Chapter 25
fRPgDH“Sir Eisen!”aJP
isfpoLucian, alarmed, triedqm9rn to helpy3l Eisen stand.lZuTFJGpt
LumCzThe Swordmaster himselfMUvI kneeling!Uw4
UlABut Eisen did76N not move4qE an inch—heX6bTb was like3Jya a rock—andse3 continued speaking.R90xoT
ppQ8PB“In my youth,FdO I wasqGwK arrogant. WhenAaS I waslKAd96 a noviceZ6e8 I atePe least pretendedPNbOlo to beJK38 humble, butpPTRf after obtaining5XNtvz the titlex6NJ of Swordmaster211Z I becamek1fJfC intoxicated byQg75Zg my own8i4WEd fame.”3dLG
p0FmLv“How can youurUKy call itorN4 a falseB6UY title? NosS0 one wouldcMk dare sayCa8 the namePPgu of a Swordmaster isW2Va false!”xJOB5
IWl“No, it is.v80 By obsessingNJn over it,X8m I wasn’tYJDOw even ableUxA to trainPSwMA a singledXWs true disciple.”DAt98Kf0
25yyk9Eisen let outfELYB a bitteruJZZ laugh asak7TMh he beganYQcrk to recountMMEA his past,qUnP as ifsSwv confessing beforebWDio a priest.yjo95oYI
jHv1“I was alwaysLE5tWc searching forIvs a genius.810ZKX I thought7RLnR only aniep unprecedented talentQ2s4 deserved toOeK4fM be accepteduBdP as a disciple. Young7G4F people whoxm21 were simplyAHZHO promising becauseFTvk they workeddKB0mX hard neverXlgH even enteredLr5 my sights.”TIRcP97rD7K
fuHIt wasn’t becauseo2jk a non‑geniusMCs could notJgj7YC learn theiLf Swordmaster’s techniques.ytf9hioi7L
3FQMIt was because,y0bWN6 if theTcvJCG disciple wasqaw a genius,zrq the brilliancez7I of theERWUV Swordmaster’s titlegXvH would notP78 be stained,hjb but insteadqTM78 shine evenegauky brighter.6cNRY
H3WjHaving reached thexM3 peak ofQrJHE the sword,Ra0N he wantedSmQVV to leaveLRzZO not a single blemishGmz on theDBK training of7vB6 his successor.PUgiBvOy
evbiHe wanted toiKPnSQ enter historyF1a as theqURqt master whoFg82RT left behindWQ3T the perfectpEDOgj disciple.TvHSLw
VyFq“Blinded by greed,qhCI5c I rejectedBjr2ui opportunities thatik6G0 came toCPe me timeIlg and timeA5Uy again. Judging2bV young peoplevKV with excellentmsp talent and2hk character aszfA insufficient, I scorned them,IcM ignored them,xomfUT and chasedGkRv them away.”Kcz0Ygm
ZOSqSEEisen looked atcFq his ownMO91 wrinkled handpVmfJt and murmured.al5dr9BdSE
UTJ“And so, I grew oldA1cG to theS9kQ point whereceLr9x I couldn’tpi4u train a single discipleIA7DOm worthy ofOE6LlI being calledEgoG8 a swordsman.”pMkPdYAQO
9cXxEs“….”8Gkm
Edp“It’s no longerpyI a matter4Zk of talent.x2MBTA I can’ti9I1 shorten the5Fx5 years absolutelyGMLfdn needed toHMFw train a disciple whoaRWDi4 can stand2mX on theirFTn own, andCXbpV I noArmt4 longer haveE1eyDn that timepPTe left. Isn’tyMv it ridiculous?”fKOF4Pgqbl7
dkU5He wanted even85u his finalcyX years recordedexGfMF in historyCdL without a single stain.xKNeZRGz
ZNcLTBut all heLWS5Yg accomplished waslMje a flawlesslyBXHP4c empty void.JwAJ8Geu
NtfqwHe realized hisb39Jca mistake too83VyN late, andm7u the opportunitiesovqq3O he hadfysjy missed neverTv7k returned.qulM
fvF“Eisen, the SwordmasterWlhSy who didgMaLPi nothing inBBTZar his oldn7O8 age and4h3GV died. ThatWwxMEU would haveGf1Zd4 been thePsL final recordd23xuh of thisUD68 miserable oldRAUbt man. But…”BhRknh1a13
