Chapter 70
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 70
Whoosh!
Hugo stared blankly as a blue haze shimmered around his body.
It wasn't just an illusion caused by the refreshing sensation spreading through him. It was mana so dense and materialized that anyone could see it with the naked eye.
"What the hell...!"
Sshhh—
Even as he spat out a curse in shock, the mana continued to surge through his entire body.
The sensation of his mana circuits—once narrow and cramped—being forcibly expanded by the gushing torrent of energy was difficult to describe. The mana didn't stop at widening the paths; it seeped into every fiber of his muscles and every inch of his bones.
What on earth is this?
Hugo’s fingertips trembled.
Despite the incredible sense of clarity and invigoration, anxiety preceded joy. The effects were so potent that he momentarily feared he might be turning into something other than human.
This isn't an elixir. There’s no way.
As a former underworld boss, Hugo had never even seen a proper elixir. However, he knew enough to realize this wasn't the kind of "elixir" spoken of in rumors.
Improving mana purity? Smoothing out the circuits? Healing internal wounds? This was on a completely different level.
Flash!
"Phew...!"
Hugo let out a long breath as his entire body vibrated from the mana saturating him. As he exhaled, a dark, navy-colored smoke drifted from his mouth, carrying a foul stench.
Instinctively, Hugo knew what that smoke was.
Was that my original mana? I’ve been circulating something that full of impurities all this time?
He let out a hollow laugh. The mana he had once cherished so dearly seemed pathetic compared to the new energy currently filling his body.
"How do you feel?"
"…!"
Startled by Lucian’s voice, Hugo reflexively touched his ear. It wasn't just the suddenness of the question; the tone of Lucian's voice sounded incomparably clearer than before.
"It’s... it’s strange. This... this is..."
Unable to find the words, Hugo trailed off and began touching his face.
It wasn't just his hearing. All five senses, including his vision, felt far more vivid. His sense of touch, in particular, had become exceptionally sharp. He felt as though he could sense the mana of a sword before it was even swung.
"May I... may I try swinging a sword?"
"Of course."
At Hugo’s trembling request, Lucian handed him his own sword.
Hugo drew the blade slowly and performed a few techniques from the third-rate swordsmanship style he had always used.
Whoosh!
I can see it.
His expanded senses vividly conveyed the sword's reach, its power, and even the subtle shifts at the tip of the blade.
Is this how those 'talented' bastards have been seeing the world?
Overwhelmed by emotion, Hugo continued to swing the sword.
Slash!
The techniques were the same, but the power was incomparable. Unlike before, when he merely mimicked the forms like a monkey, his body now instinctively found the most efficient movements.
By the time Hugo lowered the sword, captivated by his own movements, he had exhausted every technique he knew.
"Haaa...!"
Clap, clap, clap.
"Excellent. Your swordsmanship has become much sharper."
"…!"
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Hugo snapped back to reality at the sound of clapping. He had not only drawn a live blade in front of the lord he had sworn loyalty to but had also spent a considerable amount of time swinging it around.
Realizing his blunder, Hugo immediately dropped to one knee.
"Young Master, I am sorry! I lost my mind for a moment...!"
"It’s fine. I understand the feeling. More importantly, how was the elixir?"
Hugo fell silent, struggling to find an answer.
How was it? It was beyond incredible; he wanted to ask how such a thing was even possible. But more than that, he wondered about Lucian’s intentions for giving him such a thing so freely.
He said I was the first.
This was a treasure so great it would make everything previously called an "elixir" look like junk. If put up for trade, it could fetch a fortune; if used to buy loyalty, it could move the heart of a stone statue.
Yet Lucian had handed this magnificent elixir to Hugo as if it were the most natural thing in the world. This single bottle was worth many times more than the knightly position he had been promised.
"Am I... truly worth this much to you?"
The question slipped out of Hugo’s mouth before he could stop it. It was a sudden, heavy question, but Lucian merely shrugged.
"You’re going to be working by my side for the rest of your life. This much investment is nothing."
"...."
Lucian’s casual attitude, conversely, made Hugo choke up. It was as if Lucian found the question unnecessary because the answer was so obvious.
Yes. I will stay with you until I crumble into a corpse on the battlefield.
He had already sworn his loyalty enough times. Saying more would only cheapen the words. Instead, he made a silent vow to himself. Even if he could no longer provide what his lord desired, he would never leave his side.
"So, how is it?"
"It’s incredible. The mana just... whoosh, it spreads through my whole body..."
The two returned to their usual way of speaking, as if the serious conversation had never happened—leaving behind only the small, profound change within Hugo.
*
A few days later, Lucian finished his preparations to depart for the North.
There was no grand departure ceremony like the one for the rebellion suppression. The matter in the North was more of a personal affair for Lucian than a formal family matter. Still, he received a private send-off from his father, the Grand Duke.
"Safe travels. Do not overextend yourself. You must know when to retreat if things become impossible," Grand Duke Sigmund advised with a stern face.
His gaze held a father’s worry, but it was more the look of a family head concerned for his successor’s safety.
"They stole your legacy, but conversely, that means they needed it desperately. If you try to invalidate their justification, they may resort to extreme measures."
"Then they will face the wrath of House of Valdek and the Imperial Family."
"Of course. But nobles are not always wise. Sometimes, they are blinded by petty greed and commit catastrophic errors."
Lucian understood what the Grand Duke was getting at. If the current head of House of Calix harbored excessive ambitions, he wouldn't care about Valdek or anything else. In the worst-case scenario, he might try to eliminate Lucian just to secure Grimaldi's legacy.
