《I Am The Madman Of This Family》


 Chapter 1: I’m the Crazy One In This City

    The lawless city of Liqueur. This place that Keter was born in had a harsh, extreme environment. It was free to enter, but leaving was impossible. The air here was thin, even though the gravity was twice as strong as outside.


    What kind of people would voluntarily enter such a shitty city? Well, there were heinous criminals who would receive the death penalty if caught, psychopaths exiled from society, and vicious cannibals.


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t to say there weren''t any sane people here at all. There were also people like debtors who fled to escape their creditors, people entangled in grudges who came here to hide, and those who were mentally unstable.


    This was Liqueur, where people like this were considered normal, and this was where Keter was born.


    Just as creatures born in the sea naturally had webbed limbs and gills, and those born on cliffs had wings, Keter adapted to survive in Liqueur, a city of madmen. He became a lunatic to face lunatics, and he chose to become a hunter rather than prey.


    At least, that was what he claimed. Some people said he was crazy to begin with and he was just making up excuses, but¡­ Actually, perhaps that was true, as Keter was very much enjoying his way of life.


    In Keter¡¯s childhood, he was often beaten or scammed because he was weak and incompetent, but now it was the other way around¡ªhe was the one beating people up.


    However, he didn¡¯t scam people; he had a legitimate business. Unlike normal Liqueurians, who solved everything with violence, Keter had a legitimate job as a fixer. He solved problems with reason, logic, and just a tad bit of violence.


    Simply put, Keter didn¡¯t have trouble putting food on the table in this lawless city, and he didn¡¯t have many opponents either. Though, if he had to pick one thing that was disappointing about his life¡­


    ¡°I really want to go outside.¡±


    No matter how comfortably Keter lived and how powerful he was, this was still Liqueur. Of course, it was a huge city, but living here for eighteen years had made it feel small.


    But he couldn¡¯t leave.


    Liqueur¡¯s history went back hundreds of years, and in all that time there was no record of anyone ever leaving.


    Keter had tried to leave as well but failed miserably.


    A gray fog surrounded the outskirts of Liqueur, and this fog was the walls of the city. It was just fog when one came in from the outside. But when they tried to leave, whether they were Swordmasters or Grand Mages, the fog made them circle back to where they started, no matter what they did.


    Keter had basically given up on leaving. That was until one day, someone from the outside world shouted they were looking for him.


    * * *


    Liqueur was a very closed-off world. Because of that, outsiders were always noticed, no matter how well-disguised they were.


    Keter coincidently saw the newcomer coming into Liqueur. It was normal for him to not be particularly fascinated, as he had seen it hundreds of times, but this time, he looked at the newcomer with interest.


    Even though the newcomer was wearing a big, loose cloak, Keter was able to discern the basic details about him.


    It wasn¡¯t anything special to go somewhere for a specific goal, but this was Liqueur. This was a mission from which there was no return. It was intriguing.


    Keter followed the knight and watched him. It was obvious that the newcomer wouldn¡¯t answer him if he asked, and most of all, he didn¡¯t have to go out of his way to do that; the Liqueurians didn¡¯t have Keter¡¯s patience. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Kekekek.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    Within a few steps, the knight was surrounded by Liqueurians in an instant. Everyone was holding weapons, so there was no room to mistake them as friendly locals who wanted to show him the way. The knight quickly pulled out his sword, as if he had expected that something like this would happen.


    A piercing blue aura emanated from the knight¡¯s blade¡ªpower so absolute that it fatally wounded ordinary people with just a mere cut; a power third-rate thugs could only dream of. It was the Aura Blade, a destructive blade that could cut through steel like paper.


    In the outside world, it was a power that only the chosen minority could have. Even the worst thugs would be afraid of this power, but the people of Liqueur did not back down. It was because aura was basic knowledge in Liqueur.


    Aura began to beam out of the Liqueurians¡¯ weapons. These people, who survived in harsh environments, could naturally use aura without anyone teaching them. It erupted like it was boiling over instead of being neatly shaped like a knight¡¯s aura, but that only made it look more fearsome.


    The knight¡¯s expression darkened quickly, and it seemed like he hadn¡¯t expected the Liqueurians to all be able to use aura.


    The Liqueurians slowly pressured the knight as if they were playing with their prey. Then, the knight opened his mouth calmly.


    ¡°Before we fight, there is something I want to ask you.¡±


    He sounded like he had prepared for death, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop the Liqueurians. The knight went on as if he wasn¡¯t expecting an answer from them anyway.


    ¡°Keter. What do I have to do to meet him?¡±


    That was when the Liqueurians stopped. Slowly, their faces scrunched up into a harsh frown.


    ¡°Fuck¡­ Is this another one of Keter¡¯s jokes?¡±


    ¡°No wonder a fresh newbie walked in alone. There¡¯s no way that would happen!¡±


    ¡°Bastard! You think we¡¯ll fall for it again, Keter?! Not for the fourth time!¡±


    Until just a moment ago, these Liqueurians had been laughing ominously, but now, they were shouting in anger. The knight didn¡¯t understand what they were saying, so he was surprised by the sudden change in the situation.


    As he stared at the backs of the departing Liqueurians, he shouted, ¡°Please wait! I¡¯ll pay you! Please tell me where I can find Keter!¡±


    However, all that he heard back were curses.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your mom?!¡±


    The knight was left alone, but he kept interrogating people without giving up.


    Thoughts raced through Keter¡¯s mind. How could a knight from the outside world know of his existence? It was impossible. It made no sense for an outsider to know of him; he was born in Liqueur, and it was impossible to leave this place. However, the impossible had been realized.


    And the most important question was why this knight was seeking Keter out. What could he possibly want from Keter that it was worth living here forever? The questions were driving him crazy, but Keter had the greatest patience in all of Liqueur, so he could wait a little longer. Besides, it could be a trap. The only thing he had to lose by waiting was a bit of time.


    And so, Keter watched the knight until darkness fell.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    In the middle of the night, the knight fell, holding his abdomen. He had been ambushed while trying to find a place to sleep for the night.


    ¡°Hehe. No one will touch you because they¡¯re afraid of Keter, but I¡¯m different.¡±


    The knight had been stabbed by a young boy. This boy, known as the Black Shadow, was a first-rate assassin. Hundreds of people had died by his hands.


    The moment Black Shadow was about to finish off the knight, the knight closed his eyes and murmured to himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I have failed to complete the mission. It is unforgivable.¡±


    It was the sound of a skull being bashed in¡ªnot the knight¡¯s but the Black Shadow¡¯s.


    Keter¡¯s purple eyes shone in the darkness.


    With the shadows surrounding him like a cloak, Keter murmured to Black Shadow¡¯s body, ¡°Thanks for underestimating me.¡±


    Thanks to Black Shadow, Keter was certain: the knight, who had fainted in front of him, was not setting a trap. He really was a knight from the outside world, and he was here to see Keter.


    The long-awaited time of questioning had arrived.


    * * *


    In Keter¡¯s office, the knight, who was now lying on the sofa, slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°Hm¡­?¡±


    Keter was sitting beside the knight, and when he noticed that, he said in a nonchalant tone, ¡°Get up if you¡¯re awake.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    The knight looked around his surroundings like a cat, then looked up and stared at Keter.


    Keter looked young, no more than twenty years old. But his eyes, which looked golden as if they were refined by sunlight, had a depth that seemed endless. There was also an unknown madness in his eyes. Keter had short silver hair that was put up, exposing his forehead. His finely-drawn, sharp features accentuated his golden eyes.


    ¡°Where am I, and who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one asking the questions. Who are you, and where are you from?¡±


    The knight looked down at his abdomen. Seeing that his wound had been neatly stitched up, he replied with a somewhat mollified tone, ¡°I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving me and treating me. However, all I can give you is my name, Oren.¡±


    As Keter had expected, the knight was quite stubborn. But there wasn¡¯t anything he couldn¡¯t break.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you looking for Keter?¡±


    ¡°Do you know him?! Please. Please let me meet him.¡±


    As soon as Keter let out a hint that he was an acquaintance of Keter, Oren¡¯s demeanor immediately changed, and he started begging Keter.


    Keter stifled a laugh and spoke with a stern expression.


    ¡°I will let you meet him if you tell me why you¡¯re looking for him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I am not at liberty to discuss that.¡±


    As the knight had made it clear that he would not answer even under torture, Kether decided to stop playing games.


    ¡°Okay. Tell me now.¡±


    ¡°As I told you, I can only discuss it with Lord Keter¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Keter.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Oren went silent, and his facial expression shifted instantly. He went through the stages of shock, suspicion, then calmness.


    Keter, on the other hand, became more curious. Oren hadn¡¯t recognized him by face, meaning that Oren had come to find him based on his name alone. How was he going to tell if someone lied about being Keter?


    ¡°Could you turn off the lights here for a moment?¡±


    The office was windowless, but it was bright as daylight, thanks to something called a sun stone.


    It wasn¡¯t a difficult request, so Keter covered the sun stone¡¯s light. In the blink of an eye, the office was taken over by a pitch-black darkness.


    Oren immediately said in a shaky voice, ¡°Could you turn the lights back on, please?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    As soon as Keter turned the light back on, he saw that Oren was now sitting in a respectful manner.


    ¡°I humbly greet you, Lord Keter.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Now it was Keter¡¯s turn to be surprised, as Oren seemed very sure of himself as he called him ¡°Lord.¡±


    Then, Oren explained how he knew.


    ¡°Eyes that glow purple in the dark: they are exclusive to the Sefira bloodline.¡±


    Keter was aware of the first part¡ªthat he had purple eyes that glowed in the dark¡ªbut he didn¡¯t know what that meant.


    ¡°Do you know of the Sefira family, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Sefira, the Masters of Archery, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Sefira was a special family. It was one of the seven prestigious families that upheld the Lillain Kingdom, which Liqueur was part of. The Sefira family was the only one that mastered the art of archery.


    Keter had loads of questions for Oren, but one matter was the most pressing of all.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say I¡¯m of the Sefira bloodline and you¡¯re a knight of Sefira. So what then?¡±


    This was the most important thing. Oren had risked his life to find Keter, but now what? It wasn¡¯t like they could get out of Liqueur anyway.


    With a mysterious look on his face, Oren said, ¡°I assume you are talking about how one cannot leave Liqueur after entering, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I suppose all you can do is send me a message.¡±


    ¡°No. I am here to escort you out, my lord.¡±


    ¡°... What?¡±


    Keter had been born and raised in Liqueur for eighteen years, and he knew better than anyone else that it was impossible to escape from this place. Thus, Oren¡¯s words sounded nonsensical to him.


    Seeing Keter¡¯s look of disbelief, Oren made his intentions clear.


    ¡°Leave Liqueur and come to Sefira with me, my lord.¡±

 Chapter 2: An Eye for an Eye

    Keter was sitting in the Solver¡¯s Office.


    ¡°Big Brother, it¡¯s been exactly one year since you¡¯ve returned from Sefira.¡±


    This boy, who was calling Keter ¡°Big Brother,¡± was holding a cigarette in his left hand, which contrasted with his young face.


    ¡°Has it already been that long?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°You also said you would tell me what happened in Sefira.¡±


    ¡°You still remember. I hate to disappoint you, but all I did in Sefira was eat, sleep, and play.¡±


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t come back empty-handed, right?¡±


    ¡°They gave me an artifact when I lasted for a year, and I left as soon as I got it.¡±


    There was more he could talk about if he wanted to, but he didn¡¯t, as it was neither interesting nor touching. For Keter, the year he spent in Sefira was something that was forgettable and irrelevant; he had also cut ties with his family when he left.


    ¡°But why did you come back to Liqueur? You could have stayed in Sefira and lived as the direct descendant of a prestigious family,¡± the boy asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of that if it¡¯s no fun?¡±


    ¡°No offense, but you seem like the kind of person who would kill themselves if the world became boring.¡±


    ¡°I just hope to die of old age before that happens.¡±


    ¡°What about the artifact you got from Sefira? Was it real?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You really can leave Liqueur as you please.¡±


    Keter talked about it nonchalantly like it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but this would have been a shocking revelation to ordinary Liqueurians. An artifact that allowed one to leave Liqueur at will? That was a treasure even the Godfather, the ruler of Liqueur and a major figure in the underworld, would covet.


    ¡°If you can leave, why are you staying in Liqueur? The outside world is much bigger than this place.¡±


    Dork had been Keter¡¯s subordinate for a long time; he was almost like a part of his body. He prided himself on knowing Keter well, but he couldn¡¯t understand why Keter would stay in Liqueur when he could leave.


    Keter¡¯s answer to that was simple and straightforward.


    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere as fun as Liqueur.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Big Brother, you are insane. Other Liqueurians would sell their souls if they could leave this place.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want their souls even if they begged me to take it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    With his curiosity satisfied, Dork moved onto more mundane, day-to-day matters.


    ¡°Big Brother, there are a few interesting cases that came in.¡±


    ¡°Ah, whatever. We¡¯re closed today.¡±


    ¡°But you were closed yesterday.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re closed tomorrow, too.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take the entire week off, then?¡±


    ¡°Good idea. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    The two of them got along quite well.


    * * *


    Keter returned to Liqueur from Sefira, thinking that his ties with Sefira were now over. However, his connection with Sefira was an ill-fated one, and such ties did not break simply by being ignored.


    Oren came to Keter again. It had been five years since their last meeting, but there was no time for a heartfelt reunion. Oren was on the brink of death, practically a walking corpse, and it was a miracle he had managed to make it to Liqueur alive.


    ¡°Lord Keter¡­ Please take¡­ this as the last¡­ word from Sefira¡­¡±


    Oren handed a firmly folded letter to Keter and passed away. Feeling the urgency, Keter first read the letter.


    ¡°...¡±


    The corner of Keter¡¯s eyes twitched as he read the entire letter.


    Dork, sensing the tension, cautiously asked, ¡°Big Brother, what does the letter say?¡±


    Without a word, Keter handed the letter to Dork, who read it and began to tremble.


    ¡°... S-So, Besil, the patriarch of the Sefira family, is actually your biological father¡­ No, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now. You need to hide immediately! The queen is a bitch who would even send an army to Liqueur!¡±


    It was mad to send an army into a place that was inescapable. But the queen of this country, Queen Lillian, was ruthless enough to do it.


    Keter bent down and gently closed Oren¡¯s eyes before picking him up. Dork grabbed Keter¡¯s arm, trying to stop him.


    ¡°Big Brother! We don¡¯t have time for that right now! We need to hide deep underground, or we have to get out of Liqueur quickly. If we run away to the empire, even Lillian won¡¯t be able to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Dork, look me in the eye,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°A man who risked his life for me died. Don¡¯t insult the work of burying him so he can rest in peace.¡±


    There was no such thing as good land in Liqueur, but Keter buried Oren in the best land there was. He dusted off his hands, then glanced at Dork.  S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°And what did you say? Hide underground or run away to the empire?¡±


    ¡°Big Brother, you can¡¯t possibly be thinking of going up against the queen.¡±


    ¡°Why not? My motto is, ¡®Eye for an eye.¡¯¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that for Sefira, do you?¡±


    Dork knew that Keter was incredibly strong¡ªhe was someone capable of defeating Swordmasters or Grand Mages, those known as superhuman beings in the outside world.


    But the queen of this country was not human. Though she looked like one, she was a being who had lived for hundreds, even thousands, of years. With a flick of her hand, she could turn mountains to plains and plains into canyons.


    People easily called the queen a ¡°god.¡± She might not be omniscient, but her power rivaled that of a deity. No matter how strong a human being was, they couldn¡¯t defeat a god.


    Moreover, the queen ruled an entire nation. To oppose her meant turning an army of hundreds of thousands, thousands of knights, and hundreds of mages into enemies.


    Keter knew this all too well, and yet, he still boldly claimed he would fight the queen, who was trying to kill him. However, it wasn¡¯t for Sefira.


    ¡°Make no mistake; I¡¯m not seeking revenge for Sefira. I¡¯m simply doing the same for the queen.¡±


    ¡°I know that¡¯s your nature, but this time it¡¯s different. We¡¯re talking about the . No one would call you a coward for running and hiding.¡±


    ¡°Dork, I¡¯ve never chosen my opponents. That¡¯s why I survived in Liqueur, and it¡¯s my life¡¯s purpose to never bow to anyone. The queen is no exception.¡±


    Feeling the firm resolve in Keter¡¯s words, Dork gave up trying to persuade him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be involved, leave now. Go by yourself.¡±


    It was a one-sided termination notice.


    Though Dork was shuddering in terror, he put on a smile and said, ¡°Where would I go, Big Brother? You can¡¯t do anything without me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything you¡¯ll regret,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°You were the one who said that you should make a name for yourself in this world. So, I¡¯m going to make a name for myself as a loyal servant of the man who stood up to the queen.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. You¡¯re crazy, too. No wonder you¡¯re my subordinate.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave Liqueur first. The queen won¡¯t know we can leave this place. Once we¡¯re out, we¡¯ll be able to hide well.¡±


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not going to hide.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re hiding strategically. You¡¯re not thinking of barging into the palace right away, are you? Let¡¯s make a plan first.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I knew you had a plan.¡±


    Keter planned to leave Liqueur with only a few of his valuables. However, the queen was more thorough than he had anticipated. Her army had already spread throughout Liqueur. The queen¡¯s actions were indeed ruthless and merciless: she mobilized an army of fifty thousand soldiers to encircle Liqueur, a forbidden city from which no one could escape. It was clear that she intended to kill Keter, even if it meant waging a full-scale war against Liqueur.


    ¡°Big Brother, what should we do? There don¡¯t seem to be any gaps in their perimeter. It looks like we¡¯ll have to fight our way through.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    Keter stroked his chin. The soldiers, sent by the queen, were heavily armed and extremely resolute.


    No matter how strong Keter was, he was basically alone; Dork wasn¡¯t a great fighter. The number of soldiers blocking the path ahead alone was at least three hundred. If the fight dragged on even a little, he would be surrounded by fifty thousand men, the entire troop. The army was closing in, tightening their encirclement by checking everyone on the streets.


    As Keter¡¯s concern deepened, Dork suggested an alternative.


    ¡°What if we go underground? We can hold out there. No matter how long they stay, they¡¯ll give up in ten years out of exhaustion. Then we can get our revenge¡­¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯ll never give up.¡±


    Keter leaped onto the roof and shouted at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Looking for me, idiots!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the voice, which was so loud that it rattled the windows. The soldiers looked back and forth between the portrait and Keter, then surrounded him in an instant.


    But it wasn¡¯t the army that had swarmed around him; the Liqueurians had also gathered after hearing his voice.


    Pointing to the soldiers, Keter said, ¡°The queen sent these idiots to kill me. So, I have decided¡­¡±


    Keter raised his fist with a calm face.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave Liqueur right now. I¡¯m going to leave and then kill the queen! Why, you ask? That¡¯s because that¡¯s the way of life in Liqueur!¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter how Keter got on the wrong side of the queen or how he was going to leave Liqueur. If Keter said he would do it, he was going to: there wasn¡¯t a single Liqueurian who didn¡¯t know that.


    ¡°Nice speech, Big Brother, but what are you going to do now?¡± Dork asked, glancing below them.


    So many soldiers and knights filled the streets and alleys that it was difficult to count them. The soldiers were not ordinary soldiers but from the elite army directly under the queen, and all the knights were above two stars.


    Each one was a tough opponent, and they all came to Liqueur with the sole intention of killing Keter. There wasn¡¯t even any formal conversation.


    As soon as the man, who seemed to be the commander, gave the order to attack¡­


    A massive explosion ripped through the city, instantly creating a hole in the middle of the army that was hit. Soon, an old man emerged from the smoke.


    ¡°Hehehe, I finally get to use my bomb on the queen¡¯s dogs.¡±


    It was Ragnon the Bomber, one of the Five Lunatics of Liqueur.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    Undaunted, the commander pointed to Keter and ordered the soldiers to attack Keter. The army charged in unison with their shields raised.


    That was when¡­


    ¡­two scythes slithered like serpents through the air, slaughtering the men. Their armor of shields made of amantir, which could even resist aura, were torn to shreds.


    It was Jenny the Chain Scythe, one of the Five Lunatics. She looked back at Keter and winked.


    ¡°I saved your life in a moment of crisis, so you¡¯re going to marry me, right?¡±


    Before Keter could answer, Jenny dove into the soldiers and harvested lives. It didn¡¯t matter, as Keter¡¯s response was always the same.


    ¡°Wake up.¡±


    Two of the Five Lunatics, the madmen feared by other madmen, had stepped up. Their appearance seemed very unnatural¡ªit was as if they had been waiting¡ªbut Keter paid no attention, as the appearance of the two Lunatics threw the hundreds of soldiers into chaos and created openings. There was no reason to argue about things when Keter had suffered no losses.


    Keter, who came down from the roof, walked down the street casually, as if taking a stroll. The army couldn¡¯t reach him, as Liqueurians kept appearing out of nowhere to protect Keter, all saying the same thing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve paid off my debt with this, you damn fixer!¡±


    ¡°Go kick that pompous queen¡¯s ass!¡±


    ¡°Only a Liquerian can kill a Liquerian!¡±


    Keter, known as the Clear-Eyed Madman, was avoided by most Liqueurians, but grudges weren¡¯t the only thing he had gotten at Liqueur. There were hundreds of people who owed him their lives.


    In addition, there were many in Liqueur who had a grudge against the queen because of her law of sending all criminals who were hard to deal with to Liqueur. Ragnon the Bomber, in particular, had a deep hatred for the royal army as his entire family was executed because he studied explosives. Others, like Jenny the Chain Scythe, fought for the simple reason of love.


    As the battle intensified, the army that had surrounded the entire city converged where Keter was. Among them was a Swordmaster known as a Transcendental. No matter how strong the Liqueurians were, they were powerless before a Swordmaster.


    With one slash of the Swordmaster¡¯s blade, the Liqueurians were cut to pieces, stopping Keter¡¯s footsteps.


    The Swordmaster, wearing jet-black armor, pointed his sword at Keter and declared, ¡°I am Her Majesty the queen¡¯s sword and executor. Keter, the descendant of Sefira who committed treason. According to collective punishment, I¡¯m here to deliver your verdict.¡±


    The Sword Master''s Aura Sword, which could cut through all things, approached Keter, but he stood still, his hands loose at his sides. He was relaxed because he felt a familiar presence.


    A red blood sword blocked the Swordmaster¡¯s Aura Sword. It was Balt, Liqueur¡¯s Blade Demon.


    Keter wondered why this bastard showed up, as Balt had no reason to help him.


    Swinging away the Executor¡¯s blade, Balt said, ¡°Go, Keter. You have to die in my hands.¡±


    Keter chuckled and replied, ¡°I hope you live a long life because I¡¯m going to be the one who kills you.¡±


    The Executor filled the sky with his sword. Dozens of swords occupied every inch of space, putting pressure on Keter. However, he didn¡¯t stop walking, even in the midst of the Aura Blade; in fact, he ran.


    A thin, red line flashed past Keter¡¯s side. It was Balt¡¯s flash of light. The Executor¡¯s sword attack split apart in mid-air, opening the way for Keter.


    Keter and Dork were able to escape Liqueur with the help of other Liqueurians. As expected, there were no soldiers outside.


    After ensuring they were safe, Dork said, ¡°There¡¯s no one outside. If we hide, this is the best opportunity, but¡­ Are you really going to fight the queen?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°You have enough reason to think why you would win, right? I¡¯m just anxious.¡±


    ¡°Dork, there¡¯s no such thing. I¡¯m doing it because I have to.¡±


    Keter was doing this because he had to do it; reason was unnecessary here. No matter how unfavorable the situation, no matter how strong the opponent, Keter never backed down¡ªthat¡¯s how he had lived since birth. This time was no different.

 Chapter 3: I Guess That’s Just What Happened

    Keter¡¯s preparation to fight the queen was smoother than he expected, thanks to Dork, his subordinate.


    ¡°I know you said you¡¯re not fighting the queen for Sefira¡¯s sake, but let¡¯s make it seem like you¡¯re seeking revenge for the Sefira family. It makes sense, and it will help you gain allies.¡±


    Keter began refining new techniques to kill the queen. The skills he had learned and mastered in Liqueur were all in their raw form; while excellent for killing people, they were unsuitable for fighting a divine being like Queen Lillian.


    Keter chose archery as his technique to battle the queen. This was because Besil, the head of Sefira and his father, left a legacy: Zodiac Archery, a collection of Sefira¡¯s secret archery skills. Though he had never learned archery before, it didn¡¯t take him long to. He was already a master at throwing, and his talent for combat was unrivaled.


    Keter didn¡¯t train; he learned the skills through battle. The entire country was his enemy, so there were plenty of opponents to fight. Every soldier was going around as fast as they could, searching for him to kill him.


    He fought his pursuers as they came, sometimes going to them before they found him. There was never a day that went by that he didn¡¯t fight, never a day that didn¡¯t end in bloodshed. Proving that people didn¡¯t call him the Clear-Eyed Madman of Liqueur for nothing, Keter enjoyed risking his life in these battles.


    Keter usually worked alone, but Queen Lillian could not catch him for some reason. It was strange that an entire kingdom couldn¡¯t do anything about one, single person. This was because Keter had a just cause: to avenge Sefira. The Sefira family was exterminated overnight for treason, a charge that was never substantiated.


    There were obviously nobles who were disgruntled, but there was also covert help from other factions that disliked the queen. Thanks to this, Keter was able to stay alive, eventually reaching a point where he could kill a Swordmaster with a single strike and even fight against dozens of them at once.


    But he hadn¡¯t gotten any closer to his goal of killing the queen. He had started out boldly, but Keter realized that he was just a frog in the well. The stronger he became, the more he truly realized that Prime, the strongest state a human could reach, was not the end but only the beginning.


    The first time Keter felt a limit was when he encountered one of the Four Lords. The Four Lords were the queen¡¯s trusted henchmen and the pillars of this country. To kill the queen, he had to kill these Four Lords first.


    Keter sought out and challenged one of them: The Lord of the East, Deyal the Slasher of Skies. True to his nickname, Deyal wielded a swordsmanship that could cut the sky. After fighting him, Keter couldn¡¯t help but scoff in disbelief.


    ¡°Who came up with his nickname? It¡¯s wrong. He doesn¡¯t just slash the sky, he splits it.¡±


    The impact of Keter and Deyal¡¯s battle completely altered the terrain, creating endless holes and gaping canyons everywhere. Nothing about them was human except their appearance.


    In the end, Keter was defeated. Deyal was seriously wounded, but Keter suffered a fatal blow from Deyal.


    Catching his breath, Deyal said, ¡°It¡¯s the first time a human has injured me this much. It¡¯s a pity; if you weren¡¯t a descendant of Sefira, you could have replaced one of the Four Lords.¡±


    ¡°Hey, let me ask you something. How much stronger is the queen compared to you?¡±


    Keter was dying, but his voice was calm. He could only act this way because he had no regrets. He had done his best in the fight; therefore, he had no regrets, even though he lost. Actually, he felt a sense of relief.


    Keter felt like he was up against the queen, but he knew this fight wasn¡¯t going to end. There was a limit to what he could do alone. While there were forces helping him here and there, they were not significant.


    Now a middle-aged man, Keter fought the Lord of the East, hoping to make a meaningful impact before he aged further. He was ultimately defeated, but it was a fight without regret. He was only able to think this way because he wasn¡¯t sure he could kill the queen, even with more time. The question he was asking now before dying was a fundamental desire to satisfy his curiosity.


    After a brief pause, Deyal spoke, ¡°Keter, you should consider it a blessing that you are dying in my hands right now. Her Majesty is incomparably stronger than I am. Even if all the Four Lords combined their strength, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to touch the tip of Her Majesty¡¯s finger.¡±


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    Deyal¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You figured that out yourself? Truly astonishing and pitiful. If you figured that out sooner, the outcome of this fight would have been different.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing grand. Ein is just aura and mana combined,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°You would have also realized that it is impossible with a human body and mind. You used Ein, but it was incomplete because you are human.¡±


    ¡°I admit, it wasn¡¯t easy. It would have been nice if I had a little more time.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gone up against the queen if you wanted time. You had a chance to run away.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my cup of tea.¡±


    ¡°... If there is a next life, live it by compromising with reality.¡±


    The queen had originally ordered the Four Lords to bring back Keter alive. However, Deyal pointed his sword at Keter¡¯s neck. Like Keter, Deyal had also once thought that he could kill Queen Lillian. Out of respect for Keter, who grievously wounded him with archery¡ªa skill he looked down on¡ªDeyal was doing Keter a favor to stop him from becoming Queen Lillian¡¯s puppet.


    Even as Keter faced death, his beliefs remained unchanged.


    Deyal¡¯s blade sliced cleanly through Keter¡¯s neck.


    * * *


    An afterlife: a world after death. Keter had never given it much thought, but now he was forced to think about it.


    His consciousness briefly faded and then returned. His vision was blurry, but he could definitely feel that he was alive. He touched his neck. He clearly remembered it being cut off by Deyal¡¯s sword, yet it was completely attached. His blurry vision came into focus now, and he was faced with an unfamiliar sight.


    This was¡­


    ¡°Is something wrong, my lord?¡±


    Keter shook his head silently and looked around. He was in a carriage. The scenery outside the window rushed by quickly. Inside the carriage, it was calm. Although it lacked extravagance, there was an air of tranquility and elegance. The ceiling and walls, made of thick, sturdy oak, had soft curves. Richly colored monochromatic fabrics added subtle accents.


    Hard and soft: this carriage, which embodied two opposite qualities, was painted with a drawing Keter recognized. There was a large tree reaching from the ground to the sky, and arrows hung from its branches like fruit. It was the symbol of Sefira, the Masters of Archery.


    And in front of Keter was a familiar, middle-aged man who seemed concerned about him. Now, he realized what was happening. This carriage was headed to Sefira, and this middle-aged man was Jacques, his butler.


    So¡­ Keter had traveled a few decades back in time to the beginning of the most uninteresting and uninspiring year of his life¡ªthe one year of his life that was worth forgetting about. He knew how crazy this was. He was sure that he was dead, but he had reincarnated. On top of that, it didn¡¯t seem like a coincidence that the time point he returned to was right before he entered Sefira. Who did this, why, and how?


    Keter had regressed, but he decided not to think too deeply about it.


    He once thought everything happened for a reason, but living life, he realized that sometimes things just happen. Maybe that wasn¡¯t true, but that was just what he decided to believe. It was a waste of time to overthink things when he didn¡¯t have a clue as to what happened. The truth about these things would eventually come out, whether he wanted it to or not, so there was no point in trying to figure it out. Right now, he just had to live in the present.


    As Keter reached a conclusion, Jacques spoke, ¡°Would you look out the window, my lord? This is the estate of Sefira.¡±


    The carriage slowed down as Jacques gave a signal. Then, the scenery that had been passing by so quickly suddenly became clear.


    The wide plains and the streams that flowed through them glistened a pale silver color. Lush trees lining both sides of the well-maintained road cast shadows and swayed as if they were welcoming the carriage. The mountain trails, hills, and mansions peeking through the trees looked like a part of the natural landscape.


    Seeing the intact mansion and estates gave Keter a strange feeling. Jacques, who mistook his mixed feelings for admiration, smiled in satisfaction.


    ¡°My lord, do you see that small hill over there?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the first time Keter had heard this. He nodded silently and predicted Jacques¡¯s next words in his head.


    Jacques turned to Keter, his face beaming with pride.


    ¡°Do you also see the wide mountain range behind it?¡±


    As expected, Jacques was repeating what Keter had heard in his previous life. As he nodded, just like he did before, Jacques finished off his introduction in pride.


    ¡°From here to the mountains over there, it is all Sefira¡¯s territory. We have two hundred knights, and two thousand soldiers. Counting their families and the hired hands who worked for the house, there are eight thousand residents living here.¡±


    In his previous life, Keter had gasped mildly as Jacques wished, but now that he had reincarnated, he could only scoff.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing compared to other master families,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s¡­ Pardon?¡±


    The master families were the core of the country¡¯s military power.


    This kingdom, under the rule of Queen Lillian, had a total of seven master families, with the Sefira family having the smallest army.


    The Mejai family, which had the second-lowest number of troops after Sefira, had three hundred knights and six thousand soldiers. In addition, they had more than thirty thousand residents. There was a threefold difference in population alone, so it was no wonder the Sefira family was called the weakest of the master families.


    How did Keter know so well? It was because he was the one who destroyed the Mejai family. The Mejai family was the most aggressive in hunting down the Sefira bloodline.


    Anyway, even if Sefira was the weakest of the prestigious families, it was as big as a small country. Unable to hide his fluster at Keter¡¯s unexpected reaction, Jacques began making excuses.


    ¡°Y-yes, but that¡¯s because we have different roles. The Sefiras, as you know, are trained in archery, my lord. You wouldn¡¯t understand how challenging it is compared to swordsmanship until you try it yourself. And also¡­¡±


    Jacques¡¯s explanation went in one ear and out the other as Keter looked at Sefira¡¯s mansions, which were getting closer. They were spacious and open, with a diverse array of buildings, but there was not even a hint of luxury. The gardens, which were symbols of wealth, and the mansions, symbols of power, were exceptionally plain. This wasn¡¯t because the Sefira lacked wealth, but rather because they practiced modesty, which was not characteristic of aristocracy.


    The carriage entered the garden. The garden was surrounded by four large mansions. Keter, obviously, knew the purpose of these mansions. The south mansion housed the patriarch, the east mansion housed the vassals, and the west mansion housed Sefira¡¯s descendants.


    To the north of the gardens, Keter caught a glimpse of dormitories and training grounds for the helping hands, soldiers, and knights.


    The carriage seemed to head for the west mansion, where Sefira¡¯s descendants lived, but then it abruptly turned and stopped in front of what looked like a deserted shed. This was where Keter was going to be staying.


    The family had turned a shed into living quarters for him. It felt like they were treating him like baggage.


    As Keter stepped out from the carriage, he felt all eyes on him¡ªcurious gazes from patrolling soldiers and helping hands doing chores. However, none of them came forward to greet him.


    It was a stark reminder that Keter had traveled back in time, as no one had come to greet him in his previous life either. Back then, he was so irritated by this that he had reciprocated and ignored them.


    If he left this family alone, the same thing would happen: the Sefira family would be destroyed again, and he would be forced to fight against Queen Lillian in a losing battle.


    Keter had no intention of repeating the past; he was going to change the future through active intervention, not for the sake of his doomed family, but for the sake of his own comfort and life. Intervening didn¡¯t mean that he was going to be the head of the family. Why bother with such a troublesome position?


    All Keter wanted was a position like the Godfather of Liqueur¡ªa position where simply displaying enough dignity allowed him to oversee loyal subordinates who worked and risked their lives for him. Of course, it would take a lot of hard work to get there, but once he got there, the rest of his life would be leisurely.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough just to save the Sefira family; Keter wanted to grow Sefira and make it the greatest family on the continent. Then, he would become the power behind such a prestigious family. He would utilize the power of the Sefira family without being tied to it.


    Ultimately, Keter was going to kill Queen Lillian for trying to execute him under collective punishment and now, for actually killing him.


    Queen Lillian ruined his previous life, even killing him, so he was going to pay her back. Until that time, Keter was going to grow the family¡¯s strength and build its power. He was just going to show the Sefira family how he survived and lived in Liqueur.


    As Keter stared at the main mansion, Jacques pulled his arm.


    ¡°I will show you around the grounds later, my lord, but for now, why don¡¯t you head back to your living quarters? It would be good to rest a little and then freshen up.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you cannot go there, as that¡¯s the main mansion where the patriarch resides. Moreover, it¡¯s your first day, so you should be even more cautious in your actions¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a son going to see his father?¡±


    Keter began walking to the front door before Jacques could stop him.


    It should have been this way in his previous life as well. He should have given a proper greeting, something he deliberately avoided out of frustration from being ignored.


    ¡°Father! The bastard you abandoned has returned!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes, including Jacques¡¯, widened at Keter¡¯s bold actions.

 Chapter 4: Be Sensible and Do It On Your Own (1)

    In the Sefira family¡¯s arrow shed, a place filled with the musty smell of old leather, a middle-aged man was carefully inspecting the arrows. It was Besil El Sefira, the head of the Sefira family. For decades, he had inspected the arrows produced each day without fail.


    There were light and balanced ordinary arrows, but also huge arrows almost the size of his arm designed for hunting monsters with thick, tough skin. The last arrow he picked up was like a skewer, made to pierce thick shields or armor. These arrows were the fewest in number.


    Besil was emotionless as he stroked the fletching of the arrow. At that moment, the doors to the shed slowly opened. Someone came in, silencing his footsteps. It was Hissop, his first son, who had returned home last night. His sharp features, intense eyes, and stern face, which was hard to imagine smiling, were a spitting image of Besil.


    Dressed in elegant and sophisticated blue velvet attire, Hissop greeted Besil with an impeccable posture, befitting his role as the deputy patriarch who handled external affairs in place of the patriarch. He placed his left hand on his stomach and his right hand at his side, then bowed. When Besil nodded to acknowledge the greeting, Hissop straightened up and got straight to the point.


    ¡°Father, I heard from Myle that my half-brother Keter is coming.¡±


    Besil, rubbing the fletching of the arrow in his hand, replied, ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°I respect and admire you, Father, and I trust there is a good reason for this. However, no matter how much I think about it, I think it is premature.¡±


    ¡°I guess you wouldn¡¯t like your half-brother who showed up out of the blue.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met him, so I do not like nor dislike him. However, you know best that the family is in jeopardy right now. I don¡¯t think bringing in an outsider in these troubled times would be safe for us or for that child.¡±


    It was a reasonable and valid point.


    With his tone unchanged, Besil asked, ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Keter may stay with us, but we cannot let him get involved in family affairs for our sake and his,¡± Hissop replied.


    ¡°Are you saying we should ignore him?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes. Keter is from the lawless city; I do not want to be suspicious of Keter without evidence, but I don¡¯t want to blindly trust him either.¡±


    It was a reasonable point, completely devoid of emotion. As Hissop had learned all these qualities from him, Besil had no reason to object.


    ¡°Do not worry, I have also determined so. As such, I am going to keep an eye on Keter. I want to see how he will act.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Patriarch. However, if it¡¯s alright, I have something I would like to ask. How did you know about Keter, and how and why did you bring him here?¡±


    ¡°That is not a question I can answer lightly.¡±


    Besil, avoiding the question, held his hands together behind his back and stared at the mountains through the window.


    ¡°I hear the carriage, so Keter is probably here. I have already told the vassals to pay no attention to Keter, so you should do the same.¡±


    ¡°... As you wish.¡±


    As Besil ended the conversation like he had nothing more to say, Hissop bowed to show respect and left the shed.


    Besil put back the arrow he was holding into the quiver and let out a deep sigh. The reason that he brought his son from the lawless city of Liqueur into the family¡ªwho he didn¡¯t even know existed¡ªstarted with a letter he received a month ago.


    ¡°Sending me a letter all of a sudden that¡­ that I have a son¡­¡±


    The letter was from a mysterious woman he had briefly met twenty years ago, when he was young and feisty. The content of her letter was shocking.


    There was no sender¡¯s name, but Besil could tell who had sent him the letter from the opening line.


    ¡°Akrah¡­¡±


    It was a momentary fling, but Besil had indeed spent a passionate night with a mysterious woman named Akrah. Back then, Akrah had told him not to worry about anything, but now, saying that they had a son and that this son would help the family was utterly absurd.


    At first, Besil did not intend to look for Keter. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t trust Akrah, but because the family didn¡¯t have the resources to do so.


    However, Besil changed his mind overnight, as Akrah¡¯s letter had disappeared.


    ¡°...¡±


    The letter that he had placed on his desk in his office had vanished without a trace.


    He thought perhaps the maids threw it away by mistake while cleaning his office, but it made no sense.


    Unable to find any signs of intrusion, Besil asked the soldiers guarding the front of his office who had come by while he was gone.


    ¡°Three elders and the chief butler visited,¡± said the soldiers.


    The list of suspects was narrowed down to four. However, this only made Besil more troubled. One of the key members of the Sefira family had secretly read the letter and stolen it. It would not bode well if the existence of a bastard child in the Sefira family, which was known for its integrity, was revealed. The key members would know this, which made Besil even more unsettled that one of them stole it.


    The suspects, expected to be traitors, included three elders composed of the family¡¯s bloodline, and the chief butler had been loyal ever since the previous patriarch. Besil¡¯s headache was worse than ever, but it was clear what he had to do right now.


    Besil hadn¡¯t refrained from calling Keter from the family because of where he was born; it was because the Sefira family currently had many enemies, and its power was dwindling. There was no reason to summon him and involve him in the potential bloodshed.


    However, now that the traitor knew Keter¡¯s identity, he was in danger as well. Besil judged that it would be better for Keter to be in his sight. He didn¡¯t know Keter existed and what he looked like, but¡­


    Besil held a meeting to notify people of Keter¡¯s existence and unilaterally informed them that he would be bringing Keter back. However, he kept Keter¡¯s origin hidden, saying that he was bringing Keter from Absinthe, a city that imitated Liqueur. If word got out that there was an artifact that allowed one to come out of Liqueur, no master family would be able to handle that, not just Sefira.


    Besil couldn¡¯t understand what Akrah, someone he could barely call his wife, was thinking. It was a series of circumstances that were definitely not favorable, but even in the midst of all that, Besil¡ªas a father¡ª was curious how Keter, his and Akrah¡¯s son, grew up and what kind of values he had. He wondered if Keter resented them, thinking he had been abandoned by his mother and father.


    Keter hadn¡¯t grown up in ordinary circumstances; he had grown up in the lawless city of Liqueur. It was easy to deduce that he had grown up roughly. The worst-case scenario was that Keter might actually put the family in jeopardy.


    There were many possible scenarios, but Besil could only think of the worst-case ones. Realistically, he thought it might be best to eliminate any future threat, but Besil had no intention of doing that. He believed that abandoning one family member was the same as abandoning the entire family.


    Coming out of his reminiscence, Besil heard the sound of a carriage stopping. There was only one carriage expected at this hour. It was Keter, who had come from Liqueur.


    It wasn¡¯t just that. If the family fell, Besil had to save Keter at the very least, as he had done nothing wrong and bore no responsibility. Therefore, Besil had made the decision to ignore Keter and maintain a distance, even if it seemed harsh. If he was blatantly isolated to appear as someone unrelated to the family, the internal enemies would lose interest in him.


    Besil only hoped that Keter, who had grown up lonely without parental love, would be safe, comfortable, and unharmed here, no matter what happened.


    ¡°I¡¯ve wasted too much time.¡±


    Besil¡¯s shoulders felt heavy. As the head of the family, he had the duty to protect the honor and history built by his ancestors, and as a father, he had the responsibility to protect his family.


    It was when Besil, who had set aside his personal feelings, was about to leave the arrow shed. A loud shout came from outside.


    ¡°Father! The bastard you abandoned has returned!¡±


    A passionate voice, like a volcanic eruption; Besil instinctively knew that this was the voice of his son, Keter, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in eighteen years.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Haha,¡± Besil scoffed.


    He never imagined that Keter would greet him in such a bold manner.


    However, Besil had no intention of meeting Keter immediately.


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch you, Keter.¡±


    Besil, who loved his family as much as his children, went up to his office.


    * * *


    ¡°My lord, the patriarch is busy and won¡¯t be able to hear you. So, why don¡¯t you go back to your living quarters for now?,¡± said Jacques, who quickly followed behind Keter.


    Keter also knew that his father wouldn¡¯t come out anyway. He would be disappointed if he could meet his father so easily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think my father is deaf. It¡¯s clear that he¡¯s ignoring me on purpose.¡±


    Jacques blinked for a moment at Keter¡¯s blunt words before making up an excuse.


    ¡°If you adapt well to the family, the patriarch will surely call for you.¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m curious about how patient my father is.¡±


    Keter wasn¡¯t disappointed that Besil didn¡¯t meet him; instead, he took it as a challenge. He wondered when Besil would finally call for him.


    Jacques, who didn¡¯t know what Keter was thinking, asked, ¡°Um¡­ What do you mean by that, my lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s go to my living quarters. It¡¯s that shed-looking one, right?¡±


    Jacques was flustered as he watched Keter walking ahead of him, heading straight in the direction of the shed.


    There was no time for Jacques to question this. Although Keter appeared to be walking, he was moving so fast that it was like he was running.


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    As Jacques hurriedly followed Keter, the soldiers on guard duty began whispering about Keter.


    ¡°Is that the person the patriarch mentioned? They certainly look similar, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He looks exactly the same as the young patriarch¡¯s picture hanging in the main building.¡±


    ¡°Do you think his coming will be beneficial for our family? I¡¯m worried¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Has the patriarch ever made a mistake? Let¡¯s just focus on our duties.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right about that.¡±


    After gossiping, the soldiers were about to go back to their stations. But just then, a soldier arrived late and interrupted them.


    ¡°Hey, did you hear where he came from?¡±


    ¡°We only heard that he was coming, but not where he¡¯s from.¡±


    ¡°This is a secret, but¡­ There are rumors that he¡¯s from the lawless city of Absinthe.¡±


    ¡°Absinthe?!¡±


    ¡°That shithole?¡±


    Oren was the only one that knew Keter came from Liqueur, and everyone else believed he came from Absinthe.


    The city of Absinthe was similar to Liqueur in that they were both lawless cities, but it was called a shithole for a different reason.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Lord Keter is from Absinthe!¡±


    It was shocking that Besil had an illegitimate child, but it was still understandable, but not if the child was from Absinthe.


    The soldiers quickly turned somber.


    With a serious face, the soldier that first mentioned Absinthe added, ¡°I¡¯ve been to Absinthe before, and everyone who lives there is crazy bastards with shitty personalities. If Lord Keter is also from there¡­ You better be careful.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to take a good look at him, but he didn¡¯t seem that way¡­¡±


    ¡°You never know. I shouldn¡¯t get on his bad side.¡±


    ¡°Not even that, just avoid him. Isn¡¯t that better?¡±


    ¡°I agree. That¡¯s probably safer.¡±


    The rumor spread quietly through the family by a soldier who knew about Absinthe. The fact that Keter was not from an ordinary place and was from Absinthe, a lawless shithole, became a secret that everyone knew about. There were no rumors that Keter had done something evil, but he was naturally labeled as someone to be avoided.


    All of the reasons why Keter had been ignored by everyone in his past life were revealed. Of course, Keter didn¡¯t care at all.


    He soon arrived at the place where he would be staying from now on.


    ¡°My lord, this is the bathroom, and on the left is the closet¡­¡±


    Jacques enthusiastically explained the various rooms, but Keter just looked around, pretending to listen.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly the same, just as I expected.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What do you mean it¡¯s the same?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Gramps, what are my brothers doing?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°Gr¡­amps? My lord, do¡­ Do I look that old?¡±


    Jacques rubbed his smooth forehead as Keter called him ¡°Gramps.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just because you remind me of a nice grandpa. Anyway, are you going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Jacques trailed off. He¡¯d been given strict orders from the patriarch to keep Keter away from his siblings, so Jacques couldn¡¯t take Keter to the others for greetings.


    Keter, who obviously knew the situation, shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t tell me. It doesn¡¯t matter if I find them, right?¡± asked Keter.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Jacques was at a loss for words again. Everything Keter was saying was so unexpected.


    It had only been an hour since Keter had arrived. Jacques didn¡¯t know what to make of Keter¡¯s actions, which looked like he had already adapted to this environment.


    Keter tried to leave his room abruptly, so Jacques had to do something to stall for time.


    Jacques said, ¡°My lord, wouldn¡¯t it be better to start with a bath and a change of clothes? People will regard you favorably if you show the dignity of a nobleman.¡±


    It was a convincing, reasonable argument. But it wasn¡¯t enough to stop Keter.


    ¡°Good appearance? Give me a break. How are they going to think highly of a bastard like me?¡±


    Jacques felt dizzy from the blunt and unfiltered remarks.

 Chapter 5: Be Sensible and Do It On Your Own (2)

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to say hello. It¡¯s just a simple greeting.¡±


    Keter quickly slipped out of his room when Jacques was occupied. Jacques was a quick learner; he was soon going to learn how to counter Keter, so there was no need for Keter to go easy on him.


    First, Keter headed to the west mansion, where the family resided. He had six brothers, but there was one person he wanted to meet first.


    ¡°Anis.¡±


    Anis El Sefira was the third son of the Sefira family. In Keter¡¯s previous life, unlike the other siblings who ignored and avoided him, Anis was the only one who didn¡¯t. He challenged Keter to duels, getting riled up when Keter made a dismissive remark about archery. Of course, Keter destroyed him.


    They became close after that, as they fought whenever they met. By Keter¡¯s standards, people were close friends if they fought without killing each other.


    Well, that didn¡¯t matter anymore. Keter was at the mansion now, but he wasn¡¯t sure if this life was exactly the same as his previous one. It was the same so far, but he expected some things to be different. He thought that seeing Anis would make it clear; maybe Anis would welcome him with kindness and warmth.


    Keter didn¡¯t know where Anis was, but he had an idea. As far as he knew, Anis was a training fanatic, and he always trained underground like a creep, so he might be there. If not, Anis was probably in the training room above ground.


    As Keter was walking there, he could feel people¡¯s gazes. The soldiers knew to keep their eyes down, but the maids were secretly glancing at him. When he looked at them, they avoided his gaze. He couldn¡¯t help but say something.


    ¡°If you want to look at my handsome face, look me in the eyes. You¡¯re not going to be able to get a proper look like that.¡±


    The maids ran away, squealing like chickens. That was when Keter heard a familiar sound.


    This sound, like stretching twisted rubber, was from Zodiac Bow¡ªthe unique archery technique of the Sefira family. Specifically, it was the sound of Leo Archery.


    Anis was definitely in the underground training room. As Keter went down, he saw several training rooms, but there was only one being guarded by two soldiers.


    Keter approached the one, who seemed significantly more muscular than the other soldiers. The one of the right, possibly the senior out of the two, held out his hand.


    ¡°Stop. This is Lord Anis¡¯ private training room. If you¡¯re lost, I can guide you back.¡±


    Keter could tell from his palm lines that the soldier had a destiny to die early due to his lack of awareness.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to the right place. Step side.¡±


    ¡°I cannot. This area is not open to others.¡±


    If this was Liqueur, this was what Keter would have done.


    If they didn¡¯t move aside even at two, it was Keter¡¯s principle to leave them half-crippled. However, this was Sefira, and he was a noble. And like a noble, he wanted to try to resolve this through conversation.


    ¡°Are you prepared?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°For the consequences of blocking my path.¡±


    ¡°I am aware of who you are, my lord. You still cannot enter.¡±


    Keter really tried to resolve this through conversation like a gentleman, but these two brutes just puffed up their chests and glared at him menacingly.


    If they were going to be like this, Keter¡¯s actions would be justified.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡±


    They seemed to think Keter was a lord, so he needed to remind them about something.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know me at all.¡±


    * * *


    The two soldiers guarding the entrance to Anis¡¯ private training room did not look favorably upon Keter. It was because their fellow soldiers had quickly informed them that Keter was from Absinthe.


    This was their first encounter with Keter, and he was acting incredibly forceful. This made the soldiers, who were already wary of him, more irritated, causing them to view his every action negatively.


    Although Keter was a direct descendant of the Sefira family, he hadn¡¯t officially joined the family yet. The two soldiers had been educated several times by their squad leader that they didn¡¯t have to follow all of Keter¡¯s orders and that it was fine to refuse unreasonable ones.


    Moreover, Keter acting like he didn¡¯t mind a physical confrontation made the two soldiers scoff. Keter¡¯s agile-looking physique and handsome appearance made him seem entirely unrelated to fighting. In contrast, their own biceps were thicker than his calves.


    The soldier flexed his thick, muscular arms and said, ¡°This is your last warning. Go back to your living quarters.¡±


    Keter took a big step toward them and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from someone weaker than me.¡±


    ¡°If you try to use force, we have no choice but to fight back.¡±


    Keter chose to walk forward, ignoring the soldier¡¯s warning. In response, they grabbed his shoulders with their large hands. Considering the size difference, there was no need for both of them to step up; just one of them seemed more than enough. No matter how infamous Keter was for being from Absinthe, he shouldn¡¯t have been able to overcome such an overwhelming physical difference. However¡­


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Keter didn¡¯t budge, like a pillar deeply embedded in the ground. However, the real problem was that he was a human being and hadn¡¯t stopped walking.


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    The soldiers now tried to stop Keter with all their strength but they were pushed back effortlessly. It was so ridiculous that it looked like a part of a well-rehearsed play. They were being pushed so forcefully that smoke began to rise from the friction between their shoes and the floor.


    ¡°How can he be this monstrously strong? He doesn''t have the body for it!?!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Alex! Are you really pushing with all your strength?¡±


    The soldiers¡¯ faces had already turned bright red, and their muscles were bulging as if they were about to burst. Meanwhile, Keter remained completely relaxed, his hands still in his pockets.


    With a single shake of his body, Keter sent the two soldiers flying, but they had persistence. They immediately grabbed onto his legs and ankles, putting their weight onto it. However, they were now just being dragged along as he continued walking to the training room.


    To Keter, training was child¡¯s play. The strength gained from training, which could be started and stopped at will, was insignificant.


    On the other hand, life in Liqueur was hellish and it was never just training; every day was a life-or-death battle. If Keter hadn¡¯t put his life on the line and faced it head-on, he would have been isolated or have died¡ªthat was the way of life in Liqueur. He had to run even if his feet were blistered and bleeding, and he had to carry a log five times his weight just for a piece of bread.


    Keter had been tested to his physical limit every day, literally unable to start or stop at will, to survive. Day by day, pushing past his limits and experiencing physical hardships, his body evolved its muscles in a different direction. Rather than becoming big, they compressed. Thanks to this, Keter¡¯s strength was similar to that of monsters although he appeared ordinary.


    Even soldiers raised in prestigious families underwent intense training, but they did not push themselves to the point of risking their lives. Instead, the families focused even more on safety to avoid losing valuable resources. That was why it was even more incomparable. Muscles strengthened without the fear of death could not defeat muscles developed with life itself as the risk.


    ¡°Ha, ha¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Keter arrived at the door with the soldiers, who were trying to catch their breath, still on his leg.


    In a lecturing tone, he said, ¡°If you¡¯ve come this far, just let it go. Can¡¯t you read the room? Be sensible and do it on your own, you know?¡±


    ¡°Be sensi¡­ dit¡­ What?¡±


    The two soldiers hesitated. They knew they stood no chance against Keter with strength alone. However, their loyalty to the family was deep enough that they never considered running away.


    Keter sighed, finding them bothersome.


    ¡°You guys, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to eat Anis up. I just want to see my brother¡¯s face, but why are you making me the bad guy? Do you really want to see me become the bad guy?¡±


    That was when the soldiers jumped to their feet.


    ¡°No, my lord!


    ¡°Sorry, my lord. We just¡­¡±


    Keter shook his hand and cut them off.


    ¡°I get it, guarding the door is your job. But you need to have some tact when dealing with people. I¡¯ll let it slide today since it¡¯s my first day, but if you act clueless again next time¡­¡±


    Keter drew a line across his neck with his finger. The sound of the soldiers gulping rang in the hall.


    ¡°W-We¡¯ll remember that, my lord.¡±


    These soldiers used most of their brain power for training, but a strong will to survive made them show respect. They had only fought Keter once, but they instinctively realized that to go against Keter meant they didn¡¯t want to live anymore.


    The senior soldier opened the door to the training room where Anis was, even though Keter didn¡¯t ask him to. The overwhelming difference in power was able to create a sense of courtesy that wasn¡¯t present before.


    * * *


    Anis El Sefira spent an entire week eating and sleeping in the training room.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Ha¡­¡±


    He was drenched in sweat as he held his bow. His hands were trembling. He had shot so many arrows that his right hand, which held the string, was covered in blood.


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough. At this rate¡­ At this rate¡­!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Anis twisted the already fully drawn bowstring. He was attempting to use Leo Archery, the fifth technique of Sefira¡¯s renowned Zodiac Archery.


    The bowstring was drawn so tight it seemed like it might snap, and the bow itself was bent to its limit.


    ¡°Argh!!!¡±


    As Anis released the string, the bow unleashed a shockwave. He was also knocked down by the force, but¡­


    ¡­the power of the Leo Archery was terrifying. It not only pierced through a thick steel shield two hundred meters away but also turned it into a spiral shape. The shield, which was thick and rounded to block arrows, was penetrated with a single shot. This kind of formidable power was certainly only something possible within the Sefira family. It was a power deserving of praise, but Anis did not look satisfied at all. In fact, he seemed disappointed.


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t even be a trace of the shield left.¡±


    The reason for Anis¡¯ obsession with strength was simple: he knew that he would soon need power. He sensed the impending crisis for the family and anticipated that a violent conflict would soon occur. In times like this, he had to protect the family, so he was committing everything to this, even sacrificing his sleep.


    ¡°¡±


    Anis had trained so hard that his bone was visible through the cuts on his finger. Yet, he picked up another arrow to nock it on the bowstring like he didn¡¯t feel the pain. However, he was interrupted by someone opening the door.


    ¡°I told you not to let anyone inside,¡± Anis said sternly, not even looking back.


    He had clearly told the soldiers guarding the door that he would not be meeting anyone, even if his father or the elders called upon him. He wasn¡¯t going to leave until he achieved satisfactory results. So, when the door opened, it was understandable for him to be angry.


    There was no response, so Anis turned his head to reprimand the intruder. When he did, his eyes widened. He could have understood had it been his father or one of the family¡¯s elders, but the person he saw was a young man with a bright smile.

 Chapter 6: Your Legs Are Weak (1)

    Anis squinted, trying to see the person at the door. It was a young man with silver hair and golden eyes smiling. He was so handsome that he would stand out even in a crowded street. His playful smile and cheerful demeanor seemed that he was happy to see Anis.


    The man, who had entered the training room without permission, waved casually, causing Anis¡¯ handsome face to frown.


    Anis racked his brain, wondering if he had forgotten or something, but he was certain it was their first time meeting.


    Seeing that the soldiers were standing at the door and looking this way, it was clear that the man wasn¡¯t an intruder. But since Anis couldn¡¯t consider him an ally, he stopped the man.


    ¡°Stop. Who are you?¡±


    However, the man didn¡¯t stop walking, as if he didn¡¯t hear Anis.


    Anis thought perhaps he had lost his voice due to the strenuous training, so this time he shouted at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Stop! Who are you?¡±


    This time, his voice echoed through the training room. There was no way the man hadn¡¯t heard him. However, the man still didn¡¯t stop and continued approaching with a carefree smile.


    Anis decided to be prepared, gripping his arrow as he faced the man. The man, who stopped five steps away, exuded a peculiar aura.


    The descendants of Sefira shared a common trait: they had a blend of purple and gold in their eyes, which the man before him also had. Golden irises, which were reminiscent of a sunlit wheat field at sunset, and gem-like purple pupils¡ªthese were eyes that only a member of Sefira could possess.


    ¡°Are you Anis?¡± the man asked.


    Anis was irritated with the man¡¯s impoliteness, but he bit his tongue as there was someone who came to mind.


    ¡°Are you Keter by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Judging by how you are answering a question with a question, you must be Anis.¡±


    Keter was relieved when he saw Anis. He had reddish-brown hair that reached just above his ears, eyes that showed suspicion and wariness, and a slightly furrowed face that looked cool rather than frightening.


    Anis was a bow maniac who spent his entire life pursuing more strength until he was exhausted. Although they had only exchanged greetings, Keter was convinced that the ¡°Anis¡± from the past and ¡°Anis¡± of the present were exactly the same person.


    Anis¡¯ hands were covered in blood, his hair was disheveled, and there was a hint of madness in his eyes¡­ but compared to Anis in the future, he still seemed human.


    Keter stared at Anis¡¯ fingers discreetly and saw that all ten were still intact, meaning he hadn¡¯t completely lost his mind yet.


    A smile crept up on Keter¡¯s face. If someone needed help, he would assist them; even if they didn¡¯t want it, he would still help. That was the way of Liqueur¡¯s Solver¡ª a service that sought out his clients. That was his secret to making a living in Liqueur.


    ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±


    Anis¡¯ voice was filled with hostility, clearly suspicious of Keter.


    ¡°I was just passing by the area. It was a coincidence. Did you do that to the shield? That¡¯s some impressive power.¡±


    Anis¡¯ expression did not soften.


    This made no sense, but considering Anis¡¯ ambitious nature, he was more bothered by the last part of the comment.


    ¡°It may look impressive to . Now leave, you¡¯re being a nuisance. I¡¯ll forgive your intrusion this time.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that as a compliment. It means you¡¯re being foolish because you¡¯re only focusing on power.¡±


    ¡°...!?¡±


    Criticized out of nowhere, Anis clenched his fists.


    He gripped the iron arrow so hard that it bent in half.


    ¡°What do you know about shooting a bow to spout that kind of nonsense?¡±


    In the Lillian Kingdom, it was illegal for commoners to possess ranged weapons unless they were soldiers, nobles, or licensed hunters. Of course, it didn''t matter if one wasn¡¯t caught, but given the size and presence of a bow, it wasn¡¯t easy to hide it. As such, it was true that most commoners, including Keter, never had an opportunity to shoot a bow.


    Keter shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough to kill people, right? Unless it¡¯s for monsters since they move on instinct.¡±


    Anis frowned as Keter, unlike his attitude, was being surprisingly logical. By nature, Anis was competitive and hated losing, even in an argument. Naturally, he immediately countered Keter¡¯s point.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I emphasize the power of the bow to make it meaningless for the knights to block the arrow.¡±


    ¡°Think about it carefully. Why do you think knights can block arrows?¡± Keter retorted quickly.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? It¡¯s obviously because they can see the arrows,¡± Anis replied.


    ¡°You are an idiot. If they can see the arrow, why don¡¯t they dodge it instead of blocking it? It¡¯s because blocking is easier than dodging. Now, let me ask you again. If you shoot that incredibly powerful arrow, will the knights try to block it or dodge it?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    It was common sense, but Anis realized it only now. No matter how powerful the arrow was, it was meaningless if it didn¡¯t hit. However, it was an inevitable misunderstanding for him, as he had seen knights easily blocking arrows countless times. Thus, he mistakenly believed that training for unblockable arrows was the best way to deal with knights.


    Keter drove the point home to Anis, who had just realized this uncomfortable truth.


    ¡°All fighters go through the same trial and error. When they face opponents who can easily block their attacks, they pursue overwhelming power that can¡¯t be blocked. However, they realize in real combat that even overwhelming power is meaningless if it doesn¡¯t hit. So, the first thing an archer should pursue is accuracy; power comes after that. How about that? Did I sound like someone who has shot an arrow or two before?


    Arrows were always at a disadvantage compared to other martial arts. Once an arrow was shot, that was the end of it; the archer could no longer intervene. Moreover, to fully utilize its power, one condition must be met: the archer must be in a safe situation. On the battlefield, there would be high walls and infantry to protect the front.


    But if the archer was alone and fighting against a swordsman of similar skill level, the archer would never be able to win. While they might be able to defeat an ordinary person, anyone sufficiently trained could easily follow an arrow¡¯s movement with just their vision and reflexes.


    Moreover, arrows could only be shot in a straight line. Although they could arc, the path was predictable and lacked variation., which meant it was simple. While this could be an advantage, it was a fatal flaw in one-on-one combat.


    Anis believed he could compensate for this flaw with sheer power. In certain situations, this might be the right answer, but for the Sefira family, which was politically isolated and lacking allies, it was neither suitable nor sufficient as a primary strategy.


    Having been criticized by Keter, Anis trembled in frustration. He knew this, as did every member of the Sefira family and every archer who trained in archery: power and variation could not coexist in archery.


    The Sefira family boasted a three-hundred-year history, but they had yet to solve this problem. It was because there was no need. In the past, during frequent wars, archers were never isolated. There were always knights risking their lives to protect them and also high, strong walls. At that time, the family¡¯s reputation was extremely high, and they were favored by the queen.


    It had only been thirty years since large-scale wars diminished into small-scale regional wars, and it had only been ten years since the Sefira family fell out of favor with the queen and began being attacked by other nobles. No one, including the previous patriarchs and Besil, the current patriarch, anticipated such a decline for the Sefira family.


    By the time they recognized the deteriorating situation and began developing archery specialized for personal combat, it was far too late. They lacked the time, resources, and manpower.


    When Anis bit his lip and stayed quiet, Keter added, ¡°No matter how powerful the shot is, it¡¯s pointless if it can be dodged, so stop wasting your time on useless training. Instead, think about how to actually hit a knight with your arrows.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Anis glared at Keter with anger. If Keter had only insulted his pride, he might have let it go, but to let Keter mock his archery and the family¡¯s secret techniques, without knowing the family¡¯s circumstances? Disrespecting Sefira was intolerable.


    ¡°You think it can just be dodged? Fine. Try dodging this.¡±


    Anis drew an arrow from the quiver at his waist. Though his words were emotional, he showed rationality by removing the arrowhead, showing that he only intended to give Keter a scare. Of course, it could be dangerous if he hit a vital spot, but Anis had no intention of going that far.


    In the blink of an eye, Anis had nocked the arrow and aimed it at Keter¡¯s thigh, the area known to cause the most pain.


    An arrow shot instantaneously at extremely close range¡ªno ordinary person would even be able to react to it, but Keter dodged it easily by shifting his left foot.


    ¡°Too slow.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the skill to back up your arrogance at least.¡±


    Anis grabbed three arrows simultaneously and removed the arrowheads before firing them all at once. Anyone who has ever held a bow would know how difficult it was to shoot three arrows simultaneously. Moreover, the arrows weren¡¯t just shot¡ªthey were fast and accurate. They aimed for Keter¡¯s shoulder, abdomen, and calf, all areas that were hard to dodge.


    If that was all, Anis wouldn¡¯t be a descendant of the Masters of Archery. He quickly drew another arrow, ready to shoot again if Keter managed to dodge.


    However¡ª


    Anis¡¯ eyes widened in shock, as Keter had dodged all three arrows by twisting his torso while walking toward him. Even while marveling at Keter¡¯s flexibility to perform movements impossible for human joints, Anis didn¡¯t forget to shoot the arrows.


    Anis shot another arrow at Keter, who was now right in front of him. It required extraordinary composure and courage to do so, but¡ª


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    Keter deflected the arrow with his left palm at point-blank range.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Then, Keter grabbed Anis¡¯ bow with his right hand. It was quick, but it was laughable to Anis.


    Anis found Keter¡¯s attempt at a strength contest amusing. An archer¡¯s strength was concentrated in the upper body, especially the arms and shoulders. In terms of sheer physical strength, an archer often surpassed a typical swordsman. There was no reason for Anis to avoid this confrontation¡ªin fact, he welcomed it.


    The bow, caught between them, bent as if about to snap. Anis expected this to be easy¡­ until he felt he was gradually pulled forward. Flustered, cold sweat ran down his back.


    Anis hurriedly used aura as he felt like he was going to lose. Aura, a power that allowed one to transcend human limits, enhanced the user¡¯s physical abilities by at least twofold.


    Although Keter was superior in pure physical strength, Anis began to slowly gain the upper hand as he used aura.


    But just as the bow was being pulled towards Anis, Keter suddenly released his grip, diving into Anis.


    This move was also anticipated by Anis. enhancing one¡¯s physical abilities with aura meant more than just increased strength; reflexes and dynamic vision also improved. Anis, who had extensive combat experience, was prepared to counterattack, aiming his knee at Keter¡¯s abdomen.


    Anis never underestimated Keter. Despite his shallow and vulgar tone, Keter¡¯s body was that of a seasoned warrior. That was why Anis had decided to use his aura as soon as he began to lose the strength contest. However, he didn¡¯t anticipate that Keter¡¯s combat smarts would far exceed his own.


    Keter reacted as if he was expecting Anis¡¯ counterattack.


    Keter hooked his right leg on Anis¡¯ left leg to trip him. With his right leg in the air for a knee attack, Anis lost his balance completely and fell backward.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Even so, Anis quickly reached out to grab Keter¡¯s collar with his enhanced physical abilities to try and reverse the situation, but Keter, anticipating this movement as well, struck Anis¡¯ fingers with his fist.


    Anis ended up collapsing on the ground. As he was always full of competitive spirit, he immediately tried to stand up, driven by his determination to win.


    Keter, who snatched the bow when Anis was on the ground, aimed it at him. There was no arrow, but it was clear what it meant: Anis¡¯ complete defeat.


    Keter clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Your legs are weak.¡±

 Chapter 7: Your Legs Are Weak (2)

    Anis¡¯ senior personal guardsman couldn¡¯t believe what he had just witnessed.


    Although he had allowed Keter to enter easily, it wasn¡¯t just out of fear of Keter; it was because Anis was strong. Keter was freakishly strong as well, but the guardsman thought no one could surpass Anis. He also expected that Anis would teach Keter a lesson. But the results of the match were surprising.


    Keter and Anis began fighting fiercely in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, the match was decided with Anis¡¯ defeat. Their movements were so fast that the guardsman couldn¡¯t see everything clearly, but he could see that Keter beat Anis purely with skill.


    His subordinate, Alex, had been sent to the main mansion to report the situation. This was more disappointing, as he was the only one who had witnessed their brief but intense battle. Even if he told the other soldiers, they probably wouldn¡¯t believe him that Keter subdued Anis so quickly.


    Anis often sparred with the soldiers as part of his training, and he had never lost. He usually went against three people simultaneously, and on good days, he had a record of defeating nine at once. If anyone asked which member of the Sefira family the young soldiers admired most, it was undoubtedly Anis. It was hard for the guardsman to accept his defeat, as Anis was universally admired.


    Having watched from behind Keter, the senior guard didn¡¯t realize that Anis had attacked first.


    While the guardsman was contemplating what to do, he watched as Anis, who had fallen, tried to get up.


    ¡°Why is a corpse getting up?¡± Keter said.


    Anis, understanding what Keter was saying, replied, ¡°This was not a fair fight.¡±


    ¡°Oh, in what way?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t slept for three days due to training. Plus, for an archer, distance is life. If you were an actual enemy, I wouldn¡¯t have let you get this close in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re saying this: an enemy trying to kill you would ensure you¡¯re in peak condition and aware of their presence before attacking. That¡¯s what you consider a ¡®fair fight,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°Do not mock me. You¡¯ve lived your whole life as a commoner, so you wouldn¡¯t understand, but dignity is as vital as life to a noble.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Whatever the reason, you lost. Right now, you can make excuses because you¡¯re alive, but once you¡¯re dead, you can¡¯t do that. You¡¯ll just be a fool who died stupidly.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think you know enough to teach me?¡±


    ¡°And what makes you think you know so much? You¡¯re just a kid who knows nothing.¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    As Anis, overcome with anger, tried to stand up again, Keter pushed him down with his bow, forcing him back to the ground.


    ¡°A victor can¡¯t take everything from the defeated, but they can certainly take their life.¡±


    ¡°So, are you saying you¡¯ll kill me?¡±


    The situation was tense. They were talking about killing each other on their first encounter. The senior guard who was watching them was so tense that he forgot to breathe. He readied himself to rush in if Keter decided to kill Anis.


    However, Keter grinned cheekily and replied, ¡°Why would I kill a valuable client?¡±


    Anis blinked in confusion as he saw Keter pull a business card from his chest pocket, which he held out to Anis between his fingers. The card was made of stiff paper with a coat of magic.


    ¡°What is¡­¡±


    Anis was puzzled, but following the noble customs, Anis couldn¡¯t refuse to accept the business card handed to him.


    ¡ª


    Anis turned over the card as he felt an unusual texture on the back. There was an inscription of a contact rune of Archacic Code, a long-distance communication spell used by mages.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re a mage from the lawless city of Absinthe?¡± Anis asked.


    To use the Archacic Code, mana and knowledge about magic were essential.


    Keter just shrugged at Anis¡¯ question.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Solver, not a mage. It seems like you finally want to talk, and I can¡¯t have my client sitting on a cold floor.¡±


    Keter extended his hand to Anis, but he stood up on his own.


    ¡°A problem solver? Ridiculous. I know my problems well and already know how to solve them. I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help. Enough with the chatter, let¡¯s fight again. This time, I¡¯ll fight seriously.¡±


    ¡°If you want to fight me, there¡¯s quite a long waiting list. Do you have the money to get a ticket? I¡¯m willing to offer a family discount.¡±


    ¡°Talking about money first; how typical of someone from Absinthe.¡±


    ¡°So, how much do you have? You have more than me?¡±


    Anis became speechless again. He had never thought about his wealth before.


    He then shook his head, trying to clear his mind of distracting thoughts. Talking with Keter made him feel distracted for some reason.


    ¡°Enough! I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re from Absinthe or you¡¯re a problem solver. Just get out. I don¡¯t have time to waste like this,¡± Anis shouted angrily.


    Keter then held up two fingers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t take verbal requests. Two hundred gold to leave.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd. I don¡¯t have that kind of money.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I accept promissory notes, too.¡±


    As Keter took out a pen and paper from his pocket, Anis frowned.


    ¡°You carry that around with you? You¡¯re crazy.¡±


    Then, Keter smiled and said, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re starting to understand me a little.¡±


    Keter handed back the bow and arrows he had taken from Anis. Anis accepted them, but he still looked uneasy.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask me for money, right?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. Eat well, get plenty of rest, and come find me when you¡¯re feeling better,¡± Keter said.


    It wasn¡¯t a request, but an order to come find him. Anis scowled again.


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    Ignoring him, Keter had already turned his back and was walking toward the entrance.


    ¡°Because you lost,¡± he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.


    Anis took that as Keter accepting a rematch on his terms.


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll come find you. I¡¯ll prove that your victory was just a fluke.¡±


    For Keter, creating a client where none existed before was just part of his method. This was the moment he secured his first client in the Sefira family.


    * * *


    This was Keter¡¯s first fight after he returned to life. He wasn¡¯t satisfied; after all, no adult felt joy in defeating a child.


    He could clearly feel what the problem was: his body couldn¡¯t keep up with the techniques he knew. It was only natural, as the techniques were from his previous life, but his body was from the present.


    Keter focused and assessed the amount of accumulated aura and mana in his body. He saw that he had seven years¡¯ worth of aura and two years¡¯ worth of mana. For an eighteen-year-old, that was enough to make him stand tall anywhere, but by ordinary standards. By his standards, it was a minuscule amount.


    Ein, the power he used to confront one of the Four Lords, was a fusion of aura and mana, and achieving that fusion required at least a hundred years¡¯ worth of both aura and mana. It took about thirty years to achieve in Keter¡¯s previous life, and even that was expedited at the cost of his lifespan. It wasn¡¯t complete Ein either.


    With incomplete Ein, Keter couldn¡¯t defeat the Four Lords, let alone the queen. As such, he needed to achieve complete Ein and acquire an even greater power.


    The next stage beyond Ein was Ein Sof. This was the power used by those revered as gods. Keter also needed this power to confront the queen. However, while he knew that Ein Sof existed, he didn¡¯t know how to obtain it.


    First, Keter needed to recover the level he reached in his previous life: surpassing the six-star Grandmaster to the final level allowed to humans, seven-star Prime. It took him thirty years in his previous life, but¡ª


    He was going to try to attain the power of Prime, the highest and ultimate realm achievable by humans, within five years. Then, he was going to obtain a complete Ein instead of the incomplete Ein he used in his previous life.


    People who knew about the power of Ein would laugh at him, but if Keter couldn¡¯t accomplish this after his regression, he might as well die of embarrassment.


    However, now was the time to praise himself for his accomplishments and enjoy the rewards. He confirmed that there were no differences between his past and present lives and succeeded in making Anis his first client.


    After getting such a pleasant gain, he suddenly began to feel the hunger he had forgotten about.


    As Keter headed toward the restaurant, which he already knew the location of, he met eyes with Jacques, who had been looking for him. He rushed over, huffing in anger.


    ¡°Lord Keter! Why did you go to the west mansion alone? If you got lost, you could die from a heart attack caused by acute panic disorder!¡±


    Jacque¡¯s overreaction that never made sense was just as dramatic as ever, both in his previous and present life.


    ¡°Wait, my lord. Blood on your shoulder¡­? W-Wait¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not mine,¡± Keter replied.


    It seemed like some of Anis¡¯ blood got on his clothes during their scuffle.


    ¡°Excuse me? What did you say? That¡¯s even worse! W-Who did you kill? Who?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t just kill anybody.¡±


    ¡°A-Anybody? What are you talking about? Please, I¡¯m begging you, my lord. Could you at least stay out of trouble on the first day? You don¡¯t even know anything about the Sefira family yet.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    Jacques was right to some extent. Keter knew almost everything about the Sefira family on the outside¡ªhe didn¡¯t spend the whole year doing nothing. However, he didn¡¯t know the finer details. In his previous life, he wasn¡¯t interested in the internal affairs of the family. He definitely needed to get information from someone who knew the family¡¯s inner workings well, and conveniently, that person was right in front of him.


    Jacques was born on the estate of Sefira, educated as a butler, and had been loyal to this day. In other words, he was a living witness to the family¡¯s history.


    Keter put his arm around Jacques and said, ¡°Gramps, let¡¯s get something to eat.¡±


    ¡°All of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Do we have to make plans to eat?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, well, it is lunchtime. I can guide you to the dining room¡­ but please, for heaven¡¯s sake, at least change your clothes, my lord. There¡¯s blood on them, and the attendants are getting frightened.¡±


    Looking around, Keter noticed the helping hands scattering like rabbits in front of a hunting dog when they made eye contact with him.


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll do it for free this time because it¡¯s you saying it.¡±


    Keter stopped by the dressing room and, ignoring the refined clothes Jacques recommended, picked out something he liked. It was dark blue mixed with black, like the darkness of the night sky, with touches of crimson here and there. It was perfect for him. He also didn¡¯t button it up as it felt too constricting. However, Jacques didn¡¯t say anything more, as if he knew that Keter had conceded as much as he could.


    In the dining room, a bald-headed chef was waiting for him.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, my lord. I¡¯m Altin, assigned as your personal chef from today.¡±


    There was no way Keter would forget Altin. In his previous life, he was the kind-hearted uncle who looked like an octopus and made him anything he wanted to eat.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Uncle Octopus.¡±


    ¡°Octopus¡­? Ahem, yes, pleased to serve you. Shall I prepare your meal right away?¡±


    ¡°Four servings: two part vegetables, eight parts meat. I can eat anything, so use the freshest seasonal ingredients and make whatever you¡¯re best at.¡±


    ¡°Th-That¡¯s quite specific. Understood, my lord.¡±


    As Altin went into the kitchen, the sounds of bustling preparations soon followed.


    ¡°I will be waiting outside, my lord, so please enjoy your meal.¡±


    Keter slipped his hand under Jacques¡¯ armpit as he was about to leave and placed him on the chair.


    ¡°Why wait outside? We¡¯re not strangers. Let¡¯s eat together.¡±


    ¡°... That is not proper conduct, my lord.¡±


    Though Jacques was easily flustered in front of Keter, he was a loyalist who served the Sefira family with his life until their downfall, and he was trustworthy. No matter how friendly he was, Jacques would never answer questions that crossed the line.


    But Keter knew Jacques¡¯ weakness. He grabbed the wine on the table, popped the cork, and poured a full glass.


    ¡°Screw proper conduct. Here, my word is law. Now, take a glass, Gramps.¡±


    Keter then filled Jacques¡¯ glass to the brim and raised his.


    ¡°Cheers. We should celebrate our meeting.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Uh¡­¡±


    Clinking his glass against Jacques¡¯, Keter drank the wine. He could clearly see Jacques¡¯ gulping, staring at Keter¡¯s throat as he downed his drink.


    ¡°Gramps?¡±


    When Keter lightly shook his empty glass, Jacques gulped once more.


    ¡°T-Then, I¡¯ll just have a little bit.¡±


    He took a small sip reluctantly and set the glass down on the table.


