Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Manpower Expansion (1)
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Soleil, the patriarch of the Meursault House, burst through the door in a panic.
"Federback!"
Federback lay on the bed.
A pungent herbal scent wafted from the bandages wrapped around his entire body.
"W-what in the world happened?! How could an assassin infiltrate the heart of the Meursault estate...!"
"It was the descendants of the New Moon making their final desperate struggle. With their leader dead, there shouldn't be any more trouble from here on out."
Soleil gaped at Federback's calm response, utterly flabbergasted.
At that moment.
Thud—
Hundid and Scolseiji, who had been standing nearby, dropped to their knees.
"Please, execute us!"
"Not only did we fail in our duty to protect you, Young Master, but we even became a hindrance in your final moments! This sin can only be washed away by death!"
Tears of blood streamed down the faces of the two young knights.
If only they hadn't neglected their training all this time, this never would have happened.
They hung their heads in belated regret.
But Soleil grasped their hands and pulled them to their feet.
"I heard you threw yourselves in harm's way to protect my son in his final moments."
"We only ended up dragging you down."
"Even so, I can't deny your spirit. Enough—stand up."
Soleil turned to Federback.
Federback nodded.
"They were helpful enough. If they hadn't drawn the assassin's attention at the moment of his self-detonation, my injuries would have been far worse."
"Hic! Young Master!"
Hundid and Scolseiji broke down sobbing at Federback's defense.
At that moment.
...Bang!
The door flew open once more with a violent crash.
A woman burst in, panting heavily.
"Federback! What happened?! Are you badly hurt!?"
Queenbits.
She rushed straight to Federback's bedside.
Federback replied coolly.
"I sowed discord between the assassination organization in the imperial capital, the Descendants of the New Moon, and their employer, Marquis Berserkir. In response, their leader, the mountain boss Sannoy, came after me in a mutated form. Similar to Shedioladis, the lower ranks, or Viscount Serubret of the Prossange House."
This chain of events had unfolded exactly as Federback had orchestrated.
"I figured something sinister would come knocking soon enough, but I didn't expect a peak 4th Circle assassin—let alone one rigged for self-detonation. That's all."
"Son. Didn't you just barely step into the early 4th Circle? How did you handle a peak 4th Circle assassin...?"
Soleil's question was entirely reasonable.
Federback's answer was simple and straightforward.
"I got lucky."
It was the truth.
For the past few days, Federback had barely eaten or slept while handling paperwork and never skipping his physical training.
Fighting a peak 4th Circle killer in that state—it was a miracle he survived at all.
"There were two reasons I made it out alive. First, my opponent wasn't a knight, but an assassin. For a killer, getting their ambush discovered is as good as halving their combat power. And the second..."
Federback's gaze shifted to one corner of the room.
Everyone followed his eyes.
There, nestled in a crate wrapped in blankets, sat a blood-red egg.
The egg, once a pale pink, had now deepened to this vivid crimson.
"That's... a fire dragon egg. What the heck? Where'd you get it? How come I never saw it? You should've told me if you had something like this!"
Queenbits's mage curiosity ignited.
She began fiddling with and examining the egg.
"An oval sphere a bit larger than a human head—it's quite hot. I could boil water on this. The color's getting even deeper... is it shy? Let's peel off a bit of the shell and peek inside..."
"Ahem. Mage Queenbits. I'd appreciate it if you focused on my son's condition right now."
Queenbits whipped her head around with an "oh right" expression at Soleil's cough.
"Right, sorry, Patriarch. I'll check him out now."
Queenbits reached to place her hand on Federback's body.
But Federback waved her off.
"No need. Once the surface wounds heal, I can move right away."
"Huh? But your internal injuries must be pretty serious."
"I'll handle it myself, so go. If you have time for bedside visits, continue your research on Garmelda."
"Hmm... Then, could I borrow the fire dragon egg? I'm dying to know what's inside."
"No."
Meanwhile, Soleil spoke with concern.
"Son, your workload seems overwhelming lately. I'll handle the paperwork, so you focus on recovering."
"Thank you."
Federback had been planning to hire more personnel to manage the territory anyway.
Names of countless talents he remembered from before his regression flashed through his mind.
People like Kiraseong, who handled administration and logistics right up until the Demon King's total assault.
At this point in time, they were probably wandering aimlessly without any particular dreams or hopes.
He planned to recruit them a little earlier.
'If they join early, I can use my time much more efficiently.'
Lately, Rorschach had been complaining more and more about the manpower shortage.
He needed to hurry on multiple fronts.
After that, Soleil lectured him at length about his health before finally leaving.
Queenbits eyed the fire dragon egg until the very last moment as she exited the room, then reluctantly departed.
Hundid and Scolseiji stood guard outside the door, under strict orders from the patriarch not to let Federback leave the room under any circumstances.
Meanwhile.
Tzzzzz...
Alone in the room, Federback drew up the mana throughout his body.
'As expected, mana only sinks deep once the body is torn apart.'
