Chapter 533
Chapter 533
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 533
Chapter Title: Reborn as the Plum Blossom Sword Master in a Count's Family
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"Retrieve."
The Stormbreaker lying on the plain flew swiftly toward me. I channeled mana into the spear shaft, transforming it into sword form.
It was a longsword with a striking blue blade. Its weight was the same as in spear form—heavy—and the blade was longer than the Hwaryeonbi Sword. The moment I gripped the hilt, I unleashed a blue aura.
"You have an interesting weapon!"
Lukeman charged toward me, explosions propelling his legs like rockets. Midway, he scooped up his spear and swung the shaft at me as he closed in.
The golden aura enveloping his spear manifested in just 0.5 seconds, making me acutely aware of our skill gap. I swung my sword upward to deflect it.
"Not the Prockus swordsmanship."
"...You can tell right away?"
"I've seen that swordsmanship countless times. It's different from your younger brother's as well. As for what style it is... I'll find out by watching."
Lukeman's spear moved. Whether out of consideration or not, tracking its speed with my eyes wasn't difficult. The problem was the power behind it.
Kwaaaang!
"Kuk!"
I'd only blocked it head-on once, yet my body was pushed back about 5cm. My hands gripping the sword went numb. The force in that spear was no joke.
Kwaang! Kwang! Kwang!
Shockwaves erupted every time our sword and spear clashed.
I couldn't win. I'd known that from the start. I was barely touching the cusp of upper Aura Expert level. Beating Lukeman, an Aura Master, was impossible from the outset.
'Still, I can't lose without a fight. He won't spread weird rumors either...'
I switched to Yeongcheon-ryu.
I changed to Yeongcheon-ryu breathing technique and stepped into its footwork. It felt a bit awkward using a different sword than the Hwaryeonbi, but no major issues.
Yeongcheon-ryu Thunder Serpent.
The blade wriggled like a bolt of lightning, targeting Lukeman's right shoulder.
Lukeman kicked off the ground, instantly widening the gap. I stuck to him.
Yeongcheon-ryu Green Stream.
Aiming for his head.
"Hm. Is that the Plum Blossom Swordsmanship your brother used? Quite the mysterious style."
Green Stream predictably failed. He merely tilted his head slightly to dodge effortlessly.
Yeongcheon-ryu Thunder Light.
I unleashed the fastest strike in Yeongcheon-ryu. But it was blocked again. All my attacks were visible in Lukeman's eyes.
"Speed it up more... Why are you dropping your sword?"
"I surrender. My mana's depleted, and my hands hurt."
"...You can still swing it."
"Even if I do, you'll win. If I get injured, it's my loss, right?"
"Afraid of injury? No grit."
"Call me whatever. I'm done."
There was nothing more for me to gain. Experience against a great spear master? I'd already gotten plenty from the earlier exchanges, and I could get similar experience elsewhere.
As my fighting spirit faded, he glared at me, sighed, and relaxed his grip on the spear.
"Hoo. You killed my buzz. You know that? All your brothers fought to their limits. The eldest even passed out. Unlike them, you're no warrior. Your swordsmanship feels like an assassin's too."
"Ah. So my brothers showed their bottom line to someone whose future relations are uncertain."
"...What an absurd guy."
The maids approached me. They wiped the sweat from my body with towels. If we'd continued, those towels would have been stained red.
"A womanizer, huh. So different from your father and brothers."
"Jealous?"
"...I wonder how a guy like you was born into Prockus."
"No grand reason needed for a person to be born."
"Won't yield even an inch, huh. I heard you had congenital heart disease. How's that?"
"No attacks lately, and the healer says traces are barely detectable. Marquis Petras. Now that it's over, may I ask?"
"Hm. Ask what?"
"Your evaluation of me. I fought as Your Excellency desired. I deserve to hear it."
Lukeman stared at me intently before shaking his head.
"You're... hard to pin down."
"Pardon?"
"Your personal combat prowess is middling. Unique, but that's it. Yet I feel like there's more. You have wealth, and probably other powers too. Among the Prockus children, you strike me as the most dangerous."
"...Is that a compliment?"
"Not a bad one."
I gave a troubled smile. If that evaluation spread as rumor nationwide, my reputation would tank.
"If you're not leaving right away, why not stay a bit in my territory?"
It was mere politeness.
Truthfully, I wanted him out of my territory immediately. Difficult guests weren't welcome.
"I'll stay a few days. Not for free, of course. You seem interested in spears, so I'll teach you spear basics."
"No need for that..."
"No need to refuse."
"..."
No matter what I said, he wouldn't back down easily. Reluctantly, I guided him to the guest annex.
???
Lukeman toured Tevra Territory.
Yujin Prockus ran his territory in unheard-of ways.
'Dividing citizens by ranks... How does one even think like that?'
