soon scowled at him.

    "Corleone? You mean that famed sword family rumored to carry the dragon''s blood?" one of them scoffed.

    "Tch. Calling in someone from the East to meddle in Western affairs? How pathetic," muttered the other, unimpressed despite the reputation of the Corleone family.

    The two young men, unphased by Ss''s introduction, even seemed emboldened as they red at him coldly.

    "Well, I suppose an introduction is in order. I''m Stefan Ansbach."

    "And I''m Damian Orthus. Remember, Corleone, you''re in the West here," Damian added, his tone icy. At their reactions, Ss''s gaze flickered with irritation.

    "They think they can say anything just because we''re far from home," he mused, sensing their confidence. It was obvious; they felt safe to hurl insults, assuming the distance would protect them. Undoubtedly, they also hoped to chip away at the Winslow family''s reputation. Ss turned his eyes toward Walter, who stood silently nearby.

    "Westerners certainly seem confident. Do you also believe I don''t belong here, Sir Walter?" Ss asked pointedly.

    Walter flinched. Why was he being dragged into this? He hadn''t said a word! What frustrated Walter even more was the response of the two beside him.

    "Of course! Western matters should be handled by Westerners. What need is there for an external helper like yourself to be here?" Stefan said.

    "Exactly! Come on, Walter, say something. Aren''t you a son of the West, too?" Damian added, nudging him to join in.

    "Shut up! For heaven''s sake, just shut up!" Walter thought in exasperation. He understood they wanted to unite in mocking Winslow, and, usually, he would have joined in dly. But if joining in meant insulting Ss, it was a different matter. Ss had monsters under hismand¡ªwho would dare provoke him?

    "Come on, Walter! Speak up!"

    "What''s the matter, cat got your tongue?" they continued to prod. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire

    "Damn it¡­!" With no choice but to say something, Walter cleared his throat and replied.

    "Ahem. I believe we should show proper respect. He''s a knight who came all the way to the West to fight those detestable elven bastards, a model for all knights. There''s no need to insult him," he said, begrudgingly standing up for Ss.

    "...!?" Damian and Stefan stared at him, dumbfounded, as if he''d lost his mind. Walter could only look at them in frustration. Couldn''t they see the danger?

    "What are you talking about¡ª"

    At that moment, the door to the parlor opened. All four nobles jumped to their feet in surprise.

    "Greetings, Your Excellency!" they said in unison.

    Ss joined them in greeting, quickly assessing the man before him.

    "So, this is the head of the Hernig family," he noted.

    Valdemar Hernig. In his previous life, Ss had barely heard anything about him, as he had died early on. However, facing him now, there were a few things Ss could immediately tell.

    "A typical military man," he thought.

    Sun-darkened skin, muscles evident even under his clothes, calloused palms, and sharp eyes¡ªthis was clearly amander who led from the front lines.

    "Wee, young ones. I''m pleased to see every one of you has answered the call for reinforcements," the count said, his deep voice resounding in the room.

    "It''s our duty, Your Excellency."

    "How could we forget your benevolence, sir?" other family members chimed in eagerly.

    After nodding at them, the count nced at Leon.

    "It''s unfortunate, though. It seems the Winslow family has fallen on hard times. I should have taken more care."

    "S-Sorry, Your Excellency," Leon stammered, his face flushing in embarrassment as the count pointedly remarked on Winslow''sck of troops. At Leon''s reaction, the other young nobles'' lips curled into slight smirks, reveling in his difort.@@novelbin@@

    After watching Leon for a moment, the count''s gaze shifted to Ss.

    "And who might you be? I don''t believe we''ve met," he said.

    "I''m Ss Corleone, Your Excellency. Here as an ally of the Winslow family," Ss responded respectfully.

    "Ss Corleone? Ss Corleone¡­" The count''s piercing gaze scrutinized Ss as if appraising an unfamiliar item. Noticing the count''s interest, Damian took the opportunity to interject.

    "Your Excellency! Western matters should be resolved by Westerners. How can we allow an outsider from the East to interfere?" Damian''s tone implied as if Ss''s presence was a vition of local affairs. Though Leon was frustrated, Stefan took it a step further.

    "Exactly, Your Excellency! Even if we ept that he''s here now, we should still hold the Winslow family ountable," he insisted.

    Leon''s brow twitched as he watched them seize on the slightest pretext to make trouble. The two young men then shot Walter a look as if to urge him to join in. Walter averted his gaze, unwilling to engage.

    "Hold on a moment. Ss Corleone¡­ I feel like I''ve heard that name somewhere before¡­" The count''s brow furrowed in thought, and suddenly his eyes widened as he looked at Ss.

    "You¡ªare you the one known as the Demon yer of Baltor?"

 Chapter 117

    An imperial schr in the early days once said:

    "The arrogance of the elves living beyond the western forests knows no bounds. They believe they are superior to humans in every way, viewing humanity as an inferior species."

    Upon hearing this, any human would feel indignation. "How dare they act like that¡ªwho are they to think so highly of themselves?" And many would question just how much better the elves could really be. But there is more to this proverb:

    "The tragic thing is that we cannot deny their words. While humanity may someday surpass the elves, today is not that day."

    The elves, a race long past their prime, saw their poption gradually decline as they fell into a slow, inevitable decline. And yet, humanity had not surpassed them. Physically robust and agile, the elves retained ancient magic lost to humanity and continued to practice techniques for creating enchanted artifacts that had long disappeared from human knowledge.

    As a result, anyone with even a bit of knowledge about elves avoided fighting them at all costs.

    "How can we possibly win against creatures faster than us, armed with magic artifacts and spells? If you don''t have at least ten times their numbers, don''t even think about it."

    Ten times. And that was if one calcted the odds conservatively; to ensure victory, the general opinion among mercenaries was that twenty times their numbers were needed. Yet, before their eyes, something was happening that defied this long-standingmon sense.

    ng! Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire

    "Aagh!"

    An elven warrior was knocked backward, barely managing to block a spear thrust. Three other elves quickly filled the gap, charging as one with fluid, razor-sharp precision. But the oue was the same.

    Wham!

    "Ugh!"

    "Argh!"

    The spear moved before the elves could even strike, sending all three flying through the air. They rolled across the ground, trying to rise again, but winced in pain, staggering as they felt the bruising in their bones.

    "You''d better stop," Toby said with a grin. "After all that blocking, your bones are probably on the verge of snapping."

    "...!"

    The elven warrior gritted his teeth, unable to understand Toby''s words but clearly irked by his rxed attitude. Tapping his shoulder with his spear, Toby watched as Rey approached him.

    "Sir Toby."

    "Ah, you''re done already?"

    "If you''d taken things more seriously, you would have been done as well."

    The female elf''s eyes widened as she nced around. The warriors who had attacked Rey were all lying on the ground, defeated and writhing in pain. Her eyes filled with fury at the sight of herrades lying in the dust.

    "Se-Deran!"

    With a sudden burst of speed, runes on the greaves around her calves lit up as she charged at Toby, moving far faster than before. Her twin des shed like lightning, and even the knights couldn''t hold back their cries.

    "Careful, that''s¡­!"

    Whack!

    "Gah!"

    "...!?"

    But their worries were unfounded; Toby swatted her aside like a fly. The elven leader dropped unconscious, and Toby nudged her aside with his spear.

    "Well, I guess it''s time to wrap this up."

    "Baroi¡­!" one of the elven warriors started to shout, but Toby didn''t bother to listen. He swung his spear a few more times, and the remaining elves copsed, unconscious.

    Satisfied that all the elves had been subdued alive, Ss bowed to the count.

    "Your Excellency."

    "Y-yes?"

    "We''ve subdued them all."

    The count swallowed, watching Ss speak as if it were nothing. The elves¡ªwho, ording tomon knowledge, required ten times their number to defeat¡ªhad been subdued alive. Elven warriors were strong enough that even ten human knights attacking together would likely die before killing one.@@novelbin@@

    But here, ten elves charged, and they were subdued alive?

    The count swallowed dryly, feeling a mixture of awe and disbelief. And to think, Ss, whomanded these formidable knights, hade here as his ally. Could this be a divine sign? Perhaps the goddess was guiding them, calling on humanity to overthrow the vile elves and im their era.

    As a follower of the goddess, I must heed this call¡­

    A dangerous ambition shed in the count''s eyes.

    The feast ended in the worst possible way, yet thankfully, the casualties were surprisingly minimal. About thirty knights had perished blocking the elves'' path, but the fact that the count and the heirs of the other families survived was nothing short of miraculous.

    "I apologize for endangering everyone due to myck of foresight," the count said the next morning, bowing his head as he gathered Ss and the heirs of the other families. Leon and the others were taken aback.

    The assault itself might have been the host''s responsibility, but who would dare tell the count as much? The count lifted his head again after a brief pause.

    "To think they would attempt to assassinate me¡­ With this, we''ve crossed a line we can''t return from."

    "Hmm¡­" The heirs groaned in agreement, haunted by memories of the twenty elven warriors who had so easily overwhelmed them the night before. And now, to think of facing the entire elven forces? Not just a skirmish, but full-scale warfare?

    There''s no way we can win this.

    We came to offer support, not to risk our lives in a hopeless war.

    As they hesitated, Walter finally spoke up.

    "Your Excellency, what was the reason for this war in the first ce? Skirmishes with the elves aren''t unheard of, but I''ve never seen them attempt an assassination before."

    In other words, he was asking, "What did you do to provoke them this far?" Usually, they wouldn''t push for an answer, but now that they might have to risk their lives, they couldn''t avoid the question.

    The count scowled, clenching his teeth.

    "It all started when my knights, out on a hunt, were subjected to ''human hunting'' by the elves."

    "Human hunting? Do you mean¡­?"

    "Exactly as it sounds. Apparently, they did it for fun. They justified it by saying that hunting ''inferior beings'' was no different from hunting animals. Does that make any sense?" the count roared, mming his hand on the table. The heirs of the other families bit their lips in anger. Human hunting? They knew elves looked down on humanity, but this was beyond outrageous.

    "Then¡­ what happened to the knights?" one of the heirs asked, cautiously.

    "Some were injured, but fortunately, I and others were nearby, so we managed to capture them," the count exined.

    "You didn''t kill them?"

    "Of course, I wanted to kill them," the count admitted, his voiceced with resentment. "But as much as I was angry, their skills were too valuable to waste in a fit of rage. So, I offered them a deal. I''d spare their lives if they taught me the art of crafting magical artifacts."

    "Ah!" The young nobles nodded in understanding. So, the source of all those enchanted artifacts was the elves after all.

 Chapter 120

    "This could even involve the entire Corleone family," Max added gravely.

    "Which is exactly the point," Ss replied.

    "Excuse me?"

    "The count gave me this gift with that intent in mind. By making me a target, he can push me into this war, force me to use Toby and Rey, and even involve the Corleone family."

    "And you epted, knowing all that?"

    "Because taking her was still in my best interest," Ss said with a faint smile as he approached the elf. She red at him with the intensity of someone ready to tear him apart, which only made him smirk.

    "Alv-seden. De''aran lo ra." Ss said in elvish.

    "...!" The elf''s eyes widened in shock, as did the other retainers, who turned to Ss in astonishment.

    "My lord, you know elvish?" Max asked, unable to hide his surprise.

    "I studied it once," Ss replied casually.

    "And what did you just say?"

    "I asked if she could understand me. It looks like I learned correctly," Ss said, nodding toward the stunned elf.

    In elvish, he continued, "If you understand me, say something. How long will you keep your mouth shut?"

    The elf''s gaze twisted with anger, and in a disy of defiance, she opened her mouth wide, revealing her tongue¡ªorck thereof. Max leaned in for a closer look and frowned.

    "Her tongue''s been cut," he muttered.

    "That damned count," Ss cursed under his breath. Cutting her tendons to prevent escape was one thing, but to cut her tongue as well?

    "He was intent on making me an enemy of the elves," Ss said grimly.

    "Well, so much for exining anything if we meet on the battlefield," Max sighed.

    "Fortunately, it''s only been cauterized and hasn''t fully healed yet," Ss noted.

    "How is that fortunate?"

    Ss reached into his coat and pulled out a small vial of elixir. Ignoring the astonished gasps of his retainers, he held the vial out to the elf.

    "Drink this," he ordered.

    "...!"

    "It''s an elixir, you fool. Don''t refuse it¡ªit''s not poison. If you want your tongue and tendons to regenerate, drink it."

    The elf looked away defiantly at first, but her eyes widened as she processed his words. After a moment''s hesitation, she reluctantly opened her mouth. Ss poured the elixir into her mouth, and the elf swallowed, gasping and twisting in difort as the healing process began.

    "What''s happening?" Max asked, rmed.

    "It''s painful because her body is regenerating. Her tongue was cut deeply, after all," Ss replied calmly. Just as he''d expected, the elf soon stopped writhing, her tongue and tendons now healed. Tentatively, she stood, hopping slightly to test her restored legs. For a brief moment, she almost smiled, but catching Ss''s gaze, she quickly scowled.

    "I won''t thank you, human. If it weren''t for you and your kind, I''d never have been hurt in the first ce," she spat in elvish.

    "I didn''t do it for your gratitude, so don''t worry," Ss replied, unfazed. "I''m more interested in why you and the count are at war."

    "What? Are you not a subordinate of this castle''s lord?"

