Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Became the Greatest Genius in History
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Kenneth was in a foul mood.
Even as he swung his sword, he couldn't shake off his preoccupation.
The reason was the conversation he'd had with Oscar Leonhardt, who had visited the mansion not long ago.
Kenneth had always admired the Steel Lion Knights.
For a martial artist, the greatest honor attainable was to become a knight of the Steel Lion Knights.
They alone had risen to hero status purely through the art of slaying demons and humans.
Kenneth was a martial artist before he was Tristy's young master.
He had no choice but to idolize Oscar, one of those standing at the pinnacle of martial arts.
His heart racing with excitement, Kenneth had approached Oscar.
Kenneth's swordsmanship was renowned in the Tristy Autonomous Region.
As the heir apparent of Tristy, he could wield aura, and he had been praised for surpassing Uriel in technical finesse.
His master and fellow disciples all agreed that in another ten years, he would rival Family Head Porto in skill.
Kenneth's fame even extended to the kingdom's high society.
Oscar must know my name—maybe he even came to see me.
He had harbored such hopes deep down.
"Ah, I came to see Young Master Ester Tristy. Where might the young master be?"
But Oscar's reply had been utterly disappointing.
Not here for Father, but of all people, Ester Tristy?
"Ester is currently away. It will take some time for him to return."
"I see. I'll wait here until he does."
"Would you spar with me in the meantime?"
Oscar accepted Kenneth's request.
Though it grated on him that Oscar didn't know his name and reserved honorifics solely for Ester.
Still, his pulse quickened at the chance to display his prowess before one of the kingdom's finest warriors.
The spar's outcome was, predictably, Oscar's victory.
Yet Kenneth felt satisfied.
He had revealed everything he had cultivated thus far.
Kenneth brimmed with confidence.
Young as he was, his command of aura was extraordinary, he believed.
Oscar must have been impressed.
But Kenneth's confidence and pride shattered with Oscar's next words.
"Does Young Master Ester wield a sword as well?"
"Yes...?"
No matter how he tried to impress, Oscar's focus remained fixed on Ester.
'A halfwit who couldn't best a raw beginner after a lifetime of training—what's so special about that?'
Kenneth's face twisted.
Ester was nothing but a discarded young master moldering away in his quarters.
Even more useless than Felix.
Just a feeble sibling utterly lacking in swordplay, magic, etiquette, knowledge—anything worthwhile.
"Did you see the latest Justine monthly?"
"Young Master Ester Tristy's stirred up trouble again, it seems."
"The Blue Tower Master even said recently he wants to meet Young Master Ester."
"I hear Tristy's holding a successor exam—the next Family Head has to be Young Master Ester, right?"
Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester, Ester...
Everyone sang his praises until their throats went dry.
His name echoed everywhere he went.
Even his close acquaintances had the gall to ask if he could introduce them to Ester Tristy.
Kenneth bit his lip until it bled.
The very knight he idolized had eyes only for Ester—not him.
Every scrap of attention he'd garnered as Tristy's frontrunner heir had been stolen wholesale by his baby brother.
The knight's skyward gaze marked the end of Kenneth's recollection.
"Damn it..."
Kenneth set his sword aside and took a breather.
Gazing at the clear sky, the awful memory seemed to dissolve from his mind.
As he moved to close his eyes, a clamor erupted from beyond the mansion.
"Hm?"
Kenneth rose and headed for the main gate.
Countless wagons were rolling toward the Tristy estate.
'What the hell?'
The drivers were burly, armed bruisers.
The wagons brimmed with demon corpses of every variety.
Rare colossal specimens lurked among them.
Kenneth recognized them as members of the Tristy Autonomous Region's premier outfits: the Carlson Mercenaries and Johnson Mercenaries.
"Young Master Ester!! This the place!!"
Two leaders bellowed at the top of their lungs.
"Yes. Deliver them to the warehouse behind the main house."
Ester's voice drifted from the carriage trailing the wagons.
"......"
Kenneth blinked.
What were all these demon corpses, and why had Ester dragged them to the mansion?
He couldn't fathom the thoughts of the genius who had cracked the Millennium Problem.
-Explain the miracle you wrought.
Father praising Ester flashed in his mind.
The polar opposite of the letdown he'd endured.
