Chapter 62
Q6mOf course, this couldn’t be all of her talent.7v0GSi
B7e8Felicia didn’t just have exceptional eyesight; from her sense for regulating force to her ability to teach others, everything about her was that of a genius.Hbz6
CGhkZQRBut having a way of seeing the world different from everyone else meant starting with an overwhelming advantage.xK5oGYK
wlqbtZ‘At the very least, against knights of my same level, I could take them down even if they came as a group.’X53za5
FpzFuuuuung.Jv5Yvb
Bq7lQUJust as Lucian, excited, clenched both fists tightly, the violent surge of mana began to calm little by little.EwcM
ZxZsIdIt seemed the effect of the nectar was finally wearing off.6KMrs
AmecxBP“Are you alright?”MfY
AsZPuagh!GZzOSt
gD5“Cough! Young master, you mustn’t speak now!”mEWCr3e
6dCrOh dear. Lucian closed his mouth immediately upon seeing how the mana reacted even to a few words and struck Raymond.I6n
r3cyaPLuckily, it was Raymond who took the hit; if it had been Ian, he would’ve fainted on the spot.whXfF
tGd0URmPssshhhh.hsL
Z6Yvp0After a few minutes, with a sound like a fire being extinguished, the mana completely faded.KAI
T66Lucian feared for a moment that the new vision he had gained would disappear along with the mana, but thankfully it didn’t.SCNnpGL
rYxp‘When I return, I’ll have to start sword training immediately.’CiyTt
JsXIYAfter checking several times that no residual mana remained, Lucian spoke again.04tgkwV
xyj0Qj“I was worried the mana might’ve hit you, but you seem fine. As expected of the Black Lion.”vZiI
89j“That’s what I should be saying! What the hell was that just now? Where did all that mana come from?”1iqr6N1
pl5lQ“What else would it be? This medicine amplified my mana. The effect is excessive—that’s the problem—but it’s definitely a good medicine.”fkNuxG9
YH4“That wasn’t just excessive! That mana wasn’t something a human could withstand! Anyone would’ve exploded and died on the spot…!”UdJ
PyjsNdhRaymond trailed off and looked at Lucian with strange eyes.pNoQ
gJAKCiCome to think of it, that density would’ve been impossible to endure for an ordinary human. So how?QveQVDr
QsGv“My constitution is a bit special. Unless it’s poison, I won’t die just because there’s too much of something.”mtAkV1
ipcOFl“What are you saying? Hiding something from us again?”6pyWFB
2YNXkzN“I’ll explain it later. For now, I think we should take care of that boy first.”OxDRg2
p86rhAwFollowing Lucian’s gaze, Raymond turned his head. At the edge of his vision, Ian lay on the floor, hidden behind a fallen bookshelf.aV56
4tF“Ah… uh… ugh…”UyY
MEKEven though the mana had already dissipated, Ian kept muttering incoherently, unable to regain his clarity.v7U5
otf81He seemed to have suffered a temporary shock from the sudden pressure and his frail body.hKgwy
2WIvON“If he dies, then we’ve got a problem. He’s a genius capable of turning the world upside down.”kLBsc9
O1CjNot even Lucian’s joke could make Raymond laugh.gDJrgic
maUT68After all, what Ian had achieved made even calling him a genius of the age seem insufficient.0bT7V
HpAjqw‘It’s an absurd mana amplification effect. If consumed as is, the body would explode—but if it’s diluted to a level a human can handle…’cvs
Y7PipkDEven being conservative, the effect would be equivalent to several decades of circulation.FY2a
HDFAnd with such purity, the amount that could be diluted would be enormous.TOOWM
V94SChA product that, if it could be manufactured stably even once every few years, would completely change the balance of power on the continent.vmLSi
IyPJust imagining its impact was enough to make Raymond’s back drip with cold sweat.seTS7lK
qzoXf37“Raymond.”H0E
Fm4Lost in thought, Raymond flinched at the voice beside him.QR3El