Just as muscles must tear to heal larger and stronger, the same applied to mana.
'I've fully reached the 4th Circle now. It won't be long before I can knock on the door to the 5th.'
The so-called geniuses and empire's darlings barely crossed the 2nd Circle threshold at fifteen.
Even Vincent, the current empire's strongest, known as the Sword Star and immortalized in human history, had only reached the 3rd Circle at fifteen.
'There are hordes of enemies I need to slaughter ahead. I have to push even harder.'
Memories from before his regression resurfaced.
No matter how superhuman one became, swinging a sword nonstop for three years without a single day of sleep was impossible.
When exhaustion and bodily limits set in, one would nod off mid-swing.
Yet the body moved on habit, flailing the blade while dozing amid sprays of demon blood—a grueling march of torment.
A hellish year that whittled away body and mind bit by bit.
Federback's mental fortitude, having endured that period, had long transcended human limits.
Federback extended his hand.
A brazier filled with glowing embers.
He embraced it.
Szzzzz...
The searing metal scorched the bandages and herbs, filling the air with a bitter aroma.
Even as the bandages and herbs turned to ash, Federback did not release the brazier.
Tzzzzz...
White frost poured from his body, resisting the brazier's heat.
'The Northern chill has taken root in my body. Mixing it with mana will multiply its effects several times over.'
Federback blended various fuels into his mana.
The dragon's essence extracted from Bingryong Adara's body.
The venom drawn from the dream-eating water disaster spider Zuba Popi.
The beastly vitality pulled from the hearts of countless Yetis and Sasquatches.
The yin energy extracted from the inner core of the Centipede Queen dwelling in the Meursault Secret Vault.
...
...
The myriad energies forcibly seized from monsters intertwined with the Northern cold.
Hot and cold auras emanated from Federback's body, morphing into shapes of dragons, centipedes, spiders, and snowmen.
...Crack!
The sound of thin ice shattering rang out.
The towering wall before him crumbled, revealing stairs leading beyond.
Federback ascended without hesitation.
Far below at the stairs' base, an abyss yawned, where a massive pillar of fire consumed countless skulls.
A world annihilated by the Demon King's invasion.
Federback walked upward alone.
[...Save me!]
[...Don't leave us behind!]
[...Come back! You're one of us!]
Thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of millions of burning skulls reached out toward Federback.
But Federback paid no heed to their wails.
'They're just lingering regrets and anxieties buried in the corners of my subconscious anyway.'
If he had the energy to look back, he needed to climb even higher.
Ignoring the countless grasping hands without mercy, Federback pressed forward.
...The wagon wheel rolls onward.
Crushing the tiny things beneath it.
...The bird flies to a new world.
Shattering the eggshell that once protected it.
Federback climbed the stairs.
The ice stairs gradually melted, narrowing and growing precarious.
Eventually, Federback halted midway.
Beyond this point, the stairs were too thin and narrow to proceed.
'Is this my limit?'
A massive door to the 5th Circle loomed before him.
But in his current state, he'd tumble down before reaching it.
Federback nodded.
'A shame, but nothing for it. That's as far as I go today.'
He had hoped to cross the 5th Circle threshold tonight, but it was still out of reach.
Federback opened his eyes.
Peak 4th Circle.
A realm where the door to the 5th Circle was now within arm's reach.
Considering he had only recently entered the 4th Circle, this growth rate was unbelievable.
If every fifteen-year-old sword trainee in the empire learned of Federback's level, they'd all drop their swords.
"I can't just train and wait to hit 5th Circle... I need to save time."
There was only one way to handle both duties and growth.
Real combat.
Running around in the field naturally built strength.
Federback looked down at the brazier.
Having burned away all the bandages and herbs, it had cooled completely, now rimed with frost.
Clunk—
Setting the brazier aside, Federback rose.
The skin, once blistered and oozing from burns, had returned to its pale, smooth original state.
"Let's see how it moves."
To test his tougher, sturdier body, nothing beat the Northern blade-winds.
Federback opened the window.
The escort knights stood ironclad outside, per the patriarch's orders.
Defying his father's rest command and breaking through the guards would take longer than slipping out the window.
Federback prepared to leap into the blizzard beyond.
"Lord Federback, where are you going?"
If not for Rorschach's voice from above, he surely would have.
"...?"
Federback looked up to see Rorschach leaning out the window of the room directly above, peering down at him.
"What are you doing up there?"
"Keeping an eye on you, Lord Federback. I figured you'd sneak out again, and the window seemed the likeliest route."
"I'm fully recovered. Better to handle external duties than lie here pointlessly."
"I'll tell the patriarch. Get back in bed and rest."
"External duties include recruiting more administrative staff."
"Hmm. That's a strong counter."
Rorschach tilted his head and continued.
"Are you really all better?"
"As you can see."
"Then take me with you. So I can confirm you're truly fine."
"... "
Federback's brow furrowed slightly at Rorschach's demand.
For some reason, it felt like an annoying baggage was about to tag along.