Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Heir's Threat
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Creak.
He opened the gate of Jaybarshu Castle and then the door to the chapel.
Even though it was late at night, there was a man inside the chapel, his back to the moonlight.
"The chapel doors are open even at this late hour."
Swish.
The man turned around.
His face was full of a kind smile, and though he wore noble attire, it couldn't hide the sturdy muscles beneath.
For a moment, Bernard's eyebrows twitched in annoyance, but it was fleeting.
"The arms of the gods are always open, no matter the time. But what brings the next head of House Jerban here so late?"
He was the adopted son from a branch family of House Jerban, a man spoken of as the next head.
Killaban von Jerban.
He was the real power in House Jerban, second only to the current head.
"Sir Bernard. I would like you to join me on the Wheel."
It was a request to participate together in the hunting tournament. The Wheel of Patalite.
The war against the hordes of magical beasts that surged like waves as breeding season approached.
The hunt before it all began.
"Didn't I tell you before, Killaban? The head asked me to guard Jaybarshu."
"My father truly is mischievous, keeping a paladin like you chained to the castle."
"An old man swinging a sword—how much could he swing it anyway? It's a blessing if he doesn't get swept up in the Wheel."
Bernard waved his hand dismissively and chuckled dryly.
But Killaban didn't give up easily, wearing a bitter expression.
"Sir Bernard. As you know, I must prove my worth in this Wheel of Patalite. And I need to show my children the father I can be, one they won't be ashamed of."
"You can do that well enough."
"No. I can't."
Killaban stated firmly.
"This Wheel of Patalite will be vastly different from before."
"…How can you be so sure?"
At Bernard's question, Killaban only gave a meaningful smile.
"I've heard you've been spending a lot of time with Emily lately."
"She's a lovely child."
"House Jerban can be quite ruthless even to its own blood. They say lions push their cubs off cliffs."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Join me. Otherwise… Emily might get crushed under the Wheel."
"…Are you threatening me right now!"
"Oh, what do you mean? How could I threaten you, Sir Bernard? I'm just stating facts. You know this—Emily is direct lineage. Even branch families are ruthless to their own children, but direct lineage is even more so."
Emily von Jerban.
The child who carried the direct bloodline would participate in the Wheel of Patalite.
All alone.
"Poor girl. No mother, no father, not a single person of her own. With her sacred blood sealed like that, yet she has to endure the Wheel as a Jerban… It's pitiful."
Bernard swallowed a groan.
Everything Killaban said was true.
Emily.
She was direct lineage of House Jerban, but without mother or father.
Jealousy and envy surrounded her in the family, too much to bear, and in the power struggles, she was in a position where she could be devoured at any moment.
‘If only she lacked talent.’
Unlike her sealed sacred blood, her talent for swordsmanship was exceptional.
Even House Jerban, famed for its swordsmanship, couldn't easily abandon Emily despite her sealed sacred blood.
Her talent was that outstanding.
"But if you join me, Sir Bernard, I won't let Emily get swept into the Wheel. I'll keep her under my protection."
Killaban, who would become the next head.
He had the power and ability to do so.
Bernard hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.
"This must be the will of the gods as well."
"Hmm… What a shame. But time is still on our side. If you change your mind, let me know anytime."
Creak, thud.
Only after Killaban left did Bernard click his tongue.
"A snake of a man."
Better him than that one.
Bernard thought of someone else who was unusually obsessed with his sword.
* * *
A few days later.
[Wheel of Patalite]
-Death's fate spills from destiny and looms over you.
-Survive.
<Reward> [???]
"Hmm… So it begins."
I stared at the quest that appeared as I left my lodging, my gaze lingering on the reward for a while.
The Wheel of Patalite.
「Main Quest」
It had started, just as expected.
"I've been preparing all along. Time to face it calmly."
Even marked with question marks, I knew the general reward.
When a quest appears on the pilgrim's path with a ??? reward, it means one thing.
‘Variable.’
The reward varies by situation.
There's a quest completion grade.
From S-grade to F-grade.
The reward changes based on the grade.
So I couldn't know exactly what situations would unfold…
But I'd planned the broad strokes myself.
Not much to keep in mind.
"Turn Roas into a spirit sword soon…"
Become stronger than now, receive Lakan from Bernard.
Strengthen Lakan, go to Dexter to unlock potential, and few enemies would be a threat.
"The Wheel of Patalite is…"
A quest where hordes of magical beasts appear to replenish nutrients during breeding season.
A simple quest—just enter the White Forest early and hunt them down… If only the world worked that simply.
This quest is the trigger.
Only after the North collapses in chaos do Carpe's high nobles rush to sell out the country and flee to the Empire.
It's the moment when those wavering ones decide to fully side with the Empire as the North falls.
The North crumbling is like losing Carpe's pillar of support.
House Jerban, symbol of the North, falling is the spark of Carpe's downfall.
And that spark comes from failing this quest.
Knock knock.
The knock interrupted my thoughts, and I grabbed Roas, propped by the bed.
