Chapter 70
xuvn1Hugo stared in astonishment at the bluish mist rippling around his body.mRz4
XaEKayIt wasn’t an illusion caused by the refreshing sensation spreading inside him.KvsZ
mIk0This was mana—clearly visible, condensed to the point where anyone could see it with the naked eye.A9C
bg8“This is insane… damn it!”917in73
F9TtWhoooosh—ymu
gPMrEven as the curse slipped out, mana surged through his body from end to end.QpoVA
q9VLThe feeling of those minuscule mana channels he had always had being forcibly expanded by the overwhelming flow of mana was indescribable.A7hiKqt
hCs9The mana advanced unhindered, not only widening the paths but also seeping into the fibers of his muscles and bones.hwQt
vmyFY6A“What the hell is this…?”LSn
hBnHugo’s fingertips trembled.1BqPx
Wcoq3fnDespite the overwhelming freshness and clarity coursing through his entire body, the first thing he felt wasn’t joy—it was unease.oqkCDq5
YMnqThe effect was so extreme that it almost felt like he was ceasing to be human and turning into something else.x8T
2z9U“This isn’t spiritual medicine. Definitely not.”y9q
CQlmHCAs a former underworld boss, Hugo had never seen spiritual medicine with his own eyes.p7aiZnU
8kNStill, even he could tell this wasn’t anything like the rumors he’d heard.JSX
l8GhUjDIncrease mana purity, smooth out channels, slightly heal internal injuries? This couldn’t be summed up so simply.wRuoM
yMAttswWhoosh—X63pG
sKrBf“Huuh—!”ctRZiU
Hm43wjWith his body vibrating from the massive amount of mana filling him, Hugo let out a heavy breath.qciWd
VjjFrom his mouth came a dark bluish smoke, accompanied by a foul stench. Instinctively, Hugo knew what it was.tDWW9J
pKrW0pO“This… was my original mana? I’ve been circulating something so full of impurities through my body all this time?”Abt0
3gCA hollow laugh escaped him.YoKP4d
7PNelThe mana he had valued so much felt pathetic now, compared to the new mana flooding his insides.gcWDr
CqEemGQ“How do you feel?”nfLs
Cj9StHI“…!”aENe
gc9OnAt the sound of Lucian’s voice, Hugo flinched and touched his ear without thinking.fvi
UNnSDPNot because the question was sudden, but because the sound he perceived was incomparably clearer than before.6zNR
MZisc“T-this is weird… this… this is…”GpK1a
ywDUnable to continue, Hugo shut his mouth and touched his face.9x1qSsO
f8mIt wasn’t just his hearing.T9haxSN
AySHis sight—and all his other senses—felt far more vivid than before, and his sense of touch had become unnaturally sharp.KoPJns
wztemm2He felt as though he could even sense someone’s mana before they swung a sword.b2e
2LtRIP“C-can I… swing a sword?”A34b
XMwQ“Of course.”o3hm4f8
9j79At the trembling request, Lucian handed him his own sword.DYvijw
ovbHugo slowly unsheathed it and performed several techniques in the air from that third-rate swordsmanship he had always used.SYkS
9EPQjWhooong—NpFqX9h
5VPN“I can see it.”eAs6Xf
J2RHis enhanced senses clearly conveyed the sword’s range, the force in each strike, even the subtle shifts at the tip of the blade.Iop4wHZ
cvBKbIs this how people with sword talent saw the world?gmHYui
0gc3hLSwept up by the emotion rising in his chest, Hugo kept swinging the sword.llg1lE
ZObA93Wham—YnG
jKbmoM5Even though he used the exact same techniques, the power was incomparable to before.iuN3w8K
Cc4y0No longer merely mimicking postures like a monkey, his body now found the most efficient movements on its own.wwx1u
FhEyWhen he finally lowered the sword, Hugo had performed every technique he knew.Ii5G
dCiC“Huuuh…”l5c
xmb6oPClap, clap, clap.2k1OK
d1rXdV“Excellent. Your swordsmanship is much sharper than before, isn’t it?”ldNU4D
WQectI“…!”4UtGR
BglAt the sound of clapping beside him, Hugo snapped out of it.wUEo
Me7u5qOnly then did he realize what he had done.xOR
RMANot only had he drawn a sword in front of his lord, to whom he had sworn loyalty, he had also swung it around for quite a while.SflW
cqMDRealizing his mistake, Hugo immediately dropped to his knees.qDtR
spE“Young master, I’m sorry! I lost my composure and…”hIeEH
NK4“It’s fine. I understand how you feel. More importantly, how’s the effect of the medicine?”7tHY
cXPQeWHugo shut his mouth, unable to answer.8diPaB
EwlThe effect? It had far surpassed any imaginable level; if anything, he wanted to ask how something like this could even exist.z37
jz8SBut what unsettled him more was Lucian’s intention in giving him such an absurd medicine.HoMFmI
aB91gT“He said I was the first…”pm8l2U
GVgVThis was such an extraordinary treasure that it made everything previously called spiritual medicine seem like junk.Q11J