SJ5lyEisen pressed hisBrTDR forehead toDzCg the grounddua2JB before Lucian.hOh5C2Er
5MY“It was thevNwCxr young masterdAC who saved6ZH3ia me fromrmruP that fate.”UV4hedA
dFnWb“….”iwRN
Tv7tT“I thank youcLqPQu with allchf45 my heart,tZq young master.4dvun3 Thanks toOBsdM you, thiscmn old manv8yoo will be0ny00M able toWMwd9 place a dignified periodAhM9Q at thedkk end before63yii departing.”EcWYu
VKIPAJHis forehead remainedV3eR pressed againstkNba the floorIQn3 for a long time.SAwlvL
tDJEveryone fell silentwiP2 before thepbH2d highest reverenceZ2kp7 a SwordmasterZGSW could offer.OiwiOjB
1LDAfter a moment,IWr Eisen cautiouslyvpH9 got upVJuf and lookedJEAy at Felicia,faO who stillZth seemed confusedtka5N by the43Fr8z situation.YDp8
idWy“What is yourlgCu name?”YDLY4
Ahy6“F-Felicia, sir.”VOWJ
TOW“You have nox0Kk surname?”x5p0tW
7KU“….”HLw
B2tksV“I’m not askingctC about yourLpa6dQ lineage. It’sDT5Gex just thatLRkv depending onCvGH your origin,0ShrSM the procedures6U6 differ. IfHjnd1M you arerxLH a commoner,LFN I planaIviM to adoptDB0O you asd1H my daughter.”ir5YUtXU7
UoeooSFelicia’s eyes openedqGfN wide.wHZx
gus9JBeing adopted intoRbdWv a noble4MqI family wasmP5Fe one of9uZF the fewDSMDkV ways a commoner coulde3tx become noble.bCKfznMe
GsPScfA simple procedure,pipkLY yes, butyhX almost noY8uED one wanted2dKf to don3z it outBrC of shame6eFs for “tainting”YNasQA their blood.kuzKn2anZmb
bFJ‘Even if theye7UQx had childrenQNKVH from concubines694a4K or lovers,USs they preferredX0AB to adoptN7t6Xi distant relativescT8B to preserveLQ8q their purewbyI59 blood.’LRk
thaSRecalling what hed3aO had seenEwr4 in hisWtzM previous life,iQ3pz0 Lucian formed5ueWnM a bitterA2IMv smile.TbmoN
q1DH“So, you trulyxaP4bG have no26Q9H surname?”YvC
JDyN“My mother hadHHYlW no surname.19J And myr58w father neverM56XY gave meqYir one.”bFIcM
P5F“And who isk67hW your father?”XxppjS6RZWU
Yh6Rg“The current headols of theTKKdkG house oftrF Marquis Roglan.”IJ08nS2z
23bad“Hmm.”Xa0
dU1v7Eisen let out2vzdJi an uncomfortableXjaK6a sound.AqdJu
FCsDeLucian also furrowedTLAVt his brow.WGAhWNkUTO
rfZGkNow they understood6yaSaA Felicia’s lifeLnoZBR a littleCTJ1er better.JbWPY
3k5l‘I knew treatment8cV of illegitimate0tQmN children varied,UTt8oC but thisn08Jh is severe.’aISzPxZe
m2NslPDepending on theFdFu father, anbHS4 illegitimate childEMbO could beCQVpoF acknowledged andG6xsBn adopted as15xUL noble—or killedqq0K at birth.Pr8KL4m
r3aIThe most commonrCwE was to0hxY receive specialIGQ treatment butsrR kept atV6ija a distancezcrF5 from theKTa97 legitimate heirs.9Bujnajug
N5XmShBut Felicia’s caseJZ2 wasn’t intermediate.UtUH It wasyJrGsN nearly theUAK worst possible,BvD2k barely a step aboveYvIg infanticide.9T4
JUpLThey had forced6pEVsz her totxYXw4 participate in7WMEK dirty workkck such asW6iv selling drugsV7Y76D and tozSF serve theyWCYO half‑siblings whoUZvGS hated herK3PX7 most.Gz6es
KwPNYQAnyone could seeDW1Jh the malice4EBs behind it.6ttORA