    "No. But your attitude is making me reconsider my stance. If the count was at fault, I''d nned to withdraw or even side with you. Maybe I should just support him in this war and demandpensation."

    The elf''s face went pale. As a people, elves had be an elite minority¡ªnot by choice, but because their poption had dwindled so drastically. Every loss was a substantial blow to their survival. And if Ss''s knights, who could easily defeat ten elves, joined the war? They could be a tipping point.

    "If you''re not going to tell me anything, then I''ll just start preparing for theing battle," Ss said, turning away.

    "W-Wait! I''ll tell you my name!" she blurted out.

    "Actually, now that I think about it, I don''t care to hear it anymore¡­" Ss replied, feigning indifference.

    "Eldira! I am Eldira, the firstborn daughter of Arathion, Grand Duke of the Sword!" she shouted.

    Ss halted mid-step. Did she just say¡­?

    "What did you just say?"

    "My name is Eldira!"

    "No, before that. Whose firstborn did you say you were?"

    "My father is Arathion, the Grand Duke of the Sword."

    Ss clenched his jaw, understanding everything in an instant. The elves, suffering from a poption crisis, would still go to extraordinary lengths to avenge their kin. No wonder they had razed five noble families. No wonder their forces had gone wild, unleashing monsters across thend.

    That damned count had captured the daughter of the elven grand duke.

    The elves had no king. Although the concept of a throne existed, no one had upied it since ancient times. The reason was simple: no one had managed to unite the scattered elven tribes. Thus, those who ruled the various elven domains referred to themselves not as kings but as grand dukes.

    In essence, a grand duke among the elves was effectively akin to a king, especially given that only one elven nation remained beyond the Western forests. This meant that Eldira, as the daughter of a grand duke, was essentially a princess. No wonder the elves had gone into such an uproar. They were already a dwindling race, and it wasn''t just any noble who had been taken but their princess.@@novelbin@@

    No wonder the elves beyond the Western forest were livid.

    Yet, a few questions still nagged at Ss''s mind.

    ¡¸Why would the grand duke''s daughter be here in the first ce?¡¹ he asked. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire

    If she was so precious, she would have been treated with utmost care. Why would the grand duke''s daughter be on the front lines, carrying out an assassination mission? It made no sense; even approaching human territories would have triggered an outcry among other elves.

    ¡¸Given your father''s position, he would never have approved this mission,¡¹ Ss added.

    ¡¸Why would my father be involved in this? This is my war!¡¹

    ¡¸What? But isn''t your father leading this war?¡¹

    The two stared at each other in confusion, realizing they were speaking at cross purposes.

 Chapter 122

    Ss''s intervention, capturing Eldira alive and healing her injuries, had effectively rewritten history. If not for him, the grand duke''s fury might have obliterated five noble families in vengeance. Toby scratched his head, trying to find a silver lining.

    "Well, doesn''t this mean it could all work out fine? After all, you saved her, there are no dead elves, and if we can arrange a fair deal¡­"

    "Except it won''t end ''fine,'' and that''s the problem."

    "What?" Toby asked.

    "The count''s ambition will always be an issue. If I hadn''t shown up, he might have been content with what he had. But now that I''m here, he''ll use me to extract as much as possible."

    The count was essentially directing the elves'' anger toward Ss, hoping they would kill him. If that happened, the Corleone family would rage, as would the religious order with whom Ss was allied.

    If the empire''s royal family saw an opportunity and got involved, they''d likely support the Western front, reaping the spoils and supplies.

    The count would have his pick of spoils and hoard supplies as the front line''s critical supply hub.

    Although he wouldn''t be entirely free of me for Ss''s death, his castle''s role as the essential outpost would give him significant leverage. If he added a tearful deration of remorse, he could redirect all resentment toward the elves, absolving himself entirely.

    The retainers'' faces hardened, realizing the depths of the count''s n.

    "This is a mess."

    "And it''s not even the worst of it," Ss added.

    "There''s more?"

    "Yes, the grand duke is already scouring thends to find Eldira."

    Though Ss summarized it briefly, considering the time psed since the count''s letter reached the four families, it was clear that the grand duke had been searching for quite a while. Not to mention the time Eldira had spent on her "excursion" before her capture. By now, the grand duke would be frantic with worry, fearing his daughter had wandered into monster territory.

    This butterfly effect is getting out of hand.

    The situation was unraveling into a massive crisis that bordered on absurdity. Ss''s retainers shared bewildered looks, realizing that if things continued, this could turn into a full-scale war between the Empire and the Elven Principality.

    "What''s your n?" Max asked.

    Ss grinned at him.

    "I''m going to wring everyst drop of advantage out of that old snake and then throw him to the wolves."

    "¡­You really think that''s possible?"

    This was the count''s castle, deep within his territory. Yet Ss nned to double-cross him right here, under his own roof?

    "I don''t see why not."

    Ss shrugged casually and approached Eldira.

    ¡¸Let me ask you one thing. What exactly do you want?¡¹

    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹

    ¡¸Do you want to return safely? Do you want to save your friends? Or is revenge still your goal?¡¹

    ¡¸I want¡­¡¹

    Eldira''s eyes wavered. She had been cut down, her tongue and tendons severed, and she had sunk to the lowest depths. She''d thought about simply going home with her friends, abandoning revenge. But each time, the fury in her heart twisted and wed its way back to the surface.

    ¡¸¡­I want revenge. I want to reim everything that snake took from me and see him fall into ruin. I want him to die writhing in regret and pain!¡¹

    Ss''s smile widened at her fierce reply.

    ¡¸Perfect. I''m on the same page.¡¹

    ¡¸What?¡¹

    ¡¸I''ve also been used by that man, and I intend to pay him back in full. Will you work with me?¡¹

    Eldira stared at Ss for a moment, then nodded.

    ¡¸If it means getting back at him, I''m in.¡¹

    ¡¸Good. Then let''s put on a little show.¡¹

    ¡¸¡­A show?¡¹

    Ss began to outline his n, and Eldira listened carefully, blinking in realization.

    The next day, Ss, apanied by Rey, went to see Count Valdemar. The count greeted them eagerly.

    "Wee, wee. The two of you visiting together must mean¡­"

    "Yes, Sir Rey has epted your proposal and agreed to be your adopted daughter."

    "Oh! What fantastic news!" the count eximed, genuinely delighted. With this, Ss would be unable to escape; he would defend the Hernig family as if it were his own. The count was certain he had sessfully baited Ss.

    I knew you''d take it. You couldn''t resist the lure, he thought smugly.

    The count was offering not just the Hernig family but influence over all five Western houses. Even a seasoned politician would struggle to resist. Surely, a young upstart like Ss wouldn''t be able to pass it up.

    "However, there is one request we''d like to make," Ss added.

    "A request? What is it? You only need to ask," the count replied, grinning.

    Ss bowed respectfully and said, "As you mentioned before, we''d like you to announce Rey as your heir today, in front of the heirs of the other families and all the knights."

    The count narrowed his eyes at Ss''s request.

    So, he wants to make sure I won''t retract my decisionter?

    Suppressing a smirk, the count was pleased by Ss''s eagerness. It aligned perfectly with his own intentions, and the demand to secure Rey''s position showed just how seriously Ss took the offer. With a weing expression, the countughed heartily.

    "Of course! This is something that should be announced right away." Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire

    "Thank you, Your Excellency."

    "Thank me? This is a matter of honor and duty."@@novelbin@@

    Turning to Rey, the count studied her face, devoid of emotion despite the weighty title of heir being bestowed upon her. With a small nod from Ss, Rey stepped forward and knelt.

    "I, Rey Hernig, greet my father," she dered.

    The count''s face brightened, the sound of "father" from Rey, however formal, bringing him satisfaction. The facade of familial titles was what truly mattered in situations like these.

    "Well, you''vee at the perfect time! I was just about to call for you," the count said, his eyes glinting with intrigue.

    "For me?" Ss asked.

    "Yes," the count replied, smiling slyly. "We have received a request for negotiations from the elves."

    The count assembled Ss, the othermanders, and all the knights from within the Hernig family and its allies. Standing before the gathered forces, he raised his voice.

 Chapter 125

    ¡¸Is there a problem? Would you rather go to war? Would you dare face this army?¡¹ the count bellowed, gesturing to the five banners, rows of knights, and countless soldiers behind him. The sight seemed to unnerve the elven noble; even if elven warriors could each take down ten humans, the numbers here were overwhelming. A battle would mean devastating losses, even with hostages.

    Seeing the noble''s silence, the count''s smile grew wider.

    ¡¸Next time, bring three times as many artifacts!¡¹

    ¡¸What?! I already told you we''re on the verge of copse¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸And that''s my problem? If you don''t, I''ll make an example out of one of them!¡¹@@novelbin@@

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    It was nearly a final ultimatum. If the elves continued to refuse, the count implied, he would start publicly executing prisoners. The noble''s face paled, realizing how far the count was willing to go. The count turned with a smug expression.

    "Your Excellency, how did the negotiations go?" one of his subordinates asked.

    "They''ll try to gather more by next time. They understand they don''t stand a chance against these numbers."

    "Oh, splendid! As expected from Your Excellency!"

    The young nobles cheered at the count''s convincing lie. To them, it sounded like the best possible oue.

    "Now, let''s return and toast to our sess¡ª"

    ¡¸My son! I ask you now, do you fear death?¡¹

    The elf noble''s shout cut through the air.

    "What¡­ what''s he saying?" the soldiers muttered, puzzled, while the count''s face twisted in confusion and anger.

    ¡¸What are you doing?!¡¹ the count snapped.

    The elven noble ignored him, his voice unyielding as he addressed his son.

    ¡¸Answer me, truthfully. Are you afraid of death?¡¹

    Inside the iron cage, the elven captive nced briefly at Eldira. Then, after a moment''s hesitation, he took a deep breath and answered.

    ¡¸Fear is for the weak! Why would you ask me such a thing?¡¹

    His voice, hoarse from his captivity, rang clearly enough for all to hear.

    ¡¸I, Imras, son of Tigryon, do not fear death! Especially not if it serves the good of our people!¡¹

    "Shut up! Silence!" the count shouted, kicking the cage with a loud ng, but the words had already been spoken. Tigryon''s eyes narrowed in resolution.

    ¡¸Forgive me, my lord.¡¹

    No sooner had he spoken than the forest around them began to tremble with the approach of an army. The vibrations were the kind usually felt only when vast numbers of soldiers moved as one. Momentster, elven warriors began emerging from the shadows.

    "More elves! And they''re in armor!" a soldier cried.

    The elves'' numbers nearly matched those of the human army, and their armament was unlike anything the humans had ever seen. Their armor was as fine as that of any high noble''s knights, and their weapons gleamed with deadly sharpness. The sight of this well-organized elven force moving as one struck terror into the humans'' hearts.

    ¡¸You have a brave son, Tigryon,¡¹ came a voice from the ranks of elves, as a man astride a white horse approached. Though his youthful appearance belied his age, there was an unmistakable air of authority about him.

    ¡¸Your Grace.¡¹ Tigryon bowed respectfully.

    ¡¸The grand duke?!¡¹ the count stammered, stumbling back in shock. The elven grand duke, effectively the king of all the elves in the western region, stood before them ¡ª none other than Arathion, Eldira''s father, known as the Duke of Swords. His gaze was icy as he regarded the count.

    "You scurried about mynd like a rat," Arathion remarked coldly.

    "W-What¡­?" The soldiers andmanders flinched, startled to hear such fluent Imperialnguage from an elf ¡ª especially one of the grand duke''s stature. The count, however, was the most taken aback of all.

    Arathion''s gaze moved slowly across the gathering, unwavering and unperturbed by the human army.

    "Even with this army, you resort to taking hostages. Is there no end to the wretched nature of humankind?"

    "N-no...!"

    "Do you have anything to exin? Speak."

    The color drained from the count''s face, but not due to the sneer. The use of the Empire''snguage meant that now everyone could hear the conversation. There was no longer an option to use theck ofmunication as a weapon. The only remaining choice was to attack directly without further discussion.

    ''But that would mean our total annihtion...!'' The count analyzed the forces before him. The enemy was an elite unit, personally led by the Grand Duke himself, andprised of Central Army elves of unparalleled strength, armed with top-quality equipment. Even if they fought with the castle walls as protection, the odds of losing were high. To engage in open battle would be tantamount to suicide.

    ''Should I use the hostage?'' The count cast a nce toward Imras, imprisoned in the iron cell. However, based on the recent exchange, it was unlikely to work. While they might show concern for the hostage''s safety, it was clear they would abandon caution and attack if the situation turned against them.

    The Grand Duke observed the hesitating count with cold eyes and spoke. "If you have nothing further to say, then enough. We''ll capture you and exchange you for all the hostages. Army, forward!"

    At the Grand Duke''s signal, the elf army formed a charging line, prepared for a decisive strike. Just as the tension reached its peak, with the Grand Duke about to give the finalmand, a voice cut through the air.

    "Stop!" Ss leaped forward.

    ''The Grand Duke Arathion!'' Ss''s eyes widened as he looked at the Grand Duke. Hispanions around him were shocked, but to Ss, it was an ideal scenario. Turning to face his retainers, he met their eyes. Since they had discussed the situation the day before, no one appeared surprised. Ss''s gaze then shifted to Rey.

