There was a saying that nothing was over until the very end. This was the catchphrase of Third Senior Brother, who suffered from the so-called wise-sayings disease.
To be honest, since things were winding down, I had let my guard slip. Who would have thought he would hurl such a question at me without warning, at this very last moment?
It did not feel like a psychological ploy or a trap. It felt like I had been hunted—as if I had stumbled out of a pitch-black forest after wandering aimlessly, only to turn and find the gaping jaws of a wolf waiting.
Now's not the time for thoughts like that.
My mind spun furiously in the blink of an eye. The Iron-Blooded Lord never wasted words. He had framed it as a question, but I could tell he already suspected I had met Leone. On top of that, he had the Blessing of Truth, so lies would not work on him. Whatever left my mouth had to be the truth.
It felt like I had taken ages to decide, but only three seconds had passed. Any longer hesitation seemed dangerous.
"Yes." I nodded and continued, "Dean Alderson has a building called the Tower of Training at the academy. There, Leone... to be precise, I met a puppet who called herself Leone."
The Iron-Blooded Lord's blessing could discern truth from lies, but even blessings had limits. No power was infinite. Still, weaving lies was too great a risk. Like I had once done in the Trial Room, I chose to speak only truths while leaving certain things unsaid.
"You must know that Leone can manipulate miasma."
"That's right," I replied.
"Then why did you hide that from me?"
"Well..."
I had no choice but to falter. I could not drag it out too long, but I needed something plausible. After a quick scramble, I found an excuse. "I met not only Leone, but also a puppet modeled after you in your academy days. The impression you gave then felt very different from the man you are now. I feared it might be disrespectful to bring up your past."
Perhaps my excuse carried some weight. The Iron-Blooded Lord's expression shifted slightly. The sharp, unyielding slant of his eyes softened, reminding me of Delac during his academy years. His face had hardly changed over the decades, looking only a few years older at most.
"My academy days? That isn't a memory I want to remember," he said.
I was at a loss for words.
"What did you talk about with Leone?" he asked.
"I encountered a Legion Commander in Hadenaihar's Otherworld. He was imprisoning and monitoring Dean Alderson. At the time, I could not have defeated him alone. Leone helped me. Without her, I doubt I would have survived," I answered.
All of that was true and an honest reflection of my thoughts.
"And you knew Leone can manipulate miasma."
"I learned that then," I completed for him.
"Then Alderson knows as well," he said.
"That is true, but I would prefer you not press him about it."
"Why not?"
"Because he has already begun to forget Leone. I do not know why."
I stopped and studied the Iron-Blooded Lord carefully, wondering if he knew more. He seemed to sink into thought. Whether he was parsing my words or lost in something else, I could not tell.
"I see." He reached a conclusion on his own. Then he asked, "Is there anything else you are hiding?"
His purple eyes shone sharper than usual. Goosebumps rose along my forearms and crawled up my spine. Fortunately, my long sleeves concealed them.
This... I'm sure he is using the Blessing of Truth. I was certain of it. I didn't know how many times he had used it so far, or if he never used it, but he was definitely using it for this question now.
I was certain. I did not know how many times he had used it so far, or if this was the first, but he was definitely using it for this question.
What should I do? Was it better to risk hiding something or simply reveal the truth? In fact, it was not even worth debating.
"Yes. I am hiding something." I paused. "But before I tell you, may I say one thing?"
"What is it?"
"I will continue to clash with the church in the future. As I mentioned, my goal is to defeat one of the demon kings."
"Indeed."
"Yes. However, I have no intention of sharing every piece of knowledge, every gain, or every secret I obtain with the family," I stated.
The Iron-Blooded Lord blinked slowly. Somehow, the air on my skin felt colder. Anyway, I had laid out my true intentions bare.
"I am not your servant, family head."
The Iron-Blooded Lord was truly fearsome. If I revealed my intentions, he could easily sever my tendons or imprison me as he had with Raizen. Even if unlikely, he could still take my life.
So what? Living as a warrior meant enduring slights to my pride. Some moments demanded endurance; others demanded defiance. This was the latter. If I simply answered the Iron-Blooded Lord's questions and let myself be swayed, I would remain a Badniker under his control for life. Compared to that, the secrets I needed to hide were secondary.
A shackle. That was what it had become. The family name I once longed for in my past life had turned into chains in this one.
The Iron-Blooded Lord said, "I promised you the position of future family head."
"I never wished for it. If you intend to use that position as a leash, I reject it here and now."
"You mean you have no interest in becoming the head of the family?"
"Yes."
"Being the family head of the Badnikers means wielding power beyond imagination."
"If I desire something, I will seize it with my own hands. Only then does glory have meaning. I am already indebted to the Badnikers. If you ask me to repay it, I will. We can discuss how to settle it in time." My voice carried a faint anger because I spoke from the heart.
At that moment, concerns about Leone, the Dark Qi inside me, or even my identity as a priest felt insignificant. I only wanted the Iron-Blooded Lord to recognize my sincerity.
Normally, I would never have revealed such thoughts, but I remembered the glimpse of him on the rooftop. He always seemed cold and merciless. He still did not feel like a father, but I hoped for a trace of affection in his heart.
I had no idea how he would respond. He could draw his sword at any moment. If that happened, I would fight. Then, just before dying, I would think, Damn, I should've just kept my mouth shut. After that, I would get the chance to regress.
It's still possible that the blessing won't activate, but that doesn't matter, I thought while looking at the Iron-Blooded Lord.
He spoke slowly. "You mean not to demand information one-sidedly. That is reasonable. You have contributed. I admit my tone made it seem like I was reprimanding you."
It was a gentle acknowledgement.
"Then how can I persuade you to share what you learn?"