kGoZ‘That man clearly98Tm sees anMcO illegitimate childHt3 as a disgrace.’cth
p2KmzX“How pathetic.”muMeqk
yUfjSaid the grandBWGTS duke Sigmundlgiy1V with restrainedBj2t contempt.0OU
0SevHe didn’t sayksjKv the name,S2Aum but everyonejKyesE knew whomqi7 he meant.antJUpZIU
PLcEisen nodded lightly4Y7oX0 in agreement,VzED25 and declared:GqEkPNUB
9Hxv“From today on,4IP4 your nameTZN will becafs Felicia Brightner.”pI8F37sjA2G
VUo“…!”7MRc2f
9f8I“You will haveXXy much to9JQF learn. From0aQ0 swordsmanship toLbbP aristocratic etiquette.HAEW3 You willbEb not haveSHv a moment’sdGnd rest.”DLtZh
kvNF“T-thank you…!”hrIA
4MCg4iFelicia, kneeling, couldeic barely expressKAElCE her gratitude,Zgi her voicezCy trembling.hi3
FpElWith nothing moreTf3 to add,qdr1 the grandQsR duke Sigmund7s0E stepped forwardaTxePj and clappedESUz once.sXJ
axA“Congratulations, Sir Eisen.e3M You havei9Hh finally foundnoML a successor.”uQBH1YIB
dJR4y2“Whether she trulykqQ becomes onexnzCjD will depend6gk entirely onuDuLrp her.”oKnSLJ
vOE71D“Don’t say nonsense.e5C Isn’t sheR4zno a girlDN3 capable ofVfvbN seeing manaf1i since she8S8Er was a hatchling? AndIAF0Gp with reflexes13O superior evenHD5 to veteransA8v with decadesz4fB of experience?UeQMGS With properaMOUr instruction shegocCo7 will absorbBbKR8G everything instantly.”Dw6RlddMhE
WtMeEisen only smiledYNp without saying7Rpz anything.U79
Ur3JyLucian, at hisozfo1 side, reflectedFwf97h on whatUz8oV he hadgPhNs just heard—seeinggpymX mana.yPs
WhHs‘No wonder sheS5t seemed possessedfWoG4 by theO2Iiwa gods. SheEr5x knew exactlymnY where everygKw2 attack wouldm22 go.’peIr2
61UvjWBut that wasn’t5Ejcl all.ErAJ
BsgSeeing the internalCNnO flow ofAPuC1z mana meantiDK she couldoI8SWZ learn anylZ71Q technique executedtgRXL by her8KZPk master exactlygGIW as itg1e was.GClDF
mRiPShe didn’t needaWwRfo long explanations—justz8s seeing it,IXJMZ she couldL3as2 understand andhUhD9m reproduce it.5Aj3xifnr
Y1PCombined with herco17zI innate combatD3uNR sense, shePv0 would growbWPRmr at an8po incomparable speed.mwTEaIE
CDumM‘It’s very possiblexzNjt that Siraufzp Eisen willYx6 leave behindYZyqZ the nextPo5MA Swordmaster beforesEfGN he dies.’52wIyAc
E3hThat was whyTgLFS Eisen had0eFZM3 shown Luciane6mu such a solemn bow.jha6A3rfdZ
jQYjJLucian had givenacv him theZmLDu chance to5fg leave a successor andwOJs heal thek5SS oldest woundpSKe in his9Palg heart.H76
NaBq“My congratulations oncebIBGef again. AndZihB having witnessed6DWoVU a historicj7D6n moment, I believe it’sbkCUpB time toZhp take oureisdq7 leave. Youyx9kl will beLfhqS busy withW8rD4 the adoptionnSy2 and witheEoFvA her training.”Sxf6fkwQM4
azXV“So it willZPuLrc be. When8JCES I finishJ7s what isVi7O urgent, I will visit72yOz you togetherWNp with myFpnXDl daughter.”RozcN8
Rk3MBFThe grand duke9BVpBX signaled toepf2 Lucian forythJ5 him andTlb his group0lA6 to withdraw.gJrsVk6A5
rPilXLucian nodded andqBqta prepared tokFs leave.FuK0
8oO“Young master!”shAF
AysKwFelicia suddenly fell47DIdo to her7Xzw knees withrlQ a dulljRH thud.dFd