    ''Take care of things in my absence.''

    ''Yes, my lord. Stay safe.''

    With a brief exchange of nces, Ss spurred his horse forward. Eldira, clinging to his back, muttered in astonishment, "I can''t believe Father is actually here!"

    "Be surprisedter. Remember our conversation yesterday?"

    "Even though deceiving my father isn''t my preference, I suppose we have no choice."

 Chapter 127

    Inside were the Duke and Eldira. Unlike before, Eldira now wore borate attire befitting a nobledy as she addressed Ss.

    "Human, wee." Find more adventures on My Virtual Library Empire

    Ss noticed something strange in her pronunciation and looked at her. Her cheeks were swollen, suggesting someone had pinched her mercilessly.

    "What are you staring at?!"

    "Your cheeks."

    "¡­You don''t need to look there!"

    Her already flushed cheeks grew even redder. Ss smirked and looked at the Duke.

    The Duke''s face was calm, contrasting with the earlier look of fury.

    "You seem quite lenient with your daughter," Ss remarked.

    "Do I?"

    "If it were me, I''d have broken her legs."

    "I considered it," replied the Duke. "She''ll have more to answer for once we''re home."

    At the Duke''s words, Eldira flinched. Unfazed, the Duke continued speaking to Ss without breaking eye contact.

    "The elixir¡­ It''s truly a rare item. Even we, inheritors of the ancient heritage, have lost the recipe for it."

    "One should use treasures where they''re needed," Ss responded.

    "It''s fortunate that you''re a wise man. Had you not been, much misfortune would have befallen many humans."

    Though the Duke''s tone was light, his words carried weight. After a pause, he nced at Eldira.

    "You may leave now."

    "But¡­"

    "This is state business from here on."

    With no official position, the Lady had no right to be involved in state affairs. Eldira''s eyebrows shot up.

    "But I am my father''s heir!"

    "So you''re asking for permission to observe?"

    "Yes! At least allow me the chance to learn."

    The Duke gave a bitter smile and turned to Ss.

    "Speak in Imperial tongue," he said.

    "As you wish."

    "Father!"

    Despite Eldira''s protest, the two men ignored her. After they exchanged a few brief words, Eldira slumped and left.

    Since she didn''t understand the Imperial tongue, she had no idea what was being discussed. After watching his daughter''s back for a moment, the Duke turned to the main subject with a serious expression.

    "First of all, I thank you for saving my daughter."

    "Think nothing of it."

    "But epting your proposal and thanking you are two separate matters."

    Of course. A true leader wouldn''t let personal sentiments sway their decision. Ss had anticipated this response.

    "Eldira told me. You im you have a way to kill the human lord and safely free the captured elves."

    "It''s possible if Your Grace offers some assistance."

    "I wonder if there''s a need for me to help you."

    The Duke extended his hand towards the outside of the tent.

    "You must have seen my army. It''s elite, the pride of the elves. Even a human force ten times the size would be no more than scarecrows before us."

    Ss said nothing. The Duke wasn''t wrong; the elven army was indeed impressive.

    From the quality of their equipment to their precise maneuvers, it was evident they had trained together in both drills and real battles for at least twenty years.

    "The same goes for a siege. I could bring him to his knees myself. Why should I borrow your hand?"

    "Indeed. I was equally surprised by the army Your Grace brought," Ss murmured in feigned admiration.

    "Just by pressing them, all hostages would be freed, and Count Valdemar would tremble in fear. You could take his head whenever you wish."

    "Well understood."

    "It''s a remarkable army. You may not win the humannds, but you''ll achieve everything else."

    The Duke, who had been calm andposed, suddenly froze, a slight reaction that didn''t go unnoticed by Ss.

    "Just as I thought," Ss mused to himself.

    As expected, Duke Arathion, the elf lord, was the very man who, in the original timeline, had led his army half-mad with a vendetta for his daughter.

    However, with his daughter alive, the Duke''s intentions were inevitably different than before. Ss understood what he desired.

    The Duke wanted humannd.

    An intense silence fell, each second feeling like an eternity. In the suffocating atmosphere, Ss calmly waited for the Duke''s response.

    The Duke scrutinized Ss with a sharp gaze.

    "Strange words. Land? What reason would I have to desire humannd?"

    "Wouldn''t you agree, Your Grace? You''ve never ventured into human territory before," Ss replied.

    "True, but even if I wanted it, I could take it anytime."

    "No," Ss firmly denied the Duke''s confident words.

    "Land is not something you can take. No matter how much you want it, Your Grace cannot im even an inch of human territory."

    A cold tension suddenly swept through the room, like the edge of a de. The intimidating aura emanated from the Duke, making Ss swallow dryly.

    "The title ''Sword Duke'' wasn''t given to him without reason," he thought.

    Being an elf, the Duke had naturally trained with a sword for far longer than any human. Decades, even centuries, of swordsmanship radiated from him in a palpable, skin-tingling pressure.

    "You certainly have a way with words."

    "My tongue is known to be quite skillful, especially when I''m speaking the truth."

    "Mind your words. Even a savior of my daughter has limits," the Duke warned.

    Ss shrugged, indicating that he wouldn''t borate unless the Duke asked. The Duke was the first to yield.

    "Exin. Why do you think I cannot obtain humannd?"

    "It''s simple. The Imperial forces would act."

    The Duke scoffed in disbelief.

    "Do you think me a fool? I already understand human society. Even if this lord dies here, the Emperor won''t act. He might even wee it since a threat to his rule would be eliminated."

    "That''s true. The Emperor couldn''t care less whether the Count lives or dies."

    The Duke''s face twisted in confusion. First, Ss said the Imperial forces would move, but now he imed they wouldn''t even care if the Count died.

    "Are you mocking me?"

    "The Imperial forces wouldn''t move because of the Count."

    "What?"

    "They would react because an elf hade within attacking range."

    The Duke''s eyes widened, realizing the underlying meaning in Ss''s words. Ss continued.

    "Think about it. The elves are an enticing target, possessing superior skills and long-lost magic. If humans could, they''d seize it without hesitation."@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 129

    "Cowards," the Count thought bitterly at their silence. Yet, this result wasn''t entirely unfavorable. Their silence was practically a neutral stance, which allowed him to spread responsibility across the families. The Count looked at Toby with a self-satisfied expression.

    "Seeing as there''s no response, perhaps I should take a bit more time to think¡­"

    "We must ept the negotiation!"

    The Count''s face hardened at once. He turned to see Leon stepping forward.

    "Sir Ss sacrificed himself to save us. How can you hesitate now that there''s an opportunity to save him?"

    The air froze. The other three noble youths stared at Leon in disbelief.

    "Is he crazy?"

    They knew Winslow''s family was close to Rey and Ss, but such boldness was reckless. Especially with Count Herning, a lord they would continue serving.

    The Count''s gaze turned icy. "Is that the position of the Winslow family?"

    Though he merely asked the question, it felt like a challenge asking if Leon would dare not regret it. Leon closed his eyes briefly, memories from the previous night reying in his mind.

    On the day Ss staged the hostage situation to help others escape, Rey hade to find Leon amidst the gloomy atmosphere. Leon greeted her in shock, noticing that despite their lord''s capture, Rey was utterly calm.

    "Sister? Why are you here¡­"

    "Leon, do you remember your conversation with our lord?"

    Her detached tone made Leon flinch; Rey had always been formal with him, but now, she had dropped the formality entirely. This wasn''t for family affection but a straightforward warning.

    "You said you''d support him no matter what happened."

    "Yes, that''s correct," Leon replied.

    "Even if he goes against Count Valdemar?"

    Leon fell silent. It was a hard question. Opposing the other three families wasn''t a concern, but going against the Count?

    Rey didn''t wait for his answer and continued.

    "It doesn''t matter to me. But if you choose the Count, I''ll be taking Mother with me."

    "Wait, Sister. Why so suddenly?"

    "It''s simple. I don''t want to leave her with a family that''s bound to fall."

    Leon''s face stiffened. What kind of event could make their family''s ruin inevitable by choosing the Count''s side? The answer was clear: Ss and the Count were at odds, and preparations were already underway to eliminate the Count.

    His mouth went dry, and he broke into a cold sweat.

    "What is Sir Ss thinking? Did he get captured on purpose?"

    "You don''t need to know."

    "Sister, please."

    "If you intend to support him only if there''s potential, how low of you. What happened to the loyalty you always spoke of?"

    Under Rey''s icy gaze, Leon was rendered speechless. She turned her back to him, leaving him with one final remark.

    "As Father''s stand-in, you''re making the family''s choices. If we fall because of you, then it''s Father''s own fault."

    Leon knew he stood at a crossroads. Trusting his instincts, he chose to support Ss.

    "Yes, that is the position of the Winslow family."

    "Is that so?" the Count replied, his gaze on Leon growing darker. Leon, however, remained steadfast, not taking back his words. The Count gritted his teeth as he watched.

    "Damn brat. Of all times to ruin things!"

    Now that Leon had spoken up, the Count had no way to shift the responsibility. He would appear to have ignored the counsel given if he dismissed it.

    Finally, the Count bit his lip and said, "Fine, we will ept the negotiation."

    "A wise choice," Toby replied, though the Count''s face soured even further. After the meeting adjourned, Leon let out a sigh as he walked away. Even he had no idea what woulde next.

    Looking up at the sky to ease his troubled mind, he heard a voice call out.

    "Lord Leon?"@@novelbin@@

    "Who''s there?"

    Leon looked sharply at the person who had spoken. He recognized him as Max, one of Ss''s attendants.

    "It''s Max. Do you remember me?"

    "I remember. What brings you here?"

    "I''m delivering a note to the one who made the wise choice," Max replied, handing Leon a folded note. Leon, slightly confused, took the note and read its contents. His eyes widened as he finished reading, and Max whispered to him.

    "My master said that wise choices are always rewarded."

    Leon nodded silently. Once Max departed, Leon crumpled the note and swallowed it whole. He muttered to himself, grateful he had chosen to support Ss.

    The terms presented by the elves for negotiation were simple.

    First, both sides would exchange hostages, regardless of the number.

    Second, representatives from both sides would meet to find apromise.

    Third, each side''s representative was permitted two guards.

    Aside from the hostage exchange, it was essentially an agreement to discuss matters in person. While the proposal wasn''t particrly borate, the elves'' overwhelming military strength made it a generous offer. Merely engaging in dialogue could be seen as a gesture of mercy. The Count found the offer unusually lenient.

    "This tactic feels familiar," he thought.

    It was just like the bait-and-retrieve trick he had used on Ssying down an irresistible lure only to retract it the moment they took it.

    "No, no," he assured himself. "This is pre-negotiation. No need to be anxious yet."

    If it was a tactic he was familiar with, identifying the traps should be easy. He would only need to stay alert at the negotiation table. With that in mind, the Count prepared for the meeting.

    "The only issue is the guards," he mused. "I can only bring two with me."

    The Count pondered for a while. If trust was a priority, he would take his knights, but his knightscked the strength to stand against the elves. With one strike, they could be killed. In the end, the Count reluctantly called for Rey and Toby.

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    "Rey, apany me. Sir Toby, I ask you to serve as my guard as well."

    "Yes, Father."

    "dly," Toby replied.

    These were the only two knights capable of facing the elves, so he had no choice. They readily agreed to the Count''s proposal.

 Chapter 132

    When the Duke first heard Ss''s scheme, he was incredulous.

    "Lure him into a duel and kill him? By force?"

    "Yes, just ensure there''s a pretext for the duel and finish him off."

    "What nonsense is this? You can hardly call this a strategy¡ªit''s a haphazard n!"

    "Exactly."

    It was, indeed, a crude n that could barely be called a strategy. Create a minimal pretense for a duel to prevent escape and then behead him.

    "But surprisingly, simple ns like this tend to work."

    "What?"

    "Just try it. I''ll take full responsibility."

    The Count had no designated sessor, not even a deputy. All his retainers were equally subordinated before him. It was a structure built out of a near-fanatical obsession with power. This arrangement posed no problem as long as the Count remained in control.

    But he had overlooked one thing: if he lost his authority, no one was left to make decisions on his behalf.

    Only those who had wielded power could issuemands. Even the most loyal followers would hesitate when theycked experience in authority. And now, with the Count dead, there was only one person left who could give orders.

    "Hear me."

    Rey spoke to the silent crowd, her voice calm and devoid of emotion.

    "Now that my father has passed, I will seed him as Count. Since he died honorably in a legitimate duel, this is no cause for resentment."

    The crowd remained silent. It wasn''t that they had nothing to say, but they were simply unable to grasp the situation.

    Rey continued speaking.

    "We shall retrieve my father''s body and wee the Duke into the castle. With our grievance resolved, we honor him as a worthy opponent of thete Count."

    It was absurd. When had the Count ever been a rival of the Duke? And what grudge could Rey, who had only joined as an adopted daughter a few days ago, possibly feel? But no one dared to refute her. The Count had named her his sessor, and since Rey hadn''t killed him, her im was legitimate.

    "Open the gates."

    "Y-Yes!"

    Following Rey''smand, the gates opened without resistance. There was no one willing or able to rally an opposition. They simply followed orders, just as they had when the Count was alive.

    Rey was not skilled at acting. There were two types of people who could act well: those with the talent to immerse themselves in a role, and those with a shameless demeanor. Rey was neither.

