Chapter 89
Rini, smiling brightly.
And the child sitting next to her, frozen with tension.
I looked at the stiff girl and smiled faintly.
"It's you."
"Me?"
"Flora."
Just as Pedro had told me, she was a cute and lovable child.
Brown hair braided into twin tails.
Her eyes were bright and animated, and though her young face was adorable, she seemed to possess a firm inner resolve.
Perhaps she took after her father.
She's interesting in many ways.
"How do you know my name…"
"For someone of a Count's status, finding out your name isn't difficult. Besides, I'm acquainted with your father."
"R-really?"
"Yes."
That's actually a lie.
I've never heard his daughter's name from Pedro.
He's meticulous even in what he unconsciously reveals about what he must protect.
But I couldn't help but know.
Pedro and his daughter, Flora.
These two become an important starting point in the episode that will occur in the kingdom, so naturally I know.
Because I'm the one who set them up.
"Take this."
"What is this?"
"A cultivation method. It's something precious that even those bastards training outside haven't received yet."
It's a cultivation manual from a now-extinct noble family that I obtained during my wandering days.
I had stored it inside my Sacred Stigmata and forgotten about it, but since I brought it out this time, I reorganized it and removed the unnecessary parts.
It doesn't particularly have a name.
If I were to name it, would Seven Star Bell (七星鐘) work?
You can think of it as meaning to contain seven stars in a single wine cup.
But compared to other cultivation methods, this would be an advanced cultivation, making it an extremely hard-to-obtain cultivation manual.
This is because it incorporates some of the subtleties I realized while learning Manhwabongyuk.
"Why are you giving this to me?"
"An investment."
The difference between having learned a cultivation method and not having learned one is like heaven and earth.
If one learns to circulate and manipulate holy power from childhood, they naturally become stronger more easily.
It's true that the purer the holy power, the greater the strength one can exert.
"An investment?"
"I'm investing after seeing your talent. With my power, getting you into the Academy isn't a problem either."
The numbers are already quite high, but that can be solved with some money.
We're in a time of full coffers, and if this level of expenditure can change the fate of the child who will be called the Sword Demon, it's cheap.
"Really!?"
"A Count is likely a much higher rank than you think. If I recommend you, it's not that difficult. Of course, after graduating from the Academy, you'll have to come under my command. Whether you become a knight or a paladin doesn't matter."
As long as they become my person, what would I begrudge? One of the reasons Karpe falls in the future is internal division.
The Sword Demon is a being who tries to bring down the kingdom with the sword that Karpe reveres.
Supported by the Empire, they slaughter Karpe's paladins and knights, and in the end, they bind the Master's feet.
They die after binding the Master's feet at the cost of their life, but along with them, Karpe also meets its end.
Such a tragic vengeful spirit, the Sword Demon, was this little child right before my eyes.
"Are you the highest-ranking person in Zervan?"
"Not yet, but soon I will be."
"……I'm okay with it!"
"That's fortunate."
"But I need to talk with my dad. If I decide alone…… dad would be sad."
"Such deep filial piety. You're right. A child deciding such an important matter alone is an act of disregarding their parents. You should speak with him first. I'll help."
"Really?"
"Yes. If Rini has confirmed it, your skills must be certain. You might have lost to that guy now, but who knows how things will be by the time you complete the Academy."
I egg her on with Rini as a rival and inflate her childish expectations.
I wonder what I'm doing against a little kid, but this much is necessary.
Because it's also good for me to use people I can save.
"Even if your father refuses… I have no intention of being stingy to my nephew's friend. Come visit comfortably, and if you wish, you may train with them without my interference."
"Really!? By any chance… can I bring my friends too?"
"As long as you don't disturb the training unit members, as many as you want."
....Watching Flora leave the office with an excited heart, Rini looked at me with a face full of worry.
"Is this okay?"
"It's fine. Because we need to take our time. Rini, you should get close to that child. Help her a lot."
She's a child I need to draw to my side later. If I leave her alone, I don't know when or how she might disappear.
"……I don't really understand why you should do this. Is there really a need to go that far? She's just a commoner."
"It's necessary."
"I don't understand your thinking, my lord. It's not that you've taken a liking to that child, right?"