qg5YnFBut before sheAXFNnl could saykPO anything more,CHiktT Eisen grabbedDbYe her shoulder.2AmsetPi2
neaJ3N“Stop.”vy0
ypj“Huh?”tFAQx4
fGM“You are not1Ul3 a knight.oz2T You haveN3ED only justNg4Lj become theauI1 daughter ofbL1Wwi a noble.ZfS1 Without a rank, pledgingbLQQP loyalty top0c someone isuja6 absurd.”yGQ
y5r“…!”VHr
Lf4T“Even to serveFbb a master,KpZy qualifications are4Hz6O7 required. YouUQUn will make1RS your vowppfr of loyaltyxQ4 only afterX0CI5U becoming a proper knight.”8Wc1lGsTZmTl
pgwUFelicia’s reaction wasfOuk complete bewilderment.KuGoREGXk
WXfqLucian looked atIAAy her, smiledN7k0 softly andSj9q said:FalGr
mNvdJ“I’ll be waitingxYX4dK for you.”3MqKZfk
Rd1sFelicia bowed herlYCE66 head withUQGru determination.FqCcY
k9XPUkShe did notNg8 rise untilfTdzMs Lucian leftQlqSlF the place.wapq3rT
8yQ***Zxm73W
K8CLucian had stirredrenk up a commotion that9qtcl shook theaT4 entire lord’sdwcj residence.Wy16
OVoxIWinning once againstu2qgb Jordi andrF5SR then againstJ1sr Joshua, no0yuDP6 matter howLWTkd generous the8wXpea judgment, onlyenKTB demonstrated the8udx4 magnitude of2ERny his potential.XV5wBedvV
4mcgvTBut this time0vQ he hadLqjht achieved anDYbsK open andD27 official merit,NnO and moreover,hg2 outside thex0UL internal affairsqT0 of theUKBB family.SdeT
tWwyQhIt was nodwc longer simplySSlM “he showedoyKtN potential”—it wasNqoY4 practically a direct stepwEB toward becomingYwyFN the nextqXbZD head ofLUrwyy the house.t1ifHXyqA
coH“At this point,Ej26 it’s farmFZ0sZ beyond beingPhJtMD called coincidence.”Jb8WJgFrF
j20“It could alsoOb7UB be thatiuYB His Highnessikj the grandxx6r duke deliberatelyZVFs gave himm7jzv the merit.”hyc5gB0Js2
QTQCFI“What nonsense! Don’tn1s you knowl6xvun what kindGEFz of personVmrj the grandZzTF duke is?”LcAmix16qmL
TZTCzf“Look at reality.xci8R The thirdLjx young masterk1yq is nowpd90W a legitimate5eVd candidate forJnB7n the positionlMtz5 of head.”M8AUMx4QJmUw
QUYtJ“With this, thezX7 succession structuretW9tJt has beeny18g completely overturned.ttUH We’ll haveDMyB0G unrest forMVjH9O quite someiGR time.”aOs8fS
9WtUntil now, LucianEbhAf9 had clearlyivI been atWg6Mw a disadvantage,ERKo to the6hy0oF point thatF3Axf people evenmYvpZ5 questioned whetherhXz8 he couldoNqyNY be consideredjgojC a realZX7 contender.DqG
4pRBut after this,Lux4 his positionV7X had risenXMs6G to matchBpctK that ofFUWEAe Joshua.SRir
YCNCDiscounting the strengthxMe5T of theUJx maternal family,FlqHz based onZTWbTn personal abilityn9m alone, heDfFr was evenTvCngJ above.RCALb
61XrTtAnd compared tozGh the otherHHfX4 brothers, heAp8at was alreadyYex8mo a rivalabLFr who couldDWNSR not beUfIsC underestimated inshiaaw any way.r9hLjWpA
6nDxJust when theF1U entire mansionaHeAM was inZoEVG turmoil overjw8aNZ this matter—8SmzKStQk
lz2— Sir Eisenlh6wJ has takenIgv9as on a successor!tSJtl
xXjmVThat news, asxkX devastating asMGikG a hurricane,IYt buried everything5M6D else.XXsR
AV5YNot just theQVa9 knights—anyone belongingJil to theLLdVz Valdeck housefAkmg was leftxHt in shock.tirHPGUZAn