    When her tone came off too stiff no matter what she said, Toby offered a solution.

    "Don''t try to act. Just recite the lines."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Like reading a book. No highs, no lows. Just t and without inflection. It''ll actually be better that way."

    "It''ll look strange," Rey objected.

    Toby burst intoughter. "Maybe, but it''ll look more natural. Your acting is just too awful, Sir Rey."

    Rey''s gaze conveyed her irritation, but with no other solution in sight, she epted Toby''s suggestion.

    Surprisingly, his approach worked. With Rey''s usual stoic demeanor, delivering lines without affectation felt natural. As she entered the castle, Rey addressed the people directly.

    "From now on, I am the head of this house."

    There was no response. Rey continued without waiting for one.

    "Prepare toy my father to rest and make ready to receive our guests."

    "I can''t ept this!"

    Someone shouted. It was a young knight, full of fervor, who met Rey''s gaze directly.

    "What is it you cannot ept?"

    "Weing our lord''s enemy as a guest, and having you as the head of the house¡ªneither makes any sense!"

    The crowd held its breath. Many had thought the same but hadn''t dared to voice it.

    "If you''re truly the Count''s sessor, you should never forgive those pointed-eared monsters! That''s the only just course and a child''s duty! If you can''t fulfill that, I cannot ept you as head of the house!"

    The young knight''s passionate cry brought a heavy silence. He embodied the ideal knight and loyal servant. All eyes turned to Rey, wondering how she would respond to such a straightforward and expected deration.

    Without a moment''s hesitation, Rey replied, "And what will you do if you don''t ept?"

    "What?" Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

    "Are you saying you''ll leave the family because you can''t follow my orders? Or are you challenging me to a duel? Make it clear."

    The young knight was left speechless, caught off guard. He had simply wanted to voice his disapproval, never expecting Rey to confront him with an ultimatum.

    But Rey wasn''t offering an exnation; she was simply saying, "So what?"

    Such a blunt approach was unheard of. Typically, this would spark an outcry to rece the sessor or choose another candidate.

    But there was no one else.

    Without the right to session, challenging her would be nothing but treason. The young knight only had two choices: leave or duel her. Choosing the first meant a life as a vagrant; choosing the second meant death at Rey''s hands.

    "So, which will it be?" Rey pressed.

    "¡­I will leave," the knight murmured, bowing his head. In truth, it was his only option. Once he had slunk away, Rey resumed giving orders.

    "Prepare my father''s remains and make ready to receive our guest."

    No one else opposed her.

    After the initial shock, the rest proceeded quickly. The Count''s body wasid in a stone chamber he had prepared in life, and the funeral was conducted in a hurried, wartime manner. The Duke arrived with only twenty of his guards, and amidst the tense atmosphere, the main parties conversed with ease.

    "Is there no wine?" the Duke asked.

    "I''ll see what I can find."

    Rey searched the office and returned with a fine-looking bottle. Cups of wine were poured for the Duke, Ss, and the young noble representatives, followed by a toast.

    "To peace between elves and humans."

    "And to the prosperity that will follow."@@novelbin@@

    The toast finished, they all emptied their cups. The Duke and Ss appeared rxed, while the other young nobles could barely sit still.

    "What''s going on?"

    "The Count''s dead, and Sir Rey is the new Count?"

    "What about the deal? What about the magical artifacts we were promised?"

    Confused, they nced back and forth between the Duke and Rey. With the Count dead, Rey would have to take over any trade agreements. Yet she hadn''t said a word to them and hadn''t summoned them for any discussion. They had no way of knowing what she was nning.

 Chapter 133

    As the young nobles anxiously exchanged nces, the Duke addressed Rey.

    "As I mentioned before, the grudge between our houses is settled."

    "Yes," Rey replied.

    "Don''t dwell on the Count''s death. It was a fair duel."

    "Yes."

    "¡­No spokesperson?" the Duke asked.

    When Rey faltered, Ss stepped in with a wry smile. Hiding things was no longer necessary, but even he hadn''t expected it to be this direct.

    "Since the grievance has been settled, we only need to work out the terms for trade."

    The young nobles'' eyes lit up at the mention of trade with the elves. Trade was as appealing as obtaining magical artifacts, if not more.

    The Count who had promised them artifacts was dead, so Rey would need to offer a new incentive. But as they eagerly awaited the next step, the Duke interrupted.

    "No, there is one matter left to resolve first."

    "One matter left?" Ss asked.

    "I said I would settle the grudge with the Herning family. But I never said I would forgive the other houses."

    The Duke''s cold gaze swept over the young nobles.

    "Your families also share responsibility for the suffering my people endured."

    "¡­?!"

    Their faces turned pale. Why was the Duke now turning his ire toward them?

    "M-Misunderstanding, Your Grace!"

    "The actions of our predecessors have nothing to do with us!"

    "Ridiculous excuses from those who dared bring their armies here."

    Their desperate attempts at exnations fell t. Matters of ambiguous responsibility were ultimately subject to the will of those in power. If the Duke was unwilling to forgive, no excuse, however logical, would sway him.

    "S-Sir Rey. No, Count!"

    The nobles turned to Rey. For the elves to advance, they would need to pass through the Herning family''s fortress.

    If Rey didn''t open the path, the elven army couldn''t move. Considering her ties with the other families, it was obvious¡­

    "Will you allow us passage?"

    "Yes."

    "Count!?"

    The casual response stunned everyone, but Rey remained unfazed. The Duke nced briefly at the noble heirs and asked,

    "Is that all right? None of you have sworn loyalty to this family, nor are you vassals?"

    Ss answered in Rey''s stead. "The rtionship between House Herning and these families is no more than close neighbors. None have pledged allegiance, and none are recognized as vassal houses."

    "Then there''s no problem with wiping them out."

    The notion of "extermination" was a nightmare. Had anyone else said it, they might haveughed it off. Even the Imperial family would have difficulty wiping out entire noble houses. But the elven Duke had the authority¡ªand the army¡ªto do so, having the power to destroy even the Count''s house.

    "If he means that," thought the nobles, "we''re finished."

    A cold sweat soaked their clothes. Abined army of four noble houses would be meaningless before the elven forces, and they could already envision their families falling, one by one.

    "Please wait a moment."

    At that moment, Leon stepped forward.

    "From what I''ve gathered, it sounds like loyalty to House Herning would bring forgiveness."

    "That''s correct," the Duke nodded at Leon.

    "The grudge between the Hernings and the elves is resolved. A vassal shares the sesses and failures of their lord; the same applies to grudges."

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    "In that case¡­"

    Leon took a deep breath and stepped forward, kneeling before Rey¡ªa gesture a vassal would make before their lord.

    "I, Leon Winslow, pledge my loyalty to the head of House Herning on behalf of my family. Please ept me."

    "I ept."

    At Rey''s calm response, Leon rose and stood beside her. Ss then turned to the remaining three nobles, who looked stunned.

    "What about the rest of you?" he asked.

    The noble heirs stared at Ss, feeling as if they''d been struck. Only now were they beginning to understand the situation.

    "With the Count gone, Rey is the head of House Herning. But she''s more like a knight than a lord and would likely follow Sir Ss''s orders if hemanded her, even as Count. In truth, this loyalty is to Sir Ss."

    It was all part of Ss''s n, but when had it begun? They had once seen him as nothing more than a young man with a skilled knight by his side.

    Seeing their confusion, Ss shrugged.

    "From the silence, it seems the others wish to remain loyal to the Empire."

    "Commendable," the Duke remarked, his mouth curling into a mocking smile.

    "Then disappear with your loyalty. You will be legends, retold as tales of valor."

    "¡­!"

    "I should be on my way. Leaving an army idle is a costly endeavor, after all."

    It was a clear threat to invade theirnds next. Damian, one of the three nobles, clenched his eyes shut.

    "If there''s no other way¡­"

    Just as the Duke stood to leave, Damian stepped forward and knelt.

    "I, Damian Orfus, as acting head, pledge loyalty to House Herning!"

    "What¡­?"

    "Please ept me under yourmand!"

    Ignoring the shock of his peers, Damian called out. Rey looked at him with a stoic expression.

    "Do you have the authority to redirect your family''s loyalty?"

    "I pledge it under my name. I will persuade them."

    "Very well."

    With Rey''s permission, Damian stepped over to join Ss and the others. Now, only two remained.

    "Will you continue to honor your loyalty to the Empire?" Ss asked again.

    The two remaining nobles'' choice was clear. That day, House Herning took all four families under itsmand.

    Late at night, once everyone had left, Ss and the Duke remained in the drawing room, raising their sses to each other.

    "Will that be enough? They wouldn''t be above rebelling."

    "Without perks, it might erupt someday," Ss replied. "But there will be."

    The Duke narrowed his eyes. "So there''s something to gain?"

    "Trade alone will suffice," Ss said, taking a sip of his wine.

    "You may not realize it, but this is the first official trade agreement between elves and humans."

    "That''s true."

    "This means the profits will be immense."

    It was a premium of sorts. Goods made by a race still possessing magic¡ªthese were not plundered but pristine, new merchandise. Even by merely handling trade as intermediaries through House Herning, the profits would be staggering.

    If his guess was right, each family''s wealth might double.

    "An elven army capable of annihting families, and the risk of halving their assets if they disrupt the alliance¡ªthey''d have to be mad to rebel. Right now, they may feel humiliated, but when the gold starts flowing, humiliation will be the least of their concerns."

    Soon, they would likely beg to increase their share of elven goods for their families.@@novelbin@@

    "And in this trade, the elves will receive the resources they need?"

    "Yes, enough to meet the Duke''s desired resources three times over."

 Chapter 135

    After hearing the details, Max gave up on apanying them. Under ordinary circumstances, he could protect himself adequately. But this was no ordinary situation, and his presence would only be a hindrance.

    "Don''t forget to return for me," he muttered as he bid Ss''s party farewell.

    Ss then spurred his horse northward. Thanks to the halt in the elves'' advance, monster sightings along the road had decreased significantly.

    "What kind of ce is the North?" Toby asked, apparently bored with the journey.

    "Is it as chaotic as the West?"

    "Not exactly."@@novelbin@@

    Ss thought back to the North before his return. While monsters weren''t as numerous, stronger ones frequently appeared. And those strong creatures often met their end at human hands.

    "It''s a ce where humans are more terrifying than monsters."

    "Is it as politically scheming as the South?"

    "No, their political skills are rathercking."

    It wasn''t that the Northcked politics, butpared to other regions, it was simpler. The reason was straightforward.

    "Because it''s hard to survive. You only engage in political schemes when there''s a bit of breathing room, but here, everyone''s struggling just to keep their heads above water."

    "Then what is there to fear?"

    "The people who live here."

    "¡­?"

    "You''ll see," Ss replied, chuckling at Toby''s puzzled expression. It was something that had to be experienced firsthand to understand.

    After several days on horseback, Ss''s group crossed the border into the North. It took less than a day for Toby to react.

    "This is insane! Why is it so cold here?"

    Toby shivered, furiously rubbing his arms, and Rey muttered under her breath, watching her breath turn white in the air.

    "It''s cold."

    "It''s the North," Ss replied.

    "This is more than ''just the North,''" Toby retorted, scanning the frozenndscape, where no sign of melting snow was visible.

    "A ce where the snow doesn''t even melt in spring¡­"

    For Toby, a southerner, this sight was unfamiliar. Ss seemed amused by his reaction and added, "If you''re this surprised, we''re in for trouble."

    "Is there more?"

    "Plenty. Like tonight''s inn."

    Toby and Rey exchanged nces, confused. A littleter, upon arriving at an inn, Toby burst out.

    "Two silver coins for a single night?!"

    It was an outrageous price. This wasn''t even a fancy inn for wealthy travelers but an average lodging house. The cost was higher than many high-end inns, and even Rey, who rarely concerned herself with bargaining, frowned.

    "What a rip-off."

    "Then feel free to go somewhere else," the innkeeper said, shrugging as if he couldn''t care less.

    "Other ces charge about the same. You might not know, but that''s just how prices are here in the North."

    "That''s ridiculous!" Toby retorted.

    "Enough," Ss said, handing over the silver. The innkeeper swiftly pocketed the coins and bowed.

    "Thank you for your patronage, milords."

    "We''ll also need dinner," Ss added.

    "That''ll be another half a silver."

    Ss paid withoutint, and the innkeeper led them to their room with a satisfied grin. The room was passable but nothing special. Toby gave a dryugh.

    "What a scam. Why did you go along with it?"

    "It''s not a scam. It''s collusion."

    "What?"

    "As the innkeeper said, most ces around here charge simr rates."

    The North was always expensive, but visitors faced even more exorbitant rates¡ªespecially those who looked like wealthy knights. While price-gouging rich customers wasn''t unique to the North, what set it apart was the region''s unified approach.

    "If you don''t pay this price, they simply won''t sell. So wherever you go, it''s the same. Paying now is cheaper than hopping from ce to ce."

    "Is there nopetition?" Rey asked, ncing at Ss. In most ces, someone would eventually lower prices slightly to attract customers, preferring to sell something rather than nothing. But the North was different.

    "In the North, that doesn''t happen."

    "Why not?"

    "Paradoxically, it''s to survive."

