Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: A Promise to Kill
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So the truth was simple.
The ones who were originally the Five Demon Kings had, for some reason, increased by one, becoming the Six Demon Kings…
And the one who had claimed that new spot was none other than my Eldest Martial Brother.
‘What in the world is going on?’
Did Eldest Martial Brother come to this world before I did?
Or was this place not 'the world I knew,' but 'another world, very similar to my own'?
What connection did this have to the 'Forgotten Age'?
‘Martial God, did you also see my Master earlier?’
[…So you did meet Baek Rogwang.]
As I thought?
[I did not see him. I was asleep until just before.]
‘Then why did you say "as I thought"?’
[Because I felt it.]
‘What?’
[…….]
The Martial God didn't answer.
He hadn't fallen back asleep; he seemed to be lost in deep thought.
I, too, spent the time with a complicated mix of feelings…
“…With this, we conclude the Blessing Ceremony.”
The Blessing Ceremony ended, leaving behind a new mystery.
* * *
After the Blessing Ceremony, only the final banquet remained. Tables were set up not only in the first-floor hall but also out in the rose garden.
As it was the last one, it was the grandest banquet of all.
Night had fallen, but the garden was bright.
It wasn't a particularly moonlit night; there were simply many lights around.
Perhaps it was because of the martial arts I'd learned.
I didn't care for artificial light, so I sat alone in a secluded corner where the lights barely reached.
I had much to think about and wanted to go rest in my room, but sadly, the attendance of the Young Lords at this banquet was mandatory.
I suppose it was natural, since we were the stars of the day.
‘Still, the food is good.’
As I was shoving some food into my mouth, I saw a familiar person approaching.
“Ruan, there you are!”
It was my mother.
She was flanked by Arjan and Keian, a sight that was undeniably reassuring.
“Why are you in such a secluded spot? I've been looking all over for you.”
Her tone was mixed with an unusual warmth.
My mother often showed this side of herself when her composure was shaken, and indeed, she seemed a little excited.
“It's nice and quiet. More importantly, is something wrong?”
“My dear, of course I came to congratulate you!”
“Congratulate me?”
“You received a Blessing!”
I smiled, watching my mother's fluctuating tone.
“That's right.”
“What a relief!”
“It's only one, though.”
“There are so many heroes who've left their names in history with just a single Blessing! Sir Walter from my homeland, Hyde of the Swamplands, known as the strongest ranger, Sir Erich of the Steel Sword, one of the Imperial Knight Commanders…”
I listened attentively to my mother, responding in kind, and waited for her excitement to subside.
A moment later, after calming down a bit, my mother took a sip of water and spoke.
“I got too excited. So, Ruan, what kind of Blessing did you receive?”
“I don't know.”
“Hmm?”
“I don't know yet.”
“……”
I still didn't know what kind of Blessing I had received.
I'd heard that one was supposed to realize it naturally the moment they received it, but I hadn't felt anything like that.
“Well…”
My mother seemed at a loss for words for a moment, but after studying my expression, she quickly changed the subject.
“I've never… heard of such a case, but, hmm. Perhaps it's such a tremendous Blessing that it's taking time to process…”
“It's alright, Mother. For me, the Blessing was just a bonus anyway.”
“…Is that so?”
“In any case, I plan to hide this fact for the time being.”
Hiding a Blessing wasn't particularly strange.
Even the Iron-Blooded Duke had only revealed fewer than ten of his twenty-one Blessings.
Of course, some Blessings couldn't be hidden, but it meant that concealing them wasn't something to be condemned for.
“Yes. That would be for the best.”
My mother also let out a sigh of relief.
Judging by her expression, she might have suggested it herself if I hadn't brought it up first.
“Ruan, come here for a moment.”
“Why? Is there apple juice?”
For the record, apple juice is my favorite drink.
“The Grand Master Teachers are gathered over there.”
Grand Master Teachers?
I glanced in the direction my mother was pointing.
There was an area bustling with people, unlike the rest of the garden.
“Eight of the ten Grand Master Teachers are in attendance. Since it's the last day, they must have wanted to see the caliber of the Young Lords.”
My mother continued in an excited voice.
“Why don't you go and show your face? You're a proper hero now that you've received a Blessing.”
“I'm fine.”
“Why?”
I was momentarily at a loss for an answer, but I soon found a suitable excuse.
“The Sword Master Teacher isn't here. I don't care for anyone but him.”
