Chapter 178
Chapter 178
"Whoa, what's all that?"
"How many wagons are there?"
"Huh? That's the MacLaine family banner—what are they doing?"
"I heard it's some merchant guild?"
"What?"
"Ah, there's the Grand Prince."
As Logan emerged amidst the murmuring crowd, the gathered people at the town entrance instinctively parted, forming a path.
Under countless gazes, Logan slowly stepped forward to the front of the merchant convoy. Philip, who had been awkwardly adjusting his silk robes—far more luxurious than his usual attire—hurried to greet him.
"My lord, there was no need for you to come out personally..."
"No. Since I ordered this, I should at least see you off properly. There's something to give you, too."
"Huh? No, what you've already done for me is more than enough. This is too grand..."
"You forgot this."
"...Huh?"
The moment Logan pulled out and waved a piece of paper, Philip couldn't hide his bewildered expression.
A contract—no ordinary document, but one shimmering with faint blue mana. The familiar words written on it were unmistakable.
"My contract... But why did you bring that?"
Is it because you still don't trust me?
Philip's face stiffened slightly—
Riiip.
Logan tore the magical contract in half right before his eyes.
"My lord?!"
The moment Philip's eyes widened in shock, a faint blue light seeped from both their bodies, scattering into the air.
As the mana binding the contract dissipated, Philip stared blankly at Logan, who grinned and pressed the torn pieces into his hands.
"A late reward. You've worked hard, but I was too preoccupied with the war to acknowledge the efforts of those working behind the scenes. The same went for Dwain."
Glancing back, the bearded administrator gave Philip a thumbs-up—though he immediately scowled again when his eyes met Beron's.
Philip, overwhelmed with emotion, struggled to speak.
"The performance bonus offer still stands, so do your best, Guildmaster Philip. Understood?"
"...Yes. Yes, my lord. Of course! I'll give it my all!"
His voice boomed loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
As Philip bowed deeply, tiny droplets fell—just a few—from beneath his lowered head.
"Finally, time to see the new territory."
With urgent matters settled, Logan turned his attention to another task he'd had in mind, feeling lighter than ever.
"You're planning to visit the Calria region yourself?"
"No. Taren."
"Huh?"
While the Calria region, acquired through military achievements, was at least somewhat known, Taren had a poor reputation even among the vassals.
Of course, most held their tongues, thinking, The Grand Prince must have his reasons. But there were also those who spoke bluntly—like Dwain.
"Do you have a hobby of touring wastelands and abandoned mines?"
"...The MacLaine Plains were a wasteland once, too. Did you forget?"
"Ah... So Taren will be the same? But the water..."
"That's obvious, but there's something else I need to check."
"Uh, yes?"
"Anyway, I plan to bring Hamar and Master Clayton along, so coordinate the schedule. The workshop's workload has lightened, right?"
Dwain nodded.
"Yes. Hamar should be easy to schedule, but Master Clayton has been holed up in his lab lately. Probably because of that experiment you mentioned..."
"Hmm, that's important too... No, this takes priority. Tell Clayton to postpone the experiment."
"He won't listen to me! How am I supposed to drag a mage out of his lab when he won't even step outside?"
Sigh.
"Then I'll go myself. Tsk."
With all the paperwork requiring his approval now cleared, Logan's steps were lighter than ever.
But then—
Knock. Knock.
"Brother. It's Ronian."
The voice of his younger brother, whom he hadn't seen in a while, came from the other side of the door.
"Oh, Ronian. Come in—"
Logan's cheerful reply was cut short the moment the door opened. He froze at the sight of his brother's face.
"Hey! What happened to you?! What's with that face?"
Half of Ronian's face was battered, yet his expression carried a resolute determination.
Strangely, despite his disheveled appearance, his aura felt stronger than before—now at the upper-tier of Force User level.
Logan's expression shifted sharply again.
"You—what kind of training did you do to end up like this?! Even if you see results, pushing yourself to the point of injury isn't sustainable in the long—"
"It wasn't training, brother."
"What?"
"I just... changed my mindset a little, and then the path became clear. Like you once told me."
"Huh...?"
Logan could only stare blankly.
"And because of that, I wanted to discuss something with you."
The next words left Logan utterly speechless.
"Warrior's Pilgrimage? Why in the world would you suddenly want to do something so outdated?"
Warrior's Pilgrimage—a tradition where noble youths left their families to wander the world, testing their martial skills and gaining experience to grow both personally and as warriors.
The idea sounded noble, but so many had died during such journeys that the practice had long faded into obscurity. Yet Ronian was bringing it up now.
"...I've thought about it for a long time, but right now, there's nothing for me to do in the territory."
"What? What are you talking about? There's knight training, and you've been handling the security force well, haven't you?"
"That's just work you could do yourself—I've merely been filling in."
"If we go by that logic, I could handle every single family matter alone. That's why we have vassals, you, Father... ahem... and others!"
The Ronian of the past would have nodded obediently by now, but today, he wasn't so easily swayed.
"But this is different. No matter how I look at it, focusing on what I excel at will ultimately help the family—and you—more."
"What you excel at is..."