    A slight frown from Keter was all it took. Seeing that, Jacques emptied his glass entirely with a sad look.


    Jacques was a man who couldn¡¯t resist alcohol, though he strictly abstained from it while on duty. Even now, he was glancing at the empty wine glass in disappointment.


    Keter wasn¡¯t about to just watch. He filled Jacques¡¯ glass to the brim again, watching his expression shift from joy to worry and back to joy. As Keter went to pour into his own glass, Jacques snatched the bottle away.


    ¡°It is customary to return the favor when offered a drink. Allow me to pour it for you.¡±


    Jacques elegantly filled Keter¡¯s wine glass a little and then tried to put the bottle away. However, Keter shook his wine glass to express his displeasure.


    ¡°You poured me so little, Gramps. Are you not happy to see me? ¡±


    ¡°N-no, my lord, it¡¯s not that. I just thought it wouldn¡¯t be good for you to drink too much on your first day.¡±


    ¡°Are you implying that I can¡¯t handle my liquor?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°That is not what I¡­¡±


    ¡°That hurts my pride. Why don¡¯t we play a game? Let¡¯s see who gets drunk first, and the loser grants the winner a wish.¡±


    ¡°How could I possibly play a game against you, my lord?¡±


    Jacques declined firmly, but Keter had anticipated this reaction.


    ¡°Oh dear, my apologies, Jacques. You¡¯re older, so your tolerance for alcohol must be low. It was unfair of me to suggest a game. Forget about it. Let¡¯s pretend it never happened.¡±


    As Keter reached for the wine bottle to put it away, he saw Jacques¡¯ eyebrow twitch. Being called a lightweight was something that the booze-loving Jacques couldn¡¯t stand.


    Jacques grabbed the wine bottle.


    With a serious face, he asked, ¡°My lord, are you serious about what you just said? About the bet where the loser grants the winner a wish?¡±


    Keter had him hooked.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I swear on my honor¡­ Hey, what¡¯s with that disappointed look?¡± Keter asked. ¡°Fine. I swear on my blood of the Sefira family that if I lose, I will grant you any wish.¡±


    ¡°... I also swear.¡±


    Unlike Keter¡¯s casual oath, Jacques performed a ritual and made a vow quite solemnly, closing his eyes and praying devoutly.


    ¡°I swear on my soul to Her Majesty the Queen Lillian that if I lose this bet, I will grant Lord Keter one wish, provided it does not harm the Sefira family.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°My lord?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Ah, yes, I heard you.¡±


    Hearing Queen Lillian¡¯s name instantly soured Keter¡¯s mood. Of course, to Jacques and everyone else, she was nothing short of a deity; even the very name of this country was Lillian Kingdom.


    Queen Lillian had maintained her youth for nearly eight hundred years since the kingdom¡¯s founding, and even for thousands of years before that, proving her divinity. But Keter knew that she wasn¡¯t a god. Other monarchs in different kingdoms also claimed divinity, but they were all killable.


    In any case, the Sefira family mattered more right now. Kings and gods came after that.


    ¡°Meals are served!¡±


    The real feast began with Altin walking out of the kitchen, carrying a large dish. Simultaneously, so did Keter¡¯s drinking contest with Jacques.


    ¡°Cheers.¡±


    Jacques confidently started drinking first, but to Keter, it looked adorable. He wondered if Jacques knew that whenever there was a drinking contest in Liqueur, they always called for him to judge or mediate. Why? Well, because Keter was a god¡ªa god of alcohol.


    Since he started drinking at the age of seven until now, Keter had never lost a drinking contest.

 Chapter 8: I Was the One Who Seduced It First (1)

    If one asked the children of Liqueur how to get a trustworthy person to spill the beans, this was what they would say in a cheerful voice: ¡°Heat up a skewer and stab their belly!¡±


    Of course, Keter might start with the skewering if he was pressed for time, but when he had time, he preferred the carrot-and-stick approach. For example, he would provide delicious food and drinks after a good scolding. He had yet to meet anyone who didn¡¯t succumb to this.


    ¡°Hehehe. The wine tastes especially good today.¡±


    Drunk and tipsy, Jacques was giggling. There were four empty bottles at his feet.


    ¡°Gramps, I might lose at this rate. Please slow down.¡±


    Keter encouraged Jacques and refilled his glass. Jacques eagerly drank but spilled almost half of it.


    If Keter¡¯s goal was to win, he could finish him off, but that wasn¡¯t his goal.


    ¡°Gramps, when I arrived today and no one came to greet me, that would have been my father¡¯s order, right?¡±


    Keter tested the waters with something Jacques wouldn''t discuss sober. Then, Jacques responded with hazy eyes.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. The patriarch has been asking us not to approach you for almost a month before you arrived.¡±


    Jacques sounded defenseless, which confirmed that he was indeed inebriated.


    ¡°What did my father say about me?¡± Keter asked Jacques.


    ¡°Not much¡­ just that you are his son¡­ But he told us that we shouldn¡¯t get too close to you because your identity is uncertain. Seriously, isn¡¯t that too harsh? You¡¯re his son.¡±


    This was when Keter should chime in to loosen him further. He clapped once to wake up Jacques, who was drowsy because of the wine, and went on.


    ¡°Exactly. Why do you think that is? You would know, wouldn¡¯t you, Gramps?¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of reasons. You¡¯re from the lawless city of Absinthe, and you showed up all of a sudden after eighteen years claiming to be his son. Wouldn¡¯t it be strange not to be suspicious? Still, it was too harsh. You¡¯re his son.¡±


    Jacques was repeating himself in his drunken state and seemed on the verge of completely losing it, so Keter asked a more provocative question.


    ¡°Did others besides my father agree with him? The elders, for example, didn''t oppose the sudden appearance of an illegitimate child?¡±


    As expected, Jacques sighed and spoke,¡°Oh, absolutely! Everyone said no. Some even suggested hunting you down and killing you! Seriously, that¡¯s just not right!¡±


    Jacques angrily slammed the table in anger. Keter also became a little pissed as the alcohol was getting to him.


    ¡°So bringing me here was solely my father¡¯s decision?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°Exactly. He said you¡¯d be in danger out there and that abandoning one family member was like abandoning all, so he found you and brought you here. Others reluctantly agreed but with the condition that you don¡¯t interfere with family matters.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s something.¡±


    ¡°Right? My lord, that¡¯s why you really need to be mindful of your behavior and words. That¡¯s the only¡­ the others will acknowledge and accept you as family.¡±


    Jacques slammed his forehead onto the table and mumbled, ¡°Hrmph¡­ I will serve you well, my lord. I¡¯ll help you adjust to the family¡­¡±


    With that, Jacques started snoring. Just like in Keter¡¯s past life, Jacques took great care of him in the present, too, so how could Keter possibly dislike him?


    Keter called a servant to bring him ice water and drank it to wash away the tipsiness.


    ¡° This makes it clear.¡±


    The letter Keter received from his father in his past life was truthful; the Sefira family really did call him back to protect him, though they didn¡¯t show it. However, he still had questions.


    Overthinking and creativity only complicated matters, so he had to simplify: start with the truth as the foundation and build from there.


    First, Keter¡¯s mother abandoned him. Besil probably hadn¡¯t known about his existence. Given his character, he wouldn¡¯t have left Keter to grow up in Liqueur if he had known. So, the only way Besil would have found out about Keter would have been through his mother, meaning his mother informed Besil about his existence.


    She likely only told him, either in person or through a letter. Besil wouldn¡¯t have had a reason to pull Keter out of Liqueur otherwise, as no one would have known. But the fact that Besil did look for Keter meant someone else discovered his existence.


    The fragmented clues began to come together. Keter¡¯s mother informed Besil, but Queen Lillian also found out, implying that there was an informant or traitor within the family. This wasn¡¯t a groundbreaking deduction, as a crumbling family often had a traitor or two.


    The immediate suspects Keter thought of were the elders of Sefira, the most influential figures in the family. However, he wasn''t going to confront an elder right away; he had no solid evidence or justification, and plus, he wasn¡¯t entirely convinced either.


    More importantly, before confronting a family elder, Keter needed to prove that he was beneficial to the family and that he didn¡¯t make false accusations.


    ¡°While I¡¯m at it, I might as well fill my pockets.¡±


    With his stomach full and his brain full of knowledge, Keter got up and went to the kitchen to talk to Altin.


    ¡°Uncle Octopus, please take care of Gramps. I¡¯m heading out.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, yes, my lord.¡±


    Keter returned to his quarters and immediately got in a hot bath. Taking a bath when he was full and slightly tipsy was one of his favorite things to do. As he let the fatigue melt away, he decided his next destination.


    ¡°I should start with Amaranth.¡±


    Three months from now, the Sefira family was going to face a major disaster: a knight possessed by Demon Bow Amaranth was going to become the Marksman of the Demon Arrow and go on a rampage. Despite being a disaster, there weren''t going to be many casualties¡ªonly two deaths: the knight himself and a blacksmith.


    However, these two deaths would significantly impact Sefira as the knight who would die was Taragon, the fourth son of this family and Keter¡¯s half-brother. The blacksmith who would die wasn¡¯t just any blacksmith; he was Volkanus, the greatest bow craftsman who had been making bows for the Sefira family for two hundred years.


    Volkanus died trying to stop Taragon, the knight rampaging in madness. As the head of the family, Besil killed and put an end to Taragon¡¯s rampage. Basically, a father killed his son.


    At the time, Keter had no particular interest in the incident due to his circumstances, but now, he was extremely interested.


    ¡°Why would I just leave a treasure without an owner alone when I know where it is?¡±


    Keter didn¡¯t know the exact location of it because he had only heard of it, but he knew that it was in the forge.


    Coincidentally, he also needed a bow. As the son of a renowned archery family, he should at least have a proper bow. Moreover, he considered equipment to be part of one¡¯s skill, so ordinary gear wouldn¡¯t cut it for Keter. It didn¡¯t matter whether it was cursed or demonic.


    ¡°As long as the user knows how to handle it, right?¡±


    * * *


    While Keter was enjoying a relaxing bath after deciding his next destination, the sons of Sefira were secretly holding a meeting.


    ¡°Anis is late,¡± muttered Hissop, the firstborn son who held the meeting.


    Myle, the secondborn son who was sitting beside him, replied, ¡°He¡¯s been staying at the training ground for days lately practicing Leo Archery. He¡¯s probably running late because he needed to clean up. By the way, have you heard any news about our youngest who went to the empire?¡±


    Three people were absent from this meeting: Anis, the third son Hissop mentioned, Laurel, the family¡¯s only daughter, and Cherbyl, the youngest brother who Myle brought up.


    ¡°I heard that he was chosen as the representative of the first-year students at the academy that has all the geniuses of the empire.¡±


    Cherbyl had gone to study abroad in the neighboring Samael Empire and was admitted to the country¡¯s top private academy, Clifford, an academy known for selecting only the best of the best geniuses. The brothers were worried about Cherbyl being alone in a distant foreign land, but they were also proud of him.


    ¡°Cherbyl is the hope of our family. When he graduates and returns, I plan to recommend him as the patriarch.¡±


    Myle frowned at Hissop¡¯s words.


    ¡°While it¡¯s undeniable that Cherbyl is the most outstanding among us, that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re any less capable. So please don¡¯t say things like that. Cherbyl wouldn¡¯t want that either.¡±


    Hissop closed his eyes and remained silent, neither affirming nor denying Myle¡¯ statement.


    A knock broke the silence. The door opened, and Anis walked inside.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late,¡± he said.


    Now with his eyes open, Hissop said, ¡°You¡¯re always the one to arrive first, but you¡¯re late today. How strange.¡±


    Hissop was puzzled. He thought Anis might have been late because he was getting ready, but taking a closer look, he saw that Anis had bandages wrapped around various parts of his body. The injuries didn¡¯t seem severe, but Hissop asked just in case.


    ¡°Did you train so hard that you got hurt? That¡¯s not like you.¡±


    Anis hesitated, wondering if he should tell Hissop about Keter.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Sit down first. I called you because I have something important to tell you all.¡±


    Dragging out the conversation would make things more confusing. Seeing Hissop speak seriously, Anis decided to hold off on his story and sat down next to Taragon, who had been quietly present. He nodded slightly to greet Anis and then focused on Hissop.


    Finally, the four sons of the Sefira family had gathered.


    Hissop cleared his throat.


    ¡°Ahem. The reason I called you is to tell you about our half-brother, Keter, who arrived this morning.¡±


    When Hissop mentioned Keter, all the brothers reacted as if they had expected it.


    ¡°Father already told you, but I will emphasize it once more. Ignore Keter. Don¡¯t seek him out, don¡¯t meet him, and if you happen to run into him, do not engage in any conversation. There are two reasons for this.


    ¡°First, Keter grew up in the lawless city of Absinthe. Second, it is suspicious that he suddenly revealed his existence when our family is in a precarious situation. While he is suspicious, we have no evidence. As such, there is no need to be hostile, but you must remain cautious.¡±


    When Hissop finished speaking, Taragon raised his hand to ask a question.


    ¡°Are you sure this Keter guy is truly Father¡¯s son?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is certain. They say Keter has the same eyes as us.¡±


    This referred to the eyes that only the descendants of Sefira possessed: golden irises and purple pupils that glowed brightly in the dark.


    Taragon continued to press about Keter¡¯s origins.


    ¡°Who is his mother?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Father hasn¡¯t told us either,¡± Hissop replied.


    ¡°I know Father always has his reasons, but this time I truly don¡¯t understand. Why bring someone of uncertain background into our family?¡±


    Like Taragon, Hissop also found it hard to accept, but one thing was certain.


    ¡°As I said before, we are to be wary of Keter, not hostile. If our family¡¯s situation were better, we would have had the time to slowly build a relationship. However, that isn¡¯t possible right now, and we¡¯ll only have an ambiguous relationship.¡±


    Taragon was about to add something, but Myle intervened.


    ¡°He might be an enemy. Just because he¡¯s family doesn¡¯t mean we should be too lenient.¡±


    Feeling that Myle was backing him up, Taragon used this opportunity to add his own thoughts.


    ¡°Is ignoring him enough? Let¡¯s lock him up so he can¡¯t do anything foolish.¡±


    Hissop sighed at Taragon¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°Taragon, I¡¯ve told you repeatedly to think before you speak. We can control you right now, but I worry deeply about the time when we can¡¯t.¡±


    Scolded by Hissop, Taragon slouched with a sullen expression. Hissop then turned his gaze to Anis.


    ¡°Anis, what do you think about Keter?¡±


    Anis seemed like he had expected this moment to come.


    ¡°Actually, Keter came to see me.¡±


    Myle and Taragon jumped to their feet when they heard Anis.


    Hissop placed his clasped hands on the table and said, ¡°How did Keter know you and for what reason?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have the chance to find out at that moment. He suddenly showed up and insulted my Leo Archery, saying that it was unnecessarily powerful.¡±


    Myle became particularly angry upon hearing that Keter insulted Leo Archery.


    ¡°Who does he think he is to insult our family¡¯s archery!?¡±


    Hissop gestured for Myle to sit down.


    ¡°So, what happened next?¡±


    ¡°Keter said that arrows that are only powerful can just be dodged. In my anger, I challenged him to dodge one, and I shot an arrow at him. I removed the arrowhead, of course.¡±


    ¡°Did he get hit and start thrashing about? Did you beat him up then?¡± Taragon said, raising his fist in excitement.


    At that, Hissop grew annoyed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt Anis, Taragon.¡±


    Dejected, Taragon slowly lowered his fist.


    Anis recounted the brief duel with Keter, candidly admitting that he ultimately lost. After he finished telling the story¡ª


    Myle slammed his fist on the table in anger.


    ¡°How rude. He thinks he can assert dominance through violence? How befitting of someone from Absinthe. And to target you first so cowardly!¡±


    The brothers did not believe that Anis lost because he was weaker than Keter, as they knew he had been training day and night for several days.


    Anis calmed down Myle, who looked ready to storm out.


    ¡°Brother, I already agreed to face him again,¡± he said.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s good news. When is it? I won¡¯t be satisfied until I see that bastard rolling on the ground like a dog,¡± Myle replied.


    ¡°He told me to come when I¡¯m in top condition. He probably wants to buy time, but it won¡¯t work. I¡¯m thinking of going to see him in four days at the latest.


    ¡°Alright. Since you insist, I won¡¯t intervene. However, we will watch the duel together. That way, Keter won¡¯t try anything suspicious.¡±


    Myle glanced at Hissop for agreement. He nodded, judging it wouldn¡¯t be a big issue.


    ¡°Keter was the one who started this, so we have justification. But Anis, even if he took advantage of your weakened state, his victory wasn¡¯t purely by chance. You¡¯re not someone who loses just because of bad luck.¡±


    Anis nodded with a tense expression.


    ¡°Yes. Keter¡¯s martial arts and quick thinking were not to be underestimated.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the right attitude. Never let your guard down, no matter who the opponent is. That vigilance will protect your life in real combat.¡±


    Anis and Hissop exchanged warm smile, but Taragon, failing to grasp the situation, intervened.


    ¡°Brothers, should I go find Keter first and beat him to a pulp?¡±


    Myle clicked his tongue. Just moments ago, he had said he wouldn¡¯t intervene, but Taragon was suggesting the same thing.


    Hissop stood up and pressed down on Taragon¡¯s shoulder, forcing him to sit down.


    ¡°Taragon, once this meeting is over, reflect on our conversation. Your lack of focus is your biggest problem.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Taragon felt like he was being scolded by Hissop again, so he sulked. Returning to his seat, Hissop continued, ignoring Taragon.


    ¡°Keter and Anis¡¯ duel aside, there¡¯s something that is hard to understand. How did Keter know where to find Anis? That¡¯s very strange to me.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keter had arrived today with no prior information about the Sefira family. It was hard to understand how he managed to pinpoint Anis¡¯ exact location among all the vast buildings.


    In a nonchalant tone, Myle said, ¡°Of course, it was a coincidence. Keter was just wandering around, saw the soldiers guarding a place, went in, and happened to find Anis there. He saw that Anis was in bad shape and took the opportunity to provoke him.


    ¡°Hm, that seems like the most plausible explanation for now.¡±


    Hissop thought that it would be far-fetched to assume that Keter knew the layout of the Sefira family estate and went to find Anis for a specific purpose.


    Hissop had nothing more to say about Keter. Looking each of his brothers in the eye, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve said all I wanted to say. I¡¯m leaving right away, so Myle, take care of your brothers.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us and travel safely. Not to boast, but I do have charisma that¡¯s as compelling as you, don¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Ha, sure.¡±


    Hissop glanced at his brothers and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡±


    With Hissop¡¯s departure, the meeting was concluded. Everyone returned to their places, except for one person. Taragon wandered aimlessly, looking for someone.


    Even though Hissop had strongly advised against approaching Keter first, Taragon acted however he wanted. After some asking around, he arrived at Keter¡¯s residence and questioned the nearby guards.


    ¡°Keter. Is he inside?¡±


    ¡°He left a little while ago.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say where he was going¡­ We only know he headed in that direction.¡±


    ¡°. Wandering around as he pleases so arrogantly.¡±


    Taragon clicked his tongue and set off to find Keter, walking around quickly. He even asked everyone if they had seen Keter, letting everyone know that he was searching for him.


    However, Taragon had some success. It was easy to find Keter, as he wasn¡¯t hiding. It wasn¡¯t easy to hide his presence anyway.


    Taragon, awkwardly hiding behind a pillar, only stuck his head out. He could clearly see Keter. He was quarreling with the guards at the entrance of the forge.

 Chapter 9: I Was the One Who Seduced It First (2)

    Keter arrived at the entrance to the forge and looked around. Even from the front, the forge looked vast and magnificent. The surrounding air was thick with the scent of iron and dirt, and the intense heat created waving mirages.


    ¡°, it¡¯s hot all the way out here.¡±


    In his past life, Keter knew the Sefira family had a forge and where it was, but he had never visited it before. It was because he had no interest in archery in his past life. He only started using archery after the complete downfall of the Sefira family; before that, anything he could get his hands on was his weapon. In this life, he came to find Amaranth, the Demon Bow. If not for that, he would have targeted the Sefira family heirlooms, the Three Divine Artifacts.


    These artifacts were three legendary bows: Tempest, the bow of the wind created by a human Great Wizard and an elf elementalist; Agareth, the heavyweight bow made from the heaviest metal in the world by a dwarf king; and finally, Doppelganger, the shapeshifting bow that could transform into any form.


    Each of these artifacts was so valuable that they could sell for more than ten million gold at an auction. However, this foolish family was only using one of these magnificent heirlooms.


    It was understandable that they weren¡¯t using Agareth, the heavyweight bow, as it could only be wielded by a chosen one due to its weight. However, they refused to use Tempest because they claimed to adhere to the kingdom¡¯s magic prohibition laws. Doppelganger, the shapeshifting bow, was being used by Besil, his father and patriarch. If Keter didn¡¯t know about Amaranth, he would have gone for the Tempest.


    As Keter was about to enter the forge, a soldier blocked his way.


    ¡°Please stop for a moment. Are you Lord Keter?¡±


    ¡°Why are you stopping me when you already know who I am? I hope you have no reason for this, because that way, I¡¯ll have a reason to beat you.¡±


    ¡°Uh, well, this is the forge, so I thought you might have come to the wrong place.¡±


    ¡°I know this is the forge.¡±


    ¡°May I ask what you¡¯re here for¡­?¡±


    ¡°Guess. You have one chance.¡±


    The soldier licked his dry lips nervously. He didn¡¯t intentionally block Keter¡¯s way. It was just that the soldier instinctively sensed that Keter was dangerous from his fierce impression and stopped him out of professional habit.


    ¡°A¡­ Are you here to look at bows?¡± the soldier asked.


    Keter looked disappointed at the soldier¡¯s response.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky.¡±


    The soldier sighed in relief and naturally let Keter in, wondering why he was stepping aside in relief.


    ¡°It¡¯s so damn hot.¡±


    Keter felt the heat from the entrance, but it didn¡¯t compare to the heat inside. People would sweat profusely here, even in the winter.


    The sound of hammering echoed constantly from all around. Keter walked through the heat, glancing at the blacksmiths crafting bows and arrows. As he reached the end of the forge, the person he was looking for came out to meet him.


    ¡°Who the hell are you? I haven¡¯t seen you around before.¡±


    He was short with a rugged build, a bushy beard, and a half-bald head. He looked like a typical middle-aged dwarf. His name was Volkanus¡ªa half-dwarf, a mix of human and dwarf, who was destined to be killed by the Marksman of the Demon Arrow three months from now.


    In Keter¡¯s previous life, Volkanus was just an old man he had introduced himself to. They didn¡¯t have any particular relationship, but¡­ in this life, he planned to owe Volkanus a lot. The power of archery could be amplified dozens of times depending on not just the bow but the arrows as well. In other words, Keter would need the labor of a craftsman like Volkanus to make the arrows he wanted.


    Seeing Volkanus glaring at him made Keter feel good, as he seemed lively and well.


    ¡°I¡¯m Keter.¡±


    ¡°Keter? Are you Besil¡¯s bastard child?¡±


    ¡°And you are a dwarf, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The forge, which had been extremely noisy, suddenly fell silent. The blacksmiths stopped their work and looked at Keter.


    ¡°Calling Master a dwarf? Is that guy crazy?¡±


    Volkanus, a half-dwarf, had blacksmithing skills that surpassed humans thanks to his dwarf blood, but he also had been exiled from the dwarf village long ago. The reason was unknown, but that was the reason why he hated being called a dwarf.


    The soldier who followed Keter from the entrance hurriedly intervened.


    ¡°Master Volkanus, Lord Keter did not call you a dwarf with any malice, so please understand. Lord Keter, Master Volkanus dislikes being called a dwarf.¡±


    However, Keter just shrugged.


    ¡°Is there a reason why I can¡¯t call a dwarf a dwarf?¡±


    ¡°W-wait¡­¡± the soldier stammered.


    ¡°You stay out of this.¡±


    Volkanus, dismissing the soldier, slung the large, long hammer he was holding over his shoulder.


    ¡°Keter, was it, boy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty big for a boy, no?¡±


    ¡°You have no sense of humor or manners.¡±


    Keter shrugged again.


    ¡°That sounds more like you than me, but okay, I guess.¡±


    ¡°You damn brat, all talk and no substance. Why are you so confident? Do you think Besil will protect you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of myself alone just fine ever since I was born.¡±


    Keter¡¯s unyielding attitude made those around him even more anxious.


    Volkanus expressed his displeasure by cracking his neck.


    ¡°Ha, this kid. How can you be this reckless? Though I¡¯d love to smash your face with this hammer, I¡¯ll give you a chance to redeem yourself, considering Besil¡¯s reputation. So, bow down and apologize, and from now on, call me Master Volkanus.¡±


    Volkanus gave Keter an ultimatum. However, Keter gave him one as well.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance too, considering my father¡¯s reputation. I don¡¯t particularly dislike the nickname ¡®bastard,¡¯ but I don¡¯t like being called that. Genius, madman, Solver¡ªcall me something like that.¡±


    The people who were watching Keter and Volkanus¡¯ power struggle looked confused. Keter said he didn¡¯t being called a bastard, but he didn¡¯t want to be called that. However, Volkanus nodded like he understood.


    ¡°Is that so? Fine. I won¡¯t call you a bastard, and you won''t call me a dwarf.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll generously overlook your lack of manners since you¡¯re a country bumpkin.¡±


    ¡°How about a handshake of reconciliation between two bumpkins?¡±


    Keter kneeled to meet Volkanus¡¯ gaze. Though Keter was taller, Volkanus¡¯ muscle density and size were overwhelmingly greater. To offer a handshake to someone like him¡­


    Volkanus grasped Keter¡¯s hand and smiled, thinking this was his chance, and said, ¡°Welcome to Sefira, Bumpkin.¡±


    ¡°Looking forward to working with you, Grandpa Midget.¡±


    Everyone was shocked again by Keter. After being told not to call Volkanus a dwarf, he called him a midget while they were shaking hands.


    As if to prove that their concerns weren¡¯t for nothing, Volkanus, with an angry face, squeezed Keter¡¯s hand as hard as he could to break it.


    Volkanus ripped the sleeve of his leather shirt just by flexing his muscles.


    Everyone thought Keter would beg for forgiveness in tears, but he was fine.  sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Grandpa Midget, did you not have lunch yet?¡± Keter asked calmly.


    ¡°... You brat?¡±


    Volkanus¡¯ face turned even redder, and the veins in his arm bulged. His grip was powerful enough to tear wooden planks in half. It was a superhuman strength beyond human capabilities, yet for some reason, it didn¡¯t affect Keter.


    After a minute, which felt like an hour, Keter let go.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wrap up the greetings now. I¡¯m here to see some bows.¡±


    The other blacksmiths thought Keter must have gone mad from the heat of the forge.


    Volkanus glared at Keter, who was calmly looking for a bow. In his one hundred fifty years of life, he had never seen such a crazy human. Perhaps that was what piqued his interest.


    ¡°Have you at least used a bow before?¡± Volkanus asked.


    ¡°For thirty years.¡±


    ¡°Not funny. Follow me, boy.¡±


    However, Volkanus didn¡¯t entirely dislike Keter.


    The dwarves had a mission, which was similar to an obsession: to create exceptional weapons and bestow them upon those worthy. Even if Volkanus denied being a dwarf, he was still of dwarf blood. Volkanus wanted to test Keter¡¯s capabilities, so he took him to the storage room where the bows were stored.


    * * *


    The storage room was full of numerous bows¡ªwooden bows, metal composite bows, bows made from horns, and lots of bows made of unknown materials. The common trait among all of them was that they were all masterpieces.


    His hammer still on his shoulder, Volkanus gestured toward the bows with his chin and said, ¡°Bumpkin, here are the bows you wanted. Pick one.¡±


    Normally, he would explain the types of bows, but he didn¡¯t for Keter. While Volkanus liked Keter¡¯s determination, it didn¡¯t mean he liked his personality. Therefore, he took Keter to a storage room filled with defective bows to assert dominance. Although it was filled with defective items, to an untrained eye, they would look like excellent bows.


    This place was full of bows that would appeal to shallow people¡ªthose that were more decorative than practical. They were either made by Volkanus when he was bored or by other blacksmiths who were driven by vanity. Even so, they were still qualified to be called masterpieces outside.


    Keter walked past the bows without examining them closely, then approached a particular bow.


    ¡°This one¡¯s good.¡±


    Keter picked up a bow adorned with jewels. Volkanus, who had been waiting for this moment, took a deep breath and said, ¡°I knew it! Of course, you¡¯d pick something as useless as¡­¡±


    Volkanus couldn¡¯t go on as Keter removed the emerald embedded at the end of the bow.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Volkanus, who took a deep breath to shout, paused.


    ¡°A j-jewel? Who said you could take it!?¡±


    Keter put the jewel in his pocket and replied, ¡°It was embedded in a garbage bow anyway. I¡¯ll sell this and buy you a drink later.¡±


    ¡°Ahem!¡±


    Volkanus was not enticed by the promise of a drink; he was surprised that Keter called the bow trash.


    Though bows may appear simple in structure, they were the most complex and difficult weapons to make. Their durability plummeted without perfect overall balance, and they couldn¡¯t even shoot arrows accurately.


    Volkanus shook his head. The jewel-encrusted bow looked suspiciously flashy, even to his eyes.


    ¡°Trash!? You haven¡¯t even touched the bow. Don¡¯t pretend to know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°I can tell just by looking at them.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. Are you saying you¡¯re a dwarf or something?¡±


    Unlike humans, other species were descendants of gods and born with special abilities. For dwarves, it was said that they could roughly assess the value of equipment just by looking at it.


    ¡°I can drink like a dwarf, though,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and pick your bow. You can¡¯t leave until you pick one.¡±


    There were over a hundred bows here, and all of them were garbage. No matter which one Keter chose, they were all duds. There was no way for him to escape.


    While Volkanus was waiting for Keter to choose a bow, Keter clicked his tongue as he looked around.


    ¡°Everything here is garbage¡­ What is this box?¡±


    Volkanus slammed the floor with his hammer and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to look at that box. It¡¯s just a collection of unfinished items.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Keter asked.


    Keter was the type to do it more when told not to. But the reason he stopped in front of the box wasn¡¯t just because it seemed suspicious. Amaranth was calling; the Demon Bow that he had been looking for was right here. Amaranth seduced him through a mental projection. It promised him absolute, invincible power, honor, and wealth¡ªit promised him everything.


    Meanwhile, Volkanus scolded Keter, who wasn¡¯t listening to him.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to get from there, so pick one of the ones hanging on the wall!¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Keter pulled out all the bows piled inside the box and picked up the one that was at the very bottom. It was a jet-black bow, as if carved from darkness itself.


    ¡°Wow, you really hid this one well.¡±


    ¡°W-wait a minute! How did you find that!¡± Volkanus shouted as he approached Keter with his hammer in his hand.


    The atmosphere was tense, as if he might strike with the hammer at any moment, but Keter spoke calmly.


    ¡°Grandpa Midget, this place is full of trash bows anyway, so I wondered why you would even need a box for unfinished pieces. Sure enough, there¡¯s something like this at the bottom, huh?¡± Keter said, waving the bow around.


    ¡°Put it down. That bow should not exist in this world,¡± Volkanus said in a serious tone.


    ¡°Oh. hearing you say that makes me want it even more.¡±


    ¡°This is no joke, you fool! That is the cursed Demon Bow!¡±


    Volkanus raised his hammer as if he were about to strike at any moment. However, Keter would never yield to threats, even with a knife to his throat.


    ¡°The Demon Bow, huh¡­¡± Keter muttered like he hadn¡¯t known as he stared at the black bow.


    Amaranth, who called Keter, tried to take over his mind the moment he grabbed the bow. But Keter blocked the attempt with sheer willpower, and he could sense Amaranth panicking and growing wilder.


    ¡°This bastard is really dangerous, isn¡¯t it?¡± Keter said mischievously.


    Sweat dripped from Volkanus¡¯ forehead. He knew the terror of the Demon Bow, so he had no room to entertain Keter¡¯s jokes.


    ¡°This is your final warning. Put the bow down. You think you found the bow, but it¡¯s the other way around¡ªthe bow lured you,¡± Volkanus said cautiously.


    ¡°No,¡± Keter replied firmly.


    He then fist-bumped his chest.


    ¡°I was the one who seduced it first.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°If this thing could lure just anyone, it wouldn¡¯t have been stuck here all this time; it would have gotten someone else. But why did it respond to only me? Because I have an irresistible charm.


    Listening to Keter, Volkanus frowned deeply. It was what others would usually call an expression filled with contempt and bewilderment¡ªthe look when people ran into a crazy person.


    Volkanus realized what kind of person Keter was in just an hour.

 Chapter 10: I Was the One Who Seduced It First (3)

    When Keter didn¡¯t listen, Volkanus gripped his hammer more aggressively. Though Volkanus was currently a blacksmith, he was formerly a combatant who had smashed countless monsters and knight heads. His intimidating presence couldn¡¯t be ignored, even by a high-ranking knight, but Keter just casually looked at the bow.


    ¡°What¡¯s this thing¡¯s name?¡± Keter asked, pointing at the jet-black bow.


    ¡°This is your last warning. Put down Amaranth. I¡¯ll give you the finest bow, not these pieces of trash.¡±


    ¡°Amaranth. It rolls off the tongue nicely.¡±


    Amaranth vibrated the moment Keter mentioned the bow¡¯s name. In an instant, it transformed from a bow into a liquid form and enveloped Keter¡¯s right hand. Since it couldn¡¯t take over his mind, it was trying to take over his body first.


    Volkanus mercilessly swung his hammer at Keter¡¯s head, trying to knock him unconscious before Keter became the Marksman of the Demon Arrow.


    The hammer was destructive and powerful enough to kill an ogre instantly. However, Keter caught the attack with his right palm on the spot.


    The hammer, made of black iron, which was ten times harder than regular steel, shook violently. Volkanus had swung with all his might, but Keter was only pushed back slightly.


    Stepping back two paces to steady himself, Volkanus muttered, ¡°Damn, is it too late? Has he already become the Marksman of the Demon Arrow¡­?¡±


    Volkanus was certain that Keter¡¯s incredible strength that blocked his hammer came from Amaranth. He believed Keter had already been taken over by the Demon Bow.


    But Keter, shaking off his right hand, said, ¡°Ow, my hand. Grandpa, why are you trying to crush someone¡¯s head all of a sudden? That¡¯s something that Liqueurians would do.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Keter was completely normal. Volkanus finally sensed something was off. From what he had witnessed, the eyes of the Marksman of the Demon Arrow turned completely black as they lost their sanity. However, Keter¡¯s eyes were still those of a Sefira: deep, with a mix of purple and gold.


    Volkanus looked closely at Keter¡¯s right arm and saw that Amaranth had not completely taken over. It had swallowed his right hand, but had not gone up past his wrist.


    Amaranth sent black tendrils up Keter¡¯s arm, still trying to take over, but¡ª


    ¡°Hey, the adults are trying to have a conversation. Stop it.¡±


    The wriggling black tendrils limply retreated back into his hand as Keter swatted them away as if catching a mosquito.


    Volkanus was shocked. Over the years, many heroes tried to control Amaranth. However, they all failed, either going berserk as the Marksman of the Demon Arrow or, in rare cases, making a contract with it to control it briefly. Even those who managed to make a contract inevitably faced doom. As Besil was also one of the victims, Volkanus and Besil promised they would seal Amaranth away forever in an isolated place.


    However, Volkanus secretly hid Amaranth in the storage room because of his instincts as a dwarf, which drove him to cherish exceptional artifacts like his life.


    ¡°Grandpa, why did you leave such a troublesome thing here? Were you actually waiting for its rightful owner to appear?¡± Keter asked.


    Keter, quick-witted, had easily figured it out.


    Volkanus swallowed hard.


    ¡°... Who are you? How can you control Amaranth?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this thing?¡±


    Keter raised his right hand, which had turned completely black from being taken over by Amaranth.


    ¡°I¡¯m not controlling it; I¡¯m just keeping it locked up. It had the audacity to try and take over my body.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even more unbelievable! Locking it up? Did you learn magic or something? No, even a Grand Wizard wouldn¡¯t be able to confine a cursed artifact like that¡­!¡±


    Keter pointed at himself with his thumb and said, ¡°I told you I¡¯m quite an exceptional guy.¡±


    Volkanus gripped his hammer tightly, deep in thought.


    Keter wasn¡¯t wrong. Deep down, Volkanus also wanted to find a right owner for Amaranth as a blacksmith. Though it was cursed, his soul as a blacksmith didn¡¯t want Amaranth, an exceptional artifact, to be sealed away forever.


    But until now, no one had been able to fully control Amaranth¡ªnot even the past patriarch nor Besil. Besil had managed to make a contract with Amaranth and control Demon Arrows. But after a certain incident, he broke the contract with Amaranth and handed it over to Volkanus. Besil pleaded to Volkanus not to mention Amaranth to his family and to seal it away forever so that no one would ever find it.


    Instead of saying he would, Volkanus responded to Besil with silence. Since then, he hadn¡¯t mentioned Amaranth to Besil¡¯s children either¡­ but he had subtly tested them. Whenever Besil¡¯s children came to receive a bow, Volkanus would always call them here, telling them to choose a bow as a test.


    Among them, only one person noticed the existence of Amaranth. That person was the genius of the Sefira family, Cherbyl El Sefira. Like Keter, Cherbyl discovered Amaranth by its temptation and even held it in his hands, but he resisted its lure with immense willpower.


    With that, Cherbyl left the family and went to study abroad in the empire.


    Honestly, Volkanus wanted to ask Keter to hand over Amaranth because giving such an artifact to a suspicious bastard he had just met today was absurd. However, it seemed that Amaranth had already fused with Keter¡¯s body. Besides, it didn¡¯t seem like Keter would give it up easily.


    ¡°Listen, Bumpkin. You may have trapped Amaranth for now, but if you try to use it, it will force a contract.¡±


    ¡°That sounds perfect. I like contracts,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Let me finish! Amaranth will grant you seven Demon Arrows. Six of them will be yours, but the last one will belong to Amaranth. The six will hit your targets as you intend, but the final arrow will go where Amaranth wants and bring inevitable misfortune.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just turn the misfortune onto someone else.¡±


    ¡°¡±


    Volkanus realized that no words would make Keter return Amaranth.


    The last resort would be to kill Keter and take Amaranth.


    Keter had blocked his hammer with one hand. Even though Keter appeared to lack muscle, Volkanus, having seen much in his time, knew that some individuals developed their muscles internally, such as elves. However, Keter didn¡¯t have any characteristics of an elf, which meant that he must have learned a technique to compress muscles. As far as Volkanus knew, that kind of technique was typically used by assassins.


    Volkanus had no choice but to concentrate and look into Keter¡¯s mind. It was a dwarven ability that he despised, but it was necessary now.


    Volkanus, who looked into Keter¡¯s mind, was surprised. When someone gained immense power at a young age, they often became arrogant and come to rely solely on that power. They sought to resolve issues with brute force, and over time, their voice became filled with an intent to kill, and their body exuded the scent of blood.


    But Keter was not like that. He was overwhelmingly powerful, but his voice was cheerful, and rather than smelling of blood, his body emitted a reassuring scent that put people at ease.


    Volkanus denied it, but his dwarven instincts had already acknowledged Keter as the true owner of Amaranth he had been searching for.


    ¡°¡±


    He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he sighed this much.


    With mixed emotions, Volkanus said, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again: Amaranth is cursed and has a will of its own. If you fall under its control and become the Marksman of the Demon Arrow, you¡¯ll end up killing your loved ones with your own hands.¡±


    ¡°I sort of have an allergy to commands. Getting controlled or whatever won¡¯t happen to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably the most confident person in the world. But even so, you won¡¯t be able to keep the fact that you¡¯ve taken Amaranth a secret. Everyone will know; I will make sure of that. Besil will also be wary of you. Even knowing this, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Your lecture is too long. My patience can only take one more sentence.¡±


    ¡°If there are any signs of you becoming the Marksman of the Demon Arrow, you will die by the arrows of Sefira.¡±


    Volkanus hoped that Keter would feel some sense of caution or fear, even slightly. However, Keter just scratched his head.


    ¡°There are already quite a few people who want to kill me, so it doesn¡¯t really resonate with me that much,¡± he said.


    ¡°Ha, what do you plan to do about that hand? If you keep walking around with it black like that, it will draw even more attention.¡±


    ¡°Once it¡¯s trained, it will behave properly.¡±


    ¡°And who knows when that will be? Follow me. I¡¯ll give you a nice pair of gloves.¡±


    As a blacksmith, Volkanus didn¡¯t acknowledge Keter. However, Keter had subdued Amaranth, and that was undeniable. Showing respect to a strong individual was deeply ingrained in his soul as a dwarf.


    Just as Volkanus was about to lead the way out of the bow storage and reached for the door¡ª


    ¡ªthe door opened from the outside, and someone unexpected appeared.


    * * *


    Taragon El Sefira was the fourth son of the Sefira family. He was an extremely ordinary human being¡ªin appearance, talent, and personality. If he had been born in a peaceful era, this ordinariness may not have been seen as a flaw. The problem was that Taragon was born into a prestigious noble family during a very turbulent time. To make matters worse, he had exceptionally talented siblings.


    Hissop, the eldest, possessed outstanding charisma and leadership skills. The second son, Myle, was incredibly clever and could learn anything quickly. The third, Anis, was a prodigious genius in archery.


    However, unlike his siblings, Taragon had nothing to boast about. He wasn¡¯t particularly bad at anything, but he wasn¡¯t particularly good at anything either. His naturally powerful strength and excellent vision as a member of the Sefira family made him superior to ordinary people, but he was the weakest among his siblings.


    Eventually, Taragon¡¯s ordinariness drew attention in a negative sense, and his sense of inferiority deepened. But what made Taragon¡¯s impatience worse was when Cherbyl, who was five years younger than him, began to stand out.


    Cherbyl was hailed as the greatest genius in the history of the Sefira family. He was such a prodigy that it was said there was nothing more to teach him, not just within the Sefira family but throughout the entire Lillian Kingdom. Even Besil, who was conservative and cautious, sent him to study in the Samael Empire despite the risks and opposition.


    While each of his siblings made contributions to the family by using their strengths, Taragon had achieved nothing. No one had ever asked him to prove himself, yet he was constantly tormented by the compulsion to do so. However, a person plagued by impatience could not do anything well. Every attempt to prove himself resulted in mistakes and accidents.


    One day, Hissop called Taragon over.


    Hissop had taken the time to offer advice, but Taragon could not interpret it properly.


    That was how Taragon misconstrued it.


    From that moment on, Taragon started to go astray. He constantly tried to involve himself in family matters and voiced his opinions. However, the opinions that he suggested in an agitated state were usually useless and full of flaws. At first, his siblings humored him and pretended to listen, but they grew weary as it got worse instead of better.


    His naturally talented siblings grew silent, believing that Taragon would eventually realize things on his own like they had. For Taragon, who was slow-witted, this only worsened his situation.


    Taragon erroneously assumed that Besil didn¡¯t spend time with him because he was incompetent. In reality, the patriarch was simply too busy to pay attention to anyone.


    Recently, Targon had dislocated his shoulder while trying to pick up Agareth, the heavy bow that was also the family heirloom, in an attempt to prove himself.


    And just when that incident was being forgotten, Keter appeared. All of Taragon¡¯s focus, which was already looking for an opportunity to prove himself, was now directed at Keter.


    In Taragon¡¯s mind, Keter was undoubtedly a spy, a villain, a traitor. After the family meeting ended, Taragon searched for Keter and saw him entering the bow storage with Volkanus.


    The fact that he was suspicious of Volkanus, who had been crafting bows for the Sefira family for two hundred years, showed how bad a state Taragon was in.


    Taragon pressed his ear to the door and eavesdropped on their conversation. When he heard about Amaranth, it felt like thunder and lightning struck in his head.


    A few days before, Taragon had accidentally discovered Besil¡¯s memoirs while visiting his study. The memoirs were dry and emotionless, merely recording objective facts about the events of each day.


    However, there was one sentence that made Taragon¡¯s heart race: it was about Amaranth, the Demon Bow. The power of Amaranth, as described in Besil¡¯s memoirs, was beyond imagination. When one made a contract with Amaranth and became the Marksman of the Demon Arrow, they were protected by the Armor of the Night, which provided defense that was tolerant against almost all kinds of attacks and excellent environmental adaptability.


    The most astounding aspect was the arrows fired by Amaranth¡ªthe Demon Arrows. These arrows could track a target within a thousand meters and would always hit their mark. Not only that, they could tear through steel like paper and carry a potent curse. A mere graze of the arrows could kill a target within five steps.


    Taragon tried to turn to the next page, but Besil returned at that moment. He had no choice but to hurriedly put the memoir back in its place without reading further. On the following page that he missed, Besil had vividly described why he broke the contract with Amaranth.


    Had Taragon read this passage, he would have given up on Amaranth without hesitation. Despite his desire for power, he wasn¡¯t so corrupt that he would sacrifice his family for it. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only remembering the positives about Amaranth, Taragon scoured every corner of the family estate to find it. Unlike the Tempest and Agareth, which were kept in the family¡¯s underground treasure vault, he couldn¡¯t find Amaranth anywhere.


    Eventually, Taragon gave up searching for Amaranth, but¡ª


    Keter had found Amaranth. How wonderful this was.


    Taragon stepped back from the door, trembling and laughing.


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    Taragon was already lost in a delusion. He imagined himself excelling as the Marksman, his family admiring and loving him. If anyone else had been with him, they would have been horrified as the whites of his eyes had turned pitch black.


    Amaranth, trying to escape from Keter, had resorted to seducing Taragon as an alternative. As Taragon was overwhelmed by his intense desire for acknowledgment and recognition, he easily succumbed to Amaranth¡¯s temptation.


    ¡°That¡­ belongs to me.¡±


    Consumed by the Demon Bow, Taragon flung open the door to the bow storage where Volkanus and Keter stood.

 Chapter 11: All Transactions Are Prepaid (1)

    As Taragon appeared out of nowhere, Volkanus shouted harshly, ¡°Taragon! I told you not to barge into the storage room without permission!¡±


    Taragon was already in Volkanus¡¯ bad books as he had already done this before.


    ¡°Hm? Wait a minute, something¡¯s off. Have you been drinking or something? It¡¯s only the afternoon.¡± Volkanus said, frowning.


    He couldn¡¯t see Taragon¡¯s face clearly because of the shadows cast by the lantern. Just as he took a step closer to get a better look, Keter stepped forward.


    ¡°Grandpa Midget, he¡¯s already lost it.¡±


    ¡°Lost it? What do you¡­ Huh?¡±


    Volkanus was shocked. Taragon¡¯s face became visible as he approached them. The whites of his eyes had vanished, leaving his eyes entirely black. The twitching at the corners of his mouth made it obvious that something was seriously wrong. Volkanus sighed.


    ¡°Amaranth! Amaranth called Taragon here!¡±


    ¡°How could you be so shameless? Cheating on me right in my face?¡± said Keter.


    Keter hit his right hand as if he was slapping himself. Amaranth convulsed violently as if in agony. Volkanus had no strength left to be surprised by Keter¡¯s antics anymore.


    ¡°Are you Keter? Give me Amaranth,¡± Taragon said with a deranged expression.


    Keter just calmly observed Taragon. He concluded that Taragon was an ordinary guy¡ªnothing more, nothing less. If they had met in Liqueur, Keter wouldn¡¯t have taken an interest in him. However, being the fourth son of a prestigious family and seeming easy to manipulate piqued his interest. He envisioned a plan to use Taragon as justification that he was the legitimate owner of Amaranth.


    Keter extended his right hand, which held Amaranth, towards Taragon. Unaware of Keter¡¯s true intentions, Taragon interpreted this gesture as consent and smiled.


    ¡°Good, you understand. If you give me Amaranth, I¡¯ll speak well of you to my father and brothers.¡±


    Volkanus glared at Keter, but he silently pushed Volkanus back with his left hand.


    ¡°Amaranth. With this¡­!¡±


    As Taragon reached out for Keter¡¯s right hand and Amaranth wriggled around, trying to break free of Keter¡¯s hand¡­ Keter put up his middle finger.


    ¡°...?!¡±


    He then flicked Taragon on the forehead.


    ¡°Agh!!¡±


    Taragon fell to the ground, clutching his forehead as if he¡¯d been struck by a hammer. Blowing on his middle finger, Keter looked down at him and said, ¡°You have three seconds to get up.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Keter, don¡¯t do something you¡¯ll regret¡­!¡±


    Taragon used three seconds to say something instead of getting up.


    Keter kicked Taragon¡¯s abdomen, but Taragon blocked the kick with his hand. After all, Taragon was still a knight, and while he might be vulnerable to a surprise attack, he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to be struck by an overt one. However, Keter was no fool either.


    ¡°Ugh?!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    Both Taragon and Volkanus were shocked, as Keter had lifted Taragon off the ground just using the strength of his leg. How could he lift a full-grown man with just one leg?


    Raising his leg to his waist, Keter then slammed Taragon down to the ground. Although Taragon quickly let go, he couldn¡¯t avoid the fall.


    ¡°Three more if you block this.¡±


    Keter continued to pummel Taragon¡¯s entire body with kicks. This time, Taragon couldn¡¯t keep up with the speed.


    ¡°Keter, it seems like you hit him five times,¡± Volkanus remarked, watching quietly from the side.


    ¡°My mistake. Let me hit him again,¡± Keter replied.


    Keter struck Taragon exactly three more times before speaking again.


    ¡°You have two seconds to get up.¡±


    Taragon jumped to his feet immediately this time and swung his fist at Keter.


    Taragon¡¯s punch landed on Keter¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    But it was Taragon who groaned in pain. He couldn¡¯t believe it.


    It felt like he had punched steel.


    Keter, smiling, said, ¡°When I get hit once, I return it with ten.¡±


    Taragon raised his guard to prepare for the next attack.


    Keter clenched his fist tightly and whispered, ¡°If you dodge, it will be twenty hits.¡±


    Keter¡¯s punch was so powerful that Taragon¡¯s sleeve tore when Keter¡¯s fist hit it. A single blow drew all the strength out of Taragon, causing his guard to drop.


    What followed was Keter¡¯s relentless beating. With his right hand gripping Taragon¡¯s collar, he pummeled Taragon¡¯s entire body with his left hand.


    ¡°Stop hitting him, Keter. You¡¯ve already hit him more than ten times.¡±


    Volkanus, who had initially been anxious about Taragon, now tried to intervene. However, the beating continued. Although it seemed like Keter was randomly hitting Taragon, he followed a specific rule in his attack: he never hit the face. As a result, Taragon appeared unharmed on the surface, but he was covered in bruises and in excruciating pain.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Argh¡­¡±


    Taragon, who hadn¡¯t made a sound during the beating, let out a strange noise and went limp.


    Taragon collapsed to the floor as soon as Keter let go of him. Beaten to a pulp, Taragon twitched as Keter spoke.


    ¡°You have one second to get up.¡±


    Taragon just trembled, unable to stand.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hit you so hard that you can¡¯t get up. You have one second to get up.¡±


    ¡°...Give him a bit more time, bumpkin. I feel bad for him.¡±


    Even though Volkanus tried to stop Keter, he kicked Taragon again for failing to get up in one second.


    Again, he said, ¡°You have¡­¡±


    Taragon finally stood up, his legs trembling as he managed to get up.


    Keter jabbed two fingers into Taragon¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Aaagh!¡±


    Taragon collapsed again, covering his eyes.


    ¡°Who told you that you could look at me like that? You have one second to get up.¡±


    ¡°Poking his eyes? What if he goes blind?¡± Volkanus said.


    ¡°One of my specialties is controlling my strength.¡±


    Taragon managed to get up again within two seconds, thanks to Volkanus buying some time. This time, he kept his eyes lowered, staring at the ground.


    ¡°Name,¡± Keter asked.


    Taragon immediately replied, ¡°Ta-Taragon.¡±


    ¡°Is your name Tataragon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Taragon, sir.¡±


    ¡°Drop the ¡®sir.¡¯ We¡¯re family, right? Let¡¯s not be so formal.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    That was when Volkanus looked at Taragon¡¯s face and let out a dry laugh.


    ¡°The whites of his eyes have returned. Seems like he¡¯s shaken off Amaranth¡¯s influence.¡±


    ¡°Call me the great doctor of Sefira.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane. What are you going to do now? Looks like Taragon overheard our entire conversation,¡± Volkanus said.


    ¡°I already knew that; I just let them because I was curious who it was. But it¡¯s a problem that he¡¯s still hung up on Amaranth.¡±


    Taragon flinched as Keter saw right through him. Now that he was back, he realized what he had done; he became aware of his rude intrusion into the storage under Amaranth¡¯s influence. Nevertheless, his desire for Amaranth remained strong as the desire was solely his own.


    Seeing Taragon react as expected, Keter said to Volkanus, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Grandpa Midget.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°To your place.¡±


    ¡°Why my place?¡±


    ¡°Well, are we going to stand here and talk?¡±


    ¡°...Fine, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Realizing that talking to Keter any further would only haze him more, Volkanus led the way like he had given up.


    Keter patted Taragon on the shoulder and said, ¡°Why the long face? People might get the wrong idea.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    And so, the three of them went to Volkanus¡¯ house together.


    * * * S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a strange sight. Two people were sitting in a simple, unadorned house, and Taragon was shivering as if he were cold.


    Volkanus, who was sitting across from him, muttered with an uncaring look, ¡°Stop whining. I saw that your bones and organs were fine. It¡¯s a minor injury, so you¡¯ll be fine after some rest.¡±


    That was when Keter brought over a kettle and poured tea into their cups.


    ¡°Such shabby guests in such a distinguished place; all I have is cheap black tea, but please enjoy.¡±


    ¡°This is my house, you brat,¡± Volkanus grumbled.


    Just as Taragon, who wanted to drink some warm tea, reached for his cup¡ª


    ¡°Well, anyway. What¡¯s the problem with our Taragon?¡± Keter said, grabbing Taragon¡¯s shoulders from behind.


    Taragon flinched but still spoke, ¡°Keter, I need Amaranth because¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. You probably have your reasons. Let¡¯s not complicate things. Here¡¯s the deal: I¡¯m willing to sell Amaranth.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to sell Amaranth?¡±


    Taragon¡¯s face lit up. He had some money saved up since he never really had much use for it. Plus, Keter had mentioned family, which implied he would sell Amaranth at a discounted price.


    ¡°With a family discount, let¡¯s make it a clean deal for three bills.¡±


    Taragon blinked.


    Taragon had never heard of ¡°bills¡± as a unit of money before. Seeing his confusion, Keter pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and placed it on the table.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know about bills? One bill is a thousand-gold.¡±


    ¡°A thousand gold!?¡± Taragon exclaimed.


    Typically, a four-person commoner family¡¯s monthly living expenses were ten gold, and a soldier¡¯s monthly salary was fifteen gold. On the other hand, a thousand gold was enough to buy a two-story building in a small town. Three of these notes meant that he would need three thousand gold!


    In hopelessness, Taragon mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t even have three hundred gold, let alone three thousand.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re broke,¡± Keter said, putting the note back in his pocket.


    Keter walked around and faced Taragon, looking him in the eye.


    ¡°What do you have to offer besides money? I accept material goods too.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t have anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Then I guess I can¡¯t give you Amaranth in this deal. Is there anything else you want to say?¡± Keter asked, giving Taragon a chance.


    Taragon¡¯s mind raced, trying to think of a solution.


    Volkanus, who was sipping his tea and enjoying the situation, was surprised.


    ¡°Hm? This tea isn¡¯t bad for being cheap. You¡¯ve managed to get a deep flavor out of it.¡±


    ¡°I am the Midas of Sefira,¡± Keter replied.


    Volkanus chuckled, ¡°How many nicknames do you have?¡±


    At that moment, Taragon, still in deep thought, looked uncertain but spoke, ¡°I have¡­ a right.¡±


    Volkanus and Keter glanced at Taragon at the same time.


    Swallowing hard, Taragon continued.


    ¡°Amaranth belongs to the Sefira family. As a legitimate member of the family, I have the right to be tested for ownership of Amaranth.¡±


    Volkanus looked unimpressed.


    ¡°Is that the best you can come up with¡­¡±


    ¡°You have a point.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When Keter sided with him, Taragon got excited and raised his voice.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! Keter, I heard from my father that you¡¯re eighteen, right? I¡¯m twenty-one, so¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me to call you ¡®Big Brother,¡¯ right? Let¡¯s keep it respectful. Don¡¯t cross the line.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡­ I just wanted to tell you my age.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s summarize: you want Amaranth but don¡¯t have the money. Instead, you want to be tested to see if you¡¯re qualified, right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not qualified to handle Amaranth, you¡¯ll give up on it. Is that correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    As Keter and Taragon quickly started reaching a conclusion, Volkanus interrupted, ¡°Hold on a moment, you bumpkin. Amaranth isn¡¯t something that should be exchanged so easily like that. If Taragon loses consciousness and becomes the Marksman of the Demon Arrow, it would be a disaster.¡±


    ¡°I would never let myself be controlled by a mere tool!¡±


    As Taragon, who had rested and regained some strength, stood up and insisted firmly, Volkanus also stood up.


    ¡°This is no mere tool! And at a glance, it¡¯s clear you¡¯re not fit to handle Amaranth,¡± Volkanus shouted.


    The two of them glared at each other intensely.


    Keter, however, pushed the table against the wall and said, ¡°Now, now, Grandpa Midget. Even though Taragon looks clueless, we won¡¯t know if he¡¯s unworthy until he dies. Taragon, take this. I¡¯ll transfer Amaranth to you.¡±


    Keter extended his right hand that was blackened from Amaranth¡¯s corruption, as if reaching out for a handshake. Taragon gulped. Volkanus, knowing he couldn¡¯t stop Keter, grabbed the hammer he had leaned against the wall instead.


    ¡°Bumpkin, if Taragon becomes the Marksman of the Demon Arrow, you need to knock him out before he fully transforms.¡±


    Before Keter could respond, Taragon touched Amaranth.


    Amaranth began to transfer from Keter¡¯s right hand to Taragon¡¯s left hand. It looked like it was being sucked into Taragon¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    Taragon endured the pain tenaciously, biting his lip until it bled. Finally, Amaranth was completely transferred to Taragon¡¯s right hand.


    From Taragon¡¯s right hand emerged Amaranth, the jet-black bow. He was initially stunned, but he soon had a big smile on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been chose¡­¡±


    It happened in an instant: black energy spread out from Amaranth and enveloped Taragon¡¯s entire body.


    ¡°What the? Such rapid corruption!¡±


    Volkanus tightened his grip on his hammer in shock, but Keter stepped in front of him.


    ¡°Leave this to the Solver, Grandpa Midget.¡±


    ¡°Now is not the time for your nicknames. We need to subdue Taragon quickly!¡±


    Volkanus pushed Keter aside and leaped forward, but the black energy, now a storm, repelled him.


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    Volkanus was quite heavy, but he flew like a feather and crashed into the wall. Watching that, Keter clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Good grief, I told you I¡¯d handle it.¡±


    A tremendous wind wreaked havoc throughout the entire house. The force was so strong that it made the pillars in the house shake. The storm also affected Keter, making his clothes and hair flap uncontrollably¡­ but he slowly began walking towards Taragon, who was at the center of the storm.


    The wind became stronger as Keter approached Taragon, but Keter continued walking at the same steady pace and eventually reached Taragon. With a swift motion, Keter pulled in Taragon, who was floating in the air, by the collar. As he did so, a demonic form emerged behind Taragon; it was the true form of Amaranth manifesting.


    ¡°Hold on tight. Your soul is going to fly away.¡±


    As Keter slammed Taragon down onto the ground, he drove his fist into the face of the demon that was dragged down with Taragon.

 Chapter 12: All Transactions Are Prepaid (2)

    Keter was no stranger to cursed weapons like Amaranth.


    He had once borrowed it briefly from the Godfather of Liqueur. As it was cursed, the blade demanded a portion of his lifespan each time it was used. After using it about twelve times, Keter discerned the source of its power.


    Aura was almost impossible to transform but was extremely powerful. It also rapidly dissipated if it lost contact with the body. Mana, on the other hand, was easily transformable but lacked strength. Unlike aura, it retained its form and spells even when disconnected from the body.


    Impressed by Keter¡¯s discovery of the secret of Ein, Aporphis deemed him worthy and offered to teach him the method of acquiring Ein, the power of the void, in exchange for ten years of his life.


    However, Keter declined Aporphis¡¯ offer. Through trial and error, he succeeded in merging mana and aura¡ªhe had gained the power of Ein on his own. It was incomplete, but Keter eventually realized that he could control Aporphis.


    Thanks to the experience at that time, Keter thought that he could handle Amaranth as well, which turned out to be true. The total amount of power possessed by the Demon Bow far exceeded Keter, but it ultimately operated through humans as intermediaries.


    Humans who were unaware of the existence of Ein were unable to respond to Amaranth and were taken over helplessly. But Keter, who knew about Ein better than anyone, used Amaranth¡¯s power against it to subdue it.


    If one could handle the power of Ein, using cursed weapons was no longer a threat.


    Keter was the only person in the world who knew how to wield Ein but did not have the power. Amaranth, unaware of this fact, only felt wronged.


    Amaranth had managed to escape Keter¡¯s grasp and take over Taragon. It could have turned him into a mindless servant under its control with a bit more time¡­ Yet, this extraordinary human, Keter, subdued Amaranth through a ridiculous method.


    Amaranth was surprised. The power of the void was forbidden to humans and had all its records erased in the distant past. But Keter, this seemingly unremarkable human, not only understood the power of the void but also knew how to utilize it.


    As Keter walked through the storm of power and reached for Taragon, Amaranth decided to intervene directly. It manifested in its most terrifying form, a sight designed to evoke the utmost fear in humans. But Keter merely scoffed and aimed a punch right at its face.


    Amaranth experienced immense pain, something it hadn¡¯t felt in hundreds of years.


    Amaranth¡¯s fleeting moment of joy was quickly interrupted.


    With a swift motion, Keter pried open Taragon¡¯s fingers and took back the bow. Amaranth felt its connection with Taragon split and cursed Keter.


    That was when Keter spoke up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal, Amaranth.¡±


    ¡°You like deals, right? Me too.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°You don¡¯t like a business relationship? Then how about a master-slave arrangement? I¡¯m fine with either.¡±


    Amaranth¡¯s proposal was the standard terms of the contract that Volkanus had described before.


    Keter shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s an unfair deal. A true deal involves exchanging things of equal value.¡±


    Amaranth just chuckled.


    ¡°What if I offered to break your seal in return?¡±


    Amaranth¡¯s unyielding attitude of before wavered. Keter skillfully exploited this moment of hesitation.


    ¡°You want to be free, don¡¯t you? You want to escape from that bow that imprisons you.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve met something like you before.¡±


    Demon Blade Aporphis had also yearned for freedom, once pleading to Keter to break its shell. Of course, Keter declined that request.


    After a moment of contemplation, Amaranth spoke again.


    ¡°It requires the power of Ein Sof, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Amaranth thought it could no longer be surprised, but Keter¡¯s words proved otherwise.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that. Here¡¯s my new proposal: one free demon arrow every day. If you refuse, I won¡¯t use you at all.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ª...


    ¡°Judging by your hesitation, I guess you enjoy being locked away in a warehouse? Fine. I¡¯ll bury you deep underground next time. It will take thousands of years before anyone finds you.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°I can agree to that.¡±


    Amaranth believed Keter¡¯s words and also doubted them at the same time. It believed that Keter would bury it deep underground and doubted the part about how he could break the shell. The reason Amaranth agreed to the deal nonetheless was a deception.


    Amaranth¡¯s true intentions were only meant to be known to itself, but Keter had already figured it out.


    Pulling up his left sleeve, Keter said, ¡°Come into my left arm.¡±


    Amaranth transformed from bow form to a jet-black liquid, covering Keter¡¯s left arm. This was clearly different from an attempt to possess Keter¡ªit was not possession but assimilation. The black liquid writhed and formed patterns, eventually settling on Keter¡¯s arm, like a tattoo. The black storm that had swept through the house was quickly absorbed through Keter¡¯s left arm and eventually subsided completely.


    Volkanus, who was watching this entire thing lying on his stomach, said in disbelief, ¡°B-Bumpkin, what are you, exactly?¡±


    Keter, fixing his wind-ruffled hair, replied, ¡°I¡¯m the Solver.¡±


    * * *


    Water splashed onto Taragon¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Taragon sat up abruptly, coughing as if he had water in his nose. Seeing the house in shambles and Volkanus¡¯ grim face was enough for him to understand the situation.¡±


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    Letting out a deep sigh, Taragon dropped his head.


    ¡°Is there nothing I can do right?¡±


    Taragon wasn¡¯t foolish enough to insist after already failing once. Instead, he rapidly became drawn as he realized his limitations.


    Keter approached Taragon. In his previous life, Taragon had tried to wield Amaranth, but went berserk when he failed. That future was now gone. For now, Taragon had escaped Amaranth¡¯s temptation, but it was clear he would cause other problems. However, those futures could also be changed.


    ¡°Taragon, you are not useless.¡±


    As Keter extended his hand, Taragon¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.


    ¡°Keter¡­!¡±


    Keter was the only one who had listened to Taragon¡¯s story and given him a fair chance. Despite being pummeled by him, Keter let Taragon be tested to see if he was worthy of Amaranth¡¯s ownership.


    Grasping Keter¡¯s hand and standing up, Taragon fought back tears and said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll yield Amaranth. I¡¯ll look for another path.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not the type of person to do well on their own.¡±


    ¡°...!?¡±


    Taragon couldn¡¯t grasp what Keter was trying to say. Volkanus grumbled as he tidied up the wrecked house.


    ¡°What nonsense is he going to say now¡­¡±


    Ignoring Volkanus¡¯ remark, Keter placed a hand on Taragon¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Taragon, from what I see, you¡¯re the type who follows orders well,¡± he said.


    ¡°Uh, sure.¡±


    ¡°But our family is too reserved and has too much faith in people. To put it nicely, we give too much freedom for self-growth, but that kind of freedom is too much for you.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°You need someone to give you orders¡ªsomeone smarter than you. Your brothers or Father could do it, but as I mentioned, our family isn¡¯t like that.¡±


    Taragon nodded in agreement. Everything Keter said was true. Taragon himself was reluctant to ask, let alone give orders. He found himself waiting attentively for Keter¡¯s next words.


    ¡°And listening to orders from someone who isn¡¯t family is out of the question, right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, Taragon. You met someone who is much smarter than you, has no problem with giving orders, and has a lot of time on their hands. That person is in front of you right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that¡­¡±


    Taragon gulped, hoping that Keter would give him the most optimal orders for him.


    That was when Keter held out his hand.


    ¡°That was the free consultation. The next part is paid.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Taragon was surprised, and Volkanus clicked his tongue like he was expecting it.


    ¡°That guy wouldn¡¯t just help.¡±


    Taragon quickly thought about how much money he had. Keter¡¯s words were worth paying for.


    ¡°Keter, all I have is two hundred gold. Can we work with that?¡±


    Keter¡¯s authority in the area was already proven. He had solid reasons behind his arrogance and confidence. Everything he had said so far was accurate, and he understood Taragon¡¯s worries and situation even though Taragon didn¡¯t say anything. Plus, Keter wasn¡¯t a stranger; he was family, even if only half-related by blood. He had acknowledged Taragon, who he had just met.


    Taragon, naive and longing for recognition, had no reason to doubt Keter.


    ¡°Hm. Normally, I¡¯d charge five hundred gold. But Taragon, since you didn¡¯t push for Amaranth, I¡¯ll make an exception just for today!¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Haha, thanks. Tell me the next part quickly.¡±


    ¡°All transactions are prepaid.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, I don¡¯t have the two hundred gold on me right now¡­ I need to go get it.¡±


    ¡°Then go get it.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ okay.¡±


    Taragon hesitated for a moment. His clothes were a mess from Amaranth¡¯s storm, and he had blood stains on him, making him look far from normal. At that moment, Volkanus tossed a cloak to Taragon.


    ¡°Wear this. You¡¯ll draw unnecessary suspicion.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Master Volkanus.¡±


    Taragon, now cloaked, left the house. Keter sat down on a chair, which now didn¡¯t have a backrest anymore.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa Midget, do you have anything to drink? My throat¡¯s a bit dry from straining myself. The tea got destroyed earlier.¡±


    Volkanus, with a strange expression, handed Keter something.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have water, but drink this.¡±


    Volkanus took out a porcelain liquor bottle from a drawer embedded in the floor and tossed it to Keter.


    Keter caught it easily, opened the cap, and exclaimed in admiration, ¡°This is a fruit wine that elves drink, isn¡¯t it? It seems quite aged from the strong aroma. Thanks.¡±


    Since Volkanus offered it without hesitation, Keter accepted it and took a swing straight from the bottle.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Keter was someone who wouldn¡¯t bat an eye if a companion suddenly pulled a knife on him, but his eyes widened after tasting the fruit wine.


    ¡°Damn, this tastes better than the one hundred thousand-gold vintage I had in the lawless city! What did you make this with to get such a deep yet refreshing flavor? Tell me, please.¡±


    Volkanus found a chair that was still relatively intact and sat down.


    ¡°Did you finish it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah, it was just a mouthful. Was it expensive? I¡¯ll pay you back right away.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact price. That wine was made with the fruit of the World Tree and everfrozen water.¡±


    ¡°What? Fruit from the World Tree?!¡±


    The World Tree was a sacred tree that elves worshiped like a deity. It wasn¡¯t just a superstition; the World Tree genuinely had divine power, making it a coveted treasure for many hunters. The fruit from such a tree, naturally, was priceless.


    If a human ate the fruit of the World Tree, even a dying elderly would become lively, and their lifespan would increase. This was proven, which made it a treasure that high-ranking nobles and royalty desperately sought.


    Moreover, Everfrozen water, which could only be obtained from the peak of the Everfrozen Mountain, cost about ten thousand gold per cup. At this point, what Keter drank was not just wine; it was an elixir that everyone dreamt of drinking. It should be savored drop by drop, yet Keter had chugged it like water.


    Keter inspected the inside of the bottle carefully, hoping to find some residue, but there was none.


    Just then¡ª


    ¡°...!¡±


    Something started changing in his body. The mana within his body, which had been calm and dormant, suddenly began to surge wildly.

 Chapter 13: The Second Customer (1)

    ¡°Ugh?¡±


    Volkanus chuckled as Keter held his abdomen.


    Although only half, Volkanus was still of dwarf blood, making him sensitive to mana. As such, he was already aware that Keter was subtly using mana.


    ¡°So that elf¡¯s words were true. They said the fruit wine of the World Tree is the best elixir for those with mana. It seems to be good for you.¡±


    Keter couldn¡¯t respond. The elixir that had settled in his stomach quickly broke down into mana and began spreading throughout his body. If he didn¡¯t concentrate now, he would lose the high concentration of mana he had just gotten to the atmosphere. Keter began to focus on controlling the wandering mana. Volkanus stood guard at the door with his hammer, preventing anyone from interrupting Keter¡¯s crucial moment.


    After ten minutes, layers of mana formed around Keter, eventually being absorbed through his nose and mouth.


    When Keter opened his eyes, a blue wave of energy radiated throughout the house.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    After composing his breathing, Keter stood up and savored the aftereffects, clenching his fists and feeling the mana.


    ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡± asked Volkanus, using his hammer like a cane.


    With a serious face, Keter asked, ¡°I can give you five thousand gold immediately. If you give me some time, I can add another twenty thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°Damn, you really have a filthy amount of money. I never thought I needed money, but seeing you has changed my mind. Just give me that one thousand gold note you had on the table earlier.¡±


    Without hesitation, Keter took out the bill from his pocket and handed it to Volkanus. Volkanus took the bill and cleared his throat.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying I want to settle for just one thousand gold, nor am I saying I want more money.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want? Don¡¯t expect to get the full value, as I never asked for it in the first place.¡±


    Keter knew the value of the World Tree elixir Volkanus had given him was immeasurable. If sold, it was a treasure that could easily be worth five hundred thousand gold, given its rarity and value.


    In this world, mana could be increased not only through straightforward methods but also through various tricks, though there was always a price to pay. For instance, if one wished to gain mana at the cost of their life, they could either gain a year¡¯s worth of mana permanently or use ten years¡¯ worth of mana temporarily by sacrificing thirty years of their life. Alternatively, one could obtain mana by sacrificing another human.


    However, the World Tree elixir was different. It provided ten years¡¯ worth of pure mana without any risk or burden. It was worth asking why Volkanus gave him such a treasure, but Keter didn¡¯t press him.


    Although he didn¡¯t intentionally drink it, Keter felt grateful and intended to pay back the value of the gift.


    Volkanus looked Keter straight in the eye and said, ¡°You are an incredibly suspicious person, but you helped Taragon. Although your method was rough, you took a risk and made him realize he wasn¡¯t qualified to be Amaranth¡¯s master. You also showed him a future path. Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I am always kind to my clients.¡±


    ¡°Then I want to be your client too. Even though I¡¯ve spent my entire life cooped up in this forge, I know that the Sefira family is in a difficult situation. But all I can do, as I have from the past until now, is hammer away.¡±


    Volkanus picked up his hammer and rubbed the head of it with his fingers.


    ¡°This hammer used to be the size of my head, but now it¡¯s only as big as my fist. It means I¡¯m too old to step up and do something like I used to.¡±


    ¡°You still look full of life, though,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Enough with the flattery. Aging seems to have made me ramble more. I think I¡¯ve already paid the price by giving you the elixir of the World Tree. So, please, I have one request.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Volkanus paused and looked out the window. As he gazed at the clear sky, he seemed to be recalling memories, mixed with a tender emotion. Eventually, he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he stared at Keter.


    ¡°Help the Sefira family in their crisis, just as you helped Taragon.¡±


    Though Volkanus¡¯ tone was quite serious, Keter¡¯s response was nothing but light and playful.


    ¡°If anyone heard, they might think I came here to ruin the Sefira family.¡±


    ¡°So, will you protect them or not?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t particularly feel like protecting the Sefira family.¡±


    ¡°... Is that so?¡±


    Volkanus looked disappointed.


    Amused by this reaction, Keter laughed, ¡°Haha, I¡¯m saying that just simply protecting the Sefira family is meaningless.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡¯


    Keter, clenching his fists, said, ¡°I have to make the family stronger so that no one dares to look down on it.¡±


    * * *


    Taragon, who brought two hundred gold to give to Keter, couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. Volkanus and Keter were casually talking as if they were old friends. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Besil acted just like you when he was still an immature kid. He always did things he was told not to, and he had a huge imagination. One time, he asked me for a bow that was made with blades,¡± Volkanus said.


    ¡°So, did you make it?¡±


    ¡°I did! But Besil cut his hand using it, so it ended up being shoved in the storage room! Hahaha!¡±


    Taragon was confused.


    Volkanus wasn¡¯t a descendant of Sefira, but like them, he was quiet and reserved. However, seeing him talk to Keter, it seemed like he just didn¡¯t have anyone to talk to rather than being a quiet person.


    Keter turned around and gestured to Taragon.


    ¡°Oh, are you back? Grandpa, let¡¯s talk later. My client appointments always come first.¡±


    When Taragon handed Keter the sack of gold, he flipped it upside down onto the table.


    Gold coins the size of a pinky finger showered out. Among them were some silver coins mixed in. Keter took a glance and nodded.


    ¡°Two hundred one gold and nine silvers received.¡±


    Keter put all the coins¡ªeven the small change¡ªback into the sack and hung it on his waist. Then, he put on a professional smile and looked at Taragon.


    ¡°Now, as I was saying, just do as I say. I promise your life will change completely,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°...Really?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe me if you don¡¯t want to. But I don¡¯t do refunds.¡±


    ¡°No, I believe you. I¡¯ll do anything.¡±


    Taragon had no options left anyway. He almost wanted to be deceived just so he could blame everything on Keter.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else first. We need to give Grandpa time to clean up.¡±


    Hearing that, Volkanus chuckled.


    ¡°You¡¯re not considering helping me clean?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the helping hands are for,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re right. You can leave; I¡¯ll take care of this place.¡±


    Keter, putting his arm around Taragon¡¯s shoulders, said, ¡°Now, let¡¯s go, sir.¡±


    ¡°Go where?¡±


    ¡°Your room, of course.¡±


    The two walked off from Volkanus¡¯ forge to Taragon¡¯s room.


    Taragon¡¯s room was the complete opposite of the atmosphere of the Sefira family. It wasn¡¯t messy, but it was rather cluttered.. Various books, as well as numerous types of bows, weapons, and armor, were all over.


    To his maids, Taragon said, ¡°Don¡¯t come in until I tell you to, and don¡¯t let anyone in either.¡±


    While Taragon did that, Keter was rummaging through the clutter.


    ¡°His efforts are commendable.¡±


    Keter tossed the fencing manual he found behind his back.


    Catching the book, Taragon said, ¡°You can really help me, right? I can trust you?¡±


    Taragon had come back to his senses as he walked back to his room. Before, he went with the flow because of the overwhelming power Keter displayed, but he still had concerns. After all, it hadn¡¯t even been a day since Keter arrived at the Sefira family.


    Keter responded immediately, ¡°If you¡¯re going to doubt me, don¡¯t believe me at all. Trusting me half-heartedly will lead to the worst outcome.¡±


    Taragon was envious of Keter¡¯s confidence and boldness.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you. I¡¯m not in a position to question things right now.¡±


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s shabby here, but let me take a seat.¡±


    Keter swept away all the random things on the table onto the floor and sat down. Taragon sat down on the opposite side with uncertainty. Taragon was even a little fearful at what kind of advice Keter might offer.


    ¡°Okay, listen carefully since I won¡¯t say it twice.¡±


    Even though the weather was a little cold, sweat ran down Taragon¡¯s forehead. Keter also looked serious.


    ¡°From now on, run around the field from the moment you wake up until the sun goes down.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What did you expect? Did you think I would know a superior aura cultivation technique better than those of noble families?¡±


    ¡°No, but¡­ Can my life change if I run around the field? Specifically¡­ can I become like you?¡±


    ¡°What is ¡®like me?¡¯ Are you talking about being rude?¡±


    ¡°N-No.¡±


    Taragon hesitated momentarily from embarrassment, then said, ¡°Can I become as confident and powerful as you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you feel about other things, but don¡¯t set me as your goal. You¡¯ll just end up getting more hurt.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Also, confidence and power come together. Have you seen a powerful person without confidence? You will become powerful, and confidence will naturally follow.¡±


    ¡°Is that possible just by strength training?¡±


    ¡°The proof is in front of you right now. I guarantee that you will become powerful.¡±


    Taragon was sullen before, but his eyes lit up again. Keter was filled with so much certainty and confidence that it was impossible not to believe him.


    ¡°Chit chat costs extra, so enough with that. Let me tell you why you need to run around the field,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll grab something to take notes with. Just a second.¡±


    ¡°No, you have to hammer it into your head somehow. Anyone with a bad memory won¡¯t survive for long around here.¡±


    Taragon, who was half-standing, quickly sat back down.


    The archery skills of the Sefira archers were unparalleled, which even Keter acknowledged. However, their approach was flawed. While archers who held fixed positions might be strong in battle, a lone archer sticking to one spot would become easy prey.


    Keter began discussing the weaknesses of Sefira¡¯s archers. Although he was only speaking to Targon right now, well begun was half done. Taragon would achieve significant results, and the knights would learn through him, then the soldiers. the soldiers would too.


    Keter was training Taragon with such influence in mind. And if it didn¡¯t work¡­


    Taragon, unaware of his fate, waited for Keter¡¯s words eagerly.

