Chapter 21
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: The Emperor's Summons
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4.
Karron entered Halo's office with Jeras.
Inside, Halo and his three sons were already seated.
Dressed in a fine tuxedo, Halo looked at his grandson as he entered.
Youre here. You must be tired from your mission, but I called you because there is something I must ask you directly.
Not at all, Grandfather. I was in the training hall, examining my mana channels. If you call for me, Grandfather, I would come even if I were asleep.
Yes, take a seat in that chair.
At Halo's words, Karron slowly nodded and sat down in the empty chair.
It was right next to Peil.
The moment he sat, he felt two pairs of eyes on him.
They belonged to his uncles. They couldnt show it openly, but they were still wary of Karron.
And it seems their wariness has grown much stronger.
Considering the dazzling progress he had been making, it was perhaps an expected outcome.
As Karron settled into his seat with these thoughts, Halo began to speak.
I heard you successfully completed your first mission in the Bellus Barony. I also heard that you demanded a share of the mana stone mine as payment for the request. I have a few questions.
It sounded less like praise and more like a reprimand.
You had no right to negotiate on behalf of the family. You haven't even had your coming-of-age ceremony; you are in no position to take responsibility for anything. Were you not aware of that?
Halo began his interrogation, pointing out Karrons fault with pressing intensity.
He had thought this was a meeting to commend his achievement, but was this just a grandfather scolding his grandson?
So this is how youre going to play it?
Karron hid a smile and let out a small breath. He answered in a low voice.
No, my Lord. That is not the case.
First, he corrected his form of address.
This was the head of the house reprimanding a family member. It was more appropriate to call him Lord than Grandfather.
I had no intention of negotiating on behalf of the family.
Did it not occur to you that your impertinent attitude was rude to Baron Bellus and his son? You have tarnished the familys honor.
It was a blatant rebuke.
At Halos sharp criticism, the faces of the first and second uncles brightened, while Peils expression darkened.
Answer me. What on earth possessed you to commit such a discourtesy?
The pressure was mounting.
Halos voice was filled with a rage that seemed ready to devour Karron at any moment.
An ordinary child would have been crushed by his presence and begged for forgiveness.
But Karron wasn't afraid of Halo in the slightest.
It wasn't because he had been Halo's friend in his past life. He simply felt justified in this situation.
As a member of the ducal family, you must adhere to the etiquette between nobles. Etiquette is the foundation of everything. If you cannot even observe proper etiquette, you are nothing but a worthless boy.
This matter has nothing to do with etiquette. I simply made a business proposal to the young Baron Bellus. It was entirely his choice whether to accept, and there was no coercion whatsoever. And above all I believed there was something far more important than etiquette.
He calmly refuted Halos words with logic.
Backing down in a situation like this?
That was precisely the kind of thing Halo detested most.
The best approach here was a direct one.
More important? What could possibly be more important than the very basics?
This question was likely the real point.
Karron slowly nodded his head, then said in a low voice,
For the glory of the family.
A direct, unvarnished answer.
Halo quietly mulled over the response, silently observing his grandsons face.
The glory of the family.
It was a short phrase, but no answer could have been more fitting in this moment.
A brilliant answer.
No one in this room was unaware of the value of the deal Karron had brought back.
Halo had only pressured Karron because he was curious about what had motivated him to make such a proposal.
This boy knew exactly how to make his achievements shine.
If he had shown any sign of arrogance here, Halo would have surely scolded him severely.
This was a meeting convened by the head of the family.
It wasn't a place for commendation, but a place to report a mission's outcome to the family head.
Therefore, that answer was perfect.
It presented his reasoning while subtly emphasizing his own contribution.
It was hard to believe this was the political savvy of a mere thirteen-year-old.
Good.
Halo, who had been watching Karron in silence, finally spoke.
The proposal you brought will be of great help in the long run. Peil, you will personally handle the negotiations. It is an achievement your son brought home. A father making his son's accomplishment shine is not a bad picture at all.
I understand, my Lord. I will form a delegation and depart for the Bellus Barony as soon as the sun rises.
Peil nodded, relieved that his son had not been severely reprimanded.
With the matter of the Bellus Barony settled, Halo immediately moved on to the next item on the agenda.
The real reason he had summoned Karron here at such a late hour.
Halo took out a document printed from a magical press and showed it to Karron.
A document bearing the white lion seal of the Imperial Family.