From midway, it snapped and the blade halved, but feed it blood and it regrows like a lizard's tail.
Useful or creepy—hard to say.
"Who is it."
"It's Brans, my lord."
"Come in."
Creak.
The door opened, but I didn't let go of the sword. I'd mastered the Muscle Binding Technique long ago, and my senses were sharply honed.
As the door opened and Brans entered, I sensed the presence hiding behind him. No way I'd miss it.
"M-my lord…"
"Pathetic fool."
Brans stood there with hands raised, sniffling.
I knew a girl behind him had a sword to his back.
"What brings a daughter of Jerban to this shabby place."
Emily von Jerban.
A young girl with black bobbed hair and ash-gray eyes. She held an antique small sword suited to her size.
Emily looked straight at me and spoke.
"Grandfather said the wastrel would hunt with me."
"…So what does that have to do with threatening my servant."
"It's a test. Of course, the servant who looks like a mashed potato is disqualified."
"Wh-who said mashed potato! Eek!"
Brans, trying to retort, raised his hands higher at the sharpness poking his back.
"Threatened by a little brat… Truly useless."
"M-my lord…! Save me!"
I shook my head involuntarily.
"So. Am I disqualified too?"
"I'll test that right now."
"How are you going to test…"
As I started to ask, Emily's small sword thrust forward.
A thunderbolt thrust.
Arm extended straight.
Legs tensed solidly for the thrust.
All combined into a thrust no child should manage.
Swoosh!
Clack.
"Cheeky."
I caught Emily's small sword between thumb and forefinger. At this level, she could handle bandits. If not for the sealed sacred blood, it'd be a thrust beyond her age.
‘She's talented.’
Smart kid, and talented in swordsmanship too.
She could match ordinary knights without holy power.
"You wastrel!"
At the same time, Emily vanished.
"Better than Brans."
The moment I grabbed her sword, she released it and launched a roundhouse kick at my temple.
Amazing jump and agility.
Clack!
But a body with sealed sacred blood is still a child's, no matter the training.
The power behind it was just that.
I lightly caught her foot with my left hand, lifted her, and tossed the red-faced, fuming girl.
Thud-!
"Cheeky!"
"The cheeky one is you. Testing me with that skill?"
Was I too harsh? Her eyes welled up with chicken-tear-like droplets, looking so sad.
"…Did I do something wrong?"
"S-seems like it, milady."
No, wait.
This isn't my fault.
"It's your fault."
"Why is it my fault!?"
"You brought her."
"…Then I'll go. Shall I bring some tea?"
He's fleeing.
As Brans ran off, silence filled the room. Kids are such a hassle.
Suffocating quiet stretched on.
A while later.
Emily wiped her eyes, sat on the bed pretending nonchalance, and said,
"Fine. Not bad for a wastrel. I permit you to travel with me."
"…I planned to anyway, even without your permission. I'm doing this for Bernard's request, not because I like you."
"Hmph, I don't want a wastrel's escort either."
"Then tell Bernard yourself. Say you don't need my protection."
"……"
But for some reason, Emily didn't say more. Why did Bernard make me join the Wheel of Patalite with Emily of all people?
‘Should I say no now?’
No.
Not the type to accept that.
So what's the reason?
Pondering slowly, the answer was surprisingly close.
"Are you being ostracized in the family?"
Jerban children are considered adults past twelve.
Not truly, but hunting northern beasts proves adulthood.
Those carrying Jerban blood must hunt beasts after twelve.
To prove themselves.
Beast hunting is a sacred duty for Jerban.
Emily too.
But Jerban isn't mad enough to send a twelve-year-old alone into the White Forest.
With hordes of beasts, who'd risk that?
The rule is to assign family knights, form a party.
Of course, power differences mean fewer retainers if you're weak.
Fewer knights assigned.
And Emily surely has… even fewer.
Otherwise, Bernard wouldn't task me knowing my identity.
Her eyes sharpened, hitting the mark.
"They're all scared of me. I'm pretty, smart, and good at swordsmanship."
Right on.
"No parents?"
"……I have to prove myself in this hunting tournament. Or else… I'll be killed."
What now?
"Killed? What do you mean."
"The man who'll be next head. Killaban von Jerban will kill me."
"…The branch family's adopted son?"
"Yeah."
"Why would the next head kill you? You're not direct blood anyway."
At that, Emily clamped her mouth shut.
"…Are you direct lineage?"
Emily nodded.
Kallias's brow furrowed.
The current head's direct descendants I knew of: two.
Kallias, cast out of the family.
Elise von Jerban, my sister here? No, only me and Elise.
‘Elise's daughter?’
But no.
Elise, Kallias's sister, isn't even in Jerban anymore, and she wouldn't have a child.
That leaves Kallias, but a twelve-year-old? Impossible.
‘I'm twenty-six.’
That'd mean she got pregnant at fourteen.
Doesn't add up.
"No way."
Then only one possibility left.
"You're the count's child?"
Emily, looking sulky, turned her head and quietly nodded.