Argin's Vengeance
However, Argin's reaction was disappointingly different from what I had expected.
Argin stared at me blankly for a while before asking,
"Viscount, why are you so good to me?"
I couldn't very well say it was because he was a talented prospect with a guaranteed future.
"Is there a reason I shouldn't be?"
"Pardon?"
"I'm the type who helps people without any particular reason. I'm a saint, after all."
"That's true."
Argin let out a smirk.
"You're mocking me, aren't you?"
"No, sir."
"Feels like you are. You think I don't seem like a saint, right?"
"No, sir."
"Well then, your not-so-saintly saint will kindly help you with your revenge too. Tell me who your enemy is."
Argin sighed once, then began recounting his childhood.
Argin had originally been the child of a humble couple running a small antiques shop in the Capital.
By chance, one of the antiques they acquired turned out to be a rather valuable relic. If only they'd quietly sold it off, but greed for a big payout ruined everything.
Rumors spread that the relic had ended up in Argin's parents' shop, drawing in greedy vultures. Among them was a big shot named Count Crony.
Count Crony was a close aide to the previous emperor and the empress's brother to boot. He framed Argin's parents for stealing what he claimed was originally his own relic, seized it, and both parents mysteriously died in prison.
It was a common enough tale, but it felt entirely different to the one who lived it.
"So you don't have to get revenge all by yourself, right?"
Even with a new emperor on the throne, the Crony count's faction still held immense power. Argin alone wouldn't stand a chance against them.
"That's not it. Still, I want to be the one to take Count Crony's head myself."
"Good. That's all that matters. Shouldn't be too hard."
"Pardon?"
"What do you take me—or rather, the House of Akasha—for?"
Argin thought for a moment, then nodded with a smile.
"I see. My backer is even sturdier than I imagined."
Even without me, we already had two Masters, and with a knowledge transfer to Argin, that could become three. Plus the holy knights and battle priests as escorts. That alone made us one of the Empire's top military powers.
"We won't be starting a territory war or anything. We'll handle it as quietly as possible."
"Of course."
The Crony county wasn't close enough for a territory skirmish anyway. A plan for dealing with the Crony count's house was already forming in my mind.
That aside, I was still debating whether to actually do the knowledge transfer for Argin.
I summoned Jayke and Joseph. As Argin's teachers, I wanted their input.
"I'm against it."
"I'm for it."
Their opinions were split. Jayke opposed, Joseph supported.
"Sir Jayke, why the opposition?"
"He's still too young. Argin's only sixteen. Giving him such great power too soon—and power that doesn't come from his own effort—might corrupt him. He could go astray. Power can be built over time, but character can't."
Jayke's argument was persuasive.
"And you, Sir Joseph?"
"If Argin receives the saint's blessing and ascends to Master at sixteen, it'd be unprecedented. Regular knights have their paths, but once you reach Master, new horizons open. The sooner he ascends, the higher he can ultimately climb. He might reach uncharted heights."
Joseph had a point too.
Was it better to mold Argin into an upright knight or the strongest warrior in history? I wasn't sure which was right.
I relayed the whole discussion to Argin verbatim.
Without a hint of hesitation, he drew his sword and offered it to me.
"If I ever stray even a little, strike off my head with this blade."
"No regrets?"
"None."
"Very well."
I accepted the sword. Of course, I'd never actually have to behead him myself. He'd be stronger than me soon enough.
I informed Jayke and Joseph of my decision, and they accepted it. Then I attempted the knowledge transfer on Argin.
It was the same records Jayke had received. Argin lost consciousness during the process but didn't bleed from his eyes and nose like Jayke, nor did his soul flicker.
Two days later, he shot up from bed as if waking from a deep sleep.
And at sixteen, he became a Master.
As expected, the size of his soul was key. With a soul so vast it was hard to find a comparison, this was the result even though swordsmanship knowledge was just a tiny fraction of my memories.
So what did that make me?
A few days after Argin became a Master, word came from the House of Marquis Illibard. They wanted to discuss the territory transfer that had been postponed because the marquis had been summoned by the emperor.
I prepared at once and headed straight to Illibard territory.
Marquis Illibard welcomed us grandly.
"So you'll hand over the territory for that amount?"
"Yes."
The negotiations wrapped up far too smoothly, no haggling needed.
"Is this His Majesty's will?"
No matter how much the marquis favored me, this screamed imperial pressure—especially since he'd just returned from the palace.
It was probably the emperor's way of showing goodwill toward me. The marquis had likely gained favor and coin from me while securing something from the emperor in between.
"His Majesty's intentions are certainly part of it."
The marquis didn't deny it.
At least I knew the Empire didn't see me as an enemy. And I had no reason or desire to make them one.