fHebhgxIf put on the market, it could be traded for a fortune, and if used to win loyalty, it could even sway the heart of a statue.fNrbC
vF8fAnd yet, Lucian had handed it to Hugo like it was the most natural thing in the world.XO9jMf
IWHzCompared to the promised knight title, a single bottle of this was worth several times more.BrqvH
6piDAIW“Do I… really have enough value to receive something like this?”GE9w9xX
qR1dSThe words slipped from Hugo’s lips before he could stop them. It was a question out of place, but Lucian only shrugged casually.7FjTFI
0eJhb“You’re going to work by my side for life. This is nothing more than a reasonable investment.”JA3
xHrVx“……”mjPuh
duTeKLucian’s nonchalant tone, paradoxically, made something tighten in Hugo’s chest.PZZ2Xx
VKKXIt sounded like the most obvious thing in the world, as if even asking had been unnecessary.NIf20el
ohego‘Yeah. I’ll stay by his side until I’m a corpse on the battlefield.’xqza
KhWjzoHe had made enough oaths of loyalty already. Saying more would only cheapen the words.k8z
RneSo this wasn’t something to be said aloud—it was a vow made to himself.QQ9q
HmefhEA vow to never leave his lord’s side, even if the day came when he could no longer give anything in return.ghG
KPvGGRC“So, how’s the effect?”DbYqi
1hi“It’s amazing. The mana goes Whaaam! and spreads through my whole body…”JOWK
dcYVSYuAs if they’d never just had such a deep conversation, the tone between them returned to normal.CO9jB
a0mOnly the small—but irreversible—change that had occurred within Hugo remained.mT1TjY
FVQlQls***dwh
3cEgSA few days later, Lucian finished preparing for his departure to the north.ktzb
vYQgyzUUnlike the previous suppression of the rebellion, there was no ostentatious departure ceremony.75uxe
eKB3gAfter all, the northern issue wasn’t so much a family matter as it was a personal one for Lucian.LLt0UjN
VvN41lEven so, he received a private farewell from his father, the grand duke.EzDNE
EfxlPiU“Return safely. Don’t overdo it. And if you see that it’s not possible, know when to retreat.”xLywCwb
xDIGrand Duke Sigmund watched Lucian with a stern expression as he gave this advice.KJEt
6EXa2His gaze held a father’s concern for his son—but more than that, the anxiety of a head of household for the safety of his potential heir.9o7
JFm“They took your inheritance, but from another angle, that means they desperately needed it. If you try to strip them of their legitimacy, they won’t hesitate to resort to extreme measures.”nFR
XUCf6“Then they’ll earn the wrath of Valdeck and of the Empire.”KY2
BAseDKe“Of course. But being nobles doesn’t mean they always act sensibly. Sometimes, blinded by petty ambition, they commit monstrous mistakes.”3rM9
dVIrXLucian understood what his father meant.YPS
4fuNIf the current head of the Calix family harbored excessive ambition, Valdeck or even the Empire might cease to matter to him. In the worst case, he might try to eliminate Lucian just to claim the Grimaldi legacy.wMoLX8r
xyYIt would be absolute foolishness, and the consequences would be devastating—but humans were sometimes capable of unimaginable stupidity.aGT90vS
4gu5“There’s no such thing as absolutes in this world. You must assume that the foolishness of such men has no limits, and if the situation turns dangerous, withdraw. Even if karma settles the score later, sacrifices already made won’t return.”oinfEyC
5BzR5w“I’ll keep that in mind.”qJgcitB
gDDlI4Lucian bowed his head, etching the grand duke’s words into his memory.qIIC
XvK79cWhen he mounted his horse, those who would accompany him looked toward him in unison.L7lfE8
RzxqSs9Hugo and his ten, Felicia, the future Swordmaster, and Raymond, now a formal vassal.QDP
L7drgB2It was a small group—but just right for crossing the dangerous north swiftly.s19cnFQ
iL3I7“Let’s go.”z5bnj
o8iTtWith those brief words, the group set off from the inner fortress.erp
7HpiLucian cast one last glance at the lord’s palace behind them—and locked eyes with Jordi, standing on the balcony.aeK
QNPfQzJordi watched him without expression for a moment, then turned around and went back inside.fqYj
rYKnS‘What is he thinking…?’0I56Qf
twqLucian felt a faint unease at that strange look but decided to set it aside.aRL09ZQ
d0lRK7The north they were heading to was practically enemy territory. There was no room for distractions.MiS3Bk
RsP“The north, huh? It’s been a while since I came here.”Py3d
loDvRaymond spoke to break the tension. Hearing him, Lucian showed interest.hdx1a
v6B8Y“You’ve been here before?”PhLTQ
ajM7“About ten years ago. I wandered the north for a while as a rogue knight. It was tough, but not a bad place.”1T1rg6T