The contents of the document could be summarized as follows:
- We have received a report of the heroic tale of the youngest grandson of the Leston Ducal Family saving the Bellus Barony from hardship. Therefore, We hereby invite the new hero who will lead the ducal family in the future to the capital.
Simply put, it was a personal letter from the Emperor, summoning him to the capital.
His Majesty the Emperor has summoned you. It seems news of you has reached the capital.
Did you not receive this on your way back, my Lord?
The letter arrived just an hour ago.
Did the Emperor have an informant in the Bellus Barony?
No. The Emperor is just a puppet right now.
It was more likely that information from a powerful noble's informant had trickled into the Imperial Palace.
But even if he was a puppet, an imperial command was an imperial command. To defy it was to give his opponents a justification to act.
Halo surely knew this well.
Nevertheless, Halo said to Karron,
If you do not wish to go, you don't have to.
There was a high chance of getting entangled in complicated affairs. That reason alone was enough not to send him.
At least, that was what Halo thought.
The grandson before him was a figure with the potential to lead this generation. Although he had proven his presence on his first mission, Halo still didn't want to push him into the vortex.
But Karron felt differently.
If His Majesty the Emperor summons me, of course I must go. I can also see my maternal grandfather while I'm there. But will I be going alone? Leo was on the mission with me.
If you go, Leo will go with you. And I will assign the Sea Wolf Knights as an escort for any unforeseen circumstances.
With my maternal grandfather there, that should be more than enough.
Your grandfather Yes, I suppose so.
Halo slowly nodded, thinking of his son-in-laws father.
He wasn't from a martial family, but he had connections in all walks of life. He was on close terms with the high-ranking knights in the capital, and above all, he doted on his maternal grandson.
He was definitely not the type of person to stand by and watch if something happened to his grandson.
Then it is decided. You will depart in three days.
And so, Karron's trip to the capital was set.
You may leave now.
Karron was dismissed.
He rose from his seat without protest. He then bowed respectfully to Halo.
I will take my leave, my Lord.
Youve worked hard. Rest well.
Halos voice had softened, as if he had never reprimanded him at all. At his words, Karron smiled brightly and left the office.
After Karron had gone, Halo looked at his sons and continued.
Now, let us get to the main point. Jeras. Take out what is sealed in the box.
Yes, my Lord.
At Halos command, Jeras retrieved a black object from a box in the corner.
It was an object that resembled a piece of skin from some creature.
Jeras immediately continued with his explanation.
This is a piece of hide collected from the monster that appeared in the western granary region.
On the surface, it looks like the hide of a very ordinary monster. But what it contains is different.
He let out a small sigh.
The dark mana dwelling within it is that of the Evil Emperor.
...My Lord. Does that mean
It means one of two things. It is either a remnant of the Evil Emperors will, or.
Halo clenched his fist and said in a low voice,
The Evil Emperor is still alive.
5.
Having finished a long day, Karron finally returned to his bedroom and lay down on his bed with a towel around his neck.
It had been a fulfilling day.
After days of nothing but training, he had finally gone outside and let loose to his hearts content.
It was a mission where he had gained much.
The first real combat experience was good enough. They were insignificant foes, but Ill be satisfied with this for now.
It was the first time in this body that he had faced other people.
Such growth would have been unimaginable for his past self. It would have been nice to cross swords with the ones Sabina had dealt with, but that couldn't be helped.
Sabina had stepped in and handled it herself.
That meant they were opponents Karron couldn't possibly have managed.
He knew well that life-or-death battles were catalysts for growth, but there was no reason for the current Karron to seek them out.
Im growing just fine with everything theyre handing me on a silver platter.
For now, all he had to do was walk the smooth path the family had laid out for him.
A battle to surpass his limits?
He could think about that once he actually hit a limit.
So far, he had yet to feel one.
Its annoying just thinking about it.
The thought that Halo had probably grown up the same way somehow irked him.
Unlike himself, who had lived through hellish days, Halo must have been a young master who had only ever walked a path of flowers.
The thought made him want to indulge in this luxury all the more.
He would definitely empty the Leston ducal familys coffers
CRASH!
Whats got you so worked up?
...Lady Sabina?
Just as Karron was lying in bed, lost in thought, the door burst open with enough force to shatter it.
Turning his head, he saw Sabina standing there, a bottle of liquor in her hand.
Did you get a scolding during the meeting? Everyone grows up that way. Me, my brother, we were scolded day in and day out.
What brings you here at this late hour?
Im leaving Azurewater Castle tomorrow morning. I came to have a drink with my disciples before I go.