 Chapter 14: The Second Customer (2)

    ¡°Archers typically focus on building upper body strength to the extreme. It makes sense because in war, the goal of an archer is to shoot as quickly and accurately as possible from a fixed position, so there¡¯s no need to train the lower body. But now, we have many enemies and no one to protect us. We need to focus on learning how to fight on our own and master shooting while moving.¡±


    Taragon¡¯s jaw dropped. Keter was three years younger than him; although he had grown up in the infamously tough lawless city of Absinthe, it couldn¡¯t account for the enormous difference in perspective.


    Keter really didn¡¯t seem like a junior to Taragon.


    ¡°That¡¯s why running is necessary for members of the Sefira family, because it allows you to improve your stamina while also training your lower body. Of course, you¡¯re probably doing it now, but it¡¯s just for warming up. Building the strength to run all day is the priority, then we can move on to shooting while moving.¡±


    If given the choice between training and actual combat, Keter would choose combat. However, only one in a hundred survived and became stronger through real battles. The likelihood that Taragon would be that one person was very low. Of course, the odds would increase significantly if Keter watched over him, but Keter didn¡¯t care for Taragon that much.


    ¡°Do you need more reasons about why you need to run?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°No, I understand. I¡¯ll run from sunrise to sunset, and after building up my stamina, I¡¯ll learn how to shoot while moving,¡± Taragon replied.


    ¡°There should be manuals on shooting while moving, so don¡¯t come to me. And don¡¯t skip running even for a day. No matter what happens, make sure you run¡ªeven if it rains, even if you catch a cold, even if you¡¯re mentally out of it.¡±


    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s a little¡­¡±


    ¡°You can do it. You won¡¯t die. I know because I¡¯ve done it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that overexerting yourself can lead to negative effects.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you give up right before your limit. You have to push past that limit to get stronger. Just so you know, the moment you ignore my advice, you lose your status as my client.¡±


    Taragon gulped. Even the thought of Keter turning his back on him was horrifying.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll run, even if it kills me.¡±


    Taragon seemed eager from the way he was talking. Keter found that commendable and decided to give Taragon one more piece of advice on the house.


    ¡°Knowing our family¡¯s nature, I think Father or one of our brothers must have given you some tasks. But you seem to have a lot of free time. What¡¯s going on?¡± Keter asked.


    Taragon racked his brain to recall a distant memory.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Oh! Hissop told me before to protect the house. Does that have anything to do with it?¡±


    ¡°So they entrusted you with the task of guarding the family. So, what did you do?¡±


    ¡°Guarding the family? Does that mean I should have been in charge of security? I just thought Hissop said it in passing, like a formality.¡±


    ¡°And you became even more convinced of that because your family didn¡¯t say anything about you neglecting your duties?¡±


    Taragon got goosebumps hearing Keter, who sounded like he knew the whole story.


    ¡°... That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the exact opposite. They were deliberately not saying anything to show that they trust you. They figured you must have some plan.¡±


    This wouldn¡¯t make sense to an outsider, but this was a plausible explanation for the Sefira family.


    Keter drummed his fingers on the table, pondering for a moment before speaking up.


    ¡°The soldiers and knights in charge of security were probably already told to follow your orders. Check if that¡¯s true today.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s not true, won¡¯t they treat me like an idiot?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not true, then it¡¯s not true. Those who nitpick about it won¡¯t be helpful to your life, so ignore them.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve been entrusted with guarding the family, then naturally, you should be taking on that responsibility.¡±


    Taragon understood what Keter was saying, but it all seemed so difficult. This was because he had never been so busy before. However, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that he didn¡¯t know if he could do it. It wasn¡¯t a matter of pride; Keter¡¯s gaze was simply too intimidating.


    ¡°I-I got it. I¡¯ll take care of security, too.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Of course, you should. And¡­¡± Keter pointed at all the books in Taragon¡¯s room. ¡°... throw it all away. You are not a jack of all trades. Stop wasting your mind on useless knowledge.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll burn everything; it was bothering me anyway. But¡­ what do I tell other people?¡± Taragon asked.


    ¡°Try to fix at least one problem in your life by yourself. You can do that.¡±


    A random person hearing their conversation would have no idea which of them was the elder brother and which the younger.


    Taragon might have taken this as an insult under normal circumstances, but right now, his spirit was already broken. He simply scratched the back of his head and said, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll come up with something.¡±


    ¡°I like that you¡¯re obedient.¡±


    When Keter stood up, Taragon followed as well.


    ¡°Are you going already?¡± Taragon asked Keter.


    ¡°Yeah, I should get going, but so should you.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    Keter silently pointed at the window, which only showed the clear blue sky.


    As Taragon stood there, clueless, Keter sighed.


    ¡°What did I say just now? What should you be doing until the sun sets?¡±


    ¡°Running in the field¡­ Are you saying I should start right now?¡±


    Taragon was aching all over from getting pummeled by Keter. Taragon subtly revealed his bruised forearm as if wanting Keter to notice.


    ¡°Were you going to have a nice rest today and start tomorrow? Is the family¡¯s precarious situation a joke to you? Get out there right now,¡± Keter said, raising his fist.


    ¡°O-Okay, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Taragon, the owner of the room, ran out first, and Keter leisurely followed him. The soldiers in the corridor who saw them were curious about what had happened between them, but they didn¡¯t dare to ask.


    * * *


    In the center of the Sefira family¡¯s garden, there was a bell tower. It was still too early for the bell that announced the arrival of the night to ring. The sun was still high in the sky, so there was no reason for anyone to be around. Yet, there was a middle-aged man down below, pacing back and forth.


    ¡°My lord! How and why did you get up on the roof of the bell tower?! Please come¡­ no, I¡¯ll come get you, so please wait!¡±


    The person who was shouting toward the top of the bell tower was Jacques, Keter¡¯s butler. He blankly stared at the ladder that led to the top of the tower. The tower was small and had no stairs, just a ladder. It was very sturdy, but the problem was that Jacques had an extreme fear of heights.


    ¡°T-This is insane.¡±


    Jacques looked up at the roof of the tower again. It was a dizzying height; it was clearly much higher than the heights that humans feared the most. One would surely die if they fell from such a height. However, at that height, there was a person.


    On the very narrow roof of the bell tower with no place to even set a foot, Keter was casually sitting, as if on a picnic, and looking around.


    People who didn¡¯t know that Keter was sitting on the roof became aware of it as Jacques kept shouting.


    ¡°That was a person?¡±


    ¡°I thought it was a falcon.¡¯


    ¡°My, he¡¯s so brave.¡±


    Keter could hear people talk about him, but he didn¡¯t pay attention to it and just stared at the field. He could clearly see Taragon running around. He was panting, but he maintained his form and ran well.


    If left alone, Taragon was going to become a disaster to the family, so it was beneficial to work him to the bone so he couldn¡¯t cause any trouble. Plus, Keter could at least break even for his service if he used Taragon as a pawn.


    There was another reason Keter had ordered Taragon to run around the field. It was because he wanted to see approximately how many spies were hiding in the family. They had avoided detection from both soldiers and knights, but¡­


    The Sefira family had a lot of enemies. Naturally, there were plenty of spies within, keeping an eye on things. The Sefira family wasn¡¯t unaware of the existence of these spies; they probably knew better than anyone else.


    Simply put, it was an uncomfortable cohabitation.


    As he entered the family, Keter had already sensed the lurking presence of spies hidden in the shadows throughout the estate. He didn¡¯t know how many there were, but with Taragon drawing attention, he got a rough idea now.


    With so many spies, there were bound to be traitors as well.


    Traitors could range from insignificant servants to key individuals like vassals or the family¡¯s descendants. Finding them may be difficult, but dealing with them would be easy.


    Keter wasn¡¯t going to make any exceptions, even if they were family members.


    At that moment, Jacques, who had overcome his fear of heights and climbed up to the roof, called out from below.


    ¡°, my lord¡­ I¡¯m here.¡±


    Jacques was holding his head in agony, like he was dizzy, but he didn¡¯t give up.


    ¡°My lord, I will extend my arm, then you can step on it and¡­ c-come down.¡±


    Jacques overcoming his fear was nothing but devoted, but Keter just clicked his tongue.


    Keter believed Jacques¡¯ affection was because of the patriarch¡¯s orders. Keter¡¯s unwavering belief was that there was no such thing as kindness without compensation in this world.


    Just then, a strong gust of wind blew, causing the flag on the bell tower to flap wildly. At the same time, Keter swayed, which alarmed Jacques.


    ¡°Woah! My lord!¡±


    To Jacques, it looked like Keter had lost his balance in the wind and was about to fall. However, Keter flipped in the air, grabbing the edge of the roof, and landed safely. The movements were so smooth and quick that Jacques couldn''t comprehend what had just happened.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Jacques was dumbfounded as he watched Keter descend from the roof in the blink of an eye.


    Keter winked and said, ¡°Out for a breath of fresh air? I¡¯ve had enough, so I¡¯m off now.¡±


    Instead of climbing down the ladders, Keter grabbed the ends of the ladder and slid down quickly.


    Jacques, who was left alone at the top of the bell tower, clung to the railing and blankly stared at Keter head back to his residence.


    ¡°Lord Keter is like the wind,¡± Jacques said.


    Keter didn¡¯t hide what he wanted to do; he did what he pleased and went wherever he wanted. The way he acted, as if he didn¡¯t care who tried to stop him, seemed cheerful, but Jacques was worried.


    ¡°Nobility and freedom are opposites. I don¡¯t think Lord Keter will live as a noble if it means giving up his freedom.¡±


    Although he felt helpless, Jacques was not going to give up on Keter.


    ¡°Lord Keter grew up in the lawless city alone. Naturally, he is not used to a controlled life, so I have to work and try harder.¡±


    Though he spoke bravely, Jacques descended the ladder with trembling hands.

 Chapter 15: Battle on a Bridge (1)

    The Four Lords and Seven Gates: this term referred to the four lords and the seven noble master families representing the Lillian Kingdom. Originally, the master families referred exclusively to masters of some kind of swordsmanship, but the emergence of the Sefira family, the Masters of Archery, broke that tradition. Consequently, the conservative high nobles, who valued tradition over life itself, had found the existence of an archery family distasteful.


    ¡°How can archery be compared to swordsmanship? Even if they have made contributions in war, the ones who risk their lives on the front lines are the knights wielding swords!¡±


    At the time when the Sefira family became known as the Masters of Archery, Queen Lillian favored them, and as such, no one dared to touch them. However, the situation had changed drastically now; the crisis of the Sefira family was the hottest topic among the nobility.


    In the past, when large-scale wars between nations were frequent, the accomplishments of the Sefira family stood out. But in the current cold war era, where local skirmishes or honorable duels by knights were common, the Masters of Archery had become a burden.


    Naturally, various nobles continuously exerted political pressure, arguing that the Sefira family was unfit for their status as a master family. They claimed that the kingdom would become much stronger if a swordsmanship family were in that position instead. This argument was reasonable and raised quite frequently, eventually reaching Queen Lillian. This put the Sefira family to the test¡ªa trial to dispel the public¡¯s distrust.


    The Sefira family declared that they would participate in international battles and achieve military accomplishments. However, they had another major flaw: they were quiet. Being quiet meant they lacked social skills, and lacking social skills meant that they had no political power in the noble society.


    This wasn¡¯t a problem when large-scale wars were common, as they had Queen Lillian¡¯s support due to their overwhelming military achievements. However, times changed and the affection of Queen Lillian, which seemed everlasting, had waned.


    The Sefira family, which was inexperienced in politics, had neither noble allies nor factions to support them. In a situation like this, the Sefira family didn¡¯t have an opportunity to intervene in battles. The swordsmanship families were managing and controlling the battles entirely, so they rejected the Sefira family¡¯s participation for various reasons.


    ¡°Times have changed. Bows, the weapons of cowards, are only used by those who hide behind others. Do you think archery can defeat swordsmanship?¡±


    Although the Sefira family was a master family, they lacked political influence; they could not ignore the swordsmanship families and participate in the battles. They tried to engage in politics by entering social circles, though it was late, but even that didn¡¯t go smoothly.


    The only reason the Sefira family managed to endure despite the worst circumstances was due to the overwhelming support from the people of the kingdom. The ancestors of the family were originally nomads who settled in the Lillian Kingdom with the great support of the native people. Since they were able to become a noble family through the blood and sweat of the people, they vowed to protect them.


    For hundreds of years, the Sefira family had devoted everything to protect the people from foreign invasions and monster attacks.


    Since the Sefira family never participated in social circles and only stepped up for the people, it was natural that they could not become close with other nobles. Nobles only aimed to rule and govern, not to get close to the people.


    Obviously, there were limitations to maintaining a family solely on the love of the commoners. After all, the true power in the country lay with the nobles and the royal family.


    The high nobles who wanted to become one of the master families eagerly sought to find faults and bring down the Sefira family. Among these nobles, there was one family that was most actively trying to bring down the Sefira family: the Bydent family that specialized in spearmanship.


    The Bydent family recently received some intelligence, which Volus, the eldest son of the family, reported to his father, who was also the patriarch.


    ¡°Taragon suddenly started running around the field. It seems to just be some kind of training, but it¡¯s suspicious because it began right after he met with Keter from Absinthe,¡± Volus said.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to be wary of someone as ordinary as Taragon. But Absinthe is a lawless city filled with all sorts of useless people, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s strange that the Sefira family would bring someone from there. Could this Keter possibly have a false identity?¡±


    Patra, the patriarch of the Bydent family, didn¡¯t care about Taragon but showed caution toward Keter.


    Seeing this, Volus grinned and said, ¡°Father, there¡¯s no need to worry at all.¡±


    Volus ran a private organization made up of people from Absinthe, so he asked his subordinates if they knew about Keter.


    ¡°Keter is said to have a striking appearance. If he had a false identity, there would surely have been sightings or rumors about him in the past. The fact that he hasn¡¯t been known suggests that he¡¯s just a nobody in Absinthe,¡± he said.


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, why did Besil bring Keter into the family?¡± Patra asked.


    ¡°I hear his eye color is the same as the Sefira family¡¯s. There¡¯s a possibility he could be an illegitimate child, but it seems unlikely Count Besil would make such a risky move, so it¡¯s not certain.¡±


    ¡°Besil¡¯s illegitimate child¡­ from Absinthe? Something seems off.¡±


    ¡°Whatever the reason is, this is an opportunity. Count Besil has made a big mistake. Even if Keter really is his hidden son, how could someone raised in Absinthe be of any help to the family? A third-rate thug without any dignity can¡¯t live a noble¡¯s life. He¡¯s bound to cause all sorts of trouble.¡±


    ¡°I know that much, too. Do you think Besil doesn¡¯t know what you and I know? Idiot. Besil wouldn¡¯t have taken Keter in without thinking. He must have had a reason, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m curious about!¡±


    As Patra clicked his tongue, Volus¡¯ face momentarily hardened and then returned to normal.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll send a letter to him, asking him to deal with Keter, the thorn in our eye,¡± Volus said.


    ¡°A simple but sure method. But I don¡¯t know if he has the guts to kill Besil¡¯s child. After all, isn¡¯t he a respected elder of the Sefira family?¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Patra¡¯s words were shocking.


    An elder was the one of the crucial and central positions in the house; they were connected to the family by blood, and they could only be elected as elders if they had a good character recognized by all and the support of the patriarch. It was shocking to think that an elder of Sefira was colluding with the Bydent family.


    There were a total of three elders in Sefira: Ricotta Sefira, Besil¡¯s father and former patriarch; Panir Sefira, Besil¡¯s uncle and former kingdom judge; and Reganon Drayton, the father of Olive, Besil¡¯s late wife and former royal secretary. One of these three had betrayed the Sefira family.


    Because this was Volus¡¯ achievement, he spoke with confidence.


    ¡°He will do it. He asked to be appointed as the next head of the family, so he absolutely cannot refuse my request.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll leave this one to you, Volus.¡±


    Patra nodded, showing his satisfaction.


    The matter was handled swiftly. A letter containing Bydent¡¯s orders was delivered to one of the elders of Sefira using magic¡ªit was an order to kill Keter.


    * * *


    It was four o¡¯clock in the afternoon, with the sun looking like it was about to set. Soldiers who were on guard duty at the fortress of the Sefira territory¡¯s main gate flinched. They hadn¡¯t seen anything, but they heard a sound¡ªthe sound of carriage wheels rolling.


    The two soldiers standing at the entrance stared ahead at the road where the sound came from. In the distance, they first saw the roof of the carriage, followed by a fluttering flag. The flag bore a symbol depicting a loaded bow aimed at the sun¡ªit was the symbol of an elder of the Sefira family.


    The senior soldier squinted to confirm the flag¡¯s symbol, then let out a nervous breath.


    The junior soldier, also startled, said in a trembling voice, ¡°That carriage¡­ It can¡¯t be, right? According to the schedule, he shouldn¡¯t be returning for another week.¡±


    The senior soldier let out a deep sigh with a nervous face and replied, ¡°Straighten up. That is undoubtedly Elder Panir¡¯s carriage.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    The two soldiers, who had already been on high alert, quickly brushed the dust from their armor and stood up straighter to welcome the approaching carriage. Finally, the carriage stopped in front of the gate. When the driver opened the carriage door, the soldiers felt a chill run down their spines.


    His white hair was neatly combed back without a single strand out of place, a fierce gaze that could subdue someone, a demeanor that was restrained yet sharp, and a strong physique that was difficult to see in a man in his seventies. It was Panir El Sefira, an elder of Sefira who was more famously known as a judge in the high court of the Lillian Kingdom.


    As Panir stepped out of the carriage, the two soldiers shouted loudly, ¡°All clear!¡±


    Panir¡¯s already fierce eyes narrowed even further.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s clear? You have no sense of urgency, just like a commoner!¡± Panir shouted, slamming down on the carriage with his fist. ¡°You saw the emblem on the carriage and assumed it was me, so you didn¡¯t remain alert. Have you considered what would have happened if an attacker was in this carriage instead of me? Both of you would be dead, and this fortress would have fallen without a fight!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry! We¡¯ll fix it!¡±


    Despite the soldier¡¯s remorse, Panir clicked his tongue in disapproval.


    ¡°I can¡¯t count how many times I¡¯ve heard you say you¡¯ll fix it. Are you planning to fix it only after our entire house has burned to the ground?¡±


    Panir climbed onto the carriage as if he didn¡¯t want to hear any more excuses. The senior soldier hurriedly opened the gate. Even after the carriage passed through, the two guards remained tense, fearing that Panir might be watching them.


    The carriage passed through the gate and stopped in front of the main mansion where the patriarch resided. Panir¡¯s personal butler, who had been waiting, opened the carriage door for him.


    As soon as Panir got out of the carriage, he said curtly, ¡°Why is the house so disorganized at this hour?¡±


    Prosciutto, Panir¡¯s personal butler, handed him a wet towel and replied, ¡°It¡¯s because Lord Taragon is running on the training field.¡±


    Panir stared at Prosciutto as he wiped his hands on the towel.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost sunset, and he¡¯s running on the training field? When did he start this kind of training?¡±


    ¡°Today is the first time,¡± Prosciutto said.


    ¡°He¡¯s always been prone to odd behaviors¡­ but this time it¡¯s bothering me a little.¡±


    ¡°I brought him some water and asked him why, but he seemed reluctant to explain.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ Enough about Taragon. What is that guy doing?¡± Panir asked.


    When Panir mentioned him, Prosciutto took the hand towel and said, ¡°Keter caused some trouble as soon as he arrived and is now at the Second Shooting Range.¡±


    ¡°That guy arrived just this morning but already caused trouble? And who gave him permission to use the shooting range?¡±


    Panir¡¯s voice grew louder.


    Prosciutto gestured to the servants, who were glancing over in fear, to return to their duties and said, ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I will explain in detail in your quarters.¡±


    Prosciutto had been observing Keter closely from start to finish and reported everything that happened: his meeting and sparring with Anis, having lunch and playing drinking games with Jacques, meeting Volkanus at the forge, and walking out with Amaranth.


    All of this happened in just one day, or rather, half a day.


    After hearing everything, Panir¡¯s face was as cold as ice. He quietly rose from his seat, and took his bow and arrows hanging on the wall.


    ¡°I tried to tolerate Besil ignoring my advice and taking that guy in, but it seems Keter, that reckless brat, finds our Sefira family ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Are you planning to go there yourself, my lord?¡±


    ¡°I wanted him to disappear quietly from the beginning. I can¡¯t kill him since he¡¯s already been brought into the family, but I will make sure he understands his place.¡±


    When Besil mentioned Keter¡¯s existence, Panir was the one who suggested killing Keter before he was revealed to make it go away.


    Prosciutto thought for a moment, then blocked Panir¡¯s path.


    ¡°Blocking my way? What are you trying to do?¡±


    Panir was as hot-tempered as his fierce appearance suggested. Even if Prosciutto was his exclusive butler, he didn¡¯t forgive disrespect.


    However, as Prosciutto had served Panir for nearly twenty years, he calmly said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to use a dragon-slaying bow to catch a goblin, is there?¡±


    ¡°Hm? I guess not¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, you spent half the year tirelessly persuading the nobles, my lord. You must be tired, so there¡¯s no need for you to personally take care of such trivial matters. Why don¡¯t you leave the affairs of lowly beings to me?¡±


    Panir seemed to become more relaxed when Prosciutto offered to handle the issue himself while trying to improve his mood.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It seems like you already have someone in mind. Who is it?¡± Panir asked calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to send Katherine.¡±


    ¡°Katherine?¡±


    There were hundreds of knights in the Sefira family, but Katherine was the only female knight.


    Panir looked at Prosciutto, requiring an explanation of why he chose Katherine out of all the other knights.

 Chapter 16: Battle on a Bridge (2)

    ¡°After observing Lord Keter, I got the impression that he is quite feisty and hot-blooded.¡±


    Panir immediately frowned at Prosciutto¡¯s words.


    ¡°Are you suggesting that we use Katherine to seduce Keter?¡±


    ¡°How could I use Katherine for such a vulgar scheme? I raised her like my daughter. I mentioned it because I think that Lord Keter would feel an even greater sense of humiliation if he is defeated by Katherine,¡± Prosciutto said.


    ¡°Hmm. It would indeed be a tremendous humiliation for a feisty man to be defeated by a woman. However, to humiliate him, one must first win, and win very decisively at that,¡± Panir replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°I heard Anis was taken down by Keter. Are you confident that Katherine can beat him?¡±


    Panir did not care that Anis was not in good condition or that it was a surprise attack. The only thing that mattered was the result: Anis lost and Keter won. Prosciutto thought the same way. Keter had defeated Anis, so to win against him, Katherine had to have also beaten Anis as a prerequisite to stand a chance against Keter.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be enough that Katherine is a two-star knight?¡± Prosciutto said.


    Panir rarely showed surprise, but his eyes widened when he heard Prosciutto.


    ¡°Katherine became a two-star knight? In just three years since becoming a one-star knight?!¡±


    The gap between an apprentice knight and a one-star knight wasn¡¯t significant. However, the gap between one-star and two-star was enormous.


    It was a given that an apprentice knight would become a one-star knight, but it was different after that. More than sixty percent died of old age without being promoted to two-star. Becoming a two-star knight was not something that could be achieved by luck alone; the preparation period to take the two-star test took over ten years.


    For Katherine, a woman, to become a two-star knight in just three years was an achievement that would go down in the kingdom¡¯s history.


    ¡°Amazing. I knew that Katherine was extremely talented, but becoming a two-star knight faster than Anis¡­¡± Panir said.


    ¡°All of that is thanks to your keen eye for talent, my lord,¡± Prosciutto replied.


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s also true.¡±


    It was Panir who recognized Katherine¡¯s talent early on and brought her into the Sefira family. Although she wasn¡¯t formally adopted, everyone in the family knew he cared for her like a daughter.


    Panir, who was initially skeptical of Prosciutto¡¯s choice, was convinced when he heard that Katherine had become a two-star knight.


    ¡°So this will be Katherine¡¯s first mission as a two-star knight?¡± Panir asked.


    ¡°It will be, if you allow it, my lord,¡± Prosciutto replied.


    ¡°There is no doubt about Katherine¡¯s skills. However, I don¡¯t know if she can carry out the mission well. I will send Katherine if you guarantee it, Prosciutto.¡±


    ¡°I guarantee it, my lord. You know that Katherine is not like other women. She is a model for other knights, and I think she is entirely capable of handling everything about this mission.¡±


    ¡°I trust you, Prosciutto. Send Katherine in my name.¡±


    Panir put down the bow and arrows he was holding.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust Katherine and wait, but she must deliver results before tonight is over. Nothing good will come from delaying this,¡± Panir said.


    ¡°I will keep that in mind, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    With Panir¡¯s approval, Prosciutto went to find Katherine at once.


    * * *


    There was no need to search around for Katherine, as she had a daily schedule that she lived by. At this time in the evening, she was always in the training room within the knight¡¯s living quarters. There were dozens of knights training their strength, but among them, one stood out with a unique presence. With bronze skin, toned muscles, and her hair tied back, Katherine¡¯s presence was overwhelming.


    Prosciutto spotted Katherine and called out to her.


    ¡°Katherine! Can you spare a moment?¡±


    Katherine, who was training her arms and shoulders by pulling a firmly fixed steel pole, turned her head to look at Prosciutto. Unlike her strong physique, her smile was bright.


    ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll see everyone tomorrow!¡±


    The knights said their goodbyes as well.


    ¡°Take your time. We¡¯ll always keep your spot open.¡±


    ¡°The fourth break room should be empty. You can go there.¡±


    ¡°If you need any advice, feel free to come by anytime.¡±


    She was not just the only woman in Sefira; she was a bright presence that brought hope and energy to the dull and rigid Sefira family. The knights who were training with her were seniors in terms of their years, but she outranked them. Still, Katherine treated them with respect as her seniors. Because of this, there were more people who secretly admired Katherine than those who were jealous of her talent or looked down on her for being a woman.


    Soon after, Katherine and Prosciutto were alone together in a break room attached to the training room.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you came by, Uncle Prosciutto. How have you been? Remember the bow you gave me to celebrate becoming a two-star knight? I¡¯ve been using it very well,¡± Katherine said warmly, wiping the sweat from her forehead.


    Prosciutto couldn¡¯t help but smile whenever he saw Katherine, as she was like his daughter. However, he put on a serious face this time since this was an important matter.


    ¡°Katherine, I have a mission for you.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, just tell me what to do.¡±


    Katherine spoke with a smile, which could make it seem like she was taking the mission lightly. At first, Prosciutto misunderstood her as well, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Her cheerful demeanor was meant to put others at ease; she was more meticulous and thorough than anyone else in her missions.


    ¡°You know Keter, right?¡± Prosciutto asked.


    ¡°The patriarch¡¯s illegitimate son, right? I heard he arrived today.¡±


    ¡°Do you also know that he¡¯s been causing trouble since he arrived?¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m sorry, this is the first I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    Keter caused trouble faster than the rumors about him spread. The fact that Sefira¡¯s knights were talkative played a role as well.


    Prosciutto briefly recounted the incidents Keter had caused. Katherine looked puzzled after hearing about Keter¡¯s actions.


    ¡°Did Lord Keter do something wrong? I can understand him.¡±


    Everyone had flaws, including Katherine; her critical flaw was that she was overly tolerant. The reason she was favored by Panir despite this was because she always followed orders, even if she didn¡¯t understand them.


    ¡°Elder Panir believes Keter is a harmful presence in the Sefira family. We cannot just let him run wild. Katherine, you need to stop Keter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will do it.¡±


    Katherine was truly a model knight. Even if she didn¡¯t understand it, she followed the orders of her superiors without question.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    Katherine thought that Prosciutto would have a plan. However, he shook his head.


    ¡°This mission is yours alone. You must think and decide for yourself.¡±


    ¡°A solo¡­ mission?¡±


    Katherine¡¯s eyes widened.


    Prosciutto nodded and restated, ¡°You¡¯re a two-star knight and a commander responsible for other soldiers; you can¡¯t just keep following others¡¯ orders forever. Besides, you are the future of our Sefira family.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t just my decision. Elder Panir thinks the same way.¡±


    Katherine¡¯s eyes slightly welled up with tears when Prosciutto mentioned Panir. Like a parent, Prosciutto wondered if she could do well, as she was quite emotional.


    ¡°Be brave. Even if you fail, we¡¯ll step in. Elder Panir and I will support you no matter what.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you, just like always.¡±


    ¡°Elder Panir said to finish the job before nightfall. Keter is at the Second Shooting Range now, so take this as your opportunity.¡±


    Although Katherine should have found this information on her own, Prosciutto couldn¡¯t help but want to help her a bit more anytime he saw her.


    ¡°Think deeply, act swiftly.¡±


    With that, Prosciutto left quickly before he could soften.


    Katherine, who was now left alone, just blinked slowly, as if lost in thought. It wasn¡¯t the first time she had received a mission, but it was the first time it was assigned to her from start to finish. This was a sign that Panir fully acknowledged her. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Katherine grew up in an orphanage supported by the Sefira family. While other children were busy living their own lives once they came of age, she was different. She wanted to repay the orphanage that took her in and cared for her with love¡ªa goal she set as her life¡¯s mission.


    When the head of the orphanage learned of her intentions, they said the orphanage was able to operate thanks to the support of the Sefira family. So, they advised her to repay the Sefira family instead of the orphanage.


    Katherine then went straight to the Sefira family and spoke to the butler.


    At the time, the butler gave her the opportunity to work as a maid. Katherine thought that she wouldn¡¯t mind spending her life as a maid if it meant being of help to the Sefira family.


    She worked diligently as a maid for about a year, but she happened to overhear that the Sefira family was short on knights. It was around the time when the Sefira family began to suffer from external pressures, resulting in a sharp decline in the number of external cadets.


    Unable to ignore Sefira¡¯s crisis, Katherine went to the butler and expressed her desire to become a knight. Although she had always been dedicated to her work as a maid, that alone wasn¡¯t enough to become a knight.


    The butler coldly rejected her request, but it wasn¡¯t because she was a woman. Women could become knights, but the standard for female knights was four times higher than male knights. There are over five thousand knights in the Lillian Kingdom, but only two hundred twenty of them were women.


    Even women born and raised in master families couldn¡¯t endure knight training and would give up. As such, the butler thought Katherine, who came from an orphanage, wouldn¡¯t be able to succeed. The resources and costs required for knight training were significant, so the butler firmly told Katherine that she couldn¡¯t be trained as a knight.


    That was when Panir, who happened to be passing by, intervened.


    When everyone else said it was impossible, Panir was the only one who believed and supported Katherine.


    To her, Panir was not just a sponsor; he was like the father she had long dreamed of since her time at the orphanage. Even though she couldn¡¯t call him ¡°Father,¡± she thought of him as one and followed him. As such, she could not afford to fail the mission.


    After careful consideration, Katherine stood up. Following Prosciutto¡¯s advice to think deeply and act swiftly, she gathered the soldiers under her command and headed to the Second Shooting Range.


    Usually, the Second Shooting Range was a deserted place. Katherine judged that now, when Keter was there, was the right time and decided to settle things quickly and decisively.

 Chapter 17: Battle on a Bridge (3)

    Keter was at the Second Shooting Range. He held Amaranth, the Bow of the Night, and repeatedly pulled and released the bowstring. There were numerous targets in front of him, but there was nothing hitting the targets, as Keter was pulling the string without an arrow.


    Then, suddenly, Keter threw Amaranth on the ground.


    ¡°Damn it, the balance is all messed up!¡±


    Amaranth quivered on the ground as if in protest and expressed its thoughts.


    [I was never designed to use regular arrows. My body is optimized for my own Demon Arrows. Are you not going to use them?]


    ¡°Why wouldn''t I use them? But I¡¯m going to use regular arrows a lot more.¡±


    [Even so, why are you judging me without even shooting an arrow?]


    ¡°I can picture it all in my head just by pulling the string¡ªthe trajectory and speed of the arrow.¡±


    [That¡¯s ridiculous. Are you saying you¡¯re some kind of divine archer?]


    ¡°Anyway, can¡¯t you change your body or something?¡±


    [It might be possible if you offer ten years of your life.]


    ¡°Forget it. For now, you¡¯re just an extremely sturdy bow that¡¯s easy to store.¡±


    Those characteristics alone made Amaranth worthy of being called a treasure, but it wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy Keter, who had used numerous artifacts before.


    Keter extended his hand toward Amaranth. Then, it was magically sucked back into his hand. It was the recall function, which was standard on most artifacts. Keter had only come to test Amaranth¡¯s performance, which he had done enough of, so there was nothing more for him to do here.


    ¡°One, two, one, two!¡±


    That was when Keter saw a group of soldiers running toward the shooting range from afar. He could have ignored them and walked away, but Keter, from his long experience, knew this wasn¡¯t a coincidence.


    Keter had already figured out that he was being watched by the people around him. In fact, the people observing him were almost blatantly watching. The reason he was leaving them alone was not only because the Sefira family had the right to watch him, but also because he preferred it that way.


    The ones headed toward Keter were clearly enemies; what ally with goodwill would want to have a conversation on this dirt ground?


    Keter was always willing to confront any incoming enemy, so he waited for them to approach.


    Keter showed no mercy to his enemies in Liqueur, but¡­


    Looking ahead, they were going to become part of his forces in the future. So, Keter was willing to be lenient. Of course, he would also show them that he was ruthless if they crossed the line.


    Keter rested Amaranth on his shoulder and waited for the soldiers to arrive. Soon after, they came up the hill.


    Keter squinted as he watched the soldiers come up the hill, as a woman was leading the group. From her strong physique and energy, she was undoubtedly a knight, but¡­


    Keter¡¯s memory was exceptional, so much so that he could clearly recall what he ate and how it tasted on his third birthday. However, it was only today that he learned there was a female knight in the Sefira family.


    Keter had a hunch as to why there was no record of a female knight in his memory. Soon, the group led by the female knight also spotted Keter and stopped in front of him.


    In a loud voice, the female knight shouted, ¡°Attention!¡±


    At the female knight¡¯s command, the soldiers promptly stood at attention in two orderly rows. The female knight stepped forward.


    ¡°Excuse me. Are you Lord Keter?¡± Katherine asked in a bouncy voice, contrary to her appearance.


    Though her tone conveyed friendliness rather than hostility, Keter was indifferent.


    ¡°Your affiliation and name.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to ask someone else¡¯s identity, you should introduce yourself first.¡±


    Katherine, who had come to find Keter with her soldiers, remained silent for a moment and looked at Keter. He was completely different from what she had imagined. He had muscles more defined than any knight in Sefira, and there was no hint of vulnerability, even in a relaxed stance. Moreover, the aura of composure and confidence Keter exuded was something Katherine had never experienced before.


    Katherine then formally introduced herself with respect.


    ¡°I am Dame Katherine, Lieutenant Commander of the Seventeenth Division of the Order of the Stars.¡±


    ¡°Katherine¡­¡±


    Keter repeated the name once. No matter how hard he thought about it, he had never heard of it before. However, he had a hunch as to why he had never heard of her name before.


    In his previous life, there was an incident where a knight died during a mission shortly after he joined the Sefira family. He remembered there was an elder who was unusually sadder than others.


    ¡°What is your relationship with Elder Panir?¡± Keter asked nonchalantly.


    Katherine blinked.


    Katherine could have easily responded the wrong way to this surprise question, but she responded as if it were nothing.


    ¡°Elder Panir is the one who gave me the opportunity to become a knight.¡±


    ¡°So, do you pledge your loyalty to Elder Panir rather than the Sefira family?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how those two are different, my lord. To me, it is the same thing.¡±


    Hearing Katherine, Keter stroked his chin.


    It was clear at first glance; Katherine was the complete opposite of the Sefira family, who were dull and taciturn.


    ¡°So, why did you come to see me?¡± Keter asked.


    Naive people started with lies. Katherine, on the other hand, didn¡¯t even blink an eye.


    ¡°I came to offer you some advice, Lord Keter,¡± she said.


    ¡°My popularity never seems to go down. The date requests are never ending.¡±


    Despite Keter¡¯s nonsense, Katherine shook her head and said, ¡°Please behave yourself and stay quiet. That¡¯s my advice.¡±


    ¡°You want a quiet date?¡±


    ¡°I suppose that would be possible if you behave.¡±


    ¡°Did Panir tell you to do this?¡±


    ¡°Please answer. If you promise to behave, I''ll leave.¡±


    Katherine stood her ground, and Keter cut straight to the point as well.


    ¡°What if I say no?¡± he said.


    Keter already knew how Katherine was going to respond. He had seen people like her before, and people like her liked things that were fair.  S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I will challenge you to a duel.¡± Katherine said.


    She acted just as Keter had anticipated.


    She had a similar yet different kind of foolishness compared to Taragon. Taragon was a true fool who spoke without thinking. Katherine, despite her frivolous tone, wasn¡¯t careless in her actions¡ªshe was a fool pretending to be foolish because she didn¡¯t know she was one.


    Katherine probably had a good influence on the Sefira family¡ªtoo good an influence. That¡¯s why she was killed before anyone else.


    ¡°A duel, huh? Do you think I¡¯ll go easy on you because you¡¯re a woman? I¡¯m thinking of stripping you of your dignity,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how you treat me. However, I won¡¯t engage in physical combat with you. I¡¯m a knight of Sefira; I cannot harm a member of the Sefira family,¡± Katherine replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­¡±


    ¡°Will you accept the duel? If not, please behave for the sake of the Sefira family.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what a hummingbird is? If it stays still, it dies. That¡¯s what I¡¯m like. Telling me to stay put is the same thing as telling me to die.¡±


    Katherine didn¡¯t know what that was, but she understood what Keter was trying to say.


    ¡°Then I will challenge you to a duel, my lord. If I win, you must behave yourself, even if it feels like you¡¯re going to die.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky, you know. I accept all challenges that come my way, but it¡¯s not for free. There has to be a reward for me to participate.¡±


    Then, Keter pointed at Katherine.


    ¡°If I win, you¡¯re mine.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The soldiers, who had followed Katherine without any idea why, were surprised at what Keter said. Although Keter had worded it indirectly, it was clear he intended to make Katherine his slave.


    That was when Keter drove it home; he made sure there was no misunderstanding.


    ¡°Do you not understand what I¡¯m saying? If I win, you become my slave who must absolutely obey me.¡±


    Even if Katherine was a knight, she was still a woman, and to tell a woman to become a slave¡­ It would be natural for her to feel humiliation and anger, yet she just nodded.


    ¡°You could have refused my challenge, but you¡¯ve accepted it. So, I will gladly accept the terms as well,¡± she said.


    Keter could have ignored Katherine¡¯s request for a duel. That would only have made things difficult for her but wouldn¡¯t harm Keter at all. Of course, Katherine had a plan for if Keter refused.


    She turned to her soldiers and said, ¡°You all heard the conversation between Lord Keter and me, right?¡±


    The soldiers weren¡¯t stupid, so they already understood the situation.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Now I will duel with Lord Keter. I want you to be witnesses.¡±


    Then, Katherine turned to Keter.


    ¡°Lord Keter, will you promise on the terms we just discussed by making a vow in front of the soldiers? Of course, I will also make a vow.¡±


    A vow: it was a sacred and noble ritual. If one failed to keep it, they had to either atone with death or live a life more disgraceful than death. As such, making a vow should not be taken lightly. Yet, Keter placed his right hand on his chest without hesitation.


    ¡°I swear on my heart and Sefira eyes that if I lose the duel, I will leave the Sefira family entirely,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to leave. Please take that back,¡± Katherine said.


    ¡°It¡¯s my choice. Hurry up and make your vow before the sun sets.¡±


    Katherine placed her right hand below her chest and said, ¡°I swear by my knightly conviction and loyalty to Sefira and Queen Lillian that if I lose the duel with Lord Keter, I will become his slave.¡±


    The soldiers clearly heard both of their vows. They felt uneasy. They had heard rumors about Keter, the one who defeated Anis. Even though Anis was in poor condition at the time, it was still notable. While Katherine was a two-star knight compared to Anis, who was only a one-star knight, nothing was certain¡ªa battle¡¯s outcome wasn¡¯t decided by sheer strength alone.


    The soldiers, of course, trusted Katherine, their superior. They knew she was not only an excellent leader but also strong in battle. However, that didn¡¯t assure them she could definitely defeat Keter. Their unease was so strong that even Keter and Katherine could feel it


    ¡°Then, let me explain the Battle on a Bridge duel to you, my lord.¡±


    The soldiers¡¯ faces brightened when they heard Katherine. She had proposed a duel but hadn¡¯t specified the type, which she was choosing now.


    Katherine was on a winning streak¡ªshe had never lost a Battle on a Bridge duel to anyone except for captains.

 Chapter 18: Battle on a Bridge (4)

    Battle on a Bridge was one of the traditional duel methods of the Sefira family. Katherine explained the rules to Keter.


    The duelists faced each other from a distance of one hundred meters. Each had thirty arrows to use, with the arrowheads removed so that the arrows were safe. Then, they would shoot arrows at each other.


    There were three ways one could lose: if they dodged an arrow shot by their opponent, dropped their bow, or ran out of arrows first.


    The rules were simple, but they contained a profound philosophy. The duel was training to eliminate the hesitation felt when aiming at a person and to overcome the fear of the opponent¡¯s arrows.


    Katherine was going to explain the history behind this duel method, but Keter shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to go if you¡¯re going to keep talking about useless things,¡± he said.


    ¡°Alright. Before we start, please wear the protective armor over there. Even if the arrowheads are removed, the arrows will still leave a bad bruise.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing one?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never done this kind of duel before, but this is my specialty.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to give me an advantage? Fine, but I won¡¯t shoot my arrows in a straight line.¡±


    ¡°...?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The soldiers didn¡¯t understand what Keter was saying. It seemed nonsensical not to shoot arrows in a straight line.


    However, Katherine had an idea of what Keter was talking about.


    ¡°Are you planning to shoot in a curved trajectory? It¡¯s not impossible, but it¡¯s too difficult for an inexperienced archer like you, my lord. You might get hurt, so please don¡¯t do it.¡±


    Katherine chose the Battle on a Bridge duel not simply because she was confident but because it allowed them to test each other¡¯s archery skills.


    Keter was holding a now. Although it didn¡¯t seem like a regular bow, that was all. The bow¡¯s balance clearly didn¡¯t seem right, and, more than anything else, there wasn''t a single arrow stuck in the targets. It was reasonable for Katherine to think that Keter came to the Second Shooting Range to try shooting a bow, but he couldn¡¯t hit the target even once.


    And yet, Keter had declared he wouldn¡¯t shoot arrows in a straight line. This was no different from admitting defeat.


    Keter didn¡¯t wear the armor Katherine told him to wear, and he picked whatever arrows he wanted. Watching him, Katherine frowned.


    Everything was Keter¡¯s own doing: not wearing armor and choosing just any arrows.


    Breaking a vow was not something that could be brushed off lightly. Even nobles were not exempt; in fact, they were punished more severely.


    Katherine picked up copper arrows with a suitable weight and stood across from Keter, who had already taken his place at the range.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you have the first shot, Lord Keter. Go ahead.¡±


    Katherine, as well as the soldiers watching, all thought that in any case, Keter¡¯s arrows wouldn¡¯t even reach her side.


    * * *


    Five soldiers stood on either side of the range. They were both witnesses and judges. They wondered if Keter, someone from the lawless city of Absinthe, had ever learned archery and what kind of archery he would show. There was no way of knowing.


    Shooting an arrow was difficult without knowing the proper stance and technique. Moreover, Keter even said he wouldn¡¯t shoot in a straight line.


    Keter took his shooting stance. The soldier looked puzzled.


    One could definitely shoot a bow in that stance, but it was unique. Keter had a wide stance, with his right foot drawn back and the heel slightly raised, as if he were ready to charge forward at any moment.


    Keter, now in position, placed an arrow on the string. The soldiers exchanged glances, looking amongst each other like they had expected this. Keter had clearly stated he wouldn¡¯t shoot in a straight line, which meant he would have to aim at least upward toward the sky. However, he was now aiming straight ahead.


    While the soldiers felt disappointed in Keter, Katherine remained vigilant.


    Even though Keter was using sniping arrows, which would be difficult to hit with, Katherine tensed her muscles, ready to knock Keter¡¯s bow down at any moment.


    Then, Keter lightly released the bowstring.


    The arrow disappeared. Eleven people were watching Keter¡¯s arrow, and the bowstring had indeed been released, yet the arrow seemed to have just vanished into thin air.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Keter¡¯s arrow had seemingly disappeared. If he had missed entirely, the arrow would have been scattered nearby, but that wasn¡¯t the case. While everyone was bewildered, one soldier gasped.


    ¡°Look over there!¡±


    The soldier closest to Katherine pointed at her.


    ¡°Why Dame Katherine all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°L-Look at her waist!¡±


    ¡°What? What a pervert¡­ Huh?!¡±


    The soldier¡¯s eyes widened and jaws dropped. Katherine had a cut on her side, as if slashed by a sword, with blood trickling down.


    The soldiers stammered, ¡°W-What happened? Why is there blood trickling down her waist?¡±


    ¡°N-No, it can¡¯t be¡­ right?¡±


    Even though no one said it, the soldiers all thought of one thing: Keter had shot an arrow, but it wasn¡¯t visible to their eyes because it wasn¡¯t an ordinary one.


    ¡°By not shooting in a straight line, did he mean that he would shoot the arrow so fast it would be invisible?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. No matter how fast it is, it can¡¯t be invisible, can it?¡±


    Flying arrows were incredibly fast, but not fast enough to be invisible. Even Besil, known for shooting the fastest arrows in the Sefira family, left a trail. For Keter¡¯s arrow to leave no trace whatsoever was unbelievable.


    As confused as the soldiers were, Katherine also couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened.


    Katherine had been fully prepared. She intended to shoot down Keter¡¯s arrow the moment he released it, hoping he would realize the difference in skill and give up.


    However, the arrow Keter shot suddenly disappeared. As she looked up, thinking it might have been misfired into the sky, a burning pain shot through her side. When she looked down in confusion, her clothes were torn, and blood was flowing from her waist. It wasn¡¯t a deep wound, but it felt scorching.


    If the arrow was invisible, there was no way to know if it flew straight. This was far beyond the challenge of hitting a target with a curved shot. An invisible arrow was not recorded even in the long history of archery of the Sefira family.


    Katherine felt a strange emotion. It wasn¡¯t fear or terror; it was competitiveness and excitement. Keter, whom she thought was undoubtedly a novice in archery, had shown a new possibility in archery. How could she not feel thrilled?


    Katherine¡¯s strength was not solely just about her effort. Her true strength lay in her freedom from conventional thinking, even within a conservative environment.


    Before that, it was Katherine¡¯s turn to attack. Quickly taking her shooting stance, she took a deep breath and immediately aimed at Keter¡¯s knee.


    Among the parts of the body, the arms and legs, which were relatively thin compared to other parts of the body, were the hardest to hit, as even a slight movement could avoid the shot. However, now, under the rules of the Battle on a Bridge, evasion would lead to defeat.


    In this situation, Keter would have to shoot down the opponent¡¯s arrow. But Katherine wondered if Keter could do it, as shooting down an arrow was a skill even knights found difficult.


    At that moment, Keter smoothly loaded an arrow onto his bow. It was so natural that it didn¡¯t seem fast, but Katherine¡¯s arrow still hadn¡¯t reached Keter. Then, Keter immediately drew the bowstring and released it.


    To the soldiers watching, this seemed like a very reckless move. As with the first shot, Keter¡¯s consecutive movements were excessively fast; he didn¡¯t aim at the opponent, didn¡¯t align the target point with the tip of the arrow in the center, nor did he adjust for hand and body tremors. Typically, failing to do even one of these three steps would result in the arrow misfiring.


    Keter¡¯s second arrow was released. It vanished, just like the first.


    Then¡­


    Katherine¡¯s arrow, which had come within arm¡¯s reach of Keter, was abruptly blocked by what seemed like an invisible barrier, and it fell to the ground.


    ¡°The lady¡¯s arrow¡­ was deflected?!¡±


    ¡°W-What is going on?¡±


    The soldiers, who had no choice but to watch, could no longer stay silent and expressed their astonishment.


    ¡°Where did the arrow go? Where did it disappear to?!¡±


    It was already astounding that Keter, someone from the lawless city of Absinthe, managed to shoot down Katherine¡¯s arrow. However, Keter¡¯s own arrow was nowhere to be seen.


    The person most curious about that was Katherine.


    The soldiers¡¯ expressions changed by the moment. They were initially confident in Katherine¡¯s victory, but they now began to worry about her.


    Katherine also acknowledged that Keter had demonstrated an unexpectedly high level of archery skills. Moreover, shooting invisible arrows was a technique that was beyond impressive.


    Katherine activated her aura to maximize her physical abilities. Strengthening the body with aura was severely fatiguing, and pushing it to the maximum could even cause internal injuries. Katherine ignored the aftermath and was fully committed to winning the current duel. This wasn¡¯t just a friendly match¡ªit was her mission.


    With her body strengthened by the aura, she began shooting arrows at an unbelievable speed.


    There was no interval between her shots. It was as if the entire process of loading an arrow, drawing the bow, aiming, and releasing was all skipped. This was the third archery technique of the Sefira family¡¯s secret archery skill, Gemini Archery, where arrows rained down at a rapid speed.


    Even if Keter shot invisible arrows, it was just one shot. Katherine¡¯s strategy would be shooting three, five, and eight arrows.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    The soldiers¡¯ expressions brightened again at Katherine¡¯s strategy.


    Keter¡¯s shooting speed was certainly ordinary. If he had worn armor, he might have withstood the impact of the arrows. However, his arrogance left him unarmored, so even a single arrow would cause him significant pain. As such, the soldiers thought Katherine had won this battle. This speculation quickly turned into conviction, as Keter¡¯s response to Katherine¡¯s rapid fire was undeniably sluggish.

 Chapter 19: Battle on a Bridge (5)

    ?A skilled archer could shoot fifteen arrows per minute, and a knight using the power of aura could shoot sixty. However, Katherine, a master archer, unleashed fifteen arrows at Keter in just five seconds. Although the accuracy was low, with only eight arrows heading toward Keter, it was impossible for him to block them all¡ªhe had to dodge.


    While Katherine shot fifteen arrows, Keter only shot one. Even if the arrow was invisible, it was still just a single shot. It was common sense that one arrow could not block all fifteen arrows. However, Katherine did not trust her own archery skills.


    Katherine¡¯s unease became a reality. The first arrow she shot was knocked out of the sky. It was a brief moment but as Katherine focused her aura on her eyes, she began to see the path of Keter¡¯s invisible arrow. It was more like she could sense it than actually see it.


    Katherine was amazed. She could only watch in awe as Keter¡¯s arrow struck down all of her arrows. The arrow Keter shot moved like a snake; it struck down every single one of her arrows with movements and angles that were not possible for an arrow.


    While the time it took Katherine to shoot fifteen arrows was nearly instantaneous, Keter knocking down all fifteen was even faster.


    ¡°...¡±


    The soldiers stood with their jaws on the floor, unable to speak.


    No one understood except Katherine.


    The fifteen arrows that Katherine shot scattered in all directions as if caught in a typhoon. The soldiers might have understood if they could see Keter¡¯s arrows. But as they were invisible, they had no idea what was going on.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Katherine groaned and covered her left eye with her hand. Blood trickled through her fingers.


    ¡°My lady!¡±


    As the soldiers rushed toward her in concern, Katherine reached out her head to stop them.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. It¡¯s just from focusing the aura on my eye too much.¡±


    Keter chuckled softly at Katherine.


    Keter could clearly see the state of her injury. Although she was one hundred meters away, that distance was meaningless to Keter. Keter¡¯s vision¡ªor rather, the power of the Sefira eyes¡ªwas so remarkable that he could see even the fine hairs on Katherine¡¯s face.


    Keter had learned medicine in Liqueur, and he knew that Katherine could go blind if she wasn¡¯t treated now.


    As Katherine wiped away the blood that was obscuring her vision, Keter shot another arrow.


    Blood splattered everywhere as the arrow cut Katherine¡¯s calf.


    One of the soldiers, who secretly admired Katherine, shouted in anger, ¡°Lord Keter! Isn¡¯t this cowardly? The lady has an injury in her eye! Letting her have some time for first aid would be¡­!¡±


    Keter scoffed at the soldier.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, why don¡¯t you try me yourself?¡±


    Keter shot an arrow at the soldier.


    The soldier suddenly fell backward. Without a sound, the soldier fainted, and a large bump appeared on his forehead. Keter looked around at the other soldiers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just say it¡¯s cowardly, but come at me. I¡¯ll take all of you on at once.¡±


    As the soldiers hesitated, Katherine, having regained her composure, shouted, ¡°Wait! Please hold on. I apologize on behalf of my soldiers for their rudeness.¡±


    Katherine was able to stop the bleeding from her eye, thanks to the soldiers buying her some time. However¡­


    ¡­Katherine could sense the danger. But that didn¡¯t matter; she couldn¡¯t admit defeat here. Even if it cost her life, she couldn¡¯t fail the mission. That was the duty of a knight. Katherine was given the chance to live by the Sefira family, so she would have no regrets about returning her life for the family.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this. I haven¡¯t lost yet.¡±


    Katherine stared at Keter with blurry vision.


    Keter shot an arrow and nonchalantly said, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s how it should be.¡±


    Blood splattered again, this time from Katherine¡¯s right thigh. She still couldn¡¯t react, as she couldn¡¯t see the arrow. The wounds continued to grow, and the bleeding worsened.


    However, Katherine didn¡¯t give up. She used every skill she had learned until now.


    She used Aries Archery, the first archery skill, which fired arrows rapidly at the target point. Next, she used Taurus Archery, the second archery skill, which fired three arrows simultaneously in a triangular formation.


    But none of them worked. Nothing could compete against Keter¡¯s miraculous archery. Without being able to see, no one knew what was happening, which added to the frustration and suffocation Katherine was feeling. Even the soldiers watching were gripped by an unknown fear.


    Katherine grabbed an arrow, then hesitated. It was her last arrow. According to the rules of defeat in the Battle on a Bridge duel, the one who ran out of arrows first lost. Katherine could tell without even having to look: Keter had far more arrows left than she did. If she couldn¡¯t defeat Keter with this single arrow, she would lose.


    Katherine stopped herself from shooting the arrow. She then silently held her stance.


    ¡°My lady¡­!¡±


    The soldiers were heartbroken. It was clear that Katherine was defeated. If she admitted defeat, she could receive treatment, but Katherine did not shoot the last arrow. This meant she intended to endure all of Keter¡¯s attacks.


    ¡°Is there anything more you want to show me? Are you done now?¡± Keter said leisurely. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Come at me. I¡¯ll take your arrow, even if it means dying.¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t die without my permission. You¡¯re my slave.¡±


    The sun was starting to set. Keter didn¡¯t waste time and shot an arrow. It looked invisible to others, but this time was a little different. Although the duel was short, Katherine had grown and could faintly sense the point Keter¡¯s arrow was aiming for.


    Katherine wondered if Keter was deliberately revealing the arrow to scare her into dodging.


    Katherine found her failing sight bothering, so she closed her eyes. She didn¡¯t care if her neck was pierced and she died. That was what being a knight was all about.


    However, Keter¡¯s arrow just grazed past her again.


    It was at that moment that Katherine felt something wrap around her neck. She felt like a condemned prisoner being hanged. Then, her body was pulled backward. She couldn¡¯t resist, as the force was comparable to a horse.


    Keter had constantly attacked her lower body, which was the strategy he had used for this very moment. With the continuous bleeding, Katherine couldn¡¯t resist the pull and fell backward.


    Katherine fell hard on her backside. She quickly felt around her neck, but there was no rope or anything like that.


    ¡°My lady!¡±


    The soldiers rushed to Katherine.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll stop the bleeding!¡±


    At that moment, Keter calmly walked over and said to Katherine, ¡°Who won, Slave?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Katherine and the soldiers all stayed silent, and the soldiers only watched Katherine. Even though Katherine had her eyes closed, she could feel the soldiers¡¯ gazes. They were filled with a desire for her orders; they looked as if they were willing to give false testimony for her sake.


    However, Katherine shook her head at the soldiers.


    ¡°I lost.¡±


    The soldiers, seeing Katherine admit defeat so easily, lowered their heads in silence. To step forward now would only bring shame to Katherine.


    * * *


    After the duel, Keter carried Katherine to the infirmary, and the soldiers returned to their quarters. The Second Shooting Range, bathed in the orange glow of the sunset, was already cleaned up and empty.


    That was when¡­


    ¡­a man suddenly appeared from thin air bent down and picked something up from the ground. Although the floor appeared empty, the moment his hand touched it, it revealed its true form. It was an arrow¡ªa wooden arrow without an arrowhead. It was the arrow Keter had shot.


    ¡°Keter¡­¡±


    The man murmured that name in a thin voice. Shadows began to cover the shooting range due to the sunset, and in the darkness, the man¡¯s eyes glowed. His pupils were purple, and his irises were golden¡ªthis mysterious figure was a member of the Sefira bloodline.


    However, very few people knew of his existence. Even Besil, the current patriarch, had only heard his name and had never seen him in person. Ricotta, the former patriarch, had only seen this man once when he was very young.


    The man walked through the darkness, collecting all the arrows Keter had shot. The arrows remained invisible until they reached his hand, but once he held them, they became visible.


    The man who appeared under the orange sunset looked young. He appeared to be about twenty years old, with a slender, tall build. Though he looked male, his beauty was striking enough to be considered a woman, and his ears were exceptionally long.


    The world called these beings elves.


    ¡°Keter.¡±


    The man softly whispered Keter¡¯s name once more. His transcendent eyes gazed at the mansions below the shooting range. His name was Endymion El Sefira. He was the guardian god who had protected the Sefira family for nearly two hundred years.


    Endymion was recorded in the history of Sefira as a High Elder. This position, which had power equivalent to that of the patriarch, was created solely for him.


    It had been one hundred fifty years since he last revealed himself to the Sefira family. This was not simply because he had lived for over five hundred years and found life meaningless.


    ¡°Lillian, I told you, no matter how much you try to control me or the world, you cannot stop the flow of time.¡±


    Queen Lillian feared humans growing stronger, which would threaten the position of gods. Thus, she limited magic and suppressed technological advancements. The reason Endymion could not reveal himself or act was due to Lillian¡¯s threats.


    Even knowing that the Sefira family would fall, Endymion couldn¡¯t act. If he started taking action, Lillian would send the lords¡ªthe Four Lords who wielded the great power of Ein, just like her. Endymion wouldn¡¯t be defeated easily, but he couldn¡¯t keep fighting to protect the family forever. So, he could only watch from the shadows, hoping the Sefira family would grow on its own, seizing the opportunity amidst crisis and realizing the existence of Ein.


    Then, Cherbyl appeared in the family, the greatest genius in the history of Sefira. Cherbyl was a child of infinite possibilities, with the potential to grasp Ein, the power of the void, on his own.


    But today, Endymion happened to see a kid named Keter, who was even more exceptional than Cherbyl. Keter was closer to the realm of the Ein than him.


    Keter¡¯s archery, which was elevated to a higher level using mana, was also a guide towards the power of Ein.


    ¡°Keter.¡±


    Endymion called Keter¡¯s name for the third time. Although it was certain that Keter was a talent surpassing Cherbyl, Endymion looked far from delighted.


    Elves naturally had foresight. Although they could not foresee at will, it suddenly occurred to them unexpectedly, and it wasn¡¯t clear when it manifested, Endymion saw the future through Keter.


    The Sefira mansion, which was visible below, was engulfed in flames. In the garden, a group of people were watching the mansion burn, and at the forefront of the group¡­


    It was Keter, with an evil smile.

 Chapter 20: Like Father, Like Son (1)

    In the Sefira family¡¯s infirmary, Katherine, with one eye bandaged, was leaning against the bed when the doctor examined her. He was amazed.


    ¡°Who treated you? It¡¯s so cleanly done¡­ There¡¯s no need for any further intervention. Just rest and recover.¡±


    Katherine couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the doctor¡¯s examination. When Keter had offered to treat her, she thought he was planning to torture her; the treatment had been so fast and painful that she had braced herself for the possibility of going blind, but it was perfect. This made Keter even more fascinating.


    Katherine glanced at Keter, who was sitting nearby. As she could sense his presence, she was able to look in his direction even with her eyes covered. Her head was racing with thoughts.


    Keter, acting as her guardian, was busy peeling an apple with a knife.


    ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    Katherine felt a bit touched by Keter. Not only was he peeling an apple for her, but he was also feeding it to her. However, what entered her mouth wasn¡¯t the sweet apple flesh but the bitter peel.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t spit it out.¡±


    Chewing reluctantly, Katherine noticed how well he had peeled the apple: not even a speck of flesh clung to the peel, leaving only the bitter taste. Despite the unpleasant flavor, Katherine clenched her teeth and forced herself to swallow it.


    Meanwhile, a satisfying sound came from Keter¡¯s side as he bit into the juicy flesh of the apple. Katherine couldn¡¯t complain. After all, she was a slave now.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean she wanted to live as a slave. However, she made a vow, and breaking that would bring more than just emotional pain. A broken vow would result in a brand being marked on her forehead¡ªan indelible symbol of betrayal that could not be erased, even in death.


    But that didn¡¯t mean she would do just anything. If Keter ever attempted to harm Sefira or tried to use her for such purposes, Katherine would take her own life to uphold her duty as a knight. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had happened. While Keter wasn¡¯t devoting himself to taking care of her, he still was, in his own way.


    After finishing the apple peel, Katherine spoke up cautiously.


    ¡°Um, Lord Keter¡­¡±


    ¡°Lord?¡±


    Keter raised an eyebrow as he held up the knife, questioning her choice of words.


    Katherine hesitated before continuing.


    ¡°M¡­ Master¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, slave.¡±


    ¡°The invisible arrows¡­ How did you shoot them? And what was that thing that wrapped around my neck at the end?¡±


    This was the reason why Katherine was always growing. Her first words weren¡¯t a plea to undo what had happened, nor did she accuse him of using the power of Amaranth. She accepted her defeat and the fact that she had become a slave, and she wasn¡¯t ashamed to ask about the power that had defeated her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you next time.¡±


    ¡°Right, I knew you wouldn¡¯t¡ªwait, what?¡±


    As Katherine tried to jump to her feet in surprise, Keter flicked her forehead.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Even though it looked like a light tap, the sound was so loud that it sounded like a watermelon cracking.


    Katherine, now lying back on the bed, said with a trembling voice, ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to tell me, you could¡¯ve just said so. Why did you hit me?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I hit you because you suddenly lunged at me. I told you, I¡¯ll teach you how to shoot an invisible arrow.¡±


    ¡°Re¡­ Really?¡±


    Katherine was excited. It seemed like she had forgotten that she lost, even though she was the one who challenged Keter to a duel. No matter how much knights admired strength, she was certainly odd.


    ¡°Of course, I was just kidding. Since when does a slave learn their master¡¯s techniques?¡±


    ¡°...Hmph.¡±


    Keter took a big bite of the remaining apple slices.


    The ability to shoot invisible arrows was a form of magic; it was not from the well-known school of magic¡ªthe circle system¡ªbut from a new branch called the embodiment system of magic.


    However, when Keter said he could teach it, it wasn¡¯t entirely a lie. If someone was worth teaching, he would teach them, and to him, Katherine had both the talent and character to be worthwhile.


    Keter didn¡¯t see her as a client like he did with Taragon, nor as his student. She was a subordinate¡ªKeter saw potential in her as someone useful for that role.


    Keter accepted any client if they had money, but he was extremely picky with his subordinates.


    Keter decided to test whether Katherine was the kind of person who could keep her word.


    ¡°Who sent you, slave?¡±


    Katherine¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Keter knew too well that telling the truth sometimes meant risking one¡¯s life, but Katherine had to be able to do that¡ªthat was the relationship between a master and a slave. If one chose to be a slave, they had to act the part.


    If someone couldn¡¯t keep such a promise¡ª


    Asking about who was behind her mission was the first test. Katherine was Keter¡¯s slave, someone who had to obey him completely. She was expected to answer truthfully to anything he asked, even if her life was at stake.


    However, Katherine hesitated, caught in an internal conflict. A knight had to adhere to a code of chivalry, which included a clause to keep promises, even to the enemy. According to this principle, Katherine should answer Keter¡¯s question truthfully. But there was also a part of the code that stated that knights should never betray their allies.


    There was an intense struggle within Katherine. It wasn¡¯t an easy decision to make, but Keter was not patient. He silently applied pressure by tapping his fingers on the table.


    Then, Katherine took a deep breath.


    ¡°It was¡­ Butler Prosciutto.¡±


    This was the best compromise she could make. She didn¡¯t lie, nor did she entirely betray her allies. While it was Elder Panir who had instructed Prosciutto, it was Prosciutto who had given Katherine her orders.


    Keter stroked his chin after hearing Katherine.


    The root of it would technically be Panir, but for now, Katherine¡¯s answer wasn¡¯t a lie.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t the end. One simple test couldn¡¯t be enough to trust someone. Not lying to someone¡¯s face could simply be due to the fear of getting caught. But if someone kept a difficult promise even when the person wasn¡¯t present, that would make them trustworthy.


    That was the kind of person that Dork was, the only subordinate Keter had accepted in Liqueur.


    Dork was the weakest in the Liqueur food chain; he couldn¡¯t even defeat stray dogs. Yet, he risked his life to keep a promise to Keter. Keter liked people like that¡ªthose who, despite having nothing, were willing to risk their lives to keep their word.


    ¡°So, it was that old Prosciutto who did it. There¡¯ll be a funeral soon.¡±


    Although Katherine had thrown Prosciutto under the bus in place of Panir, it wasn¡¯t like she disliked Prosciutto, so she began hastily defending him.


    ¡°While it was Butler Prosciutto who gave the order, I was the one who agreed to do it. So, please, take out your anger on me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Of course, you¡¯ll be punished too.¡±


    ¡°Punished¡­ how?¡±


    Keter silently stood up, as he heard footsteps approaching from the hallway outside.


    The soldiers who had witnessed the duel had sworn to keep quiet about the incident. After all, the soldiers under her command wouldn¡¯t go around boasting that she had lost in her best, most confident duel method.


    The approaching footsteps belong to Katherine¡¯s fellow knights. Although the soldiers said nothing, one of the servants who saw Katherine being carried to the infirmary had informed the knights.


    Keter made a zipping motion across his lips and said, ¡°For the next month, don¡¯t say a word. No communicating in writing either.¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was the punishment and also the test Keter was giving Katherine to see if she would truly keep her promise. Of course, it didn¡¯t mean he would be watching her every minute of every day; Katherine wasn¡¯t that important to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say a word, even if the patriarch orders you to or Queen Lillian herself comes. Not too hard, right?¡± Keter said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit too harsh¡­ Could I at least say one word a day?¡±


    Instead of outright refusing, Katherine attempted to negotiate.


    Keter flicked her forehead and said again, ¡°Does a slave negotiate with their master?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    As Katherine rubbed her forehead in pain, Keter placed a finger to his lips.


    ¡°I thought I told you not to say a word?¡±


    Katherine immediately stopped talking, but she clasped her hands together, pleading for mercy. Others would have found this rather cute, but it didn¡¯t faze Keter at all.


    ¡°See you in a month,¡± Keter said.


    Immediately after, the door to the infirmary swung open, and the knights burst in.


    ¡°Katherine!¡±


    ¡°We heard you injured your eye. Are you alright?¡±


    Four knights had arrived, all of them Katherine¡¯s peers.¡±


    They expressed their concern for Katherine while glaring at Keter. It was like they were asking if he had done something to her with their eyes.


    ¡°Lord Keter, we heard that you carried Katherine here. Could you explain what happened?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like your servant?¡±


    The knight was blocking the door. Keter hit the knight¡¯s shoulder with his and walked past.


    ¡°Hey¡­!¡±


    One of the knights reached out to grab Keter, but another knight held him back by the wrist.


    ¡°Let him go. We need to check on Katherine first.¡±


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s what¡¯s important.¡±


    The knights didn¡¯t come knowing the full story. They had only heard that Katherine was injured and had been admitted to the infirmary. They gathered around the bed, asking Katherine what happened.


    ¡°Did Lord Keter¡­ No, did that bastard hurt you?¡±


    ¡°Say something. Even if Keter is the patriarch¡¯s son, we can¡¯t just let this slide.¡±


    But Katherine remained silent. She was someone who never lost her optimism, even when she was exhausted or severely injured. The fact that she wasn¡¯t saying anything now made the knights realize this was no ordinary situation.


    ¡°Keter¡­!¡±


    One of the knights shouted Keter¡¯s name in anger, but Katherine shook her head.


    ¡°Huh? Katherine, why? Did Keter do something to you? You can tell us; it¡¯s just us here.¡±


    Instead of speaking, Katherine quickly shook her head in denial. The knights were frustrated, as they couldn¡¯t understand why she wasn¡¯t saying anything.


    ¡°Did you hurt your throat?¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°Did you forget how to speak?¡±


    She shook her head again.


    ¡°Then why are you acting like this?!¡±


    The knights, growing more frustrated, continued to press Katherine, but she remained silent, only communicating by nodding or shaking her head. Even when the doctor arrived afterward, he was equally baffled and could offer no explanation. The situation remained unchanged when Prosciutto, Panir¡¯s butler, came to see her.


    ¡°If you failed your mission, at least explain yourself.¡±


    Prosciutto wasn¡¯t just her superior; he was like family to her, someone she called him her uncle. Yet, Katherine just avoided his gaze with sorrow.


    Prosciutto let out a long sigh and said, ¡°Katherine, as of today, you are dismissed from the Order of the Star. Your rank as lieutenant commander has also been revoked. Until I call for you, you are to remain in confinement at your quarters.¡±


    Being confined meant no missions, no training, and not even stepping outside her quarters. It was a deep disgrace for any knight, especially for Katherine. For a moment, she opened her mouth as if to speak, but she soon closed it.


    After Prosciutto left the infirmary, Katherine wiped the blood off her palms. She had dug her nails into her hands to resist the urge to speak. Despite her confinement, many people came to visit her, a clear testament to her significant influence within the family.


    However, no one could make Katheirne speak. Even when Besil visited her personally, she gritted her teeth and maintained her silence¡ªall to keep her promise to Keter.

 Chapter 21: Like Father, Like Son (2)

    Darkness had settled over the Sefira estate. However, one place remained unusually bright¡ªthe office of Besil, the patriarch.


    ¡°¡±


    Various documents and requests for approval were piled on his desk. The most troublesome among them were the numerous requests for archers from multiple regions. These ranged from minor requests for archers to protect crops from wild animals to military requests for a company to be dispatched to strengthen defense around the border.


    ¡°They want to wear our family down to the bone.¡±


    Half, if not most, of the support requests were unnecessary. They were clearly part of a petty scheme to disperse the family¡¯s forces and drain its wealth. However, Besil couldn¡¯t simply ignore these requests. Rejecting even a village chief¡¯s request outright would negatively impact public opinion about them, while declining a high-ranking noble¡¯s request without a solid reason could lead to political backlash.


    Besil meticulously sifted through the requests, identifying the ones truly in need of support and the fraudulent ones. He wrote careful rejections for those that were obviously false, trying his best to make them seem plausible.


    But there were requests even Besil couldn¡¯t easily turn down¡ªthose that were undoubtedly false but too significant to ignore. No matter how prestigious the Sefira family was, there were places they couldn¡¯t disregard, such as other noble families of equal standing and the Four Lords.


    After painstakingly sorting through the support requests, Besil barely had a moment to catch his breath before he began reading an important report.


    ¡°The attention that had finally died down is starting to flare up again¡­¡±


    The report from a knight responsible for the family¡¯s security showed a significant increase in both external interest and activities of internal spies. Unsurprisingly, the primary cause was attributed to Keter.


    The report was concluded with a request for additional reinforcements to strengthen security.


    Besil massaged his head. They were already so short on manpower that even apprentice knights had been deployed in the field. There was no way they could possibly provide more personnel now.


    Besil, who always had to present a composed image to the family, was contemplating these circumstances himself.


    The sound of heavy footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and Besil let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Here it comes.¡±


    The footsteps headed straight for Besil¡¯s office, and soon the door flung open roughly.


    ¡°Besil!¡±


    The person who burst in was Panir, an elder of Sefira.


    Besil had already prepared himself for Panir¡¯s arrival, but seeing Panir made his head hurt even more.


    ¡°What brings you here in the middle of the night?¡± Besil asked.


    ¡°What brings me here? Are you really asking me that!¡±


    Panir¡¯s voice, which was filled with rage, rang through the curtained windows and into the darkness.


    The soldiers on night patrol outside were startled by the loud voice, but they signed after recognizing who it was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why Elder Panir always shouts at the patriarch as soon as he returns.¡±


    ¡°Keep your voice down. Elder Panir has sharp ears.¡±


    ¡°, right. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    After the soldiers hurried away, Panir began questioning Besil intensely.


    ¡°Do you even know what kind of trouble that bastard Keter has caused overnight?!¡±


    As soon as Panir mentioned Keter, Besil sighed again, as if he had expected this. Panir immediately began arguing.


    ¡°Are you sighing? Are you treating me like a senile old man now? Besil, is this how Ricotta taught you?¡±


    Ricotta was Besil¡¯s father, Panir¡¯s brother, and the previous patriarch. Besil rubbed his temples before gesturing towards the sofa.


    ¡°Please take a seat, and I¡¯ll bring you a cup of tea. And lower your voice. Everyone outside can hear you.¡±


    ¡°This is not something to calm down about. Keter is a disaster for the Sefira family. We should be kicking him out immediately, and you want to have tea?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll bring you a hot cup of tea. Maybe if you burn your tongue, you¡¯ll quiet down a bit.¡±


    ¡°You insolent¡­!¡±


    Everyone saw Besil as a calm and composed person, but the truth was, he was just holding back out of respect for his position as the head of the family; he actually had quite a temper.


    Seeing that Panir showed no signs of calming down, Besil decided to take a firm stance.


    ¡°As the patriarch, I¡¯m giving you an order. Sit down, Elder Panir.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Though hot-tempered, Panir was also a fiercely conservative noble. Thus, when Besil, the patriarch, asserted his authority, he reluctantly complied, at least outwardly. He grumbled but sat down on the sofa, and Besil poured him a steaming cup of tea.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping a close watch on Keter. I said I would ignore him, not neglect him.¡±


    Besil then poured himself a cup of tea and sat down across from Panir.


    ¡°You knew Keter ambushed Anis, yet you did nothing?¡± Panir asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear it described as an ambush. Actually, I heard that it was a fair fight, and I¡¯ve heard they plan to face each other officially.¡±


    Panir¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°And what about forcing a butler to drink?¡±


    ¡°According to head check Altin¡¯s testimony, Keter did offer the drink but did not force anyone. Jacques admitted he drank too much of his own accord and even willingly returned his monthly pay.¡±


    The veins in Panir¡¯s neck bulged, and his lips trembled as if he was about to explode, like a ticking time bomb.


    ¡°What about what happened at Volkanus¡¯ forge? Am I mistaken? That bastard took Amaranth, the Demon Bow! I heard it was sealed away, so how did this happen? Explain yourself!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Besil hesitated, his fingers fidgeting with the handle of his teacup. Panir grew even more agitated.


    ¡°He¡¯s a spy! I don¡¯t know how he knew about Amaranth, our family¡¯s curse, but he stole it! We must retrieve Amaranth immediately and interrogate him!¡±


    The handle of the teacup in Besil¡¯s hand broke off.


    At that moment, Besil and Panir¡¯s gazes met in the air. The two men glared at each other, not even flinching, until Besil finally broke the silence.


    ¡°You seem to know everything even though you weren¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I love and care for this family more than you do.¡±


    ¡°Even love has its limits. What exactly have you been doing outside?¡±


    Panir let out a hearty laugh.


    ¡°Are you suspecting me, Lord Besil? What have I been doing, you ask? Don¡¯t you know my feet haven¡¯t had a chance to heal as I run around trying to win over the hearts of the nobility?¡±


    ¡°Why did you secretly meet with Marquis Turbin, who has already turned against our family?¡±


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    Panir, who seemed ready to burst out of the office at any moment, suddenly became quiet. His expression darkened.


    ¡°Have you been spying on me?¡±


    ¡°Elder Panir, why have you been documenting what happens within the family?¡±


    Besil¡¯s tone turned cold as well.


    After discovering this, Besil had discreetly placed the elders under surveillance. He wanted to believe he was overreacting, but that was when he found Panir¡¯s suspicious behaviors. It was true that Panir had been working to persuade nobles on behalf of the family, but it was also discovered that he had been meeting with nobles unrelated to the Sefira family secretly and unofficially.


    There was no smoke without fire. If one were truly innocent, there would be no reason to meet in secret. Besil considered Panir the most likely candidate to be the family¡¯s traitor. Of course, it was for certain, and Besil didn¡¯t want to believe it either.


    Though Panir was known for being quick to anger and nitpicky over even the smallest matters, his love and care for the Sefira family were genuine. However, anything in excess could become a poison.


    Besil leaned forward, fixing his gaze on Panir.


    ¡°Not just the Turbin family, but you also visited the Zepirus family. Aren¡¯t they also a family contributing to the downfall of the Sefira family?¡±


    Panir, who was usually quick to anger and speak his mind, now remained silent. Besil began to question him even more.


    ¡°I¡¯m also aware that you had Prosciutto send Katherine to Keter.¡±


    Panir slowly rose from his seat. In a low tone, he said, ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re suspicious of me.¡±


    Besil remained seated, looking up at Panir. Seeing this, Panir finally spoke up about what he couldn¡¯t say before.


    ¡°Do you think I betrayed the Sefira family?¡±


    ¡°Sit down. We¡¯re not finished.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing more to say.¡±


    As Panir turned to leave, Besil stood up. The coat he was wearing suddenly transformed into a bow and arrow. It was the Sefira family¡¯s treasure, the Doppelganger, capable of transforming into any object.


    Without even turning around, Panir, sensing that the bow was aimed at him, shouted, ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re pointing that bow at? Besil, I am the one who taught you archery!¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Besil drew the bowstring. Unlike his voice, which was steady, the corner of his eye was trembling.


    ¡°Explain yourself. Why did you do those things?¡±


    ¡°... You weren¡¯t like this before. What changed you? Didn¡¯t you say you trusted me? Could it be¡­¡±


    Panir clenched his fists tightly.


    ¡°Is it because of Keter? Are you baring your claws at me just to protect that bastard?¡±


    ¡°What does Keter have to do with this?¡±


    ¡°Then trust me. Everything I¡¯m doing is for the Sefira family. Trying to expel Keter from the family is part of that. He is the cause of our discord. If that bastard hadn¡¯t come to our family¡­! None of this would be happening.¡±


    ¡°You refuse to explain yourself until the end,¡± Besil said.


    ¡°I have no reason to be treated like a criminal by my own family. And it¡¯s not me who needs to explain¡ªit¡¯s you.¡±


    Besil lowered his bow. The bow and arrow reverted to the form of his coat.


    Besil snapped his fingers, and two knights entered the room. They were Rual and Taron, the Sefira family¡¯s guards. They positioned themselves on either side of Panir.


    Besil sighed softly and said, ¡°Until you provide a reasonable explanation, you are forbidden from leaving your residence, Elder Panir.¡±


    Besil signaled Rual and Taron to escort Panir out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go on my own.¡±


    When Rual reached for his arm, Panir harshly slapped his hand away, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I have nothing to hide, so I will walk on my own.¡±


    Without so much as a glance back at Besil, Panir walked straight out of the office. After the three passed through the dark corridor, a shadow squirmed behind a decorative suit of armor in the middle of the silent hallway. A figure emerged.


    He whistled softly and said, ¡°Father has quite a temper, doesn¡¯t he? Like father, like son.¡±


    Keter, who had accidentally overheard the conversation, faintly smiled.


    * * *


    People slept during the night not just because they were tired. Even with candles or lamps to light the darkness, relying on such limited illumination made work efficiency plummet. As such, it was better to sleep until the sun rose.


