Chapter 27
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: A Life for a Life (1)
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Emilia was glaring at the wooden stick neatly placed on Blanc's desk.
"So this is the sword that Sir Aselheit bestowed upon you?"
"Impressive that you see it as a sword, Emilia."
Traditionally, during a knighting ceremony, the appointing knight would present the new knight with a sword.
However, since swords weren't something you could whip up in a day or two, Blanc had no choice but to accept a temporary wooden stick that Aselheit had been using.
It was the only item connected to Aselheit available, after all.
Aselheit's knighting of Blanc had been a purely impulsive decision. Normally, such ceremonies followed mutual agreement and required some preparation.
But during their duel, Aselheit had recognized the boy's exceptional talent and unyielding spirit right then and there, deciding on the spot to appoint him as his sixth knight.
Though Aselheit had to rush off to investigate a newly emerged calamity, in a few months, Blanc would likely receive a fine sword sent by the Wandering Duke.
Until then, the wooden stick from Aselheit served as proof of his status as the sixth knight.
Blanc had carefully shoved the glorious wooden stick into a corner of his room.
Seeing this, Emilia panicked and pulled it out, waxing it and polishing it to a shine, but her lifelong instincts as a maid were telling her otherwise.
"Young master, no matter how I look at it..."
"Go ahead and say it. Whatever you're thinking."
Emilia hesitated, wondering if she should voice such blasphemy, but with Blanc's permission, she let it rip.
"No matter how I look at it! This is a mop handle!"
Blanc chuckled at Emilia's words.
"Maid Emilia. You're sentenced to death."
"Pardon? Pardon?"
"The crime: tarnishing Sir Aselheit's honor."
"Ahh! Young master, I didn't mean it like that at all. I just said it looks like a mop handle because it looks exactly like one..."
Emilia babbled incoherently in front of him, insisting on her innocence.
Taking pity on her, Blanc swapped the mop handle Aselheit had given him with the one from the mop Emilia had brought for cleaning.
"As punishment, clean thoroughly with this mop today."
Emilia clutched the mop Blanc handed her and could only make a tearful face, at a loss for words.
"What am I supposed to do... What do you expect me to do, young master..."
Emilia, the first maid in history to wield Aselheit's sword.
Year 355 of the Goddess Calendar.
Blanc welcomed the new year after enduring the nightmare of 354. In just a few months, he would come of age.
After his duel with Aselheit, Blanc found handling White Lightning far easier than before.
Sir Edwin explained it as sensing a higher realm, naturally elevating his level of enlightenment, but Blanc was still haunted by nightmares of falling mop handles.
"By the way, how about entering this kingdom's tournament, Baron Blanc?"
Edwin casually suggested it while Blanc trained.
Thanks to the profound insights from dueling Aselheit, Blanc's mastery of White Lightning had deepened, and his overall skill had surged dramatically.
The Blanc before facing the Wandering Duke and the Blanc now were like entirely different people.
Judging that Blanc's progress warranted testing himself in the wider world, Edwin subtly encouraged him to join the knight tournament hosted by the Felix Kingdom.
"Well..."
Blanc had also noticed the shifting atmosphere among the Tolome Family knights.
Those already approved to compete trained relentlessly day and night, with Yonas Tolome being the most fervent.
"Of course, it's a prestigious tournament hosted by His Majesty the King, so I'd love to enter, but with my current skill..."
Blanc humbly voiced his thoughts, but Edwin snorted derisively.
He knew the boy named Blanc wasn't one to back down from a challenge like that.
After all, hadn't he charged headfirst at the legendary Aselheit?
"Of course you'll qualify! As Aselheit's knight under my own guidance, if Baron Blanc lacks the skill, then which knight of Felix Kingdom could possibly enter?"
"But still..."
"Besides, experiencing defeat as a growing knight isn't so bad. You learn from failure and loss!"
'I've already mastered that lesson far beyond mere learning, Sir Edwin.'
Blanc smiled wryly inside, reflecting on his past life.
"Then it's settled—you'll enter the tournament, Baron Blanc!"
His tone was polite, but his intensity suggested no refusal would be tolerated.
"Understood, Sir Edwin. I'll give it my all."
Edwin nodded in satisfaction at Blanc's bright smile.
But regardless of Edwin's approval, Blanc already had plans brewing.
'Right about now.'
Blanc had no intention of entering the kingdom tournament.
The tournament was less than a month away, and in his previous life, an incident had erupted around this time.
'For me, heading there will bring far greater gains than any tournament. I've earned enough honor already—now it's time to secure real benefits.'
Bartolomeo Tolome had four sons.
The eldest, Schmaier Tolome, served as vice-captain of the Royal Knights, elevating the Tolome name while wielding influence in the central power structure.
The second, Viteli Tolome, handled the family's internal affairs from within the household.