wNskFrom Lucian’s lips came a voice so serious it was impossible to imagine in his usual tone.ILAaypX
GXIM“Who is your lord?”vchE
pqxx“……”oqZONOk
d770At that question, heavy with meaning, Raymond closed his eyes.MQ2VQ0
Qz62hStrictly speaking, his current lord was Grand Duke Sigmund.wNdeS7
oQrr2fMAs a knight, he should report everything he had seen today.pyLY26
JFU3VHowever, as he felt doubt growing in his chest, he asked himself.wQ7M0A7
BAL‘Is that really the right thing to do?’jc79SwS
2NvJFzFRegardless of his loyalty to the grand duke, this truth was too heavy.0zqP
8hy3yHe doubted even the grand duke himself could handle it without being crushed under its weight.BwALw
AkmDDMoreover, the Valdeck ducal family was in the midst of a succession struggle.9fyxdF
CjZ4There was no room to meddle lightly in something that, if mishandled, could turn the entire continent upside down.uFxs1
wEy‘If I tell the grand duke, he’ll definitely investigate the production method thoroughly and then bury it. With the internal competition so intense, he’s not someone who’d want more worries. If this elixir were ever used, it would be after the next head of the family is decided.’BoEbaBl
CxvqConsidering even the stable manufacture of the medicine, only the next head of the family could truly use it.deNuR
qDIIn other words, the moment this information was delivered, one of the grand duke’s sons would obtain a power capable of ruling the world.GaA5Kon
t9X8W5At that thought, Raymond’s heart went cold.opfM
vV8nsl‘It’s terrifying.’bR7JOnP
nt7ZXThe firstborn, Tristan, was a conservative aristocrat through and through; the second, Jordi, a selfish man who discarded even those who had been loyal to him; the fourth, Joshua, had never shown anything in particular, and no matter how you looked at him, he was merely mediocre.7TP
WT7sIf any of them obtained a power capable of changing the continent, would the world really become a better place?zT0
saBGFs‘If anything, I can only imagine a worse future.’JwG0aBt
xWY5With a bitter smile, Raymond raised his head again and looked at Lucian—the third son of the Valdeck family, still bearing countless secrets.8932x
9GqxIf the future had to be entrusted to the next generation, was there anyone more suitable than Lucian?U1UJ
hOE‘Now that I think about it, it was the young master who brought both the boy and the information about the medicine.’9zYrNeS
akk7YprSuddenly, Raymond felt a clarity awaken within.VKg
Qb2CIf the power had already fallen into the right hands, there was nothing more for him to doubt.HoowhLd
aB3w2Having made his decision, Raymond knelt on one knee before Lucian.KN4On
D2J“Leph Norse, who swore loyalty to the blood of the lion, wishes to serve a new lord, following the flow of that blood.”7eLaV3
3g1kThe words, spoken with his true name, were an ancient oath.V4awRm
PE2mTmiSpeaking a long-forgotten ritual, Leph bowed his head deeply.enNAxW
4GfHAr“Young lion, I offer you my sword. Use it as you will.”uSBiiq
rJudwAt Leph’s oath, Lucian smiled gently and placed his hand on his shoulder.Gr69wI
3AR“From today, your sword shall reside always in my sheath, and together we shall tread any battlefield.”3fY
y1APbTLucian responded with an ancient pact as well and helped Leph to his feet.gWlj
phejAt that moment, the ambiguous relationship between the subordinate of his father and the son of the lord transformed into a true bond between lord and vassal.mx7esD
uspEV2***0z0tzm
2bxTzsThrough the oath, his real name had been revealed, but Raymond still preferred to be called by that name instead of his true one.3wUXz
7FKThe reason was simple—he had been known as Raymond for too long, and besides, he didn’t have fond memories of the time he lived using his real name.XWH