It would be an incredibly stupid move with massive repercussions, but humans were capable of being unimaginably foolish.
"Nothing in this world is absolute. You must anticipate that their stupidity might be bottomless and be ready to pull back if necessary. Even if you return every bit of the karma they've earned, the dead do not come back to life."
"I will keep that in mind."
Lucian bowed, reflecting on his father's advice.
As he mounted his horse, those accompanying him on this journey looked toward him. There was Hugo and his ten-man squad, the future Sword Saint Felicia, and Raymond, who had officially become a retainer. It was a modest group, but perfect for traversing the harsh North quickly.
"Let’s move."
At Lucian’s short command, the group headed out of the inner castle.
Glancing back at the receding lord's manor, Lucian locked eyes with Jordi, who was standing on a balcony. After staring at Lucian with a blank expression for a moment, Jordi turned and went back inside.
I wonder what he’s thinking.
Lucian felt a sense of dissonance from Jordi’s strange gaze, but he soon pushed it out of his mind. The North they were heading toward was essentially enemy territory. Unlike before, when his life was guaranteed under the name of Valdek, he couldn't afford to waste his attention on trivialities.
"The North. It’s been a long time since I’ve been there," Raymond remarked, breaking the tense silence.
Lucian’s eyes sparked with interest. "You’ve visited before?"
"About ten years ago, I traveled through the North for a bit as a wandering knight. I suffered quite a lot, but it wasn't a bad place."
"Ho."
Lucian had traveled to many parts of the continent, but he had never been to the North. He had befriended many Northerners, but they rarely spoke of their homeland. Many had left after experiencing hardships, so they tended to avoid the subject.
"That’s perfect. Before we arrive, tell me everything I should know—from precautions to customs I should watch out for."
"There aren't many precautions. Just be aware that it’s incredibly cold and that their attitude toward nobles is a bit... informal."
"Informal? I heard Northerners are quite taciturn unless they’re dealing with someone they’ve acknowledged."
Lucian asked, recalling the Northern mercenaries from his past life. Raymond burst into laughter.
"That’s how they act when they’re outside the North. They’re in a foreign land, so they have to be careful with their words unless they trust someone. But the North is their home—why would they walk on eggshells there? It’s the outsiders who have to watch themselves."
"...Now that you mention it, that makes sense."
Lucian nodded at the undeniable logic. Did that mean Northerners were chatterboxes in their own home? Thinking back to the Northern mercenaries he knew in his previous life, he could hardly imagine it.
"And about their attitude toward nobles... it’s hard to explain unless you see it for yourself. However, they won't treat you with extreme reverence just because they know your status, unlike commoners in other parts of the Empire."
"Are you saying commoners might commit an act of insolence against my lord?" Felicia asked, her eyes flashing.
She looked ready to cut down anyone who dared disrespect Lucian.
"It’s not quite like that. To be precise, in the North, the gap between commoners and nobles is... less distinct."
"Less distinct? How does that even make sense?"
"It sounds absurd, but it’s true. You’ll understand once you see it."
Raymond waved his hand with a wry smile. It seemed difficult to explain further.
"Just... please don't be too quick to punish them, even if the commoners seem a bit rude to the Young Master. It’s natural in the North."
"Man, you’re really making me curious. Anyway, I get what you’re saying, so don't worry."
Lucian had been treated like dirt during his days as a mercenary. He had no reason to get angry over a few commoners being rude. If anything, Raymond’s words only piqued his curiosity. Nobles usually couldn't stand it if commoners weren't bowing and scraping, yet the North was informal?
I’d certainly like to see that.
As someone who had once crawled at the bottom of society as a commoner, it was a sight he looked forward to.
*
"Ugh, it’s freezing."
"I heard the North was cold until my ears bled, but this is insane."
Fifteen days after leaving Kelheim, Hugo’s squad shivered and grumbled as they reached the entrance to the North. Despite the thick cold-weather clothing they had bought before departing, the biting wind seeped through to their skin.
"Ah, this breathtaking weather is just the same as ever. I missed it."
"...What on earth is this? Is it even possible for it to get this cold so suddenly?"
Lucian was more bewildered by the suddenness of the temperature drop than the cold itself. He knew the North was cold, but if it were due to the terrain, the temperature should have dropped gradually. Instead, the moment they crossed a certain point, it became unnaturally, impossibly cold.
"I agree. This isn't a natural cold. To have such a massive difference within just a few steps..."
Felicia frowned, looking around as if trying to find the source of the chill. Her sensitive senses seemed to make the anomaly even more jarring.
"Well, it is a strange cold. That’s why some in the North consider it an ancient curse. There are so many legends about it that none of them are particularly credible, though."
"I don't know about a curse, but it’s definitely related to magic. A climate like this couldn't form naturally..."
Clang!
While Lucian’s group was discussing the strange Northern chill, the sudden sound of clashing metal rang in everyone's ears.
"What was that?"
"Sounds like weapons clashing."
Ching!
As if confirming his words, the sound of metal echoed again. The noise was getting louder, drawing closer to Lucian’s group. After a moment, human voices began to mix with the clashing steel.
—You ungrateful bastard! You’d stab your own father in the back just by listening to that snake-like bastard?!
—Father, it’s time you joined the ancestors! I’ll make sure your funeral is a grand one!
Lucian’s group stared with wide eyes at the shocking dialogue drifting from the distance.
What kind of twisted family feud was this?