He assisted Bartolomeo with external matters and wielded the greatest influence among the brothers in family affairs.
The youngest, Weard Tolome, managed the family's core—the merchant guild—which generated over half their income.
And the third, Stefan Tolome.
He commanded the family's private knight order. Leading the count family's armed forces, he supported allied houses while demonstrating Tolome might to solidify their influence.
Had the Tolome been mere territorial nobles, Stefan's role would have been monster hunts and bandit subjugals for security, but they lacked such lands.
Thus, Stefan lent his forces outward, essentially captaining a noble-run mercenary band.
In his previous life, Bartolomeo's successor wasn't Schmaier but Viteli. The decisive factor was Viteli inheriting Stefan's private forces.
An inevitable shift, as Stefan had fallen in the line of duty.
After Stefan's death, Viteli absorbed the forces and openly clashed with his brother Schmaier.
Blanc aimed to exploit that rift.
To reclaim Norinton, Blanc needed military power.
Not ragtag mercenaries, but well-trained elite soldiers.
Full support from the Tolome knights and private forces would vastly boost his chances.
They were premium troops money alone couldn't buy.
'Wait for the moment. Opportunity will come.'
Blanc swung his sword down, sweat beading on his brow.
Pretending to train diligently for the tournament while awaiting his chance.
And the next evening, two horses galloped urgently toward the Tolome estate.
Deep into the night, an emergency summons went out to all knights of the Tolome Family.
About forty knights filed into the grand meeting hall at Patriarch Bartolomeo Tolome's command. Freshly knighted Blanc was among them.
Blanc wasn't Bartolomeo's knight and owed him no direct fealty, so he had no obligation to heed the summons—but appearances and propriety mattered.
Until fully independent from Bartolomeo, he had to play the part.
Of course, he wasn't here merely for face. This crisis was the very opportunity he'd been waiting for.
Despite the late hour, the knights' eyes were sharp. They all sensed something grave was afoot.
As all gathered, Bartolomeo and Edwin entered from the opposite side.
The knights knelt on one knee, hailing their lord.
Blanc alone did not kneel. Instead, he placed his right hand over his left chest and bowed at a perfect right angle, showing utmost respect.
Bartolomeo despised empty formalities.
Sitting in the prepared chair, he cut straight to the chase.
"Stefan Tolome, captain of the Tolome Knights, is missing."
Even with his son vanished, Bartolomeo spoke calmly.
"Noel and Obet, step forward. Brief the knights."
Two knights advanced at his call.
Twins, identical in build and face, bearing a resemblance to Patriarch Bartolomeo himself.
"Our father, Captain Stefan Tolome, rushed to the Baum Family at their request for aid."
Noel Tolome and Obet Tolome—Stefan's sons, Bartolomeo's grandsons, and Blanc's cousins.
"Miners had gone missing from the Baum Family's mine. Baron Tigor of Baum investigated internally but found no traces, so he called on Captain Stefan for help."
The twin knights detailed their father's disappearance with composure befitting Tolome lions.
"Six knights divided into three teams with soldiers to search the mine. The second team—ten men—vanished during their sweep. The first team, under the captain, went to find them and disappeared as well."
Noel and Obet, leading the last team, sensed the dire situation and raced back to request reinforcements.
'Excellent judgment.'
With their father missing, they could have lost their heads, but the twins stayed cool and made the best call.
Yet they were still young knights in their mid-twenties.
Once the briefing ended, their eyes reddened.
Bartolomeo continued seamlessly, as if he'd been waiting.
"We've encountered an unknown peril. Even veteran Captain Stefan is gone—this won't be easy."
He swept the knights with a grave gaze. His own son missing, his heart must race, but Bartolomeo showed none of it.
"Who will volunteer for this perilous mission?"
Ideally, he'd assign personnel, but he trusted his brave knights. They were Tolome-vetted elites.
True to his faith, about thirty of the forty stepped forward.
'Not yet.'
Blanc knew his place. He stood higher than those knights—no need to act like them.
He held back, biding his time.
Bartolomeo regarded the thirty volunteers approvingly. But missions required the right personnel.
At his glance, Edwin began sifting them.
Brave but impatient knights, honest but unwise ones.
They suited bloody battlefields more than this. They needed calm, clever, experienced knights who could handle themselves.
Ten remained after the cull.
The investigation team for Stefan's disappearance was set.
Now, select their leader.
As that moment arrived, summoned Yonas stared at the floor, head bowed.
He knew he was the fittest leader.
But with the tournament looming, he'd tuned his condition to peak. He didn't want to forfeit that shot.
A chance to win under the kingdom's eyes and earn Schmaier's recognition again.
Blanc eyed Yonas, who signaled no interest in leading.
'You really can't see past your nose, Yonas.'