pgsYXt“Oh.”9dZZ
108Lucian had traveled through many regions of the continent, but never the north.l2F
898AmJHe had met many northerners, though they rarely spoke about their homeland. Most had left after hard experiences and avoided the topic.8OsXZ
a0Y“Even better, then. If there’s anything I should know before we arrive, tell me now. Warnings, customs, anything.”eU5J7GL
4Iq1oo“There’s not much, really. Just that it’s brutally cold, and the attitude toward nobles is a bit more relaxed.”773z
BjAjV“Relaxed? I heard northerners are reserved toward those they don’t acknowledge.”KATA
r1F8CzLucian recalled the northern mercenaries he had met in his past life. Raymond chuckled.5uaHYy3
PL61“That’s when they’re outside the north. On foreign land, they watch their words if they don’t trust someone. But the north is their home—why would they be cautious? It’s the outsider who needs to be.”O1dDLC2
3r1Jw0“…When you put it that way, it makes sense.”39fn
fOLsKHeLucian nodded without realizing it. So northerners spoke freely on their own land? That was hard to picture.fUZ5QR
ButCN“And about their attitude toward nobles—it’s something you’ll understand once you see it in person. Don’t expect to be treated with the same reverence as in other parts of the Empire, even if they know your status.”Ymh9o
Zdh3ac“Are you implying a commoner might disrespect my lord?”lfZSM
bWUw8hFelicia cut in, eyes blazing.EmCPVJO
qx0WRPIf someone dared look down on Lucian, she seemed ready to cut them down on the spot.iZa
CzgvQ“That’s not it. It’s just that, in the north, the distance between commoners and nobles is smaller.”XpI4bER
ndV2“Smaller? Does that even make sense?”N8F
KoVL8o2“It sounds absurd, I know, but that’s how it is. You’ll understand when you see it.”TlE
P8FX5gRaymond waved his hand with a wry smile. It was clearly hard to explain in words.iWeY3Q
9eeMMc“I just ask that even if a commoner seems a bit rude to my lord, don’t punish them right away. It’s normal in the north.”7c7f
cNFsPXf“What a way to spark curiosity. Well, I get what you’re saying, so don’t worry.”ylCGCC
NU8WZzOLucian had endured all kinds of contempt during his mercenary days in his past life.aunv
k7g8lBbA bit of rudeness from some commoners wouldn’t shake him. On the contrary, the more he heard, the more curious he became.Nmr1yq
7gw‘A place where commoners don’t bow and scrape—I want to see that.’jNCZg
vPXQFor someone who had once grovelled in the dirt as a commoner, it was a sight he looked forward to.2NcveRr
6O0z***pQxGy
ta7bQS“Ugh, I’m going to freeze.”GH9k
QkN“I knew the north was cold, but this is ridiculous.”QNLGY
vSnbFifteen days after leaving Kelheim, Hugo’s ten-man squad reached the edge of northern territory, shivering as they complained.jShPOa
80GXDespite wearing thick winter clothes bought before departure, the icy wind pierced to their bones.txAc
shnN4rH“Ah, this hellish weather’s still the same. I missed it.”bGWw
ZXNx“How can it suddenly be this cold?”NTpJQ6
dbSzdGLucian was more baffled by the sharp temperature drop than the cold itself.xp41aPf
MQEeY1He knew the north was frigid, but if it were purely due to geography, the drop should’ve been gradual. Instead, after crossing a certain point, the cold became unnatural.eRdu
J3Ymkv“I don’t think it’s normal either. For it to change so suddenly, just a few steps away—it’s strange.”Ss2IZK5
dsjReFelicia frowned and looked around, as if searching for the source of the cold.gvdS
GjOEHer sharp senses seemed to pick up on something beyond what the others could detect.Bva
fI2“Yeah, it’s a weird kind of cold. That’s why some northerners think it’s an ancient curse. There are so many legends, it’s hard to know what to believe.”vbInrZu
2ytkq0V“Whether it’s a curse or not, it’s clearly related to magic. There’s no way this climate is natural…”BCzWkn
qVIHJust as the group was discussing the strange northern cold, a metallic sound suddenly echoed in their ears.ZoVZl
CLZN“What was that?”NQgG2
At49“Sounds like weapons clashing.”DH3QJ
lx3Clang.St9
pGSAs if to confirm their words, the metallic sound rang out again—closer this time.ffF9m
yV7uIHMoments later, mixed with the clangs of metal, came human voices.fz3hqt
Kw0K“Damn bastard! You dare stab your own father in the back just because you believed that snake’s lies?!”3QyJZTU
RhaCLS— Father, it’s time for you to join our ancestors! I’ll make sure you have a proper funeral!O89
CjXsKHnUpon hearing that absurd conversation in the distance, Lucian’s group widened their eyes.o2cPv
sJHWhat kind of filial betrayal drama was this?FSQm
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