    The North was a harshnd. Aside from a few areas, crops barely grew, and it wasn''t fit for livestock. They got by with trade, primarily gems, but even that wasn''t easy, as the Imperial family strictly controlled the trade.

    "The North listens to the Imperial family?"

    "They control the main trade route forrge-scale grain exports."

    "Oh!" Toby eximed, nodding in understanding. Only the Imperial region could supply grain on such arge scale. The East was stable but divided among numerous houses, makingrge-scale trade challenging. The West was overrun with monsters, and the South wasn''t even adjacent.

    Only the Imperial capital had the capacity forrge-scale grain exports.

    "So they''re essentially bound to the Empire."

    And the Empire wasn''t about to let the North grow too powerful. They kept the supply just high enough to allow the North to scrape by, cutting off the flow if there was any rebellion, leaving the people to starve before they could secure resources elsewhere.

    "For the Northerners, it''s unbearable. So they''ve be ruthless in scraping together what they can."

    Price collusion was part of that. In the North, where resources were scarce,petition would only hurt them. So they had agreed to keep prices high, ensuring those who could afford to buy would do so.

    "Those damned emperors¡­" Ss thought, clicking his tongue inwardly. While it was only natural for an emperor to assert control and rein in regional lords, it was another matter entirely to leave ordinary citizens on the brink of starvation. Whose twisted mind could have devised such a n?

    "All the more reason to seed here," Ss reminded himself. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire

    The North was already rife with resentment toward the central government. Preventing the rise of a Barbarian King here would guarantee them a powerful ally. In fact, merely stopping the Barbarian King wouldn''t be enough.

    He would have to crown a true king for the North.

    Not a Barbarian King, but a leader who could unify the entire North and rally its people to stand against the Empire. Ss gazed into the distant horizon beyond the frosty window, remembering someone he had met before his return¡ªsomeone with the qualities to be a true king of the North.

 Chapter 137

    "Security here seems intense. Did themander get assassinated or something?"

    Ss''s mockery didn''t go unnoticed, and the guard''s face immediately darkened.

    "Watch your mouth, my lord," the guard warned.

    "Amoner shouldn''t be speaking to a noble that way," Ss retorted coldly.

    "But a soldier of the Veldyne family certainly can speak that way to a mercenary knight," the guard shot back, making it clear that a knight without connections had no business disrespecting a soldier with backing.

    Ss recognized the Veldyne family name, a name he''d heard before his return from an oldrade:

    "They were a well-regarded viscount family in that region, well-respected by many."

    Given the guard''s attitude, the family clearly held significant influence here¡ªenough for amoner to challenge a noble openly. Puffing out his chest, the guard asked again, "I''ll ask onest time. What''s your business here?"

    The guard''s arrogant voice echoed confidence, as if he wouldn''t repeat the question again. When Ss nced over, he saw Henrik clenching his fists in frustration. Ss and hispanions were technically Henrik''s guests, making the guard''s behavior an insult to both them and Henrik. Ss''s voice turned icily calm.

    "Ss Corleone. Here on knightly duties."

    "Corleone? And just where might that be? Wait¡­ Corleone?"

    The guard initially prepared to scoff, but he paused, eyes widening.

    "Don''t tell me¡­ you''re from the Corleone family of the East?"

    "The same family founded by the dragonyer Leonik," Ss confirmed.

    The guard''s face turned pale. Realizing his mistake, he stepped aside, trembling slightly. "I¡­ I apologize, sir! I didn''t recognize you!"

    "Just step aside," Ssmanded.

    The guard quickly moved out of their way, his earlier arrogance nowhere to be seen. Once they were inside, Henrik, looking surprised, turned to Ss.

    "Are you from a famous family?"

    "Fairly well-known. You haven''t heard of us?"

    Henrik scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. "I didn''t get much education."

    In a world where most people lived and died in the viges they were born in, it wasn''t unusual formon knowledge across the continent to be unknown in certain ces.

    "Understandable," Ss said, shrugging.

    "Thank you for understanding. The inn is that way. If you need more guidance¡­," Henrik trailed off.

    "No, that will be sufficient."

    Ss parted ways with Henrik and headed toward the inn. The closer he got, the more his heart pounded. His old friend often talked about this ce, iming he took up the role of an innkeeper just to have something to do.

    "He should be here by now."

    As Ss reached the inn, raised voices echoed from within. It sounded like an argument. Ray stopped near the entrance and looked at Ss.

    "Should we wait a bit before going in?"

    "No, let''s see what''s going on."

    Ss pushed open the door. The voices he''d heard from outside grew clearer, revealing two groups at odds. One group consisted of the innkeeper and a few local men, while the other was a well-dressed man and his soldiers.

    "You call that a solution?" the innkeeper growled.

    "And why wouldn''t it be?" the well-dressed man shrugged.

    Furious, the innkeeper gripped the edge of a table. "With the food we have, people are on the verge of starvation already. You think five sacks of grain will help? Who would that even feed?"

    "That''s not my problem."

    "You little¡­!" One of the men lunged forward, but the innkeeper held him back by the shoulder. When the man backed off, still seething, the smug stranger raised his voice triumphantly.

    "This isn''t only the baron''s decision. It''s the wish of the Veldyne family as well."

    "And you think that''s something to brag about? Can''t even manage your own affairs, and you''re dancing to the tune of another family?"

    The well-dressed man''s face twisted in annoyance. Unable toe up with a retort, he turned away sharply.

    "Anyway, five sacks. Don''t expect any more."

    "Bastard!"

    "If you don''t like it, why not start a rebellion? If you have the guts, that is."

    The man strutted toward the entrance with his soldiers. Seeing Ss''s group, he smirked and called back into the inn.

    "Look, more guests! Fortunate, isn''t it? With them here, you can feed at least one more person!"

    The innkeeper shook with anger, and Ray and Toby frowned, having witnessed the insult. Though they didn''t fully understand the situation, it was clear they had been mocked and used. As the soldiers left, curses erupted from within the inn.

    "Bastards!"

    "Sir, please make a decision!"

    "Just say the word, and we''ll take them down!"

    "Enough!"

    The innkeeper''s shout silenced the men around him. Once calm returned, he looked toward Ss and hispanions.

    "Guests, we''ll talkter. Leave us for now."

    The men grumbled but retreated. Ss stepped closer, examining the innkeeper. Beneath his leather clothes, his muscr frame and grizzled beard made him look at least ten years older than he was.

    "Bjorn."

    Here stood Ss''s formerrade, the one he had once chosen as the rightful king of the North.

    "Shop''s open;e on in," Bjorn said with a nod.

    "Then we won''t decline," Ss replied, striding over to take a seat at one of the tables. The middle-aged men around seemed like they had more to say, but after a moment of hesitation, they moved back. Bjorn crossed his arms, his thick muscles bulging as he did.

    "Lodging or a meal?" he asked.

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    "Are you a noble yourself?" Ray inquired, noting Bjorn''s self-assured tone.

    Bjorn nodded without hesitation. "Bjorn Veldyne."

    "Veldyne?" Toby muttered, narrowing his eyes. "The man you were arguing with earlier also mentioned the Veldyne family, didn''t he?"@@novelbin@@

    Bjorn''s face grew bitter. "It''s a long story. I''ve had some¡­ difficulties with my kin."

    Ray didn''t press further; it was impolite to pry into personal issues unless the other person chose to disclose them. Toby put down a ss of water with a huff.

    "Now then, is it a meal or lodging?"

    "Start with the price," Ss replied.

    "Lodging is three silver coins, and a meal is one silver coin," Bjorn said.

    "What?" Toby and Ray exchanged shocked nces at the steep price. Even for the high prices in the North, this was excessive. Bjorn averted his gaze, clearly aware of the ridiculous price.

 Chapter 142

    "So, what will it be? Surely the great red dragon will fight for justice?" Marius''s tone wasced with mocking bravado.

    Ss let out a sarcastic chuckle. Marius looked smug, as though he''d already won. "What an idiot," Ss thought. He''d encountered this type before, people who thought they''d grasped power just because they served someone influential. Such people loved to unt their "understanding" of politics.

    Dealing with fools like this was simple: bring them crashing back to reality.

    "You''re Marius Greve, right?" Ss asked.

    "Yes, that''s correct."

    "I challenge you to a duel."

    Marius''s face went nk, as if he couldn''t believe what he''d just heard. "Pardon me?"

    "I challenge you to a duel," Ss repeated.

    "N-Not me!" Marius stammered. "Challenge Bjorn if you want a fight!"

    "No, you''re the one I''m challenging, not Bjorn."

    "But why¡­?" Marius asked, visibly trembling.

    "Because you insulted me with that attitude of yours." Ss''s eyes glinted dangerously, and even a fool could tell he had no intention of sparing Marius if the duel took ce.

    "I¡­ I refuse! There will be no duel!"

    "Then I''ll just kill you where you stand."

    As the cold gleam of Ss''s de shed, the color drained from Marius''s face. He stumbled back, pushing his chair away in a panic.

    "W-Wait, hold on!"

    "If you want to die resisting, at least draw your weapon," Ss taunted, taking a step forward.

    "I-I was wrong! Please, forgive me!" Marius pleaded.

    "de iing. Wheeeee!" Ss raised his sword slightly, and Marius yelped, stumbling backward, crashing into the door as he scrambled to escape, shouting.

    "Someone! Anyone, help me!"

    "What''s happening, sir?" Soldiers stationed outside burst into the inn. Startled, Bjorn''s men also looked up, bewildered.

    Seeing Ss approach from the upper floor, the soldiers gaped in confusion. Ss called out.

    "I challenged you to a duel. Why are you running? Come back here!"

    "That lunatic!" Marius screeched, retreating behind his soldiers and pointing at Ss. "Kill him!"

    "Sir? But he''s a knight¡­"

    "I don''t care! Kill him!" Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire

    To Marius, whether he respected the Corleone name or not no longer mattered. He was determined to save his own skin.

    As the soldiers with spears began to close in, Ss called calmly, "Ray, Toby."

    "Yes, my lord?"

    "Take them down."

    Bjorn couldn''t understand the sight before him.

    "You''re amazing, my lord!"

    "We apologize for cursing you before!"

    "Thanks to you, we feelpletely liberated!"

    The people of Falun were all praising Ss. Not a single person voicedints or resentment. Bjorn swallowed down the words that nearly escaped his lips.

    "Why?" he wondered. After all, everything that happened was because Ss had nearly killed Marius. As a result, the barbarians were now attacking, and the vigers had to risk their lives to fight. So why were they cheering?

    "Why do they look so relieved?"

    If they''d sighed in resignation or despaired at the looming battle, he could have understood. But this¡­ he had never imagined such a reaction. Just then, someone tapped him on the shoulder.

    "My lord, what are you doing?" asked Henrik.

    "Henrik?"

    "Prepare yourself for battle! The fight awaits," Henrik said, grinning widely. Bjorn was taken aback. Henrik, who usually wore a hardened, serious expression, now seemed almost joyful.@@novelbin@@

    "Hail to you, my lord! Hail to Sir Ss, the knight-in-training!"

    "Show those barbarians what we''re made of!"

    Bjorn advanced with a stunned expression, unable to clear his head even with the battle imminent.

    "Strange, isn''t it?" Ss asked, observing Bjorn''s reaction.

    Bjorn slowly nodded. "To be honest, yes."

    "You expected curses and resentment, didn''t you?"

    "Of course I did."

    "And why?"

    "This isn''t their war." Bjorn paused, choosing his words carefully. "They''re citizens of thend, dragged into a war decided by those in power, and they''ll be the ones to bleed. They bear no responsibility for any of this; all responsibility falls on those who initiate the war."

    "So you can''t understand why people who see themselves as victims are so eager for battle?"

    "They are victims," Bjorn replied.

    "Victims? Who says they''re victims?" Ss''s voice was calm yet piercing. He stared at Bjorn intently. "They''re all part of this. They were mocked, angered, and humiliated. Do you really think they''re just ''caught up in someone else''s fight''?"

    "Well, isn''t it all my fault?" Bjorn asked, bewildered.

    "They don''t see you as ''someone else,'' do they?"

    Bjorn''s eyes widened, a strange, tickling feeling welling up in his chest as if he were finally grasping something he hadn''t understood before.

    "They didn''t want to sit idly by. They wanted to resist this constant threat to their lives. If they were going to die anyway, better to die fighting."

    "That¡­ can''t be. They never said anything like that."

    "Because you never let them." Ss''s words hit Bjorn like a lightning bolt. He continued, "They must''ve thought fighting would make your sacrifice meaningless. So even if they wanted to fight, they couldn''t say it."

    Bjorn closed his eyes tightly, the memory of Ss''s words two days prior echoing in his mind: "Honor isn''t exclusive to nobles." He''d been too preupied at the time to fully grasp the meaning, but now it was crystal clear. The vigers hadn''t wanted to be protected as mere bystanders. They wanted to stand alongside Bjorn, to fight and bleed by his side.

    And the one who had shut them out was none other than himself.

    "Me."

    "Take up your axe," Ss said sharply, snapping Bjorn out of his self-me. "The battle''s upon us. This isn''t the time for amander to be wallowing."

    "¡­"

    "Look around. They''re all watching you. Say what they''re waiting to hear."