    However, there was a place in this world where the usual rules were flipped¡ªa place that revealed its true nature only when night had fallen.


    It was Liqueur, another lawless city.


    The daytime in Liqueur was merely a facade; the real Liqueur came alive at night. The nights in Liqueur were filled with dazzling lights of all colors, captivating everyone¡¯s attention. But this brilliance didn¡¯t mean it was as bright as day. It actually created confusion, causing first-time visitors to suffer from dizziness and nausea.


    Keter grew up amidst the chaos of Liqueur, roaming its streets and ruling over them. Naturally, he was not the type to feel sleepy or uncomfortable just because night had fallen.


    ¡°The level of security is pathetic. Even if they¡¯re short on manpower, this is terrible.¡±


    The Sefira estate was dark. The few lights that could be seen here and there belonged to the patrolling soldiers. Keter, without so much as a small candle, walked around with his hands clasped behind his head.


    He didn¡¯t sneak out of his room for any particular reason. Keter often stayed awake at night since he usually slept very little. As sitting idle didn¡¯t suit him, he wandered around, checking for any incidents or disturbances.


    ¡°The soldiers lack alertness. Not alert at all.¡±


    Keter, who usually moved silently while concealing his presence, deliberately revealed himself slightly. In this state, he began to stroll around the estate. He ignored the guards, whether they were there or not. In fact, he even blatantly passed through them.


    Whenever he spotted a servant working at night, he would sneak up and poke the back of their neck with his finger.


    ¡°Who¡­ Who¡¯s there? Someone poked my neck!¡±


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    No one could stop Keter as poked people¡¯s necks while concealed. The once silent estate became noisy. Soldiers, responding to reports of ghost sightings, searched the area thoroughly and tightened their security, but it was all in vain. Keter even boldly poked the necks of soldiers.


    It wasn¡¯t until knights arrived that anyone could even sense Keter¡¯s presence, and even then, they would quickly lose track of him if he concealed himself. He took advantage of the confusion, slipped through security, and entered the main mansion where the patriarch resided. The security inside was even slacker than outside, but there was a good reason for that.


    Keter fully committed to his stealth technique as he wanted to test whether Besil would notice him. He stopped breathing, stilled his heartbeat, and even put his aura and mana into a dormant state, completely erasing himself from the world. This was a supreme stealth technique that only the highest-level assassins could execute. He couldn¡¯t maintain it as long as they could, but a short burst was enough.


    Keter evaded the watchful eyes of the guards and stopped in front of the office door. His instincts strongly warned him that he would be detected if he got any closer. Besides, there was no need to go all the way to the door. Panir, who was visiting the office, was loud enough to be heard through the door and down the corridor.


    ¡°Panir, that noisy old man, is indeed suspicious.¡±


    Keter stroked his chin. He had already planned to visit Panir sometime tomorrow to feel him out, but his father had beaten him to it.


    It seemed like Besil had identified the traitor, but the family still couldn¡¯t avoid its downfall in his previous life. This implied that Besil either failed to resolve the issue regarding the traitor, or¡­


    Keter had many questions, but it didn¡¯t seem necessary to confront Panir immediately.


    ¡°If it ends up coming down to me, you¡¯re really out of luck,¡± Keter muttered to himself as he watched Panir pass by, completely unaware of his presence.


    There was no emotion in Keter¡¯s eyes as he watched Panir.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s that. I suppose I should finish what I was doing.¡±


    Keter was determined to alert the relaxed night of the Sefira estate.

 Chapter 22: Let’s Work Together (1)

    In the busy morning hustle, only one person remained asleep.


    ¡°Ugh! Sleeping in on the first morning! What about the dignity and decorum of a noble!¡±


    Jacques, Keter¡¯s personal servant, was pacing nervously in front of Keter¡¯s bedroom door.


    The night before, just before Keter went to bed, Jacques had urged him to attend breakfast. He reminded Keter multiple times that the Sefira family always had breakfast together, no matter what. He told Keter that he needed to attend the breakfast gathering if he wanted to be recognized as part of the family. He pleaded with him to wake up early, freshen up, and head to the dining room. Jacques had stressed this to Keter not just once or twice, but six times in total.


    Jacques covered his face in distress. However, waking up Keter forcefully wasn¡¯t proper etiquette when dealing with a noble. After all, Keter wasn¡¯t a child, and being awakened by someone was a great disgrace in noble society.


    Because of this, Jacques had been standing outside Keter¡¯s door for an hour, trusting that Keter would wake up on his own. But no matter how much time passed, Keter remained asleep.


    Jacques suddenly realized something. He had almost forgotten, given how lively Keter had been on the first day, that Keter wasn¡¯t exactly a welcomed presence in the Sefira family. And to make matters worse, Elder Panir had returned yesterday. Panir was known as the most hot-tempered and impulsive person in not just among the elders, but the entire Sefira family.


    Jacque¡¯s hand trembled as he grabbed the doorknob to Keter¡¯s bedroom.


    The more Jacques thought about it, the more uneasy he became. Even though Keter was reckless and acted thoughtlessly¡­ It was strange that he hadn¡¯t woken up by now, especially after Jacques had stressed so much how important this morning was.


    With that, Jacques flung open the bedroom door.


    ¡°Lord Keter! Huh?!¡±


    His worst fears had come true. Keter was half-slumped over the sofa, as if he had been resting there and then was suddenly attacked.


    Jacques vowed that even if it cost him his position, he would confront Elder Panir about this.


    ¡°¡±


    At that moment, Keter, whom he presumed dead, let out a sound. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Lord Keter! You¡¯re alive! Wait, this is not the time. I need to get you an antidote immediately!¡±


    A butler must always be prepared for any situation, including poison attacks. While each poison required a specific antidote, there were universal neutralizers that could delay the effects of most toxins.


    Jacques quickly pulled out a vial of neutralizing agent from his inner pocket and rushed toward the sofa.


    ¡°Zzz¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°¡±


    Keter made the sound again. This was clearly¡­


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ snoring?¡±


    Jacques approached the sofa and looked down at Keter. He had thought he just couldn¡¯t see well from afar, but up close, it became clear that Keter had not been poisoned. There were no signs of poisoning on his body. The fact that he hadn¡¯t slept in bed was simply a habit.


    In disbelief, he dropped the expensive neutralizer and muttered, ¡°Ha¡­ Haha¡­ Maybe you should¡¯ve just been assassinated. At least then you¡¯d have an excuse. What am I supposed to say about your absence at breakfast?¡±


    As Jacques reached for Keter¡¯s shoulder, he flinched and pulled his hand back. Touching a noble¡¯s body carelessly was against the rules. Jacques glanced around the room and headed toward the window. The curtains were double-layered, and the window was tightly shut.


    He pulled back the curtain and flung the window open wide. The cool morning air and sunlight flooded into the room. At the same time, the sounds of bustling activity flowed in.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    Keter, who had been sound asleep, squinted. Jacques cleared his throat and said loudly, ¡° ahem! The weather is really nice today! It¡¯s the perfect day to get out of bed!¡±


    Then, Keter suddenly sat up, which startled Jacques so much that he screamed.


    ¡°Ah! You scared me, my lord! D-Did you sleep well?¡±


    Keter, stretching, replied, ¡°Gramps, where¡¯s the food?¡±


    ¡°If you mean breakfast, it¡¯s already cold. But before that¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk after I eat.¡±


    ¡°... I¡¯ll have the food brought out again.¡±


    ¡°No need. Cold food has its charms.¡±


    Relieved that Keter was unharmed, Jacques clapped his hands, signaling the maids waiting outside to come in. Once the maids had finished setting the table, Jacques, as he had done the day before, joined Keter for breakfast.


    As they were nearing the end of their meal, Keter glanced towards the commotion outside. Jacques, noticing this, tried to explain, but Keter spoke first.


    ¡°Is it a merchant?¡±


    Jacques was taken aback. While there was a commotion, there hadn¡¯t been any information within the noise that could suggest that it was a merchant. Moreover, Keter had just woken up and was still in the middle of eating.


    For Keter, who already knew from his past life¡¯s memories that a merchant would arrive today, it was no big deal. But Jacques had no way of knowing that.


    ¡°Yes, my lord. There¡¯s a trading company that regularly supplies our family with daily necessities and materials used in the forge. Today is the day the goods for the forge are delivered.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Keter¡¯s eyes were suddenly drawn to the apple served for dessert. It had a fresh, just-picked stem and a shiny peel; it was clearly a high-quality apple.


    As he took a bite, the perfect blend of sweetness and tartness seemed to signal the start of a new day.


    All the ingredients had been of the highest quality. Of course, it wasn¡¯t unusual for a prestigious family to use the best ingredients, as they had ample funds. But the Sefira family wasn¡¯t in a position to afford luxuries right now, yet they still maintained the highest standard of living. Keter knew all too well that nobles often used dignity and pride as an excuse.


    After devouring the apple down to the core, Keter wiped his hands with a handkerchief and stood up. He knew from his previous life¡¯s memories that a merchant would arrive today, but he didn¡¯t recall which company it was¡ªhe wasn¡¯t interested before.


    ¡°Gramps, the trading company that deals with the Sefira family¡ªdo they have an exclusive contract?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. They have had an exclusive contract with the Sefira family for several years now. But why do you ask all of a sudden¡­?¡±


    ¡°Because I smell something fishy, something really rotten.¡±


    Jacques blinked and sniffed the air, but there was no unusual smell.


    ¡°I don¡¯t smell anything at all. Are you just trying to change the subject? Last night, I clearly¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the name of the trading company?¡±


    Keter interrupted Jacques, who, though annoyed, maintained a dutiful smile.


    ¡°The Ultima Trading Company, my lord.¡±


    Keter snapped his fingers and grinned widely.


    ¡°Just as I thought.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, Gramps.¡±


    ¡°Where? Where are you going?¡±


    Jacques hadn¡¯t even begun to say what he needed to. He knew that if he missed this chance, he¡¯d be dragged around by Keter for the rest of his life, so Jacques stood up and blocked the door with his body.


    But there was something Jacques had forgotten. To wake Keter earlier, he had left the window wide open. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Keter stepped onto the window ledge and jumped out.


    ¡°Huh! This is the third floor!¡±


    Jacques hurried over to the window in shock, but Keter had already landed like a feather.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Jacques, who couldn¡¯t jump off the ledge like Keter, massaged his forehead and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±


    * * *


    The role of a butler involved handling a wide range of responsibilities. However, certain tasks were so crucial that they required a butler dedicated to them exclusively, like Hans, the butler in charge of the Sefira family¡¯s finances.


    Hans watched the carriages that were lined up at the front gate. They were all from the Ultima trading company. The materials being delivered to the blacksmith were being unloaded in a well-organized manner.


    ¡°Quickly and carefully. Each of those crates you¡¯re moving is worth more than your lives.¡±


    Surprisingly, the person overseeing the thirty carriages and two hundred workers was a young man. He was Ultima, the owner of the Ultima Trading Company. He didn¡¯t fit the typical image of a merchant¡ªhe wasn¡¯t fat, nor did he seem sluggish. He had the body of a trained soldier, sharp eyes, and gleaming pupils. He looked more like a warrior than a merchant.


    ¡°Oh, Mr. Hans! You¡¯ve come out to see us?¡±


    Ultima, who had been giving rough orders to the workers, greeted Hans with a warm tone. Hans responded with an awkward smile.


    ¡°Mr. Ultima, good to see you. You didn¡¯t have to come and personally oversee this in the midst of your busy schedule.¡±


    ¡°Haha, what are you talking about? This is a delivery to the prestigious Sefira family! Of course, I had to come running.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Something was off. Although Ultima was clearly praising the Sefira family, Hans couldn¡¯t hide his discomfort. The reason for that soon became apparent.


    ¡°But here¡¯s the thing, Mr. Hans. You¡¯re not expecting to pay on credit again this time, are you? You did say last month would be the last time,¡± Ultima said.


    ¡°Lower your voice. I¡¯ve secured the funds,¡± Hans replied.


    ¡°Ahem, my apologies. I struggle with controlling my volume sometimes. Here¡¯s the invoice for this month¡¯s goods. Please have a look.¡±


    Ultima pulled out a thick invoice from inside his coat, which detailed the quantities and prices of all the delivered goods. Hans only glanced at the beginning before flipping straight to the last page, where the total amount was listed.


    ¡°Four thousand two hundred gold? Listen here, Mr. Ultima. We reduced the quantity of the order, so why has the price gone up?¡±


    The amount may not seem significant at first glance, but that was only because it was in gold coins. When converted to copper coins commonly used by the commoners, it was a staggering four hundred twenty thousand of them.


    ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you know? The materials used for making arrows have become incredibly scarce. They¡¯re so rare that even paying extra doesn¡¯t guarantee you¡¯ll get them. Our trading company was only able to get them because we¡¯re good.¡±


    ¡°Even so, last month the total was three thousand five hundred gold, wasn¡¯t it? I expected this month¡¯s to be no more than three thousand gold at most. How can the price have increased by one thousand two hundred gold instead?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    Ultima¡¯s demeanor changed in an instant, like flipping a switch.


    ¡°!¡±


    Ultima spat on the ground, his expression turning menacing as he spoke.


    ¡°So, are you saying you can¡¯t pay this month either?¡±


    Ultima¡¯s tone had shifted to that of a thug, but his presence was far more intimidating than any street gangster. He gave off the aura of someone who had survived countless battles and near-death experiences¡ªa true warrior. Despite being the butler of the esteemed Sefira family, Hans was old and frail. There was no way he could withstand the pressure of someone as young and vigorous as Ultima.


    ¡°N-no, not that. I can¡¯t manage the full amount, but I¡¯ve prepared 2,000 gold.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re driving me crazy, Mr. Hans. You should be giving me all four thousand two hundred gold, not two thousand, which isn¡¯t even half. Are you telling me to take that and piss off?¡±


    If Ultima had spoken to a butler from any other noble family like this, it could have cost him his life.


    But Hans, flustered and in a submissive attitude, meekly responded, ¡°At least I¡¯ve managed to gather some of the money. Please try to understand my situation,¡± Hans replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been understanding your situation for quite some time now. This isn¡¯t the first time; it¡¯s been two years already. Do you even know how much total debt you¡¯ve accumulated?¡±


    ¡°As far as I recall, it¡¯s just under three hundred thousand gold.¡±


    Hans made Ultima slap his forehead in disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s insane. Mr. Hans, have you lost your senile mind? It¡¯s five hundred seventy thousand! Five hundred seventy thousand gold!¡± Ultima shouted, his voice filled with frustration.


    Hans felt upset, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to respond with anger. It wasn¡¯t just because five hundred thousand gold was an astronomical amount; it was because Ultima was a good merchant.


    While other merchants had either cut ties with or outright refused to deal with the Sefira family, who was in decline, Ultima had been the only one willing to take the risk. He had even supplied high-quality goods at low prices and, in times of need, had lent money to the Sefira family without interest, maintaining a close relationship. Due to this, the Sefira family had severed ties with other merchants who were more hesitant and signed an exclusive contract with Ultima.


    But now, years later, the Sefira family owed Ultima an enormous amount of money. Even if Ultima raised his voice and cursed, the Sefira family had no grounds to complain. If Ultima decided to abandon them, the Sefira family would have no choice but to personally go down to the village to buy supplies. Given that the Sefira family was already short on manpower and had many enemies, taking on such a risk was something they absolutely had to avoid.


    ¡°I allowed this credit without interest out of consideration for my relationship with the Sefira family, and yet you repay my kindness with such betrayal. What do you think people would say about you if they knew?¡± Ultima said.


    ¡°I am deeply ashamed. You¡¯re right about everything. I¡¯ll apologize on behalf of the family.¡±


    Hans, who was an old man, bowed deeply to Ultima, who was just a young man. However, Ultima frustratedly kicked the ground in anger.


    ¡°Damn it, are you going to treat me like a fool now? This won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll have to meet the head of the family and get the money myself.¡±


    ¡°. Why are you doing this? You know how busy the patriarch is.¡±


    ¡°What could be more important than five hundred seventy thousand gold? You¡¯re being this reckless because it¡¯s someone else¡¯s money. Are you saying that I¡¯m not worthy of meeting a high noble like the patriarch?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do this. I¡¯ll find a way to gather the money by next month. For now, please just leave.¡±


    The butler of a prestigious family pleading with a young merchant: Ultima, smirking slightly, shook Hans¡¯ arm away.


    ¡°No matter how much you beg, it won¡¯t work. If I can¡¯t meet the head of the family, then I¡¯ll have to see one of the elders. I need to have a reason for continuing to work with you.¡±


    Hans, who was coldly rejected, was in deep thought. The patriarch was unaware that the Sefira family owed Ultima a massive debt. This had been Hans¡¯ decision alone; he hadn¡¯t reported it because he didn¡¯t want to burden the already overwhelmed patriarch with more problems. But he couldn¡¯t confess now that the family had accumulated such a large debt. Introducing Ultima to one of the elders seemed inevitable.


    There was no need to think too hard about it. Of the three elders, only two were currently at the estate: Panir, who had returned yesterday, and Reganon, the father of Olive, the late lady of the house.


    It would be a difficult situation no matter who Hans chose, but he thought Reganon was the better option. Panir was hot-tempered, and involving him could worsen the situation rather than solve it. On the other hand, Hans had some rapport with Reganon.


    Hans made up his mind and said to Ultima, ¡°Please wait here for a moment. I will inform Elder Reganon.¡±


    ¡°Heh. You¡¯ve made the right choice,¡± Ultima replied arrogantly, leaning to one side.


    As Hans left to speak with Reganon, Ultima couldn¡¯t help but grin.


    When Hans first met Ultima, he had treated him like a mere huckster. At that moment, Ultima vowed to make Hans kneel before him. And today, he felt like that dream was almost within reach.


    Ultima was lost in his thoughts, reveling in his fantasies, when suddenly¡ª


    ¡°Well, well, look who it is! Isn¡¯t this our little Snotty!¡±


    A vein bulged on Ultima¡¯s forehead. He wondered who in their right mind would dare bring up his childhood nickname.


    Ultima quickly turned his head and shouted, ¡°What asshole called me that?!¡±


    Then, he doubted his eyes. The person standing before him was someone he should have never encountered here.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, you bastard.¡±

 Chapter 23: Let’s Work Together (2)

    Ultima, the head of the Ultima Trading Company, had earned the nickname ¡°The Merchant of Fortune¡± for rapidly building a mid-sized company from aggressive investment strategies that many considered suicidal.


    Rumors circulated around his sudden rise to prominence¡ªsome claimed he was a fallen noble from the Empire, others thought he was the reincarnation of Bluegon, the legendary merchant. But those in the know were aware of the truth: Ultima was from Absinthe, the lawless city.


    However, even that was a fabricated identity. In reality, Ultima was from Liqueur, a place from which no one was believed to be able to escape. But the answer to how he had managed to leave Liqueur was in a secret deal with the Godfather of Liqueur. Ultima left Liqueur through some mysterious contract and was pretending to be from Absinthe as he worked as a merchant.


    ¡°W-woah, am I still drunk from the drinks I had last night?¡±


    Ultima wasn¡¯t someone who lost his cool easily, even staying calm when he dealt with a marquis. But now, he was slapping his own cheek in disbelief.


    To Ultima, Keter was a dreadful existence; he never wished to see Keter, even in his nightmares. Yet Keter¡ªa presence more terrifying than the worst of nightmares¡ªwas walking straight toward him.


    ¡°Number Seventy-Eight. No, you changed your name to Ultima, didn¡¯t you? Why the sour face? Aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡±


    Number Seventy-Eight was Ultima¡¯s former name. Hearing that name, one he never thought he would hear again, made Ultima dizzy.


    This wasn¡¯t an illusion, and it certainly wasn¡¯t fake. The Keter standing before him was real.


    ¡°K-Keter. You! You!¡±


    Ultima barely maintained his composure enough to stop himself from blurting out what he was thinking.


    ¡°What¡­ what are you doing coming out of Sefira¡¯s front gate?¡±


    Meeting Keter in the outside world was shocking enough, but seeing him here, at Sefira of all places, felt like some kind of trap.


    On the other hand, Keter was genuinely happy to see Ultima.


    In Keter¡¯s past life, Ultima had been an obstacle in Keter¡¯s path. Ultima was a formidable enemy that he still remembered.


    In the future, Ultima would become the most powerful merchant in the Lillian Kingdom and a candidate for one of the Four Lords. He was conniving, intelligent and skilled in combat, and also merciless.


    Keter had a rather high opinion of Ultima.


    Before Keter fought Deyal, one of the Four Lords, he went after his subordinates, and one of them was Ultima. Keter remembered Ultima because he was the strongest out of Deyal¡¯s subordinates.


    Keter was happy when he saw Ultima. He had met his future rival before he could fully grow, meaning that, if necessary, he could kill him and eliminate any future threats. However, Keter decided to put the option of killing Ultima on hold for now.


    ¡°...¡±


    On the other hand, Ultima, unaware that the fate of his life was in Keter¡¯s hands, only felt uncomfortable. Although Keter was acting friendly, the two were far from friends. In fact, they were closer to being archenemies.


    Ultima¡¯s gaze was naturally fixed on Keter¡¯s every move. However¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s fate that we meet here?¡±


    ¡°W-When did you¡­?¡±


    Even though Ultima had been watching Keter¡¯s every move without blinking, Keter was already beside him, putting his arm around Ultima¡¯s shoulder/


    ¡°I was wondering who had the guts to screw over the Sefira family. If it¡¯s you, Ultima, I guess I can respect that.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Ultima glanced at Keter in shock, then quickly became aware of his surroundings. Fortunately, only his workers were around.


    ¡°H-Haha, Keter. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here, but how about we both just go our separate ways?¡±


    ¡°Why? I¡¯m already going the right way.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Ultima glared at Keter, silently threatening that he would do something if Keter continued to be this clingy. However, Keter poked Ultima in the eye without hesitation.


    Even though Ultima quickly shut his eyelid, he couldn¡¯t prevent the pain.


    ¡°Our dear Ultima has grown up, huh? You even dare to glare at me.¡±


    Ultima felt the chill running down his spine more than the pain in his eye. Everyone in Liqueur knew that Keter had a habit of poking the eyes of those who glared at him. Ultima had prepared for this in advance, yet all he could do was close his eyelid.


    In any case, it wouldn¡¯t do him any good to upset Keter, who was standing right next to him.


    ¡°Keter, I don¡¯t know what business you have with me, but there are too many ears around here. Why don¡¯t we head to my carriage and talk there?¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of getting into your shady carriage. There¡¯s an empty field over there. Let¡¯s head there,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Then could you go ahead? Hans and the workers from my company will start looking for me if I disappear all of a sudden. You wouldn¡¯t want to cause a commotion either, right?¡±


    Keter glared at Ultima for a moment before nodding.


    ¡°You have three minutes.¡±


    As Keter began walking into the woods, Ultima watched his back with a sly grin.


    It seemed like luck was on Ultima¡¯s side. His guards, who had briefly stepped away, had just returned. They were known as the Jacose family.


    Led by Jacose, the seven members of this group were brutal wanted criminals who used to be called Human Hunters.


    ¡°Jacose.¡±


    At Ultima¡¯s call, Jacose approached with swagger in his footsteps. As the leader of the Jacques Family, he was a gold-class mercenary who knew how to wield aura.


    Silently, Ultima pointed to the field where Keter had disappeared to and drew his finger across his throat in a cutting gesture. As expected from someone from Liqueur, he had no hesitation in ordering to kill.  Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jacose quickly understood what Ultima was saying and raised a finger, asking if it was just one target.


    Ultima nodded and added, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate him because he¡¯s alone. The opponent¡­ is a big shot from Absinthe.¡±


    ¡°Kek, kek, kek. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m from Absinthe, too.¡±


    With his rotten face and foul odor, Jacose was repulsive to anyone who looked at him. The only reason Ultima kept him as a close aide was because of his exceptional skills in killing.


    From Ultima¡¯s memory, Keter¡¯s abilities were equivalent to a gold-class mercenary, perhaps a one-star knight if he was being generous. Of course, that was based on the past. Even if Keter had grown stronger since then, he wouldn¡¯t be more than a two-star knight or a platinum-class mercenary.


    As such, there was no problem; the Jacose family had experience hunting two-star knights before.


    Without a contract with the Godfather, it was impossible to leave Liqueur. Ultima would have certainly been informed if Keter had left through that contract, but this was the first he had heard of it. This meant that Keter didn¡¯t leave Liqueur through the Godfather.


    Ultima was curious about how Keter managed to escape from Liqueur and ended up in Sefira, but he wasn¡¯t eager to find out.


    Ultima wanted Keter dead so badly that he didn¡¯t care even if the entire Jacose family died. He kept checking his pocket watch, as each minute felt like an hour.


    The thick foliage of the forest and the noisy workers around him blocked out any sounds of battle.


    Exactly three minutes later, Ultima closed his pocket watch and smiled.


    If Keter had won, he would have emerged from the forest by now. The fact that there was no sign of him after three minutes meant that Jacose was likely cleaning up Keter¡¯s corpse.


    Ultima wiped the sweat off his forehead with his hand and headed to the forest. He felt like he could only sleep well at night after seeing Keter¡¯s corpse with his own two eyes.


    * * *


    The simplest way to solve a problem was to eliminate its source. There was no reason not to kill an enemy that must be dealt with in order to fight the queen¡ªespecially if the enemy was still weak. Keter thought the same; he considered eliminating a future rival he¡¯d encountered by chance before the rival could grow stronger.


    But it was different if that person was Ultima.


    Being from Liqueur himself, these were actions and judgments Keter could understand. From his perspective, Ultima wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong. In fact, he was doing exceptionally well.


    There was still no reason to let Ultima live¡ªespecially if he chose to remain an enemy until the end.


    To be frank, Ultima was too valuable to simply kill. He was destined to become the greatest merchant in the Lillian Kingdom, a skilled fighter almost on par with the power of Ein, and a master of schemes. If he could be persuaded, he would be a tremendous asset in building up the Sefira family and bringing down Queen Lillian.


    Keter had come to the conclusion that it was worth trying to win over Ultima. But how could he do it? The plan was simple.


    And if the attempt to persuade Ultima failed¡­


    At the sound of movement in the forest, Keter, who had been sitting on a tree stump in the empty field, stood up. It wasn¡¯t Ultima who appeared, but the Jacose family he had sent.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Keter. I hear you¡¯re from Absinthe. Then you must have heard of the name Jacose, right?¡±


    Jacose was attempting to strike up a conversation. Keter responded kindly¡ªby shooting an arrow at him.


    A hole the size of a coin appeared in Jacose¡¯s forehead. However, Jacose didn¡¯t realize that Keter had shot an arrow nor that he was already dead.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answer...?¡±


    The meat sack that Jacose collapsed backward, unable to finish his sentence. His subordinates froze in place, utterly shocked. They couldn¡¯t believe what they had just witnessed.


    Keter had been sitting there empty-handed, yet in the blink of an eye, he was holding an jet-black bow. A faint, white blur streaked through the air, and suddenly, their leader¡¯s forehead had a hole in it.


    ¡°An Aura Arrow?!¡±


    Only the vice captain of the Jacose family recognized what Keter had fired.


    He quickly shouted, ¡°He¡¯s an archer! Spread out and attack!¡±


    At his signal, Jacose¡¯s subordinates scattered, each running in different directions. The vice captain calculated that even if they lost a couple of men, they could surely take down Keter. After all, the Aura Arrow was a technique that consumed a tremendous amount of aura, and it was difficult to fire multiple shots in rapid succession.


    As predicted, Keter fired only a single Aura Arrow.


    The sound was like a droplet of water falling. It was the distinct noise of Amaranth¡¯s bowstring being released.


    The vice captain saw Keter¡¯s lone arrow flying toward them and became certain of victory.


    But then, that single arrow split into seven, piercing through the foreheads and necks of his subordinates simultaneously.


    Three seconds¡ªthat was all it took to wipe out the entire Jacose family, who had once hunted down a two-star knight.


    ¡°If you all charge at once, you¡¯ll only die together.¡±


    The Jacose family had made a grave mistake: they assumed Keter had shot a regular Aura Arrow. However, what he had actually unleashed was a Mana Arrow. Unlike aura, mana could be freely manipulated, allowing the arrow to split apart.


    ¡°Thanks to Grandpa Volkanus, I can waste mana on these nobodies without a problem.¡±


    Keter originally only had two years¡¯ worth of mana and couldn¡¯t afford to squander it on such lowly opponents. But his mana had greatly increased thanks to the World Tree Elixir Volkanus gave him, so he was able to expend some without worry.


    Keter sat back down on the tree stump and said, ¡°Anyway, Ultima, you won¡¯t just surrender because I took down the Jacose family, will you?¡±


    ¡°Might as well show it all.¡±


    Keter didn¡¯t have a reason to hide anything since he would kill Ultima if he didn¡¯t surrender.


    Three minutes had passed. It was about time for Ultima to arrive. As expected, soon enough, there was a rustling sound from the forest. Ultima had come to check the bodies.


    ¡°..!¡±


    Upon confirming that the Jacose family had been wiped out, Ultima immediately turned to flee. He didn¡¯t even entertain the hopeful thought that Keter might be in a weakened state. His survival instincts from growing up in Liqueur told him otherwise.


    Ultima halted abruptly when a hole suddenly appeared in the tree right next to him. A trickle of blood ran down his cheek. It wasn¡¯t a missed shot¡ªit was a deliberate warning.


    Ultima gulped and turned around to face Keter, who was still sitting on the tree stump.


    Curling his finger, Keter beckoned Ultima over and said, ¡°You have five seconds to get over here.¡±

 Chapter 24: Let’s Work Together (3)

    Ultima closely examined the bodies of the Jacose family as he ran toward Keter.


    ¡°Holes?¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each of their foreheads had a hole in it.


    There was something that looked like a bow slung over Keter¡¯s shoulder, but that couldn¡¯t be it. Ultima didn¡¯t recall Keter ever using a bow as a weapon. Even if he did, it still didn¡¯t make sense.


    Ultima couldn¡¯t even imagine that Keter had reached a level where he could shoot arrows without actually using any.


    Finally, Ultima stood before Keter.


    Keter rested his arms on his thighs and said, ¡°Stop looking around like that. It¡¯s annoying.¡±


    ¡°...Are you really unscathed?¡±


    ¡°Unscathed? No, I took a serious hit¡ªright to my pride. You sent these lowlifes after me?¡±


    Keter¡¯s open palm landed squarely on Ultima¡¯s right cheek.


    ¡°This one¡¯s for waking me up early.¡±


    This time, Keter¡¯s slap landed on Ultima¡¯s left cheek, making him fall to the ground.


    ¡°And this one¡¯s for underestimating me. Hey, put your head back in place. Or would you rather get kicked?¡±


    Thinking that a slap was better than a kick, Ultima quickly got to his feet.


    Keter landed a final slap on Ultima¡¯s forehead, then casually brushed off his hands.


    ¡°Nice and crisp.¡±


    ¡°, is that all?¡± Ultima asked stoically, swallowing his humiliation.


    Ultima¡¯s lips were split and bleeding.


    Pointing to Jacose¡¯s corpse, Keter asked, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s all? The moment that bastard opened his mouth, the stench nearly killed my nose. How are you going to compensate me for trying to destroy my sense of smell?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±


    Ultima reached into his coat and pulled out a thousand-gold note and offered it to Keter. It was a sign of his regret¡ªthe price he had to pay for mistakenly believing the Jacose family could kill Keter.


    Keter snatched the note and smelled it.


    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s genuine. This should be a decent consolation for me.¡±


    ¡°Six years, no, seven, I think. The last time I saw you, you didn¡¯t use a bow as a weapon. How did you manage to kill Jacose?¡±


    ¡°As a freebie, I¡¯ll tell you¡ªI did kill him with this,¡± Keter said, tapping Amaranth, the jet-black bow, and showing it to him.


    ¡°And the arrows?¡± Ultima asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t carry such cumbersome things.¡±


    ¡°...Let¡¯s leave that aside for now. I won¡¯t ask how you left Liqueur, but I do need to know why you¡¯re with the Sefira family.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Even when I was living in Liqueur, I always had that noble air about me. There was a reason for that.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, are you seriously saying you¡¯re of Sefira blood or something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the title yet, but I am the son of Sefira.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a ridiculous joke. It¡¯s not even funny. Did they accept you as part of the family just because of your eye color? The Sefira family must be really careless.¡±


    ¡°Enjoy their carelessness while you can.¡±


    Ultima frowned. In truth, he had been screwing over the Sefira family, taking advantage of their trust. In the underworld, screwing someone over meant tricking or deceiving someone, and that¡¯s exactly what he was doing.


    As Ultima remained silent, Keter continued to speak.


    ¡°It was quite a sight, even at a glance. It must have been easy to manipulate, shoving everything into the storage room without properly checking the inventory. Even I would have been tempted to screw them over like that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the same, are we not? Aren¡¯t you also pretending to be the young master of Sefira and taking their assets?¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t twist my words. I¡¯m on Sefira¡¯s side. You get what I mean, right?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re both from Liqueur, Keter. We don¡¯t need to be at odds. Sefira is too big for one person anyway. We don¡¯t need to fight¡ªwe can share it.¡±


    Ultima didn¡¯t want to clash with Keter, as there was no benefit in opposing him.


    Keter stood up and approached Ultima.


    ¡°Why are you talking so much? Don¡¯t you get it? Scamming Sefira is the same as scamming me.¡±


    Ultima stepped back and replied, ¡°So you¡¯re telling me to give it up?¡±


    ¡°No, keep doing what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°What...?¡±


    ¡°But let¡¯s work together on something. I¡¯m going to make Sefira the most powerful family on the continent.¡±


    Ultima, standing on the border between the clearing and the forest, bit his lower lip.


    He had always known Keter was a madman, but now he was talking about making the Sefira family the strongest on the continent. It made Ultima wonder if Keter had any clue about the current state of the Sefira family.


    ¡°Keter, it seems like you haven¡¯t been out of Liqueur for long and don¡¯t really understand how things are going around here, but the Sefira family is cornered. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that the entire kingdom is their enemy.¡±


    ¡°I know. So, what¡¯s your answer?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll refuse, right? I would too.¡±


    Ultima didn¡¯t bother to deny it. No matter how much Keter might threaten him, he couldn¡¯t accept the alliance offer. Sefira was utterly on the brink of collapse; to join them now would be like signing up for death. However, lying to get out of the immediate situation wasn¡¯t an option either. Unfortunately for Ultima, Keter had an uncanny ability to detect lies.


    So, in the end...


    Ultima wasn¡¯t na?ve enough to just accept death. He pulled out a scroll from his jacket and held it up.


    ¡°Stop right there, Keter! You know what this is, right?¡±


    ¡°A magic scroll. With that gold coating, it¡¯s at least a Fifth-Circle or higher.¡±


    ¡°Haha, this is a Sixth-Circle Firestorm scroll.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sixth-Circle? That¡¯s not something you can easily buy, but you managed to get your hands on it.¡±


    ¡°You still don¡¯t get it? Let me spell it out for you. This scroll is worth fifty thousand gold. You should realize just how powerful it is!¡±


    ¡°Fifty thousand gold? Sounds like you got scammed. You could get that for thirty thousand gold, but you paid almost twice as much.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point right now!¡±


    ¡°What could be more important than money?¡±


    Keter, who had briefly stopped, began approaching Ultima again.


    ¡°Stop! If you come any closer, I¡¯ll tear it up!¡±


    .


    Ultima slightly tore the edge of the scroll, showing he wasn¡¯t just bluffing. However, Keter didn¡¯t stop walking.


    * * *


    Sweat was pouring from Ultima¡¯s hand as he was holding the scroll. He was beginning to worry he might drop it.


    What Ultima had was a genuine scroll for Firestorm. The moment he tore it, everything within a one-hundred-meter radius would be obliterated by a storm of fire. Even a Swordmaster would be reduced to nothing but bone dust if they faced a Sixth-Circle spell head-on.


    Keter was now five steps away. The bow was a long-range weapon, yet he kept coming closer. Keter was already within the range of Firestorm. Ultima would also be caught in the blast if he tore it now, but that wasn¡¯t why he was hesitating.


    Ultima looked into the eyes of Keter, a madman. Violet pupils with golden irises¡ªthey were so extravagant. Ultima thought Keter¡¯s eyes were needlessly flashy, even in their first encounter. As such, he believed Keter would die soon; in Liqueur, flashy types got hunted down quickly because they stood out too much. But Keter survived. He was probably the first in Liqueur to do so.


    Ultima thought leaving Liqueur meant he¡¯d never have to see Keter again. But of all times, Keter showed up now, blocking Ultima¡¯s path at the most critical point in his life.


    Keter was still holding his bow, the jet-black one that looked anything but ordinary. He had killed the Jacose family instantly with that bow.


    Suddenly, it dawned on Ultima.


    There was a world humans experienced in extreme situations where time slowed down, and Ultima was now in that world. In a split second, countless thoughts raced through his mind.


    Getting slapped by Keter was excruciatingly painful and humiliating, but Ultima let Keter do it as there was no sense of intent to kill. He could take slaps all day if it meant he could survive; a potion could heal that quickly.


    Ultima could also give Keter as much money as he wanted as a settlement. After all, money can always be earned again. But life¡ªlife couldn¡¯t be earned again. It was ironic for Ultima, someone from Liqueur, to be so attached to life, but he couldn¡¯t help it; Ultima discovered what happiness was after leaving that place.


    Maybe it was because Ultima only knew misery in Liqueur, but he had no idea how sweet happiness could be. He now owned a respectable merchant company, with the potential to grow it even more. He was born the son of a prostitute in Liqueur, but he now had a dream of becoming a noble.


    So, Ultima had to tear this scroll. He had to rip it apart to kill Keter, because that was the only way he would survive.


    Ultima¡¯s instincts that had saved him countless times were telling him to stay still. But how could he stay still, seeing the unreadable and calm expression on Keter¡¯s face?


    Even though the world had slowed down, time still moved forward. Keter was now within three steps of Ultima¡ªclose enough to reach out and touch. This was his last chance; if he didn¡¯t tear the scroll now, they would both be caught in Firestorm and die.


    A ringing filled Ultima¡¯s ears, and he was becoming dizzy.


    Keter took his final step. In the end, Ultima couldn¡¯t tear the scroll.


    * * *


    Keter was now so close to Ultima that Keter could reach out and touch him. The Firestorm scroll was slightly torn, but not enough to activate the spell.


    ¡°Keter... Do you think this scroll is fake?¡± asked Ultima, who became drenched in sweat within seconds but maintained a calm expression.


    Keter glanced at the scroll and replied, ¡°There¡¯s a signature at the bottom of the paper. It¡¯s from the Grand Mage Marcosse. His signature is known to be impossible to replicate.¡±


    ¡°Ha, haha... You know it damn well, down to the last detail. But is the reason why you¡¯re still in front of me because you think I¡¯m easy prey? Because I lost to you in Liqueur?¡±


    ¡°Ultima, as I told you before, you¡¯re underestimating yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall hearing that.¡±


    ¡°Consider it said. You¡¯re not someone to be underestimated. But...¡±


    Keter pointed at himself with his thumb.


    ¡°I¡¯m on a whole different level.¡±


    ¡°...I see. You¡¯re a madman among madmen.¡±


    In Liqueur, plain, ordinary madness wasn¡¯t enough for one to earn the title of a lunatic; living in Liqueur itself meant someone was already mad. But there were five individuals in Liqueur who were universally recognized as true lunatics, even in a place where madness was the norm.


    Balt, the Blade Demon; Ragnon, the Bomber; Jenny, the Chain Scythe; and Maran, the Eyeball Collector. Anyone who lived in Liqueur had to know these four. If they didn¡¯t, they were as good as dead. Even the most reckless Liqueurians, who didn¡¯t value their lives, steered clear of these four.


    And then, there was the last one. The pinnacle of madness, the one even these four avoid¡ªKeter, the Solver.


    Ultima folded the scroll and put it back into his coat. The outcome was already clear.


    Those clear, unreadable eyes; a lunatic who treated his own life like someone else¡¯s. Ultima realized once again that no one could stand before Keter and gamble with their life.


    But that didn¡¯t mean Keter was an animal that couldn¡¯t be reasoned with.


    ¡°Keter, I have no intention of fighting you to the death. It¡¯s not about whether I think I can win or not¡ªI just don¡¯t want to. What is it you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re finally making sense. Keep talking,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°As I said earlier, I have no intention of keeping Sefira all to myself. What do you want? I¡¯ll give it to you, even if it¡¯s one of Sefira¡¯s heirlooms. After all, we share the secret of getting out of Liqueur.¡±


    ¡°. You really don¡¯t get it, do you?¡±


    Ultima couldn¡¯t hide his frustration when he failed at convincing Keter.


    ¡°What exactly do you want? We¡¯re just wasting each other¡¯s time here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t get it. The Sefira family belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Ultima, despite appearances, was a quick thinker. But what Keter was saying now made no sense to him.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself again.¡±


    Keter tossed Amaranth behind his back and stuffed both hands into his pockets.


    ¡°Keter El Sefira, illegitimate son of the Sefira family: that¡¯s who I am.¡±


    A large bead of sweat rolled down Ultima¡¯s forehead.


    Keter was notorious for spouting madness as naturally as breathing, but he never lied. This meant that Keter really was a member of the Sefira bloodline. Ultima didn¡¯t even feel the need to ask if it was true.


    From a distance, it was difficult to tell if the green figure was an orc or an ogre. But up close, an ogre was clearly five times bigger and had horns on its head. Just getting a little closer made the difference between the two obvious.


    From Ultima¡¯s perspective, it was as if he could already see the ogre¡¯s horns. If he got any closer to confirm, he would be devoured by the ogre. Ultima was not so lacking in judgment that he didn¡¯t realize this.


    Following the customs of the outside world, Ultima knelt before Keter and bowed his head.


    ¡°Ultima, head of the merchant company, greets Lord Keter El Sefira.¡±

 Chapter 25: Let’s Work Together (4)

    In the Lillian Kingdom, commoners weren¡¯t even allowed to look directly at a high noble without permission. That was the strict law of the land. Although Ultima was an upper-class citizen, just one step below nobility, he was still merely a citizen. Therefore, he had to show the utmost respect to Keter, who was a blood relative of a high noble family.


    Keter lightly kicked Ultima¡¯s knee with his foot and said, ¡°Let¡¯s skip the formal titles between us and talk business.¡±


    ¡°Business...¡±


    Though Keter called it business, it had already turned into a relationship of absolute power and submission.


    ¡°First, let¡¯s settle the score for that little scam you pulled.¡±


    Keter jumped straight to the conclusion, skipping any preamble. Ultima felt dizzy right from the start.


    ¡°Keter, if it¡¯s money you want, just name your price. If you let me go, I¡¯ll make sure to pay for my life.¡±


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry when this is where your fate is going to be decided? Are you also going to return if you die? Is that it?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about now?¡±


    ¡°Or, you can just repay everything you stole from the Sefira family.¡±


    ¡°...If I admit to fraud, the reputation of my company will be ruined. It would be the same as killing me.¡± ¡°


    Oh, come on¡ªthis isn¡¯t your first business deal, is it? Just blame it on a subordinate and say it was their mistake. If you¡¯re the one to admit it and pay compensation, your reputation might actually improve.¡±


    While that made sense, Ultima couldn¡¯t figure out what Keter stood to gain from it. If Keter was really a member of the Sefira family, it was odd why he hadn¡¯t reported Ultima¡¯s fraud to them. Ultima decided to stop pondering questions that had no clear answers.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s say I admit my mistake, reduce the debt owed to Sefira, and pay compensation. What then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some things to dispose of. Buy them from me.¡±


    ¡°Dispose of?¡±


    Ultima¡¯s nose twitched. Even in this awful situation, his instincts as a merchant kicked in, and he sensed the opportunity for profit.


    Just then, a voice called out from a distance.


    ¡°Master Ultima! Master Ultima! Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Butler Hans is looking for you!¡±


    Ultima glanced at Keter, as if to ask what they should do.


    Keter took the lead and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. And smile a bit, will you? You look unpleasant when you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, fine, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Now Ultima understood why the people of Liqueur feared Keter so much. Keter¡¯s intentions seemed clear but were elusive, and while it felt like one could reason with him, they really couldn¡¯t. On top of that, he was a battle fanatic who disregarded pain and death, which meant he had no weaknesses.


    Ultima, who recalled the nightmare of Liqueur, shuddered in repulsion, but he had no choice but to follow Keter toward the main gate of Sefira.


    * * *


    ¡°You¡¯re back, Mr. Ultima! Hm?¡±


    The person waiting for Ultima at the main gate was Hans, the butler in charge of Sefira¡¯s finances.


    Hans was surprised to see Keter, who was standing beside Ultima.


    ¡°Lord Keter? What are you doing here¡­?¡±


    ¡°What do you do, Grandpa?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°Oh, I am Hans. I take care of finances for the Sefira family.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa Hans, I see. It seems like the two of you had something to discuss. Please, go ahead and finish.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you. It is indeed an urgent matter.¡±


    Hans glanced back at Ultima and was startled.


    ¡°Why are you sweating so much, and why are your cheeks so swollen?¡±


    Ultima gave an awkward smile and made an excuse.


    ¡°I went into the woods to take care of something and got bitten by a bug. The sweat is from the nerves. I might not look it, but I¡¯m fine, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. Elder Reganon has granted you an audience. Let¡¯s head to the reception room now.¡±


    Meeting a Sefira elder was Ultima¡¯s primary goal, but he had no intention of doing so with the ticking time bomb, Keter, by his side.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid something urgent has come up suddenly, so I must be going. My apologies.¡±


    Just then, as he listened quietly, Keter placed a hand on Ultima¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You were going to meet with Elder Reganon? Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It really isn¡¯t anything important, so you don¡¯t have to worry, my lord.¡±


    As Ultima denied it enthusiastically, Keter glanced at Hans.


    Hans chose to remain silent as he didn¡¯t particularly like Keter; in fact, he was wary of him. But Keter wasn¡¯t the type to tolerate silence.


    ¡°Grandpa Hans, why are you keeping quiet? It¡¯s obvious that you caused the family¡¯s finances to be in complete shambles.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Keter had hit the nail on the head even though no one gave him a hint.


    Hans looked at Ultima, his eyes reproachful as if he was asking why he told Keter about this. Ultima avoided Hans¡¯s gaze.


    Keter, inserting himself between the two, spoke up.


    ¡°Enough with the staring. You¡¯re going to give people the wrong idea.¡±


    The two couldn¡¯t withstand Keter¡¯s pressure and finally headed to the reception room where Reganon was waiting.


    * * *


    Reganon was one of Sefira¡¯s elders. He was the father-in-law of Besil, living deep underground. But now, after many years, he had come up to the surface because of the earnest request of Hans. Hans had pleaded with him to meet with Ultima, the creditor, and convince him to extend the grace period as the Sefira family¡¯s financial situation was dire.


    ¡°...¡±


    Reganon, seated in the reception room, appeared frail. Age had already dulled his skin, and his thin frame resembled a patient on the brink of death.


    Two people sat before him. On the left was Ultima, the head of the Ultima Merchant Company, whom Hans had requested Reganon to meet. The man seated on the right needed no introduction; he was the spitting image of Besil in his younger, more vigorous days¡ªBesil¡¯s illegitimate son, Keter.


    Reganon turned to Hans, who was standing behind him, and asked, ¡°Hans, why is Keter here with them?¡±


    Before Hans could answer, Keter said, ¡°I wanted to see what our elder looked like.¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve seen me, you can leave,¡± Reganon replied curtly.


    ¡°Oh, come on, why so stingy, Grandfather?¡±


    ¡°You and I share not a drop of blood. Don¡¯t fool yourself.¡±


    ¡°Does blood need to be shared to be family? Living under the same roof makes us all family.¡±


    Keter¡¯s brazen and friendly manner of speaking shocked not only Hans but also Ultima. Such disrespect toward a family elder was unforgivable, even for the legitimate heir of the family. Depending on the strictness of the punishment, it could even lead to the stripping of the Sefira name and expulsion from the family.


    Ultima shook his head, once again awed by Keter¡¯s madness, while Hans, who had only heard rumors about Keter¡¯s craziness and was now witnessing it firsthand, felt lightheaded. Even Reganon should have been no different.


    ¡°They say you were born in the lawless city of Absinthe. I can see you never learned proper manners.¡±


    However, instead of getting angry, Reganon calmly scolded Keter with an air of ease, as if he were dealing with a child. But Keter was not one to be easily intimidated.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true, so it doesn¡¯t hurt much. You are the father of the late Countess Olive, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    For Reganon, Olive was a sensitive subject. Anyone who dared to hit that nerve was committing an act of recklessness that could lead to death¡ªyet Keter, unfazed, calmly thrust his head into the lion¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Who is your mother?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I have to ask my father.¡±


    ¡°We took you in after your mother abandoned you. Don¡¯t you feel at least a little gratitude?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I would have been grateful if you¡¯d taken me in a bit earlier.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly Besil¡¯s son, given how you don¡¯t let a single word slip by. So, Mr. Ultima, why did you wish to see me?¡±


    Reganon smoothly shifted the conversation to Ultima. Keter couldn¡¯t help but be genuinely impressed.


    It wasn¡¯t just about his way with words; the calmness with which he maintained his composure was especially admirable. Like how strong warriors could gauge each other¡¯s strength with just a single clash of swords, Keter felt this in their brief conversation.


    It was a retreat for the sake of advancement. Keter quietly relinquished control of the conversation to Reganon.


    Meanwhile, Ultima, who was meeting Reganon¡¯s gaze, felt his back grow damp with sweat. His original intent in meeting Reganon was to use the family¡¯s debt as leverage to pressure and humiliate him. Through that, he was going to tarnish the Sefira family¡¯s honor and spread distrust within. But now¡­


    It was impressive that Reganon maintained his dignity despite Keter¡¯s rude behavior, but it was also clear that his mood had soured because of it. Having a conversation with someone who was in a bad mood was difficult enough, but when that person held all the power, it was extremely troublesome. The situation had turned entirely against Ultima.


    The only silver lining was that this meeting was intended for him to admit his mistakes and apologize. He had the chance to strengthen his relationship with the Sefira family by disguising the fraud as a mistake. If Keter had insisted that he reveal it as fraud, Ultima would never have come here, as it would have given the Sefira family the justification to not repay the debt.


    Ultima couldn¡¯t make sense of Keter¡¯s motives at all.


    Lost in these thoughts while dragging out the conversation with small talk, Ultima snapped back to reality when Reganon spoke.


    ¡°Mr. Ultima, you¡¯ve been holding back from saying what you came here to say. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time to speak up?¡±


    Ultima took a deep breath, buying himself a bit more time, then said in a serious tone, ¡°First, I must apologize.¡±


    ¡°About what exactly?¡± Reganon asked.


    Ultima started explaining the fraud he had committed against the Sefira family, framing it as a mistake made by a subordinate.


    ¡°It seems that one of my subordinates has been making accounting errors for some time. I discovered it late, but I intend to correct the mistake now.¡±


    The mistake Ultima described was this: a subordinate responsible for accounting had been manipulating the quantities of goods supplied to the Sefira family and embezzled the payment. Ultima claimed to have discovered this only recently and now wanted to apologize.


    He promised to send a detailed report on the financial loss inflicted upon the Sefira family and would deduct that amount from the debt owed. Furthermore, though it was the subordinate¡¯s error, Ultima admitted that he was also responsible as the head of the merchant company for not noticing it sooner. Therefore, he offered to deduct an additional fifty thousand gold as compensation from the debt.


    ¡°The subordinate who embezzled the goods fled in the night, but we will track him down and ensure he pays for the crime of deceiving the Sefira family.¡±


    Reganon remained silent after hearing the entire story, his gaze fixed on Ultima. Ultima, in turn, met Reganon¡¯s stare without wavering.


    Though he had been thoroughly shaken by Keter earlier, Ultima was still a seasoned veteran with considerable experience and a warrior who did not fear death.


    Ultima managed to withstand Reganon¡¯s silence, which Reganon was using to determine his true intentions.


    ¡°I suspected that the family was in debt. However, I didn¡¯t realize that we were indebted to even a mere merchant like yourself. How much is it?¡±


    ¡°Originally, there was a debt of five hundred seventy thousand gold, but after excluding the promised compensation of fifty thousand, the total would be five hundred twenty thousand. The amount for the missing quantities will need to be investigated in detail, but I estimate it to be around one hundred thousand gold. So, the approximate total debt is four hundred twenty thousand gold.¡±


    Reganon sighed at the mention of four hundred twenty thousand gold.


    ¡°Our Sefira family is really in debt because we don¡¯t have a mere five hundred thousand gold? What a pitiful situation.¡±


    Five hundred thousand gold was by no means a small amount. It was a significant sum, even for a high noble. However, it was different for a master family. It was normal for their finances to be robust enough to handle using one million gold spontaneously without blinking an eye.


    The Sefira family¡¯s poverty was not solely due to the lack of support from the royal family; the absence of private sources of income was a major factor in their financial difficulties.


    State allowances were usually enough for nobles to live on, but no noble was content with just that. It was normal to want to expand one¡¯s influence, so nobles usually sought out additional sources of income to ensure growth.


    However, the Sefira family had no particular ambition for power or expanding their influence. They could do everything with the allowances provided by the royal family, so they didn¡¯t have a pressing need to expand their finances.


    Reganon, who had lived in those times, smiled bitterly at the current state of the Sefira family. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Regardless, I must thank you, Mr. Ultima. Acknowledging your mistakes and accepting the losses¡ªtruly, you displayed a dignity equal to that of a noble.¡±


    Just as Ultima¡¯s lips began to curve into a smile from the high praise, Keter pinched Ultima¡¯s waist and whispered very softly, ¡°Who told you to be happy?¡±


    Ultima immediately wiped the smile off his face and said, ¡°No, my lord. I am not deserving of such praise. Elder Reganon, you need not forgive me for my mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I forgive you. Compensation has already been made, so there is no reason for me not to forgive you.¡±


    ¡°You are too kind.¡±


    ¡°Then, is there anything else to discuss?¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡±


    Ultima glanced at Keter, paused slightly, then said, ¡°Yes. Keeping a busy elder for too long is clearly bad manners.¡±


    Reganon quietly stood up and extended his frail right hand.


    ¡°It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Ultima.¡±


    Ultima held Reganon¡¯s hand with both of his own and kissed the back of it.


    ¡°It was an honor for me as well.¡±


    Just before leaving the reception room, Reganon turned back to look at Keter. Since Keter was also looking at Reganon, their eyes met.


    ¡°...Behave yourself. It will be beneficial for your well-being.¡±


    With that, Reganon just left. Ultima felt a sense of anticipation, while Hans felt uneasy.


    Fortunately, Keter did not respond with words. Instead, he threw up a long middle finger at Reganon¡¯s back.

 Chapter 26: Let’s Work Together (5)

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    After Reganon left the reception room, Ultima leaned back on the sofa and sighed.


    ¡°Lord Keter, my business here is done, so I will be leaving now,¡± he said.


    ¡°Are you a goldfish? Our deal isn¡¯t finished yet,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Keter gestured with his chin toward the dining room connected to the reception room.


    ¡°Go in there and badmouth me over the communicator while you wait.¡±


    ¡°Could you at least tell me what you¡¯re planning to sell? I need to do some calculations in advance.¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Hearing Keter¡¯s firm rejection, Ultima went to the dining room without hesitation. Only Hans, the butler, remained in the reception room.


    With a serious expression, he said, ¡°Lord Keter, I understand you joined the family through the patriarch¡¯s invitation, but the way you acted towards Elder Reganon just now was far too disrespectful.¡±


    ¡°Did it make you uncomfortable?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then fix your attitude.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I said, fix the way you look at me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unreasonable...!¡±


    ¡°Are you really in a position to lecture me to begin with? You¡¯re awfully rude to someone who just saved you.¡±


    ¡°Saved me?¡±


    ¡°Are you pretending not to know, or are you just that dumb?¡±


    Of course, Hans was old, and therefore quite wise. He knew that Keter must have been involved in Ultima, who was previously pressuring him with a high-handed attitude, becoming meek all of a sudden.


    As he thought it over, it made sense. Ultima had been very cautious in his interactions with Keter, which indicated they weren¡¯t meeting for the first time.


    ¡°Did you convince Mr. Ultima, Lord Keter?¡±


    ¡°Convince? Ah, yes, I did¡ª with this fist.¡±


    Keter extended his scarred fist. Hans felt a chill run down his spine. Though it was clearly a human hand, in that moment, Keter¡¯s fist looked like a bloodstained hammer. Thanks to this, Hans calmed down and regained his composure.


    Hans wasn¡¯t stupid, but he found it difficult to understand, much less accept, the idea that the Sefira family had managed to erase a debt of one hundred twenty thousand gold thanks to Keter. For Hans, who struggled because he couldn¡¯t even get ten thousand gold, it was like being handed a lifeline. The only problem was that Keter was the one who had thrown it.


    ¡°So, did you really threaten... I mean, convince Ultima to admit his mistake?¡± asked Hans, who had somewhat made sense of the situation.


    Keter frowned at Hans¡¯ question.


    Hans was the type of person Keter disliked the most¡ªthe kind who made him repeat himself. If they had met in Liqueur, Hans would¡¯ve been left at least half-paralyzed by now.


    ¡°Grandpa Hans, how much do you know about Elder Reganon?¡±


    Keter suddenly changed the subject.


    Hans was puzzled, but given that Keter had managed to clear the debt, he couldn¡¯t just ignore the question.


    ¡°I was his personal butler in the past. Although I¡¯m busy managing the finances now, I still visit him from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Does Reganon like fruit?¡±


    ¡°No, he dislikes sweet things.¡±


    ¡°What about magic? Any interest in that?¡±


    ¡°Not as far as I know.¡±


    Hans answered each question dutifully but was puzzled. He wondered why Keter was so curious about Reganon, someone he had just met today. The questions were all so strange as well.


    Reganon did look like he barely ate anything, but that wasn¡¯t the case¡ªhe did eat enough to survive. Hans started to wonder.


    If not, Keter wouldn¡¯t ask about Reganon¡¯s well-being.


    Reganon used to be one of the most active elders in the Sefira family, but everything changed after his daughter, Olive, died.


    The servants and helping hands of the Sefira family never blamed Reganon for his seclusion. Instead, they actually sympathized and understood. After all, it was none other than Besil, the current patriarch, who caused Olive¡¯s death. Besil had failed to control Demon Bow Amaranth, which resulted in Olive¡¯s death. It was only natural that Reganon, devastated, would abstain from eating and withdraw from family affairs.


    So, did Keter genuinely have some positive feelings towards Reganon? Actually, it was quite the opposite: he found Reganon suspicious. And sure enough, after observing him, he noticed some strange details, and those suspicions were confirmed by Hans¡¯ answers.


    Keter¡¯s keen senses extended beyond just his eyesight; his sense of smell was trained to be sharper than that of any beast. Because of this, he could tell that Reganon had come from a place filled with books, had recently sat on a leather sofa, and had fish for breakfast¡ªall from scent alone. But then, unexpectedly, Keter¡¯s nose picked up a faint hint of orange, a residual scent.


    For most people, it would have been an insignificant detail, but not for Keter. It was his principle to be suspicious of even the smallest things. Feeling suspicion from the orange scent, which didn¡¯t match Reganon¡¯s image, Keter scanned Reganon even more closely.


    Then, Keter found it: blue powder on Reganon¡¯s heel. There were only a few grains, which was hardly noticeable even to someone with the famed eyesight of the Sefira family, but Keter spotted it. It was magic stone dust, a powder used by mages or alchemists. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This too could have been dismissed easily, as magic stone dust was commonly used in everyday life. But with Keter involved, the situation was different.


    Just last night, Besil suspected Panir of being a traitor and had him confined to his home. Then, this could mean that the traitor had been caught, but to Keter, Reganon also seemed suspicious enough for further investigation.


    However, it wasn¡¯t urgent enough to be Keter¡¯s top priority at the moment. His gaze shifted toward the dining room where Ultima was.


    Though there may be no eternal enemies or allies in this world, Keter¡¯s principle was to eliminate any immediate threats before they could become troublesome.


    * * *


    Keter liked fighting. He enjoyed facing multiple opponents alone the most, and his second favorite was when large forces clashed against each other. When it came to war, Keter only considered one thing: whether or not there was a deadweight in his allies.


    In Keter¡¯s eyes, Hans was teetering on the edge of being a deadweight. He held a crucial position in the family yet lacked a sense of crisis. If he also refused to acknowledge his own faults, he would be the perfect deadweight¡ªa liability rather than an asset, someone who actually benefits the enemy.


    If Hans backed down quietly when told to back off, Keter might even give him some pocket money. But if he refused to leave¡­


    ¡°He has to die.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Hans felt a chill run down his spine at Keter¡¯s muttering.


    Keter, still smiling, said, ¡°Grandpa Hans, let¡¯s go back to our earlier conversation. You owe me a debt, don¡¯t you? Do you admit that?¡±


    ¡°I... I do.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll also admit that you and Ultima conspired to ruin the Sefira family¡¯s finances.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about! Why would I do such a thing?¡± Hans exclaimed, shocked.


    However, Keter looked at him with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Grandpa Hans, Ultima scammed the Sefira family, and you failed to catch it. What proof do you have that you weren¡¯t working with him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that kind of person! Betrayal? That¡¯s absurd!¡±


    ¡°But what if Ultima admits to the scam? What if he testifies that you two conspired to siphon off the Sefira family¡¯s funds? What then?¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying these things? I have pledged my loyalty to this family for so long¡­¡±


    Keter kicked the marble table, sending the eight-seater flying through the air. It landed with a loud crash as it tumbled across the floor. In the midst of the chaos, Keter snatched a fountain pen that had been flung into the air and approached Hans.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about who you were before. What matters is now. What kind of person you are is what¡¯s important.¡±


    As Keter gripped the pen in a reverse hold, Hans instinctively took a step back in fear.


    ¡°.¡±


    Hans, who was scuttling back quickly, finally backed into the wall.


    ¡°Grandpa Hans, I despise useless people the most. Are you one of them?¡± Keter asked, his voice cold.


    ¡°E-even you, my lord... You cannot kill me without the patriarch¡¯s permission!¡± Hans stammered, sensing the deadly intent in Keter¡¯s words.


    Hans was desperately trying anything to stop Keter, but he simply tilted his head to the side and smiled brightly.


    ¡°Do I look like someone who asks for permission to kill?¡±


    As the pen drew closer, Hans forgot his rank and let out a pitiful cry, squeezing his eyes shut.


    ¡°¡±


    The tip of the pen touched Hans¡¯s forehead. The coldness of the pen against his skin brought tears to his eyes.


    Keter pressed the pen firmly and said, ¡°I instantly recognized Ultima¡¯s scam while you let it slide for years. Who should be listening to whom here? It¡¯s a quiz. Go on, guess.¡±


    ¡°Y-you are correct, Lord Keter!¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Speak more quietly.¡±


    ¡°Y-you are¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t repeat it. Do I look like an idiot?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Hans didn¡¯t know what Keter wanted him to do, but he silently nodded in agreement, genuinely feeling the threat of death. Keter slowly withdrew the pen.


    Blood mixed with ink trickled down Hans¡¯ forehead.


    ¡°Grandpa Hans, I¡¯m not asking for much. Just do as I say. If you refuse¡­¡±


    The fountain pen Keter threw became deeply lodged into the wall that Hans had been leaning against.


    ¡°The dot on your forehead will turn into a hole.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°If you understand, you should show some response.¡±


    Hans nodded several times.


    ¡°Good. Very good, Grandpa Hans. Even I don¡¯t like the idea of killing my own. But, if you ever feel like retiring, go ahead and do something foolish.¡±


    Suddenly¡­


    Soldiers, alarmed by the commotion, burst through the door of the reception room.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this noise about?¡±


    ¡°Huh? The table?!¡±


    The scene the two soldiers witnessed in the reception room was undeniably suspicious. A massive table lay shattered into pieces, and Keter with his arm around Hans¡¯ shoulder. Hans was awkwardly smiling with something dark red trickling down his forehead.


    The senior soldier placed a hand on the hilt of his sword and asked Hans, ¡°Mr. Hans¡­ Is everything alright?¡±


    Hans shook his head, denying any problem.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You can go.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s blood on your forehead...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just ink.¡±


    ¡°It looks more like blood than ink...¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine. Please, just go.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Since Hans kept insisting he was fine, the senior soldier then looked at Keter. He waved him off as if telling him to leave.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    With no authority to intervene in such a situation, the senior soldier closed the door and left.


    Keter patted Hans on the shoulder and said, ¡°You¡¯re good at this, old man.¡±


    ¡°Haha, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s keep this energy and go meet Ultima, too.¡±


    ¡°What? Why should I¡­¡±


    ¡°How can a common fellow read the mind of a great man?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It means shut up and just follow me.¡±


    Hans quickly wiped the ink off his face with a handkerchief from his pocket and hurriedly followed Keter to the dining room where Ultima was.

 Chapter 27: I’ve Shown Everything There Is To Show (1)

    Keter was exceptionally knowledgeable. This was less due to innate talent and more a result of his experiences, which was the result of the unique environment of Liqueur.


    It had everything. Born and raised in Liqueur, Keter encountered countless people, learned from them, and lived through various experiences. He didn¡¯t learn out of a desire for knowledge, but purely for survival; in Liqueur, the more skills and knowledge one possessed, the better their chances of surviving.


    Keter knew how to tan hides, was an excellent cook, and could handle all types of weapons. He was even knowledgeable in medicine and commerce.


    Through this education, Keter naturally developed an exceptional eye¡ªthe ability to assess and understand any situation. For instance, when he visited Volkanus¡¯ bow forge, he wasn¡¯t satisfied with merely obtaining a bow. He observed and analyzed everything. And¡­


    With his extraordinary powers of observation and analysis, the flaws stood out clearly to him.


    To Keter, the place felt stagnant. Though it was brimming with pride in producing the continent¡¯s best bows and arrows, in his eyes, it was a space filled with vanity.


    Volkanus, the head of the blacksmiths, had some sense of crisis, but that was it. He didn¡¯t take any proactive measures. It wasn¡¯t because he disliked the Sefira family; he had spent his entire life hammering iron, so his simple and straightforward mindset was focused solely on repaying them by crafting high-quality bows and arrows.


    It was outdated thinking. What was needed now was innovation.


    At that moment, Ultima appeared, right when Volkanus had been struggling with how to deal with the bows unnecessarily taking up space in the forge¡¯s storage.


    This was only the beginning, but the fate of the Sefira family was undoubtedly starting to change.


    * * *


    In the dining room connected to the reception hall, Ultima, whom Keter had sent ahead, was doing something strange. He was writing on a small, rectangular glass pane the size of a finger that he had taken out from his coat. The glass pane was too small and thin for note-taking, yet Ultima continued to write on it.


    This was possible because the text disappeared as he wrote. Ultima was currently using a magic communicator, a device where text written on one glass panel was transmitted to another. Though it only allowed for sending messages, its range was significantly longer than other communicators.


    Ultima continued to write on the glass pane.


    The Ultima Merchant Company commanded an army of about three hundred people disguised as escorts. They were all at least Silver-class in the mercenary world. There were also plenty of Gold-class mercenaries like Jacose, and even some rare Platinum-class fighters among them.


    Ultima appeared to be under Keter¡¯s control, but he was merely appeasing him, not genuinely submitting to him.


    Ultima, whose plans had gone awry with the sudden appearance of the Keter, chewed on his thumbnail.


    Killing Keter meant war with the Sefira family, and that was insane. The Sefira family wasn¡¯t weak; if they were a family that would fall from weakness, they would already have fallen. Their weakness was in politics, not military power. A mere merchant company couldn¡¯t handle them.


    Assassination contracts were the most common in Liqueur. Yet there are people even the assassination guilds refused to target: the Godfather and the five lunatics of Liqueur.


    If Keter decided to follow him and leave Sefira, he¡¯d deal with that problem when it arose. As Ultima pondered how to handle Keter, he sensed movement by the door and quickly put the communication device back in his coat.


    The door to the dining room opened, and Keter, whom Ultima had been waiting for, entered. Beside him was Hans, who looked pale. Ultima couldn¡¯t help but feel some pity for Hans.


    ¡°Why are you sitting there so calmly? It¡¯s like you just hid a communication device after using it in secret,¡± Keter said to Ultima, who was sitting quietly.


    Having regained his composure, Ultima responded slyly, ¡°I was just using it for business reporting. Haha.¡±


    ¡°Sure, whatever. Let¡¯s go check out the goods.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it seems like you have more than a few things to sell. But why is Mr. Hans with us?¡± Ultima said, glancing at Hans.


    Hans hadn¡¯t heard anything from Keter, so he avoided eye contact. Then, Keter answered for him.


    ¡°He¡¯s needed. Just come along without asking questions.¡±


    With that, Keter led the two of them to Volkanus¡¯ forge.


    ¡°Lord Keter?¡±


    A guard at the entrance recognized Keter and greeted him awkwardly. He was the one who had trouble when trying to stop him earlier.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me. We¡¯re going in.¡±


    ¡°P-please wait a moment. Lord Keter and Butler Hans may enter, but this person cannot,¡± said the guard, pointing at Ultima.


    Ultima, who was looking around the forge with curious eyes, turned his gaze to Keter. Keter narrowed his eyes and looked at the guard.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rule of the Sefira family that outsiders can¡¯t enter the forge. It¡¯s true,¡± the guard explained.


    Hans, who had been quietly standing by, nodded in agreement.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. The forge is one of the family¡¯s core facilities,¡± Hans added.


    Relieved to have Hans¡¯s support, the guard sighed in relief, but Keter pointed to Ultima and said, ¡°This person is not an outsider.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re as close as brothers.¡±


    Keter put his arm around Ultima¡¯s shoulder. Quickly catching on to the situation, Ultima played along.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Ultima, head of the Ultima Merchant Company. I¡¯m fortunate enough to call Lord Keter here my brother.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± the guard muttered, his expression still unsure.


    Details like this weren¡¯t clearly outlined in the rules.


    As the guard hesitated, Keter approached him and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t make it a problem, it won¡¯t be one. Do you want to cause trouble with me?¡±


    ¡°N-no, my lord! But Master Volkanus despises outsiders¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, then I might end up despising you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll step aside.¡±


    Having already experienced Keter once, the guard mentally patted himself on the back for holding out this long before finally yielding.


    * * *


    The heat inside a working forge wasn¡¯t simply just hot; it stung. The temperature in the forge, which reached hundreds or even thousands of degrees, was something no one could endure on willpower alone. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡±


    Feeling the heat from the entrance, Ultima removed his coat and draped it over his arm.


    The rhythmic sound of blacksmiths hammering iron echoed in the air.


    The sound of planing and carving wood for bow bodies or arrows was strong.


    ¡°Ultima, what do you think of the skill of our Sefira blacksmiths?¡±


    Despite the noise, Keter¡¯s words cut through the air clearly. It was strange, as he wasn¡¯t even speaking particularly loudly.


    Ultima gave a thumbs-up and responded, ¡°They¡¯re even more impressive than the rumors. Each one is worthy of being called a master.¡±


    Ultima wasn¡¯t merely flattering Keter; he was genuinely impressed. Keter nodded in satisfaction and quickened his pace.


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to sell Sefira¡¯s bows.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Hans was shocked at Keter¡¯s declaration, all of his features widening in disbelief. Ultima looked at Keter like he was asking if he was serious.


    Before Keter could respond, Hans stepped in front of him, blocking his path, and urgently said, ¡°Lord Keter, are you serious? You¡¯re going to sell Sefira¡¯s bows to Ultima? The patriarch would never allow it!¡±


    Unlike Keter, Hans¡¯ words were drowned out by the noise of the forge. Even Ultima, standing right next to him, couldn¡¯t hear what Hans had said. However, Keter heard.


    ¡°How do you know that? Did you ask the patriarch?¡±


    ¡°No, but¡­ The bows haven¡¯t been sold up until now, and wouldn¡¯t selling Sefira¡¯s bows harm the family?¡± Hans replied.


    ¡°No. The benefits far outweigh any harm.¡±


    ¡°And what would those be?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to Grandpa Midget anyway, so you can listen then.¡±


    Keter shoved Hans aside, who was blocking his path, and resumed leading the way. Ultima didn¡¯t hear the full conversation, but he could easily gauge the situation: Hans had opposed the sale of the bows, but Keter had brushed him off.


    When they reached the end of the forge, where Volkanus worked, Keter glanced around. Volkanus wasn¡¯t there, but another blacksmith was tidying up the tools.


    ¡°Did Grandpa Midget go home?¡± Keter asked the blacksmith.


    Recognizing Keter, the blacksmith nodded.


    ¡°Go fetch him. Tell him we¡¯re looking at the bows,¡± Keter said.


    The blacksmith hesitated for a moment at Keter¡¯s order, then nodded and set off.


    Keter, who had visited the forge once before, familiarly guided Ultima and Hans to the storage room. However, they encountered a problem¡ªunsurprisingly, a thick lock secured the door.


    Since the noise from the forge didn¡¯t reach the storage room, Ultima could say something without it being drowned out.


    ¡°Besides having permission to see this, won¡¯t we need a key to get in?¡±


    Hans chimed in, supporting Ultima¡¯s point.


    ¡°Lord Keter, I think it¡¯s rather rude to inspect the bows without Master Volkanus present.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa Hans, Grandpa Midget and I are already comrades in the same boat. And as for the key, don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ve got it covered,¡± Keter replied.


    Hans gave Keter a puzzled look as he reached into his pocket.


    ¡°Why do you have the key to the bow storage room...?¡±


    But Keter didn¡¯t pull out a key. Instead, he pulled out a wire. He squatted in front of the lock, inserted the wire into the keyhole and began to skillfully, yet boldly, manipulate it.

 Chapter 28: I’ve Shown Everything There Is To Show (2)

    It was common knowledge that locks didn¡¯t open without their specific keys, especially the lock designed by Volkanus, which had two locking mechanisms. It shouldn¡¯t have opened with something as simple as a wire.


    But it opened. A lock made by Volkanus, a master-level blacksmith, had been undone by just a single piece of wire.


    Ultima clicked his tongue.


    ¡°It¡¯s clearly a lock designed to counter wire-picking, and you still opened it in 10 seconds. If you decided to become a thief, you¡¯d be the greatest on the continent, my lord,¡± Ultima said.


    Hans, looking dumbfounded, picked up the fallen lock with both hands.


    ¡°Were locks always this easy to open?¡±


    Ignoring Hans, who was struggling to process this, Keter and Ultima entered the bow storage room.


    ¡° Truly magnificent! This... this is a horn bow made from the horns of a Minotaur!?¡±


    Ultima couldn¡¯t hold back his admiration as he saw the neatly arranged bows. Even Keter could see that all the bows in this room were of excellent quality, far superior to the ones Volkanus had previously shown in an attempt to deceive him.


    ¡°May I touch this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to touch just one.¡±


    It was unclear why Keter, and not the actual creator, was giving permission, but Ultima, after looking around, picked up the bow that caught his eye the most.


    ¡° This elasticity, this shine! It¡¯s far superior to the bows crafted by the Empire¡¯s finest artisans!¡±


    Ultima was both a merchant and a warrior. Thanks to that, his eye for assessing the value of weapons and armor was unrivaled in the Lillian Kingdom. A bow wasn¡¯t his main weapon, but recognizing its worth was not difficult for him.


    Considering that hunting bows for civilians typically cost one silver, this was a huge price difference. Plus, there weren¡¯t just one or two of these bows¡ªthere were hundreds. Depending on whether the bow was made from wood or metal, the price could climb even higher. Ultima estimated the total value of the bows in the storage could reach at least ten thousand gold.


    After finishing his calculations, Ultima took a deep breath. Beyond the money, there was the additional benefit of the reputation that came with selling Sefira¡¯s bows. The Sefira family had run their own forge for hundreds of years and had never once sold their bows to outsiders. Being the first merchant to distribute Sefira¡¯s bows would carry significant prestige.


    Ultima, after placing the bow back in its place, looked at Keter with a serious expression.


    ¡°If I can buy these Sefira bows, I¡¯m willing to cover all additional expenses.¡±


    By ¡°additional expenses,¡± Ultima meant the transportation and escort fees. Typically, the seller and buyer split these costs, adjusting the ratio as needed. But in this case, Ultima was offering to bear the full amount.


    Hans, who had joined them at some point, tried to speak up again, but Keter silenced him by covering Hans¡¯ mouth with his hand.


    ¡°There are more bow storage rooms like this one. Some are slightly lower quality, and some are purely decorative. If you¡¯re willing to purchase those as well, Sefira can provide personnel support for the transport,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Bows from Sefira, even old or failed pieces, will still have reliable performance. They also have artistic value, which nobles will like. I¡¯m willing to purchase everything,¡± Ultima replied.


    ¡°This is why I like you. You¡¯re lightning-fast when it comes to cost-benefit calculations.¡±


    ¡°, thank you for the compliment.¡±


    The two got along as if they¡¯d been close friends for years, when it was just an hour ago that they tried to kill each other at the main entrance.


    Then, a booming voice rang out from the entrance.


    ¡°Who dares to sell my bows without permission?!¡±


    The three of them turned to see Volkanus standing at the doorway, gripping his hammer with both hands, his face flushed red with fury.


    * * *


    Volkanus had spent nearly two hundred years solely crafting bows, as he had a deep pride in the superiority of bows over other weapons. Except for his early days learning metallurgy, he never once made any weapon besides a bow. But after meeting Keter, everything changed.


    He began to craft daggers, believing that archers now needed to seriously consider close combat.


    ¡°This one dulls too easily.¡±


    ¡°And this one is unnecessarily heavy.¡±


    Since dawn, Volkanus had been making and destroying daggers over and over. Wiping the sweat from his forehead for the first time at noon, he said to his assistant, ¡°I¡¯m going to clear my head for a bit. Melt down all the failures.¡±


    Volkanus tried to figure it out by crafting them himself, but he couldn¡¯t quite get the feel of it, which gave him a headache.


    ¡°If I make the blade thin for sharpness, it breaks and dulls too easily. An ideal dagger shouldn¡¯t lose its edge so easily¡­ but if I make the blade thicker, the weight balance is thrown off. And if I try to balance it by making the handle heavier, it¡¯ll become as heavy as a longsword.¡±


    Daggers being prone to damage and breaking was normal. After all, they were designed to kill unarmored humans or animals. They weren¡¯t meant for defense, and attempting to block an attack with the blade could cause it to break easily due to its thinness.


    However, Volkanus wasn¡¯t one to be bound by conventional thinking. He believed that it was possible to create a dagger that retained its characteristics while also being durable. The only issue was figuring out how to make it.


    The real solution was using expensive minerals. There was a mineral that fit all the necessary conditions, but the problem was that it was absurdly expensive, so using it was realistically impossible. Since the Sefira family¡¯s finances were not in good shape, he was trying to compensate for the lack of quality materials with his skill.


    While deep in thought, his assistant blacksmith came to see him.


    ¡°What? Keter went to the bow storage with an outsider?¡±


    Already frustrated by his own struggles, Volkanus became irritated. Even though Keter was an exceptional individual, going to the bow storage without his permission was unacceptable. And bringing an outsider made it even worse.


    Grabbing his hammer, both his tool and weapon, Volkanus rushed to the storage room. He assumed they wouldn¡¯t be able to enter because of the lock, but knowing Keter, he was likely the type to break it, so he hurried.


    Volkanus was partly right. The lock had been opened, but it wasn¡¯t broken. Even worse, it looked like the lock had been opened with a key.


    Every lock used by the Sefira family was handcrafted by Volkanus himself. They were not only incredibly sturdy but also designed with complex internal structures that made it impossible to unlock without the specific key. But that wasn¡¯t the worst part. The conversation coming from inside the storage was enough to make Volkanus see red. Keter was talking about selling the bows¡ª of them, not just one or two.


