Episode 6
Clank.
Screech!
The main gate opened, and the support delegation entered the main estate.
“I, Julian Schnelden, Patriarch of House Schnelden, warmly welcome the visit of Cornelio’s support delegation.”
“Why did you come all the way out here?”
The one who appeared to be the head of the delegation spoke with a smirk.
That bastard knew the situation perfectly well and was asking on purpose.
But the response from the patriarch’s side was an even more pathetic sight.
“When an esteemed elder brother’s family sends a support delegation, how could I wait in my room?”
A thousand fires raged inside Luke.
‘No matter how far the family’s prestige has fallen, there are limits.’
Not only had the so-called patriarch come out to the main gate to greet them, but he was also fawning over Cornelio, calling them his elder brother’s family.
Just how was he supposed to show this disgrace to the ancestors?
“Has the Patriarch been well?”
“Thanks to the Grand Patriarch’s grace, how could I not be?”
“Hahaha! The Grand Patriarch also takes great interest in Schnelden. That is precisely why he has sent us.”
“The Grand Patriarch looks upon Schnelden with such favor that I scarcely know what to do with myself.”
That conversation was an all-too-familiar spectacle to Luke.
Because in the past, the family heads who had fawned over him had looked exactly like that.
Yet now, his own descendant was sitting there doing the same thing.
And before Cornelio, of all people!
Luke’s guts rotted away.
It was a more devastated feeling than when he had witnessed the family’s ruin with his own eyes.
‘Just how did you run the family to end up like this?’
He knew the family had fallen on hard times.
But just how destitute must they be for the Patriarch of Schnelden himself to grovel before Cornelio?
No matter how violently he himself had died, what had happened to all the wealth and businesses the family had built up that they were living as beggars to Cornelio?
He had so many things he wanted to grab the patriarch by the collar and demand answers to right now.
But the only thing he could do in this situation was grit his teeth until blood seeped out, holding back his fury.
“Now, now. Rather than standing out here, how about we go inside? We cannot keep our honored guests waiting so long.”
“That sounds good. As expected, the Patriarch is a man who knows courtesy.”
“Steward, prepare tea.”
“Yes, sir.”
Dion summoned the personnel he had selected in advance.
Torbin was among them.
Before leaving, Torbin quietly approached Luke.
“Young master, you remember all the etiquette I told you about before, yes?”
“……”
“You’re not nervous, are you? Surely you haven’t lost your memory again….”
“It’s not like that.”
“Phew, that’s a relief. Anyway, even if it’s regrettable, you must make a good impression on Cornelio.”
“I don’t know about that.”
Luke waved a dismissive hand and followed behind the patriarch.
‘Should I just go inside and overturn everything?’
He entertained thoughts that would have made Torbin faint on the spot.
* * *
Cornelio was indisputably the foremost family on the Theron Continent.
They were blessed in every regard.
Unlike Schnelden, they were situated in a mild climate year-round.
Not only was the land fertile and abundant with clean water, making it ideal for farming, but it was also rich in high-quality iron ore, excellent for weapon production.
However, the true reason they could claim the title of the continent’s greatest lay elsewhere.
Blessed physiques with superior physical abilities and overwhelming mana control.
Above all, a family tradition that emphasized pure strength and skill above everything else.
Cornelio was a family destined to rule the continent.
But look at Cornelio now.
“The road to Schnelden is so graceful that it ever delays my steps.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
“How could I not drink tea and compose poetry before such splendid scenery?”
“So that was why your arrival was later than expected.”
“When one senses the snow-laden wind within the tea’s fragrance, one forgets to chase the sun. This too is elegance; what reason is there to hurry so?”
In other words, they were late because they had been dawdling on the way.
Even if they were from a branch family, had those bastards forgotten they were part of a martial house?
Seeing them clear their throats like nobles of some ancient kingdom, it really seemed that way.
Looking closely, there wasn’t a trace of martial training on those men.
The only thing visible was the greasy fat wrapped around their bellies.
‘Melbin, how did it come to this?’
Was this truly the Cornelio that Melbin had intended?
Was the family he had protected even at the cost of his own life merely this pathetic?
Luke could only shake his head.
But what enraged him even more was his own descendant smiling foolishly at such a Cornelio.
“Indeed. A true gentleman ought not take elegance lightly.”
‘Did I reincarnate just to see this pathetic sight?’
Luke shook his head as he looked at his utterly disgraceful descendant.
* * *
“If I were to express the charm of the Northern region through my poetry….”
A pathetic bastard of martial bloodline, keeping only his tongue alive while his sword rusted, had been rambling for thirty minutes.
“A splendid poem that would make even the white herons of the North marvel! Lord Morton, why ever have you not published a collection?”
What displeased him more than that wretch was himself for fawning over the pathetic bastard.
If this was the path for the family, he could discard such pride.
He had resolved himself time and again, yet he couldn’t help but feel self-loathing every time.
And today, that self-loathing ran deeper.
The reason was his son, who had been staring at him the entire time.
