Chapter 39
Episode 39
Logan tucked away the supreme-grade potion given to him by the Duke of Esperanza's healer without using it.
'As expected of a ducal household. To casually hand out such a potion to an outsider...'
At a market price of 500,000 gold, this potion was so rare and in such high demand that obtaining one was nearly impossible regardless of price.
He had no intention of wasting it on his current injuries.
'I don't even need to drink it to recover.'
The power he possessed—his evolved Force—had already restored his severely wounded body to a state where he could move freely within just a few hours.
Even the healer had mistaken Logan for having taken the potion.
Still, full recovery would take a few more days.
"Take care on your way back."
Logan maintained a composed smile as he received the excessively courteous farewell from the ducal knights—a stark contrast to when he had first arrived.
But it was all an act. The moment he turned away, his face twisted in pain.
"Ugh..."
Just walking made cold sweat break out, and sharp stabs of pain shot through his skull.
His injuries were that severe, and the fact that he could move at all was astonishing.
'Still, what I gained was far greater.'
He wasn't just referring to the supreme-grade potion.
Despite the pain, Logan smirked and slipped a hand into his pocket.
His fingers brushed against a neatly folded piece of paper.
That was the real treasure—worth far more than any potion.
- The coordinates to my private residence's communication circle. If you hit a wall while mastering the Heavy Pressure Sword, feel free to contact me.
'I never expected him to favor me this much...'
This was practically being treated as a disciple—a result far beyond his expectations.
The Sword Duke's techniques, and now a connection with him.
This would be a tremendous asset in navigating the perilous future ahead.
With that thought, the pain seemed to dull slightly.
Now that his mind was at ease, he finally took in the scenery around him.
'It really is magnificent.'
The grand mansions at the heart of Gran, the thousand-year-old capital, each boasted unique architectural styles from different eras.
To someone knowledgeable about architecture, merely glancing at their facades would reveal the flow of history.
But even to Logan, who lacked such expertise, the beauty was undeniable. The opulent carriages passing by only added to the elegance of the scene.
'Which is why we must protect it—so it doesn't crumble.'
Renewing his resolve, he stepped into the bustling district—only for a passing carriage to abruptly halt beside him.
"My, isn't this Lord Logan? What a coincidence."
A voice as smooth as rolling pearls.
Turning toward the familiar yet unwelcome sound, he saw an ornate carriage emblazoned with the crest of a silver wolf.
He recognized that emblem all too well—just as he recognized the dazzling silver-haired beauty peeking through the carriage curtains.
Not exactly a pleasant memory.
"...Riina?"
"My, were we ever so close as to address each other so casually? How... unexpected."
Right. They weren't close. So why was she stopping him like this?
"...Lady Ulvs. It's been a while."
His tone was anything but welcoming, yet the beauty inside the carriage only smiled brighter.
"I never dreamed I'd run into you here. I hope I'm not inconveniencing you?"
Yes. She was. Immensely.
"You keep frowning... Is something wrong?"
'Because I'm in pain, you idiot.'
Even in this life, their relationship was far from cordial—but the grudges from his past life still lingered.
Still, outright hostility toward Riina—or rather, the Ulvs family—wasn't an option right now.
"Not at all. Just lost in thought, my lady. Now, if you'll excuse me."
I don't want to talk to you. Stop bothering me and move along.
He turned away, making no effort to hide his discomfort.
"Ah, I heard rumors that you've been doing business in the capital lately. Has something happened to your family?"
Her voice, still melodious, stopped him mid-step.
"...What do you mean?"
"Well... I gave you quite a substantial sum, yet I heard you've resorted to... rather shameful trade..."
Her expression was demure, as if treading carefully—but Logan read it differently.
'This woman is insufferable.'
"Hah..."
A sigh escaped him, but he didn't have time for petty squabbles.
"Let's just say I have a bit of a greed for money."
"Ah, yes. I suppose managing a barren territory would..."
"Exactly. Now, if you'll excuse me."
He bristled momentarily but shook his head and walked away.
Yet—
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
The unwelcome carriage continued to follow him.
"Do you have more to say? Because I don't."
His blatant disregard made Riina's smile falter slightly.
Then, she abruptly changed the subject.
"I heard you distinguished yourself in a territorial war recently."
His mind went cold at those words.
Even if selling Imporic in the capital had made him somewhat famous, no one here had mentioned the territorial war.
The capital's nobles simply didn't care about events in the frontier.
'Yet she's paying attention...'
Given their history, it wasn't entirely surprising—but he wanted no further interest from her.
"I appreciate your concern, my lady, but your excessive attention is rather burdensome for someone whose engagement you annulled."
Riina's expression stiffened momentarily before she countered sharply.
"I'm more interested in the weapons you used than in you, my lord. Any chance you'd consider selling them?"
"...They're hardly worth your attention. I must decline."
"Hmm. Very well. Best of luck with your... business."
"Enjoy your leisure, my lady."
Their exchange was polite, their faces smiling—but their eyes were icy.
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
As the carriage receded, Logan's gaze was heavy.
'The Ulvs family is already taking notice...'
Even with their past connection, this was faster than expected.
But crossbows, given their simple design, would inevitably leak eventually.
The best he could do was tighten security and hope to exploit them a few more times in the near future.
'Still, why is Riina here now? The Ulvs County is in the east...'
Pushing aside his bitterness, he calmly sorted through his thoughts—until overhearing passersby provided an answer.
"Isn't that the Ulvs County crest?"
"That merchant family?"
"I heard they're betrothed to the Marquis of Heizner. She's stunning."
The gazes that had been on Riina now shifted to Logan.
"Then who's that man?"
'Tch.'
Avoiding the sudden attention, Logan quickly distanced himself from the crowd.
