The Iron-Blooded Lord's laughter, which had started as a mere whisper, gradually grew louder.
For the first time, I realized that this stoic, cold man could actually laugh so hard.
Yet, the louder his laughter grew, the more sinister it became. It struck me that this was the kind of laughter befitting the head of the Badniker family.
"Luan Badniker," the Iron-Blooded Lord called out, his voice laced with amusement.
He paused briefly before walking over to the table and sitting down again. "You're right. The swordsmanship I just demonstrated is still incomplete. There are many aspects that need refinement."
"I see," I replied.
"It is remarkable. I've demonstrated this swordsmanship to three people, yet you only noticed its imperfections," he remarked, crossing his legs and glancing at Heero and Nero.
"Heero, Nero," he called.
"Yes," they answered in unison.
"I don't think your insight is inferior to Luan's. Still, only Luan was able to pinpoint the flaws you overlooked. Why do you think that is?" he asked, his gaze shifting between them.
The two pondered for a moment before shaking their heads.
"I don't know," Heero admitted.
"Me neither," Nero echoed.
"It is because you deify me too much," the Iron-Blooded Lord said, his smile fading. "I've told you this repeatedly. There are times when I am wrong, and times when my thinking is flawed. My swordsmanship may have imperfections, and you might have spotted them. However, the two of you regard it as something beyond reproach. Because I created it, you assume it must be perfect."
His words hung heavily in the air.
He continued, "In truth, it isn't just the two of you. Most within the Badniker household view me this way. It is why I don't stay and train at home like Hatem of the Goodsprings."
His gaze returned to me. "On the other hand, Luan, you faced my swordsmanship with clear eyes. At the very least, it is evident that you don't consider me infallible. Have you encountered someone comparable to me or stronger?"
A chill ran down my spine at his question.
As expected, this man wasn't merely strong. He possessed a keen intellect and the ability to infer an opponent's psychological state from the subtlest of reactions. Among those I knew, there was likely no one more vexing.
I wasn't sure whether to consider myself fortunate or unfortunate to have such a man as my biological father.
"I'm not sure," I replied cautiously.
Naturally, I couldn't divulge what had transpired on Spirit Mountain.
The Iron-Blooded Lord studied me for a moment. "There is no textbook for fighting the demons and church members. Unlike beasts or monsters, you can't establish a standardized method of attack against them. They have nothing in common—priests, foot soldiers, high-ranking members—they all differ. The best you can do is infer their tendencies based on their faction."
His voice remained calm as he explained, "For example, the servants of Hadenaihar, the Blood Moon Demon King, are secretive and elusive. The servants of Tantata, the Green-Tongued Demon King, revel in schemes. The servants of the Golden Horned Demon King, Kingarodtus, are violent and impulsive."
I sensed the moment was right and asked, "What about the Colorless Demon King?"
"He has no servants. He is an unusual type for a demon," the Iron-Blooded Lord remarked.
"I see."
"The Colorless Demon King is the strangest one among the demon kings," he continued. "He emerged relatively recently, and his influence hasn't deeply penetrated the empire."
"Then why is he classified as a demon king?" I pressed.
"Because he destroyed an entire country single-handedly 100 years ago."
I was shocked, and my mouth dropped open.
Among my master's disciples, Eldest Senior Brother was the most reluctant to kill. He always performed penance even after eating or slaying the monsters on Spirit Mountain.
What could have driven such a man to destroy a country?
It wasn't possible that he had simply lost his mind. The First Yin-Yang Technique, which he had mastered, required absolute composure. Losing his mind would mean losing his strength.
Unless, perhaps, he was in a state of rational madness... What nonsense. This can't be true, I thought.
The Iron-Blooded Lord broke the silence. "The swordsmanship I just demonstrated doesn't have a name, and I don't intend to complete it. I will leave that to you."
"What do you mean?"
"Develop your own martial art using this swordsmanship as a reference," he explained. "You have a year. It doesn't need to be based entirely on my technique. What I wanted to show you is the mindset required to fight demons."
Heero and Nero nodded in unison.
"Yes."
"I understand."
The Iron-Blooded Lord stared at them and stated, "The two of you may leave."
"Just the two of us?" they asked.
"Yes," the Iron-Blooded Lord confirmed. "I need to speak with the youngest."
Nero looked displeased, while Heero gave me his usual vacant look.
"Understood, Father," Heero said. "I'll take my leave."
"Please take care of yourself," Nero added.
Heero and Nero departed, leaving me alone with the Iron-Blooded Lord.
I wasn't exactly thrilled about this turn of events. Though it was only the second time I'd been alone with him, I felt even more uneasy than before. I had no idea what he was about to say.
"I heard you will join the main house's training camp."
"Yes," I replied.
"What is the reason?"
"To become a hero," I answered.
"Do you want to join the Hero Society?" he inquired.
"Maybe."
"So your ultimate goal is different," he observed.
I glanced at the Iron-Blooded Lord briefly. Then, like tossing a stone into a lake, I cautiously revealed my ambition. "I want to try and take down one of the demon kings."
He fixed me with his impassive gaze. "You mean the Colorless Demon King."
"Yes," I replied, unsurprised. Somehow, I knew he would deduce this from our earlier conversation.
"The demon kings' whereabouts are shrouded in mystery," he said. "Some speculate that they don't inhabit the same world as the rest of us."