‘Why is he looking at me with such eyes?’
His second son, Luke, was gazing at him with eyes full of disdain.
A childhood memory suddenly surfaced—of telling an obvious lie and being severely scolded by his grandfather.
His grandfather’s eyes looking at him then had been exactly like that.
‘They said he changed after losing his memory.’
He had been too busy to see his son often, but the Luke he remembered had been a frustratingly docile child.
But look at those eyes now.
He seemed to consider everyone in this room pathetic, not just himself.
‘To think I would be intimidated by my own son.’
Was it because of his current predicament?
Pathetically, Julian found his feelings hurt.
He glared at his son, putting force into his gaze.
‘Why don’t you join the conversation already!’
He conveyed such a message.
He even put a bit of killing intent into it.
Enough to send chills down the spine of a son who had barely held a sword since childhood.
‘What am I doing to my own son?’
Then, suddenly ashamed of acting tough toward his child, Julian tried to withdraw his killing intent.
“Hmph.”
But before he could, Luke snorted and brushed the killing intent aside.
Julian’s eyes went wide.
Though it was weak killing intent, he was still the Patriarch of Schnelden.
Yet his son had brushed it away so easily.
And look at those eyes staring at him as if he were pathetic.
No matter how he looked, they were not the eyes of the Luke he knew.
‘Come to think of it, I felt something familiar too….’
Just as all sorts of questions about Luke were surfacing, the Cornelio side dropped a bomb capable of silencing his complicated thoughts at once.
“We heard that the Patriarch requested aid from surrounding houses regarding the Grayten Wall.”
‘They brought that up rather quickly.’
Julian let out a deep inward sigh.
But he couldn’t hesitate any longer.
“Indeed. The number of monsters has been increasing of late, making it difficult to secure the reconnaissance watchtowers before the Wall. I have requested cooperation from other houses.”
“But I have heard that the surrounding houses, including House Shalun, are not exactly well-off.”
“However, if the watchtowers are not secured, it could pose a grave threat to the Wall’s defense.”
“Ah, is that so?”
“If the Grayten Wall falls, Lord Morton must know what follows.”
“Is there truly any defense to speak of?”
“What do you mean?”
“After the Great Hero subjugated the Demon Dragon, the monsters have lived quietly in the snowy mountains for two hundred years. Even when the harsh cold comes, at best only monsters driven out by competition briefly show themselves.”
The corner of Morton’s mouth twitched.
“Anyway, the Grand Patriarch has other orders for them, so we would like Schnelden to handle the watchtower matter alone.”
“That is….”
“It is the Grand Patriarch’s will.”
Julian had no choice but to close his mouth.
What objection could he raise if it was the will of the Cornelio Patriarch?
He could refuse the support if he disliked it, but present-day Schnelden was in no state to survive without that money.
“If it proves too difficult, he said Cornelio could extend aid out of consideration for the bond between our ancestors.”
“What sort of aid?”
“We will lend you our troops. However, it is only proper that Schnelden provides their lodgings and stationing costs.”
Veins bulged in Julian’s eyes.
The Cornelio side seemed to relish that reaction.
“And if we cannot?”
“Then the Wall is for Schnelden to handle alone. Secure watchtowers, or build new ones.”
Morton leaned back leisurely, the picture of composure.
Julian had to swallow his rage, clenching his fist.
Grabbing and beating them right now wouldn’t be difficult, but he couldn’t handle the aftermath.
Yet he couldn’t accept it easily either.
Bringing foreign troops into the house was an entirely different matter from mere fraternal courtesy.
And even if he refused, there was no other way.
The moment they waved support supplies before him, the answer had already been decided.
“Very well. I shall make the arrangements….”
Julian started to speak, then stopped, casting a sidelong glance at his son.
He didn’t even know why.
He had simply moved on instinct.
As expected, Luke was looking at him with eyes that seemed ready to deliver a scolding.
Then Luke let out a small sigh and turned his gaze away.
That action seemed to say he would pretend not to see.
“…I shall look into it.”
Julian spoke in a subdued voice.
“Haha! As expected, the Patriarch is a reasonable man. Do not worry; if Cornelio’s troops are deployed, securing a mere outpost will be done in no time.”
While the fool laughed heartily, Julian looked at Luke once more.
Now he wasn’t looking at him at all.
After that, Luke never once turned his eyes toward Julian.
Not even while the next round of tea and desserts was brought out.
‘Was it just my imagination?’
Luke pretended so thoroughly not to know that Julian began to wonder.
Had he hated this tea time so much that he was using his young son as an escape?
“Now then, we should take our leave. How about we discuss the details after resting from our journey, at the banquet?”
“Let us do that. It has been a while since I had such an enjoyable tea time.”
“Then Father, I have matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave.”
Soon after, Luke stood up as well.
Should he scold him for his rudeness?
Or should he ask what that gaze from earlier meant?
While he debated, Luke had already left the hall.
Julian watched the door Luke had departed through with lingering, regretful eyes.