    Bjorn turned, his eyes meeting those of the vigers, who had once been soldiers but had now lived as simple citizens of Falun for the past three years. But their gaze was unchanged from the days they''d ridden into battle together.

    Taking a deep breath, Bjorn raised his voice. "Sons of the North!"

    The crowd fell silent, hanging onto his words.

    "Kill them all!"

    A simple and blunt order, yet it was met with an overwhelming roar that rang in his ears. Their leader had given them permission: no more holding back. There was only one thing left to do now. Amidst the earth-shaking cheers, Bjorn turned to Ss.

 Chapter 144

    "Are you the chieftain here?"

    "Who are you?"

    "Bjorn Veldyne."

    "The viscount''s nephew!?" Erikson gasped, his face pale. He''d heard of Bjorn''s experience in battle but hadn''t expected him to be this powerful. "They said he was the type to avoid putting his men at risk!" But here he was, a warrior charging into the fray alongside his people. Had someone fed him false information?

    "You''re different from the ones who came before you," Bjorn remarked. Erikson''s heart leapt with a glimmer of hope. Perhaps Bjorn would spare him if he showed humility?

    "Yes, that''s right! We¡ª"

    "Enough." Bjorn cut him off coldly. "You can be the first to go to the afterlife. I''ll send the others who attacked with you soon enough."

    "W-wait a moment! This isn''t¡ª"

    Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire@@novelbin@@

    "Seems like you talk too much for a warrior."

    Bjorn''s axe swung down, and Erikson hastily raised his sword to block. But Bjorn''s strength and intensity were overwhelming, and after less than ten exchanges, Bjorn''s axe found his neck.

    Thunk!

    "Urgh!"

    "Ch-chieftain!"

    "The chieftain is down!"

    With a victorious shout, Bjorn lifted Erikson''s severed head for all to see, roaring his triumph. From a distance, Ss watched the scene and chuckled. Not a single barbarian left Falun alive that day

    After the battle, the vige of Falun was in a festive mood. The townsfolk cheered enthusiastically for Bjorn and the soldiers who had brought back the victory. On the spot, they organized a small celebration feast. Despite the vige''s limited resources, they scraped together enough for a single night of celebration.

    "For our young lord!"

    ¡ª"To our lord!"

    The resounding cheers filled the air as tankards clinked together. Soldiers embraced one another, singing songs of victory. Ss and his two knights were also pulled into the festivities. One soldier grinned as he presented Ss with a tray of food and a drink.

    "Here, sir! Try some of this! My wife made it herself!"

    "I didn''t really do anything," Ss protested.

    "Come now, my lord! With you here, we felt safe enough to fight. Without you, we''d have worried our families would be attacked¡­ oh, heavens!" The soldier mimed hugging his own shoulders, his animated gesture making Ss chuckle.

    "Well then, thank you," Ss replied, lifting his cup.

    "If you need more, just let me know!" the soldier said before hurrying off. Ss took a sip of his drink, feeling the strong, fiery burn typical of northern spirits. Ray looked uneasy as he epted drink after drink thrust upon him, while Toby was already drinking straight from arge jug, earning admiring nces from the crowd.

    A shadow fell across Ss''s view of the revelry. "Drinking alone like a beggar?"

    "It''s called drinking alone with style," Ss replied.

    "Same thing," Bjorn shrugged. "You just don''t know the difference."

    He sat down with a loud thud, setting down five bottles of spirits. Bjorn grabbed a cup nearby and poured himself a drink.

    "Here, take my drink," he offered.

    Ss took it, downing it in one gulp. The powerful drink burned all the way down, leaving a fiery warmth from his throat to his belly. "Ah!"

    "You can hold your liquor, I see!"

    "Now it''s your turn," Ss said, pouring a full cup for Bjorn, who downed it just as quickly. They went back and forth a few more times until Bjorn, wiping the drops of liquor from his chin, murmured quietly.

    "Thank you."

    "For what?"

    "For beating sense into one stubborn fool of a beggar."

    "I just talked some sense into you. I would''ve had to beat you senseless otherwise," Ss replied dryly.

    Bjornughed awkwardly. They continued drinking, until Bjorn spoke again, his tone somber.

    "So, how many casualties?" Ss asked.

    "Three dead and five severely injured. The rest are mostly unharmed."

    Ss raised his eyebrows. It was remarkable that they''d managed to keep casualties so low, given the size of the enemy force. Still, those losses weren''t insignificant¡ªthey were the very deaths Bjorn had tried so hard to prevent. But Bjorn''s face remained calm.

    "It''s strange."

    "What is?"

    "Just a few days ago, I was terrified someone might die, but now¡­ seeing my fallenrades, I don''t feel sad."

    Ss stayed silent, allowing the quiet to settle between them. Eventually, Bjorn broke the silence.

    "Why do you think that is?"

    "How should I know what''s in your heart?"

    "Just¡­ say something. Anything."

    Ss nced at the soldiers nearby,ughing and talking freely. Though they had won, this wasn''t the end; Greve''s barony and Viscount Veldyne would surely look for another excuse to provoke them. Yet, none of the soldiers'' faces showed even a hint of fear.

    "Maybe it''s because you''ve finallye to understand what''s in their hearts," Ss replied.

    "Perhaps," Bjorn murmured. And with that, the conversation trailed off, leaving them to simply share their drinks until one of them eventually slumped over, too drunk to stay awake.

    The following morning, Ss awoke with a pounding headache.

    "Damn, it''s like a bell ringing in my skull," he groaned. He''d always been able to hold his liquor well, but northern spirits were something else entirely, and his younger body seemed less resilient. As he made his way downstairs, one of the older vigers approached with a respectful bow.

    "Good morning, my lord. You''re awake."

    "Yes. Got any honey water?"

    "Right away, sir." The man disappeared into the kitchen. Honey was expensive and especially rare here, yet the man didn''t hesitate for a moment. Soon, a cup of warm honey water was brought out, which Ss gratefully drank. Just as he finished, Toby and Ray joined him.

    "Did you sleep well, my lord?"

    "Well enough." Ss eyed the two of them. Despite drinking heavily the previous night, Toby and Ray lookedpletely refreshed.

    "And you two? Not even a bit hungover?"

    "Southern men don''t go down that easy, sir!" Toby chuckled.

    "I''m alright as well, thanks to Sir Toby''s advice," Ray added.

    "What advice?"

    "He said a bit of hair of the dog helps. I had a drink this morning, and it worked wonders," Ray replied, grinning.

 Chapter 145

    Ss shook his head in disbelief. They''d drunk so muchst night, and here they were, unscathed, having drunk more this morning. Truly inhuman. He downed thest of his honey water as the empty cup was promptly taken away.

    "Anything else I can get for you, my lord?" the viger asked.

    "Where''s Bjorn?"

    Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire

    "The young lord is at the cemetery."

    As expected. Ss stood to go meet him but didn''t need to go far. He encountered Bjorn on his way back, with a smirk on his face.

    "Guess you can''t hold your drink as well as I can."

    "Shut up." Ss clicked his tongue at Bjorn''s cheerful, unruffled expression. It seemed he''d been the one to pass out firstst night. As he looked Bjorn over, he noticed traces of dirt on his clothing.

    "Did you finish burying the dead?"

    "It didn''t take long. I''m used to it," Bjorn replied simply.

    "And no funeral rites?"

    "I couldn''t. Not with what''s toe."

    Ss nodded, recognizing Bjorn''s shift in perspective. He was finally starting to see things clearly, looking farther ahead than just his immediate troubles.

    As they spoke, Henrik approached.

    "Young lord," he said.

    "What is it?"

    "A messenger from the Greve Barony has arrived," Henrik replied, his toneced with displeasure. It wasn''t an unexpected visit, but it was certainly unwee. No sooner had Henrik finished than a young noble, barely in his twenties and dressed in ornate attire, appeared.

    "And who might this be?" Ss asked.

    "This is Larius Greve, the baron''s son," Bjorn responded.

    Larius stepped forward, his face twisted into a rehearsed mask of indignation. "Sir Bjorn! What is the meaning of this? Killing our soldiers and assaulting my uncle? This is outrageous!"

    "I didn''t do it," Bjorn replied calmly.

    "Don''t lie! I''ve already heard the truth¡ªdon''t y innocent!"

    Ah, so they nned to pin everything on Bjorn, making him the culprit instead. It wasn''t a bad strategy¡­ if the true culprit weren''t standing right there.

    "That was me," Ss interjected.

    "What?"

    "I did it."

    "And who are you?" Larius demanded, his tone one of annoyance, but the mention of the name Ss Corleone made him mp his mouth shut. Clearly, Larius had a better sense of reality than thest fool who had crossed Ss. His eyes darted about as he calcted his next move before a forced smile spread across his face.

    "Ah, how noble of the Corleone family''s son!" Larius said with exaggerated charm. "Here you are, trying to take responsibility for something you didn''t do. No need to defend him."

    "It''s not a defense; it''s the truth," Ss replied, his stare turning icy.

    Larius''s gaze hardened. "Oh, surely not! After all, if you had actually attacked our soldiers, do you think we''d simply let it slide?"

    The implication was clear: if Ss kept insisting he was the one responsible, the Greve family would escte matters. After all, this was their territory.

    "So, do yourself a favor and stay out of it. There''s no need for you to involve yourself here," Larius concluded, his words brimming with warning. Ss''s lips curved into a smirk.

    "It''s not a favor, Larius; it''s the truth. I ordered my knights to act, and it was my hand that knocked out everyst one of Marius''s teeth."

    The open defiance left Larius visibly flustered, his face paling. Ss''s bold confession left him no choice; letting it slide would be a disgrace to the Greve family''s honor.

    "Damn it, what''s gotten into this guy?" Larius fumed internally. Just what connection did Ss have with Bjorn to interfere so brazenly?

    Before Larius could regain his footing, Bjorn spoke up. "Sir Ss was my guest, so it''s as much my responsibility as it is his."

    "Yes, that''s right!" Larius seized the opening, eager for any escape from direct confrontation with Corleone. "In any case, Baron Greve holds you ountable!"

    "And what is it you want?" Bjorn asked calmly.

    "We''ll ept twenty gold coins aspensation," Larius replied with a smirk. He knew well enough that the impoverished vige of Falun could never afford such a sum. They''d be forced to beg and plead for mercy, eventually paying a reduced amount, but even that would bleed them dry over time.

    "And so, they''ll slowly wither, drained bit by bit." That was the Greve family''s ultimate n, sanctioned by Viscount Veldyne. They would sap the vige''s resources until they had no will to resist.

    But Bjorn shattered Larius''s expectations with a single word.

    "No."

    "¡­What?"

    "Excuse me, but¡­ what did you just say?" Larius stammered, wondering if he''d misheard.

    "I said no. This entire affair is your uncle''s doing, and I owe you nothing."

    Larius''s eyes bulged in disbelief. Was he mad? This tiny vige, openly defying the Greve family¡ªand by extension, the viscount?

    "Are you serious?"

    "I am."

    "Can you take responsibility for that?" Larius challenged, his voice low and threatening.

    Bjorn closed his eyes briefly, allowing the resolve he''d feared for so long to crystallize. He opened them again, meeting the gaze of his people around him. Their expressions told him everything he needed to know.

    "Better to die fighting than to slowly fade away."

    "Tell us, young lord. Give us the word to fight."

    "We''d dly give our lives to make them pay."

    Bjorn could finally see the fire in their eyes, a fire he had been blind to until now. He met Larius''s gaze with unwavering determination.@@novelbin@@

    "Prepare for war," he dered. "I hereby challenge you to a territorial battle."

    Larius left with a pale face, saying nothing. He had never expected Bjorn to genuinely dere a war.

    "Are you sure you should have warned him in advance?" Ss asked.

    "It doesn''t matter. They would have attacked regardless," Bjorn replied. "But this way, we im the moral high ground."

    Bjorn turned to Ss, his expression serious. "Can I count on your help?"

    "Didn''t you just ask me to guard the house before?"

    "Subjugating barbarians is different from a territorial battle," Bjorn replied. "Sieges aren''t just aboutbat strength or morale. If there''s even a small fortress involved, the damage multiplies."

    Sieges were notoriously difficult, which was why strategists often advised against them unless absolutely necessary.

    "I''d like to borrow your strength," Bjorn continued.

    "For free?"

    "What do you want in return?"

    Ss''s grin spread slowly across his face. "How about you treat me like an elder brother?"

 Chapter 147

    ''But they were met with heavy criticism at first,'' he mused. It only became widely epted as others followed suit. The first person to employ this tactic was heavily criticized, leaving a dark precedent in history. Eventually, he was hunted down and killed for his deeds.

    "This is frustrating," Ss muttered to himself. He could win in battle but couldn''t secure upation. Without control, resupplying troops and supplies would be impossible, leading to certain defeat.

    "Do you have a map? Show me where Baron Greve''s territory is."

    "Please wait a moment." Henrik pulled a small, somewhat poor travel map from his coat. Though not suited for military use, it at least indicated general borders and paths. Henrik pointed to a section on the map.

    "Here''s Falun, and over here is Baron Greve''s domain."

    "...?" Ss blinked, staring at the map. Was he mistaken?

    "This is Greve''snd?" he asked.

    "Yes," Henrik confirmed.

    "But I thought it had a different name."

    Elmholt. That had been the name given to thisnd before his return. The map, however, bore apletely different name.