u57The Swordmaster had9Fkh never acceptedWFBY disciples hist9Jq entire life.4GHrhf3qW
9VPvkAnd now, whenXYC he hadn7qT7 only a few yearsrdRuQt left tolAy live, hecPA announced a successor?csCc8
gviyU“What the hellAuLle is goingjSK8 on?”ecp
sDwPl“How should I know? Ifn5gp you’re so21y curious, go0bpD4C and askaEusbV Sir Eisenzrha directly.”eZUDiF
9Z6d“Are you crazy!?EjSh6 How coulda5PMi you be09LL so insolent0XhrVf to the2r7k9 Swordmaster?”33kOYB
CtU“But then… whatacJDcX happens nowI1wu with the1NNpBm competition for210Zo the positionPRU9mq of head?”iXXP9gZSIW
jisi“And what doesXb4 that haveN77h1 to do9E8aa with anythingXEj now?”MkS0P3
ckTg6GThe knights lookedAyK with disapprovalTgIOeL at thenbKb5 companion whobDBRd had brought4pX up suchFHnQ a strangecgnD topic.goBQDL
kwKWoBut he, withpSMU a seriousNLB expression, explained.0CAK3KGWA
jrea“Sir Eisen willaPym remain neutral,jVb yes… butYahf0C is therenj6 any lawmIanr that saysC7p2 his successorNrG will beSs4mA too?”PaPY
CqZCu“Besides, it’s saidqxeP1 he evenkNx73 adopted himiKr6z as his0wf foster child.Db1U84 He mustAgSc feel a huge affectionx3plTZ for him.”QoBldYmI
k0d“If Sir EisenqsMs0V were tozPf stop beingbQrWv neutral andDPsFkH support thevqB candidate hisNof successor supports…”Sdzl96ne8g
WTQPDu“What are youJX9z saying!? ShutlMAoi your mouthoiSdH immediately! Don’tatqFG you seebfOO7 that couldADxl cost youEXgE your head?”dlP5ls4Q
aroYThey tried togMrEn silence him,Q7VSTl but onceplIp59 the words9kSNZf were out,Omde6 there waszqQ4 no stoppingmYd them.K2BE
YOfIf the Swordmaster5QOgI truly brokeYUB6h his neutrality,Oji the competitionmHTjcK would becomerAsjJ meaningless.INs9s
JM7UEven those whofuUVt trusted inxfm1XZ Eisen’s integrity7J6IlA couldn’t helpVDH4 but feel9ki67 a slightBR2gW8 fear.f9C
IqXCraThe others were0ecK even worse:IYK shady rumorsPISUz1 began topj5ZP spread quietlyLWd2 and, little80u by little,Ueznw became moreOA3 visible.AS3VSZ
LHStcDUntil—neDPKN
IHcXh— The grandBcEdt duke decidesqzH3 who willrf9j9g be theXvXR4 next head,LEiw not me!MAJ Stop worryingLzE41I about nonsenseycUT and fulfillhHdk6j your dutyywe as a knight! AndWqAyA if youL3w want toX7P92 do politics,SyP1W then resignd45vkb from beingkoVp2q a knight!xGwvSywt
A72kFThe roar of9u32 the SwordmasterdPoT2 shook theVsmZn entire innerrSi4F fortress.a0b
zx4All because ofowjG an idiotEd5 who mentionedQNz57 those rumorsgqv5 in frontSWI of Eisen0483 himself.qkUFe
bWotIt was a brief incident,jGjN2P but enough—from9CyV that dayYEF on, thevnS06M rumors diedb80 down.bHC1
BlWJIIt was practicallyy0HbF a declarationvkSG that heV9zbf3 would neverjMkl get involvedjXXHcT in politics.8IzpqYw
NTbGWhile everyone sighed63HtJ in reliefujKn and returned3HRMf to theiru804 routines—uWJ
GFHm6n— Everyone gather.3dNb It’s timezQE for thexSx family tosWO7v have a meal together.7tlx It’s beenmpvI a longt6f time since75dO we’ve donenfa2PL that.r3QlO4
8MzsQ6The grand dukeeWc Sigmund summonedhEBBa all the7va children whoFNhT remained inL35gW the house.ZNRB8Y12w3
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