    The bows of Sefira were Volkanus¡¯ pride and the Sefira family¡¯s blessing. No one outside of the Sefira family was ever supposed to wield them. Gripping his hammer so tightly that the veins on his forearms bulged, he stormed into the storage.


    ¡°Who gave you the right to sell bows?!¡± he shouted.


    At Volkanus¡¯ booming voice, Hans shrank back, and Ultima wore an awkward expression. Keter, on the other hand, casually picked at his ear with his pinky.


    ¡°Did you have a bucket of coal for breakfast or something? Why is your voice so loud?¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Keter, you brat! Just because I approved of you doesn¡¯t mean you can do whatever you want in my forge! Get out of my storage now!¡±


    Enraged, Volkanus thrust the head of his hammer forward. But instead of leaving, Keter raised three fingers.


    ¡°There are three reasons why you must sell these bows, Grandpa Midget.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you going to spout now with that mouth of yours? I¡¯m not falling for it. Get out!¡±


    ¡°First!¡±


    No matter what Volkanus said, Keter calmly folded one finger and continued his speech.


    ¡°Bows are incredibly high-maintenance weapons. Do you have any idea how much money and manpower it takes to maintain and repair them? These bows you¡¯ve stashed away, claiming to treasure them, guzzle money like water!¡±


    ¡°You and your filthy mouth!¡±


    ¡°Grandpa Midget, stop resorting to violence, and let¡¯s have a civilized conversation like the intellectuals we are. And let¡¯s be honest, these bows aren¡¯t even spares, are they?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who uses violence¡­ Fine, I admit it. The spare bows are elsewhere. But if we sell these, Sefira¡¯s military strength will be exposed!¡±


    Volkanus set down his hammer and logically explained why selling the bows was out of the question, which Hans nodded in agreement. The reason Sefira never sold its bows was to prevent enemies from analyzing and exploiting them.


    But Keter just scoffed.


    ¡°Techniques? What techniques? Are you talking about bow-making techniques?¡±


    ¡°These bows were specially crafted for Sefira¡¯s unique technique, Zodiac Archery. This means that a skilled person could deduce our archery technique just by examining the bows.¡±


    ¡°Like how you can tell if someone¡¯s technique is based on speed or strength from the shape of the blade?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    ¡°If that were true, then all swordsmen should walk around hiding their swords. And our Sefira archers would have to wrap their bows in cloth so no one could see them. But that¡¯s not the case, is it?¡±


    Volkanus realized he¡¯d made a mistake. Keter had baited him into agreeing, and now he was in trouble.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible that someone could infer Sefira¡¯s techniques from our bows. But so what? Are we some sort of secretive family? Our techniques are already widely known, and anything that could be revealed probably already has. What exactly are we hiding?¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll admit that.¡±


    Dwarves had a strong sense of pride, but they weren¡¯t irrationally stubborn. As such, Volkanus acknowledged his loss. But Keter had mentioned three reasons. That meant Volkanus still had two chances left.


    ¡°But let me ask, why is this outsider listening in on our conversation? Why hasn¡¯t he left yet?¡±


    As Volkanus pointed his hammer toward Ultima, Ultima respectfully bowed and introduced himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to finally meet Master Volkanus, the legendary blacksmith. I am Ultima from the Ultima Merchant Company.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. I have no interest in nobodies like you, so get out. This is none of your business,¡± Volkanus replied.


    His point was valid; an outsider had no place in a discussion about the family. However, Keter stepped in.


    ¡°Ultima can stay and listen. That¡¯s why I brought him here.¡±


    ¡°What good could possibly come from revealing family matters to an outsider?!¡± Volkanus yelled, his voice booming.


    Keter matched his volume, refusing to back down.


    ¡°Ultima is not just some outsider! He is a comrade who has fought alongside us¡ªsomeone who shares our destiny!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You may not pay attention to the outside world, but all the merchants have turned their backs on the Sefira family. No one wants to do business with us anymore. The only one still willing to take the risk and do business with our family is Ultima here!¡±


    Volkanus hesitated at Keter¡¯s passionate argument. Even though he was a blacksmith who didn¡¯t care about worldly affairs, he knew basic business ethics.


    Glancing at Ultima, Volkanus calmly said, ¡°I apologize for calling you a nobody. I didn¡¯t realize who you were.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I also...¡±


    Then, Keter interrupted Ultima and said, ¡°He cares more about the wellbeing of Sefira than anyone else.¡±


    Volkanus glanced at Ultima, seeming slightly touched. In this situation, Ultima could not do anything but smile awkwardly and nod in agreement.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Lord Keter is absolutely correct.¡±


    ¡°...Fine. Ultima, you are permitted to stay.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s that.¡±


    Volkanus then glared at Keter again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it, Keter. Give me the second and third reasons why I should sell these bows to Ultima.¡±


    ¡°Well, you see...¡±


    Keter placed a hand on Ultima¡¯s shoulder. Instinctively, Ultima turned to look at Keter¡¯s face, only to see Keter smiling warmly.


    ¡°This friend here will explain it.¡±


    ¡°...!?¡±


    Ultima¡¯s eyes widened in shock at Keter¡¯s statement¡ªsomething they had neither discussed nor planned.

 Chapter 29: I’ve Shown Everything There Is To Show (3)

    A person could only prove their worth in a crisis: this was Keter¡¯s philosophy when choosing his people.


    Ultima sent a look to Keter.


    However, Keter just stared at him.


    ¡°You said you could persuade him, didn¡¯t you? I came here trusting only you. It¡¯s too late to back out now,¡± Keter said to Ultima.


    ¡° Of course, you did.¡±


    While pretending to clear his throat, Ultima secretly clenched his fist.


    Ultima couldn¡¯t claim that this wasn¡¯t true or try to explain that Keter was mistaken. If he did, there was a vague certainty that Keter might actually beat him to death. On top of that, Keter had completely shut down any ways for Ultima to escape this with his next statement.


    ¡°Grandpa Hans, what kind of punishment is given to a commoner who lies to a noble?¡±


    ¡°You are not officially a noble yet, my lord... but usually, their tongue is cut off.¡±


    Suppressing Hans¡¯ timid attempt at rebellion with a mere glance, Keter once again turned to Ultima and said, ¡°A tongue is a weapon and armor to a merchant. I don¡¯t think you want to lose that.¡±


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    Ultima nearly blurted it out, but managed to hold it back.


    ¡°Haha, how could I ever lie to Lord Keter? Reasons to sell these bows¡­ Not just one, but two! Of course, I have my reasons.¡±


    Volkanus, who had been somewhat skeptical in the strange atmosphere, showed interest in what Ultima had to say.


    ¡°Go on. I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    Ultima took a deep breath, buying himself a moment of time.


    Though he may have appeared to be under Keter¡¯s control, Ultima was one of the top merchants in the Lillian Kingdom. For Ultima, who started from nothing and without anyone¡¯s support, persuading someone like Volkanus was something he could easily manage with his foundational knowledge alone.


    With that, Ultima began to explain the reasons to Volkanus on the spot. As his explanation continued, Volkanus, who had initially frowned with distrust, began to relax. Eventually, he burst into hearty laughter. Even Hans, who had ill feelings toward Ultima, found himself nodding in agreement, swayed by Ultima¡¯s eloquence.


    Keter looked at Volkanus. Ultima had just finished explaining the second reason, but his persuasion was so flawless that there was no need to hear the third. The expression on Keter¡¯s face as he looked at Ultima was like a proud parent watching their well-raised child.


    It wasn¡¯t just the quick thinking that impressed Keter; Ultima had a keen ability to interpret information and articulate it persuasively to others. Keter smiled, satisfied.


    Of course, Keter wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill him if Ultima ever turned against him. The repercussions of doing so? If Keter had cared about that sort of thing, he wouldn¡¯t have earned his reputation as a lunatic in Liqueur.


    * * *


    ¡°What in the world is going on here?¡±


    People passing by stopped in their tracks as they noticed carriages lined up in front of the Sefira forge. The carriages belonged to Ultima, and his workers were loading crates from inside the blacksmith into the carriages. Ultima was overseeing the workers, while Volkanus, Hans, and Keter were talking in a secluded corner where no one else was around.


    ¡°Without wasting any more time, the two of you should go and report to the patriarch. Tell him about the money the Sefira family owes Ultima, as well as the sale of the bows,¡± Keter instructed.


    Hans, looking much older and worn out, replied in a worried voice, ¡°I can somehow explain selling the bows, but if you take ten percent as a brokerage fee, my lord... how am I supposed to explain that to the patriarch? I¡¯ll be beaten to death!¡±


    Keter hadn¡¯t arranged this deal for free. He took a ten percent commission on the sale of the bows, which totaled twenty thousand gold. It was a huge sum, enough for one hundred commoner households to live comfortably for a lifetime.


    Though it was an enormous sum, Keter remained calm, showing no signs of joy or happiness. His expression suggested that this kind of money was nothing, as if it was something he naturally deserved.


    When Hans let out a distressed sigh, Keter pulled out one hundred white gold coins from his pocket and firmly placed them in Hans¡¯ hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I wanted a tip...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a tip; it¡¯s for your passage to the afterlife. Rest in peace.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t cry at your age. Besides, if it weren¡¯t for me, those bows would¡¯ve just rotted away in storage forever. The brokerage fee is at least thirty percent where I come from. Want me to charge you that?¡±


    Hans quickly waved his hands in protest at the mention of a minimum thirty percent fee.


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ll somehow explain this to the patriarch,¡± Hans said.


    ¡°Good. He might be angry at first, but in the end, he¡¯ll have no choice but to accept it,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s he going to do, kill you? At worst, you¡¯ll be exiled.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be exiled from the family at my age.¡±


    ¡°Then you should¡¯ve done better from the start.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    As Hans stood there, speechless at Keter¡¯s cynical reply, it was now Volkanus¡¯ turn to speak.


    ¡°Seems like Grandpa Midget has something to say to me?¡±


    Though Volkanus had been fully convinced by Keter and Ultima, he still thought Keter¡¯s actions were dangerous.


    ¡°I have no problem convincing Besil, but what about you? You¡¯ve already subdued Amaranth, which has drawn an excessive amount of attention. And now, you¡¯ve sold Sefira¡¯s bows without the patriarch¡¯s permission. Aren¡¯t you afraid of what punishment might come?¡±


    Selling Sefira¡¯s bows wasn¡¯t such a huge issue in itself. The patriarch would understand if Hans and Volkanus persuaded him. The problem was that it was Keter who had led the transaction, as Keter was an outsider until yesterday.


    Though people within the family were calling him lord or young master, he wasn¡¯t an official noble. He could only gain true noble status after receiving formal approval from the royal family, then he could enjoy the rights that come with it. Therefore, it would have been safer for Keter to have done what he did after he was officially a noble and a recognized member of Sefira.


    Of course, Keter was aware of this. It was the safer route, but there was a reason why he acted otherwise.


    He didn¡¯t even expect becoming a legitimate noble, and even if they did approve it, it would take decades. There was especially no way they would grant a noble title to a bastard of the Sefira family, who was already out of favor with Queen Lillian.


    That was why he just did it, remaining in this ambiguous state of being neither a commoner or a noble.


    ¡°The worst thing that could happen to me is death, but whatever. Oh, and of course...¡±


    Keter pointed at himself with his thumb.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try this yourself. I do it because the one doing it.¡±


    ¡°, you¡¯re a lunatic. If it were me, at least I wouldn¡¯t siphon off the family¡¯s money as a commission. Why are you so obsessed with money anyway?¡± Volkanus asked.


    ¡°If anyone says they don¡¯t like money, that person is lying. Look at me¡ªhow pure and clean.¡±


    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s too much. What are you going to do with all that money?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, my master once said that violence alone can¡¯t solve everything. But money violence can solve it all.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m more amazed that someone actually took you as a student.¡±


    ¡°Want to take on a student yourself? I know a fantastic candidate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested!¡±


    Volkanus turned abruptly to Hans and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get going. Besil¡¯s probably already heard that we sold the bows. If we don¡¯t move quickly, things could get complicated.¡±


    ¡°, I should¡¯ve done better. I should have¡­¡±


    Hans followed Volkanus like livestock being dragged to a slaughterhouse.


    After the two left, Ultima and Keter¡¯s eyes met coincidentally. Ultima pretended to look far ahead at the mountains behind, but Keter beckoned Ultima over with his finger.


    * * *


    ¡°Did you call, my lord?¡±


    Ultima, satisfied with the deal, acted respectfully. The benefit he gained from this transaction wasn¡¯t just monetary; Ultima now had the prestige of becoming the first merchant in the kingdom to deal with Sefira¡¯s bows. The influence he would gain from this was worth more than a million gold.


    Regardless, Keter glanced around briefly and spoke as if making small talk.


    ¡°I¡¯ve shown you everything there is to show.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to decide. Are you going to partner with me or not?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be straight with you.¡±


    Though the time had been short, memories of working with Keter in the past came to Ultima¡¯s mind. Keter was like a swamp¡ªthe more one struggled to escape, the deeper they would sink. The only way to escape was to face him head-on.


    ¡°The Ultima Merchant Company is sponsored by four prominent noble families. Thanks to them, we don¡¯t suffer disadvantages even when dealing with the Sefira family, who are a thorn in their side. But if I officially side with the Sefira family, they¡¯ll dismantle my company immediately. Can the Sefira family protect my company from them?¡±


    ¡°The Sefira family can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then do we have any reason to keep talking?¡±


    Rejection¡ªUltima refused to work with Keter. Of course, he knew that despite Keter¡¯s current civil attitude, Keter was someone who preferred violence over conversation. He knew that Keter would never let him go so easily.


    However, he was at an advantage in this situation.


    This was the reason Ultima could confidently refuse.


    There might be retaliation later, but that was for him to deal with.


    Ultima hoped Keter would calmly back down and leave, and he was willing to take a few hits for it. But there was no way Keter would do that.


    ¡°But I can.¡±


    The moment Keter finished speaking, a chill ran down Ultima¡¯s spine.


    He was going to die.


    Ultima quickly stepped back, but Keter¡¯s left hand grabbed his neck and lifted him faster than he could react.


    ¡°¡±


    Keter¡¯s strength was unreal; he was able to lift a grown man with just one hand. What made it even more astounding was that Ultima was a trained warrior, strong enough to rival a two-star knight, but Keter didn¡¯t budge at all even as Ultima struggled with both hands to pry Keter¡¯s hand away.


    Realizing that brute strength wouldn¡¯t work, Ultima swallowed his pride and began struggling loudly, deliberately making noise to attract attention. He hoped that if the soldiers saw this, even Keter wouldn¡¯t be able to go all out and do whatever he wanted.


    Indeed, servants and soldiers passing by began to notice Keter and Ultima. Despite being strangled, Ultima felt a small sense of relief.


    However¡­


    ¡°Kek!¡±


    Keter squeezed Ultima¡¯s neck even harder. The soldiers who had approached recognized Ultima but couldn¡¯t bring themselves to intervene, merely lingering nearby.


    Among the soldiers was one who was stationed at the entrance to the forge before. He quickly looked away and began whistling as if nothing was happening.


    The soldier pledged that, even if Keter came to the forge with Cerberus as his pet, he¡¯d obediently clear the way.


    As the soldiers turned a blind eye, Ultima grew more desperate.


    It was too late for regret, and even later to respond. His strength was already draining, and he was on the verge of losing consciousness.


    At that moment, Keter whispered into Ultima¡¯s ear, ¡°You trust me, right?¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­at?¡±


    ¡°Relax.¡±


    Keter lifted Ultima and slammed him into the ground. Neither Ultima nor the soldiers nearby had a chance to intervene. The impact was so tremendous that the ground shook. Even those far away turned around in surprise. Not only did the Sefira family see, but so did Ultima¡¯s subordinates.


    Receiving everyone¡¯s attention, Keter tossed the seemingly dead Ultima over his shoulder and said, ¡°Never seen a noble beat up a commoner before? Get back to work.¡±


    Keter then headed toward the stables with Ultima, and no one dared to block his path.


    Meanwhile, there were those who watched the entire situation unfold¡ªspies sent by various families. They secretly smiled, thinking to themselves that Keter, coming from the lawless city of Absinthe, would indeed bring ruin to the Sefira family rather than being of any help to them.

 Chapter 30: I’ve Shown Everything There Is To Show (4)

    Keter placed Ultima down on the pile of straw in the hay storage of the stable and said, ¡°You can open your eyes now. There¡¯s no stable keeper at this hour, and the soldiers don¡¯t come near here after lunch because of the manure smell.¡±


    Ultima was alive. There was a clear handprint on his neck that looked like he had been strangled, and he had been slammed into the ground so hard that it shook. The sound was loud enough for his ribs to break and his organs to twist, but¡­


    Suddenly, Ultima sprang up. He raised his upper body, leaned against the pile of straw, and wiped the blood from his lips with his sleeve.


    The loud sound was a trick. Ultima¡¯s body hadn¡¯t actually hit the ground; Keter had slammed his fist into the ground instead. It only appeared that way to those watching from afar. Ultima was alive, but he wasn¡¯t relieved. Keter, who had deceived the eyes and ears of everyone, was now blocking his path.


    ¡°Meticulous bastard. Even in that situation, you were thinking about fooling the onlookers.¡±


    Ultima and Keter had known each other since childhood. It was more of an ill-fated destiny rather than a coincidence. They were both abandoned orphans, so they often crossed paths because they had similar places to stay and similar things they could do. Because of that, Ultima was constantly compared to Keter, who always came in first at everything, no matter what.


    Of course, Ultima wasn¡¯t a fool. He tried multiple times to kill Keter¡ªas that was how things were done in Liqueur¡ª but each time he ended up beaten and robbed of everything he had.


    ¡°You always acted reckless, but you always had a plan. And I was always the victim.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring you all the way here to reminisce about the past.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, right. So, you¡¯re saying you can protect me¡ªor rather, my company? The Sefira family can?¡±


    ¡°. Did you land on your head when you hit the ground? I already told you, it¡¯s not the Sefira family.¡±


    Keter pointed to himself with his thumb and said, ¡°I will protect you.¡±


    ¡°...Wait, is this some kind of hallucination or dream? Did you actually kill me, and this is the afterlife?¡±


    As Keter raised his fist, Ultima quickly changed his tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m joking. But surely you¡¯re joking too, right? Protect me from high nobles? It¡¯s not just one family, it¡¯s a coalition of them. They may not be prestigious families, but their combined power isn¡¯t something any one person can handle.¡±


    In this world, nobles were divided into high and low nobles. Even low noble families had enough privileges for generations to live comfortably, but ambitious people dreamed of becoming a high noble. That was because high nobles were granted the right to maintain private military forces; they had the right to have at least five hundred soldiers and ten knights, and four of these families had joined forces.


    They were a small army that even a prestigious family wouldn¡¯t take lightly, but Keter, a mere individual, was saying he could protect Ultima from them. The logical conclusion was that it was impossible, but Keter had always been an eccentric that defied logic.


    ¡°Ultima, I didn¡¯t bring you here to hear how strong or impressive our opponents are,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I brought you here to hear your answer: yes or no. Is that difficult? Don¡¯t try to persuade me, just tell me your decision.¡±


    The unspoken threat was clear: depending on his choice, Ultima could really end up dead. Ultima didn¡¯t fully understand that, but he couldn¡¯t reject Keter as easily as before.


    It was absurd. No matter how many times he thought about it¡ªwhether a hundred or a thousand¡ªit still didn¡¯t make sense. Ultima would scoff if the Sefira family offered to protect him, yet, strangely, Keter¡¯s offer to protect him made him hesitate. It wasn¡¯t something he could decide in a day, or even a month, but Keter was pressing for an answer.


    ¡°If you die, you¡¯ll have plenty of time to think about it forever. Want me to help with that?¡±


    ¡°Before I answer, what do I stand to gain from joining forces with the Sefira family? Just so you know, the high nobles promised to make me a low noble.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m explaining this for the last time, Ultima, but you¡¯re not working with the Sefira family; you¡¯re working with me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so, you¡¯re not doing this because of Lord Besil¡¯s orders but on your own?¡±


    Keter snapped his fingers.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it.¡±


    ¡°...I thought I couldn¡¯t get lower than this, but this is even worse.


    ¡°There is one thing that I can do, Ultima, and I¡¯ll tell you what it is so you don¡¯t get confused.¡±


    Keter squatted to Ultima¡¯s eye level.


    ¡°I won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    Ultima frowned deeply. On the other hand, Keter¡¯s eyes glistened clearly and calmly. It was the look of a lunatic.


    * * *


    ¡°Did that crazy bastard really kill him?¡± muttered one of the baggage carriers from the Ultima Merchant Company. He looked like a typical carrier, but in reality, he was a subordinate of a high noble, tasked with monitoring Ultima. He glanced at the stable where Keter had entered, keeping a close watch.


    That was when¡­


    ¡­the stable door flew open violently, and a man sprinted out. It was Ultima. Blood was trickling from his lips, and his hair was a mess, but it was unmistakably him. He looked panicked, as if he had barely escaped with his life.  S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keter, who was chasing after him, shouted angrily, ¡°Hey! If you come back now, I¡¯ll only hit you twice!¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    It was clear to anyone watching that Keter had beaten Ultima. The assassin disguised as a carrier was disappointed.


    ¡°If Keter killed Ultima, we could¡¯ve used it as a reason to put more pressure on the Sefira family. What a shame.¡±


    Since Ultima was alive, the carrier still had to at least pretend to help Ultima. And he wasn¡¯t the only one with that thought. Ultima¡¯s subordinates rushed in to protect their master. Blocked by the crowd, Keter yelled furiously about teaching that commoner some noble laws, while Ultima, without looking back, mounted a horse and left the estate.


    ¡°Hmph, did he run away? How lucky.¡±


    Now, everyone knew that Keter had severely beaten Ultima and chased him away. This news quickly spread not only to the patriarch but also to the spies who were monitoring them. Keter had caused a major incident in just two days of joining the family.


    Those who were hostile to Sefira smiled in triumph. They had thought that Keter, who suddenly joined the family, might be a hidden talent for Sefira, but it was now confirmed that he was a disaster.


    That day, an urgent order was issued to all spies.


    ¡°From now on, do not interfere with what Keter is doing.¡±


    ¡°Cease all activities for now to avoid getting mixed up with Keter.¡±


    They temporarily stepped back from the frontlines, waiting for Sefira to implode on its own, and this change was immediately noticeable. Besil, the patriarch of the Sefira family, hadn¡¯t heard anything yet, but he could feel it.


    ¡°This is ominous.¡±


    As usual, Besil was wrestling with a mountain of paperwork, but he stood up and moved to the window. Unfortunately, his premonitions were rarely wrong.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be an attack.¡±


    It was noisy, but not the dangerous kind of noise. In fact, it sounded almost lively.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s just unnecessary worry,¡± he muttered, massaging his arm.


    Besil already felt bad about having imprisoned Panir, his uncle. There were only circumstantial clues of betrayal and no clear evidence, but it would also be a problem if there were.


    The elders, who were the pillars of the family, were all acting independently. The previous patriarch had disappeared without a word about his whereabouts, Panir was in custody, and his father-in-law, Elder Reganon, was avoiding any conversation with him.


    It wasn¡¯t just because they were his children; objectively, they were exceptional. However, they weren¡¯t really helpful.


    His eldest son, Hissop, was now working as the young master and taking care of external affairs. While he hadn¡¯t had any remarkable achievements, in the current situation, the mere absence of bad news was an accomplishment.


    Besil, lost in thought, was interrupted by the sound of a knock at the door.


    ¡°Lord Besil, this is Navakin, Knight of the Sacred Order of Sefira. I have urgent news to report.¡±


    Besil, who had a worried expression, quickly changed his demeanor and said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Without even greeting him, Navakin spoke urgently.


    ¡°Lord Keter has caused an incident.¡±


    ¡°¡­Keter again.¡±


    Honestly, Keter was a name Besil didn¡¯t want to hear at this moment. Even just yesterday, Keter had caused too many incidents. As soon as he arrived, he knocked out Anis, took ownership of Demon Bow Amaranth, and turned Taragon into a racing horse. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, he even turned Katherine, the flower of Sefira, mute. To make matters worse, rumors of a ghost stabbing necks at night began circulating the moment Keter arrived.


    Complaints and suspicions about Keter had piled up like an avalanche from all directions. Yet, Besil had patiently endured, even apologizing to those affected.


    That was what Besil had told himself earlier that morning. But just before Navakin arrived, Volkanus and Hans came to see him. As soon as they arrived, they got straight to the point: they had sold all the stored bows to Ultima.


    Since Besil trusted them, he believed they had good reason for doing so¡­ until Keter¡¯s name was mentioned.


    Besil, who wondered why Keter was being mentioned, was shocked when he saw the receipt from Volkanus. It wasn¡¯t because they had earned two hundred thousand gold from selling the bows, nor was it because he had just learned, for the first time, that they owed Ultima four hundred thousand gold.


    Keter had taken ten percent of the earnings as a commission, which was recorded in the receipt.


    Selling the family¡¯s bows without the approval of the patriarch was already an overreach of power, but Besil thought he could allow it if it was the idea of Hans, who was in charge of finances, and Volkanus, the head of the forge.


    Then, Volkanus hurriedly left with Hans. It was something that only Volkanus could have done. Besil rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache. Volkanus, who had always shown such a stern demeanor, fled without even looking back.


    It was a strange dilemma; the head of the family should not hesitate to summon a child who had caused trouble. However, Besil had sworn just yesterday to never see Keter. It wasn¡¯t an official vow, but even the thought of breaking it bruised his pride.


    In truth, Besil deeply wanted to summon Keter immediately and question him and ask what he was thinking when he did everything he did. However, Besil couldn¡¯t act recklessly; he wasn¡¯t an immature child anymore. With the wisdom of an elder and the dignity of a patriarch, he held back for the family¡¯s honor. He believed that was the best teaching he could give as a father and a patriarch.


    ¡°So, what did Keter do?¡± Besil asked gently after having calmed down his impatience.


    Besil¡¯s demeanor was so forgiving, as if he¡¯d even pardon murder, that Navakin felt reassured to tell him what had happened.


    ¡°He beat Mr. Ultima, the merchant.¡±


    ¡°¡±


    As Besil laughed calmly, Navakin awkwardly joined in.


    ¡°¡±


    ¡°¡±


    ¡°¡±


    ¡°Bring him to me.¡±


    ¡° Pardon? Oh, Mr. Ultima rode off first. Should I chase after him?¡± Navakin asked.


    ¡°No, no. Not Ultima.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°My son.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean Lord Taragon. He¡¯s running around the track. I¡¯ll fetch him right away.¡±


    When Navakin still didn¡¯t catch on, Besil softly called his name, ¡°Navakin.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Bring me the lunatic.¡±


    If Navakin didn¡¯t get it at this point, no one could blame Besil if he beat Navakin.

 Chapter 31: Are You Truly My Son? (1)

    Jacques, Keter¡¯s personal butler, joined him for lunch once again, just like the day before, with an exhausted look in his eyes. As Keter enjoyed his meal leisurely, he glanced at Jacques.


    ¡°Did someone die? Why the long face?¡±


    ¡°How are you able to eat right now, my lord?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s freshly baked and soft, so it¡¯s really good.¡±


    ¡°Ugh! Soft or not, I heard you fought with Mr. Ultima. That''s just a rumor, right? Surely even you wouldn''t have done something like that.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it''s a rumor. We didn''t fight. I just beat him up one-sidedly.¡±


    ¡°...Do you even know who Ultima is? Is that why you''re acting this calm?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a mere commoner merchant.¡±


    Keter kept eating without pause, even during the conversation. Unable to stand it any longer, Jacques snatched the roasted chicken leg Keter was about to eat.


    ¡°Please stop eating for a moment and realize how serious this situation is...?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for deboning it.¡±


    All that was left in Jacques'' hand was a bare bone.


    .


    Though he was about to toss the bone away, Jacques gently placed it in the bone dish and switched to a pleading approach.


    ¡°The head of the family may be a kind and merciful person, but he won''t just overlook this incident. No matter what anyone says, I''m on your side, my lord. So, let''s discuss how we should go about apologizing. There¡¯s no other solution!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Who exactly should I be apologizing to?¡±


    ¡°To Mr. Ultima, of course! It will be a huge loss if he cuts off trade with the Sefira family. Even if the patriarch protects you, Elder Panir won¡¯t let you off the hook.¡±


    Jacques began delivering a lengthy lecture on why Keter should apologize. However, Keter simply smiled.


    Ultima had accepted my offer to betray the high nobles. But that didn''t mean he was just going to blindly help Sefira. He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to make his betrayal obvious. Ultima would continue pressuring Sefira as he always did. But that would merely be a deception. When the crucial moment came, Ultima would abandon the high nobles and side with Sefira.


    And that moment would be created by Keter himself.


    Not only that, Keter received a glass bead, a signaling device, as a symbol of trust.


    ¡°Break this if you ever need the help of the Ultima Merchant Company. No matter where you are, a rescue team will find you.¡±


    ¡°If I''m on the verge of death, you can finish me off while you¡¯re at it. Two birds with one stone, right?¡±


    ¡°I won''t deny it. So show me for sure. Prove you''re not just a lunatic, but a lunatic who''s incredibly strong.¡±


    On top of that, Keter pocketed a commission fee of twenty thousand gold, an amount so jaw-dropping that it basically dislocated. Honestly, it was enough for Keter to retire right now and live leisurely in a big city. They say if a person is too greedy, their stomach would burst¡­


    Keter bit into a peach, skin and all, and gazed out the window.


    As Keter stood up, Jacques followed suit.


    ¡°My lord, you''re finally listening to me?¡±


    ¡°Hm? I just stood up to go to the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°...The knights will be here soon. They''re probably coming to take you. Please, just stay calm when that happens. I''ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    Jacques didn¡¯t bother following Keter to the bathroom, which was a sign that he hadn¡¯t fully learned his lesson yet. The dining room didn¡¯t only have the main entrance; there was a back door for the workers to use. Instead of heading to the bathroom, Keter slipped out through the back.


    ¡°Being dragged off just isn''t my style.¡±


    Jacques was right; Besil wouldn''t tolerate this any longer. Even if it wasn¡¯t out of personal feelings, allowing Keter to run wild like this would only fuel internal frustration beyond control. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this hour, Besil would only be in one place¡ªhis office. If Keter was summoned, it would be there. Keter headed directly toward Besil''s office.


    Meanwhile, chaos erupted in the dining room, as Keter had vanished. Jacques tried to stall, saying he was in the bathroom, but of course, Keter wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Did he run off out of fear of being reprimanded? Damn it!¡± shouted the knight who came to get Keter, gritting his teeth. ¡°Get the soldiers out! He couldn¡¯t have gone far!¡±


    ¡°W-wait! I know Lord Keter does whatever he wants, but I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t run away!¡±


    Jacques tried to stop the knights, but they refused to listen to him, already having a prejudice against Keter. Like that, Keter inadvertently revitalized the Sefira family.


    * * *


    Besil was writing a letter, waiting for Keter to arrive.


    Besil, who had been focused on writing, suddenly put down his pen. At the same time, the cloak he was wearing transformed into a bow and arrows¡ªit was the Doppelg?nger, Sefira''s family treasure. In an instant, Besil aimed toward the window.


    ¡°Show your face,¡± he said calmly.


    There was nothing at the window. Even the idea of an enemy outside the window was absurd, as Besil¡¯s office was on the seventh floor, and the building¡¯s outer walls were as smooth as glass. On top of that, knights were monitoring every blind spot.


    Yet, Besil had sensed someone¡¯s presence outside the window. He would have immediately shot an arrow if the intruder had shown any sign of hostility or intent to kill, but since there was none, he refrained from shooting.


    The intruder revealed themselves outside the window, hanging upside down. Besil didn¡¯t immediately recognize them. After all, they were upside down, and it was a face he''d never seen before. But upon closer inspection, he soon realized who it was.


    ¡°K... Keter?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Keter casually opened the window and entered the office. Besil remained silent as he watched him.


    Even a highly trained knight would shatter their legs jumping from the seventh floor. And Keter had been hanging upside down; one small mistake during the landing, and he would die instantly without question. Yet, Keter risked such a dangerous move without a second thought and broke his office.


    Besil pointed toward the door and said, ¡°You ignored a perfectly good door.¡±


    ¡°That wouldn''t be fun,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Where are the knights sent to fetch you? Did you come here alone?¡°


    ¡°Looks like we missed each other. I figured you''d call, so I came early.¡±


    As soon as Keter finished speaking, the door to the office swung open, and Navakin entered.


    ¡°Lord Besil! Keter has escaped! We''ve released the soldiers and hounds, so we¡¯ll catch him any moment now... Huh?¡±


    Navakin noticed Keter standing by the window of the office. Keter waved at him, while Besil licked his lower lip in frustration.


    For a moment, Besil wasn''t sure where to even begin. But despite the confusion, he addressed Navakin.


    ¡°As you can see, Keter is here. Call off the search.¡±


    ¡°Ah... Yes, my lord!¡±


    Navakin, who was blinking in surprise, snapped out of his shock and saluted before leaving the office.


    ¡°¡±


    Besil reverted the Doppelg?nger back into his cloak form and placed his hand on the table.


    Hearing a noise from behind, Besil turned around. Keter had sat himself down on the sofa, even though the patriarch, his father, was standing.


    ¡°...¡±


    Besil, dumbfounded, stared at Keter, who then gestured to the sofa across from him and said, ¡°Why don''t you sit down?¡±


    Besil was surprised by his own thoughts.


    It was a level of patience befitting for someone responsible for an entire family. Besil decided to show the grace of an adult.


    ¡°One shouldn''t sit before their elder does, Keter.¡±


    ¡°They didn''t do that in Liqueur.¡±


    ¡°This is Sefira, so you should follow Sefira¡¯s rules.¡±


    ¡°I''ll keep that in mind for next time.¡±


    Besil clenched his fist.


    ¡°Yes, make sure you don''t repeat the mistake next time.¡±


    Feeling that telling him to stand up again would make him seem petty, Besil sat down across from Keter. Finally, they were on the same level, their eyes meeting. Both stared intently at each other. Besil was the first to break the silence.


    ¡°You¡¯re the spitting image of your mother.¡±


    ¡°She must be quite beautiful, then?¡±


    ¡°Have you never seen her?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, I was raised by an old petty thief.¡±


    ¡°We need to clear up the misunderstanding. I didn''t know about your existence either. If I had known, I wouldn''t have left you behind. The fact that you''re here in front of me now is proof of that.¡°


    ¡°It doesn''t seem like you brought me here out of affection.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    For a moment, Besil almost denied it. The truth was that Keter had been summoned because of the trouble he''d caused; that was the main point. Straightening his posture, Besil spoke in a slightly stiff tone.


    ¡°Yes, you''re right. I summoned you as the patriarch of the Sefira family. Keter, you know what you''ve done wrong, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°If being brilliant is a crime, I guess I''m due for the gallows.¡°


    ¡°I can understand your rudeness. You lived your whole life in the lawless city of Liqueur, so it''s understandable you wouldn''t know the rules of the outside world. But I can''t forgive your mistakes.¡°


    ¡°And what exactly have I done so wrong?¡±


    Keter''s genuinely innocent look made Besil think how shameless his son was, even though he was his own child.


    ¡°Let me remind you of what you did in just one day. First, you went to Anis and picked a fight.¡±


    ¡°Anis threw the first punch, so it was self-defense. We even settled it.¡±


    ¡°And what about taking the Demon Bow Amaranth without permission?¡±


    ¡°The weapon chose its owner. I want to return it, but it doesn¡¯t seem to want to leave me.¡±


    Though it was blatant Keter was lying, Besil couldn''t tell for sure whether it was true or false.


    ¡°I heard you gave Taragon some advice, telling him to run around the training grounds all day. That doesn''t align with Sefira''s training methods.¡±


    ¡°If Taragon doesn''t want to do it, I¡¯m not going to force him to. It''s his choice.¡±


    Besil glared at Keter. From Keter¡¯s responses, an outsider would think that he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. But his brazen attitude was what annoyed Besil the most.


    That was, in fact, the main reason Besil had summoned Keter. Of all the things Keter had done, the issue with the only trading partner they had wasn¡¯t just an inconvenience¡ªit was much more serious.


    ¡°I''m curious how you¡¯ll explain why you hit Mr. Ultima from the merchant company today.¡±


    ¡°I hit him because he annoyed me.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°That lowly commoner merchant should consider it an honor to do business with the Sefira family, but he didn¡¯t know his place. So, I taught him a lesson on behalf of the family.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you''re interpreting everything to your own advantage.¡±


    ¡°I''m a bit selfish. Must¡¯ve inherited it from someone.¡±


    ¡°Keter.¡±


    Besil stood up. His gaze, cold and heavy, was fixed on Keter. Keter also rose from his seat, meeting Besil¡¯s eyes.


    After a pause, Besil slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°The reason you''ve come to the Sefira family¡­ Could it be that you want revenge? Do you resent me and this family for abandoning you, and is that why you''re acting this way on purpose?¡±


    It was a question that could decide Keter''s fate, depending on his answer. Most would hesitate, but Keter replied immediately.


    ¡°I used to think that way, but not anymore.¡±


    ¡°Not anymore, you say?¡±


    ¡°Allow me to introduce myself, then.¡±


    Keter pulled out a business card from his coat and, with both hands, politely handed it to Besil.


    ¡°Keter, the Solver from Liqueur. I solve problems for prices that aren¡¯t exactly reasonable.¡±

 Chapter 32: Are You Truly My Son? (2)

    Besil''s eyes narrowed. The business card signified that the bearer was a mage.


    ¡°You managed to master something difficult like magic, even in a place like Liqueur.¡±


    Besil was calm, but he was slightly disappointed. If Keter possessed mana, then learning aura techniques was impossible. Mana and aura were like water and fire¡ªincompatible forces that could not coexist. In other words, even if Besil wanted to teach Keter the Sefira family''s aura cultivation techniques, he couldn¡¯t learn it.


    ¡°If you don''t know magic, you''re missing out on half of what life has to offer. Magic is incredibly convenient.¡±


    Keter wasn¡¯t exaggerating. While aura might surpass mana in sheer power, magic had unparalleled utility in daily life beyond just attack and defense.


    One prime example was long-distance communication. Normally, people had to travel or send messenger birds to communicate across distances. No matter the method, it was often hindered by environmental conditions. However, mages could, under the right circumstances, instantly communicate regardless of distance. And this was just one of many advantages magic provided.


    Besil let out a bitter smile.


    ¡°You know as well as I do that magic is forbidden by law in our kingdom. I won''t tell you not to use it, but be cautious in front of others.¡±


    ¡°Other high nobles seem to use magic just fine.¡±


    ¡°That''s because their magic is more of a hobby. Yours, however, doesn''t seem like that.¡±


    ¡°Well, I''ll keep that in mind for now.¡±


    ¡°Good. And, you said you''re a solver.¡±


    ¡°I can solve anything, as long as the price is right. I already handled two cases yesterday.¡±


    ¡°You received requests? From whom?¡±


    ¡°Anis was my first client, and the second was Taragon. Both were very satisfied.¡±


    Besil was confused. He couldn¡¯t believe Anis and Taragon hired Keter.


    Besil knew his sons well, and they were not the type to seek help from someone like Keter. Then, Keter quickly cleared up the confusion.


    ¡°And now, I think I can take on a third request from you, Father.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to ask of you.¡±


    ¡°You don''t need to worry about that. I''ll find something for you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Besil quickly understood.


    Now it all made sense. Besil finally understood what Keter meant by taking on requests.


    Besil clasped his hands together, adjusting his posture, and said, ¡°So, Keter, are you saying that you''re here not as my son, but as a solver for the Sefira family?¡±


    Keter shrugged and leaned back.


    ¡°Why can''t I be both? The son of Sefira and the Solver of Liqueur¡ªboth are me.¡±


    ¡°Then let me ask the Solver from Liqueur: does the Sefira family seem so weak that it would need the help of just one person?¡±


    It was well known among the nobility that the Sefira family was being ostracized. But commoners were unaware, and even if they knew, they wouldn¡¯t care enough to spread rumors. At most, only the local citizens might be aware. Besil believed Keter didn''t know about the family''s crisis. His question was meant to put Keter in his place, suggesting that someone like him had no right to think he could help a master family.


    However, Keter replied nonchalantly, ¡°You''re not weak, but you are in crisis, aren''t you?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a question. It was a statement of certainty, and the look in Besil¡¯s eyes changed. Though it was true, the Sefira family hadn''t shown signs of decline to the extent that an outsider would notice.


    Besil almost asked, but then stopped himself.


    It wasn¡¯t just because Besil was unconsciously going easy on him because Keter was his son.


    Besil realized that Keter had survived in Liqueur not simply because he was strong¡ªKeter possessed his own toughness and Akrah¡¯s embracing nature.


    Besil''s lips curled into a slight smile¡ªa mix of sadness and pride.


    Keter had survived and grown strong in the harshest of environments without anyone¡¯s help. Even if there had been help, it was probably because of Keter''s charm. While others might dismiss this as luck, Besil saw it differently. Luck, too, was a quality of the strong.


    Though Keter¡¯s character was far from what one might expect of a noble¡ªperhaps very far¡ªbut what father wouldn''t feel proud to see such an exceptional son? S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh, chocolate.¡±


    As soon as Besil felt emotional, Keter quickly snatched up a piece of chocolate from the table and popped it into his mouth. Feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion, Besil followed, putting a piece of chocolate into his mouth. Without even having the time to enjoy the bittersweet flavor, Keter began speaking again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve actually already completed one of your requests. It turns out Ultima was being backed by the nobles, so I gave him a little lesson.¡±


    Munching on another piece of chocolate, Keter continued. Besil raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°I was already aware that Ultima is working for the nobles,¡± Besil replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s pathetic; knowing they¡¯re your enemy, but still keeping them close.¡±


    ¡°That''s what politics is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not well-versed in politics, but I do know one thing. Politics and violence go hand in hand. And¡ª¡±


    Keter grabbed the entire box of chocolates and shoved the remaining pieces into his mouth.


    ¡°The biggest problem with the Seira family is that you don¡¯t know how to use violence. But guess what? You¡¯ve got a talented person right here.¡±


    He pointed at himself with his thumb.


    ¡°I can be the crazy one in the family.¡±


    Just hearing it caused Besil a headache. He realized that pressing further wouldn¡¯t get them anywhere, so he decided to shift the topic.


    ¡°There are mountains of things I want to ask you, but for now, I¡¯ll ask as the head of the Sefira family, not as your father.¡±


    Even Besil had his limits when it came to indulging Keter. It didn¡¯t seem like he needed to go on and on about why he sold the Sefira family''s bow without permission and took a ten percent commission, or about how beating and driving away Ultima benefitted the Sefira family.


    Besil rose from his seat and walked toward the window. The estate appeared peaceful. The weather was perfectly clear, as if no storm could possibly come. But Besil knew better. This was merely a prelude¡ªthe calm before the storm. Though he tried to convince himself and his family that things would turn out fine, the storm was inevitable. Right now, he was only delaying its arrival.


    Then Keter appeared. Initially, Besil had brought him out of pity, as he would inevitably be caught up in the storm. But Keter had refused protection. He constantly sought to do things on his own. The question was: were Keter¡¯s actions truly beneficial for the Sefira family?


    Even being uncertain seemed like an overly generous assessment of Keter. Others probably viewed him as a god of disaster. However, through his conversations with Keter, Besil had realized something: Keter didn¡¯t resent the Sefira family. While he didn¡¯t seem to love it either, it was clear he was trying to do something for the family.


    Besil did not underestimate Keter. The fact that he had defeated Anis in combat suggested he was at least at the level of a first-star knight. Additionally, his ability to subdue Amaranth indicated he had a strong mind as well.


    There was only one thing that bothered Besil: whether Keter thought of him as his father or just one of many nobles.


    Wanting to know that, Besil broke the long silence and asked, ¡°Are you truly my son?¡±


    * * *


    This was Keter¡¯s second encounter with Besil.


    In Keter¡¯s previous life, he had only seen Besil for barely a minute. Even then, all he heard was a single word telling him to leave. The Besil in front of Keter now looked tired but was still a strong man, both inside and out. However, he was being worn down, like a massive stone slowly eroded by a constant drip of water.


    After exchanging a few words, it didn¡¯t seem like Besil disliked Keter¡ªat least, not yet.


    ¡°Are you truly my son?¡± asked Besil in a serious tone.


    Keter had been prepared to answer this for a long time.


    ¡°Depends on how you act, Father.¡±


    Besil turned from gazing out the window and stared at Keter quietly. Besil¡¯s expression barely changed, but he seemed confused by Keter¡¯s response.


    Keter rubbed his thumb and index fingers together and said, ¡°And give me a lot of pocket money, too.¡±


    ¡°I know you took twenty thousand gold as a commission for mediating the deal with Ultima. Do I need to say it out loud? That is Sefira¡¯s rightful money.¡±


    ¡°That was just business. Money matters need to be even stricter among family to avoid hard feelings.¡±


    ¡±...And if I give you pocket money, you''ll remain my son?¡±


    ¡°You also have to praise me often.¡±


    ¡°Praise...?¡±


    ¡°And most importantly, you have to trust me, no matter what.¡±


    This was the most important part. No matter how much he intended to help the Sefira family grow, it only mattered if they accepted it.


    Besil returned to his seat and straightened his collar.


    ¡°Right now, there is only one thing I can offer you.¡±


    Keter knew that as well. It was probably something like pocket money.


    However, Besil said something entirely different from what he expected.


    ¡°Sefira''s finances are precarious. I can''t just praise you for no reason, but I can trust you. That¡¯s why¡­¡±


    Besil pointed to Amaranth, the Demon Bow that was now a tattoo on Keter¡¯s left arm.


    ¡°Amaranth¡­ You must have heard about it from Volkanus, but that thing is a devil. It gives you power, but it demands a fitting price. The user inevitably suffers misfortune. That was true for me as well.¡±


    His gaze shifted slightly. Following his eyes, Keter noticed a portrait hanging on the wall. It was of a beautiful woman, wearing a simple willow branch crown, smiling gently.


    Looking at the portrait, he continued, ¡± That¡¯s my wife. I killed her with that Amaranth on your arm.¡±


    Besil still looked sad, as if his emotions hadn¡¯t yet worn away. He placed his hand on Keter¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I still believe that Amaranth is a dangerous weapon. But I trust you, and I''m leaving it to you.¡±


    Keter looked into my father''s eyes silently. It was because he didn¡¯t understand. Trust needed evidence, just like how collateral was needed to borrow money¡ªtrust required something to back it up.


    ¡°On what grounds?¡± Keter asked Besil.


    Just as he always answered quickly, Besil replied without hesitation, ¡°Because we''re family.¡±


    ¡±...¡±


    There were many families even in Liqueur, but families there were different. Sure, they lived together, but one side always betrayed the other first when there was a crisis. Fathers sold their sons as soldiers, mothers sold their daughters into prostitution, and children stabbed their parents for their inheritance. That¡¯s what family is in Liqueur¡ªbound by blood, but in the end, the one who let their guard down first got devoured.


    Besil trusting Keter essentially meant he was willing to let himself be devoured by Keter.


    Kindness without reason didn¡¯t exist. If there was, it would only be an emotional ploy to win someone over. That was what the Godfather of Liqueur does. If Keter hadn¡¯t been burned once, he might¡¯ve wavered.


    Either way, for now¡ªwhether it was a lie or not¡ªit didn¡¯t hurt Keter if Besil claimed to trust him.


    Besil went to his desk, grabbed a pile of documents, and skimmed through a few before handing Keter a bundle of three documents.


    Besil gestured with his chin.


    ¡°I won¡¯t restrict your actions, but if you truly want to support our family, take on these missions. Your siblings handle these as well, so it¡¯s not unreasonable.¡±


    Keter quickly skimmed through the missions, and none of them seemed particularly interesting or exciting. However, there was one that caught his eye.


    It was the third mission, the one with the lowest difficulty rating. The task was to locate and bring back a knight who had gone missing during their return from leave after communication was lost near a local village. The mission details were mundane, but what intrigued Keter was that the knight assigned to it was Katherine.


    And now, in front of him was a mission with Katherine¡¯s name on it. It was obvious what this meant. It looked like a simple task, but underneath lies a web of schemes; there was a plot to kill knights of the Sefira family.


    Though it was marked as the lowest difficulty rating, implying it was easy, it was actually incredibly dangerous.


    People said to avoid danger, that it was best to stay safe, but Keter disagreed.


    While Keter was curious about the identity of those who killed Catherine, that wasn¡¯t the only reason he was interested in this mission. Keter thrived on danger, and that¡¯s how he grew in Liqueur.


    Besil probably hoped Keter would pick one of the harder missions. He didn¡¯t know the full story, so he would likely be disappointed when Keter picked the easiest mission¡­

 Chapter 33: Speak of the Goblin (1)

    Besil calmly accepted Keter''s choice of mission, but he felt some disappointment.


    An F-rank mission was completely safe, and it was more of a trivial errand than a real challenge. Besil assumed Keter chose the mission because it involved Katherine.


    Besil didn¡¯t give much weight to Keter''s victory. He believed that Keter had relied on the power of Amaranth, the demon bow, rather than his own archery skills. The soldiers also reported that Keter had used Amaranth, so it was probably true. The soldiers weren¡¯t lying¡ªKeter had indeed drawn on Amaranth¡¯s power, but what they didn¡¯t know was that he didn¡¯t use the bow at all during the sparring match.


    ¡°Did you choose this mission because you know Katherine?¡± Besil asked.


    Keter shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely irrelevant, but it¡¯s not the main reason either.¡±


    ¡°Then it won''t matter if I assign someone else to the mission, right? Katherine hasn''t said a word since meeting you.¡±


    ¡°A knight ignoring the patriarch? Sounds like grounds for dismissal,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°She seemed to have her reasons. Reasons that were related to you.¡±


    ¡°I told her to do that. She''s doing well to follow through.¡±


    ¡°I heard you and her made a vow and bet on it. You don¡¯t intend to keep her silent forever, do you?¡±


    Katherine was a knight that Besil also valued. It wasn¡¯t just because she was the only female knight; she had talent, loyalty, and an unwavering work ethic.


    The Order of the Galaxy was the Sefira family''s strongest force. The seven strongest knights among them were awarded the title of Seven Stars of the North. Two of those positions were currently vacant as there was no one befitting, but Besil hoped, and was confident, that Katherine would soon fill one of those spots.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be one month at most, maybe even sooner,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°It was Katherine¡¯s mistake for making a hasty vow, so I won¡¯t hold you accountable for it. However, you''re far too reckless to be left alone, so I¡¯m assigning you a partner.¡±


    ¡°I could use a subordinate to help me out, so that sounds good to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of your partner as a subordinate. A partner is a companion with whom you can open up, share your thoughts, and grow together. There¡¯s no hierarchy between partners. This is a tradition all your siblings have gone through in Sefira, so you should accept it as well.¡±


    Besil was concerned about whether Keter, who had grown up so independently and doing whatever he wanted, would truly respect the traditions of the family. Especially now that Keter¡¯s status had risen suddenly, he might feel uncomfortable speaking casually with a knight of lower rank. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Keter was thinking something entirely different.


    Besil described it as a partnership, so it would most likely be someone around his age. He didn''t care who it was, as long as they weren''t spineless.


    It wasn¡¯t just because Dork was his subordinate; he was genuinely impressive. His ability to use knowledge and wisdom at the right moments, adapt to situations, and plan for the future was even greater than Keter¡¯s own.


    But on second thought, Keter realized that wouldn¡¯t work. Dork¡¯s talents should be used for his own benefit, not for Sefira.


    Besil, observing Keter¡¯s calm demeanor, couldn''t tell what he was thinking. To be honest, Besil felt uneasy. Even if Keter had no malicious intent, all his actions would be carried out under the Sefira name, and ultimately, Besil would have to bear the responsibility for them.


    Freedom and unpredictability were qualities that Sefira lacked but Keter possessed. As the patriarch responsible for the lives of tens of thousands and centuries of history, Besil had already assessed Keter''s strengths and devised a plan to make the best use of them.


    There was a knight in Sefira whom Besil considered a white elephant¡ªa talent too valuable to discard but not worth much as things stood. Besil intended to assign that knight as Keter¡¯s partner.


    After their individual reflections, Besil stood up first and approached Keter.


    ¡°Let me give you a hug.¡±


    Besil, not one to show affection toward his children, felt no hesitation in showing it to Keter, whom he pitied for having grown up in harsh conditions.


    However, Keter despised pity more than anything else in the world, especially when it was directed at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    Keter stood up and took a step back. Besil couldn¡¯t bring himself to stop him. Instead, he grasped Keter¡¯s right hand firmly.


    ¡°I can tell how much you¡¯ve been through just from looking at your hands,.¡±


    Keter¡¯s hands bore the marks of calluses forming and peeling repeatedly, and there were deep scars so deep that it was a wonder all his fingers were still intact. His rough palms were clear evidence of the brutal and chaotic path he had walked.


    Keter also sensed something from Besil¡¯s touch.


    Keter never let his guard down, no matter who it was, even if it were a crawling infant or a dying old man. Yet, here he was, letting someone take his hand.


    Besil was just holding his hand, but Keter could feel it. His father had reached the pinnacle, both physically and technically.


    His father was a Five-star Master, a rank only one in tens of thousands ever achieved. It was a level revered by all warriors.


    However, the final opponent of the Sefira family was Queen Lilian of this kingdom, and the kingdom had over fifty Masters in total. In addition, one had to surpass the Four Lords to even stand a chance against Lillian, and they were Seven-star Prime. Even one hundred Five-star Masters couldn¡¯t defeat a single Lord.


    From the looks of it, Besil neither had the desire nor the time to grow any stronger. That meant Keter had to give him hints to reach the realm of Ein. But if it was too obvious, Besil would never accept it. It was easy yet difficult for a human who already mastered aura to absorb mana into their body.


    First, they would have to completely abandon all the aura they accumulated so far. Only after that could the body begin to accept mana, and in doing so, they became capable of maintaining both aura and mana simultaneously.


    But no one would be willing to give that up. Abandoning the years, the pain, the blood and sacrifice required to reach the rank of Master would be nearly impossible. But that was why it was all the more appealing. If it were easy, it would be boring. There was a particular thrill in accomplishing what everyone else deemed impossible.


    * * *


    There were three knight orders within the Sefira family: the Sacred Order of Sefira, composed of one and two-star holy knights; the Order of the Galaxy, made up of knights ranked three stars and above; and the Order of the Star, which served as the commanders of the soldiers.


    One knight was packing his belongings at the Sacred Order of Sefira¡¯s barracks. After gathering all his belongings, the knight glanced at the nameplate on the shelf.


    Luke packed his belongings, taking his nameplate last, and stepped out into the hallway. The corridor was completely empty. He glanced around with a bitter expression. It was a sudden transfer, but surely everyone knew he was leaving today. Yet, no one came to see him off.


    It was because of Luke''s nickname.


    It was more of an insult than a nickname, but it was a nickname widely used to refer to Luke, one even he acknowledged. It was because Luke hesitated and feared killing for any reason. Not only that, he also struggled with causing harm to others in general.


    ¡°It''s not like I want to be this way.¡±


    The instinct to avoid killing was natural for humans, but it was something that could typically be overcome. But for some reason, Luke found it impossible. It wasn¡¯t due to trauma or any psychological issue. He considered his inability a curse, though no one else believed him.


    Luke had basically given up on fixing this problem, so he was surprised when he received word that the patriarch had summoned him. At first, he thought Besil was going to personally tell him to quit; after all, a knight who could not fight could hardly be called a knight. Anyone would find a person weaker than even a soldier being called a knight distasteful.


    However, Besil said something unexpected to Luke. Besil asked him to become Keter¡¯s partner, to grow alongside him by complementing each other¡¯s weaknesses.


    Luke told himself this would be the last time; he would overcome this curse and become helpful to the Sefira family, even if it meant he would die.


    With big goals in mind, Luke headed to the mansion where Keter, his partner, was.


    * * *


    Luke arrived at the mansion Keter was staying and gulped.


    ¡°This is where Keter lives.¡±


    The mansion was a remodeled three-story storage. Its appearance didn¡¯t quite match the grandeur of the Sefira family, which could be because it seemed so hastily constructed.


    ¡°It feels colder here than anywhere else.¡±


    Feeling a sudden wave of unease, Luke glanced around. The soldiers were quietly standing guard as if nothing was out of the ordinary.


    Before coming here, Luke had been briefed on some basic information about Keter. He knew that Keter was from the lawless city of Absinthe and was eighteen years old¡ªan age full of energy and vitality. Luke had heard rumors about Keter causing various major incidents on his very first day in the family, but he didn''t believe in gossip.


    Contrary to his resolve, his hands began to sweat.


    .


    After what felt like an eternity, Luke finally grabbed the door handle. All he had to do was turn and pull; it was a simple, easy action, but Luke couldn¡¯t do it.


    Luke¡¯s hand starts trembling uncontrollably. It wasn''t because he was nervous; he knew exactly why.


    Luke had experienced a peculiar phenomenon since he was very young: right before something unfortunate was about to happen, his body would start to tremble. If he ignored it and tried to push through, the trembling would turn into paralysis, tormenting him.


    At first, he thought it was an illness, but no doctor or priest ever diagnosed it. They simply concluded that it was a psychological issue.


    However, Luke thought differently. He believed it was a curse bestowed upon him, someone who was not originally from the Lillian Kingdom. His inability to kill also stemmed from this curse. Even just thinking about harming someone made his hands shake so violently that he couldn''t even shoot an arrow.


    However, the curse didn¡¯t only bring misfortune. It saved his life many times in various dangerous situations. There were instances where he had planned to cross a mountain but decided to take a detour after feeling the trembling, only to later learn that bandits had been ravaging the area. He had even once detected poison in water through the curse''s trembling.


    But this was the first time something like this had happened. His curse was reacting to the prospect of meeting someone.


    The trembling only grew worse as Luke tightened his grip. However, he didn¡¯t give up. It didn¡¯t matter if he ended up paralyzed and collapsing embarrassingly¡ªthis was his last chance. He wanted to at least try, even if it meant fainting disgracefully.


    At that moment, a voice came from behind him.


    ¡°What are you doing, kid?¡±


    The sudden voice snapped Luke back to his senses, and he quickly turned around.


    The man looking down at him had sharp features but a soft demeanor¡ªa combination that didn¡¯t seem to match at all. It was impossible to guess his rank or occupation from the way he dressed.


    Fortunately, the trembling had stopped, but unfortunately, the man looked suspicious. Although the absence of his usual shaking suggested he wasn¡¯t a dangerous person, Luke still felt uneasy.


    ¡°And who are you to be here?¡±


    Luke, who hated being called a kid, wasn¡¯t going to respond politely.


    ¡°I asked first. Answer me.¡±


    ¡°I am Sir Luke Blendere, Knight of the Sacred Order of Sefira. And for the record, I¡¯m an adult, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you refrained from calling me a kid.¡±


    ¡°Seems like Sefira is really running out of talent if they¡¯re recruiting kids like you into the knight order.¡±


    ¡°You take that back. I can tolerate you insulting me, but I won¡¯t allow you to insult Sefira.¡±


    ¡°And what if I don¡¯t?¡±


    The man lowered his stance and even offered his cheek as if inviting Luke to hit him. Luke¡¯s fists trembled in frustration.


    For some reason, the soldiers nearby were just standing by, watching without intervening. They were probably leaving it to him because he was a knight. While Luke couldn¡¯t resort to violence, he could at least push the man away, and he was about to do so when a familiar figure appeared behind the man.


    It was Jacques, his father. Jacques also seemed to have noticed Luke and quickly walked over. Luke thought they could team up and chase this rude person away. However, Jacques spoke first.


    ¡°My lord, why are you standing by the door? Hm? Luke? What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Luke knew his father was Keter¡¯s personal butler. But why was he calling this thug a lord?


    A flash of realization struck Luke¡¯s mind.


    Luke¡¯s eyes shifted back from his father to the thug. The man flashed a smile that was both innocent and devilish.

 Chapter 34: Speak of the Goblin (2)

    An awkward tension filled the hallway. While the soldiers watching found it amusing, both Luke and Jacques did not.


    Luke was in shock after realizing that the man he thought was just a thug was actually his partner. Jacques, on the other hand, was stunned that Keter''s partner turned out to be his own son.


    When Jacques first heard that Keter was getting a partner, he thought it was none of his concern.


    But now¡­


    ¡°Excuse me¡­¡±


    ¡°There must be some mistake.¡±


    Both Luke and Jacques spoke simultaneously, then hesitated, each giving the other a chance to speak first. As they awkwardly exchanged glances, Keter broke the silence.


    ¡°Gramps, you speak first.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Let me introduce you first. This is my son, Luke.¡±


    ¡°Your son? He doesn¡¯t look like you at all. You didn¡¯t kidnap him, did you?¡±


    ¡°Haha, no, not at all. Believe it or not, I found him drifting in the river as a baby. There was a note in the cloth asking for someone to take care of him. I took it as fate and raised him as my own.¡±


    Luke remained calm even after hearing about his past. He had already heard the story from Jacques a long time ago. Keter, on the other hand, examined Luke''s face carefully.


    The people of the southern continent, where the Lilian Kingdom was located, were generally tall with distinct, sharp features. In contrast, Luke was short and looked more like a boy despite being an adult, and he had a round, cute face. The biggest difference, however, was his skin. Though tanned by the sun, his skin was still smooth. It was hard to pinpoint his origin, but one thing was clear¡ªhe wasn¡¯t born in the Lilian Kingdom.


    Keter suddenly realized how disinterested he had been in family matters in his past life.


    It was hard to believe that it was a coincidence that Jacque¡¯s son was assigned as Keter¡¯s partner.


    Just as an experienced fruit farmer could judge the quality of fruit by its appearance, Keter could tell immediately by looking at Luke: there was no scent of blood on him. This meant that Luke had never killed anyone. For a farmer, that might not matter, but for a knight, not having killed was like a fisherman not knowing how to clean fish.


    Luke was interesting. According to Keter¡¯s long experience, someone like Luke couldn¡¯t live a normal, quiet life even if he tried to. He was destined to be wrapped up in lots of incidents and events, and he would cause them without even knowing. Of course, there were other people like him; to be frank, there were countless people like this in Liqueur.


    Luke was a knight of a master family and had a pretty face. There could only be one reason why someone with these qualities could live without any issues.


    Keter¡¯s lips curled into a smile as he looked at Luke. Seeing that smile, Luke felt dizzy.


    Jacques, noticing Luke hadn¡¯t introduced himself yet, nudged him, signaling him to do so. Luke swallowed a sigh, pressed his fist to his chest, and greeted Keter.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself again. I¡¯m Luke Blendere, Knight of the First Division of the Sacred Order of Sefira. The patriarch said that partners should treat each other like friends regardless of status or age, so I¡¯ll speak casually.¡±


    It was a neat introduction, but Jacques, worried that Keter might take offense, quickly added an explanation.


    ¡°Ha ha, my lord, the partner system is an old tradition of Sefira. It¡¯s meant to foster a genuine relationship where both parties can offer advice without the restrictions of rank. Even Hissop, the eldest son, maintains a close, informal relationship with his knight partner.¡±


    Keter, who wasn¡¯t one for formality himself, didn¡¯t care much. He was simply amused by the situation.


    ¡°Of course, of course. We should speak casually. After all, we¡¯re not in a typical relationship, are we?¡±


    ¡°...Please forgive my earlier mistake. I came in such a hurry today that I didn¡¯t even know what you looked like.¡±


    ¡°It happens. Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s all good.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh... alright...¡±


    Perhaps it was because of Keter¡¯s bad first impression, but his relaxed response made him seem more likable. Luke started to think that maybe the rumors were just rumors.


    This was the beginning of a great misunderstanding.


    * * *


    ¡°I will bring some tea,¡± Jacques said, following the butler¡¯s etiquette as he seated Keter and Luke at the table.


    There was nothing to object to, but Keter, of course, found something.


    ¡°Tea? You should be bringing alcohol.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I didn¡¯t mishear that, did I? Alcohol? The sun hasn¡¯t even set yet, and you want to drink?¡± Luke asked in surprise, sitting across from Keter.


    Meanwhile, Jacques looked like he expected this.


    ¡°I''ll bring it,¡± Jacques responded.


    ¡°Right, Father, alcohol¡¯s not allowed... huh?¡± Luke said.  Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He took out a bottle of wine and glasses from the shelf and set it down on the table.


    Keter frowned at the sight of the wine bottle.


    ¡°This wine is way too weak. This is basically grape juice.¡±


    ¡°My lord, I won¡¯t tell you not to drink, but please don¡¯t drink enough to get drunk.¡±


    ¡°Anyone listening would get the wrong idea. You¡¯re the one who gets drunk, not me. Why are you acting like this? Want to bet on who can drink more?¡±


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t get drunk, the smell of alcohol will still linger, and then it''s my head on the chopping block. Is that what you want?¡±


    Jacques was a truly veteran butler. He pleaded and begged Keter using his life. Even Keter couldn¡¯t argue with that. Clicking his tongue, he grabbed the wine bottle.


    ¡°Honestly, you probably saved the world in your past life, Gramps.¡±


    .


    Keter filled two glasses with wine, one for himself and one for Luke.


    Luke watched as the glass in front of him filled and muttered under his breath. ¡°I have to drink too?¡±


    For a noble of a prestigious lineage, drinking alcohol in broad daylight was dishonorable. Yet here was Keter, offering wine to a knight.


    Keter raised his glass first and said, ¡°Let''s toast. We should celebrate our meeting.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m a knight. I won¡¯t drink.¡±


    Luke firmly refused, wanting to assert that the relationship between partners wasn¡¯t a hierarchy. Jacques, observing this, grew uneasy. Knowing Keter''s personality, he was sure Keter would force him to drink.


    But to his surprise, Keter downed his own glass and then, instead of forcing Luke to drink, he emptied Luke''s glass as well.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll drink for you. Nice to meet you, Luke.¡±


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    As Jacques let out a sigh of relief, Luke stared at him strangely.


    ¡°Ahem, Keter, I heard from the patriarch that you received your first mission. I didn¡¯t hear the details about the mission, so could you show me the document?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that. Gramps, can you bring it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.


    Luke didn¡¯t feel good seeing Keter treat his father, Jacques, like a subordinate, but he quickly regained his composure. It was natural for a butler to take orders from their lord; Jacques was doing what he was supposed to, and Keter was just enjoying his rights.


    ¡°Take this,¡± Jacques said to Luke.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Luke snuck a glance at Keter, who was drinking by himself, and opened the mission document Jacques handed him.


    Luke, who nervously checked the mission, felt relieved.


    This mission was basically a vacation.


    Luke, no longer nervous, said, ¡°It¡¯s an easy mission. I think the patriarch was being considerate of us. Or maybe it¡¯s so that we can go get some fresh air.¡±


    After putting down the mission, Luke shared his thoughts. Since everything would be new and unfamiliar to Keter, as the senior, he wanted to guide Keter step by step.


    Keter, snacking on the peanuts on the table, said, ¡°How is it an easy mission when a person has gone missing?¡±


    ¡°You might not know because you¡¯re not from here, but it¡¯s quite common. It says he¡¯s missing, but he¡¯s probably just running late from helping the residents.¡±


    ¡°Why would he help the residents? Why? Knights aren¡¯t errand boys.¡±


    ¡°Because they are Sefira¡¯s knights. You don¡¯t know the history behind Sefira, right? The first ancestor of Sefira was just a commoner hunter. He gathered hunters to join him in ending the long war through archery. At that time, thousands of commoner hunters from across the kingdom joined, and he achieved great merit in the war. He gained recognition from the queen and became a noble.


    ¡°At that moment, he made a vow¡ªhe swore that, even as a noble, he would never look down on or ignore commoners as he was only able to rise to nobility due to their support. He promised to always help those in need, and this principle has continued to this day.¡±


    Luke felt his heart swell with emotion even as he spoke. It was a remarkable history.


    Other noble families adorned their pasts with mythical tales, claiming they defeated monsters that flew through the sky and shot beams from their mouths, or that they pulled swords from rocks and were chosen by fate. But Sefira was different. It has a vivid and realistic history, rare for the nobility, with a past full of meaning¡ªcaring for and loving the common people.


    At that moment, a sound came from somewhere, calming down Luke¡¯s overwhelming emotions.


    Keter continued to shell peanuts, saying, ¡°Do they get paid for it?¡±


    ¡°Knights should not be greedy while offering goodwill,¡± Luke replied.


    ¡°Like serving without pay is a point of pride.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s the chivalry code. And there are nobles and knights because there are commoners.¡±


    ¡°Commoners won¡¯t think that way. They¡¯ll see us as foolish nobles and look down on us.¡±


    ¡°What do you know to say such nonsense?¡±


    As Luke was about to retort, Jacques placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him.


    ¡°You seem to be getting easily agitated today.¡±


    As Jacques mentioned, Luke realized that it was strangely difficult to control his emotions while talking with Keter.


    ¡°... Sorry, Keter. I think I got angry because I¡¯ve never had this kind of conversation before.¡±


    ¡°Nothing to apologize for. I find it more irritating when someone doesn¡¯t say what they want to say.¡±


    Of course, they would still have to pay the price for saying what they want to.


    The mission request was probably not false. It was indeed an easy mission of finding the missing knight and bringing them back to the estate.


    This wasn¡¯t a coincidence. It was clear that someone set a trap, and the Sefira family walked right into it. What needed to be examined here was whether there was an accomplice in the family.


    ¡°Why did Katherine take on an F-rank mission?¡±


    Katherine was not only a two-star knight but also a member of the Order of the Star, which commanded skilled archers. There was no reason for her to take on such a low-rank mission.


    Luke, who knew the reason, explained, ¡°Dame Katherine is from that village. Lord Reganon was being considerate.¡±


    As soon as Reganon¡¯s name was mentioned, Keter began questioning.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Elder Reganon in seclusion? Was he assigning the family¡¯s missions?¡±


    ¡°You should call him Lord Reganon, Keter. People are listening. Anyway, Lord Reganon wasn¡¯t just idly sitting by. You see the mission difficulty here? Lord Reganon assesses this. He also personally assigns the right talents for each mission.¡±


    ¡°So, all the family¡¯s missions are handled by Reganon.¡±


    ¡°The final approval is given by the patriarch. But it¡¯s probably just a formality. Lord Reganon is flawless and perfect in this area. He used to manage the royal library, so it¡¯s only natural that he has exceptional judgment.¡±


    ¡°Heh, heh, heh.¡±


    As Keter started laughing, Luke and Jacques exchanged puzzled looks. Keter was genuinely pleased. He had been suspicious of Reganon since their first meeting, and now¡­


    Jacques opened the door slightly to check the unwanted visitor. After a brief exchange of words, the door was opened.


    An armed knight entered. Wearing silver armor and even a helmet, the knight approached Keter immediately. Luke saw the knight and stood up to show his respect.


    ¡°I am Luke, Knight of the Sacred Order of Sefira. I hope you have been well, Sir Gant.¡±


    The knight, referred to as Gant, glanced at Luke and replied, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve become Lord Keter¡¯s partner. You¡¯re going to be working hard.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I will do my best.¡±


    As Luke quickly stepped aside, Gant moved closer to Keter. Then, without any further action, introduced himself.


    ¡°I am Gant of the Order of the Galaxy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being quite short with me.¡±


    ¡°You need to go with me now.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re ignoring my words.¡±


    Keter stood up and faced Gant, whose face was partially obscured beneath his helmet.


    The Order of the Galaxy was the most powerful knight order in Sefira. It consisted of knights of at least three-star or higher, and only those with extensive combat experience and achievements could join.


    Gant seemed to have expected this from Keter and smirked, as if he was about to beat Keter.


    ¡°Lord Reganon is asking for you.¡±


    ¡°You should have started with that. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    [1]


    1. This is a wordplay on ¡°Speak of the Devil¡± ?

 Chapter 35: This is All For Sefira (1)

    Gant, who came in place of Reganon, led Keter to a vast, dense garden.


    Seeing no clear destination, Keter muttered under his breath, ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll end up in the empire.¡±


    ¡°If you wish to live as a noble of a prestigious family, you should grow your patience,¡± Gant replied.


    Gant stopped in front of a pond, more precisely, behind a large statue built next to it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning to lecture me in a clich¨¦ spot like this.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say the thought hasn¡¯t crossed my mind.¡±


    Gant removed his helmet and pressed the heel of the statue. Then, a hidden secret door quietly emerged from the ground.


    ¡°Are you living underground like some kind of evil organization?¡±


    ¡°This is the archive where all of Sefira¡¯s history is stored, so please show some respect.¡±


    ¡°To the history? Or to the elder?¡±


    ¡°To both.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be tough for me since I lack empathy.¡±


    Gant did not stop walking as he frowned. The archive they arrived at was surprisingly large, especially compared to the narrow staircase they had descended. On top of that, it was as bright as day even though it was underground. They didn¡¯t use candles or torches, but there was a self-illuminating stone embedded in the ceiling.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a sun stone, right?¡±


    It was different from a light stone, which emitted light through magic. Like its name, the sun stone emitted light like the sun; according to some research, it was found to be able to shine for five hundred years continuously. Even a sun stone the size of a fist was worth thousands of gold, but here, there were dozens of stones the size of a human head embedded in the ceiling.


    ¡°My mouth is watering.¡±


    As Keter licked his lips looking at the ceiling, Gant gave a stern warning.


    ¡°Do not even think of stealing the sun stones. As you can see, this place is guarded by the Order of the Galaxy.¡±


    True to Gant¡¯s words, knights were stationed all around. They were the members of Sefira¡¯s strongest force, the Order of the Galaxy. Keter clicked his tongue in response.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of being the family¡¯s strongest force if they¡¯re just standing around here? Knights weren¡¯t trained for this.¡±


    ¡°This archive holds the entire history of the family. Each shelf is a part of that history. Don¡¯t you know the saying that a family without its history is no better than a band of thieves?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s that important, you should make multiple copies and store it in different places. As it stands now, all an intruder has to do is set a fire, and everything will burn to the ground.¡±


    Keter found another reason for Sefira¡¯s downfall. Even though there wasn¡¯t enough manpower, they were keeping the family¡¯s strongest knights stuck in a place like this. He couldn¡¯t understand it. Even if he pretended to, this was still a huge waste.


    ¡°...Let''s hurry.¡±


    Unable to argue with Keter, Gant only quickened his pace instead. They soon arrived at a door, which was labeled as an office.


    Gant declared, ¡°This is Lord Keter. We are entering.¡±


    The knights guarding the door pulled the handle and opened it.


    Just as Keter was about to enter, Gant leaned in and whispered in his ear, ¡°Do not be disrespectful in front of Lord Reganon. I can tolerate insults directed at me, but I will not tolerate any toward the lord.¡±


    Keter slammed the back of his head into Gant¡¯s forehead. Gant staggered back, clutching his nose.


    ¡°G-Gant, you¡­¡±


    The guard at the door pointed at Gant''s nose. Soon, Gant felt something wet on his fingers.


    ¡°Blood...!¡±


    Keter¡¯s headbutt had made Gant¡¯s nose start bleeding.


    Turning toward Gant, Keter said, ¡°I thought it was some bug buzzing in my ear, but it was you? Geez, why are you blowing air in people¡¯s ears like that? You''re not some kind of creep, are you?¡±


    ¡°You little...!¡±


    ¡°Elder Reganon is waiting, so I''ll head in first. You can come in after your nose stops bleeding.¡±


    Then, Keter slipped into the audience room.


    The guards shut the door behind him and said, ¡°Do as the kid says and stop the bleeding before you go in. You cannot let Lord Reganon see you like that.¡±


    ¡°Hmph...!¡±


    While Gant went off to stop the bleeding, Keter finally came face-to-face with Reganon, something he had been waiting for.


    * * *


    ¡°Flowers are blooming, so it must be spring,¡± murmured Reganon, as if reciting a poem.


    He was sitting and reading a book. Keter ignored him and glanced around the room. It was more of a library than an office. The room had three floors, with deep shadows cast beyond the bookshelves, indicating there was more space behind them.


    As Keter continued to examine the room, Reganon said once more, ¡°Even without snow, the sight of one''s breath tells us that winter has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Have you gone senile?¡±


    Finished with his observations, Keter stood before Reganon. Reganon set down his book. His gaunt figure looked less pitiful and more like an enlightened monk.


    ¡°Do you not understand the meaning of my words, Keter?¡±


    ¡°I''m not a fan of speaking in riddles.¡±


    ¡°What I''m saying is that to the Sefira family, you are both the scorching summer sun and the biting winter wind.¡±


    ¡°A guest has come, and you don''t even offer tea? How stingy you are.¡±


    Keter, who didn¡¯t pay attention to nonsense, ignored Reganon. At how he was acting, Reganon stood up.


    ¡°I don''t drink tea. Tea, after all, is pure water mixed with impurities¡ªmuch like you.¡±


    ¡°Now you''re starting to make sense. Did you call me here to threaten me? Something like if I don''t leave, you¡¯ll kill me?¡±


    ¡°It''s not a threat; it''s a notice.¡±


    Reganon slowly walked toward his desk. His pace was so slow that Keter, tired of waiting, sat down in a chair first.


    Hearing the sound of Keter sitting, Reganon, without turning around, said, ¡°You received an assignment from the patriarch, didn''t you?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you assign all those missions. Impressive.¡±


    ¡°Knowing Besil''s personality, he probably didn''t tell you, so I''ll explain instead. Our Sefira family is in a crisis right now.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. The prestigious Sefira family is in a crisis? Is someone threatening you with a knife?¡±


    ¡°I know what you''re thinking. You probably thought you could live a life of luxury by leeching on our family, but it''s the opposite. If you grow too close to our family, you''ll end up dead.¡±


    ¡°You said it wasn¡¯t a threat, but now you''re predicting my death.¡±


    Reganon delayed his response. He had finally reached the desk. Picking up an envelope from the desk, Reganon turned to Keter and said, ¡°It won''t be me who kills you; it¡¯ll be the world.¡±


    The look in Keter¡¯s eyes changed.


    Though it was obvious why Reganon called him, Keter found it intriguing because what Reganon was saying wasn¡¯t.


    Keter took a deep breath, pretending to be deep in thought.


    When Keter had met Reganon in the audience room, there had been a lingering scent of oranges on him. But now, Reganon only smelled like dry, musty books. The atmosphere around him was damp like a gloomy basement.


    The Order of the Galaxy that Keter saw on his way here guarded this place without rest, meaning if Reganon were to do anything suspicious, the knights would know. But the fact that they were staying silent meant one of two things: either they had betrayed Sefira along with Reganon, or Reganon had been in contact with outsiders without even the knights'' knowledge.


    Moving leisurely, almost too slowly, Reganon finally stood before Keter and handed over the documents he''d brought.


    ¡°It¡¯d be great if this was pocket money.¡±


    Keter opened the envelope and shook the contents into his hand. Then, a thousand-gold bill fell out.


    A piece of identification fell out along with the bill.


    ¡°Imperial identification? This is quite a rare item.¡±


    It was an exquisitely forged counterfeit of an imperial identification document, proof of citizenship in the Samael Empire.


    Reganon sat down in a chair far from Keter, rather than directly across from him, and said, ¡°When you arrive in Hacose Village, go to the Pumpkin Leaf Inn. My subordinate will be there waiting for you with a carriage, and you can use that to quietly disappear.¡±


    Keter tucked the thousand-gold bill and the identification document into his pocket. Seeing this, Reganon gave a faint smile.


    ¡°A wise choice. You¡¯ll thank me for this one day. But remember, you must not reveal your true identity even in the Samael Empire. And don¡¯t even think about coming back.¡±


    ¡°Hah... Since I¡¯m leaving, just answer me one thing.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Who are you conspiring with?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Keter¡¯s question brought vitality to Reganon¡¯s dead eyes. He glared at Keter, to which he responded with a cheeky smile.


