Chapter 393: Unconcealable (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 393: Unconcealable (3)
When I opened my eyes, the first two people I saw were Gilly and Murakan.
Gilly’s eyes were red and brimming with tears, while Murakan had an arm around her shoulder, offering comfort.
The certainty that they had been by my side the entire time wrapped around me like the softest, warmest silk imaginable.
“Kid!”
“Young Master!”
Gilly and Murakan leaned in close, their faces etched with concern as they checked on his condition.
“Gilly. Murakan.”
“Young Master, are you truly all right? Do you feel any pain or discomfort?”
“Not at all. What about casualties? Were there any? Did any knights die by my hand?”
This was the question that had weighed on him until the very moment he collapsed.
He didn’t want innocent knights to die in a struggle between him and the family. Even if most of them belonged to his ‘enemies,’ they were still loyal members of the clan and clearly weaker than him.
If the day ever came when he had to cut them down, he wanted it to be through honorable combat or a justified purge—like when he dealt with Joshua’s knights in Samil—not in a one-sided ‘raid’ like this.
“There were none, Young Master.”
“That’s a relief.”
—[And I shall issue one command to all members of the family below the rank of Flagbearer.]
—[Exert your every effort to protect the guardian knights, so that not a single one of them perishes by my blade.]
The fact that his command, issued while unleashing the Pluto’s Sovereign Sword, had been upheld was significant. It wasn't that the junior members had actually thrown themselves into danger to follow his orders, but the end result made it appear that way.
“Is worrying about knights the first thing you should be doing when you wake up, kid? Do you have any idea how much Strawberry Pie and I worried while you were out cold…?”
“I know. I’m sorry for making you worry.”
As Jin gently embraced them both, Gilly let out a sigh of relief. Murakan, however, immediately pulled away, grumbling about it being gross.
“No, Young Master. I’m the one who caused you great concern the moment you returned.”
“How did you cause me concern, Gilly? The family was the one that treated you unfairly.”
Jin’s gaze naturally shifted to Murakan.
“Murakan, did Sir Telot truly treat Gilly with respect?”
“Yeah, that human’s got some sense. Looked like she had a more comfortable time there than she does looking after you.”
“I expected as much from Chairman Homin. I was just worried Jorden’s faction or the other elders might have harassed Gilly after the incident.”
“You think I would’ve just sat back and let that happen?”
“I suppose not.”
“Besides, who would be foolish enough to mess with your people in this situation? Khaha! The whole place is in an uproar. Your mother and the 3rd Flagbearer are still in intensive care, and those brats in the Elder Council are too busy walking on eggshells to do anything else.”
The Garden of Swords was still reeling from the shock. The martial prowess Jin had displayed had far exceeded the expectations of everyone in Runcandel.
Of course, since he had lost consciousness immediately after, everyone who witnessed it knew he had unleashed a dangerous technique at the cost of his own life.
But he was only nineteen.
Barely an adult. At that age, who else could turn the Runcandel Clan upside down, even by staking their life on it?
Anyone who had seen it could say with certainty: only Jin. It was questionable whether even Luna, at nineteen, could have accomplished what he had.
He had even severely wounded Rosa before collapsing. Both she and Luntia were still receiving intensive treatment from the medical team.
Because of this incident, even those who despised Jin had no choice but to admit it: he possessed potential that surpassed even Luna’s.
“That must be quite a sight.”
“You damn brat, do you have any idea how many days you’ve been lying here just because you exerted yourself a little?”
“A little? I was pretty incredible.”
Incredible.
Jin felt he had shown a side of himself that justified that description to the stagnant Garden of Swords. The cost had been steep—arriving with both arms severed and hovering on the brink of death—but the result was undeniable.
“Yeah, you were incredible. But if you’re ‘incredible’ one more time, there won’t be a next time.”
“How long was I unconscious?”
“Ten days.”
“So I really almost died. It seems I’ve been relying on Rani’s help too much lately.”
“Kid, you were in a state where even that religious fanatic’s divine power couldn’t guarantee your recovery.”
“Then who treated me? The family’s medical team alone wouldn’t have been enough…”
Jin trailed off and inspected his body. Now that he thought about it, he felt far too good for someone who had just woken up from the brink of death.
“…Was it the Blood of Numerus?”
Murakan and Gilly nodded.
A mere three minutes ago, his pulse had been faint, his breathing irregular, and his body limp and unconscious. Even his Heart of Light had been devoid of luster, like an extinguished lamp.
Yet, that same body had regained its vitality in an instant, all after absorbing a single drop of blood left behind by a vanished god. It was as if that monumental battle had been nothing but a dream.
“Who on earth gave it to me?”
“Your father.”
“You’re joking, right?”
The response slipped out before he could stop himself.