"You might be superior now, but in four years, that might be different."
"No way……."
"My eyes don't see useless things. Just as you see things far away, I see something within people. If you don't want to be caught up to, you'll have to work hard."
"Is it God's grace?"
"Something like that."
God's grace my foot. There's no such thing.
It's more convenient that they misunderstand on their own since I don't have to add all sorts of explanations.
It's better to leave it alone.
Just as I was about to tell her to leave.
Rini tilted her head and spoke with a puzzled expression.
"But Brans is useless, isn't he?"
"……."
I furrowed my brow like a person in distress, then answered.
"Shut up. I have a lot to do, so get out."
Rini stuck out her lips and quietly left the office.
"I almost lost an argument to a kid. This is all because of that bastard Brans."
Still, to be exposed as useless by a kid like that.
"When will Cedric come. I should send that guy away."
But Cedric didn't come, and someone else visited instead.
A woman with flowing dark blue-purple hair.
It was Beatrice.
"It's gotten quite lively since I last saw you. There are even kids now, who are they?"
"Nieces and nephews."
"Ah, I thought you might have children of your own."
"I do have children."
"What?"
Is it really that surprising?
Her dumbfounded face is quite a sight.
"But what brings you here? I don't think the extraction is finished yet."
"Bibi. I want to see her. Where is she?"
Beatrice seemed to like Bibi, often visiting whenever she had the chance.
Perhaps because she's a believer of the Whip God, she seems to like magical beasts.
"She's probably sleeping right now. She's been sleeping a lot lately. She spends most of the day sleeping."
She's in a growth phase, so she's been sleeping more.
When she wakes up from a nap, it almost feels like she's grown a bit, so given some time, she'll become as large as her mother.
"You still talk a lot when Bibi comes up. How cute."
"Shut up."
"Hehe."
"More importantly, is there any progress?"
"Yes, it's proceeding smoothly. Here's a sample. I brought it while I was at it."
"Hmm."
Definitely.
Compared to the original Thunder Wolf Dragon's blood, the demonic energy has visibly decreased.
The original Thunder Wolf Dragon's blood had a blackish-red feel, but now much of the turbid energy had disappeared.
In another month or two, it should be sufficient to extract the dragon blood.
It was something time would solve.
"What did the horn look like?"
"Excellent. It could be made into anything good. Refining the horn to make gauntlets would be good, making it into armor would be good too. Or what if you feed it to your main sword? That would work, wouldn't it?"
"Is that possible?"
"Even as a Sacred Alchemist, my goals aren't that different from a Paladin's. Creating various artifacts is ultimately research for making a stronger sword."
"You're not certain."
The corners of Beatrice's lips rose.
"Life is a gamble to begin with."
Meaning it could fail.
If it succeeds, the sword's grade could rise, but if it fails…
"Raising the sword's grade means raising the rank of its soul. The soul's destruction means the sword's destruction… It would probably shatter, wouldn't it?"
The risk is enormous.
But it's equally attractive.
"I'll have to think about it."
"It's not something you can do just because you want to. It's still in the research phase. It's just a hypothesis, but I thought if it's dragon blood, it might be possible to elevate the soul's rank."
If it's not a human soul, but a sword with a mixture of human and Thunder Wolf Dragon souls, the possibility might be even higher.
"You'll need research samples."
"You came to get permission."
"While I was at it?"
"How many do you think you'll use?"
"Since I'm planning to obtain a main sword and experiment…… 2 to 3 at a time."
Two or three of those finger-sized bottles of dragon blood shown earlier.
That's quite a large expenditure.
But it's an equally attractive proposal.
I can't help but permit it.
If it were anyone else, I'd tell them to get lost, but the one making the proposal is Beatrice.
Because it was her.
"Is this okay?"
Dragon blood isn't an easy material for her to obtain either.
She wouldn't want to miss this opportunity.
'Was this the reason.'
For killing Viole.
I'm not certain.
I don't know what her ulterior motives are either, but I can't refuse.
If it's something that can raise the sword's grade, it's not a wasteful expenditure at all.
'If the Thunder Blue Sword can become a Phantom Sword, I can easily endure this level of expenditure.'
It's a Spirit Sword, yet a powerful sword.