L1zSN“So there’s no need for you to call me by my real name. You can keep calling me Raymond, like before. After all, that’s how everyone knows me.”E8sSjMi
dnpQi“That’s true. Changing names now would just feel strange.”p1pnXh
753NySAs long as one made their origins clear, a name was still something that could vary depending on the circumstances.Sp0
08MhVRGIn the case of nobles, it was even common to receive a new name from their lord or the emperor. If he preferred it, there was no problem in continuing to call him the same.8nFviC
FL9fVd“By the way, that boy hasn’t woken up. It doesn’t seem like he took a particularly strong hit.”a7c
5rl“He was a boy who spent all his time researching locked up in his room. It’s normal for him to have little resistance. He doesn’t seem injured, so once he wakes up…”tYx4ag
ZRZMs2— Ian! Get out here, you damn brat! How dare you dip your hand into your master’s purse?v8pV
BZULucian and Raymond, who were sipping their now-cold tea, blinked at the shout from outside.CznVR
2lyG7kSAlthough the tone was much more vulgar than before, the voice sounded familiar.Lv33CG
8AwgjsA moment later, a shadow fell across the door, and it was kicked open violently.lMS
Mtys0zBang!tfkf7
wef1G“Come out right now! Today I’m going to tear off your leg—!”9tU8
xZuScreaming at the top of his lungs, Haide froze the moment he locked eyes with Lucian.GDHm
MzyJCLucian shrugged and set his cup down on the table.VQhCX
vtSEi“Well, we meet again. Have you been well?”gdas
MgkUq“W-what…? Why is Duke Lucian here?”Y97
gDjr“I was looking for someone to talk to about the moonlight grass, and I ended up coming here. It’s the place with the highest purchase volume.”YjWs7f
Cc5FEdr“Moonlight grass?”iEuJb
r66sMJFHaide’s face hardened again, as if he had suddenly remembered what his money had been spent on.kgupd
UZKR“That ungrateful wretch Ian…!”L6rwp7R
lvgTCwf“Calm down. What happened to get you so riled up?”1b1o
AgQbT“It’s a personal matter, no need for you to get involved. If you’re that curious, I’ll explain it later.”WKV
JriVfRF“I’d like to hear it now.”nFQmMvf
PYRSJgCClack!9Ci3
HhjLucian set the cup down forcefully.wazIj
39YHaide flinched, as if only just now remembering who was in front of him.Rr5q
5uie35After hesitating for a moment, Haide spoke cautiously, watching Lucian’s expression.zPK4
pMdix“It’s because of that boy, my disciple. His name is Ian. He was an orphan, so I took him in myself, gave him shelter, food, and taught him alchemy.”MiJ65
IYm5“Ah. Now that you mention it, when we came earlier, a boy answered the door.”7BO
4uIc“That must’ve been him. He takes care of the house when I’m not around. But that bastard embezzled my research funds without permission…”dPKf
K1ILZThe sound of Haide grinding his teeth was clear. It seemed losing his spending money had really hit him hard.iKVtu
CzViF“I never imagined someone so ungrateful existed. I rescued a dying orphan, fed him, gave him a bed and knowledge, and yet he dared to steal from me!”sBgvLg
ilXLucian silently scoffed.HyTT
rODo‘You’d think he was betrayed by a beloved disciple. And yet he never even mentioned his name when it came to developing the nectar.’s3Y813H
FDI8tzrRecalling how Ian had tried to perform a clinical test without hesitation, Lucian could easily deduce what had happened in his past life.MAESz
WWzQWmIan probably died after experimenting on himself, falling victim to the side effects.fV1ox
rbSScumHaide, upon finding him dead, panicked, investigated the process, and thus discovered the existence of the nectar.Wfn1
Ibj5With such detailed records, reproducing the result probably hadn’t been difficult.i58A4F6
MP6OPvq‘Though I doubt he reproduced it correctly. With an effect like that, even diluted it should’ve produced a considerable amount. And yet the reserves always ran out quickly.’FhkaXBA