I had not thought this far. I tried to mask my surprise and responded impulsively. "If something is given, something must be received in return. Perhaps you could share some secrets of your own."
"Such as?"
"Such as..." I hesitated, then voiced the question that had haunted me since I met Leone. "What is your relationship with Leone?"
His jaw twitched slightly. "Hmm. I see."
Was he actually going to answer? It felt as if the tables had turned. Sometimes, acting on impulse yielded results. Today seemed one of those days.
Contrary to my expectations, his response took an unexpected turn. "The position of future head of the family will serve you well."
"What?"
"If you see the Badnikers as a shackle, then the position of future family head will serve as your shield."
"I already told you I don't need it," I grumbled but focused on his next words.
"Your exploits are already too well known. Even if you wish to walk away, others will not let you. You have caught their attention."
Their attention? He spoke as if distancing himself from them
At that moment, I recalled a conversation with Assad from a timeline that no longer existed.
"Boy, you don't know anything about the Badnikers. The true power and secrets of this family," he had said.
"Do you mean the Council of Elders?"
"They are only minions." The Iron-Blooded Lord smiled faintly. It was more a cold sneer, the kind one would show to an enemy.
"You asked for a secret. Few can be shared now, but I will give you one." He leaned closer and whispered, "Kuset is still alive."
***
The tense conversation and interrogation with the Iron-Blooded Lord ended quietly, leaving only new questions behind.
Kuset is alive. Dark Fairy Kuset—the founder of the Badnikers and one of the heroes who ended the Dark Ages—was also one of the most famous fairies in history.
That being is still alive? Wouldn't he be at least 1,000 years old? Among fairies, such longevity was possible, but I remained doubtful. Perhaps the Martial God could shed some light if I asked him later.
"This place can't be used any longer," Maxim muttered, surveying the ruined auction house.
It was exactly as he said. After his battle with the Iron-Blooded Lord and my assistance, the auction house was shattered beyond repair. It was better to build a new one from scratch.
Maxim was puzzled. "But this wasn't within the scope of our fight. Why is it in ruins?"
I interrupted, "Sir Maxim, how are your injuries?"
"Huh? Didn't I say I was fine? Look here." Maxim was distracted by the change of topic and showed me his chest.
I was stunned. The gash had already healed remarkably. "What?"
The wound should have left a lifelong scar, yet at this pace, nothing would remain. If healing continued like this, not even a mark would survive.
"Forgive me for saying this, but you are a real monster."
"I was born strong. It still hurts all the same."
Maxim glared at the Iron-Blooded Lord, who inclined his head slightly. "I will see to it that you receive a fine elixir."
"Oh? Can you spare two?"
"It isn't difficult. Do you plan to give one to your disciple?"
His intentions were exposed, yet Maxim remained unfazed, laughing. "Yes, that's right."
Then Maxim turned to me. "By the way, are you going to the Hero Society now?"
"Not now, but I plan to stop by soon," I replied.
"Outstanding juniors are always welcome. If you come to the Hero Society, stop by the Sky-Destroying Sword Group anytime."
"The Sky-Destroying Sword Group?" I echoed.
Unexpectedly, the Iron-Blooded Lord interjected, "Maxim, Luan already has a place in Black Rose."
His tone carried a hint of irritation.
"What? Really?"
I had no idea what they were talking about, so I remained silent. It was better to stay quiet when uninformed.
Maxim seemed to interpret my silence as agreement and murmured in awe, "Amazing... Hundreds of young heroes dream of joining the Black Rose, yet you have never accepted a single one. Essentially, Black Rose is a one-man army. Why the change now?"
The Iron-Blooded Lord remained silent.
"Hard to answer? Fine. In any case, I apologize. Pretend you didn't hear that."
From his words, I realized the Hero Society commanded multiple units similar to the knight divisions under the imperial family. Both Maxim and the Iron-Blooded Lord led such units. Unlike Maxim, the Iron-Blooded Lord had never taken anyone into his unit.
Is he trying to bind me? Or trying to help me? I didn't know, but somehow I felt that refusing to join the Black Rose later wouldn't harm me.
Watching Maxim laugh heartily, the Iron-Blooded Lord asked, "Then what do you plan to do now?"
"I'll stay in the capital a few more days, then take another mission."
"I see. Thank you for your help today. I will repay this debt in the future."
"Separate from the elixir?"
"Yes, separate."
Maxim roared with laughter and left. His disciples followed behind.
Haro scoffed, while Zial looked at me. "I heard the Hero Society's entrance exam will be quite difficult. Be careful."
"I don't need to take the entrance exam, do I? I'm already a hero."
"Yes, but you're only D-class. That's still an apprentice. To be recognized as a proper hero, you need at least C-class," he replied.
"Oh? Then I can earn that qualification through the entrance exam?"
"Up to A-class, depending on results. Rare, but it's happened a few times in history..." His eyes flicked to the Iron-Blooded Lord.
Of course. That man had to be one of those rare cases. He embodied the phrase never-seen-before better than anyone else.
"Thanks for the warning. I'll treat you to a meal someday."
Zial laughed heartily. "I'm looking forward to it."
He seemed a good sort, especially standing next to the prickly Haro.
Once more, only the Iron-Blooded Lord and I remained. Perhaps because I had opened my heart earlier, or because I had glimpsed his human side, being alone with him wasn't uncomfortable.
"If you join the Hero Society, we should go on a mission together," he said.
"A mission?"
"One concerning Spirit Mountain."
I stared at him in shock. "When was this request made? What is the deadline?"
"There is no deadline. It was posted over a century ago."
"What?"
"It was registered on the Heroes Bulletin around 100 years ago, but no one has ever completed it. Many have tried, but almost none returned." The Iron-Blooded Lord asked with a faint, knowing smile, "Well? What will you do?"