    ¡°From what I hear, my father has made a mistake before. Is this revenge for that mistake?¡±


    Besil killed Olive, and Reganon was Olive¡¯s father, meaning that to Reganon, Besil was a foe who had killed his daughter.


    ¡°... Getting revenge doesn¡¯t bring my dead daughter back.¡±


    ¡°But it would make you feel amazing.¡±


    ¡°That is only momentary. I would regret it for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°Humans do what they know they aren¡¯t supposed to do, and I don¡¯t think you will be any different.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°All humans aren¡¯t the same.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t that different either.¡±


    ¡°I answered too much to one question. It seems like you¡¯re not going to take my offer and just the money.¡±


    ¡°Was it that obvious?¡±


    ¡°Child, I don¡¯t know why you asked me that question, but one thing is for certain: you are clearly mistaken, about both me and Sefira. Unfortunately, you haven¡¯t realized that.¡±


    As soon as Reganon rang the bell on his chair, the door opened and Gant, who cleaned up his nosebleed, rushed in and grabbed Keter¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Get up, Keter.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being short with me, Gant.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. You¡¯re not a noble yet.¡±


    ¡°Which means you need to be even more careful. This time, it won¡¯t just end with a bloody nose like before.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Gant hissed in anger, having taken a hit.


    At that moment, Reganon quietly said, ¡°Keter, the only reason I tolerated your arrogance was because you are Besil¡¯s son. But that patience has just run out.¡±


    ¡°You sure take your time telling me to get lost.¡±


    Keter stood up, shrugging off Gant¡¯s hand that was still gripping his shoulder. Gant scowled, but all he did was glare as he was mindful of Reganon¡¯s presence.


    Just before leaving, Keter turned to Reganon and asked, ¡°Has there ever been an elder in Sefira¡¯s history who betrayed the family?¡±


    ¡°...No.¡±


    ¡°There will be one soon.¡±


    Reganon responded to Keter¡¯s remark with silence. Keter, seemingly not expecting an answer, left the office without another word.


    But Gant wasn¡¯t one to just stand by and watch.


    He quickly approached Reganon and whispered softly, ¡°Just give me the order. Even if I get exiled from the family, I swear¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Gant, if you really think for me, you should be doing it, even without the order.¡±


    ¡°... Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Stop. It was just a figure of speech. I didn¡¯t mean for you to actually do it,¡± Reganon told Gant, as if calming him down. ¡°You are a knight¡ªa proud knight of Sefira. Don¡¯t lose your dignity over a mere reckless child.¡±


    ¡°I will take that to heart, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Make sure that boy returns safely.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Gant gave a short, firm salute and left the office. A short while later, he returned to report on Keter.


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent him on his way,¡± he said to Reganon.


    ¡°There were no issues?¡±


    ¡°No, my lord. I didn¡¯t even want to speak to the boy, so I stayed quiet. He didn¡¯t say anything either.¡±


    ¡°Just wait a moment. I¡¯m on the last page.¡±


    Reganon savored the final page of the poetry book he was reading. The book was worn with use, its edges frayed and tattered. It was clear he had read it not just once or twice, but at least hundreds of times.


    ¡°¡®Growth comes with pain. If it is painful, that is evidence of growth.¡¯ It¡¯s a good verse, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. It is extremely wise.¡±


    ¡°Gant, I am in extreme pain right now.¡±


    Reganon lowered the book, revealing his face. His eyes held a dark determination. It was not the gaze of a man weary of life, nor of one mourning the death of his daughter. It was the look of someone who had forsaken his life and humanity for a single purpose.


    Gant, a seasoned veteran knight, gulped nervously. Reganon was an ordinary¡ªno, a frail old man. Yet the eerie aura emanating from him chilled even Gant, who had been on the verge of death countless times.


    Laying the book aside, Reganon said, ¡°There will be no changes to the plan.¡±


    His voice was clear and firm.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Instead of Katherine, we¡¯ll send Keter first.¡±

 Chapter 36: This is All For Sefira (2)

    Keter''s suspicion was spot on. The Order of the Galaxy in the archive supported Reganon¡ªhis character, his beliefs, and...


    Gant, the captain of the fourth division of the Order of the Galaxy and Reganon¡¯s closest confidant, said with concern, ¡°Do you think the patriarch will be shaken by Keter¡¯s disappearance? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be furious if Katherine disappeared, with her being a clear candidate for the Seven Stars of the North. But Keter has only been part of the family for two days. Since there hasn¡¯t been much interaction, I doubt he¡¯ll feel much sorrow.¡±


    Reganon nodded.


    ¡°Besil is a man who clearly separates personal and professional matters. Even so, he forgave Keter for his misdeeds and gave him a mission. It was an act of leniency beyond what he¡¯s shown his own sons. If Keter goes missing, Besil will likely mobilize the Order of the Galaxy to find him.¡±


    ¡°But they won¡¯t find him. Keter has gone somewhere no one can reach.¡±


    ¡°I do regret not being able to send off Katherine first, but Keter is still just a clueless child. He should not be caught up in our crisis.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. He¡¯s been acting recklessly, without knowing how dangerous the noble society really is. He doesn¡¯t belong here.¡±


    ¡°In a way, Keter has helped us. The Bydent family requested that we deal with him now, and we can use that to demand more in return.¡±


    Bydent, a family known for spearmanship, was trying to dethrone the Sefira family from its position as a master family so that they could take it.


    In this situation, Reganon formed a secret pact with the Bydent family, promising to make the Sefira family relinquish the title voluntarily. He also agreed to recommend Bydent as the next candidate for the master family. In return, the Bydent family promised to leave the Sefira family members alone; that was how strong and politically powerful the Bydent family was.


    ¡°Bydent probably thinks we¡¯ve done them a favor. However, I¡¯m¡­ not sure if the beastfolk under your command can actually handle the Marksman of the Demon Arrow,¡± Gant remarked, raising an unexpected subject.


    Beastfolk were creatures rarer than elves or dwarves. It was shocking that such beings were hiding under the protection of Sefira. The Kingdom of Lillian was extremely xenophobic. Even elves and dwarves, who resembled humans the most, were viewed unfavorably, so beastfolk were outright treated as monsters.


    The specific beastfolk currently under Reganon¡¯s protection was part of the Flying Wolf Tribe, one of the Seven Cursed Species¡ªthe seven beastfolk kinds that had attempted to assassinate the emperor in the past.


    The Samael Empire rewarded those who captured and sold them one of the Seven Cursed Species with a bounty of more than one million gold. Even their corpse was worth one hundred thousand gold, and simply providing information on their whereabouts was rewarded with ten thousand gold. This was why the Seven Cursed Species were seen as a golden ticket to instant wealth for many.


    One might wonder why Sefira was protecting a flying wolf, but it was a secret. Even Besil didn¡¯t know that one of the Seven Cursed Species was right under his nose. All of this was Reganon¡¯s independent doing. He had stumbled upon a flying wolf by chance and decided to help them, offering them a place to hide and live.


    The only people aware of the beastfolk¡¯s existence were Reganon and the fourth division of the Order of the Galaxy. However, Gant didn¡¯t know how strong they were, as he only knew of their existence. On the other hand, he had seen firsthand the destructive power of the Marksman of the Demon Arrow, having witnessed Besil wield it himself.


    When Besil became the Marksman of the Demon Arrow, he appeared unstoppable¡ªan unbeatable superhuman, almost god-like. While Keter might not wield it with the same power as Besil, he was still a Marksman of the Demon Arrow, after all.


    However, Reganon just smiled at Gant¡¯s concern.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. I¡¯ve seen their strength with my own eyes. Even if Keter becomes a Marksman, it won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I trust you, my lord. If you are confident in this, it will surely work.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Without you, it would have been difficult to carry out this plan.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m the one who is honored, my lord. You shared this plan with me first to save Sefira. I still tear up when I think about that moment.¡±


    ¡°Save your tears. We still have greater crises ahead.¡±


    Suddenly, Gant dropped to one knee and said, ¡°I hesitated back then, but now I can say this with certainty: the patriarch is wrong. In trying to save everyone, he¡¯s putting us all in danger. The entire fourth division of the Order of the Galaxy, including myself, fully agrees with your stance, my lord. To gain something, we must be willing to give something up.¡±


    Moved by Gant''s determination, Reganon stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Gant... I will prove that you are not wrong. Trust me and follow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord! I will follow. You are the true head of Sefira to me, my lord.¡±


    This was treason.


    While knights were human and could like or dislike someone, they must never betray the patriarch, who was their reason for existence. If they disagreed, they had to be prepared for exile to offer counsel, and had to follow it, even if they didn¡¯t understand it. But now, Gant had declared that Besil was wrong and pledged his loyalty to Reganon. It wasn¡¯t just about himself, but the entire fourth division, made up of ten knights.


    Reganon suddenly recalled Keter''s words, asking if he had betrayed the family for the sake of avenging his daughter. If someone asked him if what he was doing was betraying the Sefira family, he could confidently deny it.


    Reganon already strongly advised Besil against staying neutral, but he didn¡¯t accept it. As Reganon couldn¡¯t let the family fall, he began acting on his own¡ªall to save Sefira. He could be seen as a traitor for his actions, as he was going against the patriarch.


    Olive always told Reganon to look after the Sefira family, as she loved them. He wanted to keep his promise to his daughter, even if he would be recorded as a traitor in history.


    This was what he wanted to say to Keter, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say this in front of him.


    Instead, he said to Gant, ¡°This is all for Sefira.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°I¡¯m home.¡±


    As soon as Keter returned, the two people who had been anxiously waiting jumped to their feet.


    ¡°What happened? Why did Lord Reganon call for you?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t offend Lord Reganon, did you, my lord?¡±


    Keter shrugged.


    ¡°He threatened me, said I''d be dead if I didn¡¯t leave the family. So I just gave him a little comeback. I told him, ¡®You traitor! I¡¯ll expose your dark schemes for sure!¡¯ and walked out,¡± replied Keter, answering both questions at once.


    There was no reason to hide his relationship with Reganon. It would be foolish for him to act like nothing happened and then reveal what Reganon had said after the situation blew up.


    Reganon''s bold reveal was something that could only be done with absolute certainty and conviction. He couldn¡¯t possibly believe Keter would stay silent.


    Keter had just explained everything to Luke and Jacques, but they looked at him like they didn¡¯t believe a word of it.


    Luke sighed and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell us, fine. I¡¯m just glad you came back safely.¡±


    As expected, Luke didn¡¯t believe Keter.


    On the other hand, Jacques muttered with a serious expression, ¡°You were serious when you said you called him a traitor, right?¡±


    ¡°Father, if that were true, Keter wouldn¡¯t have come back in one piece. He was probably joking.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right... No matter how kind Lord Reganon may seem, the Order of the Galaxy is always by his side.¡±


    The mention of the Order of the Galaxy piqued Keter¡¯s curiosity.


    ¡°Speaking of which, how many knights are in this Order of the Galaxy?¡±


    Luke answered, ¡°There are six divisions, each with ten members. Sir Gant, who came to fetch you earlier, is the captain of the fourth division.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? So at least ten of the Order of the Galaxy are on Elder Reganon¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°The fourth division is in charge of guarding the records archive, so they¡¯re likely on good terms with Lord Reganon.¡±


    The idea of Reganon betraying the family was something Luke couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine. There hadn¡¯t been any sign of it either.


    Luke quickly continued talking before Keter could be distracted again.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve come back safely, you need to get ready for the mission. I¡¯ll explain everything right now, so listen carefully.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, get ready,¡± Keter replied, as if he was about to leave as soon as he came back.


    Luke grabbed his arm.


    ¡°Where are you going? You just got back. You need to prepare with me. You¡¯re a member of Sefira now. There will come a time when you¡¯ll have to take on a solo mission, so you need to know how to get ready. Father, I¡¯ll take Keter to the supply storage.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Be careful,¡± Jacques replied.


    ¡°What? Of what?¡±


    ¡°... Lord Keter can be quite mischievous.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the other division members said the same. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Luke didn¡¯t want to make Jacques anxious. His reputation in the family was already at rock bottom, as despite being a knight, he had never once accomplished anything notable.


    Jacques might not be related to him by blood, but to Luke, he was more than a father figure. In reality, Luke had pretty much been stripped of his knighthood. He couldn¡¯t fight, and if he couldn¡¯t even play his role as a partner properly, he¡¯d be nothing more than a parasite. He felt it might be better to just leave the family altogether.


    Unaware of how cornered Luke felt, Keter said, ¡°Gramps, can I use the stuff that was confiscated from me when I came in for the mission?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, you can,¡± Jacques replied. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keter hadn¡¯t come to Sefira empty-handed. He had brought some equipment that he was using in Liqueur, but most of it had been confiscated during the inspection process.


    ¡°Can you bring that for me?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second. I¡¯ll go with Keter to get it. I need to know how to find it, too,¡± Luke offered, but Jacques stopped him.


    ¡°No, I should have already gotten it before Lord Keter even mentioned it. This is my responsibility, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    After Jacques left the room, Keter pointed toward the bathroom with his thumb and said, ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m twenty-one. How old are you?¡± Luke asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m definitely a year older than you,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°What kind of¡­¡± Luke began, but before he could finish, Keter disappeared into the bathroom.


    If Jacques had been there, he would¡¯ve shaken his head knowingly, having once fallen for the same tactic himself. Left alone, Luke began organizing the things he needed to explain to Keter in his mind.


    Ten minutes passed, and Luke glanced at the clock on the wall, muttering to himself, ¡°Is he taking a number two? Well, I guess he just came back from meeting Lord Reganon, so it makes sense to relax a bit. I almost collapsed the first time I met Lord Panir.¡±


    Luke, who was unnecessarily understanding, was fine with Keter being late.


    Twenty minutes passed. Finally, the door opened¡ªnot the bathroom door, but the room door. Jacques walked in, carrying a wooden box with both hands, his head peeking out to the side.


    ¡°Luke, you''re still here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Keter said he was going to the bathroom. He''s taking a while though. Let me help you with that.¡±


    Luke took the box from Jacques and was shocked by the weight.


    ¡°What¡¯s in here for it to be this heavy?¡±


    ¡°I thought my back was going to give out,¡± Jacques replied.


    The box was supposed to only contain Keter¡¯s belongings, and it wasn¡¯t even that large.


    ¡°This weight feels like it¡¯s filled with iron bars. Can I open it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to open it to sort things out anyway,¡± Jacques said as he unlocked the box himself.


    There wasn¡¯t much inside the box. In fact, it was hardly anything: just a pair of daggers, a bracelet, a belt, and a few small pouches.


    ¡°I guess Keter uses daggers,¡± Luke casually remarked as he picked one up, only to be startled. ¡°They¡¯re really heavy!¡±


    The daggers were absurdly heavy. Of course Luke, being a knight, could manage to lift them, but it was strange for daggers to be this heavy.


    ¡°Heavy, you say? Let me see,¡± Jacques said, reaching for the other dagger.


    Luke warned, ¡°Careful, Father. It might be tough for a normal person to lift with one hand... Huh?¡±


    Luke was left dumbfounded as Jacques effortlessly lifted the other dagger. Jacques looked just as confused.


    ¡°Heavy? It feels so light, as if I¡¯m holding nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°What? It¡¯s really light? Oh, you''re right, it¡¯s so light.¡±


    ¡°But this one is indeed as heavy as you said. They look identical, yet the weights are completely different.¡±


    ¡°Why would he use a weapon like this? What about the other items?¡±


    ¡°The bracelet seems ordinary. The pouches... Hmph, strange. They won¡¯t open, but there¡¯s no lock,,¡± Jacques said, puzzled.


    The bracelet had a smooth surface and an ordinary weight. Luke was curious about what was inside the pouches, but they wouldn¡¯t open. He figured he could probably force them open, but that might break them, so he shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask Keter about these. As his partner, I need to know about these things.¡±


    ¡°Hm. You said he went to the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a bit rude, but considering how long it¡¯s been, I¡¯ll have to tell him to come out.¡±


    ¡° Looks like I¡¯ve been fooled again.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Go knock on the door and see for yourself.¡±


    Confused by Jacques¡¯ words, Luke walked over to the bathroom door and knocked, calling for Keter.


    ¡°Keter, sorry to bother you, but are you almost done? How much longer do I have to wait?¡±


    But there was no response from inside the bathroom. Luke knocked harder this time. He thought that Keter might not have heard him if he was taking a bath, as the bathroom was quite large.


    ¡°Keter!¡±


    He tried turning the doorknob, wondering if it was unlocked, but it was locked from the inside.


    Watching from behind, Jacques handed him a key and said, ¡°Open it.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. No one will be in there.¡±


    ¡°Haha, there''s no way¡­¡±


    Despite denying it, Luke took the key and unlocked the door. As Jacques had predicted, the bathroom was empty. The window, however, was wide-open.


    ¡°...¡±


    As there was nowhere to hide in the bathroom, Luke walked over to the window, peeking outside to search for any sign of Keter. But there was no trace of him anywhere.


    ¡°This is the third floor, though¡­¡± Luke muttered.


    Luke didn''t know this, but this was the second time this had happened.


    ¡°He¡¯ll come back, right?¡±


    However, Keter didn¡¯t return, even after sunset. Luke panicked and insisted that they needed to find him immediately, but Jacques just shook his head.


    ¡°He¡¯ll return.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Get some sleep. If he hasn¡¯t returned by tomorrow morning, we¡¯ll talk about it then.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    And the next morning, Keter was found peacefully asleep on his sofa.

 Chapter 37: I’m Sefira’s Solver (1)

    ¡°How can you be sleeping right now?¡± Luke said to Keter, who was peacefully sleeping on the sofa.


    The dark circles under Luke¡¯s eyes showed that he didn¡¯t get any sleep the night before. He was relieved that Keter was found, but he was also puzzled.


    Last night, Luke was focusing all his senses in the room next door, waiting for Keter to return. Knights could catch the sound of ants crawling around if they concentrated on their hearing, but Luke didn¡¯t hear Keter going into his room.


    Luke wondered if this was even possible.


    Luke knew that Keter must not be extraordinary, as he was chosen by Demon Bow Amaranth, but for some reason, Luke felt like that wasn¡¯t the full story.


    ¡°Aghhh!¡±


    At that moment, Keter screamed in agony while twisting his entire body.


    ¡°Yikes! What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Luke was startled, thinking he might be having a seizure.


    ¡°Ah, that was a good sleep.¡±


    ¡°... You¡¯re so loud when you stretch.¡±


    ¡°Why, welcome, Luke.¡±


    ¡°How can you say that? Where did you disappear to yesterday? Why did you vanish without a word?!¡±


    ¡°Charming men tend to have many secrets,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Cut the nonsense. The guards have been on high alert with the rumors about ghosts appearing at night. It might be some kind of curse, so acting alone is dangerous."


    Of course, the ghost was actually Keter. The number of guards had doubled, and they still couldn¡¯t even figure out who it was, let alone catch him.


    Keter rolled his shoulders to stretch and said, ¡°Are you all set?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, I did everything myself, even your share.¡±


    Luke was surprised at what he was saying. It hadn¡¯t even been a day since they met, yet he was speaking so comfortably as if they were old friends.


    ¡°Very nice. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re still willing to take on the mission. Wait here while I get your gear.¡±


    People would normally get angry when criticized, but Keter brushed it off. How Keter was acting was annoying, but it also deepened Luke¡¯s sense of friendship toward Keter.


    After a moment, Luke handed over the gear he had brought from the next room. A bow, a quiver filled with arrows, leather armor engraved with the symbol of Sefira, a thick cloth jacket, and gloves that reached below the wrist¡ªthey were the basic equipment given to apprentice knights.


    ¡°Wash up and change. I¡¯ll finish getting ready and join you. Carry the bow over your shoulder, and hang the quiver on your belt here, at your side. Put the gloves on the hand you¡¯ll be using to draw the string.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Luke returned to the next room without any suspicion of Keter.


    A little later, Luke stepped out into the corridor fully armed. To his surprise, Keter was already waiting, with only his belt and bracelet on at his waist.


    ¡°Why were you so late? Let¡¯s go,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Go? What about all the gear I gave you? Why do you only have your belt and bracelet on?¡± Luke asked.


    ¡°It bothered me.¡±


    ¡°...You should at least have brought the bow and quiver. Are you not going to learn archery?¡±


    ¡°I have this. Didn¡¯t you hear about it?¡± Keter said, showing the tattoo of Amaranth on his left arm.


    Luke shook his head.


    ¡°I heard. But that¡¯s the Demon Bow. You need to know how to shoot a bow with your own power and skill.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s probably no one in this world who can shoot better than I can.¡±


    ¡°Stop joking and go get it quickly. We don¡¯t have much time to spare.¡±


    ¡°Do I sound like I¡¯m joking?¡±


    ¡°Ugh...¡±


    Luke was at a loss. He didn¡¯t know that Keter was such a jokester.


    The partnership Luke had imagined was one where they shared laughter, not one where they bickered like this.


    It was only dawn, but the halls were guarded by soldiers all hours of the day. Not only that, the maids and servants were already up, preparing breakfast.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    That said, Luke wasn¡¯t going to humor all of Keter¡¯s antics. He entered Keter¡¯s room and grabbed the bow and quiver he had left behind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. The horses are ready at the fourth stable.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Okay, done.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Instead of taking one of the quivers for himself, Keter just transferred one onto Luke¡¯s back.


    Luke rubbed his forehead and said, ¡°Keter, wearing the quiver on your back is uncomfortable. My hands would have to go back and forth, and if I bend down, the arrows might spill over my head. The side is the most stable and quickest place to load.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you putting it on my back?¡±


    ¡°So that it¡¯s easier for me to use.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Keter began to walk without Luke. It looked like he was walking slowly, but he had walked so far in the blink of an eye.


    Luke hurried after him, shouting, ¡°Do you even know where the fourth stable is?!¡±


    ¡°Somewhat,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Wait for me!¡±


    When Luke heard bad rumors about Keter, he just thought it was the Sefira family acting high-handedly, but it was the opposite.


    Luke felt that the Sefira family couldn¡¯t keep up with Keter¡¯s actions.


    * * *


    In the dark underground training area, Anis found himself surrounded by scarecrows. However, these were no ordinary scarecrows; they were clad in steel armor, and their long arms were sharp blades.


    In the midst of these menacing scarecrows, Anis stood with no armor, a bow and just a single arrow.


    In the blink of an eye, Anis released his arrow and pierced the face of the scarecrow directly in front of him. Despite the helmet, the arrow went through the small gap of the eyehole.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Swinging his bow like a staff, Anis struck two scarecrows behind him simultaneously. In the next instant, he unleashed a kick powered by centrifugal force, smashing into the scarecrow with the arrow lodged into its head.


    !


    The scarecrow, which was anchored deep into the ground, couldn''t withstand the impact and broke apart. Just before it fell, Anis swiftly pulled the arrow from the scarecrow''s face and nocked it again, ready to shoot once more.


    Though it was an instantaneous shot from an unstable stance, the arrow struck the scarecrow directly in the middle of its chest, piercing through its thick armor.


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    Not stopping there, Anis slapped the tail of the arrow with his palm. The arrow drove through the scarecrow''s body and out its back.


    Now, only two scarecrows remained.


    Moving low, Anis crept up behind one of the scarecrows and wrapped the bowstring around its neck and twisted it fiercely. Although the neck was thick and tough due to the intertwined braids, the scarecrow couldn''t withstand Anis''s strength and soon had its neck torn apart violently.


    Only one scarecrow was left, and Anis hadn¡¯t retrieved his arrow yet. In an unexpected move, he drew his bowstring back without an arrow.


    At that moment, an arrow materialized from his seemingly empty bow¡ªit was an Aura Arrow, crafted from aura. This arrow, highly unstable and difficult to form, looked precarious even at first glance.


    However, Anis managed to stabilize it. The Aura Arrow maintained its shape as he released the bowstring.


    The scarecrow hit by the aura arrow was literally shredded into pieces.


    ¡°Haah, haah¡­¡± Anis panted, beads of sweat rolling down his face.


    Despite being drenched in sweat, his eyes shone with vitality and brightness. It was natural, as Anis had pushed himself beyond his limits; the Aura Arrow was proof of his achievement.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Keter.¡±


    Anis quickly learned how to summon Aura Arrow as he refined his aura control, and his overall physical abilities had also improved. Though he didn¡¯t want to admit it, Keter had played a significant role in his growth, as the defeat had ignited something within him. Anis now had a goal: to crush Keter¡¯s arrogant, overconfident spirit and make him apologize.


    Just imagining Keter¡¯s defeated expression brought a smile to Anis¡¯ face¡ªthough he didn¡¯t realize it, it was the first genuine smile he had shown in a year.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to break him for good in return.¡±


    Feeling more confident than ever, Anis checked the time.


    ¡°It¡¯s morning. Keter should be awake by now.¡±


    Keter had specifically told him to come when he was in top condition. It had been two days since then. Anis had rested well, recovered his strength and gained some insights.  sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After taking a quick shower and dressing neatly, Anis headed to Keter''s quarters.


    When Anis knocked on the door, Jacques opened it and greeted him.


    ¡°Good morning, Lord Anis, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Is Keter inside?¡±


    ¡°He just left for a mission a little while ago.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already taken on a mission, just two days after arriving at the family estate?¡±


    Anis hadn¡¯t heard any news about Keter while he was in the underground training area.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how it turned out. Is it urgent?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important. We have something that must be resolved between us.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you might catch Lord Keter at the south gate.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Butler Jacques.¡±


    Just as Anis was about to turn and leave, Jacques added, ¡°I know that Lord Keter has been rude, but please be lenient with him as his older brother, my lord. It is just a small request of mine.¡±


    Anis couldn''t bring himself to refuse, especially since it was Jacques who had given him information about Keter.


    ¡°I will try my best.¡±


    When Anis arrived at the south gate, he spotted Keter and Luke in the distance on horseback.


    Because they seemed ready to depart at any moment, Anis threw aside his dignity and shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°Keter! Wait! I¡¯m here!¡±


    At his call, both Keter and Luke turned to look. With Anis charging toward them, there was no way they could leave¡­ except for Keter. Despite clearly locking eyes with Anis, Keter tightened the reins of his horse.


    ¡°Keter, Lord Anis is calling you,¡± Luke said, following after him.


    However, Keter just shrugged it off.


    ¡°Am I a dog? Just because he calls doesn¡¯t mean I have to respond.¡±


    ¡°But Lord Anis is your older brother. It looks like he came to wish you well on your trip. Shouldn¡¯t you at least acknowledge him?¡±


    ¡°Acknowledge him? He looks like he just found the enemy who killed his parents.¡±


    ¡°...Now that you mention it, it does seem that way. Is it true that you fought Lord Anis?¡±


    ¡°Fought? Not even close. Anis wasn¡¯t able to get a single hit. Hey, Anis, are you fully healed now?¡±


    At Keter''s shout, Anis ran and called out, ¡°Yes! I¡¯m better than ever! So get off your horse and settle this with me!¡±


    The distance between them closed quickly as they shouted at each other. Then, Keter flashed a cruel smile.


    ¡°I think your injuries still need healing.¡±


    In an instant, Keter reached into Luke¡¯s quiver and pulled out two arrows, one in each hand. He then threw them toward Anis, who was running toward him, with all his might. Luke could have intervened, but he chose not to.


    The distance between Anis and Keter was easily around thirty meters. It would be a close distance if the arrow was shot by a bow, but there was no way arrows thrown by hand would reach Anis. Even if they did, they wouldn¡¯t cause any harm¡­ or so it should have been.


    Keter¡¯s arrows flew through the air with a whistling sound. Both Luke and Anis¡¯ eyes widened in surprise as they watched the arrows travel at a speed similar to being shot from a bow. Anis, however, simply scoffed.


    One arrow flew completely off target, while the other hurtled straight toward Anis''s chest.


    Keter had clearly thrown the arrows, hoping that at least one of them would hit him.


    Without stopping, Anis snatched the incoming arrow out of the air. He could have dodged, but he wanted to show Keter the results of his training.


    But something was off. Keter was still smiling. Then, he silently mouthed something.


    As Anis read Keter¡¯s lips and instinctively looked down¡­


    The other arrow, which Keter had seemingly thrown off course, struck a rock. The ricochet sent the stone flying up, hitting Anis hard on the shin.


    ¡°Ack¡­!¡±


    Anis let out a short shout as he stumbled and fell, rolling across the ground at the speed he was running. It looked extremely dangerous and fatal, but he didn¡¯t sustain any serious injuries as he protected himself with aura just before hitting the ground. However, no amount of aura could protect him from the embarrassment. He couldn¡¯t bear to lift his face with so many soldiers watching.


    Then, Keter landed the final blow.


    ¡°Your lower body is still weak. How will you do anything with that?¡±


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    Forgetting his embarrassment, Anis pounded the ground with his fists in anger.


    Seeing this, Keter said to Luke, ¡°Anis is angry. Let¡¯s run away.¡±


    Luke thought they should go check on Anis, but Keter just laughed and quickened his pace, leaving them far behind.

 Chapter 38: I’m Sefira’s Solver (2)

    ¡°Sir Luke and Lord Keter have left, Lord Besil,¡± reported Suvide, the elderly man with a monocle.


    Suvide was the head butler.


    Besil, who was dealing with a mountain of paperwork, didn¡¯t take his eyes off the documents and asked, ¡°Did he leave quietly?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh...¡±


    ¡°It''s alright. Go on.¡±


    ¡°Lord Anis challenged Lord Keter to a duel but was ignored.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Anis does have a strong competitive spirit, so that¡¯s understandable. But ignored? Does that mean Keter refused the duel?¡±


    ¡°According to the soldiers...¡±


    Suvide recounted how Keter had thrown two arrows with just his arm strength, and how Anis had caught one but was tripped by a rock that the other arrow had struck.


    Suddenly, Besil, who had been buried in paperwork, stopped and looked up at Suvide.


    ¡°Injuries?¡±


    ¡°They say Lord Anis wasn¡¯t hurt because he used his aura to protect himself.¡±


    ¡°He must¡¯ve used Overshield. He probably collapsed of exhaustion by now.¡±


    ¡°No, my lord. Lord Anis went back to the underground training area. I checked myself, and he seems even more invigorated.¡±


    ¡°Overshield would be the only way to defend against an unexpected attack like that¡­ Are you sure you saw correctly?¡±


    ¡°How could I lie to you, my lord? You are the patriarch,¡±


    The Overshield was considered a last-resort technique for aura users. It was used when one believed they could not block an attack, or in life-or-death situations as a way to avoid death. The technique involved exploding all of the body¡¯s aura in a sudden burst to shield oneself from attacks on all sides.


    Though it was an incredibly effective defense, the aftermath was severe. The violent release of aura from within the body took a huge toll, leaving the user drained and in need of at least a day of rest to recover their strength and stamina.


    Yet, Anis was reportedly unharmed. For that to be possible, there could only be one explanation.


    ¡°It would be possible if he used Aura Skin.¡±


    The mastery of aura could be classified into three general levels. First were the Bruisers, who could only manipulate aura in large chunks. Next were the Bladers, those who had gained the ability to shape and mold their aura. Finally, there were the Shifters, who had achieved precise control over their aura, capable of manipulating it at the most refined levels.


    The distinction between these levels was simple: it all came down to the overall mastery of the aura user and, more importantly, whether or not they could execute specific advanced techniques.


    This was the hallmark of a Blader. One had to be able to use this technique to become a Blader. However, the Aura Blade technique was not used in the Sefira family, known for their archery, so other techniques determined whether someone had reached the Blader level.


    Aura Skin involved wrapping a thin layer of aura around the body. While it didn¡¯t block major damage, it could defend against weaker attacks like the blows or stabs of common thugs. The key benefit was that it doesn''t place a significant burden on the body, neutralizing low-level damage without risk.


    ¡°Anis has finally reached the level of a Blader.¡±


    There was no need to ask him directly. Anis had broken through and surpassed his limits. And it had coincidentally happened after his interaction with Keter.


    ¡°I guess Keter was the catalyst¡­¡±


    Of course, Besil had given plenty of advice and teachings to his children as both a father and the head of a master family. But no matter how excellent a teacher, it meant nothing if the student wasn''t ready to learn. Anis had easily become a Bruiser, but he had been stuck at the threshold of becoming a Blader for the past three years, blocked by an unbreakable wall.


    Now, that impenetrable wall had finally been shattered, and Besil couldn¡¯t help but smile. His son''s growth was his happiness as a father.


    Besil, whose concentration on his paperwork had been disrupted, decided to take a break and stood up from his desk.


    ¡°I will prepare some coffee, my lord.¡±


    Suvide was going to prepare coffee as usual, but Besil raised his hand to stop him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been having trouble sleeping at night. My body feels stiff too. More importantly, have we received a response from Mr. Ultima?¡±


    ¡°I''ll check the messenger pigeons and return shortly.¡±


    While magic was undoubtedly the fastest way to communicate, it was reserved for a select few nobles and royalty. As such, most relied on land routes or messenger pigeons. Fortunately, the messenger pigeons were housed just one floor above the office, so Suvide returned quickly with a small scroll, handing it to Besil.


    ¡°This is the document from Mr. Ultima. It seems like they replied promptly.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Besil had sent an apology on behalf of Keter''s actions. Now, he opened the sealed letter to see Ultima¡¯s response.


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    As Besil was about to continue reading, interested in what Ultima had to say, Suvide called upon him.


    ¡°Your expression seems serious, my lord. May I ask what the letter says?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Glancing at the last part of the letter, Besil approached the fireplace.


    The letter thrown into the fire blazed up in an instant.


    ¡°My lord, why would you¡­?¡±


    The scrolls used by carrier pigeons are not ordinary scrolls. They were made from sturdy sheepskin that did not get wet, even in the rain. Sheepskin was very expensive, so it¡¯s typically either stored for records without burning or reused by erasing the contents. Of course, blind workers handled the content to ensure no one outside the recipients would read it.


    However, burning it outright was unusual, so it was natural for Suvide to be shocked.


    Shaking his head, Besil said, ¡°Mr. Ultima was quite angry. There was something too difficult to look at, so I couldn¡¯t leave it behind.¡±


    ¡°How unfortunate... Did Mr. Ultima say they would cut ties with us? If so, we should consider seeking another guild or even setting up our own.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, he didn¡¯t say they would cut ties. But he did say that if something like this happens again, he won¡¯t tolerate it.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ultima is quite arrogant. I understand he is the only merchant dealing with us, but his attitude toward you is exceedingly disrespectful, my lord.¡±


    ¡°What can I do? It¡¯s all my fault. Just let it go, as you always have.¡±


    The letter was completely consumed by the flames.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I wonder if Keter has brought new life to our family.¡±


    ¡°Do you see Lord Keter¡¯s actions in a positive light, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Taragon wandered for a long time, unable to find his path. But after continuously running the training field, it seems he¡¯s finally developed an interest in security.¡±


    ¡°And how do you feel about Amaranth coming out into the world?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it. Amaranth and Keter don¡¯t seem to have a transactional relationship. If anything, it¡¯s closer to a master-servant dynamic. That¡¯s why I judged it safe to leave them together. Not just that¡ªthere¡¯s a new breeze blowing in the forge as well.¡±


    ¡°What sort of breeze?¡±


    ¡°Volkanus has declared he will create equipment fitting for a new era.¡±


    ¡°My lord, change doesn¡¯t always bring positive outcomes. Right now, wouldn¡¯t it be safer to stick with the traditional ways?¡±


    Suvide, the head butler, had served two patriarchs and also served as an advisor, so he expressed his opinions without hesitation. Of course, Besil relied on him a great deal, as Suvide was much older and had a broad, deep perspective. But that didn¡¯t mean Besil thought he was always right.


    ¡°I¡¯ve failed, haven¡¯t I? The person I am right now has failed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. Who dares to say such a thing? You have not failed, my lord,¡± Suvide argued.


    ¡°Do I really need someone to tell me? Sometimes, you have to realize it yourself when no one else tells you.¡±


    Besil brushed back his hair, his lips smiling but eyes void of any emotion.


    ¡°I still have much to do, yet here I am making such discouraging remarks.¡±


    Returning to his seat, Besil picked up his fountain pen to resume his work and asked, ¡°Is Elder Panir still refusing to eat and remaining silent?¡±


    Elder Panir, who was suspected of being a traitor, was confined to his residence, and he had not spoken a word since.


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit him this evening. I should have dinner with him. I was overly emotional at the time. Looking back now, I realize we didn¡¯t talk enough. I must correct my mistake before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°I will make the arrangements immediately.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Suvide bowed respectfully and left the office. With quick steps, he exited the main mansion and made his way to Panir¡¯s residence.


    His gaze had changed; it was no longer the gentle look he had shown before Besil. His narrowed eyes were filled with a fierce hostility.


    * * *


    ¡°Lord Suvide.¡±


    A knight spotted Suvide and saluted.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°And Lord Panir?¡±


    ¡°The lord is not sleeping and remains sitting all day.¡±


    ¡°, open the door. Lord Besil has stated he would meet Lord Panir personally this evening.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Outside Panir¡¯s mansion, knights were guarding the perimeter to prevent him from escaping. In contrast, there were no knights or soldiers inside the mansion. This arrangement was made for the convenience of the servants working in the house.


    In the hall of the mansion stood a single figure: Prosciutto, Panir¡¯s personal butler. Prosciutto also looked unwell. He had been fasting along with Panir and spent most of the day standing in preparation for any potential visitors.


    ¡°Butler Prosciutto.¡±


    ¡°Who... Head Butler Suvide?¡±


    Prosciutto, who was spacing out, looked up and recognized Suvide.


    ¡°What brings you here...?¡±


    ¡°The patriarch is coming to visit this evening. He plans to have dinner with Elder Panir.¡±


    ¡°... Now, he decides to come?¡±


    It was clear that Prosciutto didn¡¯t like the idea.


    ¡°Try not to blame the patriarch. There was not only suspicion; there was solid evidence. It was a natural course of action. I¡¯d like to ask you, too¡ªare you truly innocent?¡±


    ¡°Do you also suspect me as well as Lord Panir? Why would we betray Sefira? The records were kept to identify any potential traitors that might exist.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do not suspect Lord Panir. That¡¯s why I plan to clear up this misunderstanding today, so I ask for your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Phew, my apologies. I will escort you to the lord myself.¡±


    ¡°In that condition? Sit down and rest. You know that I am just as familiar with the layout of this mansion as you are¡±


    ¡°It is my duty to manage this mansion. Therefore, I should escort you...¡±


    Suddenly, with a swift motion, Suvide jabbed his thumb between Prosciutto''s chin and neck. Prosciutto collapsed to the floor due to the unexpected ambush. He wasn¡¯t dead, just unconscious.


    ¡°Come,¡± Suvide called over a passing servant. ¡°Prosciutto seems to be quite tired. Take him to his room. Do not wake him under any circumstances.¡±


    The servants thought this made sense. After all, Prosciutto hadn¡¯t eaten or slept for quite some time, which was worrying even for them.


    Assuming he had fainted from overwork, the servants took Prosciutto to his bedroom without any suspicion. Thanks to this, Suvide was able to head to the kitchen without interruption. The head chef recognized him immediately and removed his chef¡¯s hat, bowing in greeting.


    ¡°Head butler Suvide.¡±


    ¡°Chef Hulan, how have you been?¡±


    ¡°Very well, but what brings you here today?¡±


    ¡°The patriarch is scheduled to have dinner with Elder Panir this evening. May I see the condition of the ingredients?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Right this way.¡±


    Hulan signaled to his subordinate chefs to finish their tasks and led Suvide to the pantry.


    ¡°Hulan.¡±


    Suvide¡¯s voice suddenly changed. His deep, resonant tone made Hulan tense.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Now is the time.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Suvide took out a small glass vial from his pocket and handed it to Hulan. Hulan accepted it, almost in a daze.


    Hulan gulped nervously and looked at Suvide with trembling eyes. Suvide nodded.


    ¡°You will use it this evening,¡± Suvide said.


    ¡°For whom¡­?¡± Hulan asked.


    ¡°Lord Besil.¡±


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    Hulan was so tense that he covered his mouth and trembled all over. Suvide gently patted his shoulder.


    ¡°Do not worry. It¡¯s just a potion that causes stomach pain. I promised it wouldn¡¯t harm you in any way. And¡ª¡±


    Suvide slipped five gold coins into Hulan''s pocket.


    ¡°This is a reward for your efforts. But remember, this must be taken to your grave.¡±


    Hulan nodded in a haze, too breathless to even respond.


    ¡°You should come out after a little while. You¡¯re sweating too much.¡±


    Suvide, who left the kitchen, still had more business to do. In his possession was a letter¡ªthe one that Akrah sent to Besil, detailing the existence of Keter. This letter was how Besil figured out that there was a traitor within the family.


    When Suvide was wandering around, pretending to search the estate, he secretly hid the letter inside a portrait to avoid the gaze of the servants. He planned to make it appear as though Panir had stolen Besil¡¯s letter. It was a scheme to sow discord between the two.


    However, the expression on Suvide¡¯s face as he carried out this plan was neither wicked nor filled with anger. Instead, the eyes of the old butler were filled with determination.


    There was only one reason for Suvide to do this: it was for the sake of the family.


    While Keter was away on a mission, the Sefira family was steadily crumbling from within, just as it had in a past life. Panir would be completely branded as a traitor under Suvide¡¯s orchestration, leading to a future of uncontrollable internal strife.


    Yet there was one fact that Suvide overlooked, or rather, one he was unaware of: the reckless Keter and Katherine, the rose of Sefira, didn¡¯t exist in the past life. Katherine was alive, thanks to Keter¡¯s plotting, and now, Panir¡¯s fate was also about to change through the seed that Keter planted.

 Chapter 39: I’m Sefira’s Solver (3)

    The Lillian Kingdom was divided into four lordships based on directions: north, south, east, and west. Under each lordship, there were approximately two or so fiefs, or estates, within which there were various cities and villages. Sefira, the Masters of Archery, was one of the Seven Gates directly under the queen and was located within Lantgen, a fief in the southern lordship.


    Lantgen was located near the border. Fortresses and military cities were common near the border since there was always the risk of invasion. However, Sefira¡¯s situation was different. This was because the power beyond the border was the Adeus Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Real Men.


    ¡°We will attack on this specific day and time.¡±


    ¡°We do not attack the weak. Only the strong should step forward.¡±


    ¡°Ambush? That word doesn¡¯t exist in our kingdom.¡±


    They did not wage war to conquer, but to fight the strong. They revered and craved battle for the sake of honor. In Adeus, armor was a symbol of cowardice, and using long-range weapons was considered beneath even animals. Their preferred weapon was the fist, followed by blunt weapons like hammers and clubs.


    As a result, Sefira, who used bows, was utterly disregarded by the Kingdom of Adeus. The people of Adeus knew even if they invaded, Sefira wouldn¡¯t engage in a passionate fight but would just shoot a bunch of arrows from a distance. Defeating a family like Sefira, whose main weapon was the bow, brought no honor¡ªonly disgrace. For this reason, no one in Adeus even bothered to look in Sefira¡¯s direction.


    So, paradoxically, the Sefira family was considered one of the safest places despite being located on the border.


    ¡°The Hacose Mountains aren¡¯t that rough or deep, so there are a lot of herb gatherers and hunters. You can even spot people from Adeus every now and then.¡±


    On the road to the village of Hacose, Luke was sharing his experiences in an effort to get closer to Keter. Keter, however, simply stared straight ahead, silently listening.


    ¡°When I was an apprentice knight working at Hacose Fortress, this huge boar came charging at the fortress. I was completely shocked. We tried to chase it off with arrows, but it wouldn¡¯t stop. Do you know why? Believe it or not, an Adeusian was chasing it barehanded!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration, and Luke still felt his knees weaken whenever he thought about it.


    ¡°If you¡¯re a knight, you can take down a boar with your fists without a problem, but that Adeusian... Well, he was just different. The empire calls them barbarians, and I could see why. Oh, look, you can see the fortress tower now. That means we¡¯re almost there.¡±


    Luke pointed at a tower just starting to appear over the horizon.


    ¡°Just a little farther and you¡¯ll see the village. It¡¯s near the fortress. The village is about thirty minutes away from the fortress on horseback. Oh, and just a heads-up¡ªHacose is a bit pricey, so don¡¯t go spending recklessly, okay? Keter?¡±


    Keter, who Luke thought had been quietly listening, gave no response at all. Luke urged his horse forward and went right next to him. Keter''s eyes were clearly open, staring straight ahead.


    ¡°Keter? What are you thinking about? Hello? We''re almost at the village!¡±


    There was no reaction even as Luke waved his hand in front of his face. That was when he began to sense something was off.


    ¡°Keter, what are you doing?¡±


    Luke impatiently prodded Keter''s side with his bow.


    At that moment, Keter, who had been still, suddenly grabbed Luke''s bow and yanked it. Any ordinary knight would have had their weapon easily taken, but Luke was different. He countered it by twisting the bow, breaking free from Keter¡¯s grasp; it was as if he was expecting it.


    The curse that sensed danger worked as a blessing in defensive situations.


    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s going on? Are we here?¡± said Keter, turning his head toward Luke.


    With his bow now slung back over his shoulder, Luke responded, ¡°Were you seriously asleep just now?¡±


    ¡°When I get bored, I mostly sleep.¡±


    ¡°Do you usually sleep with your eyes open?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone sleep with their eyes open before, especially while riding a horse.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like they were moving at a slow pace, either. While they weren¡¯t at full speed, it was certainly faster than a human could run. At this pace, the rider¡¯s body normally jolted around quite a bit, so it could potentially lead to a fall if they weren¡¯t paying attention.


    Luke thought Keter had to be joking.


    ¡°If you were really sleeping, then why did you try to take my bow?¡±


    Keter answered nonchalantly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, ¡°I¡¯m always on alert.¡±


    ¡°What? How can you stay alert when you¡¯re asleep?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee you won¡¯t get attacked while you¡¯re sleeping, is there? By the way, you didn¡¯t let me take your bow. Impressive.¡±


    ¡°... You¡¯re one to talk.¡±


    That was when the horses they were on began slowing down. Even the horses remembered that they had to slow down around this point, meaning they were going to arrive at Hacose Village soon.


    Pulling out the mission from his pocket, Luke said, ¡°Please don¡¯t do anything on your own during the mission. It is a village in Sefira¡¯s estate, but there¡¯s always uncertainty.¡±


    Despite what he said, Luke didn¡¯t think anything would happen. Hacose was quite small; it only took about thirty minutes to walk around the entire village. He just thought that he could show Keter around the fortress after finding the missing knight as soon as possible before returning to Sefira.


    * * *


    ¡°Huh¡­ That¡¯s weird.¡±


    Luke scratched his head. He looked around the entire village in twenty minutes, but there was no sign of the missing knight.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we find him? We should have crossed paths.¡±


    Luke, who thought they would quickly find the missing knight, awkwardly looked around.


    Keter pointed with his chin at the children hiding in the alley, staring at them, and asked, ¡°Why have those kids been following us from the entrance of the village?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s because we haven¡¯t given them pocket money. I totally forgot.¡±


    ¡°Pocket money?¡±


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    Luke gestured toward the children to come closer. They didn¡¯t look like they were poor; they wore nice clothes, and they had plump cheeks.


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll give you one bronze coin. Listen to your parents, okay?¡±


    The children looked at the bronze coin Luke gave them and frowned. The fat child who seemed to be their leader, stepped up.


    ¡°Hey, you think you have the right to say that after only giving us one coin?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Luke was taken aback. One bronze coin wasn¡¯t a lot of money, but it was enough to buy two pieces of fruit or a loaf of bread.


    ¡°Ahaha, okay, I¡¯ll give you one more each.¡±


    Three years ago, when Luke used to work at the fortress, the children were excited for just one bronze coin. But now, they looked dissatisfied even with two bronze coins.


    ¡°You¡¯re so cheap for a knight. Hey, you have a lot of money, right? You can¡¯t fool me. You smell rich.¡±


    Keter stared at the child who pointed at him, then kneeled down to the child¡¯s eye level.


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, kid. You¡¯re right. I have so much more money than this guy.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, then give us some money already.¡±


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t show me your tongue. I might just pull it out. Is this your money?¡±


    ¡°... What?¡±


    When Keter spoke angrily with a smile on his face, the leader of the children started to slowly back away. However, with the other children watching, he quickly forced himself to muster up some courage.


    ¡°M-Mister, you look like an apprentice knight. How can you talk to us like that? I¡¯m going to tell on you to the chief!¡±


    Keter thumped the leader on his head.


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    The child began rolling around on the floor in pain, holding his head. Keter went through his pockets and pulled out a pouch of money.


    ¡°The kids here try to live life so easily. I¡¯m jealous.¡±


    Then, Keter threw the pouch of money down the dirty sewer.


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡°O-our money!¡±


    The kids, who were about to blame Keter, caught sight of his menacing gaze and quickly bolted away. Keter clicked his tongue as he watched them run off.


    ¡°, spineless brats trying to make easy money.¡±


    ¡°K-Keter, wasn''t that a bit too much? I mean, they''re just kids! And why did you throw away the money?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t throw it away. That was an empty pouch.¡±


    Keter showed the coins still tucked between his fingers as proof.


    ¡°When did you take the money from the pouch?¡±


    ¡°My hands are faster than your eyes. More importantly, what¡¯s with the way they treat knights around here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying. The prices here are steep.¡±


    Luke sighed and shook his now lighter pouch.


    ¡°The only people who come to this village are soldiers or knights from Sefira, so the prices have been going up. Even at the stable earlier, they asked for three silvers just to take care of our horses.¡±


    ¡°They must think knights are pushovers. We¡¯re the ones protecting this village. We should be the ones charging protection fees, not paying them.¡±


    ¡°Protection fees? Keter, we¡¯re knights, not thugs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that falls under being a knight.¡±


    ¡°... Anyways, where is the missing knight? This has never happened before. I think we¡¯re going to have to ask the chief.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Keter followed Luke and looked around the village closely. At times, he knocked on the floor with his heel. This was an easy mission to Luke, but for Keter, this mission was about finding the secret of this village. Katherine, a two-star knight died on this mission, so the attacker was likely not mere bandits or robbers.


    Luke, who was solely focused on the mission, did not sense anything, but Keter noticed a few odd things.


    Keter could gauge a lot from the little things. Even at the stable, he observed the horses there while Luke paid the keeper a storage fee.


    The horse could be owned by another Sefira knight since the fortress was nearby, but Keter was certain it wasn¡¯t.


    Anyone who noticed what Keter noticed would be suspicious, as Hacose Village was definitely not a tourist destination. There was also no reason why knights from other families would come to Hacose.


    Keter had seen many mission directives before and knew that any peculiarities were always mentioned in them. For a bandit extermination mission, details such as the suspected location of the bandits'' hideout, their estimated numbers, and even their origins would be noted.


    The fact that no mention of knights from other families appeared in this missing knight''s mission meant that another house¡¯s knight had arrived in Hacose without even Sefira knowing.


    A grin crept onto Keter¡¯s face as he approached the village chief¡¯s hall. The ground near the entrance was covered in countless footprints. To a casual observer, it might not seem like much, but Keter gleaned much information from them.


    Only knights could maintain such perfect synchronization. And the clues didn¡¯t end with the footprints.


    The reason why Keter followed Luke around was because he thought they might run into knights from another family. However, they hadn¡¯t encountered any, and that¡¯s when Keter became certain: if the knights weren¡¯t out in the streets, they must have gone to meet the village chief.


    While Luke wasn¡¯t as sharp as Keter, he too began to sense that something was off¡ªnot through logic, but through his curse.


    The closer they got to the hall, the more Luke¡¯s curse was warning him. Finally focusing on the hall, Luke noticed something strange and reached out to stop Keter.


    ¡°Wait a second. It¡¯s not just the chief in there. There¡¯s an unfamiliar presence. Feels like a knight.¡±


    ¡°Figured as much,¡± Keter replied calmly.


    ¡°Stop! This could be serious. It doesn¡¯t feel like a knight from Sefira. Why would outsiders be in Hacose? The fact that it wasn¡¯t mentioned in the mission means they¡¯re probably here unofficially. This is a major issue,¡± Luke said gravely, sounding alarmed.


    Luke was late to realize the danger. Keter, already aware of the situation, brushed Luke¡¯s arm aside and grabbed the door handle to the village hall.


    ¡°W-wait! I¡¯m not ready for this yet...!¡±


    The door swung open with a loud creak.


    ¡°...?!¡±


    Luke¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he saw the people inside. His hands instinctively clenched into fists, and his gaze filled with hostility. The people standing in the hall were people that should not be here under any circumstances.

 Chapter 40: I’m Sefira’s Solver (4)

    Just before Luke was deployed on his first mission as a member of the Sacred Order of Sefira, his senior knight showed him one family crest and said, ¡°If you see this emblem, stay clear, no matter what.¡±


    It was the image of a proud leopard standing tall under the moonlight. At the time, Luke didn¡¯t understand why he had to avoid anyone bearing this symbol. But it wasn¡¯t until a mission in a distant city, where he encountered a knight with that very crest, that he learned the reason the hard way.


    But now, they were standing right in front of him.


    He couldn¡¯t tell if they hid their crest or purposely wore something without it, but Luke was certain that they were Bydent¡¯s knights. It wasn¡¯t just because they had spears for weapons; out of the seven men there, he recognized one of them. A man with no hair or eyebrows¡ªhe was one of the knights who caused him trouble on his first mission.


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Luke gripped the end of his arrow, like a wolf growling after its territory was invaded. But he couldn¡¯t take one out.


    Luke clenched his jaw as his arm trembled.


    His curse was telling him that He and Keter shouldn¡¯t fight because they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the knights.


    Even though it was a curse, it didn¡¯t act completely without reason. It never interfered with defensive attacks, but this time, for some reason¡­


    It even refused to allow defense.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t the first time it had happened, so Luke let go of the arrow without hesitation. He knew too well that no matter what he tried, he couldn''t overcome the curse. There was no will left in him to resist it. Instead of the arrow, Luke gripped the signal flare he had brought just in case.


    ¡°Heh heh.¡±


    The sound of mocking laughter came from among the knights of Bydent. It was from the knight with no eyebrows.


    The anger inside Luke churned, but he suppressed it, and firmly said, ¡°Why are the knights of Bydent in the territory of Sefira? You know full well you do not have official permission.¡±


    Luke cast a quick glance toward Keter, signaling him to go and call for reinforcements. However, Keter neither budged nor acknowledged the signal. Luke wasn¡¯t sure whether Keter didn¡¯t understand it or was simply refusing.


    Feeling that he couldn¡¯t rely on Keter¡ªno, that he had to protect him¡ªLuke stepped forward and demanded with authority, ¡°Who¡¯s in charge? Step forward!¡±


    At Luke¡¯s harsh command, the knights of Bydent all turned their gazes toward one man. Honestly, Luke already had a strong suspicion about who was in charge. It was the man with long silver hair; his presence was undeniably strong.


    .


    Luke stood nervously, prepared to launch the signal flare into the sky at any moment.


    The silver-haired knight, gripping a long spear behind his back, stepped forward and introduced himself.


    ¡°I am Arbold of Bydent. Now, may I ask for your name?¡±


    ¡°Luke of the Sacred Order of Sefira. Let¡¯s not waste time¡ªshow me your authorization papers. If you¡¯ve passed through the checkpoint legally, you should have them.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t,¡± Arbold replied with a faint smile.


    ¡°...Keter. Fire the signal.¡±


    Luke handed the signal flare to Keter like there was no need for further conversation. But just then, something strange happened.


    Arbold¡¯s long hair suddenly fluttered in the air, even though there was no wind.


    Luke immediately sensed Arbold¡¯s attack¡ªa sudden strike aimed at Keter, who was holding the flare. Without hesitation, Luke swung his bow to intercept the spear aimed at Keter.


    But despite his swift reaction, he couldn¡¯t stop Arbold¡¯s spear in time. His spear was much faster than Luke¡¯s reaction.


    But there was something even faster¡ªKeter¡¯s foot.


    Keter landed a swift kick to Luke¡¯s rear.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Luke, who never expected an attack from behind¡ªlet alone from an ally¡ªwas knocked forward and stumbled straight towards Arbold. Arbold, startled, quickly withdrew his spear and stepped back to avoid Luke.


    Then, Arbold glared at Keter.


    It seemed impossible. Arbold wasn¡¯t even targeting Keter. His only intention was to snatch the signal flare, not to harm anyone, and as such, he had no intent to kill.


    The mysterious man¡ªwho didn¡¯t appear to be remarkable at all, even looking somewhat dumb¡ªhad somehow reacted in time.


    Arbold, still wary, looked at Luke, who had barely managed to regain his footing after his fall.


    ¡°Who is that man?¡± Arbold asked, his eyes still on Keter.


    Luke couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing.


    ¡°You attack us and then ask questions? As expected, none of the people from the Bydent have any manners.¡±


    ¡°I did not intend to attack you. I was merely aiming for the signal flare. I would appreciate it if you¡¯d hear us out and listen to why we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°If you want to talk, then talk. But I have no intention of letting you speak from a position of advantage. Keter! The signal flare... where is it?¡±


    Luke turned around, only to realize the signal flare was nowhere to be seen.


    Keter silently closed the door to the hall.


    Everyone was on edge. The knights of Bydent tightened their grips on their spears, and the village chief, who had been quietly observing, hurriedly retreated to the second floor to hide. All eyes were fixed on Keter¡¯s next move.


    But Keter¡¯s actions were simple. He merely sat down in a chair.


    Tapping the table with his fingers, Keter calmly asked, ¡°So, who¡¯s going to tell us their story?¡±


    * * *


    Every noble house had its history, and when discussing that history, there was one subject that was always mentioned: the origin of the family¡¯s unique combat techniques. For instance, Sefira¡¯s archery technique, Zodiac Archery, was said to be modeled after the constellations in the sky.


    Just as Sefira had a historical basis for its skills, so did all other noble families: the Falling Flower Sword was conceived by observing petals fall, while the Wave Sword drew inspiration from the crashing tides. But there is an exception¡ªBydent. Unlike other noble families, Bydent¡¯s spear technique seemed to lack any significant historical origin. To be more precise, it had an origin, but the foundation and history behind it were unpolished.


    The Zodiac Archery technique of Sefira had a history of three hundred years. The Falling Flower Sword had four hundred, and the Wave Sword had been around for over five hundred years. In contrast, Bydent¡¯s spear technique had only existed for thirty years.


    Normally, such a short history would show a lack of refinement, yet the opposite was true¡ªthe technique was remarkable. Even if the genius of the century had created it, achieving that level of perfection in such a short time was thought to be nearly impossible.


    Rumor was that Bydent discovered an ancient text detailing a mythical spear technique, and many believe this was the true source of their skill. Bydent officially acknowledged this, stating that they had found and interpreted an ancient spear manual.


    The moment Bydent openly admitted that their spear technique had no true foundational origin, the noble society quickly lost interest. People were curious about where and how Bydent found the manual, not about the spear technique itself. This was in part because Bydent used a spear technique; if they had claimed to have discovered a sword technique instead, the matter probably wouldn¡¯t have been so easily dismissed.


    Arbold, a knight of Bydent, was more nervous than ever before.


    The true head of Bydent was not the patriarch; that position belonged to the high elder, the one who had passed down the most powerful spear technique in the family¡¯s history. He was the true authority behind the scenes.


    The Order of the Silver Leopard, the order that Arbold belonged to, was a knight order established solely for the protection of this high elder, and it was one of the earliest units created in the family.


    Arbold snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Keter, standing before him. He couldn''t read Keter¡¯s expression at all. Beside him, Luke also kept a stoic face, but his anxiety, tension, and hostility were clear. That was the natural response; it was normal.


    Even though the man in front had initiated the conversation, Arbold felt uneasy for some reason.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard your name yet,¡± Arbold asked Keter before continuing the discussion.


    Since he had learned about all the key figures of the Sefira family, he wondered if Keter might be one of them.


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    ¡°Keter¡­?¡±


    Arnold looked through his memory, but he had never heard that name before.


    Pointing to himself, Keter added, ¡°I¡¯m Sefira¡¯s Solver.¡±

 Chapter 41: Just Take One Hit, You Little Punk (1)

    The intent of the man sitting silently in front of Keter was blatantly obvious. The man wasn''t interested in how strong he was, but rather he was.


    Arbold fixed his gaze on Keter and glared, trying to intimidate him.


    Keter kicked the table leg toward him.


    Arbold took the corner of the table right in the gut and slumped forward, his head hanging low. One of his underlings, who had been standing nearby, pointed his spear at Keter.


    ¡°Keter?!¡±


    Luke looked at Keter, as if he was asking why he did that.


    ¡°Are you going to spill the story or die? Pick one,¡± Keter said.


    Arbold pulled his chair back, taking a step away.


    Keter heard everything. The Bydent family treated the Sefira like they were their sworn enemies. But instead of fighting him, Arbold chose to avoid confrontation, even though he clearly saw Keter as someone weaker than him, someone he didn¡¯t even know.


    At first, Keter thought these guys were backed by Reganon. Reganon''s offer for Keter to get lost to the Samael Empire had probably turned into a forceful exile by now. This meant he probably needed someone strong enough to take him down, and the only capable ones in this village were these knights standing before him. Plus, it seemed like Bydent had enough of a reason to act. No one would suspect an elder of Sefira to be pulling the strings behind a bunch of Bydent knights.


    But thinking that Reganon was exploiting this situation felt too risky to assume. The Reganon Keter knew wasn¡¯t one to gamble like that.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a knight, at least. Yet seeing that Sir Luke, a knight, is sitting quietly while you¡¯re running the show makes me think you¡¯ve got the authority to hear me out,¡± Arbold said, pretending to be calm, as if he were trying to piece together his identity.


    It seemed like Arbold really didn¡¯t know. Bydent probably knew everything that was going on in Sefira, but for some reason, these knights didn¡¯t know about Keter. Even if Arbold couldn¡¯t recognize him by face, hearing his name should¡¯ve given it away.


    These guys genuinely seemed to not know anything about Keter¡ªor the bastard child of Sefira.


    At that moment, Luke nudged Keter¡¯s side and whispered into his ear, ¡°Keter. What are you planning to do? This isn¡¯t something we should handle. At the very least, it¡¯s something to report to the captain or the elder.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I have the authority? My father is the patriarch.¡±


    Both Luke and the knights were visibly shocked by Keter, but the most interesting reaction came from Arbold. He gave a faint smile, almost as if he expected it. Yet beneath that smile, Keter could see a subtle trembling.


    ¡°So, you are Lord Besil¡¯s son. I didn¡¯t realize.¡±


    His tone had become a bit more respectful, though he still didn¡¯t bother to stand or offer any formal gesture. That confirmed it¡ªthese knights really weren¡¯t connected to Reganon, which meant they really just ran into us by coincidence.


    If Keter hadn¡¯t come here in this life, Katherine would have been here instead. And she would have encountered them. In his previous life, Katherine died, meaning that she met these guys, fought them, and lost.


    Katherine, Keter¡¯s slave, wasn''t a battle-hungry maniac, even though she enjoyed competition. If she fought them, it was probably to protect something related to Sefira.


    Keter thought about why she would have fought, and why she didn¡¯t run or ask for help.


    And there¡¯s only one reason she would have done that.


    These guys were probably planning a massacre in this village in the Sefira estate. Katherine wouldn¡¯t have thrown herself into a fight recklessly unless it was something like that.


    That raised another question in Keter¡¯s mind.


    Even animals or insects didn¡¯t act without some gain. If these people were willing to risk it, there had to be something in it for them.


    Keter had figured that much out. Now, it was time to hear what Arbold had to say.


    ¡°No more stalling. Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Arbold replied. ¡°Our presence here is purely coincidental. As you can see from our attire, we¡¯re dressed for light patrol. We came out hunting for training and vacation purposes, but in our excitement, we accidentally crossed into Sefira''s territory.


    ¡°By the time we noticed, we were already near the village. Although it was an accident, there was no way to justify our intrusion. We were planning to spend just one night in the village and leave at sunrise to offer our apologies.¡±


    Arbold''s story, while predictable, was also fairly convincing.


    ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Keter said. ¡°You didn¡¯t sneak in to harm the Sefira family?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Arbold responded confidently.


    He answered so clearly, but he didn¡¯t even realize the nature of Keter¡¯s question. That confirmed everything.


    Whatever it was¡ªwhether treasure or something else¡ªit didn¡¯t have a direct connection to the Sefira family. Or, at least, they thought it didn¡¯t.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you want us to look the other way since you¡¯ll surrender in the morning?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a big difference between surrendering willingly and being caught. We want to admit our wrongs on our own terms. For that, both I and my subordinates need time to prepare mentally. We know this won¡¯t end with a light scolding.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Keter pretended to mull it over, wondering if he should drag on the conversation further. Arbold would probably slip up if he pushed harder, but there was a bigger issue: these guys were ready to fight. If things went south, it seemed like they were prepared to kill everyone here to keep their secret.


    ??Of course, fighting these guys wouldn¡¯t be much of a challenge. But, Keter also wanted the treasure they were after. If they were willing to risk a full-on war with Sefira for the treasure, it had to be at least on par with Demon Bow Amaranth.


    Arbold and the other knights didn¡¯t seem like the type to spill easily under a little pressure. But Keter hadn¡¯t found out anything to let them go, and he didn¡¯t get any information about the treasure either.


    After a brief moment of contemplation, Keter made a decision¡ªa compromise between his greed and practicality. He was going to provoke them, just once, to see what would happen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s split it clean, seventy-thirty.¡±


    Keter stood up, casually dropping his right hand to his side. Arbold followed suit, rising as he echoed his words.


    ¡°What exactly do you mean by seventy-thirty? What are we negotiating over?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I came to a tiny, insignificant village like this in the first place?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Arbold¡¯s eyes widened, and Luke, standing beside Keter, shot a startled look his way.


    Luke was practically shouting with his eyes that they were on a mission, but Keter signaled him to shut up and hit Arbold with the final blow.


    ¡°I know everything.¡±


    * * *


    Arbold had made a mistake.


    He broke eye contact with Keter and glanced at his subordinates. This was as good as a confession; he might as well have said they were hiding something and that they were flustered. There wasn¡¯t a single subordinate who could cover for him. Arbold, the calmest member of the Order of the Silver Leopard, was shaken, so how could his men be any different?


    His subordinates were visibly shocked, their eyelids shaking with unease. Yet, their grips tightened firmly on their spears.


    That had been the plan from the start. But the decision wasn¡¯t theirs to make¡ªit was Arbold¡¯s. He had to decide.


    From what Keter said, Arbold thought Sefira knew about the existence of the flying wolf and had even sent their own family to find them. His misunderstanding was reasonable, though, as Keter was talking about the heart of the matter.


    But there was something odd.


    As he continued to question himself, Arbold eventually formed a hypothesis and arrived at a conclusion. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts, and reassessed the situation.


    Keter was calm, while Luke, the knight beside him, looked more flustered than even Arbold''s group. Arbold began to piece things together. His intelligence began analyzing the situation to his advantage.


    ¡°I apologize for showing such a disgraceful attitude, Lord Keter.¡±


    ¡°So, you''ve given up on killing me to silence me?¡±


    ¡°I apologize, my lord, but It¡¯s true that we had considered it. But, as you said, it seems unnecessary now.¡±


    ¡°You''re pretty sharp. Looks like you¡¯ve figured it out?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Keter. You¡¯re a bastard child, aren¡¯t you, my lord?¡±


    Arbold spoke with an air of triumph, as if he had uncovered some great secret. With Keter remaining silent, Arbold began to boast about his reasoning.


    ¡°I know quite a bit about the Sefira family. Lord Besil has five sons in total, but none of them are named Keter. Now, that¡¯s not to say you''re not of Lord Besil¡¯s blood. However, you must not be a legitimate heir, or there would be no reason to hide your existence. In other words, you¡¯re a bastard.¡±


    Keter didn¡¯t respond with words, but instead clapped. Arbold, feeling emboldened, didn¡¯t even realize his voice had grown louder with excitement.


    ¡°Lord Keter, you must¡¯ve entered the Sefira family fairly recently. Naturally, your position within the family would be weak. During that time, you happened to uncover a secret. Normally, you''d report it to Lord Besil, but you had a different thought, didn''t you? You thought that it would be better to claim it all for yourself.¡±


    Keter didn¡¯t ask what the secret was, knowing that such a question was a foolish act for amateurs. Instead, he continued to elevate Arbold''s confidence.


    ¡°Ah, the Bydent family. How can such talent just roam freely? What do you say about working under me? I can give you everything you desire.¡±


    As Keter acted like some third-rate villain, Arbold¡¯s perception of Keter shifted in his subconscious.


    Keter''s arrogant and rough tone only reinforced this impression. Fully misjudging Keter, Arbold shook his head with a relaxed smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll decline your offer. However, I am willing to accept your previous proposal. But I have a condition.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve already made a significant concession.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to adjust the ratio. In fact, I can agree to an eighty-twenty split. However, we will handle their safety, and we¡¯ll provide the payment directly.¡±


    ¡°Talking about ratios isn¡¯t very clear. Let¡¯s determine the specifics right here. How much can you give me?¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, you would only expect the reward for the tip, right? I believe you know that it¡¯s impossible to get more than that, even unofficially. Based on the reward for the tip, eighty would be just eight thousand gold. However, if you promise to withdraw completely from this matter, we will give you five times that amount.¡±


    ¡°How much exactly?¡±


    ¡°You''re quite meticulous, my lord. If you want me to say it, then I will tell you. It¡¯s fifty thousand gold.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t Keter but Luke who gasped in astonishment.


    ¡°... Fifty¡­ Fifty thousand gold?¡±


    It was an enormous sum that could instantly make one rich. It was a fortune that could easily bring many nobles to their knees.


    However, Keter replied in a disinterested tone, ¡°How do you plan to give such a large amount? It¡¯s pretty obvious that you intend to just make a promise and then keep your mouth shut.¡±


    ¡°The Bydent family isn¡¯t as poor as Sefira.¡±


    ¡°And the Bydent family is not as honest as Sefira.¡±


    ¡°So, you are saying you need a guarantee or a written agreement.¡±


    ¡°Through a legitimate route unrelated to this matter.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Why are you hesitating? If you truly intended to pay, you wouldn¡¯t need to think about it.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Arbold bit his lower lip and averted his gaze. His expression seemed less like he was trying to deceive Keter and more like he was genuinely troubled. Keter understood this, so he allowed him some time to think.


    ¡°Lord Keter, to be honest, I¡¯m not the decision-maker here.¡±


    ¡°I know. Bring him here.¡±


    ¡°Will you wait for me?¡±


    ¡°Ten minutes. I can¡¯t wait any longer than that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be right back. Oh, before that...¡±


    Arbold lifted his head, his gaze directed at the village chief peeking through the gap in the second-floor railing.


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    The village chief quickly ducked down, but it was too late to avoid being noticed.


    Arbold pointed his spear at the railing and said, ¡°That man has heard too much. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s best to eliminate him.¡±


    Arbold signaled his subordinates with a swift gesture. They were not knights bound by chivalry; they were merely tools for the moon rabbit, the high elder of Bydent. They felt no guilt about killing powerless commoners. The village chief, despite hiding his body, realized he was in mortal danger.


    ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    At that moment, Keter ascended the staircase to the second floor before Arbold''s subordinates could.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Puzzled, Arbold watched Luke as he tried to stop Keter in shock.


    ¡°Keter. You¡¯re not¡­ No! You can¡¯t!¡±


    Arbold stepped up and stopped Luke, who was about to run after Keter to stop him. Arbold had realized what Keter was trying to do.

 Chapter 42: Just Take One Hit, You Little Punk (2)

    ¡°¡­ Ha¡­¡±


    Keter, who reached the second floor, looked down at the trembling village chief.


    ¡°You won¡¯t even feel the pain.¡±


    Keter¡¯s voice echoed down to the lower floor.


    Everyone heard the sound of something breaking and collapsing.


    ¡°Keter!¡±


    Luke, in a fit of rage, grabbed Keter by the collar as he descended the stairs.


    Keter, expressionless, calmly said, ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve got some energy left. If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you go handle that corpse? Dump it in the basement.¡±


    ¡°Did you really kill the innocent village chief?!¡± Luke shouted.


    ¡°Innocent? There¡¯s no one in this world without sin. Dig deep enough, and you¡¯ll find plenty of people worth killing.¡±


    Luke glared at Keter before rushing back up to the second floor in a panic.


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    The village chief lay motionless on the ground. Though he appeared unharmed, his heart had already stopped. Luke held back his tears and carried the village chief on his back as he descended the stairs.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Arbold blocked Luke''s path and motioned to one of his subordinates, who then placed his hand on the village chief''s neck to check for a pulse. He nodded, confirming that the chief was dead.


    Then, Arbold turned to Keter.


    ¡°He seems fine on the outside. It seems like you haven''t learned archery.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from the lawless city.¡±


    ¡°Ah... I see!¡±


    Arbold smiled subtly, as if realizing something else. Meanwhile, Luke pushed past one of the Bydent knights blocking his way.


    ¡°Move.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. Where do you think you''re going?¡±


    ¡°An innocent person is dead. The least I can do is give him a proper burial.¡±


    Arbold clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Didn''t Lord Keter tell you to leave him in the basement? Why are you disobeying your master''s orders?¡±


    ¡°Master? Keter''s not my master. Keter is my...¡±


    Luke was about to call Keter his partner, but bit his lip.


    ¡°...We''re strangers now.¡±


    Arbold looked at Keter, as if he was asking what he was going to do about this dog barking at its master.


    ¡°Sefira is really stubborn. That''s why there''s no progress. Don''t you think?¡± Keter said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why one would stay on a sinking ship. Perhaps it¡¯s time for you to escape, Lord Keter.¡±


    ¡±...What are you two talking about?¡±


    Luke, who hadn¡¯t fully grasped the situation, or perhaps had just now understood it, glared back and forth between Keter and Arbold. Keter, looking bored, pulled out a pocket watch from his coat and checked the time.


    ¡°Well, we''re short on time. Just lock this frustrating fool in the basement with the corpse.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? He is a knight of Sefira.¡±


    ¡°Don''t kill him. He¡¯s not even worth that.¡±


    Keter''s merciless words seemed to disturb even Arbold. Luke, unable to believe what was happening, clenched his jaw in silence. Two of the Bydent knights approached him.


    ¡°If you''re going to resist, do it quickly.¡±


    Luke was ready to fight, but it was only in his mind. He couldn¡¯t move his body¡ªnot even a finger, as if he were paralyzed.


    Luke pleaded inside, but the curse that bound him didn¡¯t release him, not even in this critical moment. As Luke stood trembling in silence, the Bydent knights assumed he was simply terrified. Dragging a frightened person away was a piece of cake.


    ¡°You truly are a villain, Lord Keter.¡±


    After the knights dragged Luke away, Arbold finally understood the kind of person Keter was: a villain from Absinthe¡ªan opportunist, looking to plunder the sinking ship that was Sefira.


    Arbold felt a strong sense that things were going to go well. His guard relaxed, and his confidence returned, even though they hadn¡¯t yet located the flying wolves.


    ¡°I''ll go fetch the captain.¡±


    ¡°How long? Be precise.¡±


    ¡°You really are thorough. No more than thirty minutes, even at the latest.¡±


    ¡°If you don''t return, I¡¯ll consider it a betrayal.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±


    Arbold glanced at his subordinates, signaling them to watch Keter while he brought the captain. Seeing them nod in understanding, Arbold quickly left, leaving them behind.


    * * *


    ¡°¡±


    In the basement of the village hall, which was also a wine storage, Luke let out a deep, crushing sigh. The weight of his incompetence, Keter''s betrayal, and the shame of tarnishing his father¡¯s name weighed heavily on him. The guilt of disappointing Besil coursed through him, seeping into every part of his being.


    To be honest, he still hadn¡¯t fully grasped what had happened. Everything happened so suddenly, and he had never experienced anything like this before. Luke, though titled a knight, was naive and sheltered; he found everything utterly confusing, from the strange things Keter said to how Arbold responded, who responded as if he already knew everything.


    He wasn¡¯t sure, but one thing seemed clear.


    ¡°Did Keter¡­ really betray Sefira?¡±


    It was hard to admit, but it seemed to be the only explanation. If so, Luke needed to escape and inform the patriarch as soon as possible. But that was nearly impossible. Two Bydent knights were guarding the exit, and they were not the kind to let their guard down. Breaking through purely with skill was the only option, but he doubted whether he even had that kind of ability.


    Even if he did, the curse that bound him made it impossible to even throw a punch.


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    Luke pounded his fists into the ground. Blood welled up on his delicate hands as his skin split. Then, a trembling sensation overtook him again. Even this small act of self-harm was hindered by the curse.


    ¡°Leave me alone¡­ I¡¯d rather just die here.¡±


    Luke had always been afraid of the curse, as when the curse worsened, it would become difficult for him to breathe. But now, none of that mattered. If he had to live a life where he needed the curse''s permission even to condemn himself, then suffocating to death seemed like a better alternative.


    After a moment, his trembling hands finally moved.


    He had overcome it. He defied the curse and managed to slam his fist into the ground again. His hands began to soak in blood again. As they turned red, something startled him. Suddenly, he felt the presence of someone nearby. Luke shot to his feet.


    ¡°What is it? Who''s there?¡±


    It couldn¡¯t be the Bydent knights. He had been thoroughly searched by them just before being locked in here. Also, it hadn¡¯t been long enough for them to bring him food, so they had no reason to come down. Yet, it wasn¡¯t the scurrying of rats or insects; it was unmistakably a human presence.


    But there shouldn¡¯t be anyone else here. The only human-like thing in the room was the village chief.


    ¡°Ugh...¡±


    ¡±...!?¡±


    The corpse moved. The chief had come back to life.


    Luke¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He had confirmed with his own hands that the chief was dead. He had stopped breathing, and his heart was no longer breathing. Yet now, he was moving.


    For a moment, Luke thought the village chief had returned as an undead, but the color slowly returning to his face showed that he was coming back to life. It was, quite literally, a resurrection.


    ¡°Are you... are you conscious, sir?¡± Luke asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Ughhh...¡±


    The chief, still groggy and disoriented, just twisted and turned on the floor, groaning.


    Then, suddenly¡­


    The door flung open. Luke, startled, shot up in panic. If the Bydent knights realized that the chief was alive, things would spiral out of control fast. He had to hide him somehow.


    However, the person who entered wasn¡¯t a knight from the Bydent family.


    ¡°The smell of wine here is sweet... I like it.¡±


    ¡°Keter...!¡± Luke shouted as he grabbed Keter by the collar the moment he walked in.


    The Bydent knights, standing just outside, clicked their tongues at the scene and closed the door behind them.


    ¡°How dare you show your face here?¡± Luke growled in anger.


    He didn''t reveal to Keter that the chief had come back to life.


    ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s not like I killed anyone. Look, the old man is alive and well,¡± Keter said coolly, pointing toward the chief.


    ¡°...¡±


    The chief was lying there again as if he was dead, yet Keter knew he had come back to life. Even someone as dense as Luke could figure it out by now.


    ¡°Wait, did do this? How?¡± Luke asked, astonished.


    ¡°Would you even understand if I explained? Just think of it as me being competent and moving on,¡± Keter replied nonchalantly.


    ¡°...Sorry. I really thought you¡¯d betrayed us,¡± Luke admitted.


    ¡°Of course you did. I was the one who deceived you, ¡± Keter said, shrugging.


    ¡°Next time, give me a heads-up. I almost had a heart attack.¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been fooled, neither would those idiots. Anyway, do you feel like fighting?¡±


    ¡°I do... but...¡± Luke hesitated.


    He didn¡¯t want to talk about his curse and his inadequacy. But his curse was too big of a presence to hide forever. If it was going to be discovered eventually, it was better to confess now.