"Lord Logan, why do you look so— Don't tell me you actually caused trouble?!"
"My head's pounding. Keep your voice down!"
"What in the world did you do?! You didn't offend the Sword Duke, did you?!"
At Philip's desperate look, Logan chuckled.
"If I met the Sword Duke and came out like this?"
Cough—
Perfectly timed, blood spurted from his mouth with the cough.
"I-I'll prepare our escape. The fastest horses—"
"Keh... Kehahaha!"
Seeing Philip's ashen face, laughter burst out uncontrollably.
The lingering discomfort from Riina melted away in an instant.
"Have you lost your mind?! This is no time to laugh! Good grief, what have I gotten myself into..."
Philip's face, pale just moments ago, now turned ghostly white.
Lost in his own imagination, he looked like he might collapse from internal injuries.
Logan grabbed him and briefly explained the situation.
Then, watching Philip's relieved expression, he added that he'd leave everything to him for a while.
Still dazed from the emotional whiplash, Philip could only nod blankly.
He assumed Logan needed rest due to his injuries—which wasn't entirely wrong.
But Logan had his own plans for that time.
'Intermediate swordsmanship...'
For the first time in a while, he sat with pen and paper, organizing his thoughts.
If basic swordsmanship—training the body to awaken Force—was considered beginner-level, then swordsmanship utilizing awakened Force was typically classified as intermediate.
Such intermediate techniques were common knowledge in any moderately established knight order.
The difference lay in quality.
Some so-called intermediate techniques were little more than tips for using Force more efficiently, while others genuinely amplified combat power and altered movement.
The former described the current MacLaine swordsmanship, while the latter matched the techniques of the Esperanza Knights.
Advanced swordsmanship, usable only by Aura Users, and the rarest supreme-grade techniques—which held the path from Force User to Aura User—were treasures even most nobles couldn't access.
Thus, the highest level most knights could reach was intermediate—and even then, most never learned proper techniques.
'But in the future, intermediate swordsmanship will become easily obtainable.'
And not just that—it would be standardized at a higher level.
A decade later, an imperial merchant would unearth an ancient swordsmanship manual from ruins.
A manual containing techniques ranking among the best of intermediate swordsmanship in the current era.
Any knight would have kept such secrets to themselves, but this merchant copied and sold the book.
Initially sold at exorbitant prices to a select few, the manual eventually leaked, self-copied, and spread until it became common knowledge—like a public resource any knight could learn.
This later spurred widespread research into intermediate swordsmanship, elevating the overall combat power of knights across the continent.
'But that's not something to worry about now.'
The manual wouldn't surface until after the Imperial War.
If he and his family survived until then, they could deal with it then.
What mattered now was that Logan, in his past life, had bought and learned that swordsmanship.
'The Iron-Blood Sword Style.'
Named after the ancient knight order that originally wielded it.
Logan planned to provide this manual to his family's knights—complete with a certificate bearing the Sword Duke's seal.
'Then even Father will approve.'
The Iron-Blood style was extreme in its manipulation of Force, risking internal injuries during training.
No matter how much Logan's wartime reputation had improved, knights would hesitate to adopt such a risky technique unprompted.
But with the Sword Duke's endorsement? That changed everything.
He also intended to incorporate fragments of the Divine Sword's secret arts—just enough for his father or Ronian to use as a trump card.
'Force Control, Body Substitution, and the First Form: Wave-Cutting Slash for now.'
This was Logan's true goal.
Using the Sword Duke's name to pass down the techniques he knew to his family.
And now, with the Sword Duke's genuine teachings added to the mix, things were progressing better than expected.
In high spirits, Logan picked up his pen without hesitation.
'This is more fun than I thought.'
Deconstructing and documenting a swordsmanship style he already knew proved unexpectedly engaging.
Soon absorbed in his work, his eyes gleamed gold—and the deeper the glow, the clearer his memories of the original manual became.
The sensory amplification from his Force Core was proving useful here.
What would have taken his past self months was completed in just a week—a meticulously annotated swordsmanship manual, complete with detailed illustrations.
While Logan recovered and wrote, Philip continued their business.
By the time Logan finished the manual, their entire stock of Imporic had sold out.
Their profits? A staggering 4.1 million gold.
Even conservatively accounting for costs, their net profit was 4 million gold.
An unbelievable return for barely a month's work.
"Wahahaha!"
"No bonuses this month, yet you're this happy?"
"Don't ruin my fantasy! At this rate, next month we'll—"
What employer wouldn't be pleased to see an employee so invested?
Logan watched Philip with satisfaction.
"Keep the customers placated until I return with more stock. Oh—what about the work in Kyle?"
"Straight to business, as always. That's practically running itself now. Honestly, why not just buy a house here? The lodging costs alone—"
"No. Our work here lasts a year—a year and a half at most. Focus solely on Imporic sales until then. After that, we'll have to move elsewhere."
"Huh?"
"That's just how it is."
"More secrets, eh? Tch."
Though grumbling, Philip didn't press further.
In this regard, at least, he was easier to deal with than Rick.
Rick would've pestered him until punched into silence.
Logan quietly checked his condition and reviewed his plans.
'If this trend continues, Imporic alone will net over 4.5 million gold monthly. Even if popularity wanes, 3 million should be manageable. Plus, I've forged a connection with the Sword Duke...'
That also gave him an excuse to teach the Iron-Blood style to his knights.
He was already looking forward to how much stronger his order would be by the time the civil war began.
So far, everything had exceeded expectations.
'Now, it's time to shop.'
Goods only available in the capital—things his territory desperately needed.
'And then... it's time to go home.'
Despite only being away for a month, he missed that barren land.
"I will protect it."
Gazing at the southwestern sky, Logan's eyes burned as red as the setting sun reflected in them.