"Does this mean they are trapped in a subspace?" I asked.
"Or maybe there exists a separate world where demons dwell," he mused. "I know the Colorless Demon King's whereabouts."
I looked at the Iron-Blooded Lord in surprise.
Then, his tone grew serious as he revealed something even more shocking. "I've even fought him myself."
The Iron-Blooded Lord had crossed blades with Eldest Senior Brother? I couldn't predict the outcome of such a battle. Both were far beyond my ability to gauge their strength.
"How did it go?" I asked cautiously.
"He isn't an opponent you can beat at your current level," he replied bluntly.
I knew this better than anyone. Maybe the Iron-Blooded Lord was being evasive. Even if I asked, he likely wouldn't tell me where Eldest Senior Brother was.
"The demon kings' locations aren't fixed. The same applies to the Colorless Demon King. He's remained in the place I've identified for some time now, but there's no guarantee he'll stay there indefinitely. Because of this, the Great Families are forming an alliance, composed of powerful members of the empire and the Hero Society."
"An alliance?" I echoed, my curiosity piqued.
"An expedition will soon be organized."
I hesitated before asking, "Isn't this supposed to be confidential?"
"Yes," he said simply.
"Then why are you telling me this?"
"Depending on your efforts, I might allow you to join the expedition."
I considered this for a moment before asking, "When will the expedition take place?"
"I don't know. It could be a month from now or ten years."
"What should I do?"
"Participation is limited to official heroes, particularly those of A-grade and above," he explained. "But if I intervene, I can add one or two individuals regardless of their grade."
"So, I have to become a hero as soon as possible," I muttered.
"I could arrange an apprenticeship with the Hero Society if you'd like," he offered. "But I'd recommend attending the training camp instead."
Once again, the training camp came up. Even the Iron-Blooded Lord endorsed it. At this point, I had no reason to refuse.
After a moment's thought, I replied firmly, "I will participate. Can I hear about the expedition again after I complete it?"
The Iron-Blooded Lord nodded. "Luan."
"Yes?" I responded, meeting his gaze.
"If you are going to complete it, aim for first place."
I locked eyes with him for a moment before nodding. "I will try."
***
After my lesson with the Iron-Blooded Lord concluded, I returned to the main house and retreated to my room to rest. Shortly afterward, Kayan visited.
"You returned."
"Yes," I replied simply.
"I'm glad to see that you're alright," Kayan added, his voice softening.
I neither agreed nor disagreed with Kayan's remark. While nothing had happened during the lesson, the conversation had been particularly grueling.
"Master Luan, I just heard from the family head that you'll need to relocate by the end of the week if you wish to participate in the training camp," Kayan informed me.
"To where?"
"To a building north of the forest, beyond the main house's fence," he explained. "It was once a training center for knights but now serves as an accommodation and education center for the hero disciples of the training camp."
"I see," I said, nodding.
"I heard that most of the hero disciples have already moved there, except for you," Kayan added.
This made sense. Nearly all the disciples were from other families, and it would be unwise to keep them in the main house, even if the training camp hadn't officially begun. After all, the Badnikers were known for their insular nature, even among the Great Families.
"Then I suppose I will have to move soon."
"There's no need to rush," Kayan reassured me. "You still have some time."
"Alright," I replied. "I'm going to step out for a moment."
Kayan tilted his head. "Where are you going at this hour, Master Luan?"
"The underground library," I answered.
Though I didn't need to hurry, I had something to ask my father, so I decided to go now.
"You have the family head's permission?" Kayan exclaimed.
"Yes," I confirmed. "I'm not sure if the librarian has been informed, but mentioning the family head's name should keep me from being turned away. Speaking of which, do you know anything about the librarian?"
"I'm afraid not," Kayan admitted. "I have never been to the underground library."
"I see."
"Why do you ask?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"The family head warned me to be cautious of the librarian," I explained.
Kayan's expression hardened. "The Iron-Blooded Lord never gives warnings carelessly."
"I know," I replied. "This is why I'm a bit uneasy."
More than that, I was looking forward to it.
As I prepared to leave, Kayan asked, "Do you want me to come with you?"
"No. Besides, only I have access."
"Yes, but..." he began, hesitating.
"I'll be back soon," I assured him.
"Be careful."
I left the room, intending to head straight to the underground library. However, I soon realized I had overlooked a crucial detail—I didn't know where the entrance was.
I had no choice but to walk down a hallway and stop a maid.
"Where can I find the underground library?" I asked her.
"The underground library? I don't know," she replied, looking genuinely confused.
It struck me as odd that an employee of the main house wouldn't know such a thing.
Is she an apprentice? She seems a bit old for that.
I shrugged it off and asked others, but their responses were similar:
"I don't know."
"I've never heard of that place before...?"
"I-I'm sorry. I don't know."
"What is this?"
I paused in the hallway, gathering my thoughts. Unless the entire household staff had collectively lost their minds, something was definitely amiss.
I hesitated before approaching an older maid, whom I recognized as the head maid. With over a decade of experience in the household, she was likely to know.
Her reaction was different from the others. "I can't tell you that."
"What do you mean?" I pressed, my curiosity growing.
"I've said all I can," she replied, her expression blank. "Just be careful."
Her words left me unsettled. I didn't bother stopping her and instead scanned the first floor of the sprawling mansion.
A few minutes later, it dawned on me—the mansion didn't have any stairs leading underground.