    "Ah, originally it was Elmholt."

    "Why did it change, then?"

    "It changed when the Baron took ownership. He didn''t like the original name."

    "Aha," Ss chuckled, understanding that Greve wasn''t born into nobility butter acquired thend. The original lord likely fell out of favor with the emperor or neighboring lords and was ousted.

    "Well, that makes things easier. Justification is no longer an issue."

    "Excuse me? Does this mean you have a solution?" Henrik asked.

    "Yes, and it''s a perfect one."

    It wasn''t strictly orthodox, but Ss now had a justifiable im¡ªone that only he could wield in thisnd. Readtest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

    "Is that true?" Baron Greve''s current lord, Philip Greve, frowned upon hearing his son Larius''s report.

    "It seems he''s not thinking straight, Father. To challenge us with only Falun at his side?"

    Falun was close to exile, and most men there had war experience. But even ounting for that, their numbers were too low.

    "To think he''d attempt a siege with such a small force," Philip thought, exasperated. Larius, looking nervous, nced at his father.

    "Father, should we request aid from the Viscount?"

    "Aid? We can handle this ourselves."

    "But we don''t know for sure¡­"

    Seeing his son''s anxiety, Philip clicked his tongue. His son had potential but was overly cautious.

    "If we truly faced a crisis, I''d ask for help. But do you think this counts as a crisis? If we can''t fend off this small force, what would the Viscount think of us?"

    "You''re right, of course," Larius muttered, hiding his concerns about their numbers. Philip calmly continued, "War isn''t solely decided by fighting strength or numbers. Remember, why did your uncle Marius go to Falun?"

    "For food supplies... Oh!"

    "Exactly. They have no supplies," Philip smirked. Any noble knows the importance of supply in battle. More than one ruler has lost battles forck of food.

    "An army without supplies will copse on its own. We only need to defend the castle."

    "But what if a noble from the Corleone family joins them? From what I hear, his knights are formidable warriors."

    Inrge battles, individual knights make little difference, but in smaller skirmishes, a single knight can be overwhelming. However, Philip remained unconcerned.

    "It doesn''t matter. If he has any sense, he won''t join the war."

    "Why do you believe that, Father? What if Bjorn promised him a reward?"

    "It''s not about rewards. Hecks the justification to upy thisnd."

    Even if they won the battle, an unprovoked upation would be deemed uwful, angering the imperial family. In the north, where imperial decrees held sway, seizingnd without reason was a form of treason, inviting attacks from every side.

    "Even if they avoid upying thisnd, challenging the Viscount directly would be madness."

    In the end, whether Bjorn seizednd or directly attacked the Viscount, he would be doomed to fail. Philip was confident that anyone with proper training would refuse Bjorn''s alliance.

    "So, there''s no need to worry."

    "Of course, Father!" Larius agreed, relieved. Just then, a messenger burst into the room.

    "Sir! There''s urgent news!"

    "What is it? Has Bjorn arrived?"

    "No, my lord! Ss Corleone has issued a deration of war against you!"

    "What?!"

    Both Philip and Larius shot to their feet in shock. Why would a Corleone dere war, not Bjorn?

    "Hand it over!"

    "Yes, my lord!" Philip grabbed the war deration from the messenger and read it. The wording was formal.

    Since you have failed to rule properly, you disgrace the imperial authority. Therefore, I shall reim thisnd.

    The problemy in the justification written for taking thend.

    "With the authority as the grandson of Norman and the son of Lyria, I shall expel the lord who defiles my ancestor''s homnd? Just who are these two?"

    As Philip expected, the deration of war should havee from Bjorn, apanied by a lengthy justification for their actions. But what arrived was unexpected, both in content and sender; it wasn''t from Bjorn but someone else entirely.

    "What connection does the Corleone bloodline have to thisnd?" Philip yelled, tossing the deration aside in disbelief. Norman and Lyria? These names meant nothing to him, yet the document imed thisnd was their homnd.

    "Find out immediately who Norman and Lyria are!" he ordered.

    "Yes, my lord!" The administrator, flustered by the baron''s fury, scrambled to search through records. After nearly a full day of rifling through documents, he finally found traces of their names and reported back, his face pale.@@novelbin@@

    "I... I found them, my lord. Their names are listed in the local registry."

    "Well, let''s hear it! Who were they? Knights? Rtives of the former lord?" Philip pressed.

    "Well¡­," the administrator hesitated, barely able to bring himself to say it. Just as Philip was about tosh out in anger, the man whispered, "They weremoners."

    "What?" Philip''s eyes narrowed.

    "Not nobility. Norman was a hunter who lived here 17 years ago, and his daughter was named Lyria."

 Chapter 149

    "Think it over? The nerve!" Philip crumpled the agreement. These weren''t conditions; they were demands to surrender hisnd and leave. epting it would be madness.

    "That brat has quite the nerve!" Philip seethed, irritated by Ss''s dismissive attitude toward a baron''s authority.

    "What is he doing now?" he demanded.

    "He''s wandering around the vige, saying he wants to see his grandfather and mother''s homnd."

    "Unbelievable," Philip scoffed, disgusted by the audacity.

    "What should we do about it?" Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire

    "Let him do as he pleases! He''ll leave in three days," Philip replied.

    "Are you sure we shouldn''t stop him?" The implication was clear: should they really allow him to scout the territory just before a potential battle?

    "There''s nothing to see," Philip said dismissively. His barony was barely the size of arge vige. From the nearby hill, Ss could easily discern their limited defenses and troop numbers. Besides, Falun was a neighboring vige¡ªthey knew the ce well, down to the number of stones in the walls.

    "Let him poke around; there''s no need to stir trouble. Feed him for three days and then send him off."

    "Yes, my lord."

    Philip decided to stall for three days, hoping to exhaust Ss''s supplies. He had no idea what consequences this decision would bring.

    "I am the grandson of Norman and the son of Lyria! Are there any here who knew them?" Ss called as he moved around Greve''s territory. Startled soldiers tried to intervene, but Ss countered each attempt.

    "I am simply looking for those who knew my grandfather and mother. What''s the problem with that?" he demanded.

    "Well, it''s¡­ just¡­" The soldiers stammered, but Ss pressed them.

    "What exactly is the problem? Have I poisoned a well? Set fire to the armory?"

    Unable to argue, the soldiers stepped back. They continued watching him from afar, but couldn''t stop him from meeting anyone he pleased. Slowly, the locals, who had been lingering in the shadows, came forward. An older man cautiously approached Ss.@@novelbin@@

    "Sir¡­?"

    "Yes, what is it?"

    "Are you truly the grandson of old Norman?"

    "That''s right. I heard this was my grandfather''s homnd."

    "Did Norman ever say anything about me? My name is Anders, and I was somewhat close to him."

    Though Ss had no such memories, he knew Anders well from his visit before his return. Ss closed his eyes, pretending to recall.

    "Hmm, I do remember something. My grandfather mentioned teaching a few hunting skills. And I believe he left you a dagger before he left?"

    "Th-that''s right," Anders stammered, surprised.

    "And how is your daughter? My grandfather said she was just a baby when he left."

    "...!" Anders'' eyes widened in shock. These were details only someone from the vige would know. Certain now of Ss''s identity, Anders turned around and shouted to the others.

    "Everyone,e out! It''s true! This young lord is Norman''s grandson!"

    At his words, shadows emerged from all around, vigers stepping forward one by one.

    "Is he really Norman''s grandson?"

    "My goodness, that knight was no ordinary man!"

    The vigers, who had been watching quietly, began murmuring amongst themselves. Sensing the softened atmosphere, Ss raised his voice.

    "I''m d to finally meet my grandfather and mother''s people! Is there anyone here who can share stories of them?"

    A few vigers stepped forward hesitantly. The fear that had gripped them earlier seemed to lessen, and soon, several people approached Ss to speak.

    "Lord, my name is Heine."

    "Ah, I''ve heard you''re quite skilled at repairing things."

    "Have you heard of someone named Roy?"

    "Weren''t you the one who proposed to my mother and was promptly rejected?"

    "W-why are you bringing that up..."

    Once the conversation got rolling, the crowd quickly gathered around Ss, excited to share. Noticing the growing noise, Ss pulled out his coin purse.

    "It''s hard to talk like this. Someone, go get some drinks and meat! I''ll cover the cost!"

    A cheer rose from the vigers, and soon the entire vige had turned into a celebration.

    Unlike Falun, Elmholt was a fairly active trading hub. Thanks to that, it was easy to procure enough food and drinks for everyone. As the vigers began to feast, Anders raised his ss for a toast.

    "To Lord Ss, grandson of Norman, son of Lyria, and descendant of the Dragon yer!"

    "To Lord Ss!"

    Once the alcohol began to flow, a storm of questions followed. The vigers, who had previously kept their distance, now gathered around Ss with curiosity. He answered with a blend of half-truths and charming tales.

    ''I''m d I visited here before,'' he thought. Ss''s previous visit to Elmholt was impulsive; he hade on a whim, wanting to see his grandfather''s hometown. Surprisingly, the vigers had weed him warmly, thanks to the goodwill his grandfather had left behind.

    "Norman was such a kind soul. I can''t believe he''s gone," one man mused.

    "He caught me once trying to steal some game but just let me go."

    "He would leave a piece of fur at cold houses, saying he''d found it by the way."

    Ss smiled as he listened to the vigers reminisce.

    ''This ce is worlds apart from Brick Vige,'' he thought. Here, they fondly remembered his grandfather''s kindness, and the stories carried onte into the night.

    As dawn approached and most people had drifted off to sleep, Ss scanned the guards dozing nearby and whispered to the few vigers still awake.

    "So, how''s life been around heretely? Are things going well?"

    "Going well? What do you mean?" a man asked cautiously.

    "Since the baron took over. He doesn''t seem like a good lord."

    The vigers tensed, exchanging uneasy nces. Speaking ill of the lord could lead to severe punishment. One older man tried to quiet the grumbling middle-aged viger beside him, but thetter, visibly intoxicated, continued.

    "We''re barely scraping by. The baron doesn''t let up, and it''s a miracle the devil hasn''te for him yet."

    "Hey! You shouldn''t say that!" someone scolded, but the man ignored him, sighing heavily.

    "He keeps raising taxes, and we''re struggling. Can you believe he doubled the poll tax in just ten years?"

 Chapter 152

    "Before ming your vassals, look at yourself first. How can a noble of the North be so sluggish?"

    "S-Shut up!"

    Fuming at Ss''s mockery, Philip drew his sword clumsily, clearlycking proper training. Ss easily parried the de and struck him in the stomach with the hilt.

    Thud.

    "Guh!"

    With a gasping sound, Philip copsed to the ground. Ss grabbed the unconscious Philip by the back of his neck and dragged him out. Although no full-scale battle had erupted, there was still chaos around. Those remaining seemed to be the lord''s loyalists.

    "Enough! The battle is over! The lord is in our custody!"

    "What?!"

    "M-My lord!"

    Some veteran soldiers and knights turned pale. With theirmander captured, everything was as good as over. All at once, weapons ttered to the ground, signaling the end of the battle. Less than an hour had passed since Ss''smand to advance. Only three knights had perished¡ªan absurdly simple victory.

    The prisoners were bound and forced to kneel in the square, totaling about thirty. Excluding the nobles, all were hired soldiers brought from outside. Those with roots in the vige were released shortly after.

    "That''s my uncle-inw; could you let him go?"

    "Take him away."

    "Thank you, sir."

    "That man is my husband..."

    "Take him."

    Once those requests were met, only about ten remained: three from the lord''s family, two knights, and five umitted soldiers. They were all that remained loyal to the lord.

    "How did ite to this?" Philip mumbled, dazed and still in disbelief. Despite his preparations, he could not grasp the reality before him.

    Among the territory''s residents, Ss assembled a group of young men skilled with bows to form an archer unit, cing experienced knights as theirmanders. Due to Ss''s unexpected involvement, he altered his n and requested reinforcements from the Veldaine Viscounty.

    "Just two days. Yes, if we hadsted only two days, that would have been enough."

    Philip had considered this an easy task. Though their castle was merely functional, the enemy had no siege weapons either. He had thought they could spend two days restingfortably.

    "But how could it all fall apart in less than a day?"

    Unintentionally, he let out an agonized exmation. Ss, watching him quietly, clicked his tongue.

    "Because you''re a schr, that''s why."

    "What nonsense is that!"

    "You probably devised some grand n, didn''t you? And you thought everything would go exactly ording to that n."

    Ss''s words struck a nerve, and Philip''s gaze wavered. It seemed his entire family shared this trait¡ªit must be in their blood. Ss thought about saying more but shook his head, finding it too tedious to exin.

    "Throw him in the dungeon until the war is over."

    "You scum! The Imperial Court won''t stand for this!"

    "Ridiculous."

    The Imperial Court wasn''t going to intervene over the recement of a minor baron in a remote northern corner. It was just an empty curse, spoken forck of anything else to say. As they began to lift the members of the lord''s family and the knights to take them away, Ss issued a surprisingmand.

    "Leave that knight alone."

    "Yes, sir."

    "¡­?"

    The knight who was unexpectedly spared from the dungeon blinked in confusion.

    "Why am I being excluded?"

    "You seemed like someone I could talk to."

    This was the knight who had opened the castle gate when Ss ordered the surrender. His face twisted with emotion at Ss''s words.