But if it becomes a Phantom Sword, it wouldn't break even if a Master appeared.
"Anything else you need?"
"A main sword. The higher the grade, the better. The more data, the better. You can get them for me, right?"
It's not difficult.
When I nodded, Beatrice displayed a radiant smile.
"Beatrice."
"I'm listening."
"There's a condition."
"What is it?"
"Move your research lab here."
"……Here? To this noisy place?"
"I'll give you the basement."
If we build soundproofing facilities, it won't matter.
Only the front yard is noisy; the backyard isn't that loud anyway.
"You're doubting me, aren't you?"
"No, I'm just trying to make you my person. Besides, isn't it convenient to directly inspect these bastards' data?"
"What?"
Because it'd be troublesome if someone else snatches her away. It's better to make the recruitment offer now.
I have no choice but to build a power base in Karpe anyway. I became the Chief Inquisitor for that purpose, and I'm training useless Inquisitors.
Sooner or later.
"The kingdom will explode once."
[Scenario Quest]
『Civil War of the Karpe Dynasty』
Progress - 28%
* * *
28% until the civil war breaks out.
The percentage increased every time Kalias captured and killed corrupt nobles.
Considering it was 20% before killing Altarion, the higher the rank of the noble killed, the sooner the civil war erupts.
Over there, they're getting more anxious the more Kalias stirs things up.
"Preparations are proceeding slowly."
First, I need to think about how to handle the threat that's right in front of me.
"Pedro."
"Ah! My lord. You've come."
Pedro was standing guard as usual. Kalias smiled bitterly as he looked at Pedro, who was standing guard half-heartedly.
"Haven't you had lunch yet?"
"Yes, not yet…… What about you, my lord?"
"I haven't either. Shall we have lunch together? I'm a bit hungry."
"Of course. I'll go buy something right away. Please wait a moment!"
"No, there's no need for that."
"Sir?"
"I came to see you today. Let's go. I've reserved a restaurant."
"Me? You came to see me, my lord?"
"Why. Is that not allowed?"
"N-no, that's not it."
A little while later.
Pedro and Kalias headed to a restaurant that nobles frequently used.
"It looks expensive."
Even after entering, Pedro remained extremely stiff, looking visibly uncomfortable.
After casually choosing from the menu.
Kalias got straight to the point.
"Your daughter is quite cute."
"What?"
Pedro, who had been staring at the menu for a while, couldn't hide his bewilderment.
"Flora, was it? She has a passion for swordsmanship, and she's smart. She seems to have talent too. You were right."
"How do you know my daughter's name……."
"I've taken in some children from my family's side, and she came along after getting close to them while playing. Through various conversations, I learned she was your daughter."
Pedro's disposition, which had been showing a bumbling appearance, calmed down.
Only his expression changed slightly, but the atmosphere transformed completely.
Kalias felt a subtle chill while continuing to speak.
"I told her to come visit often, so don't concern yourself. She's a talent who would become a very excellent knight when she grows up."
"Is that so?"
Even with the praise for his daughter, he still couldn't erase his wary gaze. Rather, upon hearing the praise, he looked at Kalias with an even stiffer face.
"Yes. I'm even thinking of preparing a space where she can train to her heart's content. It's probably already there. The Inquisitors are training right next door. Just by watching, she'll learn a lot."
"There's no need to go that far……."
"The Royal Academy doesn't accept just anyone. Karpe hasn't come to its senses yet. It's not them but the children who will lead this country's future. Not sparing support for them is the cornerstone of the kingdom's revival… that's what I think. What do you say?"
"Those are excellent words."
Pedro seemed deep in thought.
Kalias lowered his gaze and picked up his fork and knife to cut the lamb steak, watching Pedro in deliberation.
One bite and it melted in his mouth.
Expensive food is worth the price indeed.
Not everything is like that, but usually you get taste proportional to the money invested.
Kalias had the same thought while looking at Pedro before him.
'How will he come out.'
Like this food, would Pedro.
If he's given his proper worth, would he return with excellent flavor?
Will he stab? Or will he cling.
It was impossible to know.
Therefore.
"Assassination, aren't you tired of it by now?"
At that moment, Pedro's hand holding the knife flinched.