"Swordsmanship. You said it yourself, brother. That I have the talent to surpass you."
"Of course. Naturally. Everyone who knows you would agree."
Logan truly believed that, but his brother tilted his head and chuckled.
"Hmm. I'm not so sure about that, but I can tell you genuinely believe it. And I want to trust you in return. That's why I'm going on this pilgrimage."
"Who put this nonsense in your head? Who's been filling your mind with this?"
Logan was genuinely irritated.
His brother, who could become an Aura User just by training at home, now wanted to risk his life wandering the world?
But Ronian's next answer was downright absurd.
"You did."
Pfft.
Dwain, who had been listening quietly, coughed awkwardly and turned away under Logan's sharp glare.
"...Me? When?"
"Watching you, I realized that no amount of ordinary training would ever let me catch up."
"...What?"
"I felt myself grow stronger through real battles, through actual combat. So I concluded that if I truly want to surpass you, this is the best path."
"Ha..."
Logan was at a loss for words.
This ridiculous idea was his fault?
His brother—destined to become an Aura User—was leaving home and throwing himself into danger because of him?
"No! Absolutely not!"
Neither his protective instincts nor his plans for the future could allow this.
But Ronian, seemingly more determined than ever, refused to back down.
"You've always been my pillar, brother. Even before you became the family's foundation, you were always my support. Of course, there was that... unpleasant incident in between, haha."
Logan looked at his brother with mixed emotions.
"Even during the family's crisis, I was always just following behind you. I endured difficult battles with nothing but the belief that you would find a way—and that belief became reality. But!"
Ronian's voice rose.
"My growth stagnated at some point. Subconsciously, I think I believed that as long as I followed you, everything would be fine."
His fists clenched tightly.
"You said I have the talent to surpass you, right? Maybe that's true. For the first time, I resolved to do it—to truly surpass you. And once I made that decision, I saw a way past the wall."
After a pause, Ronian lifted his head and met Logan's gaze.
"Brother. You be the family's pillar. I'll be its sword. I'll strive to become the transcendent you expect me to be—so you won't be disappointed. That's why I've chosen this path. Please allow it."
Each word struck Logan's heart.
But one phrase hit hardest:
"Was I the one holding his growth back?"
That thought shook him the most.
"Ha... What kind of..."
He covered his face, scratched his head, tried to convince himself it couldn't be true.
But...
"Did Ronian MacLaine, the youngest Aura User in my past life, go through the same growth phase as now?"
The thoughts spiraled.
"Didn't he push himself to the brink to restore the ruined family? Would the MacLaine family, now the kingdom's highest nobility, even provide the same environment as back then?"
Following Ronian's words, the conclusion was unavoidable—his reasoning might actually be true.
His brother had awakened his Force earlier than in the past life and had even mastered the Divine Sword Secret Art.
Could he truly grow stronger, faster than before?
"No way."
Above all, Logan knew better than anyone:
Without desperation, true achievement was impossible.
Could Ronian, now the second son of the kingdom's most powerful family, maintain that drive?
And most importantly—
"Do I even have the right to stop him?"
Why? By what right?
Wasn't keeping him confined under the guise of protection just selfishness?
"Was I only ever seeing Ronian as a weapon for the future crisis? Is that why I wanted to keep him within my sight?"
The self-doubt tormented him.
After agonizing for a long time, Logan finally steadied his mind and looked at Ronian again—at his brother, who had deliberated until his face was half-ruined before making this decision.
Even after the long silence, Ronian's unwavering gaze remained fixed on him.
"Hmm..."
Even after organizing his thoughts, the words didn't come easily.
"...I truly believe you have the potential to surpass me. But I won't slack off either—so staying home and training diligently might still be better than wandering the world."
Seeming to sense the implicit permission, Ronian's face brightened instantly.
"I swear—I won't neglect my training during the pilgrimage."
"The world can be more dangerous than war. You might grow distrustful, resentful, or even lose yourself."
"I'll remember the hearts of those who believe in me. If I ever feel myself breaking, I'll return home immediately. Above all, I'll strive to overcome any challenge."
"When I wandered the world... ahem. I'll tell you everything I learned from mercenaries. Memorize it—don't forget a single word. Then I'll let you go."
"Thank you, brother!!"
Logan sighed, watching his brother's radiant expression.
"When did he grow up so much?"
Though his height was nearly equal to Logan's now, traces of boyishness still lingered in his face.
The Ronian Logan remembered existed only in two forms: the wounded child from long ago and the transcendent who stood beyond reach, cutting down enemies.
The face before him now—somewhere in between—felt unfamiliar.
Yet.
"I believe in you, Ronian MacLaine. I trust you'll keep your word."
His chest swelled with pride.
He vowed to work harder, ensuring the reality he changed would become an even greater foundation for his brother.
"Of course, brother!"
"Good. Now, let's—"
"Ah, one more thing, brother."
"Hmm?"
Ronian, brimming with enthusiasm, suddenly hesitated before speaking cautiously.
"Since you've already given permission... could you also convince Mother for me?"
In that instant, half of Logan's prideful joy evaporated.