The next day, Hector returned to the academy. I spoke with him briefly before leaving and took the chance to ask about his plans.
"I want to go back home and focus on training for now. If I'm lucky, I might get a few words of advice from Father," he said.
That sounded about right. The Iron-Blooded Lord would not ignore Hector, given all he had accomplished. He would provide elixirs and observe his swordsmanship.
Of course, the Iron-Blooded Lord's schedule was hectic, and I wasn't sure whether they would meet at the main house. In truth, it didn't matter. The Hector before me was probably stronger than the one I had known in my previous life. I could see it in his eyes—the hunger for strength, the drive to train, the eagerness to reach the next realm.
Honestly, I worried that meeting the Iron-Blooded Lord in this state would not be good for Hector. To him, the Lord was still a godlike, invincible figure. Hector would undoubtedly take any advice to its extreme.
Still, it is okay. Hector hadn't yet reached the stage of pursuing his own martial path. He still idolized his teacher, and that was natural. One day, he would have to stand alone, and then the Iron-Blooded Lord's guidance could become a poison for someone with Hector's temperament.
This isn't the time to dwell on anyone else. A sharp realization cut through me. I am the one who has defied my master. In my defense, though, Bai Luguang was the true Martial God.
"Luan?"
I shook my head, snapping back to reality at Hector's voice. I remembered something I still needed to tell him.
"You'll probably be shocked if you only find out after going to the main house, so I'll give you a heads-up now."
"What is it?" he asked.
"I am the deputy head."
Hector blinked, dumbfounded. "What?"
***
I parted ways with the half-dazed Hector and went looking for Kayan and Arjan, whom I hadn't seen in some time.
"I'm heading to the Hero Society," I told my two subordinates.
Strangely, whenever they stood together, I couldn't shake the impression that they looked like father and daughter. They bore no physical resemblance, yet there was a certain shared air about them that gave me that feeling.
I weighed my words carefully. "I don't know if you're aware, but only authorized members are allowed to enter the the Hero Society. Unlike the academy, there's no companion system. That means we'll have to part ways for a while."
The truth was, I had never commanded subordinates before. Giving orders felt unnatural, and both Kayan and Arjan seemed far too capable to be under someone like me. Part of me wanted to tell them to live freely, not to tie themselves to my uncertain path. Yet saying so would have belittled the decision they had already made to follow me.
"So, while I'm inside the Hero Society, I'd like to ask something of you both."
"What are your orders?" Kayan asked.
"First, Kayan, I want you to return home. Confirm that the auction items were delivered properly and check on the service staff assigned to the Small Iron Hall. Then..." I let the pause hang before revealing the true task. "Look into the family's elders."
"The elders?" he repeated.
I nodded. For me, this order felt like Kayan's final test. Suspicion had always come naturally to me, and I still couldn't fully trust either Kayan or Arjan.
"I understand," he said without hesitation.
His ready agreement caught me off guard.
I raised an eyebrow. "Do you? Really?"
"You want me to investigate the Council of Elders without drawing attention, don't you?" he replied.
"Indeed..."
This old man was called a perfect collector for a reason. He was a veteran who had once worked alongside the Iron-Blooded Lord and could assess a situation in an instant. He understood my intentions without effort.
"Good. Can you handle it?" I asked.
"I'll try," he said.
For someone like Kayan, that was enough. Warnings to stay cautious or keep his guard up were unnecessary. Thus, I nodded and turned to Arjan. "Now, Arjan."
"Yes."
"Your mission carries less risk than Kayan's, but it is far vaguer," I said.
"Please give me your orders."
"Learn about Dark Fairy Kuset."
"Kuset..." Arjan repeated and pondered on the word.
"It could be anything: ordinary folktales, legends, biographies preserved in folklore, scattered fragments, or oral stories. I want everything you can find on Kuset," I instructed.
This was my conclusion—the more I learned about Kuset and the Council of Elders, closely tied to the Badnikers, the closer I would get to understanding the truth of this world.
Arjan nodded. "Understood."
"I don't know when our next meeting will be. For Kayan, I can see him when I return to the main house, but..." I paused.
"I will also return to the main house once a month and relay the information to Sir Kayan," she offered.
I nodded once. "Okay. Let's do that."
Then I addressed Kayan. "Can you give us a moment?"
"As you wish." With that, he left.
Alone with Arjan, I studied her strikingly clear eyes as she tilted her head slightly.
"Kayan has a request," I said. "He has an adopted daughter and asked me to beat her. She is strong, and I cannot face her yet."
I paused and watched her reaction. Arjan lowered her head slightly. "I'm sorry... I don't understand what you mean—"
I cut her off. "If you want something from me, say it."
We shared a master-subordinate relationship, but loyalty without some form of reward rarely existed. Whether material or emotional, acknowledgment was always expected. As a superior, I had to understand the needs of those under me and, whenever possible, meet them.
"There is no loyalty without a price. Even if it exists, there will always be cracks," I pointed out.
It was hardly the kind of remark a nobleman would make, but my mercenary mindset refused to lie dormant. I added, "By the way, if this is about a monthly salary, I can provide as much as needed. I'm not exactly short on money."
Arjan hesitated, then said, "If that's so... could you pay me as much as possible?"
I was taken aback. I had been half-joking about money, and Arjan didn't strike me as someone motivated by it.
"How much exactly?" I asked.
"About ten gold coins a month," she replied.
The sum startled me. I had recently come into wealth, yet ten gold coins was significant. Arjan was undeniably talented, but even considering that, it was a generous request. My own poor sense of money aside, it struck me as significant.