"That said, Viscount Akasha, isn't it about time you considered marriage?"
"Ah, yes, I suppose so."
Partly because I'd inherited the title so young, but yes, it was around the age when nobles started thinking of weddings.
The marquis didn't need to spell it out—he clearly wanted his daughter for me. But that wouldn't do. It would tip the Empire's power balance toward the noble faction.
"I haven't given it much thought yet, but I should consult the Church's stance first. Hard to decide rashly."
"Ah, I see."
I played the saint card for now. No saint had ever married before. There were cases of marriage then sainthood, of course. My situation was special, so it probably didn't matter, but checking with the Church was proper.
With the deal sealed, I left the fine print on payments to the staff. The marquis's quoted sum covered just the land itself, not the facilities on it. It wasn't an exorbitant amount anyway, and I could pay on the spot, so no issue.
On a whim, I called over Wider, who'd come along for the trip.
"Wider, have I ever been married?"
"Not before I died, at least. Though..."
"Though?"
"You sowed a ton of wild oats. The rumors weren't kind. They said you had dozens of bastards in the Capital."
Hearsay, pure nonsense. I could say that confidently. Me, leaving illegitimate kids? Never happening.
Still, no marriage was a surprise.
With territory matters settled and us already on the move, I decided to wrap up Argin's business too.
I'd already sent an avatar to investigate Count Crony. And his condition wasn't great. He was the type who'd die on his own soon enough.
Maybe in the original timeline, Argin never got his revenge. Or perhaps history's shift had worsened the count's health.
Leaving the negotiation team behind, Argin and the rest of us headed for the Capital. Might as well pay the emperor a visit while we were at it.
We raced there in a few days. Fame made secrecy impossible anyway. Along the way, we couldn't ignore the sick flocking to us for healing.
The Capital was no different. More people meant more patients. We didn't turn away those who came seeking relief.
Only after treating hundreds did we catch our breath.
I'd sent word ahead requesting an audience. A thank-you was in order, and it wouldn't hurt to firmly establish we weren't foes.
A few days prior, my avatar had rooted out imperial spies and passed the info to the emperor, reminding him of the Guardian's presence.
This emperor had no particular requests of the Guardian. Whether he didn't need anything or just found it intimidating, who knew.
With no Akasha residence in the Capital, we rented multiple rooms at high-end hotels and inns. Over a hundred escorts left us no choice. Time to buy a mansion here too.
As evening fell and things quieted, I summoned Argin to my room.
"Time to start your revenge."
"Right now?"
His eyes widened at the sudden declaration. He'd come without any gear.
I pulled a sword from my subspace and tossed it to him—the very one he'd entrusted to me.
Then we spatially teleported straight to the Crony count's estate. I snatched the sleeping Count Crony and returned to the hotel room in an instant.
I'd thought it before, but wasn't I the continent's top assassin? Probably more efficient than even Eltis.
Argin recoiled in shock as I vanished and reappeared with the count.
"Do it."
But Argin froze. Then he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Tears streamed from his eyes even as he laughed. After cackling like a madman for a while, he swung the sword without a trace of emotion.
The count—already in critical condition and comatose—had his head roll limply to the floor.
"So hollow. I never thought it'd be this easy."
Argin muttered weakly, staring at the severed head.
"Count Crony was doomed to die soon anyway. A little later, and you wouldn't have gotten your revenge."
"Is that so?"
I nodded. It was the truth.
"Then it was for the best."
Argin's voice returned to normal. Revenge could feel empty, but it was still sweeter than leaving it undone. That was my conclusion after centuries observing humans.
I stowed the corpse in my subspace and summoned a water spirit to clean the blood.
Watching the process, Argin remarked,
"Sometimes, Viscount, you really do seem like a godsend."
"Right? I'm a saint."
People close to me sometimes forgot since I didn't act the part, but Juno himself had appointed me.
"True enough."
Argin grinned like a madman again. Was this revenge trauma messing with his head?
Then he suddenly dropped to his knees.
"I, Argin, swear to be your sword for life."
That night, after aiding his vengeance, I gained another knight.
The next day, I formally announced Argin as my knight.
I enfeoffed Jayke, Argin, and Wider as vassals, appointing Jayke and Argin as barons and Wider as a banneret.
For the surname-less Argin, I bestowed "Tempest." Conveniently in the Capital, ratification would be easy.
I offered fiefs in the new territory, but no one wanted them, so I gave artifacts instead.
Drakan-forged swords to Jayke and Argin, and a vitality-sustaining subspace ring of my making to Wider.
Jayke and Argin were especially thrilled. Swords worthy of a national treasure anywhere—nothing better for warriors.