Citizen Rank System.
Commoners divided into five ranks. Not official classes, but ranks effectively made them so.
Higher ranks got more benefits. Higher-ranked commoners routinely looked down on lower ones, and young women wanted to marry higher-ranked men.
'This city's commoners are obsessed with climbing or maintaining ranks. Seems far harsher than elsewhere.'
Yet no one fled to other cities. Instead, commoners flooded in from outside. As Korea Merchant Group's base, Tevra was incredibly innovative. Strange gadgets everywhere, civilization itself felt different from other cities.
Most commoners seemed satisfied with the convenience.
"Baron Yujin Prockus."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Why implement this citizen rank system? I can't understand it."
"Your Excellency, not all nobles are the same, nor are all commoners. Talented commoners deserve better treatment than incompetent ones. They work harder to raise or keep ranks. Other territories may differ, but no city has commoners this diligent."
"Merchants, commoners, and mercenaries offered you bribes."
"They give gifts out of respect. As lord, how can I refuse their heartfelt offerings?"
"An outsider like me has no right to interfere. But as a guest, my advice... You'll get in big trouble someday."
Lukeman had lived long enough to see it all. Nobles who exploited their people to fatten themselves met bad ends—abandoned by children, tricked out of everything, assassinated.
"It's fine. This city is under my feet."
Yujin spoke calmly, face unchanging.
Lukeman revised his view of Yujin.
Initially, he seemed merchant-like. But that demeanor was noble—rivaling even the eldest, Jent.
"What about the war?"
"Pardon?"
"The war drawing near. Planning to fund armies from behind again? Wars are fought by people. No weapons or food, no war. Count Prockus will acknowledge rear support via money as merit."
"Even supporting supplies, I can't stay back entirely. Less spotlight than frontline fighting. I'll earn irrefutable merit to become Prockus's master."
"I see."
Lukeman taught Yujin basic spear techniques daily for hours. But it was no easy task.
"Zero talent for spearmanship. Even a passing soldier handles it better! Don't swing with brute force! Wield it more fluidly!"
"I told you, I'm not interested in spearmanship. I prefer javelins."
"Rumors are already spreading kingdom-wide that I'm teaching you! My reputation's on the line! I'll drill the basics at least! If anyone asks about spearmanship henceforth, say you only learned basics from me!"
Lukeman stayed in Tevra a month longer than planned. Due to zero talent. Without Aura Expert level, it might've taken years.
'Hm. Leaving now feels inconvenient. Few slums, good security, food suits my taste.'
???
Lukeman finally left after a month. I sighed in relief and asked Yuria.
"He's gone at last. Nothing slipped?"
"No. We hid everything necessary. Monitored Marquis Petras 24/7 via cameras."
What Lukeman saw was a tiny fraction of my territory. Plenty that'd spell disaster if exposed—I'd sweated bullets dealing with him.
'Like nonstop torturing demons and criminals in underground prisons. Or slowly extracting info from kidnapped nobles without killing them to drain their wealth...'
And currently, the biggest issue: smuggling.
I was selling military supplies to the Kingdom of Balt, Rapelli's archenemy. Treason, essentially.
'Lukeman's loyal to the kingdom. If he'd noticed, he'd have gone for my head immediately.'
Of course, I wouldn't go down easy. Worst case, Yuria would've ended him.
"Yuria. He sought my brothers... for his daughter, right?"
Lukeman had one daughter—prime marriage age and then some. A tomboy. Unlike demure noble ladies, she wielded spears personally to crush bandits.
Despite the famed Petras Marquisate, few marriage proposals came. His daughter rejected the rare ones. No intention of becoming a giggling noblewife.
"Likely. Marquis Petras harbors grudge against Count Prockus but none against the family. He even holds Prockus in high regard."
"Thought he was a hopeless old fogey, but not that bad."
I wasn't uninterested in Lukeman's daughter, but marriage wasn't on my mind. More cons than pros anyway.
"Master. One report."
"Report? Serious?"
"Requires vigilance."
I straightened up for Yuria's report.
"Remember Prince Dulibad?"
Took nearly a minute to recall.
"...Ah, Cobalt Kingdom's crown prince?"
"Yes."
Met at Goldway Academy.
From memory, Prince Dulibad had tried proposing to Melissa—academy princess and student council president. But Melissa and I fucked right in front of him.
'Yuria killed one of his underlings.'
That was it. I left Goldway without killing the prince; Melissa ditched her family to become my maid.
"I know it's overstepping, but fearing harm to you, I attached a shadow to Prince Dulibad."
"Overstepping? I'm always grateful for your cleanup. But why him now?"
"He contacted Leosio Chrysod."
I knew that name. From the original story.
"...He met the Red Dragon? Why?"
"Can't think of anything but revenge against you."