"Why do you need so much?" I was more puzzled rather than upset.
"There's an orphanage I care about that's struggling financially. I want to help it," she said.
"An orphanage?" I echoed, surprised.
"Yes. It's the place that took care of me before the organization took me," she explained.
I nodded slowly. I knew Arjan had endured a difficult past, but I hadn't imagined it involved an orphanage.
"I'll give you twenty gold coins," I said. "Based on the information you gather, I'll propose to the family head that the Badnikers take over the orphanage."
Arjan's eyes widened, a fierce light flickering in them.
I had accomplished a lot already. My record was impressive, and I held the title of deputy head. If I requested something from the Iron-Blooded Lord, most likely he would grant it. Of course, facing him directly was something I preferred to avoid.
Twenty gold coins... It was not a trivial sum, but it was far from enough to sustain an institution like an orphanage. Arjan must have known that. A far more secure solution would be to bring the orphanage under the Badnikers' wing and leave its management to the family.
As a servant of the Badniker family, she understood the weight of operating under their name.
"I'll do my best," she said.
It wasn't just a promise of effort. Her expression carried a fierce determination, as if she were ready to risk everything. I felt a surge of satisfaction at the fire in her eyes—a resolve that no mere raise in salary could ever inspire.
***
Finally, the day arrived to leave the capital.
When Morland, the acting dean, received the news, he fussed over throwing a farewell party, which caught me completely off guard. I refused immediately.
"It is a shame," Morland muttered.
It wasn't a shame.
"By the way, you said you are heading to the Hero Society, right? Next time I see you, you won't be a hero disciple anymore," Morland remarked.
"Most likely," I said.
Morland laughed heartily. "It is an honor to witness the first steps of a great hero. I wish you a safe journey."
I exchanged brief farewells with the other faculty members before heading to the infirmary.
"You're here," Hellstar said, handing me a small bundle. His face betrayed the toll of an all-nighter. The items looked like vials filled with potions.
"What are these?" I asked.
"It is wine refined from the Holy Grail," he replied.
"I know that, but why are there so many vials?" I counted seven in total.
Hellstar explained, "It works better to drink it in portions rather than all at once. This is a week's supply. One vial per day."
"Why glass vials instead of canteens? They'll break easily," I said, concerned.
"They are made of a special material," he assured me. "Harder than most stones. You won't break them."
I blinked in surprise. "Really? Aren't they precious? I might not have time to return them."
"It's fine," he said with a small shrug. His generosity was unmistakable.
He added, "Once used, the Holy Grail won't work again for at least a few years."
I froze. "Was there really such a penalty?"
"Didn't you know?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Of course I didn't. Lise had never mentioned it.
"How long exactly?" I asked.
"It's impossible to say, as it varies greatly with each Holy Grail. Some take only a year to regain their power, while others show no effect even after several decades," he said matter-of-factly.
What? Until then, this was nothing more than an antique, useless even as a simple water cup. I stared at the chalice, my eyes quivering.
Hellstar, still watching me closely, revealed his real intent. "If this is placed in our church's temple, we can greatly shorten that period. What do you think?"
I said nothing and stared at him.
"I'm sorry," he muttered.
Seeing Hellstar immediately avert his gaze made me laugh.
"Let me think about it," I told him.
Hellstar's eyes lit up. "A-are you serious? Thank you!"
Since this wouldn't let me strengthen my blessing multiple times, donating it to the church wasn't a bad idea. After all, the Seventy-Two Churches was the largest religious organization in the empire. It wouldn't hurt to have them owe me a favor.
"I heard you're heading to the Hero Society. Be careful. The eastern region has been restless lately," he warned.
"Restless how?"
"Monsters appear frequently, and many groups claim affiliation with the Dark Church," he said.
I hummed in response. Outside the capital, the eastern region should have been the safest area. Now the situation was worse than I thought. That meant that the Hero Society would be overwhelmed with work, creating plenty of opportunities to prove myself. With that, reaching B-class within half a year no longer seemed out of reach.
"It's okay," I said calmly.
Hellstar didn't expect my nonchalant attitude.
"Anyway, I should get going. I'll savor this. See you next time."
"Ah, wait a moment." I was about to leave when Hellstar traced a gesture in the air. "May the gods bless you on your journey..."
"Oh... you just looked like an actual priest," I noted.
"I am a Bishop of this empire," he corrected sharply.
"You are. In any case..." I laughed, then tempered my expression and bowed slightly. "Bishop Hellstar, you should also stay safe."
Hellstar blinked at my sudden formality, then laughed heartily.
Now I could join Mir and head straight to the Hero Society. There was one more person I could invite to accompany me. The odds of acceptance were slim, but it was worth asking.
"Right, before that..." I pulled out a vial of holy wine.
I was just getting thirsty, so I decided to drink my portion for the day. I unscrewed the lid and swallowed it in one gulp. Almost immediately, a strange sensation washed over me. It tasted more like grape juice than wine, yet my mind seemed to heat from within. It wasn't the familiar haze of drunkenness—it was more like a swarm of bees buzzing relentlessly in my ears.
Then a voice echoed in my ears. "The Spirit Mountain's Blessing has been strengthened. The Communication and Support functions have been unlocked."
The auditory hallucination turned into a voice I had heard several times before.
Communication? Support? Just as I struggled to grasp it, a pale message window flickered into existence before me.
[The Blind Heavenly Demon is staring at you.]
Heavenly Demon? The word blind immediately conjured an image of someone I knew.
"Second Senior Sister Tian?" I blurted.
[The Blind Heavenly Demon smiles.]