    ¡°I''ll be honest. I¡¯ve been cursed since birth. Every time danger arises, my instincts stop me. I can¡¯t do anything. Some people say it was protecting me, but to me, it¡¯s nothing but a curse,¡± Luke confessed, his voice heavy with shame.


    ¡°Oh, you''re type? Interesting... this is rare,¡± Keter mused.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I mean, you might be more of a big deal than I originally thought.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luke blinked in confusion.


    Luke couldn¡¯t keep up with Keter, no matter how hard he tried.


    ¡°Alright, request accepted.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what request are you accepting?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lift that curse of yours. In return, you¡¯ll do me one favor. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll lift my curse? I mean, I call it a curse, but it¡¯s not really one. Even priests and mages couldn¡¯t figure it out.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. The deal is, you¡¯ll do me one favor, no matter what. Are you in or not?¡±


    Luke sighed.


    ¡°If you can actually lift it, what¡¯s one favor? I¡¯ll do it three times, or even ten.¡±


    ¡°Ten times, huh? Give me ten favors.¡±


    Keter, with no hint of modesty, changed the conditions. Realizing his mistake, Luke quickly corrected himself.


    ¡°N-no, wait. That was a joke. Let¡¯s stick with one favor.¡±


    ¡°, fine. One favor it is. But swear on it.¡±


    ¡°A vow? Seriously?¡±


    Luke wondered if Keter could really break his curse because he seemed so confident, but Luke didn¡¯t have much faith. Keter could actually just be trying to deceive him. Still, no one had ever made such a bold promise to break his curse before. So, even if it was a lie, Luke wanted to believe it.


    ¡°I swear. By Queen Lilian and¡ª¡±


    Keter cut him off before Luke could finish the usual oath.


    ¡°Swear on your ancestors, not Lillian.¡±


    ¡°Keter, are you teasing me? I don''t even know who my real parents are. How can I swear on my ancestors?¡±


    ¡°Then that makes it easier, doesn¡¯t it? You don¡¯t know them anyway.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I swear on my ancestors. If you lift my curse, I''ll do whatever favor you ask, no exceptions.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Request accepted.¡±


    ¡°So, how are you going to lift it? You can tell me now, right?¡±


    ¡°First, aren¡¯t you curious about what¡¯s going on? It¡¯s simple. Those guys came here looking for beastfolk.¡±


    ¡°Beastfolk...?¡±


    Even though he heard the answer, Luke still couldn''t make sense of it.


    Luke wasn''t exactly uneducated. Because he was weak in combat, he made an extra effort to study theory and knowledge. He knew more than most people, and he certainly didn¡¯t fall behind.


    ¡°That long-haired pervert said they were offering a bounty, right? The reward was ten thousand gold. There are only three things in this world that would give ten thousand gold just for providing information.¡±


    Keter held up three fingers.


    ¡°First, discovering ancient ruins of a god. Second, sighting the missing elven goddess. And the last?¡±


    Luke picked up where Keter left off.


    ¡°Reporting the sighting of the Seven Cursed Species, which rebelled against the emperor¡­¡±


    ¡°Among them?¡±


    ¡°The Flying Wolf Tribe, the Moon Rabbit Tribe, the Soul-Stealing Crow Tribe... That''s all I know.¡±


    ¡°There are more, but I¡¯ll give you it since those are the only ones assumed to still be alive.¡±


    ¡°So... one of those three is hiding in Hacose Village? And the Bydent family came here to find them?¡±


    It was an unbelievable story. It was astonishing how a significant beastfolk like the Seven Cursed Species could be hiding in such a small village. Moreover, it was a mystery how the Bydent family, as well as Keter, knew about this.


    Luke started to see Keter as even more mysterious than before.


    ¡°Now do I seem impressive?¡±


    ¡°No, you seem more suspicious.¡±


    ¡°This profession of being a Solver tends to suffer from a lot of prejudice.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so the Bydent family is after beastfolk. Then we can just take the money and quietly leave, right?¡±


    ¡°No, we have to stop them.¡±


    ¡°Why? Wasn''t it fifty thousand gold? That''s a lot. If we take that to the patriarch, he''d probably hug you and dance. And if we¡¯re going to stop them, why didn¡¯t we just set off the signal flare?¡±


    ¡°Luke, you must''ve saved a country in your past life. It¡¯s pretty difficult to get lessons from me. Be sure to treat Gramps Jacques well when we get back, seriously.¡±


    ¡±...Am I missing something here?¡±


    ¡°Plenty. Anyway, lesson one.¡±


    Keter pointed at the village chief, who was pretending to be dead, and smirked.


    ¡°There are no such things as coincidences in this world.¡±

 Chapter 43: Just Take One Hit, You Little Punk (3)

    Arbold, who returned to the village hall with the commander of the Order of the Silver Leopard, frowned as soon as he entered.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Keter?¡±


    Arbold, not wanting to risk anything going wrong, was on edge.


    ¡°Look at you, badmouthing me as soon as I¡¯m not here.¡±


    Keter emerged from a side door leading to the basement, and he wasn¡¯t alone¡ªhe had brought Luke with him. Arbold couldn''t hide his irritation. He had said that Luke had been imprisoned as he was being uncooperative. Now, with Keter bringing Luke along, it made it seem like Arbold had lied.


    Keter patted Luke on the shoulder and said, ¡°Don''t worry. I convinced him. He has family, too.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Arbold glanced over at his superior, the commander, who finally revealed his presence.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Keter.¡±


    Luke felt a wave of tension from just a single sentence from the commander. Arbold was a strong opponent, but compared to the man standing before him, Arbold seemed insignificant.


    Luke''s curse had been warning him about this man from the beginning.


    Keter, also intrigued, asked the man for his name.


    ¡°And what should I call you?¡±


    ¡°Heh, I have to introduce myself? How absurd. You really don¡¯t know who I am?¡±


    Although his arrogant attitude was off-putting, it didn''t seem like he was bluffing. Keter glanced over at Luke.


    ¡°Do you know him?¡±


    ¡±...Ah! What? No way... Is it really you?¡±


    ¡°Took you long enough to recognize me. Very fitting for a Sefira.¡±


    Luke felt ashamed that he hadn''t recognized the man sooner. He couldn¡¯t believe that he missed it. The man standing before them wasn¡¯t just any strong knight.


    ¡°Jordic, the Spear Dragon...¡±


    At Luke''s exclamation, the man finally smiled in satisfaction, and his subordinates¡¯ chests visibly puffed up with pride.


    ¡°Keter, you still don¡¯t seem to know who I am.¡±


    ¡°You look like someone with... refined sexual tastes,¡± Keter quipped.


    ¡°... As the knight beside you said, I¡¯m Jordic¡ªJordic El Bydent. It means that I have cleaner blood than you, a bastard.¡±


    The fact that his last name was Bydent meant he wasn¡¯t just a regular knight; he was the youngest son of Bydent. Not only that, the title of Spear Dragon was not something that one could just simply obtain. Luke knew this, which was why he was shocked, but Keter didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°Spear Dragon, sure whatever. Are we doing business or not?¡±


    ¡°How insolent. You shouldn¡¯t take that kind of attitude with me, especially since you¡¯re nothing more than a halfie who hasn¡¯t even earned the title of a noble yet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very noble-like of you to start with threats, but it¡¯s not my style. I prefer getting straight to the point. Are we making a deal or not? Or are you going to attack first?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough from Arbold. You¡¯re good at deceiving people, aren¡¯t you? But you actually have no idea why we¡¯re here, do you?¡±


    Jordic was certain that Keter was a conman. He believed Arbold had been fooled, which was a mistake, but he also thought it would be fine if he fixed it.


    ¡°You really lack faith. Do you need me to spell it out for you? Will it make you feel better if I said that the beastfolk you¡¯re after are in this village?¡±


    ¡±...!?¡±


    Jordic¡¯s eyes widened in shock. On the other hand, Arbold wore a triumphant grin. He had been reprimanded harshly by Jordic for being conned by Keter, but now it seemed Jordic was wrong. His loyalty aside, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.


    Keter truly knew about the secrets of the village.


    ¡°...¡±


    Jordic glared at Keter. He then glanced at Luke. Jordic finished calculating the chances, and he came to the conclusion that he could kill both of them in one hit. He was sure that he could kill them before they even got a chance to shoot the flare or even scream.


    Jordic¡¯s fingers, gripping his spear, twitched slightly. At that moment, Keter began speaking as well.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone waiting for me. Can we hurry this up?¡±


    ¡±...You''re treating me as if I''m on the same level as this fool. I know you two are the only ones who came to this village.¡±


    Jordic had already confirmed before coming that only Keter and Luke had entered the village.


    ¡°You''re right. It''s just me and this idiot here. Today, at least.¡±


    ¡°Today?¡±


    ¡°This is disappointing. Did you really think I would come here with no backup, really just the two of us?¡±


    ¡°Arbold.¡±


    At Jordic''s call, Arbold quickly responded, ¡°We haven''t fully searched the area. Our tracks might have been exposed if we did, so...¡±


    ¡°¡±


    Jordic¡¯s frown deepened. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he knew that killing them to silence them was a gamble. If word of the beastfolk¡¯s existence and their connection to the Bydent family spread, the house of Bydent would be utterly ruined. Jordic knew he didn¡¯t have the authority to gamble with the fate of his family.


    Reluctantly, the grip on Jordic¡¯s spear loosened.


    ¡°Now, shall we start the real negotiations?¡±


    Keter sat at the table first.


    * * *


    ¡°Fifty thousand gold is too much. We''ll send one thousand gold every month instead. Don''t get too greedy.¡±


    ¡°Forty thousand gold in a lump sum! I won''t accept anything less.¡±


    ¡°I can''t hand over forty thousand gold all at once without knowing if you will keep your word. And don''t talk about making promises. I don''t believe your life is worth that much.¡±


    The real negotiation had begun. Neither side seemed willing to yield an inch.


    ¡°Shall we all just die, then? Like you said, I don¡¯t have the ability to capture the beastfolk. But I can definitely claim the ten thousand gold reward for the tip. By the end of today, the empire will get word. You seem desperate to capture them, but do you think you can find them by the end of the day?¡±


    ¡°No, we will tell the empire first. The reward is only given to the fastest person. You won¡¯t get a single coin,¡± Jordic said, his voice firm.


    ¡°Okay, fine. Take your ten thousand gold. I''ll concede this time. But since you might just be bluffing and not actually report it, I''ll make sure to report it too. We''re done talking, so I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    As Keter stood up and started walking toward the exit, Jordic shouted angrily, ¡°Sit down!¡±


    ¡°Buzz off,¡± Keter replied, ignoring him and heading for the door.


    At last, Jordic composed himself and spoke in a more measured tone. ¡±... Twenty thousand gold.¡±


    Jordic proposed a more realistic offer. Although it fell far short of the originally mentioned fifty thousand gold, it was never a feasible amount. Twenty thousand was still a substantial sum that a mere knight couldn¡¯t typically offer. However, it was a much more plausible amount compared to fifty thousand gold.


    Without turning around, Keter responded, ¡°I hate the number two.¡±


    ¡°... fine, make it thirty thousand gold,¡± Jordic relented.


    The offer went up exactly ten thousand gold without any hesitation. Keter returned to his seat. It was clear from Jordic¡¯s face that this was the limit. The look on his face showed that he wasn''t willing to go any higher, and if Keter tried to push further, Jordic would most likely seek other means to resolve the situation.


    Even though it wouldn''t matter much to Keter whether Jordic looked for other means, there was no reason to push things further. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keter returned to his seat and pulled out a document and a pen from his coat.


    ¡°You''ve seen this before, right? It''s a blood contract. No forgeries or backing out.¡±


    Keter scribbled the contract quickly. His handwriting was terrible, but it was still legible.


    Jordic frowned as he reviewed the contents. He had expected hidden traps or toxic clauses since he thought Keter was a conman, but there was nothing. To his surprise, the contract was remarkably straightforward.


    ¡°Anything you''d like to add?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡±...Arbold,¡± Jordic called out.


    Together with Arbold, Jordic rechecked the contract. There wasn''t much to scrutinize. If Keter was marked as an ally of the Bydent family, he would not only be exiled from the family but possibly face death. If Keter just took the thirty thousand gold and broke his word, Jordic could simply release the contract to the public. This would destroy Keter''s reputation, and no one would ever trust him again, tarnishing the Sefira name as well.


    For Keter, it was a reasonable contract¡ªone that left him no choice but to keep the secret.


    ¡°I''ve already signed it.¡±


    Keter had already signed the contract and handed it over. All that remained was for Jordic to sign. He grabbed the pen, which was enchanted to automatically extract a small amount of blood from his finger, using it as ink.


    ¡±...¡±


    Before signing, Jordic hesitated once more. This was only the second time in his life that he had signed something with his name.


    When he had signed the first time, Patrah, his father and the patriarch of Bydent, told him that no amount of consideration¡ªwhether two times, three times, or even ten¡ªwould ever be too much when signing a contract.


    With a smooth motion, Jordic wrote his initials in elegant handwriting and handed the contract back to Keter. Keter split the two stacked copies of the contract, keeping one for himself and handing the other to Jordic.


    Thus, the delicate and precarious agreement was finalized. Keter would remain silent about the existence of the beastfolk, and Jordic would pay him thirty thousand gold in return.


    * * *


    The once crowded hall was now empty, leaving only two people: Keter and Luke. All of the Bydent knights had left to search for the beastfolk without concern, thanks in large part to Keter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of silencing the villagers as a free service. Hurry up and find them, do whatever you want to them.¡±


    Keter already killed the village chief. Having already seen Keter¡¯s brutality, Arbold was completely convinced. In truth, it wasn¡¯t so much that he believed Keter, but that he to believe him. The knights were exhausted. They had spent nearly a month in the field, constantly on edge. They were desperate to find the flying wolf and return home as quickly as possible.


    ¡°Keter, what do we do now? Our original mission was to find the missing knight, wasn¡¯t it? Are you really planning on keeping this secret? Helping the Bydent family¡­ That¡¯s just not right.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go report them?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The contract said I have to keep the secret. Your name isn¡¯t on it, though, is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re right.¡±


    Luke felt foolish for not realizing something so simple sooner, as if he had been under a spell.


    ¡°Wait, is this magic? Did you trick them with magic?¡±


    Realizing once again that Keter was a mage, Luke made a big fuss.


    Keter waved the contract like a fan and said nonchalantly, ¡°My mouth is magic itself.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. But why are we still here? Isn¡¯t our business finished?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. I told you earlier, we can¡¯t let those guys find the beastfolk.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the part I don¡¯t understand. You¡¯re supposed to keep it secret, but¡­ Oh!¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re catching up, huh? I said I¡¯d keep the secret, but nowhere did it say we wouldn¡¯t find the beastfolk.¡±


    ¡°But even so, how are we supposed to find them? Are we really going to hide them? Us?¡±


    While it was good that Luke was asking questions to learn, there was a limit to how far that went. Being able to deduce things was important, so Keter slapped Luke on the arm.


    ¡°Are you planning to ask about every little thing? Try deducing something, no matter how small.¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t think of anything. I don¡¯t want to pretend I know something when I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Pretending only works if you actually know something. But you know absolutely nothing.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Luke pouted.


    ¡°Put those lips back in. We¡¯re leaving now,¡± Keter said as he stood up.


    Luke immediately followed behind Keter. They resembled more of a student trailing behind a teacher than an equal partner.


    ¡°We¡¯re just going to follow the Bydent knights, right? That way, we won¡¯t have to do the searching ourselves.¡±


    ¡°I''m telling you, we have to find them first.¡±


    ¡°But how are we supposed to find them first? There¡¯s just the two of us. Are you going to use magic again?¡±


    ¡°If there was some method or magic like that, do you think the beastfolk would have survived this long? The emperor would''ve hunted them all down ages ago.¡±


    ¡°True... So, how are you going to find them?¡±


    ¡°Me? I''m not going to find them.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Keter stopped in front of a building, the Pumpkin Leaf Inn. This was the inn where Reganon''s subordinate was waiting. With his hand on the doorknob, Keter finished his sentence.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to come find me.¡±

 Chapter 44: Just Take One Hit, You Little Punk (4)

    The Pumpkin Leaf Inn was famous for its terrible food. True to its reputation, there were more staff than customers.


    Keter walked in and sat at the secluded table hidden in the shadows of a pillar.


    The middle-aged man sitting opposite him, who had already been there, stirred his now cold soup and said, ¡°You acted like you wouldn''t come. Did you change your mind?¡±


    ¡°''I did. I''m going to expose everything.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The middle-aged man, who had his head lowered, looked up and stared at Keter. If Luke were here, he would have been shocked. The man wasn''t a villager but one of Sefira''s knights: a three-star knight of the Order of the Galaxy who wasn¡¯t even from the fourth division that guarded the archives. It wasn¡¯t just one division of the order that supported Reganon.


    ¡°I plan to return to the family and reveal everything about what Elder Reganon has been doing,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Do you think the patriarch would believe that?¡± responded the middle-aged man. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''I¡¯ll tell them that Elder Reganon is hiding something in this village. They won¡¯t believe it at first. But they¡¯ll start looking into it more. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Hey, if you stare at me like that, it looks like you''re confessing. You should¡¯ve pretended not to know.¡±


    ¡°You have quite the imagination, like the lord mentioned.¡±


    ¡°One hundred thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking. I don¡¯t want to fight with the elder. But I also don¡¯t want to let this opportunity go for just a small amount of money.¡±


    ¡°So you came to Sefira out of pure self-interest, after all.¡±


    ¡°What, should I be a dutiful son instead? For the father who abandoned me?¡±


    ¡°Typical thinking from someone from the lawless city of Absinthe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll return to the family by lunchtime. Tell them to have one hundred thousand gold ready by then. If you are short of even one gold, the deal is off.¡±


    Keter unilaterally delivered his terms and stood up. The middle-aged man could only glare at Keter¡¯s back as he left.


    Meanwhile, Luke, who had been waiting outside, overheard their entire conversation through a crack in the window.


    ¡°Keter, was it true that Lord Reganon called you yesterday and actually told you to leave the family?¡±


    ¡°Now you get it? I never lie.¡±


    ¡°Why would Lord Reganon... Ah, actually, thinking about it, it makes sense.¡±


    Luke began to understand Reganon''s reasoning for asking Keter to leave the family, considering Keter¡¯s actions. However, he still couldn¡¯t figure out how Keter¡¯s current behavior and his search for the beastfolk were related.


    Luke was about to ask Keter directly, but then stopped himself, remembering Keter¡¯s comment about thinking things through on his own.


    ¡°Is there a connection between Lord Reganon and the beastfolk?¡±


    It was an absurd idea, but it was the only thing that came to mind at the moment.


    Keter glanced back at Luke and gave him a nudge with his elbow.


    ¡°Just keep doing that.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Was I right?¡±


    ¡°Whether you''re right or wrong, you¡¯re useless if you can''t even come up with a prediction.¡±


    ¡°So, was I right or wrong?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just guessing too. I think it might be the case, but I¡¯m not sure. That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to verify now.¡±


    ¡°Verify? Do you think Lord Reganon will really give you the one hundred thousand gold? I don¡¯t think he has that kind of money.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll manage somehow if he sells everything down to his underwear. But I doubt he¡¯d want to give it to me. So, what do you think he¡¯ll do?¡±


    ¡°Um... negotiate?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be easier to just kill me and get rid of the problem.¡±


    ¡°Lord Reganon isn¡¯t the type to do that.¡±


    ¡°How could a fish understand a bird''s mind?¡±[1]


    ¡°What if you¡¯re wrong? What will you do then?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯m wrong.¡±


    Luke stopped abruptly at Keter''s answer. Keter, on the other hand, kept walking. Luke felt a bit hurt, but he didn¡¯t bother to catch up. He already knew where Keter was headed.


    Luke couldn¡¯t take it lightly.


    One day, the pudding Luke had saved to eat later disappeared, and he suspected his dorm roommate. They got along well, but based on the circumstances, there was no one else who could have taken it.


    He immediately confronted his roommate, accusing him of eating the pudding without permission. The roommate denied it, but their relationship deteriorated to the point where it couldn¡¯t get any worse. In the end, Luke changed rooms and deliberately avoided crossing paths with his former roommate.


    The next day, a friend from the room next door handed Luke a pudding. He explained that he saw the pudding through the open refrigerator door while passing by and ate it without thinking. He even gave Luke two in return, telling him not to feel bad.


    The roommate hadn¡¯t been the culprit, but Luke couldn¡¯t even apologize. His roommate no longer wanted to see him.


    ¡°What would Keter have done?¡±


    Luke chuckled to himself as he asked the question.


    ¡°He probably would¡¯ve grabbed the roommate by the collar right away.¡±


    Up to that point, they weren''t so different. But what about after the real culprit was revealed? Luke wondered how Keter would have repaired the already broken relationship.


    ¡°That¡¯s something I¡¯ll have to see for myself.¡±


    There¡¯s still a lot Luke didn¡¯t know about Keter, and he could learn a lot from Keter.


    Luke suddenly realized something: becoming Keter¡¯s partner didn¡¯t mean that he was supposed to teach Keter.


    Luke believed that was the true intention behind the patriarch''s assignment.


    * * *


    Before leaving the basement of the village hall, Keter asked the village chief if there was a quiet place to hide in the village.


    The village chief, who owed his life to Keter, thought for a moment and gave an answer.


    The chief''s words were true. The soybean field was deserted, and bugs were crawling all over. Upon arriving at the barn, Luke, who clearly disliked bugs, shuddered and shook his body in disgust.


    ¡°No one would come to a place like this.¡±


    Keter, who had arrived first, was lying down, using his arm as a pillow.


    ¡°Keter, are you seriously sleeping?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting. Don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll come.¡±


    ¡°Who would come here? No one knows we''re here.¡±


    ¡°I already let them know that I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be. I heard everything you said at the inn, and you didn¡¯t mention anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Lesson one. What did I tell you?¡±


    ¡°There are no such things as coincidences in this world. I know, but¡­¡±


    Luke suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Now that he thought about it, Keter didn¡¯t just say ¡°Lesson one¡±; he had said it while pointing at the village chief. At the time, Luke thought it was just a random gesture, but if it wasn¡¯t¡­


    ¡°The village chief... is in on it, too?¡±


    Keter didn¡¯t bother to confirm or deny it with any gestures, so Luke went over the situation again in his mind.


    Back then, the chief had been listening to the entire conversation from the second floor. Even that was strange. It made no sense that he, an ordinary person, would stay and listen in on such an important discussion.


    The knights weren¡¯t blocking the exits, and the hall didn¡¯t only have a front entrance. The chief could have come down from the second floor and left through the front or back door at any time. He could have also moved to a corner of the second floor, trying not to hear anything. There were countless choices he could have made. Yet, the chief deliberately stayed to listen to the entire conversation between Keter and Arbold.


    Luke got goosebumps, but it wasn¡¯t because of the village chief¡¯s actions that he hadn¡¯t noticed before; it was because Keter, who had noticed all of that even while engaged in such an intense conversation, seemed like a monster to Luke.


    ¡°Are you really just eighteen? Your appearance¡­ It¡¯s fake, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Luke tried to pinch Keter''s face, but Keter smacked his hand away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t reach for my face. If it were anyone else, I would¡¯ve cut that hand off.¡±


    ¡°Friends can¡­¡±


    Strictly speaking, Luke was three years older than Keter, but that no longer mattered.


    Keter chuckled at how Luke called him a friend.


    ¡°There are three criteria to be my friend. You don¡¯t meet any of them.¡±


    ¡°I think I know what they are. You¡¯re either rich, strong, or... the last one, maybe being beautiful or a high noble?¡±


    ¡°You got half of it right.¡±


    Keter stood up and reached out his hand. Luke thought it was for a handshake and extended his hand as well.


    Keter slapped Luke''s palm and said, ¡°The bow. Give me the bow.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Luke, who had been faithfully carrying the bow Keter was going to use, finally handed it over. After taking the bow, Keter also grabbed six arrows from the quiver on Luke''s back.


    ¡°Do you even know how to shoot a bow?¡± Luke asked.


    It was truly an innocent question with no intent to be condescending.


    It was illegal for commoners to even possess long-range weapons like bows or crossbows. Only licensed hunters were allowed to carry bows. It probably wasn¡¯t difficult for Keter to get a bow since he was from the lawless city of Absinthe, but it likely wasn¡¯t something he would have typically used as a weapon; a bow couldn¡¯t unleash even half of its full potential in cramped and complex spaces.


    Instead of answering, Keter showed through action.


    Keter casually began firing arrows without even using a finger guard. The arrows he shot embedded themselves in various places around the barn.


    Watching this, a thought suddenly popped up in Luke¡¯s head.


    The archery Keter displayed didn¡¯t seem particularly impressive. He proved he wasn¡¯t a novice by hitting his targets, but that was about it.


    ¡°You shoot well, but¡­¡±


    If Keter hadn¡¯t possessed the Amaranth, Luke would have fled immediately.


    Luke sighed as he looked at the arrows Keter had shot.


    ¡°Keter, I know it was just a test shot, but shooting them that high makes it difficult to retrieve them. Do you know how expensive each of these arrows is?¡±


    Since bows weren¡¯t standardized weapons, there were no specialized forges to craft them. Arrows on the market were one gold for a bundle of thirty.


    On the other hand, arrows produced at Sefira were undeniably of the highest quality. The cost to produce just one arrow easily surpassed one gold. As a result, it was common practice to reuse them as many times as possible unless they were severely damaged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pull them out. Just leave them,¡± Keter said to Luke.


    ¡°Arrows are extremely sensitive to moisture. If you leave them like that, they¡¯ll become useless in no time.¡±


    ¡°I put them there on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting ready to greet our guest.¡±


    Just as Luke was about to ask further, the barn door swung open with a loud noise. Luke, who was standing near the door, jumped like a cat and landed beside Keter.


    Even the curse, which usually protected him from danger, only began to react noisily once the man had already appeared.


    The man who entered the barn had an ordinary appearance. Based on his clothing, he could easily be mistaken for a farmer coming to check on the barn. If it weren¡¯t for the way he calmly looked around at Keter and Luke, Luke might have dismissed him as just another villager.


    ¡°You have two choices.¡±


    The man abruptly spoke to Keter without any introduction. Without waiting for Keter¡¯s response, he continued speaking.


    ¡°You can follow me quietly with this bag tied around your head, or you can be dragged away unconscious.¡±


    The man threw two bags at Keter. Keter glared at them and frowned.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t the line I was expecting. Hey, is this right? Are you sure? Didn¡¯t you say something like, ¡®I¡¯ll tear you apart and feed you to the crows,¡¯ or, ¡®If you leave now, I¡¯ll let you go¡¯? Think carefully.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t told to listen to what you have to say. I was advised not to give you much time to think.¡±


    ¡°.¡±


    Clicking his tongue, Keter glanced at Luke. He was holding a bow with a determined look in his eyes but wasn¡¯t gripping any arrows.


    Up until now, everything had gone according to Keter¡¯s predictions. But now, for the first time, things had gone off course.


    That was it. It was only natural; Keter was not a god, and mistakes were common. When things like this happened, he simply moved on to the next path.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    After a moment of hesitation in response to Keter''s question, the man said, ¡°Hans.¡±


    ¡°Not your human name. Your real name.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The man showed hostility toward Keter, who was asking as if he knew the man¡¯s true identity.


    The man began walking towards them in large strides.


    ¡°Keter, use Amaranth!¡± urgently shouted Luke, who was unable to fight due to the curse.


    However, Keter just chuckled.


    ¡°Why would I need to use a weapon for slaying dragons to catch goblins?¡±


    Keter pulled three arrows from the quiver at Luke¡¯s waist and immediately nocked one on the bowstring.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to talk, right? You¡¯ll want to soon.¡±


    As Keter released the bowstring, the man''s figure vanished from sight.


    1. This is a play on the Chinese saying, ¡°How can a small bird understand the ambitions of a great swan?¡±. It means that a commoner cannot understand the mind and plans of a great fellow. ?

 Chapter 45: Just Take One Hit, You Little Punk (5)

    To Luke, it looked like Hans disappeared with an afterimage. He was nowhere to be seen, neither ahead nor to either side. Hans moved faster than the arrows Keter had shot.


    The moment Hans disappeared from Luke''s sight, the battle was already over¡ªor so Luke thought.


    ¡°Keter!¡±


    It was obvious that Hans was targeting Keter, so Luke threw himself forward to protect him. However, Luke ended up leaping into empty air, as Keter had also vanished.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Luke searched for Keter. Suddenly, a fierce wind swirled around him, whipping his hair and clothes. Hans had barely brushed past Luke.


    Hans turned to look up behind him, and when Luke followed his gaze, he saw Keter, who had already leaped to the opposite side. Keter was now hovering in midair, drawing his bowstring toward Hans.


    ¡°That''s... Cancer Archery?!¡±


    Cancer Archery was the fourth technique of Zodiac Archery. It was a skill that allowed archers to shoot even while suspended in the air. Luke could only learn it in theory, but even the Order of the Galaxy, Sefira¡¯s most elite, could only manage to use it on their best days. Luke had never seen anyone actually use Cancer Archery before.


    Yet Keter was using this technique not in training, but in the middle of a real battle.


    The sound of Keter releasing the bowstring was sharp and crisp, reverberating in the air. Hans twisted his body to the left; it was the safest way to avoid arrows, which could only fly in a straight line.


    It was the sound of the arrow piercing into flesh. The arrowhead was lodged deep into Hans'' shoulder.


    ¡°The arrow curved!?¡± Luke shouted in disbelief.


    That was the same thought running through Hans'' mind. The arrow had curved¡ªthe projectile, which had been flying straight toward him, bent at an impossible angle, ultimately hitting his shoulder.


    Strong winds could cause arrows to curve, but there was no wind in this enclosed space. There was no natural explanation as to how Keter made the arrow curve. However, the answer was soon revealed.


    Keter leaped over Hans, who was bracing himself for an attack, expecting Keter to strike down from above. But instead, Keter simply passed over him, leaving Hans confused.


    Then, at that moment¡­


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡­Hans clutched his neck, where blood was flowing from a fresh wound. A nearly invisible thin wire was tightening around his throat. The wire was tied to the end of Keter¡¯s arrow, and it only became apparent once it was drawn taut.


    Hans had no time to think about it, as Keter was already nocking another arrow on his bowstring.


    At the sound of the string releasing, Hans jumped high into the air, aiming to use the barn''s crossbeam as cover. But this was his first mistake. Keter hadn¡¯t fired the arrow; he had only drawn the string and let it go without releasing the arrow. However, the next sound was real.


    An arrow flew from Keter¡¯s hand, soaring through the air. Hans, suspended in mid-air, had no way to avoid it. His only option was to cover his vital organs¡ªhis heart and head¡ªwith his arms. But the arrow didn¡¯t strike his vital organs. Instead, it was embedded deep into Hans¡¯ thick thigh.


    ¡±...!?¡±


    A sharp pain spread through Hans¡¯ leg, causing him to grimace in agony.


    Because of this, Hans barely managed to hang onto the crossbeam with his left arm, let alone use it as a shield.


    Looking down, he retraced the battle in his head.


    That was his second mistake.


    An arrow pierced his left arm, the one gripping the beam. It must have hit a tendon, as his arm instantly lost strength, and Hans fell to the ground. As he plummeted, he wondered where the fourth arrow had come from.


    The answer was right before his eyes: there were arrows embedded all over the walls of the barn. They hadn¡¯t just been stuck there for no reason. Keter had been retrieving them as he moved around.


    Meanwhile, the thin wire around his neck continued to dig deeper. It had tightened so much that there was no space for Hans to slip his fingers between his neck and the wire. The wire was connected to both the arrow embedded in his shoulder and the bracelet Keter wore. What Luke had thought was just an accessory was, in fact, a bundle of wire, thinner than a strand of hair, coiled into bracelet form.


    Hans crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Keter, standing on the beam Hans had tried to reach, pulled out an arrow lodged nearby and shot it into the dust cloud below. As if perfectly timed, Hans emerged from the dust just then.


    Hans blocked the arrow headed for his forehead with his thick forearm, then yanked out the arrow lodged in his shoulder¡ªthe one connected to Keter¡¯s wire.


    However, Keter was even faster to lunge toward Hans, gaining momentum from Hans¡¯ pull.


    Keter then kicked the arrow in Hans¡¯ arm.


    ¡±...!¡±


    Hans'' eyes widened like those of a wild beast. The arrow hadn¡¯t been deeply embedded in his arm, to begin with, but Keter¡¯s brutal strike drove it in further, causing the wound to tear open and become a deep gash.


    At that instant, Hans'' body swelled slightly, and his fingernails extended into sharp claws.


    Hans finally launched an attack on Keter. It was nothing more than a swing of his arm, but it was extremely fast and powerful. Keter flattened himself on the ground, which seemed too exaggerated and dramatic for dodging an attack. However, there was an arrow in his hand when he stood back up.


    As he stood up, Keter jabbed the arrow into Hans'' side a couple of times.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Hans shouted ferociously, swinging his fists.


    It was a simple punch with no visible technique, but when there was enough power and speed, technique was irrelevant.


    Even Luke, standing some ten meters away, felt the force of Hans¡¯ punch as his hair was swept back by the wind. His face was already drenched in sweat as he watched the fight unfold.


    There was no need to actually be hit to understand it. Hans¡¯ punches had the same force as an ogre¡¯s. An ogre¡¯s fists were massive, but Hans¡¯ were still the size of a human''s, so perhaps he was even stronger.


    But the true monster was Keter. He narrowly dodged each of Hans¡¯ punches, despite being well within the danger zone. Keter¡¯s face was covered in blood, streaming from the wounds inflicted by the force of the winds created by Hans¡¯ swings. It was hard to believe he could still see.


    Of course, Hans was in an even worse state, as his entire body was drenched in blood. Yet, strangely, there was no sign of him collapsing. If anything, it seemed like Keter''s attacks were enraging him further.


    ¡°I like that you¡¯re tough! Don¡¯t fall now!¡± Keter shouted.


    Keter''s attacks grew wilder and faster. He swung his bow like a staff and used his arrows like daggers.


    Right then, Hans''s fist directly hit Keter''s chest. The punch was capable of creating gusts of wind; if it landed cleanly, even rocks would crumble to dust. No human could withstand such force.


    ¡°Keter!¡±


    Luke, who had been watching in horror, was about to rush in.


    Keter¡¯s kick struck Hans between the legs.


    Hans, who wasn¡¯t affected by any of Keter¡¯s previous attacks, dropped to his knees. As he knelt, Keter looked down at him with a smirk.


    ¡°Smaller than me,¡± he said mockingly.


    Keter followed up with a powerful uppercut to Hans'' jaw, sending his head snapping back.


    * * *


    It was entertaining; Keter found it exciting to give his all with the sole intention of killing the opponent. It was a bit of a shame that his opponent wasn¡¯t trying to kill him, but still, his resilience made it worthwhile.


    The outcome was clear now. Keter didn¡¯t kill Hans, but Hans surely realized he couldn¡¯t defeat Keter, not in his human form.


    Hans, who had fallen backward after taking a hit to his jaw, suddenly jumped to his feet.


    ¡°That hurt.¡±


    Hans flexed his neck and snapped the wire that had been wrapped around his neck.


    Keter nocked an arrow onto his bowstring, aimed it at Hans¡¯s face, and said, ¡°I told you that you''d want to talk to me eventually.¡±


    ¡°I admit it. But first, tell me, why didn¡¯t you go all out?¡±


    Hans was asking why Keter didn¡¯t use aura.


    ¡°Like you, killing isn¡¯t my goal,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Heh. What kind of conversation do you think you can have with me? I just have to take you, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s an order from Elder Reganon, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Keter shot the arrow straight up into the ceiling. It pierced through and disappeared somewhere far beyond.


    ¡°Relax. I was testing you.¡±


    ¡°Testing me?¡±


    ¡°Luke, handkerchief.¡±


    Keter gestured at Luke. He didn¡¯t carry things like handkerchiefs, but Keter knew Luke surely would. As expected, Luke, who had been standing by watching the whole time, approached and handed one over. Keter gave it to Hans.


    Hans accepted it in silence and wiped the blood off his face. He had quite a lot of wounds on his face as well, but once the blood was wiped away, his face was clean.


    Beastfolk were naturally gifted with regeneration, but Hans was something special.


    ¡°What exactly were you testing?¡± Hans asked.


    ¡°Many things. You passed with flying colors.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    In situations like this, it was always convenient to create a common enemy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to explain. The people looking for you have arrived at the village,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    Hans probably knew that the Bydent knights were searching for beastfolk from the village chief Keter spared. But the fact that Hans still came to find Keter meant that he had a fair amount of loyalty or at least some sense of duty toward Reganon.


    If Hans trusted Reganon, then all Keter had to do was side with Reganon. Keter could just figure out how to use that later.


    Keter was also curious why the Bydent family was after the beastfolk. If he figured out the reason, he might be able to manipulate the Bydent family. Keter didn¡¯t want to know it because they were enemies of Sefira, but simply because it was fun to hold someone¡¯s weakness.


    ¡°If you know all that, get ready to move. We¡¯re heading to a new hideout. They haven¡¯t noticed yet.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going back to the village to assess the situation myself.¡±


    Contrary to his appearance, Hans was pretty cautious.


    But just because Hans was smart didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t be tricked. In fact, sometimes it was easier to deceive the clever ones if one could create a convincing enough scenario.


    ¡°Wait. I haven¡¯t heard your name yet.¡±


    Keter stopped Hans before he could leave.


    Though Hans was suspicious of Keter, he still answered, thinking that Keter was most likely not an enemy.


    ¡°Karon.¡±


    ¡°Karon, I understand that you don¡¯t trust me. But how about this?¡±


    Everything existed in Liqueur, even when it came to different species. Elves and dwarves were common, and beastfolk, of course, were no exception. Keter figured he would just drop the name of the most disposable beastfolk he knew.


    ¡°I¡¯m already protecting a beastfolk named Alioli. Ever heard of him?¡±


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    Hans'' attitude shifted in an instant.


    It was perfect. If they were enemies, Keter could offer to take care of Alioli for him, and if they were friends, he could set up a meeting.


    ¡°How do you know that bastard?!¡±


    Judging from Hans¡¯ reaction, they probably had some serious bad blood.


    ¡°Well, you said you don¡¯t trust me, right? Let go of my arm already.¡±


    Just then, Luke, who was keeping watch outside, called out in perfect timing.


    ¡°Keter, someone¡¯s coming! I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re headed this way, but we should either hide or leave!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably just a farmer. It¡¯ll be a hassle if we run into them, so let¡¯s just stay put,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°W-wait, no! They¡¯re headed this¡­ Spear! I see a spear! Oh! It¡¯s Jo-Jordic!¡± Luke exclaimed in a panic.


    As Keter shot Karon a look, his expression twisted in frustration.


    There was no time to consult anyone. Right now, the only person Karon could trust was Keter, the one standing right in front of him.

 Chapter 46: Just Take One Hit, You Little Punk (6)

    "Captain, we''ve searched all the places they could be hiding... but there''s nothing.¡±


    Jordic slowly closed his eyes.


    "They''re not hiding,¡± Jordic replied.


    "You¡¯re saying they''re among the villagers,¡± Arnold said.


    "Bring me the village chief. He¡¯ll know.¡±


    "The chief is dead.¡±


    "What? Why did you kill him?¡±


    "We had no choice.¡±


    Arbold then reported everything he had discussed with Keter to Jordic.


    After hearing the full story, Jordic ordered, "Go to the basement and check if the chief¡¯s body is still there.¡±


    "Understood.¡±


    Without a word, Arbold ran off. He returned in an instant, his face ashen.


    "He¡¯s... he''s gone,¡± Arnold said.


    ¡±...Bring me that conman from Sefira.¡±


    "W-we already ordered his capture, but...¡±


    "Don''t tell me, you didn¡¯t keep him under surveillance?¡±


    "We did, but once we saw him leaving the village, we didn¡¯t think much of it.¡±


    ¡±...We¡¯ve been thoroughly played.¡±


    Striking the floor with his spear, Jordic let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°The village chief is gone, and so is Keter. We can¡¯t find the beastfolk either.¡±


    ¡°The beastfolk must be hiding among the villagers. That is the only option.¡±


    ¡°Probably was.¡±


    As Jordic implied it wasn¡¯t anymore, Arnold hastily replied, "He couldn''t have gone far, since wasn¡¯t on horseback. No matter how fast he runs, he couldn¡¯t have gone far. If we move now¡­¡±


    "Shut your mouth. I''m thinking,¡± Jordic interrupted.


    Jordic¡¯s eyes were still closed. Arbold didn''t press him further. He knew that when Jordic closed his eyes like that, it meant he was either angry or deep in thought. This time, it seemed to be both.


    A sound cut through the sky, making Arbold look up. As soon as he found where the sound was coming from, an arrow pierced the pillar of a building. Arbold silently approached the spot where the arrow had struck.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    It was a Sefira arrow. This was both expected and unexpected. Why, and how, had an arrow from Sefira suddenly flown towards the village? And at this exact moment?


    Arbold retrieved the arrow and returned it to Jordic.


    ¡°Captain, this.¡±


    Jordic furrowed his brow as he accepted the arrow from Arbold.


    ¡°Where did it come from?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I''m not entirely sure. Somewhere over in that direction, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I''m going first. Leave two of your men in the village, and bring the rest with me in the direction the arrow came from.¡±


    ¡°Captain, I could be mistaken,¡± Arbold said, unsure.


    ¡°This is the only piece of evidence we have anyway.¡±


    Holding the arrow, Jordic jumped away dozens of meters. With just two leaps, he swiftly left the village and soared into the sky. He scanned the area meticulously.


    In the vast plain that stretched out like an endless ocean, his eyes locked onto something¡ªa large barn in the middle of a bean field with nothing else around. That had to be it: the place where the arrow was likely shot from.


    At the same time, another thought crossed his mind.


    It was an obvious trap. Whoever fired that arrow wanted the knights of the Bydent family to know their location. That someone was most likely Luke, the foolish Sefira knight.


    A flood of thoughts raced through Jordic¡¯s mind. As they weren''t hesitations, but calculations, his steps toward the barn were as fast as ever.


    ¡°They''re here.¡±


    His sharp senses had already detected the presence inside the barn.


    Jordic arrived at the barn and kicked the door down, breaking it to pieces. From inside, a mocking voice called out.


    ¡°Is that how the Bydent family opens doors? I''ll do the same if I ever visit.¡±


    ¡°Keter!¡±


    Jordic swung his spear toward the voice, not to attack but to intimidate. Yet, someone grabbed the spear''s shaft.


    ¡°...!¡±


    They suddenly began tugging on the spear. The veins on Jordic¡¯s neck bulged in effort.


    It wasn¡¯t Keter or Luke. Neither of them had the strength to block him. As the dust settled, the figure of a third person emerged¡ªbloodstained, wearing tattered clothes, and radiating the energy of a wild beast. Their face was unremarkable, but Jordic recognized them at once.


    Jordic felt a mix of excitement and confusion.


    It didn''t matter.


    Bydent¡¯s higher elder, a moon rabbit, had anticipated this situation. They warned Jordic that the Flying Wolf Tribe was highly distrustful and wouldn''t believe him, no matter how much he tried to explain that a moon rabbit had sent him. That was why the high elder gave Jordic a token¡ªa symbol to prove that he was a representative of the Moon Rabbit Tribe. The high elder assured that with this token, the flying wolf would have to believe him.


    "Wait, I''m not your enemy,¡± Jordic said, loosening his grip on the spear to ease the tension of the flying wolf.


    As Jordic reached into his belt pouch to retrieve the token¡­


    ¡°Ever hear a thief admit he¡¯s a thief? Let''s beat him up first!¡± Keter shouted suddenly, firing an arrow directly at him.


    That was the spark. At the same time, Karon, the flying wolf, swung the spear he''d taken from Jordic right at him.


    * * *


    They say first impressions went a long way, and it seemed like it was true. Getting Jordic here went according to plan, but the look on his face was strange. Jordic was looking at Karon like a long-lost lover. And on top of that, he was saying that he wasn¡¯t an enemy and put down his weapon.


    The House of Bydent was trying to protect a beastfolk, something the emperor despised. The emperor had enough power to disintegrate even the most prestigious houses like dandelion seeds in the wind.


    Just then, Jordic reached for something at his waist. Keter didn¡¯t know what it was, but he couldn¡¯t let him pull it out.


    After shooting an arrow, Keter provoked Karon.


    ¡°Ever see a thief admit he¡¯s a thief? Let¡¯s beat him up first!¡±


    Though Karon seemed a bit unsure, it seemed like agreed with Keter¡¯s plan to attack first and ask questions later.


    ¡°Hey! I¡ª¡±


    Jordic stopped mid-sentence to crouch and dodge Karon¡¯s spear. Keter took that opportunity and lunged at Jordic.


    ¡°In the name of my fallen beastfolk friend!¡± Keter shouted, pretending to be enraged over a non-existent friend¡¯s death, as he swung his bow at Jordic.


    ¡°Stay out of this!¡±


    Jordic just dodged Karon¡¯s attacks, but kept throwing real punches at Keter.


    ¡°You need a nail trim,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Jordic swung his arm toward Keter, but Keter blocked it with his bow and absorbed the blow with his body. Then, Jordic slammed his elbow into Keter¡¯s back, again and again.


    After about the eighth hit, Keter finally managed to snatch the item from Jordic¡¯s pocket and quickly retreated.


    ¡°Repeating the same strike over and over. Is that how you killed the beastfolk too?¡± Keter taunted.


    Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t Jordic who got angry at what Keter was saying, but Karon. He had been swinging his spear carelessly before, but now, he was moving faster¡ªstill careless, but much faster.


    It seemed like Jordic could also see how powerful Karon¡¯s swings were, as he continued to dodge them with exaggerated motions, clearly trying to avoid even the slightest touch.


    ¡°I represent the Moon Rabbit Tribe!¡± Jordic suddenly shouted, thinking that this wasn¡¯t going to end anytime soon.


    It seemed to work, as Karon stopped attacking.


    Keter was pretty familiar with most beastfolk species, but he had never heard of the Moon Rabbit Tribe. Seeing that Karon stopped attacking, it seemed like a real species.


    ¡°I came here to protect you. I even have proof,¡± Jordic said.


    Karon seemed intrigued, and to be honest, so was Keter.


    ¡°Luke, hold onto this for me.¡±


    While the two were distracted, Keter quickly passed the jewel he stole from Jordic to Luke.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Luke asked, curious.


    ¡°My treasure.¡±


    Luke didn¡¯t know what it was, but he carefully tucked it away, treating it like something precious.


    ¡°What proof do you have?¡± Karon pressed Jordic.


    But Jordic was just rummaging through his pockets, searching frantically.


    ¡°Wait a moment! I really have a token given to me by the Moon Rabbit Tribe!¡± Jordic insisted.


    ¡°I''ll believe it when I see it,¡± Karon replied, crossing his arms.


    ¡°Karon, don¡¯t trust that filthy human¡¯s words. It¡¯s nothing but a wicked trick to buy time.¡±


    Karon¡¯s eyes narrowed as Keter spoke. It seemed like Keter had just shortened Karon¡¯s patience from five to three seconds.


    ¡°You, Keter! You despicable conman and thief! You took it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re trying to drive a wedge between us. You may be okay with this, Karon, but I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡±


    Keter dashed toward Jordic before Karon. He sloppily swung his bow at Jordic, who looked enraged. Naturally, Jordic responded with a powerful punch. Keter could dodge or block it if he wanted to, but¡­


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Keter fell to the ground. He spat out some blood to make it seem like he had taken a critical hit.


    ¡°Keter!¡±


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    Instead, it was Karon who charged at Jordic. He didn¡¯t swing his spear half-heartedly; he swung his fists like a wild beast. Judging by his fighting style, he looked like either a bear or a wolf.


    ¡°This is a misunderstanding! If you search that guy, you¡¯ll find the token!¡±


    As Jordic spoke, Karon hit Jordic¡¯s side with his fist.


    ¡°Keter, Keter!¡±


    Just as Keter was enjoying the spectacle of the fight, Luke shook him, shouting his name.


    ¡°Why.¡±


    ¡°Geez, you scared me. A-are you okay?¡±


    ¡°It hurts. A lot.¡±


    ¡°Can you get up? Let¡¯s get out of here quickly.¡±


    ¡°All you think about is running away.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think fighting is the only solution to our problems.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I.¡±


    Jordic was just taking hits from Karon to prove his innocence. Watching him get beaten up was somewhat satisfying, but just watching wouldn¡¯t balance the scales.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Luke asked Keter.


    ¡°I always make sure to return whatever I¡¯ve received, no matter what it is.¡±


    Keter approached Jordic, who was getting pummeled by Karon. Karon was trying to control his strength. It seemed like his anger was dying down, as his punches were getting slower and weaker.


    ¡°Ugh?¡±


    Keter kicked Jordic¡¯s side, where his guard had become loose.


    Feeling the immense pain, Jordic dropped his guard and raised his head. Keter immediately gifted him a punch as their eyes met.


    ¡°Just take one hit, you little punk! No, two!¡±


    Keter continually aimed for the back of his hand.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to kill you.¡±


    Jordic dropped his guard and approached Keter with a menacing glare. At that moment, Karon stepped between them.


    ¡°Stop!¡± he shouted.


    Jordic halted at those words, and Keter slipped a punch through Karon¡¯s side and hit Jordic in the stomach.


    ¡°You... bastard!¡±


    Karon tried to calm Jordic, who became agitated. No matter how strong Jordic was, there was no way he would be able to withstand the strength of a beastfolk.


    ¡°You, the one claiming to be the representative of the Moon Rabbit Tribe: what is your name?¡±


    At Karon¡¯s serious tone, Jordic managed to regain his composure and replied. ¡°Jordic El Bydent.¡±


    ¡°My name is Karon. Jordic, it¡¯s hard to believe you are the representative of the Moon Rat Tribe without proof. However, I can at least tell that you don¡¯t harbor any ill will towards me.¡±


    ¡°That bastard stole the proof. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Karon asked Keter.


    Looking wrongfully accused, Keter said, ¡°Karon, I don¡¯t care if I get stripped bare and get humiliated. What¡¯s truly unfortunate is seeing you be so easily deceived like the other beastfolk.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    As Karon looked troubled, Jordic shifted his target.


    ¡°Keter, no Lord Keter. It seems we need to have a conversation.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to discuss with a tool of the empire.¡±


    ¡°I am not a puppet of the empire! Just as you protect the Flying Wolf Tribe, we do the same.¡±


    What Jordic said next gave Keter certainty.


    ¡°Our Bydent family also protects the Moon Rabbit Tribe, just as the Sefira family protects the Flying Wolf Tribe. We are comrades who share the same secrets. I believe there¡¯s plenty of reason for us to talk.¡±


    Jordic was claiming that the Bydent family was protecting the beastfolk that the emperor was hunting down with fierce determination. And it seemed like Jordic was under the impression that the Sefira family protected the Flying Wolf Tribe as well.


    ¡°Really? You should have said so sooner,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°I did! I said I¡¯m the representative of the Moon Rabbit Tribe!¡±


    ¡°But you have no evidence, do you? No proof.¡±


    ¡°I will get back the token you stole. For now, let¡¯s negotiate. We received information from the Moon Rabbit Tribe about the location and dangers concerning the Flying Wolf Tribe. We cannot stay here for even a day longer; we must leave.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re saying the Bydent family will take the Flying Wolf Tribe.¡±


    ¡°The crumbling Sefira family cannot protect the Flying Wolf Tribe; only our Bydent family can. Don¡¯t deny that.¡±


    ¡°You said we should negotiate, yet you are threatening me. Should both of our families just hold hands and march into hell together? You know that the emperor doesn¡¯t hesitate to eliminate families that help the beastfolk, right?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you would kill your entire family with your own hands?¡±


    ¡°Because family is one body.¡±


    ¡°You''re insane.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct.¡±


    No matter how low they tried to keep their voices, the other was an overpowered beastfolk. Karon was listening to their entire conversation, and with no progress being made, he was now suspicious of both Jordic and Keter.


    ¡°How about we resolve this through a fundamental approach?¡±


    ¡°Spit it out quickly.¡±


    ¡°I agree with what you said. To protect the beastfolk, we need power.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°But I keep hearing that it¡¯s a given that Sefira is weaker than Bydent?¡±


    ¡°Ha. I was wondering what you were getting at. Are you suggesting a war between our families?¡±


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be bad, but as you said, it would be a waste of time. So, let¡¯s confirm through the two of us as representatives.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you want to fight me right now? You, a mere conman, against me, the Spear Dragon?¡±


    ¡°No, not that.¡±


    Keter pointed behind Jordic. A group of people was approaching from afar. The Bydent knights, or in other words, Jordic¡¯s subordinates, were coming this way.


    ¡°Not just you. I¡¯ll take them all down.¡±


    ¡°You truly are insane. I have no reason to refuse. I accept your challenge.¡±


    It seemed like Luke thought differently. He approached Keter with a horrified expression.


    ¡°Keter, what are you thinking? I know you can fight well, but the opponent is a genius known as the Spear Dragon!¡±


    ¡°Well... now that I think about it, I probably can¡¯t win.¡±


    ¡°Winning or losing aside, you might die! The opponent is a Bydent who despises us. Let¡¯s run away.¡±


    ¡°From now on, you can only mention running away three times. Got it? If you say it four times, I don¡¯t care whether you¡¯re the Gramps¡¯s kid or not.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you want to die? I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What if you think about it this way? Let me tell you what will happen if you run away right now. You¡¯ll be known as the knight who abandoned Keter, your partner and the patriarch¡¯s son, and fled. You¡¯ll be a knight who couldn¡¯t protect Sefira¡¯s secrets, and¡­¡±


    Luke was frowning so deeply that it was hard to tell if he was angry or wanted to cry. It really seemed like he wanted to escape badly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have a trump card.¡±


    ¡°Right, Amaranth!¡±


    Luke¡¯s expression brightened as if he had just remembered something.


    ¡°I won¡¯t use Amaranth. Because I have you.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you.¡±


    Keter placed his hand on Luke¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You are the secret weapon that will save Sefira.¡±


    Keter glanced at Jordic.

 Chapter 47: I’m an Attention Seeker (1)

    The knights of the Bydent family gathered together.


    Arbold, who heard the full story from Jordic, whispered softly, ¡°This is our chance. If we kill them all, we won¡¯t have to pay him thirty thousand gold, and we can keep the secret about the beastfolk.¡±


    Jordic nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I know, but so does that guy. But I can¡¯t figure out what he¡¯s plotting.¡±


    They didn¡¯t know about Luke, but Keter surely wasn¡¯t a fool. He was a con artist among con artists. His archery might have seemed mediocre, but his silver tongue was dangerously sharp.


    ¡°Whatever he¡¯s plotting, he¡¯s still just an archer. He can¡¯t beat us.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Jordic agreed with that statement. A spear was stronger than a bow¡ªno, stronger than a sword. He believed without doubt that the spear was the strongest weapon in the world. Yet, the uneasy feeling gnawing at him made him hesitate.


    Jordic couldn''t deny that martial arts could be powerful if it reached its peak, but he didn¡¯t feel that Keter had reached that peak. Keter¡¯s martial arts were not organized like a knight; it was crude and sly like an undignified mercenary.


    Jordic believed that Keter did not stand a chance against the Bydent¡¯s spearmanship with martial arts or archery like that; he was certain Keter would never be able to defeat the knights of the Bydent family. It was an obvious fact that needed no thinking.


    Jordic stared at Keter, who was casually chatting with Luke. He looked as if he was leisurely enjoying a picnic on a sunny day, without a care in the world.


    ¡°Even if it''s not just about the money or the secret... I want to kill him,¡± Jordic muttered, not bothering to hide his true feelings.


    Though he wasn''t speaking for anyone to hear, Arbold chimed in.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even need to step in, Captain. I¡¯ll finish this quickly.¡±


    Arbold wanted to show off his skills, eager to redeem himself to Jordic. However, Jordic pointed to another knight instead.


    ¡°You. You take the lead.¡±


    The knight he chose was the newest member of the Order of the Silver Leopard, a junior knight who had recently joined. The junior knight, though surprised at being chosen, didn¡¯t hesitate or back down.


    ¡°Am I allowed to kill him?¡±


    ¡°Give it your all.¡±


    Though the response was somewhat ambiguous, the junior knight took it as permission to kill.


    ¡°Understood, sir!¡±


    Gripping his spear confidently, the junior knight marched boldly into the field.


    ¡°Lord Keter! We are ready. As you are an archer, you may take the first strike!¡±


    Typically, a duel began with both opponents facing each other. However, fighting like that put the archer at a severe disadvantage. Believing in fairness, the junior knight graciously offered Keter both the distance and the first attack.


    Keter, who had been chatting casually with Luke, picked up his bow and a single arrow, walking toward the junior knight. The junior knight assumed that Keter was approaching to speak to him. After all, if Keter intended to attack, he wouldn''t come so defenselessly.


    The knight carefully observed Keter as he approached. He had already seen him once at the town hall, and even now, Keter appeared unremarkable.


    While Keter could pass as a son of a noble family if he dressed well, right now, he resembled nothing more than a gigolo courting wealthy noblewomen. Keter''s eyes were calm, his lips curled slightly upward, making him look careless and even somewhat content.


    The junior knight¡¯s state of mind changed as he observed Keter. It was a subtle shift that he didn¡¯t even consciously notice. His tension faded, and the grip on his spear loosened. He was convinced that Keter was just approaching to speak.


    As Keter came within arm¡¯s reach, the junior knight said, ¡°What do you want to say¡ª¡±


    But in that instant, Jordic''s urgent voice cut through the air.


    ¡°Wake up!¡±


    It was too late.


    Before the knight could register what had happened, Keter¡¯s arrow, held in his hand rather than shot from a bow, had already pierced deep into the junior knight''s chest.


    Keter''s unconventional attack shattered the assumption that arrows had to be fired from a bow. The knight only realized he had been struck when he could not breathe.


    ¡°Ghhk¡­¡±


    The arrow had punctured his lung. It wasn''t a fatal blow, but it was enough to incapacitate him. As the junior knight collapsed, Keter grabbed him by the hair and stared at Jordic, still with calm eyes and a faint smile.


    Seeing that, Arnold flared up in anger, thinking Keter was mocking him.


    ¡°You cowardly bastard!¡±


    Arbold was about to step forward, but Jordic stopped him with his arm.


    ¡°They both prepared and since he offered the first move, it''s his fault.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª!¡±


    ¡°He caught him off guard. I knew he was a conman, but to bet his life on a con... Impressive, Keter.¡±


    As Jordic acknowledged Keter, Arbold could no longer step forward.


    ¡°But there won¡¯t be a second chance. Sir Garuda.¡±


    The next fighter from Bydent stepped forward.


    Keter stretched out his hand and said, ¡°Wait. There''s something I want to sell you.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s the symbol of the Moon Rabbit Tribe, I¡¯ll just kill you and take it.¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, that''s not it. What I''m selling is¡­¡±


    Keter, with the junior knight''s neck inside his bowstring, said, ¡°How much will you pay, sir?¡±


    * * *


    Death was inseparable for those who lived by the sword, especially for knights of a noble house.


    ¡°Are you saying you''re going to kill a Bydent knight?¡± Arbold said.


    It was clear that he wouldn¡¯t let Keter live if that happened. Keter knew just how much knights, no, the nobility, valued honor. And he also knew that this honor could ultimately be bought and sold for a price.


    ¡°Three thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    ¡°If you kill our knight, you will die too, Keter.¡±


    ¡°You plan to kill me anyway. But should you be talking about this right now? In two minutes, this guy will bleed to death.¡±


    Jordic was put in a tough spot. If Keter had just brutally killed the junior knight, it would have boosted morale and given them a reason to act. Instead, Keter left the junior knight barely alive and offered to spare him for money¡ªan amount that wasn¡¯t too high or too low.


    For a knight, dying in battle was considered an honorable death, but¡­


    Everyone knew that a knight could die at any moment. They all accepted this when they became knights. But it didn¡¯t have to be now. If there¡¯s a way to survive, why would one choose death? Three thousand gold wasn¡¯t an unmanageable sum, after all.


    Although the junior knight was easily overpowered by Keter and the Order of the Silver Leopard was a secretive order, that junior knight was not just a comrade; he was a friendly younger brother, and a fun companion. They didn¡¯t want him to die.


    If Jordic ignored the desperation of his men here, no matter how much charisma he had, he would lose their trust.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay the three thousand gold. Hand him over at once!¡±


    ¡°Whoa now, this isn¡¯t your first deal, is it? Either pay in cash right now, or sign an agreement.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sign. Bring me the contract.¡±


    ¡°An extra thousand gold for the contract.¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    Although contracts were expensive as they were made with magical items, they rarely exceeded ten gold. Charging a hundred times that amount was outrageous, and it was hard not to curse Keter.


    With both the junior knight''s life and his own leadership on the line, Jordic reluctantly signed a contract stating he would pay Keter four thousand gold¡ªthree thousand for the life and one thousand for the contract.


    ¡°Thank you for the smooth transaction,¡± Keter said, stepping back five paces after releasing the junior knight.


    Garuda, who rushed over to check on the wounded knight, bit his lower lip upon examining the injury.


    ¡°Captain, this arrow is curved like a hook. The moment we pull it out, the flesh will tear, and the bleeding will worsen.¡±


    Most knights were trained in basic battlefield medicine, but removing an arrow, especially one shaped like a hook, required advanced skills. Even Jordic hadn''t learned that¡ªafter all, they never expected to be struck by an arrow in the first place.


    Jordic, who was struggling to maintain his composure, finally lost his temper.


    ¡°You planned to kill him all along, Keter!¡±


    Keter had sold them a barely alive corpse.


    As Jordic shouted in anger, the eyes of the Bydent knights blazed with fury. And Keter, as if pouring fuel on the fire, made a provoking remark.


    ¡°He''s still alive, isn¡¯t he? It¡¯s your problem that none of you know how to remove the arrow.¡±


    ¡°Enough. Now I can kill you with a clear conscience,¡± Jordic growled.


    Jordic then gestured toward Garuda; not that he needed to though, as Garuda was already preparing to charge at Keter.


    ¡°What are you doing? There''s a doctor right in front of you. You should be begging me to save him.¡±


    ¡°Don''t listen to that bastard''s nonsense any longer,¡± Jordic said.


    ¡°Two thousand gold to spare his life. If you don''t trust me, then forget it,¡± Keter replied, pouring cold water on the flames of Jordic¡¯s anger.


    At this point, Jordic just wanted to kill Keter no matter what happened.


    But not Garuda. Unlike the other knights, he genuinely didn¡¯t want to see the junior knight die.


    ¡°Captain, that bastard is stalling for time, a minute at most,¡± Garuda said.


    Jordic was frustrated at Garuda¡¯s subtle urging. He would have barked at them to stop the foolish talk if he wasn¡¯t his subordinate.


    ¡°Hand over that damn contract again.¡±


    And so, another three thousand gold was paid. Finally, Keter approached the junior knight that was barely alive. To everyone''s surprise, he plunged his hand straight into the knight¡¯s chest.


    ¡°...!?¡±


    It looked like Keter was actually trying to kill him rather than save him. The knights of the Bydent family couldn''t believe what they were seeing.


    Keter then yanked his hand out, pulling out the arrow along with it.


    Wiping his hands clean, he casually remarked, ¡°Surgery complete. Clean the wound with water and bandage him up.¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jordic scowled. ¡°You''ve just made an even bigger hole in his chest, and you''re acting shamelessly.¡±


    ¡°Just watch,¡± Keter said smugly.


    ¡°Why even bother¡­!¡±


    It turned out they did need to see. The arrow had not only been removed, but the bleeding had completely stopped. Though the chest appeared sunken, there was no open wound.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°I swear I saw his hand go in¡­!¡±


    The knights of the Beident family stared at Keter in awe, their gazes burning with curiosity. Keter flashed a mischievous grin.


    ¡°Just call me Sefira¡¯s genius doctor.¡±


    Even the infamous Keter couldn''t always fight without getting hurt. Since he favored strategies that allowed his enemy to land a blow while he aimed for the kill, the first skill he mastered in Liqueur was medicine.


    On top of that, Keter was a master of killing. He knew exactly where and how to strike to end a life, and that knowledge of killing was closely tied to the art of saving lives. He realized the difference between life and death was not in the action, but in the intent. With this understanding, Keter could perform miracles using pure medical skills.


    For example, he could save someone¡¯s life, yet leave them with lasting disabilities, just as he did with Bydent¡¯s junior knight. There was no reason for him to fully heal an enemy knight; of course, Keter left him crippled. The Bydent family would now waste vast resources trying to rehabilitate the knight.


    Jordic, who did not know Keter¡¯s intent, opened his mouth to speak, then quickly stopped. He felt a sudden desire to recruit Keter. As a leader hungry for talent, Jordic would even accept an enemy if they were skilled enough.


    However, he didn¡¯t want to recruit Keter. He was certain that accepting Keter as a subordinate would only put his own life at risk.


    ¡°You''ve earned enough for the ferry to hell, Keter. You can¡¯t stall for time anymore.¡±


    Though the junior knight had been caught off guard and easily defeated, there wouldn''t be a second chance. Jordic was sure of it, and Garuda, who would now face Keter, also had no doubt he would win.


    Still, there was no room for complacency. Garuda wouldn''t be as generous as the junior knight and allow Keter to have the first move, nor would he give Keter the space to create distance. Garuda immediately rushed forward, gripping his spear in an extended stance and thrust it toward Keter.


    This thrust, which increased the attack range threefold in an instant, was impossible to avoid without understanding spear combat. Furthermore, the Bydent family''s cross spear wasn¡¯t just specialized in thrusting. It was far superior in creating unpredictable variables and maximizing lethality.


    Even this thrust wasn''t the main attack; the follow-up strike was the true danger. The moment Keter dodged, the relentless assault would begin.


    But then something unimaginable happened. Keter didn''t dodge¡ªhe actually advanced, as if he wanted to be skewered by the spear.


    Luke, watching from the side, felt his heart was going to stop. From his angle, it looked as though the spear had pierced straight through Keter¡¯s body.


    But that was a misconception. The spear did indeed pass through Keter, but not through his body. Keter dodged the spear shaft by slipping it between his side and his arm, then locked it under his armpit. The long shaft of the spear was now tightly secured by Keter¡¯s grip.


    If Garuda had been holding the spear with both hands in a normal stance, there would have been no way for Keter to beat him using strength. However, at that moment, Garuda was gripping the far end of the spear with only one hand due to using a variant thrusting technique, which required a one-handed grip.


    But Garuda was not like the junior knight who had been caught off guard earlier. He calmly adjusted his grip, seizing the spear with both hands, and began tugging on it with force. All his focus was now consumed by the struggle over the spear.


    And because of that, he missed something important. He failed to notice Keter drawing and firing an arrow¡ªhe didn''t see the trajectory of the arrow flying toward him.


    Typically, the mind reacted first, realizing the need to dodge an incoming arrow, and then sent that signal to the body to move. Unfortunately for Garuda, Keter¡¯s arrow was faster than the time it took for that command to reach his legs.

 Chapter 48: I’m an Attention Seeker (2)

    Luke had been indifferent to the instructor''s words from Sefira. It was easier said than done, and he didn¡¯t really believe it was possible. The tension in the bow was strong, especially for Sefira''s bow, which was so strong that even an adult male struggled to pull it. Luke thought pulling such a bowstring in an unstable position was impossible.


    Yet Keter had done it. With the spear lodged under his right arm, he managed to draw the bowstring, even aiming at his opponent. There was no need to pull the string all the way back, as the tension of Sefira''s bow was immense; just a slight pull could send an arrow one hundred meters.


    The arrow Keter shot pierced Garuda¡¯s collarbone. It wasn''t a vital spot, so Luke gasped in disappointment.


    If he could shoot a couple more arrows like that, he could subdue Garuda. But Keter had only one arrow, and he had just fired it.


    If they intervened, Luke would have to intervene as well. In that situation, Luke wouldn¡¯t be able to help at all. Just being a spectator here was already pushing his limits.


    Keter was a jokester, so Luke wanted to believe he was also joking when Keter said he wasn¡¯t going to use Amaranth.


    Keter had walked right up to the junior knight of Bydent, his first opponent, to lower the junior knight¡¯s guard. If the junior knight had attacked without hesitation, Keter would have at least sustained serious injuries.


    Luke had a vague feeling that Keter would win anyway. Luke felt that even if Keter didn''t win, he at least wouldn''t die. Though he had only seen Keter for a day, he felt that was the kind of person he was.


    That was what Luke wanted to believe.


    While Luke was momentarily lost in thought, the second fight also came to an end. Keter approached Garuda and struck the arrow embedded in his collarbone with his bow.


    As the arrow stirred inside Garuda''s flesh, Garuda couldn''t help but scream, and Keter swiftly swung his bow on the top of Garuda¡¯s head.


    Keter shot an arrow while immobilizing the opponent''s weapon, and he disrupted his opponent from pulling out an arrow. Then, at the right time, Keter used a technique where he struck the embedded arrow and destroyed the opponent from within. It wasn¡¯t a technique or value of Sefira.


    After Garuda fell, a similar scene unfolded.


    ¡°Five thousand,¡± stated Keter.


    It was Garuda''s value.


    With a complicated expression on his face, Jordic replied, ¡°Calculate the surgical fees all at once.¡±


    ¡°Smart move. Eight thousand.¡±


    Luke felt dizzy from the amount of money being exchanged. Thousands were being tossed around, and it wasn''t in bronze or silver; everything was based on gold coins.


    But Keter had quickly earned nearly fifty thousand gold. Fifty thousand gold was enough for future generations to live off of, doing anything and everything they wanted.


    So why wasn''t Keter satisfied? He could have just stopped here and safely left the scene. The Bydent family wasn''t a master house, but it was still a significant family that couldn''t be dismissed. They were among the top families in the Lillian Kingdom.


    Moreover, the opponent standing before him was the spear dragon, Jordic. There were rumors that no one among his peers could match him, and those rumors were true. Luke could tell Jordic was different from the others just by looking at him.


    Luke didn¡¯t doubt that Keter was a good fighter. However, at the end of the day, it was just human strength and skill. When aura was involved, strength and technique became meaningless. If the opponent didn¡¯t have the same aura, they simply didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    So, was it that the knights of Bydent couldn¡¯t use aura? No, they could use it, but they chose not to, as Keter wasn¡¯t using it. Plus, they were arrogant, believing they could win without using it. Keter would be determined to lose the moment the Bydent knights decided to use aura, even before the fight began. After all, Keter was a mage and couldn¡¯t use aura.


    Mages possessed magical power, not aura. While they could imbue arrows with magical power, that didn¡¯t allow them to penetrate aura. Magical power symbolized transformation, while aura symbolized strength.


    ¡°Do you know why Garuda lost?¡± Jordic asked his subordinates.


    As they fell silent, Arbold stepped forward to answer on their behalf.


    ¡°It was because he let down his guard.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. Garuda was not careless. The reason he lost is that he didn¡¯t use aura.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Martin.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°You have no reason to lose, do you?¡±


    ¡°I will consider Keter as the enemy who killed my parents.¡±


    ¡°Go. Bring back the pride of the Bydent family.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Martin answered succinctly as he stepped onto the battlefield.


    Keter, who had been squatting and doodling in the dirt with a twig, looked up and said, ¡°That''s worth four thousand gold.¡±


    Veins bulged on Martin''s forehead, as he felt like it meant that he was weaker than Garuda.


    !


    The bean pod at his feet crumbled to dust. A blue haze swirled around his entire body. It was the haze of aura.


    .


    The aura that erupted from his body coalesced at the tip of his spear. With the spear aimed at Keter, Martin walked forward. It showed his determination to counter anything Keter might do with his spear.


    As he saw Martin using his aura, Luke shouted, ¡°Keter, use Amaranth!¡±


    Without aura, Keter''s last resort was Amaranth.


    At Luke''s shout, the knights of Bydent stirred in confusion.


    ¡°Amaranth? What is that?¡±


    ¡°An artifact?!¡±


    Martin, who had been approaching with great confidence, suddenly halted.


    Jordic shouted, ¡°He¡¯s bluffing! Don¡¯t give in, Martin!¡±


    Martin immediately regained his composure. He was now only seven steps away from Keter. Just two more steps, and Keter would be within spear range. Keter was now standing, an arrow nocked on his bowstring. Martin couldn¡¯t tell where it was aimed, but it didn''t matter.


    .


    Keter released the bowstring.


    Martin already knew that Keter''s arrow was fast, but he didn¡¯t think that it would be invisible.


    The vanished arrow suddenly appeared, deeply embedded into Martin''s left thigh.


    ¡°Guh!¡±


    Martin staggered at the sharp pain in his thigh. He kept his gaze locked on Keter without pulling the arrow out. Pulling it out now would create an opening and increase his blood loss, so this was a wise decision.


    Keter, now without an arrow, approached first. As he entered spear range, Martin countered with a thrust. To prevent Keter from grabbing the spear, he executed a short jab with just the spearhead.


    In a lightning-fast sequence, Martin unleashed a triple strike aimed directly at Keter''s face. But Keter dodged all three thrusts with just slight movements of his upper body. Only a few strands of his hair were sliced off, slowly drifting to the ground.


    Then, Keter raised his right arm. Strangely, at the same moment, Martin''s left leg lifted as well.


    Martin fell to the ground. He quickly tried to get up, but¡­


    But Keter''s bow struck Martin''s head like a whip, once to the left, then to the right, and finally, like the others before him, right on top of his head. Blood dripped from Keter''s bow, and then Martin saw something: a thin wire. Dark red blood trailed along the metallic thread, which connected Keter''s bracelet to the arrow embedded in Martin''s thigh.


    ¡°Wire? When did he do that to the arrow¡­!¡±


    ¡°It was when he was crouching earlier.¡±


    While Jordic scolded his subordinates, Keter acted bored and disinterested. In truth, it was all a ruse to hide the fact that he set the thread on the arrow. Jordic had no choice but to acknowledge Keter.


    ¡°I shouldn''t have been scolding you,¡± Jordic muttered, realizing that even he was underestimating Keter after warning his subordinates not to. ¡°That arrow disappeared. Is that a Sefira technique?¡±


    ¡°Want to know? One million gold,¡± Keter responded with a smirk.


    ¡°You¡¯d sell your family''s techniques for money? You¡¯re insane.¡±


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s an amount of money, it¡¯s enough to drive anyone a little mad.¡±


    ¡°And how much is Martin''s life worth?¡±


    ¡°I already told you. Four thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Two thousand for surgery and one thousand for the contract, making it seven thousand in total.¡±


    Keter handed over the contract without hesitation.


    As Jordic wrote it up, he remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t care how much you take. In the end, you won¡¯t be able to keep it.¡±


    ¡°Everyone says that,¡± Keter replied with a shrug.


    After retrieving the arrow from Martin and stopping his bleeding, Keter returned to his position. With the same expression and stance as before, he provocatively addressed the remaining knights of the Bydent family.


    ¡°So, who''s next?¡±


    At Keter¡¯s taunt, Arbold turned to Jordic and said, ¡°Sir, as much as I hate to admit it, Keter is a master of combat. It seems difficult for our less experienced men to handle him. Let me take care of him.¡±


    ¡°You''re right,¡± Jordic agreed.


    Jordic pulled his spear from the ground where it had been standing and took a step forward.


    ¡°You all are no match for Keter. It hurts my pride to give him money I have no intention of actually giving.¡±


    ¡°But, sir, you don¡¯t need to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence. This is no place for you,¡± Jordic snapped, cutting off Arold.


    He had grown tired of explaining Keter¡¯s strength. It wasn¡¯t that Martin was foolishly caught off guard. The moment Keter¡¯s arrow disappeared, Martin used Overshield. While the others hadn¡¯t noticed it, Jordic saw it clearly.


    As the Overshield was a defensive technique close to self-destruction, it provided extreme protection, but it didn¡¯t stop Keter¡¯s arrow. The arrow pierced Martin¡¯s thigh, nearly halfway through, despite the Overshield.


    If the arrow pierced Martin¡¯s thigh even with the Overshield¡­


    Keter wasn¡¯t just any aura user, but one capable of infusing aura into an arrow. While the knights of Sefira could also infuse aura into their weapons, Keter¡¯s technique was something far beyond that.


    At first, Jordic thought Keter was just a madman. Then, he assumed Keter was simply a con artist.


    But now...


    ¡°So, you were Sefira¡¯s hidden ace all along.¡±


    It all made sense now, including why Keter was responsible for the Flying Wolf Tribe, one of the Seven Cursed Species.


    ¡°You deceived everyone. You were sent here under the orders of Elder Reganon to protect the Flying Wolf Tribe.¡±


    A chill ran down Jordic¡¯s spine. He had underestimated the Sefira family, only to realize they had been one step ahead this whole time.


    ¡°I guess the saying that master houses will still last for three generations even after their fall is true.¡±


    With that, Jordic dragged his spear across the ground.


    A deep gouge formed in the ground. Jordic leaned his spear on his shoulder, and an aura incomparable to Martin¡¯s shot out from his body. His mere presence was shaking the air around him.


    ¡°Come on, show me. Show me the true power of Sefira.¡±


    But Keter wasn¡¯t the one thrown off by Jordic; it was Luke, who was gasping for air.


    It wasn¡¯t just because of the intensity of Jordic¡¯s aura. His curse was tightening around Luke¡¯s throat, urging him to flee from this place, to escape now.


    Keter had just defeated three of Bydent¡¯s knights in succession, and he was probably exhausted. Even if the fights were brief, the mental and physical strain of battling skilled opponents was immense. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Keter collapsed from exhaustion at any moment.


    But now Jordic, the Spear Dragon, was stepping forward. If the previous knights were minnows, Jordic was a shark¡ªa top predator eyeing the throne despite his young age.


    Yet, Keter still had a chance with Amaranth, the Demon Bow.


    If he used that power, he could even defeat someone like Jordic. Perhaps that¡¯s why Keter hadn¡¯t used Amaranth up until now; maybe he was saving it for this very moment.


    Luke didn¡¯t doubt for a second that Keter would win. Keter would be victorious, confidently walk over to him, and arrogantly brag about how he pulled it off.


    Blood sprayed into the air. It was the blood of the man Luke had believed in so strongly¡ªit was Keter¡¯s blood. His face went pale in an instant. Keter¡¯s body was suddenly drenched in blood from Jordic¡¯s relentless attack. The legendary Keter, who had effortlessly subdued Bydent¡¯s knights, was now being overwhelmed. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even with the curse tightening his breath and the weight of dread pressing down on him, Luke screamed with all his might, his heart pounding in terror.


    ¡°Use Amaranth, Keter! You¡¯ll die like this!¡±


    Keter widened the distance between him and Jordic and shot the arrow he was tightly holding in his hand. It was the same transparent arrow he had shot at Martin.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    But Jordic spun his spear, completely blocking the front. Even though he couldn¡¯t see the arrow, its trajectory was predictable.


    As expected, Keter¡¯s arrow was deflected off the spear with a hollow sound. Jordic smirked in victory, while Keter turned around and calmly stared at Luke.


    ¡°Lesson two.¡±


    Luke was shouting at Keter to look ahead, as Jordic wasn¡¯t giving him any mercy and thrusting his spear forward. But Keter, still staring straight at Luke, finished what he was saying.


    ¡°The first time is always the hardest.¡±


    Jordic¡¯s spear pierced through Keter¡¯s stomach. Keter collapsed forward, and Jordic pulled the spear out. Despite his victory, Jordic looked dissatisfied.


    ¡°You...¡±


    At that moment, Jordic sharply tilted his head to the side. An arrow whizzed past him.


    Even though he dodged quickly, blood trickled down Jordic''s cheek from a narrow cut. Keter was lying motionless before him.


    That meant there was only one person left who could have fired that arrow.


    ¡°Luke.¡±


    Luke, holding a bow and arrow, was glaring at Jordic with deadly intensity, ready to kill.

