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Chapter 4: The Duke’s Incompetent Son (3)
Duke Willius Vert.
The Grand Duke who rules the western territory of the empire, Velias.
More than just a duke, he is known to the world as the
‘The Guardian of the Continent’
An extraordinary hero who, based on his exceptional magical abilities and diplomatic skills, had thwarted the invasion of demons for a long time.
People say that if it weren’t for him, the continent would have fallen to demons long ago.
But do you know something?
The hardest life in the world is the life of a hero.
After all, a hero is burdened with the daunting destiny of protecting everyone in the world.
Protecting the whole world with a mortal body that can barely protect itself?
In the end, it’s a life without any benefit to oneself.
And the one who chose such a life was my father.
“Sigh….”
The moment I arrived at the office under the escort of Eulken, I found myself sighing without realizing it.
It had been almost 15 years since I last saw him fall in battle during the invasion of the demon army.
– Knock knock
As I calmly knocked on the door, a dignified voice could be heard from inside.
“Come in.”
Eulken seemed to be waiting outside.
Without hesitation, I opened the door.
– Creak
The duke was observing my entrance with a composed gaze.
Without paying much attention to it, I bowed respectfully.
“Cyan, the youngest of the Verts, greets his father.”
“No need for formalities. Take a seat.”
The duke gestured to the prepared seat.
“…….”
He might seem stubborn, but I wanted to express him as ‘a sentimental person.’
A man who undertook the duty of a hero, which no one forced upon him, and hoped that his children would also fulfill that duty.
Even though he had a massive influence that even the emperor couldn’t touch, he was a man who didn’t harbor any ambitions for power.
All he wanted was one thing: peace on the continent.
To put it nicely, it’s peaceful, but in reality, it’s just a volunteer service that only does good for others.
And even his desire for strong and capable children was to foster a successor who could continue the current peace.
Although I was far from being such a successor in my past life….
“Have you mastered swordsmanship?”
His first question was undoubtedly about the duel.
“I wouldn’t say mastered, but I’ve been practicing alone every night.”
“Did someone teach you?”
“No, no one.”
“You’ve been doing it all by yourself?”
“Yes……”
Of course, it was a lie.
The reason I was able to master swordsmanship in my past life was because I had someone’s help.
“I remember you not having any talent or interest in swordsmanship, yet you’ve gained such skill. Why did you hide it from everyone?”
If you had talent and interest, you could have displayed it freely.
Moreover, you could have received ample support from the duke.
I wonder why you chose to live as a mediocre person all this time. That’s what I’m curious about.
Actually, what I’m hiding is something much bigger, but there’s no need to mention it.
I replied with a natural expression.
“I, I just didn’t want to stand out. Considering my position in the family, I thought it wouldn’t be wise to attract too much attention….”
“Did you do it out of concern for others’ opinions?”
“Yes……”
He looked at me with compassionate eyes as I hesitated.
It seemed like he was playing a childish role.
“Well, if that’s the case, then it’s my fault. There won’t be such a thing in the future. If you want to sharpen your sword, practice freely. I’ll even arrange for you to join a training center if you wish. No one will be able to say anything to you.”
“Thank you, Father!”
It was unexpected kindness.
Although it wasn’t really necessary, there was no reason to refuse.
“I had some expectations for you before starting the duel today.”
“Expectations?”
“You made eye contact with me before we started, didn’t you?”
I swallowed momentarily. It wasn’t just a passing glance; I was clearly aware of it.
“Do you know what I saw in your eyes at that moment?”
“W-what did you see?”
“Confidence.”
The duke spoke with a smile.
“I saw the confidence that you would definitely win against Cranz. And you proved that confidence excellently.”
To catch that moment, was that something only a father could do? But it doesn’t matter. If it helps me establish a new perception of myself, then it’s actually a good thing.
“But…,”
The atmosphere changed in an instant. The duke’s tone suddenly became heavy.
“Your subsequent actions were unnecessary, weren’t they?”
Subsequent actions.
He referred to the brutal assault on Cranz.
“Suppressing a weapon and unnecessarily provoking Cranz in a situation where your victory was already assured. How could you show such behavior?”
There was seriousness in the duke’s questioning face.
He’s trying to confirm what kind of person ‘I’ am.
Depending on my answer, it will determine how I, as a being, will be perceived by the duke.
It shouldn’t be difficult. I just need to give the best answer I can in this situation.
“I thought it was lacking.”
“Lacking?”
“If I had aimed my sword at Cranz, who was kneeling at that moment, he would never have admitted defeat.”
The duke’s brow furrowed slightly.
Without hesitation, I continued.