    "If you think I''m a traitor just because I opened the gate, you''re mistaken."

    "I know."

    People who valued their lives were usually servile, but this knight was anything but that. The knight hadn''t opened the gate out of fear for his life; he surrendered on the condition that his lord would be spared.

    "Quite a noble act, considering your former master," Ss thought.

    Looking at the knight, Ss asked, "What is your name?"

    "Rotten Emile."

    "I''d like to appoint you as the Chief of Security."

    "...!"

    Everyone was taken aback. Only hours earlier, Rotten had been one of the baron''s loyal followers, yet now Ss was offering him the role of Chief of Security. The shock didn''t end there; Rotten''s response was just as surprising.

    "I must refuse."

    "¡­?!"

    Was he really refusing? Refusal would mean an immediate trip to the dungeon. Ss chuckled and asked, "Why?"

    "As I said, I am no traitor."

    "You refuse to take orders from the man who ousted your lord?"

    "Yes."

    Ss nodded at the straightforward answer.

    "Fine, then let''s strike a deal."

    "A deal?"

    "If you handle your duties well, the former lord''s imprisonment conditions will improve, and he might even be released sooner."

    "Hmm."

    Rotten narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. After a long deliberation, he met Ss''s gaze with determination.

    "Will you swear it?"

    "By the blood of the dragonyer flowing in my veins."

    "In that case, I''llply."

    "Release him."

    One of the soldiers, bewildered, untied Rotten''s bindings. As he massaged his wrists, Ss instructed him, "Rest at your quarters. I''ll call you when needed."

    "Understood."

    As Rotten walked away, Bjorn approached and spoke in a low voice.

    "Are you sure about this?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "He was a vassal of the former lord."

    Rotten could easily escape with the baron, or he might sabotage things from within. Ss smirked and looked at Bjorn.

    "Then should we lock everyone up? And who will manage the territory after we leave?"

    "Well¡­"

    Bjorn was about to answer when his eyes widened. Now that he thought about it, there wasn''t anyone suitable.

    "There''s no one avable to manage it right now."

    The only ones with authority to oversee the territory were Ss, Bjorn, Rey, and Toby, none of whom could be spared. Henrik might have been an option as an honorary knight, but as amoner, he hadn''t received any formal training. He couldn''t even read, so he was out of the question.

    It was only natural that they would have to appoint someone from among those who had surrendered. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

    "Anyone we can trust?"@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 154

    "Why, then?"

    "That''s just the kind of man my uncle is."

    Bjorn smirked bitterly. This was something only someone who knew his uncle firsthand could understand.

    "He''s extremely cautious with profits and losses, avoids risks at all costs, and particrly likes to swoop in when he can gain without effort."

    "In other words, he won''tunch a preemptive strike if he senses any chance of loss?"

    Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire

    "Exactly."

    Toby sighed, sinking back into his chair. Not every lord was a capablemander, so perhaps Bjorn''s uncle was just one of those conservative types. However, if Bjorn''s words were true, it presented a problem. Defensive action would be nearly impossible.

    "The enemy won''t move first, and we can''t afford a siege. That leaves only one option."

    Ss looked at Bjorn and spoke.

    "We''ll have to draw them out of the fortress."

    "Indeed."

    "Do we have any suitable bait?"

    "I would volunteer myself, but I doubt it would be effective."

    That much was clear. Even though Bjorn had raised a g of defiance, his uncle, concerned about any risk, wouldn''t leave his advantageous position. Having already secured the role of head, he wasn''t likely to take any unnecessary risks.

    "So, we need bait that''ll actually entice him."

    The man wouldn''t move unless something extraordinary, some priceless treasure, lured him out. Scanning the map, Ss''s eyes gleamed with realization. Among the reasons he hade to the North, he noticed the location of a ce he had intended to visit once everything was settled.

    "I might have just the thing."

    The pieces of Ss''s n fell into ce perfectly, and a smile tugged at his lips. Looking over at Bjorn, he asked, "What about a dungeon?"

    "A dungeon?" Bjorn echoed.

    "Yes, could it be the bait to draw your uncle out?"

    "If he sees an opportunity for profit that far outweighs the risk, he''lle running, no doubt."

    A dungeon filled with ancient artifacts was enough to tempt even the most cautious of people. For a lord like Bjorn''s uncle, it would be irresistible.

    "But my uncle is very suspicious. He''ll see through any false rumors quickly."

    "This isn''t false information," Ss replied.

    "What?"

    "There really is a dungeon."

    One of the reasons Ss had ventured this far north was to confirm whether there was anything left in a dungeon rumored to have been looted. Unfortunately, he hadn''t found anything back then, aside from revisiting the hometown of his maternal grandfather and mother on his way back.

    "But in this era, it should still be untouched," Ss thought, casting his gaze on the map, his eyesnding on a snow-covered mountain slightly removed from Veldaine''s territory.

    Lugres Veldaine, the current head of the Veldaine Viscounty, was in a foul mood. He had received news that his nephew had raised a rebellion against him.

    "I had nned to slowly wear him down until he was too weak to resist," he thought bitterly.

    For the first few years, Lugres had merely aimed to bring him into submission, intending to squeeze resources gradually, weakening Bjorn through starvation, cold, and frequent barbarian raids. But his nephew had rebelled while he still had over a hundred soldiers.

    "That idiot Philip handed over the entire territory instead of depleting their forces?"

    Grinding his teeth at the thought, Lugres shredded the letter he had received and tossed its bearer into prison. Requests from a rural baron who couldn''t even handle his own affairs were irrelevant to him.

    "Hmph, let him rebel; it''s futile."

    Although the news of Bjorn''s rebellion angered him, he felt little threat. His territory had once been a crucial outpost against the barbarians, with sturdy walls and ample resources. If they attempted a siege, Bjorn''s forces would exhaust themselves first. Still irritated, Lugres tried to soothe himself with a drink when another letter was delivered.

    "What is this?" he spat, trembling as he held the paper. His face turned red with anger.

    The messenger remained calm, despite Lugres'' fury.

    "What do you mean, what? I told you. It''s a personal letter from the Great Chief."

    "A personal letter? From a barbarian?!"

    A "personal letter" was a term reserved for correspondence from someone of royal rank or higher. Yet here was a barbarian calling his letter that.

    "That Ragnar¡­ He''s lost his mind! Just because we''ve traded a bit, he thinks I''ll bow to him? Has he been drinking poison?"

    "¡­Mind your words, Viscount," the messenger said coldly.

    "What?! You barbaric filth!" Lugres grabbed his sword and approached the messenger, but the steely gaze from the messenger made him hesitate.

    "Six families have already agreed to the Great Chief''s terms."

    "What?" Lugres blinked in surprise. The "six families" referred to the noble houses stationed at the front lines against the barbarians, including Veldaine. Could this mean that all these families had epted the barbarian leader as their king?

    "Don''t lie to me!"

    "It''s no lie. If you don''t believe me, you can ask the other lords yourself."

    Lugres hesitated at the messenger''s confidence. If this were true, it was no small matter. After his anger and confusion subsided, he was left with one thought: Why?

    "Why would the six families acknowledge Ragnar as king?"

    Even if he had unified several tribes, it shouldn''t have been enough to subdue six noble families. Noticing Lugres'' deep contemtion, the messenger spoke up.@@novelbin@@

    "In any case, I''ve delivered my message and came to hear your response. Though it appears your answer is a refusal."

    "Wait! Hold on."

    "There''s no need to ponder," the messenger said, narrowing his eyes.

    "What?"

    With a faint smile, the messenger rified, "The Great Chief doesn''t actually desire your alliance. He wishes to wipe out at least one family as a warning to others."

    "...!"

    "And he believes you''re the most suitable candidate."

    The implication was clear. Lugres trembled with rage, but a nagging feeling of dread held him back. What if the messenger was telling the truth? If all six families had submitted to Ragnar and he indeed had the power to annihte Veldaine...

 Chapter 157

    ''Bjorn isn''t one to run away so easily,'' he mused. Brian knew Bjorn as a man who would rather die fighting. Yet, he had left without hesitation. Cautious, he ordered his troops, "Spread out and secure the perimeter! It could be a trick."

    If they were pretending to retreat only to ambush themter, Brian wanted to be ready. He maintained a full alert for a day, then two, but the enemies never returned.

    "They must''ve really been scared," he finally concluded with a smirk. It was no surprise; exiled to the countryside for so long, even the bravest would lose their nerve eventually.

    "Reduce the perimeter watch and set up camp. Begin exploring the dungeon!" Brian urged, spurring his troops into action. With no fight to distract them, they could focus entirely on the dungeon.@@novelbin@@

    With hisrger force, he thought it would be easy to replicate Bjorn''s achievements. However, a monthter...

    -Please, for the love of mercy, call off the troops. This dungeon is a hellhole...

    Brian, his eyes ringed with dark shadows, was penning a desperate letter to his lord.

    "Phew¡­" Brian sighed, brushing a weary hand across his darkened eye bags. Just a month had passed, yet he felt as though he had aged five years.

    An unintentional groan escaped his lips. "How can this dungeon be so harsh?"

    Not all dungeons were of the same difficulty. Some were severely eroded and easily conquered, while others could take more than half a year. But Brian hadn''t expected this dungeon to be thetter, especially since Bjorn''s forces had already disarmed close to 20% of the traps.

    "Oh, this dungeon must be easier than I thought," he''d once mused, considering himself lucky. Now, he gritted his teeth, cursing his past self. "Easy, my foot."

    Brian had never led a dungeon raid before, but he was certain: this dungeon was one of the most horrific ces he had ever encountered.

    Thunder rumbled outside. Then, a faint scream echoed from the camp. A month ago, he would have rushed out, rmed, to investigate the source of the scream. Now, he simply held his throbbing head in his hands.

    "S-Sir Commander!"

    "What now?" Brian asked wearily, looking at the lieutenant who had run into his tent. With a grim face, the lieutenant reported, "We identally triggered a trap, resulting in heavy casualties."

    "How many?" Brian asked, his voice t.

    "Thirty men, sir."

    "Damn it¡­"

    He barely heard the rest¡ªthe details about the trap being lightning-based or how many were severely injured. His mind only repeated the number of soldiers lost to these relentless traps.

    "At this rate, they''ll all die."

    The traps were filled with malice, designed solely to kill intruders. Surviving after triggering one was almost impossible. So far, they had activated twenty-one traps, and the number of dead soldiers was already horrific.

    "Pull the soldiers back. We''re done for today," Brian ordered.

    "Yes, sir!"

    Morale was already low, and with the casualties from that day, no one would want to continue. Better to let them rest and regain theirposure. After the senior soldier left, Brian took out a letter from his chest pocket, the one he had received that day.

    The contents were short and simple: "Stop talking nonsense and proceed with the raid."

    It was a response to the letter he had sent, pleading for a retreat. Brian let out another sigh, one of many he had lost count of.

    "I expected this reply."

    He knew that his lord, Lugues, would not give up. This dungeon contained treasures powerful enough to reshape the politicalndscape. However, this was not an obstacle that could be ovee with mere determination.

    "A month in, we''ve barely progressed even 10%, and we''ve already lost more than a quarter of the troops."

    To continue this raid was madness. It felt as if they might be wiped out without even facing an actual battle. Brian picked up his pen. He nned to request withdrawal from his lord once more.

    "If he denies it again, I''ll take matters into my own hands and return."

    Even if it cost him his position, it was better than sacrificing soldiers endlessly in this hopeless dungeon.

    That night, as he racked his brain for a way to persuade his lord, Brian heard loud noises outside.

    Bang! Crash!

    "Aaah!" "Everyone, get out of the way!"

    He frowned, irritated by the noise. He had strictly ordered that no one enter the dungeon at night.

    "Who''s the fool causing trouble now?"

    Angered, Brian rose to his feet, assuming that some greedy soldier had slipped in for a piece of treasure. He stepped outside, determined to reprimand the culprit.

    "Wipe them all out!" "Charge!" "Aaaah!"

    Brian''s eyes widened at the sight of unfamiliar soldiers wreaking havoc on his camp.

    "What is going on?"

    At that moment, arge shadow fell beside him. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire

    "It''s been a while, Sir Brian."

    "¡­Bjorn?!"

    Brian practically shouted his name, shocked. Bjorn Beldaine¡ªthe disinherited former heir of the lord''s house, who had been exiled. To think they would meet here. Clenching his jaw, Brian quickly drew his sword.

    "You scoundrel!"

    As a seasoned knight, Brian''s attack was swift and precise. But Bjorn was also skilled inbat. Their weapons shed multiple times, sparks flying in the air. After a few exchanges, the two stepped back simultaneously.

    "The little brat who used to roll on the training ground hase quite a way!" Brian taunted.

    "And you''ve grown rusty! Have you neglected your training while reveling in power?" Bjorn retorted.

    "Talk all you want! Even with my ''rusty'' skills, I''ll have no trouble taking your head!"

    ng!

    Their weapons met once more, and they locked into a stalemate, each pressing against the other. A grin spread across Brian''s lips.

    "You fool! Do you think you''ve won just because your ambush seeded?"

    Surprise tactics certainly had their advantages; they could allow a smaller force to rout arger one. But circumstances varied. There were times when even a sessful ambush wouldn''t lead to victory.

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