Not once in his entire life had he ever imagined that Cyron Runcandel, his father, would help him in such a manner. He had known for a long time that his father held him in high regard, but this was on a completely different level.
This was direct support in the war of succession.
Until now, none of his siblings had ever received such backing from Cyron.
“Young Master, the Head Butler brought it personally just a moment ago. He said it was the only one of its kind in the family.”
“Why are you making that stupid face? It doesn’t suit you.”
“I’m just… honestly, a bit surprised.”
In his dazed state, he couldn’t immediately think of what to say.
“Aside from me, Murakan, and the Head Butler, no one in the family knows that the Blood of Numerus was used on you.”
“No one knows?”
“Yes.”
The family assumed the Head Butler, Heinz, had visited Jin’s room merely to check on his condition. No one would have expected the Patriarch himself to bestow the Blood of Numerus.
Pfft.
Jin burst into laughter.
“Young Master?”
“What are you laughing at?”
“There must be a reason Father bestowed the Blood of Numerus in secret. It seems I’ve been misjudging him.”
“A reason…?”
“If he wants to keep it hidden, there’s no need for me to announce it. I think the three of us should just spend a couple of cozy days together here before I head out. If I leave immediately, the Head Butler will fall under suspicion.”
“Ah!” Gilly clapped her hands as she realized his intent.
“You plan to keep it a secret that you received the Blood of Numerus from the Patriarch?”
“Exactly. At least half the people out there probably want me dead. I’m curious to see what kind of faces they’ll make in a few days.”
“Is that all right? Since you’ve woken up so suddenly, it will soon be obvious that a sacred object of Numerus was used.”
“I’ll just say it was something I obtained during my time as a reserve flagbearer. Whether they believe it or not, they have no way of proving it was a gift from Father.”
“But it is a sacred object personally bestowed by the Patriarch… I worry that you might incur his wrath.”
“If he wanted to take credit, he wouldn’t have given it to me in secret. Since he gave it to me, it means I can handle it however I see fit. More importantly, tell me more about the atmosphere in the family. How many are looking to side with me?”
“It is difficult to say for certain yet. However, based on Petro’s observations, it seems roughly ten percent of the first division of guardian knights and a tiny handful of enforcement knights look upon you favorably.”
“It’ll be hard to distinguish friend from foe right away. If we assume the neutrals and knights of other flagbearers make up about twenty percent, the rest are loyal to the Elder Council and Joshua.”
“That is correct.”
Even if he managed to rally all the neutral forces—a monumental task in itself—he would still be facing an overwhelmingly uphill battle against the combined factions of the Elder Council and Joshua.
It was an undeniable fact that Jin had caused a massive stir.
Nevertheless, a deeply rooted establishment does not crumble easily. This was a truth that applied not just to Runcandel, but to every organization in the world.
“Furthermore, Joshua won over most of the other martial houses in Huphester long ago, so those allied with him won't easily change their stance.”
“I’ll never understand humans. They saw you practically half-destroy the Garden of Swords by yourself, and they still won't switch sides?” Murakan grumbled.
“No one died.”
While it was a relief that no knights had perished, it also inadvertently revealed the limits of Jin’s individual power.
The only reason not a single person died amidst that terrifying storm of magic and lightning—a display that could have been a massacre—was because this was Runcandel.
“During my time as a reserve flagbearer, even Eldest Sister Luna faced difficulties when she came to see me and Father. While individual martial prowess is extremely important, one can never face Runcandel alone. Everyone knows that, which is why they continue to support Joshua. He’s the stable choice.”
“Then, since you said ten percent seem favorable, we should start by securing them. Should I go meet them?”
“You?”
“I’m still a fairly symbolic figure in this godforsaken clan, aren’t I? If I start recruiting knights in earnest, the effect should be quite—”
Jin and Gilly both burst into laughter at the thought.
“Is it funny?”
“You’ll only end up hurting your pride, Murakan. If they were the type to be swayed just by seeing you, they would have joined us long ago.”
“Hmph! I need to get my full strength back soon.”
“Besides,” Jin added, “I have no intention of meeting those who are favorable toward me.”
“What? Why?”
“‘I think you like me, so please be on my side.’ That’s not very appealing. I need to make them come to me on their own, swearing loyalty even if I just stand still. I’ll put on a proper show when necessary. That’s how I’ll expand my influence within Runcandel.”
Jin met their eyes, his own glinting with purpose.
“The ones I need to meet personally are the forces outside.”
As always, Jin intended to build his strength from the outside in.
“Viment, the families of the Lutero Magic Federation, the martial houses of Huphester that can still be swayed, top-tier mercenary groups like the Black King Corps and the Ghost Captain’s unit, and other major neutral powers. That is where the expansion of my influence must begin.”
Jin intended to prove to them all that his abilities were not limited to mere martial might.