7JqSince no one knew the truth, Haide could present the nectar under his own name without the slightest remorse.DOK
HgyBut stolen achievements only grant temporary glory. They can’t hide the lack of true talent.IwZLcqm
ASNSUhAfter the nectar, there were no improvements or new discoveries, and the truth eventually came to light.TdRG6pB
mpw‘He may have even been killed by the high ranks of the guild. For them, being deceived by an incompetent must’ve been humiliating.’fgjGq
W3q“The more I think about it, the angrier I get. I raised him like a son, and he dares touch his master’s money! He always seemed crooked from the start!”fblOJFa
ZKtQHLucian clicked his tongue as he watched Haide rant.Lhl
324“If it hurts you that much, I’ll pay the money your disciple embezzled.”AeMnLv
vjtII“The money isn’t the prob—wait, what?”FxCQvz
RQV9b“I said I’ll pay it. In exchange, hand over your disciple.”r5x0
02lZkaIf Ian had had family, it would’ve been a different story.0wc
3nlaBut being a parentless orphan with no ties, a disciple was practically his master’s property.H4NZgm
rMPZIf Haide agreed, no one had the right to object.7HYHf
jB70USurprised, Haide blinked several times.KfW6aaK
3YxHldT“And what do you want him for?”1pbJL
uKUXpuf“He seems skilled with moonlight grass. I was thinking of hiring him privately. As I said, I’m quite interested in that field.”zNSnx
eeIvs“Hmm… Really?”eij1QR
i1cHaide’s lips curved subtly. After pretending to consider it, he stroked his chin.xU4Kn
n4lU“But if Ian disappears, I’ll be in trouble too. Even if he’s ungrateful, he was competent. He handled both the alchemy and the chores around the house. If he just vanishes overnight…”kD0k
ZlMwF“And what do you want in return?”fbw
6eVzIJQ“Just this.”PLjD
fsvDFbJHaide raised his hand, showing five fingers.cDr
JbZoELucian frowned.uhdU
YLg“Five gold coins?”YFTw
q9ulM1“What are you saying? Five platinum coins.”RXU7
Pa4Lucian nearly fell backward in shock. Even Raymond, who had remained silent, wore an incredulous expression.YE6g
c05ltEd“Are you serious?”zK6
yHOqn“Of course. Even if he’s not an official alchemist, he’s still a guild member. You want to take talent from an institution under the direct authority of the emperor. This is cheap.”VMugmK
DJrQAhFSo now he was trying to drag in the emperor. He’d calculated well—or so he thought.yNXGi
xQ8PVLucian smiled coldly.GIqd
JEP8AzM“I don’t have five platinum coins. But I can give you this.”IBC
ctxcZL“What’s that? If it’s not worth at least—”tBj9A
oW2Haide fell silent the moment he saw the token Lucian was holding out.agS1
Ce23y5He immediately recognized the emblem of the Knights of the Black Scale—the personal guard of the First Prince.dvGwHjp
UK5Te“W-what is your relationship with the First Prince…?”j0tTB
oo2fZOr“What is my relationship?”OxZT
NagLucian smiled, but his voice turned sharp.n3d
zH16ytX“I am Lucian Valdeck. I led a thousand elites in the name of my father, Duke Sigmund Valdeck, during the suppression of the Krephelt rebellion. I fought alongside Marquis Bernhardt and negotiated with Duke Blasker.”JgV
3wy7“…”cBKG
AAO“I came to the aid of the First Prince with a thousand soldiers, fought alongside the Second Prince, and crossed swords with Jurgen. Upon my return, I had the honor of conversing with the emperor himself. Need me to go on?”pkr
2HSThe current head of House Roglan, the leader of the Flame School, the two princes, the commander of the Knights of the Black Scale—even the emperor.9LKA
urtuFaced with the avalanche of names, Haide’s face turned completely pale.a1aHw
bpvLucian looked at him coldly.fkyY
vN5xqD“Say it again, bastard. What did you say about the emperor?”xtDWX65
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!