Sabina gave the bottle a little shake, then gently pulled Leo, who had been waiting behind her, forward.
Looking as though hed been dragged out of bed, Leo waved a hand at Karron with his hair all disheveled.
...Good evening.
You dont look like youre having a good evening, Cousin.
Kids sometimes bond by sneaking drinks. Thats how my brother and I strengthened our bond.
Karron chuckled and looked at the bottle Sabina was holding.
It looked very familiar.
Ruanoir 17.
That was definitely
That looks like Sir Jerass liquor.
Jerass room was empty, so I went in and took it.
Sir Jeras is in the meeting, though?
It's his fault for not locking up properly.
Sir Jeras has been locking his door well lately.
The window was unlocked.
Oh. Good to know. Thanks, Lady Sabina. Please, have a seat.
Leo, who had been listening to their conversation in silence, felt a dizzy spell coming on. But it was a dizziness that had become quite familiar. Was he unknowingly adapting to being around them?
The three of them sat down at the table in the bedroom.
Instead of liquor glasses, several water glasses sat on the table.
Seeing this, Sabina frowned slightly and said,
No liquor glasses?
This is a thirteen-year-olds room, after all. Wouldnt it be strange to have liquor glasses?
Hmm, thats a fair point.
Sabina distributed the water cups in front of her grandnephews and, with a smile, filled them with liquor.
A water glass, a liquor glassthey're both made of glass.
True.
Come to think of it, the same goes for you two. No matter who you are, youre both my grandnephews.
She looked back and forth between her two beloved grandnephews and disciples, a fond smile on her face.
She had grown very attached to them over the past three years.
She had never felt regret when leaving Azurewater Castle before. But this time, a lingering sense of wistfulness remained.
That feeling stemmed entirely from these boys. The thought that she couldn't watch them grow further in person was a great disappointment.
You, Karron, are always stealing liquor, so Im not surprised but Leo, have you ever had a drink before?
Ive had some of the liquor Karron brought a few times with him.
Theres no way that little rascal did it out of pure goodwill. He was making an accomplice, wasnt he?
Misery loves company.
That sounds about right. Haha!
Sabina laughed loudly, then poured a drink for herself. She raised her glass slightly and said,
To my disciples' first successful mission.
Clink.
The sound of water glasses clinking together rang out, and Karron smiled as he tipped the whiskey down his throat.
A smooth, hot liquid slid down his esophagus.
Sabina.
His great-aunt, who had looked after him and helped him unstintingly for three years.
In other words
My first master.
Including his past life, she was the first master he had ever had.
Thanks to her help, Karron had been able to build a solid foundation in the Sea-Conquering Arts.
He was sad to part with her, but she had her own duties to attend to. What he had received from her was more than enough.
Lady Sabina.
Yes?
In three days, Leo and I are going to the capital. His Majesty the Emperor has summoned us.
At those words, Leos eyes widened in surprise, while Sabina laughed along with Karron and patted his back.
The capital is about to get noisy. It's a shame I won't be there to see it with my own eyes. The imperial capital, Dekus, is a very interesting place. Lots of people, and lots of strong individuals. It will be a good experience for you.
I, Ive always wanted to go to so many places in Dekus. The capital To think Ill go to the capital and meet His Majesty the Emperor! A social party! Well be able to go to a social party, right, Karron?
His cousin was truly a lightweight.
And at the peak of adolescence, he was already thinking about social parties.
Come to think of it, aside from the servants, Karron had never seen him with girls his own age.
Though I think Ive seen him blush while looking at the female knights?
Of course, those were his comrades, the female knights.
He hadnt had much interaction with the daughters of noble families, so it was understandable that he would harbor fantasies.
Karron took another sip from his glass, a bitter smile on his face.
A memory from his past life had suddenly surfaced.
He could still vividly recall the expressions of the nobles who had looked at him, a former slave, with disgust, as if he were livestock.
Of course, this life would be different.
He was now the promising youngest grandson of a grand ducal family, not a slave-born knight.
Ill have to pack a tuxedo when I go
Leo.
Yes!
I'm telling you this for your own good, but if you're going to a party, you should go alone.
Why would you say that? Ah.
Leo looked at Karron, who was sipping his drink.
Dazzling looks, brilliant talent, and on top of that, a smooth tongue unbefitting his age.
If they went to a party together, Karron would undoubtedly steal all the attention.
Leo.
...Yes.
So just shut up and drink. Your glass is not empty, is it?
Yes
And so, the night of the master and her disciples deepened.