Kenneth hastened toward the mansion.
This was no time to dawdle.
He had to leverage his hard-earned connections and scheme something.
Dalpi watched Kenneth depart from the gate.
"Hm."
"What's up?"
Ester asked, and Dalpi shook her head.
"Nothing. Just pondering your dinner menu, young master. I'll go prepare your bath."
"For tonight, sizzling meat on a hot iron plate, if you would..."
"Demon steak sound good?"
Ester twitched his fingers.
Dalpi gulped, eyes on Ester.
"Come heeeere!!!"
"Quit teasing in front of all these people... Eek!!"
Dalpi wriggled free of Ester's magic and bolted.
The mercenaries mused to themselves.
'Who knew Young Master Ester had such a boyish streak.'
"Any issues?"
"Ah, no."
"Then get moving, quickly."
Naturally, none voiced the thought aloud.
***
"What on earth is all this...?"
"Spoils from saving the mercenaries' hides. They took the prime cuts, naturally—what's left is basically scraps."
Haniel gawked at the warehouse stuffed with demon meat.
"What's it for?"
"The successor exam."
"The successor exam..."
Haniel blinked.
"Ester."
"Yes."
"Aren't they kinda flimsy for that?"
My clever second sister had caught on to my plan.
"It's fine. No direct demon clashes."
"If you're sure, I trust you. Got a handle on what I need to do?"
"About a hundred. Manageable?"
I'd inked deals with the Carlson and Johnson Mercenaries.
Not for frontline duty in the Insane's Curse, but three shipments of this volume of flesh.
"Yeah, easy enough to make. Leave it to me—I'll round up the materials with the staff."
"Funds needed..."
*Cough cough*. "I've got that covered. No worries."
Pure bluff, if I ever saw one.
Post-illness, she'd likely seen scant allowance from Porto.
Tristy ran on ruthless merit.
Yet she'd faithfully slipped me pocket money monthly.
I offered the million credits from the royals.
"Use this."
"But really, sis is fine..."
"You're eyeing your baubles to pawn. Don't—just take this as your brother's first allowance. Pocket the change."
My resolve wore her down; Haniel accepted.
"Alright. Ian, all quiet?"
"Yes."
"Stick by Ester whenever he heads out. Keep him safe."
Ian smirked at Haniel's smothering care.
"Miss, unnecessary. Young Master Ester—no, Sir Ester—is far tougher than you think."
Haniel cocked her head.
"What're you saying?"
Ian cleared it up bluntly.
"Young Master Ester beat me."
Fact.
I'd sparred Ian before departing.
Unarmed on his end, nothing lethal, but I'd taken the win.
Magic-free, no less.
"Handful in the kingdom could take him one-on-one. Rest easy."
"For real?"
"Yes."
"If you say so, Ian... fine."
Haniel looked stunned.
Small wonder.
Truth be told, I'd not banked on victory.
Draw at best with luck, I'd figured—perpetrator or not, it still felt surreal.
Before leaving, I told Haniel.
"Keep assisting me, sis. Nothing extra needed—rest up in bed. Teleport if urgent."
"Gotcha."
Ian got the Haniel handoff; I moved out.
One peak conquered, but tasks piled like mountains.
Bath first, then plot.
Gut empty, utterly drained.
Bed now meant instant blackout.
The instant I crossed the threshold.
Hall uproar hit.
"You think I'm a pushover too!? Ester Tristy's hot stuff, so you're blind!? Some lowly servant...!!"
"Hic, uu..."
Mansion's littlest maid, May, sobbed.
Shattered platters and dishes littered the floor.
Botched a task?
Cowering before her stood Dalpi.
Her right cheek ballooned, punch-swollen.
What in blazes was this?
I gaped ahead, dumbfounded.
"A child's error, young master. Please be merciful."
Kenneth seethed before Dalpi.
"Who're you sassing, you maid—bold as brass... Fine! I'll school you proper, proxy for Ester Tristy!!"
May latched onto Kenneth's leg.
"Young master, sorry, hic, my fault, hik, mercy just once... don't hit Dalpi sis..."
Kenneth shoved her roughly.
"Move!!"
"Kyaaak!!"
As Kenneth reared back his hand viciously.
I surged forward.
What followed blurred.
Likely the apex of my lifetime rage.