“I learned that the significance of a sword duel lies in competing with the opponent’s skill and determining superiority. However, if one side refuses to admit that, then it’s meaningless. That’s why I acted that way. I thought Cranz’s kneeling was not enough….”
There was a moment of silence. From the way he stroked his beard, I could tell how deeply he was contemplating.
Cranz, having been raised under the weight of expectations from birth, had pride that pierced the sky.
Such people usually don’t easily admit defeat once they’re broken.
If I had ended it at the moment of kneeling, Cranz would have probably continued to resist.
So I wanted to crush that pride, and the desire to subdue him was manifested in cutting off his head.
If Cranz wakes up now, he probably won’t even meet my eyes due to trauma.
“Did you want to make Cranz submit?”
The duke accurately grasped my intentions.
I answered in a restrained voice.
“Yes. Even if he’s my brother by blood, I wanted to make him submit.”
I know. What I said and did now doesn’t fit the innocent childishness of a ten-year-old.
Even an ordinary person would think that I’m far from being a normal child.
But who is the person in front of me?
Duke Vert.
He’s not someone who cares about trivial things like personality.
Look at his smile, faintly visible between his hidden hands…
“Well done! That’s right, the point of the duel is to show superiority to your opponent. There’s no need to be swayed by sentimental feelings like family affection!”
The duke was genuinely pleased.
He must be very happy that a child capable of inheriting the family’s ideology has appeared.
From the beginning, he never really thought of children as much more than that.
“Your uncharacteristic ruthlessness stands out! You’ll be a strong ally to aid Aschel in the future.”
“….!”
It felt like I was hit on the head with a hammer for a moment.
What?
Who’s the ally here?
Am I the one who died, and he is saying that?
As the strength filled my fist, an unpleasant emotion surged in the corner of my heart.
Another reason why I called the duke a sentimental person.
Because he had an incredibly strong obsession with his eldest son, Aschel.
Aschel is not the child of the current Duke’s legitimate wife, Margaret. He is the son born from the first wife, who has long been known to have passed away even before I was born. Regardless of how much the Duke loved the first wife, his love for Aschel was truly excessive. It was as if he was under a spell…
But, it’s not my place to talk.
In fact, I was the one who saw that scoundrel the most… But now, it’s over. The moment Aschel’s sword pierced my heart, something was etched into my being. A life only for myself. All the actions happening now will lay the foundation for the future.
“Although it’s a formality, I still want to offer you a reward for the duel. If you have any wishes, speak up.”
Wishes… A bigger opportunity than I expected has come. I needed to think about what choice would bring the greatest benefit to me in the short time I had. All I have now are memories and sensations from my past life. To regain my original power, I still need time to grow. However, even the past me couldn’t overlook the need for even stronger power.
Yeah, there’s no need to overthink it. If you want to do anything, you need power. Danger doesn’t matter. What matters now is pursuing the most certain and effective method.
“I want to go to the front lines, Father!”
***
A subterranean space where no light seeps through.
A faint mist-like substance fills the surroundings, almost tangible yet not quite. Despite the absence of any light, the terrain around is sharply visible, creating a surreal atmosphere.
-Tuk Tuk
A woman emerges from the mist, her face obscured by a black hood. She walks along the corridor, as if seeking something. Finally, at the end of the corridor, a faintly glowing pedestal comes into view. Resting atop it is a mysterious black box.
With familiarity, the woman opens the box. Inside, it’s empty, devoid of even a speck of dust. Something that should have been there has vanished, as if by magic.
Inspecting the box, the woman soon breaks into a smile of satisfaction.
“The time has come!”
Hastily, she retrieved the box and retraced her steps.
Back at the end of the corridor, she faced a vast underground space where hooded figures, known as ‘adepts’, engage in various indulgences, oblivious to her presence.
Without a word, she approached them and tossed the box before them. With a clang, all attention turned to the box.
“The Mist Stone has disappeared.”
Every adept understands what that means.
Silence falls abruptly.
In that moment of silence, a voice rose among them.
“Has the successor returned?”
The woman laughed.
“Now we must see.”
She reached out towards the box she tossed. With a surge of power, a black mist emanated from her fingertips, enveloping the fallen box.
A mysterious white smoke emanates from within the box, gradually taking shape into an unidentifiable form. With a crackle, the smoke turns black, then eventually takes the form of a child before vanishing without a trace.
The woman raised her hands triumphantly.
“The day of reckoning has dawned! The Mist resumes its activity as of this moment!”
With her command, all the adepts vanish without a trace, leaving only her and the box behind.
“……..”
She gazes at the box with a meaningful smile.
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