“Ah… you always did like Sir Kaljak the best.”
My mother looked disappointed but didn't press the matter further.
Instead, it seemed she intended to go by herself.
“……”
I gestured to Keian and Arjan with my chin. They both gave a slight nod.
With those two around, she wouldn't get tangled up in any trouble.
Left alone, I casually looked around the garden, occasionally wetting my lips with a drink.
‘It's about time I got a reaction…’
The official schedule for the Blessing Ceremony ends today.
Depending on one's choice, one could stay longer at the Bednicker main estate and receive further training, like how to use their Blessing.
But that was, quite literally, an option.
I'd heard that the ratio of those who returned home and those who stayed was split exactly fifty-fifty.
In other words, if there was a mastermind trying to kill me, they had to make some kind of move at this point.
Because they wouldn't know whether I planned to stay at the main estate or return to the branch family.
It was at that moment.
A figure with a hood pulled down low flashed into my vision and then disappeared.
‘Huh?’
It felt suspicious, so I stared beyond the garden for a while…
Just then, the figure reappeared.
This time, I got a clearer look.
I even saw the hair peeking out from under the deep hood.
‘White hair… no.’
Silver hair.
Considering the unusual hair color and the figure's build under the hood, only one person came to mind.
Seren Goodspring.
‘She said she wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be at the banquet.’
I'd heard that receiving many Blessings at once could sometimes put a severe strain on one's body and mind.
So why was someone who should be resting in her room out here?
It didn't seem like she'd had a change of heart or that her condition had improved…
Looking again, I saw that Seren was concealing her presence as much as possible.
She moved so stealthily that if I hadn't been staring blankly ahead from my secluded spot, I might have missed her.
In any case, it seemed she hadn't expected anyone to be in such a remote area…
As I watched, Seren's figure disappeared into the pitch-black darkness beyond the rear garden.
“……”
The truth is, Seren was on my list of suspects.
Separate from the fact that I hadn't sensed any malice from her, it was a clear fact that her family was the Goodsprings.
The Bednickers' eternal rivals.
Anyway, Seren was also one of the stars of this banquet…
In the end, no one had received more Blessings than her at the ceremony.
‘She has no reason to be in the rear garden.’
Still, having stayed at the main estate once before, I knew the general layout of the place.
Including the places that were strictly off-limits.
Crunch—.
I tossed the remaining ice from my glass into my mouth and stood up.
* * *
A short walk through the Bednicker's rear garden leads to a large wall.
It was a wall messily entwined with rose vines, and I'd heard that beyond it lay an old, unused training ground.
It was now forbidden to enter.
I had never actually been there myself.
Anyway, as I was stealthily tailing her, Seren leaped over the wall.
‘…….’
My suspicion somehow began to grow.
What reason could the third daughter of the prestigious Goodspring family possibly have to so boldly leap over another family's wall?
I waited until I heard the sound of her landing on the other side and her footsteps growing faint before climbing over the wall myself.
The surroundings had suddenly become silent.
The commotion of the banquet I'd felt just moments ago seemed like something from a dream.
The ground beyond the wall was covered in dead leaves on the verge of crumbling and withered grass.
‘It's winter right now.’
Do they not manage it at all because it's off-limits? This is still part of the main estate's grounds.
Feeling puzzled, I paid special attention to my steps. Dead leaves made a rather loud crunching sound even if stepped on lightly.
In any case, the tailing didn't last long.
Seren was standing stock-still in the center of the dilapidated training ground when she spoke in a cold voice.
“Come out.”
“……”
Normally, my heart should have sunk at a moment like this, but it didn't.
Because I was confident in my tracking skills.
Besides, Seren's attention was focused straight ahead.
Rustle—.
As expected, a presence revealed itself from in front of Seren.
I wondered who it was, but the face was somehow familiar.
That guy was…
‘It's that guy from yesterday.’
Hariba of the Garshia family.
Anyway, there was a sinister atmosphere about him for some reason.
He already looked that way, but now he seemed twice as sinister.
The gloomy background probably played a part as well.
“You came, Seren.”
“……”
“I'm sorry.”
Hariba suddenly collapsed to his knees.
I watched, wondering what he was doing.
“I'm so, so sorry…”
What the.
Kneeling on the ground, Hariba burst into tears like a child.
“But, it's still alright. My Seren.”
I was speechless at the unexpected situation, and his next words only added more question marks in my head.
“Because I will definitely kill Ruan Bednicker.”