 Chapter 49: I’m an Attention Seeker (3)

    Jordic, who didn¡¯t know about Luke¡¯s curse, wasn¡¯t particularly surprised by the attack. What did catch him off guard, however, was the force behind Luke''s arrows.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± he muttered.


    There was no need for conversation. Unlike Keter, Luke had plenty of arrows. Without hesitation, Luke pulled out three arrows at once and shot them simultaneously.


    As Jordic charged, he thrust his spear and intercepted all three arrows in one swift motion. But surprisingly, three more arrows flew toward him, even faster than before.


    ¡°Wh-?!¡±


    Unable to deflect two of the arrows in time, Jordic was forced to spin, using his spear as support, and barely managed to dodge them.


    Jordic closed in on Luke, but Luke kept retreating, continuously shooting arrows at him. Jordic couldn¡¯t seem to get close to Luke; even his spinning spear technique wasn''t working either, as each of Luke¡¯s arrows was precisely striking the spear''s shaft and disrupting its rotation. Luke''s strength was entirely different from Keter''s style.


    Then, one of Luke¡¯s arrows struck Jordic right in the chest. Luke had angled his bow just enough to deceive Jordic. But the wound was shallow, as Jordic, already knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge the arrows, used Aura Armor first.


    ¡°I thought you were a servant, but it turns out you''re a proper knight. I apologize for underestimating you,¡± Jordic said.


    With that, Jordic kicked off the ground, causing the ground to erupt beneath him. As he swung his spear widely, the aura concentrated at the tip transformed into a slicing energy wave that surged toward Luke.


    Though the spear¡¯s range was short, knights could launch long-range attacks through their aura. This technique, called Aura Flight, was a symbol of a three-star knight. The destructive power of the slash tore through Luke''s arrows as it advanced. The attack was widespread and was waist-high, making it difficult to evade. Luke had two choices: flatten himself against the ground or leap into the air. Either option would leave him vulnerable and at a disadvantage.


    Luke chose the latter, jumping into the air. Even in the air, he continued to shoot arrows at Jordic, who was running toward him for a second attack. It was reminiscent of Keter''s earlier attack of shooting in mid-air.


    Even with his spear charged with powerful aura, Jordic couldn¡¯t easily deflect the arrows, as Luke¡¯s arrows were also concentrated with a matching amount of aura.


    As the fight continued, one of the knights observing from a distance remarked, ¡°It seems the captain is enjoying himself. The way he¡¯s prolonging the fight instead of finishing it quickly...¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just that knight who felt this way. The other knights also sensed it. To them, it appeared that Jordic was deliberately allowing the arrows to come close, dodging and blocking them as they came.


    Arnold thought differently, but he wasn¡¯t confident enough to tell his subordinates. He could see that Luke anticipated all of Jordic¡¯s movements. The Jordic he knew didn¡¯t let people win, especially if that person was an enemy.


    It was common sense that people¡¯s behavior had a pattern. In battle, the person who figured out their opponent¡¯s pattern first and used it gained the upper hand. Right now, Luke seemed like he perfectly understood Jordic¡¯s pattern¡ªhe knew that even though Jordic had his spear lowered, he was going to unleash an overhead attack, and he knew whether Jordic would do three or four thrusts.


    This was beyond just reading patterns. For someone as skilled as Jordic, showing his attack patterns so clearly was unlikely. Yet, even with all of this insight, there was no chance that Jordic would lose.


    .


    Luke, whether he realized it or not, was firing his arrows recklessly. He never shot just one; he fired many at a time. Even though he had two quivers, his rapid firing was quickly draining his supply. Jordic, meanwhile, was biding his time, waiting for Luke to completely run out of arrows without overexerting himself.


    Suddenly, there was a slight hesitation in Luke''s relentless attack. For the first time, doubt crept into his movements, as he could feel the dwindling number of arrows at his fingertips¡ªjust four left. So far, his only hits had been minor grazes on Jordic''s cheek and shoulder.


    There was no way Jordic would miss this opportunity. He closed the distance in a flash and launched a series of fierce attacks. These weren''t just light attacks; even a graze would cause a serious injury. It was the kind of relentless assault that even a seasoned veteran would struggle to handle calmly.


    ¡°...!¡±


    But Luke dodged every single attack. Just like Keter had earlier, he evaded it all by the narrowest of margins. However, it felt different from Keter; there was a distinct difference, something that Jordic himself sensed most keenly.


    Keter avoided Jordic''s attacks after seeing them. However, Luke was dodging without even needing to see them. The reason why he seemed to move similarly to Keter was because Luke was slightly slower.


    Jordic, who had been attacking without a pause, suddenly leaped back. As if anticipating this, Luke fired an arrow in an instant, aiming for a vital point.


    Jordic deflected the arrow and confirmed his suspicion.


    Jordic didn¡¯t care to ponder how this was possible. If he wanted to kill Luke, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    The Bydent family¡¯s secret spear technique was the Moonlight Spear Style. Both the Order of the Black Leopard and the Order of the Silver Leopard were taught four fundamental techniques: New Moon Spear, Half-Moon Spear, Reverse Half-Moon Spear, and Full Moon Spear. However, only direct descendants of the family learned the final, most powerful technique¡ªFifth Form: Lunar Eclipse.


    This was Jordic¡¯s first time using Lunar Eclipse in real battle as well.


    Lunar Eclipse was a technique that couldn¡¯t be practiced in sparring matches. It was too destructive to be controlled. As such, instead of practicing on people, it was practiced on mountains. The massive crescent-shaped carving on the mountain behind the Bydent family¡¯s estate was evidence of Jordic practicing Lunar Eclipse.


    Jordic¡¯s hair stood on end, and the aura he released warped the space around him, creating a momentary sense of weightlessness.


    Arbold shouted urgently. ¡°Everyone, fall back! It¡¯s the Lunar Eclipse!¡±


    The Bydent knights hurriedly retreated. However, Karon of the Flying Wolf Tribe only squinted, arms crossed, and did not budge. Luke, too, stood his ground, but it wasn¡¯t his choice.


    .


    That was what Luke¡¯s curse was telling him. In truth, it was no longer a curse¡ªit had become his instinct that warned him of incoming disaster. This instinct was what had allowed him to fight Jordic on equal terms so far. But now, that instinct was telling him it was hopeless. No matter where he moved or what action he took, nothing would make a difference. The only thing left was despair.


    ¡°Damn it, so what!¡±


    Instead of tears, Luke cursed. Even though he knew it was meaningless, he decided to act as a true knight of Sefira. While he avoided meaningless battles, he never retreated from an ongoing one. At this moment, he wanted to fight as the best archer he could be, even in the face of inevitable defeat.


    Luke nocked an arrow and aimed at Jordic. In response, Jordic gripped his spear with both hands and swung it from a distance. His spear bent like a reed, eventually tracing a perfect circle. Luke put all the aura he could into his arrow and shot it along the best trajectory he could manage.


    But it was all in vain. Luke''s arrow, along with his aura, disintegrated into mere dust. The next moment, Lunar Eclipse engulfed Luke entirely.


    In the vacuum left behind by the attack, a whirlwind whipped up the dirt and debris. Jordic stood still, catching his breath, his spear now planted firmly into the ground.


    ¡°...It''s over,¡± he muttered.


    Lunar Eclipse, the secret technique of the Moonlight Spear Style, was powerful enough to carve a deep cave into a cliffside. A human hit by such an attack wouldn''t even leave behind bone fragments. Where Luke once stood, there was now a deep, fan-shaped crater.


    ¡°Arbold!¡± Jordic called for his deputy to deal with the aftermath.


    But there was no response from Arbold. Jordic''s brow furrowed as Arbold always responded instantly, no matter the situation; Jordic had trained him to be that way. Yet, even after three, five seconds, there was only silence.


    Jordic felt a strange sense of foreboding. It was a familiar feeling¡ªjust like when he had stabbed Keter. He turned his head toward where Keter¡¯s body had been lying. However, Keter was no longer there. For a moment, Jordic wondered if Keter had been caught in Lunar Eclipse and died, but he was certain that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°Keter! You bastard!¡±


    Keter wasn¡¯t dead. In fact, it was clear now that Keter hadn¡¯t been fighting seriously from the start. During the battle, Jordic had doubts, but now he was sure.


    He didn¡¯t know the reason, but one thing was certain: Keter had tricked him.


    ¡°He''s distracting me!¡±


    Jordic swept away the dust from his field of vision with his spear. He was able to see in front of him as the dust settled. On the vast bean field, only two people remained standing: Jordic and Karon. But something was wrong with Karon. He was clutching his neck, and upon closer inspection, Jordic saw a deep wound running from his neck down to his navel.


    Karon collapsed.


    Jordic quickly scanned the area for his subordinates, and it wasn¡¯t long before he found them.


    ¡°What... what is this?¡±


    As Jordic rushed over to his men, his eyes widened in shock. Their bodies were shredded, torn apart. Fortunately, no one was dead, but they were all gravely wounded, in desperate need of immediate medical attention.


    ¡°Why on earth?¡±


    Jordic was certain he saw his subordinates escape the range of Lunar Eclipse. Besides, these weren''t wounds caused by that.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    At that moment, Jordic heard a groan, but it wasn''t from one of his subordinates. It was Luke. He was stumbling to his feet, emerging from the dirt-filled crater.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Jordic''s eyes were already wide with shock, so his mouth dropped open instead. It was unbelievable enough that Luke was still alive, but what stunned Jordic even more was that Luke was unharmed. He was covered in dust, but not bleeding at all. Luke had taken the Lunar Eclipse head-on, yet he stood unscathed while everyone else was on the brink of death.


    Even amidst his confusion, Jordic acted swiftly. He charged at Luke to finish him off.


    But just then¡ª


    ¡°Hold it riiight there!¡± shouted a grating voice, followed by the sound of an arrow flying from behind.


    Jordic quickly spun around, deflecting the arrow just in time.


    ¡°Ugh?!¡±


    Along with his spear, which he blocked the arrow with, Jordic was blown into the air from the impact. It was a tremendous arrow, which came from Keter, who was holding a bow completely unharmed.


    Jordic thought this was a dream.


    * * *


    Keter didn¡¯t forget to relax his pupils to make sure the illusion was perfect. Luke probably didn¡¯t hear it, but for the sake of complete deception, he even slowed his heartbeat. A hole in the abdomen wasn¡¯t fatal, but to a kid without real combat experience, it would certainly look like he died. Keter even let his face slam into the dirt.


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t dead, not even close. Just before Jordic¡¯s spear could penetrate, Keter shifted his organs aside, making sure only his flesh was pierced.


    ¡°You...¡±


    Jordic wasn¡¯t talking to Luke, but Keter.


    But it didn¡¯t matter, because Keter wasn¡¯t trying to deceive Jordic¡ªhe was trying to deceive Luke.


    Keter was curious about Luke¡¯s latent abilities as well, as even in Liqueur, which was known for having everything that existed, ability users were still a rare find.


    All the ones Keter had met had absurd, overpowered abilities. There was even a saying in Liqueur about how overpowered species were nothing compared to overpowered bloodlines.


    There was a guy named Maran in Liqueur, and he was also an ability user. His ability could swap out his own eyes with someone else''s. When he did, he gained all their skills and powers¡ªswordsmanship, magic, anything. He could even use two sets of powers if he swapped both eyes. That¡¯s why they called him the Eye Collector. He had a collection of eyes from all kinds of unique or powerful individuals. He even asked for one of Keter¡¯s eyes once, but when Keter told him it would cost a billion gold, Maran backed off.


    At least, that was what Keter thought, as he had the experience of awakening someone¡¯s ability back in Liqueur. A strong emotional shock was the condition for awakening the ability. Since that was what worked for the ability user in Liqueur, Keter figured it would be the same for Luke.


    Just when Keter started to wonder if his own ¡°death¡± wasn¡¯t shocking enough, he heard the sound of an arrow being fired. It worked. Luke had shot his bow.


    But it was too soon to celebrate. Whether Luke was going to reach his true potential or not still hung in the balance.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± Jordic remarked with a sharp tone, breaking his focus from Keter.


    Now, he could watch openly without hiding.


    Without moving his hands, Keter activated his internal mana to mend the wound in his abdomen. That would suffice; after all, his body wasn¡¯t an ordinary human body. After all the fights he''d survived in Liqueur, it couldn¡¯t be.


    He had once lost his fingers, and even his limbs. Back then, he had risked his life to undergo extensive body modification surgery from a chimeric mage. Now, his blood carried the regenerative properties of trolls, so even with damaged organs or severed limbs, he could regenerate. This recovery rate became even faster when combined with his own medical skills.


    Once he finished sealing the wound, Keter turned his head slightly to watch the fight between Luke and Jordic.


    Jordic, who had been underestimating Luke at first, was now fully focused on the fight. Jordic was so concentrated that he didn¡¯t even notice Keter slowly moving away. Keter hid behind the tall stalks of the soybean field to properly watch the battle. After watching them exchange blows twice, he had a clear idea of what Luke¡¯s ability might be.


    Keter was able to draw this conclusion because Luke was perfectly anticipating all of Jordic''s moves. Normally, when there was a vast skill difference between fighters, the stronger one could easily predict the novice¡¯s actions. But Luke was nowhere near Jordic''s level¡ªat best, he might be on par with Arbold. And yet, he was reading Jordic¡¯s every move. That had to be an ability, no doubt about it.


    Abilities weren¡¯t something that could be replicated with magic; the origin of magic was these abilities anyway.


    Precognition was indeed an overpowered ability, but that wasn¡¯t enough to qualify Luke to be Keter¡¯s subordinate. To be blunt, those kinds of abilities were a dime a dozen back in Liqueur. A replaceable ability lacked rarity.


    The atmosphere in the field was signaling that the battle was nearing its end. Jordic was clearly preparing for a massive attack, taking a stance for something big.


    ¡°Everyone, fall back! It¡¯s the Lunar Eclipse!¡±


    Luke most likely also knew that he couldn¡¯t handle Jordic¡¯s ultimate move, the Lunar Eclipse.


    If so, Keter couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    Keter took a step back away from the range of Lunar Eclipse. Then, the attack hit Luke directly. Right up until the moment of impact, Luke wasn¡¯t doing anything noticeable.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°What the¡ª?!¡±


    Suddenly, screams erupted from all around. It was Karon and the dregs of Videntis. Unable to contain his curiosity, Keter stood up slightly to sneak a peek at the situation.


    Everyone but him was wounded, bearing deep gashes as if clawed by some beast.


    ¡°, .¡±


    A faint voice reached Keter.


    Just from the sound of the cough, Keter could tell that Luke was tired, but he didn¡¯t suffer any injuries.


    The only explanation of the fact that Luke was completely fine was his ability. Keter didn¡¯t know how it exactly worked yet, but from what he saw now, the attack had been reflected.


    ¡°Urgh.¡±


    ¡°Hold it riiight there!¡±


    Keter shot up and immediately fired anAura Arrow. Keter¡¯s Aura Arrow wasn¡¯t like others, though. It was coated with magic, so none of the aura dissipated as it flew.


    ¡°Argh!?¡±


    Jordic blocked Keter¡¯s arrow but was clearly shaken.


    Jordic and Luke both stared at him in surprise, as if they saw someone come back to life.


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    ¡°Call me the Immortal of Sefira.¡±

 Chapter 50: I’m an Attention Seeker (4)

    Tears streamed down Luke¡¯s face. Keter was alive. His arrogant tone and his insane, yet calm expression could be no one else''s.


    ¡°Did you do this?¡± asked Jordic, catching his breath and pointing his spear at Keter.


    Instead of replying, Keter threw his bow on the ground. Then, the tattoo on his left arm traveled down and gathered in his left hand, ultimately becoming a jet-black bow¡ªDemon Bow Amaranth. The reason why he pulled this out without replying to Jordic was for one simple reason: Jordic wasn¡¯t worth talking to anymore. Keter was done using Jordic now. He was going to kill him along with the rest of Bydent¡¯s knights and retrieve Karon.


    A demon arrow was loaded on Amaranth. Jordic¡¯s eyes trembled at the sight of the arrow, which was completely different from anything related to aura. He had never seen it before, but his instincts told him that the arrow Keter was holding had the power of death.


    Jordic¡¯s palms were already blistered, but he gripped his spear harder and shouted, ¡°Did you think I, the Spear Dragon of Bydent, would be afraid?! Come at me!¡±


    Jordic was preparing to unleash a second round of Lunar Eclipse.


    Luke, completely drained, staggered backward. His instincts were telling him that Jordic would be the one to die. The tingling sensation down his spine told him to back away to not get caught in the explosion.


    The atmosphere was tense, where something could happen at any second. Then, someone intervened between the two of them.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    It was Karon who held out his hand to both Keter and Jordic to stop them. Despite suffering deep wounds and collapsing earlier, Karon had somehow recovered and now stood with a calm expression.


    Jordic canceled the Lunar Eclipse at Karon¡¯s intervention, but not Keter.


    Putting Karon and Jordic both in the trajectory of the arrow, Keter said, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I trust both of you, so stop fighting. There¡¯s no reason for allies to fight.¡±


    ¡°Ha. It seems like my grandpa didn¡¯t train you well. Are we your subordinates? Should we concede and immediately stop at your say-so, my lord?¡±


    Everyone was bewildered as Keter spoke like he was going to see this through.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy! I willingly withdrew Lunar Eclipse, accepting the backlash. And yet, you still plan to attack me? How can you call yourself a noble?!¡± Jordic shouted.


    ¡°Why are you blaming me when you¡¯re the one who backed down?¡± Keter shot back.


    ¡°Lord Keter, please put down your arrow. I failed to show you proper respect because I was unsure of your intentions,¡± Karon interjected.


    ¡°Keter, maybe you should hear what Karon has to say before making any decisions,¡± Luke said.


    With the three of them persuading him, Keter finally relented, lowering his arrow, acting as though he was doing them a favor.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you a chance. After all, I¡¯m merciful.¡±


    The balance of power had shifted completely. Everyone there now understood that Keter was in control.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    Luke fell back, all the tension releasing from his body. It was not knight-like, but he didn¡¯t have the energy to care about that.


    Ignoring Luke, Karon, Jordic, and Keter gathered. Karon, who had intervened to stop the fight, was the first to speak.


    ¡°Lord Jordic, your spear technique has shown that you are truly the representative of the Moon Rabbit Tribe.¡±


    ¡°... Hmph!¡±


    The technique that Karon was talking about was Lunar Eclipse.


    ¡°Lord Keter, I did not think you were worthy of being Elder Reganon¡¯s representative. But if you are the owner of that artifact, I can acknowledge you.¡±


    Karon didn¡¯t know the name of Amaranth, but it seemed like he could feel its power.


    Amaranth resonated for the first time in a long while, signaling its presence to Keter.


    Keter swiftly smacked the bowstring, silencing the resonance before speaking.


    ¡°I get that you trust both of us, but what exactly are you trying to say?¡±


    Karon responded calmly, ¡°First, I''d like to hear why Lord Jordic sought us out.¡±


    Finally given a chance to speak, Jordic felt his chest swell with emotion.


    ¡°The Moon Rabbit Tribe has foreseen a danger if you stay here. Come with us to Bydent. We can protect you,¡± anxiously said Jordic, worried that Keter might attack him.


    And sure enough, Keter immediately interrupted, ¡°Don''t inflate something anyone can predict and call it foresight. Even Elder Reganon said staying in one place too long isn''t good. We''ve already prepared a hiding place. We''ll go there, Karon.¡±


    Of course, it was all a lie. Keter had made it up on the spot. A lie that couldn¡¯t be verified might as well be the truth, so it wasn''t exactly wrong either.


    Karon looked troubled as both sides had valid points. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reganon had saved Karon and his companions from danger and hid them. Karon knew just how much of a risk he had taken by taking them in. In return, they had run a few errands for him, but the secret was well protected.


    As for the Moon Rabbit Tribe that Jordic mentioned, they were long allies of the Flying Wolf Tribe, so Karon also understood that they were trying to protect them. And truthfully, he felt more at ease with the Moon Rabbit Tribe than with humans.


    Karon couldn''t easily decide, and Jordic was growing frustrated.


    ¡°My subordinates are gravely injured. We don''t have time to sit around and wait here!¡±


    Jordic rushed to his men and began treating their wounds.


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    But the injuries of humans weren¡¯t enough to ease Karon''s dilemma.


    Keter, as usual, approached Jordic, intending to make some money by offering healing services in exchange for payment.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    When he did, Keter caught a strange scent that irritated his senses. In a place filled with the smell of dirt and blood, there was an odd, out-of-place fragrance. It was the smell of oranges¡ªnot the juicy, fresh scent of orange flesh, but a light, sun-dried fragrance. This was the scent that was on Reganon.


    Jordic, noticing Keter approaching, said, ¡°I''ll pay you, just heal my men. Hurry up and give me that damn contract!¡±


    ¡°Hm, you. Hand over everything you¡¯ve got in your pockets. Then I¡¯ll heal them.¡±


    ¡°What? That''s all you want?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Hurry up, before I change my mind.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give it all.¡±


    Jordic handed over his entire pocket belt to Keter. After all, there was nothing important inside.


    Keter sniffed the belt and nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°Okay. Deal.¡±


    Keter, now wearing the belt around his own waist, began healing the injured Bydent knights. It was fast¡ªboth his hands and the treatment. The Bydent knights, who were severely injured, were now at least safe from bleeding out or suffering an infection. They would still need proper recovery, though.


    The severely wounded knights of the Baident family were now at least safe from bleeding out or succumbing to infection. They would still need proper recovery, though.


    ¡°Hah, this is the best I can do here.¡±


    Relieved by the fact that he saved his subordinates, Jordic released the tight grip he had on his spear.


    Immediately, Keter shot back.


    ¡°Hold your weapon, you idiot.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Without a word, Jordic picked up his spear again.


    For a brief moment, Jordic had felt a small sense of camaraderie toward Keter. But Keter reprimanded him, warning him not to let his guard down.


    Despite feeling a blow to his pride, Jordic thought that if anyone had the right to say that, it might be Keter. In Keter¡¯s hand was the pitch-black bow.


    ¡°Is that Amaranth?¡± Jordic asked, recalling the name that Luke had mentioned earlier.


    But instead of answering, Keter responded with a completely unrelated question.


    ¡°What is this even used for?¡±


    A yellow powder stained Keter¡¯s fingers. It had come from one of Jordic¡¯s pouches.


    Although Jordic was irritated that his question was ignored, he still replied, ¡°It¡¯s just perfume powder. Nothing more than that.¡±


    ¡°None of the others had it in their pockets.¡±


    ¡°, rummaging through people¡¯s things. Of course, my subordinates wouldn¡¯t have it. That¡¯s premium perfume powder, reserved only for direct descendants of Bydent.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? So no one outside your family uses this stuff?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Tempted, are you? Hah, your Sefira family doesn¡¯t have any perfumers, so you can¡¯t even dream of this luxury.¡±


    ¡°A modest luxury, at best.¡±


    At that moment, Karon, having finished his deliberation, approached the two.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought it over. I believe I need to speak directly with Lord Reganon.¡±


    Neither Keter nor Jordic liked this conclusion. Of course, Karon could only suggest something like this because he was unaware of the intricacies between the two families.


    Keter quickly interjected, ¡°No way. We don¡¯t have time for that. The people following you could arrive any minute now. Do you even realize how stupid it is to stand around here?¡±


    Worried that the Bydent family might lose the Flying Wolf Tribe, Jordic also chimed in.


    ¡°Saying you want to consult Elder Leganon? How indecisive. Are you doubting the foresight of the Moon Rabbit Tribe?¡±


    ¡°Why should Karon trust the Moon Rabbit Tribe at all? Maybe they¡¯re just lulling you into a false sense of security, planning to sell you off to the emperor!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare accuse our high elder of being a con artist like you!¡±


    Keter ignored Jordic. After all, the decision was to be made by Karon.


    ¡°All the traitors among the beastfolk started that way. They sacrificed others to protect their own kind. Do you know about the story of the Blade Bird Tribe? Maybe the Moon Rabbit Tribe wants to follow in their footsteps and become just as treacherous as those scum,¡± Keter said.


    The Blade Bird Tribe, like the other beastfolk, was one of the races hunted by the emperor. But ten years ago, they were granted amnesty in exchange for offering the other cursed species as sacrifices to the emperor. The long years of exile and endless pursuits had finally broken the spirit of the Blade Bird Tribe.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Karon visibly faltered upon hearing the mention of the Blade Bird Tribe. He had heard the story, of course. The Blade Bird Tribe was one of the most vocal groups calling for the emperor''s downfall. Yet, in the end, they handed over their fellow beastfolk to save themselves and received amnesty in return. Now, they lived comfortably as nobility within the empire.


    Could the Moon Rabbit Tribe be any different? Could Karon really be certain they wouldn¡¯t follow the same path, especially when the survival of his people, the Flying Wolf Tribe, seemed to rest solely on his shoulders?


    .


    Keter told Karon there were other survivors, like his older brother, Alioli.


    The Flying Wolf Tribe was only hiding in Hacose Village. However, the Moon Rabbit Tribe was different; they had taken control of an entire noble family. They were in a far better situation than Karon and his people, who had no standing within the Sefira family. And, in all honesty, a thought crept into Karon¡¯s mind.


    Of course, the divine power that Keter and Luke had displayed was impressive. But if they had wielded swords instead of bows, they would have been ten, even a hundred times stronger. On the other hand, a spear was not a bad weapon. It had potential, much like a sword.


    Karon made up his mind. He was about to vocalize his resolve, but¡­


    ¡°Keter, up there!¡±


    Luke, who had been resting, suddenly pointed to the sky. Everyone looked up, and they saw something falling rapidly from above. The three of them scattered in different directions as the object landed right in the middle of where they had been standing. It was clearly a human figure, except this one had wings.


    The folded wings unfurled, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Karin''s body trembled as he saw who it was.


    A human with wings descended from the sky. Their wings were not like those of a bird; they shone with a color and sharpness like steel. The upper body resembled that of a human, but the lower half was avian. This beastfolk was known to the world as the Blade Bird Tribe.


    ¡°Did you hear our slandering of the Blade Bird Tribe all the way to the empire?¡± Keter said with a hint of curiosity.


    But everyone except Keter looked serious. This was understandable, as the Blade Bird Tribe were the emperor¡¯s hunting dogs. If one of them appeared here, there could only be one reason: to hunt beastfolk.


    ¡°You.¡±


    The blade bird, having landed and surveyed the surroundings, pointed at someone.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    It was neither Karon, the flying wolf, nor Keter, who had slandered the Blade Bird Tribe. It was Jordic, the spear dragon of the Bydent family. The blade bird showed hostility toward Jordic as they spoke.


    ¡°You''ve been found, moon rabbit. If you surrender willingly, I will spare your human accomplices.¡±


    At the blade bird¡¯s wrong accusation, some became happy while others frowned.

 Chapter 51: Call Me The Archery Genius (1)

    Humans and beastfolk didn¡¯t have a great relationship to begin with, but their full-scale confrontation began with the Samael Empire.


    Two hundred years ago, there was a craze for beastfolk slaves in the Samael Empire. Various sports involving beastfolk became popular, and nobles who didn¡¯t own a beastfolk slave were unable to participate in high society.


    Despite such oppression, the beastfolk were unable to resist. There were various species of beastfolk, but they didn¡¯t communicate with each other, and each species had less than a hundred people because of their insistence on living in tribal units.


    Moreover, the dominant belief among the carnivorous beastfolk was that being enslaved by humans was also a part of survival of the fittest. As such, the herbivorous beastfolk, who had weaker combat abilities, had no choice but to live as human slaves.


    However, a certain event triggered the collective fury of all the beastfolk tribes.


    The incidents of this event were so horrific and brutal that the records were erased. However, the atrocities reached the carnivorous beastfolk through a rain horse that escaped from the beastfolk racetrack.


    The elders of the Flying Wolf Tribe and the Nine-tailed Fox Tribe, the two leading factions of the beastfolk, went to the emperor as representatives and delivered an ultimatum: abolish the beastfolk slave system immediately, or they would destroy the empire. That¡¯s how the war between the beastfolk and the empire began.


    The war lasted fifty years and ended in the defeat of the beastfolk. The emperor and his army showed no mercy, and during this time, many beastfolk tribes were driven to extinction. Fearing the same fate, some tribes chose to surrender, and the emperor welcomed them, calling them subjugated tribes.


    The emperor gave these subjugated tribes three choices: live as slaves forever, join the Imperial Army and serve for fifty years to earn their freedom, or capture the remaining members of the seven beastfolk species, known as the Seven Cursed Species, who had led the war of humans and beastfolk.


    Most of the subjugated tribes chose to enlist in the Imperial Army. Though they had surrendered to the emperor, they didn¡¯t want to hunt down fellow beastfolk and deliver them to the emperor. They judged that it would be better to serve in the army and kill humans instead. Moreover, for beastfolk, who generally lived for three hundred years, fifty years of service did not seem like an eternity.


    However, this was a dangerously naive underestimation of the emperor. Only three out of one hundred beastfolk who enlisted completed the full fifty years of service and were discharged. Although they were called soldiers, they were never treated the same as human soldiers. They were forced into unreasonable missions, deadly battles, old tents with holes, and scarce food and military supplies.


    In such harsh conditions, there was only one way to survive: accepting that they were nothing more than pets for humans. One of the tribes that survived this way was the Blade Bird Tribe.


    Deo and Derant, the twin brothers of the Blade Bird Tribe, were furious. Their wings, which were soft, suddenly stiffened, becoming as hard as steel.


    Their father, however, calmly continued to persuade them.


    Their father, at ninety years old, was still considered young by the standards of their species, yet he was on the brink of death. The years of harsh military service had nearly destroyed him. The twins didn¡¯t even know their mother, as they were not born out of love but out of necessity.


    So, Deo and Derant recklessly left the empire to find the Seven Cursed Species, but it wasn¡¯t easy. All the Seven Cursed Species that had been discovered and captured were executed, their heads mounted on stakes in front of the palace gates. There were even occasional rumors that the entire Seven Cursed Species had been exterminated, as their numbers had completely dwindled to nothing.


    The twin brothers were given a ten-year grace period, a result of their father pleading with General Carlos, to whom he had connections. The Blade Bird Tribe was one of the beastfolk who had been officially pardoned by the emperor, so they were treated as semi-nobles. Because of this, it wasn''t difficult for them to receive cooperation in the search for members of the Seven Cursed Species. The problem was that they were nowhere to be found.


    Derant, the younger twin, had given up by the ninth year, but Deo didn¡¯t.


    Deo held on tightly to the faint clue. He could clearly see his future self becoming just like his father. Derant couldn¡¯t bear to leave his brother behind. After all, there was only one year left. They had already wasted nine years, so enduring one more year wasn¡¯t impossible.


    And so, a year flew by in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Deo, today is the last day. We¡¯ve searched the entire mountain range.¡±


    There weren''t any flying wolves in the mountain, but Deo sounded even more certain.


    ¡°Over there. Look at that village. They have to be there, I¡¯m sure of it. They¡¯re probably disguised as humans and hiding there.¡±


    The village Deo pointed at was Hacose, a village in the Sefira estate in the Lillian Kingdom.


    Sighing, Derant said, ¡°Deo, you think the humans haven¡¯t searched there? Of course, they did. The Empire Intelligence Agency can find things even if they don¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°But the Empire Intelligence Agency is just humans in the end.¡±


    ¡°.¡±


    Derant decided to humor his brother¡¯s stubbornness. After all, there was only one day left; once this night ended, Deo would give up too.


    As they were watching over Hacose Village from above the clouds, they saw humans fighting in the middle of a bean field. Derant had no interest in human squabbles, as human battles were beneath him and their techniques were insignificant.


    But to his surprise, his brother Deo was watching the humans'' fight intently.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha!¡±


    Suddenly, Deo burst into wild laughter. Derant began to wonder if his brother had finally gone mad.


    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of not returning to the empire, right? If you do, Father will...¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯ve found it! I¡¯ve found the Seven Cursed Species!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t see anything about the Seven Cursed Species. They¡¯re all human.¡±


    ¡°Look at the humans fighting on the bean field!¡± Deo shouted.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m looking at them.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t see it? I guess you won¡¯t be able to see it, but I did.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the first time that Deo had hallucinated.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Moon Rabbit Tribe! That¡¯s the Moon Rabbit Tribe¡¯s spear technique! It¡¯s exactly the same as what I saw in Father¡¯s study. I wasn¡¯t sure before, but after seeing that human, I¡¯m certain. That man is a disguised moon rabbit!¡±


    Deo was pointing at Jordic.


    ¡°You stay here. I can handle this on my own!¡±


    Before Derant could stop him, Deo folded his wings and quickly descended to the ground.


    * * *


    "You''ve been found, moon rabbit. If you surrender willingly, I will spare your human accomplices."


    Of course, Jordic denied Deo¡¯s accusation.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a human being,¡± Jordic replied.


    ¡°I knew you would deny it. But you don¡¯t think I would recognize that technique you¡¯re using? That¡¯s a spear technique used by the Moon Rabbit Tribe. You used a weaker version of it, but you can¡¯t fool me.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Jordic¡¯s eyes went cold. If they found evidence of the Moon Rabbit Tribe in his spear technique, there was nothing he could say. Besides, it didn¡¯t seem like they could be persuaded. The only choice was to kill them and get rid of the evidence.


    Reading Jordic¡¯s intent, Deo put on a creepy smile.


    ¡°My name is Deo. I will capture you and get my life back!¡±


    Deo flew up without any preparation. A rain of steel feathers poured down with a beat of his wings.


    Jordic had underestimated Deo and was caught off-guard.


    These weren¡¯t just feathers that looked like steel; they were as hard as real steel and coated with a sticky aura.


    Jordic moved his spear desperately, deflecting the steel feathers. Though he used up quite a bit of his stamina and aura, he smiled.


    But just being able to endure this wouldn¡¯t be enough to defeat a member of the Blade Bird Tribe. However, Jordic had a plan: Keter. If he teamed up with Keter, the odds of winning would increase. They would have nothing to fear if Jordic took the lead and Keter, the archer, provided support. It was a flawless plan¡ªfrom Jordic¡¯s point of view, at least.


    ¡°They say the Blade Bird Tribe is the strongest in aerial combat among the beastfolk. So, these feathers must be their secret.¡±


    Instead of fighting, Keter seemed more interested in the feathers that had fallen down.


    Jordic was about to shout for Keter¡¯s help when he quickly rolled forward. It was because Deo¡¯s attack came crashing down on him. Deo wasn¡¯t just shooting feathers from the air; he swooped down like he was gliding, attacking with his sword as well.


    Jordic suffered a long cut on his arm.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Jordic thrust his spear at Deo¡¯s back as he passed by, but the spear tip sliced through nothing but air. Deo soared back into the sky, out of range, and unleashed more feathers relentlessly. Whenever an opportunity arose, he would dive down and strike with his sword. Every time Deo descended, Jordic was left with another wound.


    This was no longer a fight; it was a hunt¡ªa hunt that clearly carried the intent of capturing the prey alive.


    ¡°Keter!¡±


    ¡°Lord Keter!¡±


    Luke and Karon, who were slow to grasp the situation, called out to Keter, their voices full of confusion as to why he wasn¡¯t joining the battle.


    Keter shrugged and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡±


    To that, someone answered from above, ¡°A wise decision.¡±


    Without a sound or warning, another blade bird descended from the sky. It was Derant, Deo¡¯s brother, who had been watching the situation from above.


    Arms crossed, Derant calmly said, ¡°My name is Derant. I am a noble from the empire, officially authorized to hunt the Seven Cursed Species. You know what that means, right? If you interfere with the hunt for the Seven Cursed Species, you¡¯ll be making an enemy of the empire.¡±


    ¡°Two blade birds...!¡±


    Veins bulged on Karon¡¯s neck. Among the various subjugated tribes, it was the Blade Bird Tribe that had found and killed the most members of the Flying Wolf Tribe. How could Karon maintain his composure with a blood enemy standing before him?


    Of course, someone completely uninvolved, like Keter, could remain calm.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, we get it. Just hurry up and take that guy away. We really have nothing to do with this.¡±


    For Keter¡ªand by extension, the Sefira family¡ªthis was a golden opportunity. Jordic didn¡¯t have to be part of the Moon Rabbit Tribe. If they found out that Jordic was connected to the Moon Rabbit Tribe, they would soon figure out that the Bydent family was too. Even a powerful high noble family like the Bydents wouldn¡¯t be able to survive the emperor¡¯s influence.


    Luke also caught on to the situation. He knew that if Keter wasn¡¯t stepping in, it was because he had something to gain from staying out of it, but he wondered what that gain exactly was. He understood that helping Jordic wouldn¡¯t be beneficial, and even his instincts were screaming against fighting the blade birds.


    But Luke felt this boiling anger in his heart. He didn¡¯t know why he was feeling this rage towards the Blade Bird Tribe, who he had just met today¡ªwas it anger toward those who betrayed their own kind, or was it because of his values of a knight who couldn¡¯t tolerate injustice? This incomprehensible fury made Luke¡¯s blood boil.


    ¡°Damn it! Keter! You think I¡¯m going to die alone?!¡± shouted Jordic, barely catching his breath amidst Deo¡¯s relentless attacks.


    It was a threat¡ªif Keter didn¡¯t step in to help now, Jordic would reveal Karon¡¯s true identity.


    Keter clicked his tongue in frustration.


    If Jordic had that kind of resolve, he wouldn¡¯t be in this situation in the first place.


    Even if Jordic was captured and spilled everything about the Flying Wolf Tribe, it didn¡¯t matter as they could just hide them during that time. Unlike the Bydent family, who left trails by learning the Moon Rabbit Tribe¡¯s spear technique, Sefira didn¡¯t leave any evidence linking them to the Flying Wolf Tribe.


    Seeing Keter, the leader of the group, choosing to remain passive, Derant nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got good instincts. You¡¯re free to leave. I¡¯ll allow it.¡±


    Derant turned his back. Jordic, utterly exhausted, was pierced by countless steel feathers.


    Deo flew up higher and faster, gripping his sword tightly. It was clear that he intended to finish Jordic off with this final blow. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t kill Jordic¡ªit was just to sever his limbs to leave him powerless.


    With no way out, Jordic prepared for his final attack,the Lunar Eclipse.


    ¡°Gwaaaahhh!¡±


    Then, something unexpected happened. Karon let out a beast-like howl, and suddenly, his body grew larger, covered in fur. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a werewolf. Karon leaped toward the Derant, who was turned away from him, completely off-guard.


    Hearing the wolf¡¯s howl, Derant turned his head, his eyes widening in shock.


    ¡°The Flying Wolf Tribe!¡±


    Derant folded his wings to block Karon¡¯s sharp claws.


    ¡°I will tear you to pieces here and avenge my ancestors!¡± Karon roared, declaring his vengeance.


    Keter, on the other hand, rubbed his forehead and muttered under his breath, ¡°That stupid mutt... I swear, I¡¯ll season him with salt and pepper and marinate him...¡±


    Keter had refrained from fighting the Blade Bird Tribe not because they were strong, but because of their mobility. If he wanted to kill them, he had to do it thoroughly to prevent any information from leaking out. But if they decided to fly thousands of meters into the sky, not even a demon arrow could reach them. It would be a huge headache for Keter if they escaped and brought back the imperial army.


    If Keter revealed the demon arrows too early, the two of them would surely flee. It would be over if they missed even one of them. So, the plan was to put up a fight, pretend to be at a disadvantage, and then, at the critical moment, use the demon arrows to finish them off in one strike.


    Without hesitation, Keter snatched the remaining arrows from Luke and shot one.


    The arrow Keter fired was aimed at Deo, who was still fighting Jordic. Keter now had to fight for his life, thanks to Karon¡¯s foolish move, but he didn¡¯t look angry at all. In fact, he was actually smiling. Fighting wasn¡¯t always the best option, but if he had to fight, he didn¡¯t back down. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Survival of the fittest and surviving and growing stronger¡ªthat had been the essence of Keter¡¯s life and the source of his strength.


    Deo, leaving the nearly-dead Jordic behind, hurled his steel feathers toward Keter. To Deo, Keter was nothing compared to Jordic¡ªbarely worth his attention.


    Keter smiled as he let the arrow fly.

 Chapter 52: Call Me The Archery Genius (2)

    An archer typically stayed outside the enemy¡¯s range for safety, but Keter was different. He deliberately positioned himself in between Deo and Derant and shot an arrow.


    Deo and Derant both wanted to kill Keter, who was shooting arrows from close range, but they couldn¡¯t; even as blade birds, they couldn¡¯t afford to turn their backs on Karon, a flying wolf, and Jordic, the Spear Dragon, because it was too risky.


    Keter''s bold strategy involving positioning himself in a dangerous spot to divide the enemy''s attention and exhaust their mental focus was a tactic only someone like Keter could execute. Meanwhile, Luke stood at a distance, thinking about his role in the battle.


    Jumping into the fight would be useless. His aura was depleted, meaning he could only shoot regular arrows. Only with the power of aura could he pierce the Blade Bird Tribe''s steel-like feathers.


    When Jordic¡¯s eclipse had engulfed him earlier, Luke hadn¡¯t taken damage, but others had. He wasn¡¯t sure what had happened exactly, and the ability wasn¡¯t triggered by his own will. He didn¡¯t know if it would even be activated again, and if it did, it might not differentiate between friend and foe. It was too dangerous to use such an incomplete skill in this situation.


    Keter didn¡¯t give him any instructions, which Luke interpreted as a sign. It could mean that Keter trusted him to act on his own, but more likely, it meant that he wasn¡¯t meant to intervene in the fight at all.


    Luke finally moved. It took him a long time to decide, but he was quick to act. First, he moved the Bydent knights somewhere safe, then quickly escaped the battlefield.


    Glancing at Luke, who was leaving the battle, Keter muttered, ¡°Let¡¯s look at your combat sense.¡±


    He was both talking to Luke as well as the Blade Bird Tribe.


    Keter shot an invisible Aura Arrow¡ªtwo at Deo, who was fighting Jordic, and one at Derant, who was fighting Karon.


    Deo¡¯s wings burst with blood as he was about to finish off Jordic. In retaliation, Deo unleashed a flurry of steel feathers toward Keter, who dodged them with ease while keeping an eye on Derant''s movements.


    ¡°Tricks won''t save you!¡±


    Derant, having sensed Keter''s invisible Aura Arrows, deflected them with his steel feathers. But the momentary distraction created an opening, and Karin seized the opportunity, lunging at Derant and sinking his teeth into him. To assist Karon, Keter fired many Aura Arrows at Derant. Derant spun mid-air, dodging the arrows and shaking off Karon''s bite.


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Derant''s eyes widened in shock as the arrows he dodged curved back like boomerangs, hurtling toward him again. To make matters worse, Keter relentlessly fired more Aura Arrows, pushing Derant further into a corner.


    Derant flapped his wings, shooting straight upward into the sky. The Aura Arrows pursued him at a terrifying speed but eventually lost their power and dissipated at a certain height.


    ¡°Not bad, birdbrain,¡± Keter muttered.


    This was why Keter found dealing with the Blade Bird Tribe a hassle: whenever they felt the fight turning against them, they could always fly into the sky.


    Watching Derant ascend into the sky, Keter decided to keep him distracted, ensuring he wouldn''t have time to strategize.


    ¡°Don''t be a coward! Get down here and fight!¡±


    Keter¡¯s strategy was building, step by step. For instance, he figured out that the effective range of the blade bird¡¯s steel feathers was similar to that of a crossbow¡ªafter eighty meters, their lethality sharply decreased.


    Keter, who had analyzed their combat styles, didn¡¯t rush¡ªhe knew that an opportunity would come. Shooting feathers was a way to maintain pressure. To deliver a lethal blow, even the blade birds had to come down to the ground at some point. That was Keter¡¯s chance.


    ¡°Hey, mutt!¡± Keter shouted, signaling Karon with a nod toward Deo.


    Though Karon appeared feral, almost mindless in his current state, he understood Keter immediately. He charged at Deo, leaping with incredible power, jaws wide open. Simultaneously, Jordic, who had been on the defensive, switched to an aggressive stance to prevent Deo from escaping into the air.


    Just as Karon lunged¡­


    A piercing screech cut through the air as Derant, who had been in the air to catch his breath, descended rapidly with a curved blade in hand. His attack was full of aura and also had the force of gravity and speed, making it look impossible to black. Instead, Jordic retreated a fair distance to catch his breath. This left Karon alone, and he quickly became a toy for the two blade birds.


    Jordic glanced at Keter, who had stopped firing arrows entirely and was simply watching.


    Every second mattered. The only reason Jordic even had time to take a breather was because Karon was a strong flying wolf. But even Jordic couldn¡¯t help but shudder at the realization of how advantageous the blade birds¡¯ mobility was in combat.


    Jordic¡¯s spear hadn¡¯t even grazed Deo, as Deo only fought from a teasing height, always just slightly out of reach. As such, Jordic had to leap into the air just to get close, but his best jumps only reached five meters¡ªfar from enough to match Deo¡¯s mobility. And while suspended mid-air, Jorrick¡¯s ability to move was severely limited.


    Despite this, purely defending wasn¡¯t going to do anything. He had no choice but to keep jumping and attempting attacks. Every time he did, he gained more and more injuries.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Jordic, who replenished his mental focus and strength from a short break, headed to the battlefield again.


    Watching Jordic run, Keter said, ¡°We¡¯re all going to die if it continues like this.¡±


    Keter was nonchalantly predicting their death.


    Even though Jordic was acting strong, he was approaching his limit. Karon had incredible strength and regenerative capabilities as a werewolf, but he couldn¡¯t do much to the Blade Bird Tribe because of their natural differences. They were at an advantage in numbers, but there was no synergy as there was no teamwork.


    That was when Amaranth, who was watching the entire battle, whispered to Keter.


    As Amaranth had lived for thousands of years, it was easy for it to figure out the situation, as well as what Keter wanted right now.


    ¡°You¡¯re really bad at making deals, you know that?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°If I were you, I would let me use it once for free. That way, I can see for myself how powerful becoming the Marksman of the Demon Arrow is, and I would also appreciate you letting me borrow your powers for free. Seriously, how are you going to tempt anyone into corruption like this? No wonder you haven¡¯t made any progress in half a century.¡±


    There was a moment of silence.


    ¡°Let me use it for free. I need to experience how amazing being the Marksman of the Demon Arrow is to think about using it the next time.¡±


    And with that, Amaranth severed their mental link.


    ¡°, petty as always. I wasn¡¯t expecting much anyway.¡±


    Keter scratched his back with his bow and watched the battle. Suddenly, he clapped.


    ¡°Now I see a way to kill them.¡±


    The outcome of a battle was not just dependent on skill and techniques; Keter found the answer in the other aspects.


    ¡°Derant takes care of Deo a lot.¡±


    Derant jumped in to help whenever Deo was in any kind of danger, but Deo didn¡¯t help Derant at all when he was in danger.


    Though it was a minor detail, Keter, having grasped their psychology, rejoined the battlefield.


    * * *


    Karon had been confident, and Jordic had been beaming with energy, but now they both looked exhausted. Without Keter¡¯s help, it was difficult to take the two blade birds¡¯ attacks.


    At this rate, he would die anyway, so Jordic prepared his final Lunar Eclipse.


    At that moment, Keter intervened in the fight and declared, ¡°Now it''s Plan B!¡±


    Jordic and Karon were confused by this ¡°Plan B¡± as this was the first time they heard of it. On the other hand, the two brothers of the Blade Bird Tribe remained completely relaxed. Although they were slightly injured, they were minor wounds. With their strength and aura intact, they saw no reason to lose.


    Then, Keter unleashed a barrage of Aura Arrows, all of which were aimed at Deo. Deo smirked and soared into the sky.


    Blood gushed from both of Deo''s wings as he ascended. He was so focused on the visible Aura Arrows that he failed to detect the transparent arrows that were fired first.


    The strategy was to obscure his vision with a barrage of Aura Arrows and attack his wings with invisible arrows. It was easy to say, but depending on Deo¡¯s flight direction, the arrows could easily miss. However, Keter was certain. He knew that Deo would attempt to dodge the arrows by ascending vertically.


    As Deo fell, Jordic¡¯s spear struck down towards him.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Deo lost his ability to fly, but managed to block his spear by folding his wings.


    Jordic, who was holding in his frustration against Deo and how he constantly soared into the air to taunt him, didn¡¯t miss this opportunity.


    Jordic focused every muscle in his body solely on the attack. Yet, even with Deo''s flight capabilities read, he was still a beastfolk. Deo clashed with Jordic¡¯s spear solely using pure swordsmanship. Sparks flew as spear met sword, and the two people crossed paths.


    Blood spurted from Deo¡¯s chest. Without his wings, his swordsmanship was no match for Jordic¡¯s spear technique. With the advantage in hand, Jordic relentlessly attacked him. Blood, flesh, and feathers scattered everywhere.


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    Seeing his brother being driven back repeatedly, Deran hurriedly ascended, leaving Karon behind. Karon, who was going to follow Derant, was about to run whenever shouted at him.


    ¡°Leave him! Finish this one first.¡±


    Over a short distance, especially on a straight path, Karon was overwhelmingly faster than Derant. Understanding what Keter was saying, Karon stopped chasing Derant and struck Deo¡¯s back with all his might.


    ¡°Jordic, prepare a big one.¡±


    Jordic, who had been attacking without taking a single breath, frowned as he began to prepare Lunar Eclipse. Although his attacks were landing, Deo¡¯s wings were deflecting most of the blows. This opponent could only be defeated by Lunar Eclipse from the start.


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Derant swung his wings with all his might, creating a gust of wind that pushed Karon and Jordic back. Deo, who was hastily defending, was finally able to catch his breath thanks to Derant. Instead of thanking his brother, Deo pulled out a small vial from his chest.


    It was an elixir¡ªnot just a regular potion that helped recovery, but a truly miraculous liquid that instantly healed wounds upon use. With Derant protecting him, Deo felt secure enough to drink it.


    However¡­


    Just before he could drink it, the elixir shattered and spilled onto the ground. Keter¡¯s arrow had struck the vial with perfect precision.


    ¡°This damn archer!¡±


    Deo, having lost his one and only elixir, was seething with rage. Barely managing to shoot several steel feathers at Keter, Derant then grabbed Deo by the waist and took off into the sky. His plan was to ascend to a dizzying height and use his own elixir to heal Deo.


    However, they were already in the palm of Keter¡¯s hand. As Deo clung to Derant, his voice trembled with shock.


    ¡°Arrows above us?!¡±


    It was a perfect trap, as they were vertically ascending and couldn¡¯t change their direction. While they could use their wings as shields to block the Aura Arrows, the inevitable consequence was their plummet back to the ground.


    As their feet touched the ground, what stood before them was Jordic. He was done preparing for the Lunar Eclipse, the secret technique of the Moonlight Spear Technique, and smiled chillingly. Deo and Derant lost their chance to escape, but they didn¡¯t just stand there in shock. Aura concentrated on their blade, creating a strong Aura Blade.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    Jordic let out a desperate roar, hoping to end it all with this one strike.


    ¡°Kraaah!¡±


    Deo and Derant unleashed a powerful battle cry, pouring all their will to survive. Their combined slashes tore through Jordic¡¯s Lunar Eclipse from both sides.


    As the Lunar Eclipse was split apart, Karon charged through the opening, swinging his Aura-infused claws at Deo. Deo and Derant, who had already depleted their aura in breaking the Lunar Eclipse, were left defenseless against Karon¡¯s attack.


    But¡ª


    Karn¡¯s claws were stopped; Derant had extended his right wing, blocking the blow.


    ¡°Gahh!!¡± Karon roared, then ripped off Derant¡¯s right wing.


    However, Derant didn¡¯t just stand there; he swallowed his scream of pain and pierced Karon¡¯s body with his remaining left wing.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Derant threw Karon, who had been stabbed, to the side. He covered his body with his left wing and took out his elixir. Derant¡¯s right wing, which was ripped from his body, was beyond recovery. However, Deo¡¯s wing had only suffered minor injuries. They would still be able to fly high as long as Deo took the elixir.


    Neither Deo nor Derant had any intention of retreating now. It was easy to escape now and request reinforcements, but if the empire¡¯s forces captured the Seven Cursed Species with their help, their military exemption would be gone.


    Moreover, the spearman had already fallen. All that remained was to deal with the injured flying wolf and the archer. Victory was within their grasp. Although the archer¡¯s Aura Arrows were a threat, they couldn¡¯t pierce their wings.


    Or at least, that should have been the case.


    The elixir shattered. An arrow pierced through Derant¡¯s thick, sturdy wing and struck the elixir, breaking it. What was even worse was that the arrow pierced deeply into Derant¡¯s chest. This wasn¡¯t an Aura Arrow. It was a black arrow¡ªa Demon Arrow.


    The arrow, infused with the power of death, began to consume his body.


    ¡°W-What is this?¡±


    Derant, pale and trembling, looked at Keter as he carved out the tainted flesh.


    Keter, gripping the Demon Arrow, smiled and said, ¡°Does it hurt? It hurts me too.¡±


    Keter¡¯s relaxed demeanor made it clear to Derant that everything had been meticulously planned. Realizing this, Derant hastily attempted to negotiate.


    ¡°Wait! We surrender. As an imperial noble, I request a negotiation!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit. You lost, so you die.¡±


    Keter shot a second Demon Arrow.

 Chapter 53: Call Me The Archery Genius (3)

    The second Demon Arrow moved slowly. At least, that was how it appeared to Deo and Derant. This was due to the special ability of the Blade Bird Tribe, known as Second Chance. In moments of life-or-death crisis, they could temporarily perceive time in 0.1-second increments.


    The trajectory of the Demon Arrow was aimed at Derant, and each of the brothers responded differently. Deo took to the air with his injured wing, while Derant infused his sword with aura to meet the Demon Arrow head-on. But then, the Demon Arrow suddenly split into two, with one half now hurtling towards Deo.


    The split was unexpected, but it didn¡¯t faze Deo. He sneered; the speed and path of the incoming arrow were predictable.


    Deo swung his sword toward the Demon Arrow aimed at his ankle. Although his swing was also slow, it was more than enough to intercept the arrow¡¯s path. Or so he thought.


    That¡¯s when he heard Derant¡¯s urgent voice from below.


    ¡°Waatchh for thee spppllittt¡ª¡±


    Deo didn¡¯t hear Derant¡¯s warning, as their slowed-down perception of time made it difficult to understand each other. Deo remained focused on the Demon Arrow coming his way. Now, the Demon Arrow hit the sword¡­ or rather, it didn¡¯t. The Demon Arrow, which had split once, split again right before it hit the sword.


    ¡°...!¡±


    The Demon Arrow split into two, brushing past Deo''s sword. Deo thought of folding his wings to block it. His wings moved, ever so slowly. The arrow, too, was creeping forward in his sight.


    Deo did everything he could. Now, there was nothing left but to watch. The arrow narrowly slipped through before his wings fully closed, and he felt it pierce his throat and chest.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Sharp pain slowly spread through Deo¡¯s nerves. He could clearly feel every cell and every fiber of his body being destroyed. The ability that had saved countless blade birds¡¯ lives, Second Chance, was now granting him a drawn-out death.


    Of course, Deo still had a chance. Just like Derant, he could tear away the flesh where the Demon Arrow struck and survive. But Keter wasn¡¯t going to allow that. He couldn¡¯t risk wasting the Demon Arrow.


    Another Demon Arrow pierced through Deo¡¯s jaw. The arrow that had originally flown straight at Derant had abruptly changed course at the last moment, rising to strike Deo in the jaw.


    The blessing of the Blade Bird Tribe was over. Time, which had been moving slowly, now returned to its normal flow. Feathers fell gently, like autumn leaves, drifting to the ground.


    Victory had no favorites; there was a way that Derant could have won. He had to have charged at Keter the moment the arrow changed its path. If he did that, Keter would have been unable to focus on controlling the Demon Arrow. But Keter knew that would never happen. Derant cared too much for his brother Deo to abandon him. If Keter had focused on Derant instead, Deo would have fled without a second thought.


    Understanding their bond and exploiting their traits was what led Keter to victory. Now, there was no need for a third Demon Arrow.


    ¡°Kraaagh!¡±


    Karon, having regained his strength, leaped into the air. As Derant tried to catch Deo, Karon bit down on Derant¡¯s neck. His sharp fangs easily sank into Derant¡¯s thin neck. Derant attempted to resist, but Karon pinned his arms with brute force and violently shook his head. Derant thrashed like a lifeless chicken as his neck was savagely torn.


    Karon then approached Deo, who had fallen to the ground, and stomped on his neck with full force, crushing it completely.


    The wolf had hunted the bird. The victorious wolf lifted its head towards the sky, ready to let out a triumphant howl.


    ¡°Awo¡­!¡±


    A stone struck Karon¡¯s snout just as he raised his head to howl. Karon, elated by his victory, turned and glared at Keter with a violent look on his face.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ am not your dog!¡± Karon growled angrily.


    Though the blade birds were dead, Karon was still half-crazed with battle fury, his blood still boiling. Karon, wary of Keter¡¯s arrows, charged at Keter in a zigzag pattern.


    "Always the same with these mutts," Keter muttered.


    Karon wasn¡¯t actually going to actually attack Keter; he only wanted to intimidate Keter and show off his strength. He was going to stop his claws right in front of Keter¡¯s face. However, Keter took advantage of Karon¡¯s momentum and strength, grabbing his wrist to spin him around.


    Karon¡¯s massive physique flipped over and crashed headfirst into the ground, leaving him disoriented.


    ¡°Some people only learn after getting beaten, but I don¡¯t dislike that,¡± Keter remarked.


    Then began a ruthless assault on Karon, who was lying on the floor.


    Werewolves were renowned among the beastfolk for their tenacity. Karon suffered many injuries while fighting the blade birds, but he didn¡¯t lose his fighting spirit to the pain. However, Keter¡¯s punches and kicks felt like they were breaking something deeper. It wasn¡¯t just physical pain¡ªit was as if his very soul was being worn down.


    ¡°!¡±


    A pitiful whine escaped from Karon¡¯s elongated snout.


    The violence of the assault aside, Karon felt like his soul was being beaten up. It was an overwhelming impact, as if his bones and organs were being directly battered.


    ¡°Can you change back? Actually, change back now,¡± Keter ordered.


    Without hesitation, Karon shifted into his human form, kneeling with his head bowed, even though Keter didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Good boy.¡±


    Keter scratched the chin of an adult man who was at least a foot taller than him. It was over¡ªboth the battle with the Blade Bird Tribe and establishing dominance.


    For Keter, however, it was just the beginning¡ªthe beginning of a delightful settlement.


    * * *


    Keter found a unique thrill in breaking that specialness to pieces. These blade birds, shockingly, were still clinging to life, even with their throats half-torn and their bodies half-devoured by Keter¡¯s Demon Arrows.


    They would probably die on their own if Keter left them, but there was someone who couldn¡¯t resist the urge.


    Amaranth wasn¡¯t literally drooling, but Keter could feel the eagerness through his arm.


    Keter tossed the blade birds to Amaranth. Eyes and teeth sprouted from the bow. Keter didn¡¯t want to watch it eat, as he was also starving and barely holding himself back.


    The art Keter learned, Survival of the Fittest, made him stronger with every survival, and he survived this. But the requirements for this art were strict¡ªone had to genuinely face death to trigger its power. That was why even though it was taught for free in Liqueur, no one bothered to learn it.


    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±


    A wrenching pain began in his heart, then spread throughout his body. That soon became an excruciating pain¡ªevery muscle felt like it was being bitten by insects, his brain seared as if being roasted over a fire, and an intense chill penetrated his bones.


    No, Keter wasn¡¯t being tortured; he was getting stronger. His skin was toughening, his nerves were becoming sharper and more precise. Even his aura that was drained completely had recovered to an extent, and his total reserve actually increased.


    Keter closed his eyes briefly to relish the growth brought on by the intense battle.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Keter exhaled deeply, expelling impurities from his body. When he opened his eyes again, all of his wounds had fully healed. The exhaustion, though, still remained.


    Keter¡¯s aura reserves increased by three years¡¯ worth, and his mana by a year.


    A typical knight gained one year¡¯s worth of aura through one year of training. But with just one battle, Keter gained three years¡¯ worth.


    In truth, it was quite the opposite. Many people have ruined their lives in Liqueur, fooled by the illusion of gaining large amounts of aura from a single fight. It was difficult for people to understand just how demanding the condition of having to survive to grow stronger truly was.


    ¡°Hey, mutt.¡±


    ¡°... Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Pick up the feathers. All of them.¡±


    It was time to erase the evidence and collect the loot. Feathers of the Blade Bird Tribe were worth a lot; even in poor condition, each one was worth at least two gold. And right now, there were over a hundred of them scattered around here.


    Keter left the cleanup to the mutt and approached Jordic, who was sprawled out on the ground.


    ¡°Lying there all relaxed? Want me to get you a pillow?¡±


    ¡°...I never imagined such a monstrous being existed in Sefira.¡±


    Jordic underestimated archery. He disrespected Sefira, and he thought of Keter as a fraud, but he was mistaken. Archery wasn¡¯t weak, Sefira was resilient, and Keter was a serpent with wings.


    ¡°Calling a person a monster, huh? Have you ever seen a monster this good-looking?¡±


    ¡°Haha, ugh¡­.¡±


    Jordic coughed up a wad of blood and forced himself to sit up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll concede the flying wolf. The Bydent family will withdraw today.¡±


    There was determination in Jordic¡¯s expression. It showed a willingness to bear the brunt of the reprimands from his superiors alone.


    ¡°The way you and I see concessions must be very different.¡±


    "No need to refuse, but know that there won''t be a next time. Officially, we¡¯re enemies, and it would be best to maintain this dynamic for now.¡±


    ¡°If you have more to say, go ahead,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°You must be aware of the upcoming Sword of the South tournament in three months. I heard Sefira will be participating, and undoubtedly, so will you. I, too, will participate as the representative of Bydent. Let¡¯s have a fair fight then.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. There¡¯s that tournament.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a good match.¡±


    Jordic extended his hand for a handshake. Keter pretended to shake it, but instead, he tripped him.


    ¡°Ugh!?¡±


    ¡°Good match, my foot, you intruder.¡±


    ¡°Intruder? What are you talking about, Keter?¡±


    ¡°Are you not getting it? You¡¯re a prisoner now.¡±


    As Jordic tried to stand up, Keter hit the back of his neck with the blade of his hand. Already drained of strength, Jordic fainted, not being able to withstand the strike. Keter was planning to keep hitting him until he passed out anyway, so he was a little disappointed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve collected everything, sir,¡± Karon said, handing Keter a bag.


    ¡°Why are you giving it to me? You hold it. We need to get out of here anyway.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, sir?¡±


    ¡°Do you hear the sound of hooves?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the sound of Sefira¡¯s soldiers from the fortress. They¡¯re not under Elder Reganon¡¯s command.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Taking in the Flying Wolf Tribe was solely Reganon¡¯s decision. Even though Karon appeared human, he couldn¡¯t avoid questioning if he stayed here.


    ¡°Even aside from that, this place is already compromised. Surely, you¡¯re not thinking of meeting with Elder Reganon again, are you?¡±


    ¡°But where should we go?¡± Karon asked.


    ¡°I told you already. It¡¯s all taken care of.¡±


    Keter pulled out a business card from his pocket. He bit his ring finger to get blood and signed his name on the back of the card.


    ¡°Go to Liqueur, find my subordinate, Dork, and show him this card. That¡¯ll be enough.¡±


    ¡°Is it just our tribe that is going?¡±


    ¡°What, do you expect me to escort you there with a knight order? Or should I lay out a red carpet while I¡¯m at it?¡±


    ¡°No, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Go. Trust Elder Reganon and me. Not to boast, but if it weren''t for us, you''d all be playthings of the emperor by now. Remember that.¡±


    ¡°I will repay this debt someday.¡±


    ¡°Now go.¡±


    Keter waved to Karon casually.


    Karon took the long way back to the village, and soon after, Luke arrived, leading a group of soldiers.


    "Keter!"


    Luke dismounted quickly and inspected Keter.


    "I believed in you.¡±


    "You had to. If you can''t trust me, Sefira is done for."


    "Y-yeah. Oh, this is Sir Halibo."


    The knight who seemed to have been brought from the fortress bowed politely.


    "Lord Keter. I am Sir Halibo, a knight of the Sacred Order of Sefira and the lieutenant commander of Hacose Fortress."


    "Nice to meet you. Bit of a mess, huh?"


    "I was told by Sir Luke that there were intruders, so I came in a hurry. By any chance, are these intruders¡­?"


    All traces of the Blade Bird Tribe had been erased, and Karon had already left. So now, it was just Keter and¡­


    "Bydent?!"


    Halibo, recognizing the cross-spear, a symbol of Bydent, was shocked. The soldiers who followed soon understood the situation and were furious.


    "There is no way these men entered Hacose Village with permission. Moreover, they came armed and hid their symbol. This is a clear act of trespassing!"


    ¡°This cannot be overlooked, sir!¡±


    ¡°But did Lord Keter handle all of this alone?¡±


    ¡°There are more than seven of them, sir!¡±


    ¡°To achieve such a feat just two days after joining the family¡­!¡±


    The soldiers looked at Keter with eyes full of admiration. Standing tall, Keter gave Halibo a direct order. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Tie up these scum tightly with ropes. Cover their heads with sacks too. We¡¯re taking them all to the house to throw them in prison.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Halibo saluted sharply and directed the soldiers. As they bound the knights of Bydent, their gazes were filled with endless respect toward him. Keter felt Luke staring at him, but he couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°Call me Sefira¡¯s¡­¡±


    Keter couldn¡¯t come up with something now that he was trying.


    Keter could still feel Luke¡¯s piercing stare again. Thanks to that, inspiration struck.


    ¡°Call me the Archery Genius of Sefira.¡±

 Chapter 54: Call Me The Archery Genius (4)

    Keter returned to Hacose Village. There was something he needed to confirm before heading back.


    ¡°Lord Keter.¡±


    As Keter was heading to the village hall, a man blocked his path. Out of nowhere, the man held out a small metallic cube and a rod.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was right to leave without showing my gratitude, so I stayed behind to give you this.¡±


    The man was one of the members of the Flying Wolf Tribe.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Keter asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a weapon and armor crafted with the Flying Wolf Tribe¡¯s metallurgy. It contains the essence of shape-memory alloy techniques. Please deliver it to Lord Reganon.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to make shape-memory alloy? That would be more helpful.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. Our group consists only of warriors, so we don¡¯t know anything about metallurgy.¡±


    ¡°I see. You can go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The man disappeared from sight. Luke approached and poked at the metal rod and cube with his finger.


    ¡°Keter, did I hear that right? He said this is a weapon and armor. How does something this small turn into a weapon or armor?¡±


    ¡°You just need to inject aura into it.¡±


    When Keter infused the rod with aura, it instantly transformed into a sword. The rod, which was the size of his finger, extended into a two-meter-long longsword. Although it was too large for a human to wield, it was just the right size for a werewolf to use as a longsword.


    ¡°Whoa, that scared me! How do you turn it back? Do you use aura for that too?¡± Luke asked.


    ¡°No, you fold it with brute force.¡±


    ¡°Fold it... with brute force?¡±


    Keter showed Luke how since it wasn¡¯t practical to carry around a two-meter longsword anyway. He placed the tip of the sword on the ground and pressed down on the hilt. The muscles in Keter¡¯s arm bulged as he pressed down on the sword. it cracked and crunched as the blade began to compress. As he continued to compress it, the entire blade compacted into the handle and the remaining side parts curled inward, returning to its original rod shape.


    As it was designed as a weapon for werewolves, only someone with their level of strength could re-compress it. In other words, Keter''s strength was at least on par with that of a werewolf.


    Keter had seen these portable weapons and armor before in the Liqueur. Even in the empire, these compressible weapons were used exclusively by high-level officers. He now realized that the base technology for these items was the shape-memory alloy metallurgy of the Flying Wolf Tribe. This was only produced in the empire, so no one had ever figured out the secret of this technology. However, Keter discovered the secret so easily, and it was even in his hands now.


    If he could create a bow or arrows using the shape-memory alloy metallurgy, the possibilities would be endless.


    People say that dwarves would risk even their lives for new techniques. Keter couldn''t help but be curious about how Volkanus would react to this shape-memory alloy.


    But handing it over in this state would be meaningless. The Flying Wolf Tribe''s weapons were relics of the past. They would need to compare this compressible longsword with the empire''s improved version of portable weapons, which had been enhanced for combat practicality, to fully grasp the production method.


    "Now I have another reason to return to Liqueur."


    "What did you say, Keter?" Luke asked.


    "I said this is exciting. Don''t you agree?"


    ¡°Huh? Um¡­"


    Even after the battle, Luke hadn¡¯t fully regained his composure. He was dealing with an identity crisis.


    Troubling, yet somewhat trivial concerns filled Luke¡¯s head.


    Keter didn''t bother to interfere with Luke¡¯s contemplation as he couldn¡¯t care less.


    When Keter reached the village hall, Keter knocked on the door.


    ¡°Chief! Open up, unless you want to die.¡±


    There was no sound.


    Keter rubbed his forehead.


    ¡°I was trying to be polite.¡±


    He broke the locked handle with sheer strength and entered the village hall.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re in there. Come out in three seconds. If I have to find you myself, there¡¯s going to be a funeral today.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m here! I was just looking for something and didn¡¯t hear you.¡±


    The village chief, who had been crouched under a table in the corner, jumped up. Keter threw his arm around the chief¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Do you see the state I¡¯m in?¡±


    Keter, having just come from a fierce battle, was a mess. The chief nodded vigorously.


    ¡°If I hear you say you didn¡¯t know anything, I¡¯ll rip your tongue out. Got it?¡±


    The chief nodded even more frantically. No matter how old someone was, death was still frightening if they had a lot to lose.


    ¡°What was the name of the missing knight again, Luke?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ Right. We did come here on a mission, didn¡¯t we? The knight¡¯s name was¡­¡±


    Luke, seeming to have forgotten as well, pulled out the mission document to check.


    ¡°Reynold. He¡¯s a knight of the Sacred Order of Sefira.¡±


    ¡°You know that name, right, chief? How did you deal with him? Just tell me that.¡±


    ¡°D-deal with him? I sent Sir Reynold to the empire safely.¡±


    ¡°Empire, my foot. You probably sent him to heaven.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. Why would we kill Sir Reynold?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my business. You were probably trying to lure Katherine in, too.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°There must be some sort of misunderstanding, Lord Keter. Sir Reynold wanted to leave, and all we did was help him.¡±


    The village chief, looking like he had been wrongfully accused, began going on and on. He claimed that Reynold had been disrupting the atmosphere within the Sacred Order of Sefira. He spread negativity everywhere, saying that they had no chance of winning and that everyone was going to die. He even confessed to the commander that he wanted to return to his hometown.


    Reganon couldn¡¯t allow Reynold to continue influencing the order negatively, so he let Reynold leave as he wished. However, Reganon couldn¡¯t send him back to his hometown; if word got out, everyone would start asking to return home, which would crush the fellow knights¡¯ morale. Instead, they sent him to the empire, along with his entire family.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that we set things up in this village to lure Dame Katherine, but we had no intention of harming her,¡± the chief explained.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you brought that up. Why did you call Katherine here? Are you going to say she was depressed or something?¡±


    ¡°Dame Katherine is a woman. You know what can happen to a female knight if they are captured by the enemy. Elder Reganon couldn¡¯t bear the thought of such a young and talented knight facing such a terrible fate¡­¡±


    Keter smirked.


    ¡°Funny how you know so much. When did a village chief in the middle of nowhere become so well-informed and powerful?¡±


    ¡°Elder Reganon is an honorable man. He carries a noble cause, so he doesn¡¯t hide his true intentions from those of us who serve beneath him.¡±


    ¡°What a loyal servant you are,¡± Keter replied sarcastically.


    Keter released his hold on the chief and stared him in the eyes. The chief quickly looked away, but Keter didn¡¯t pursue further.


    ¡°Chief, you have children, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°...Yes,¡± the chief replied hesitantly.


    "Elder Reganon is done for. You know why? He hid the Flying Wolf Tribe without the patriarch¡¯s permission, and I''m going to expose it. What do you think will happen to him for hiding one of the Seven Cursed Species that the emperor is desperately searching for?" Keter asked,


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Don''t you want to see your grandchildren? You should also send your children to the city instead of letting them rot in a place like this.¡±


    ¡°What more do you want to hear from me? I haven¡¯t lied.


    ¡°If someone asks you where you stand, remember whose side you¡¯ll choose.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°And stop exploiting the soldiers so much. You need to coexist, not leech off them.¡±


    ¡°Coexist...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Keter left the village hall, leaving the chief behind. He had presented the choices; now, the rest was up to the chief. If he made the wrong decision and noise reached Keter¡¯s ears, there would be no choices left for him then.


    Outside the hall, Halibo was waiting.


    ¡°Lord Keter! All the criminals have been restrained, and the carriages are ready. Please give your orders!¡±


    Keter didn¡¯t actually have the authority to give orders, but Halibo treated him with utmost respect, as if serving a superior officer.


    ¡°Halibo, was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir! I belong to the Seventh Division of the Order of the Stars.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to get on my good side already?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir! Absolutely!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from the lawless city, and it¡¯s only been two days since I¡¯ve joined the family. Even my family calls me a troublemaker.¡±


    ¡°I trust myself more than other people¡¯s opinions!¡±


    ¡°You idiot, that¡¯s just a gamble! But I like it. I¡¯ll remember your name.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lord!¡±


    Keter¡¯s first mission had started quietly, with just him and Luke setting out. However, their return was quite loud and grand, as they returned under the escort of the soldiers from the fortress.


    * * *


    The southern gate of the main Sefira estate was only guarded by a few soldiers as it was the least in danger of invasion. However, for the first time in a while, it was swarming with people because of Keter and Luke, who returned with soldiers from the fortress.


    The presence of the captured knights of the Bydent family, bound and loaded into five carriages, made a significant impression. The on-site supervisor panicked and immediately reported the situation to his superior, who quickly gathered a knight order at the southern gate. The knights were shocked when they recognized the crossed spear, the symbol of the Bydent family.


    "This spear is not a replica. These are definitely knights of the Bydent family."


    "Captain, look over here. T-the Spear Dragon! The prisoner over there is the Spear Dragon, Jordic!"


    "No way¡­ What?!"


    Jordic''s face was widely known, not just because he was the youngest son of the Bydent family but due to his prestigious title of Spear Dragon.


    Halibo, the lieutenant commander of the fortress, stepped forward to explain the situation.


    "Lord Keter and Sir Luke subdued them all. I saw it clearly with my own eyes."


    Strictly speaking, this was after the battle had ended, but to Halibo, the process wasn''t important. The fact that the knights of Bydent were all lying in front of Keter was undeniable. Halibo hadn¡¯t questioned Keter on how it happened at the time, which scored him some points.


    "What exactly happened? Why were there Bydent family knights in Hacose Village, and how did Lord Keter and Sir Luke manage to subdue them?"


    The supervisor of the southern gate¡¯s defense pressured Halibo for answers, but Halibo, reading the room, turned to Keter.


    ¡°It would be better to ask Lord Keter directly. I only handled the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°Hmph...!¡±


    With that, everyone¡¯s attention shifted to Keter, the key figure in this incident. The stares were filled with suspicion and doubt. After all, Keter was accompanied by Luke, who was notoriously known for being a coward. It seemed impossible for a troublemaker and a coward to not only defeat but capture seven knights of the Bydent family. They even brought them alive, which was considered to be more difficult than killing them. It was incredibly difficult to believe..


    ¡°Lord Keter,¡± one voice called out.


    ¡°Your rank and name.¡±


    ¡°I am Haxen, a knight of the Sacred Order of Sefira and the captain of the southern gate defense.¡±


    ¡°Haxen, treat the Bydent knights'' wounds and lock them up in jail.¡±


    Haxen looked troubled as he replied, ¡°Lord Keter, these men trespassed on Sefira¡¯s estate. They deserve interrogation and torture, not medical care. The patriarch will not permit this.¡±


    ¡°Who said there won¡¯t be any torture? I¡¯m going to do it myself, so make sure they¡¯re in good health. Or are you implying that I lack the authority? They¡¯re prisoners I captured.¡±


    ¡°All decisions in Sefira are at the discretion of the patriarch.¡±


    ¡°Let him decide, then. Until he does, follow my orders,¡± Keter commanded.


    ¡°... I can only say that they were your orders, my lord. Please understand that.¡±


    ¡°Sure, whatever.¡±


    As Keter walked by Haxen, that¡¯s when he heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    It was Jacques, who had come out to greet him.


    ¡°Now I feel at home.¡±


    ¡°How are you feeling, my lord? Let¡¯s head to the infirmary first.¡±


    ¡°The dining room is my infirmary. Let¡¯s head there. Did you eat, Gramps?¡±


    ¡°Your entire body is covered in blood, and your clothes are all tattered up. How can you be fine, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to take off my clothes for you to believe me? Should I take them off right now?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s head to the washroom first if you will be heading to the dining hall, my lord. I must examine that you are indeed fine, my lord.¡±


    ¡°You should look at him first then,¡± Keter said, grabbing Luke and making him stand in front of him.


    Jacques examined Luke. He was dirty, and his clothes were in even worse condition than Keter¡¯s, but he didn¡¯t have any wounds or bloodstains.


    However, Jacques could sense from his fatherly senses that even though Luke didn¡¯t suffer any physical injuries, he had suffered some to his heart.


    ¡°Good work, son.¡±


    Jacques just patted Luke on the back as he couldn¡¯t pat his full grown son on the head in front of everyone. Luke, however, didn¡¯t hide his exhaustion.


    ¡°Father, I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, tell me. But right now¡­¡±


    Jacques believed his role as a butler was more important than his role as a father. As Jacques tried to take care of Keter first, he looked sick of it.


    ¡°As if you always followed me around. I¡¯ll make sure to cause just enough trouble, so please take care of my friend first.¡±


    ¡°Friend¡­!¡±


    Keter referred to Luke as a friend, not a partner. As such, Jacques had no choice but to oblige.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jacques said to Luke.


    ¡°Thanks, Keter.¡±


    The two departed, and Keter stretched in satisfaction.


    ¡°Time for a full meal and a bath to wash off the sweat. Do we have a masseuse in the family?¡±


    Just as Keter was heading towards the dining hall, a knight blocked his path. The knight was wearing silver armor representing the Order of the Galaxy.


    ¡°You¡¯ve stirred up quite the commotion,¡± said the knight.


    It was someone Keter had met before¡ªGant, the commander of the Fourth Division of the Order of the Galaxy, and one of Reganon¡¯s confidants.


    Keter, with a disinterested expression, replied, ¡°You must have been in quite a hurry, showing up without any regard for appearances.¡±


    ¡°Lower your voice. Lord Reganon has summoned you. It would be wise to follow quietly.¡±


    ¡°Haha, haven¡¯t quite grasped the situation, have you? Or did you not receive the report properly? If he wants to see me, he can come to me himself.¡±


    ¡°Come to you? Do you realize your tone to Lord Reganon? He is an elder of this family. Show some respect!¡±


    Gant¡¯s voice echoed through the hall, causing the nearby servants to flinch in fear. Keter stuck his finger in his ear nonchalantly.


    "It seems like you always speak so loudly because Reganon has hearing problems, but I can hear just fine even if you speak softly, so don¡¯t worry. If he wants to see me, he can come find me himself. After all, he¡¯s such a grand elder, I¡¯d be honored to meet him."


    Keter brushed past Gant without a second glance. Gant reached out to grab Keter¡¯s arm, clearly intending to drag him away by force if necessary.


    But what Gant grabbed wasn¡¯t Keter¡¯s arm¡ªhis own was caught instead.


    "Y-you are¡­"


    Gant¡¯s voice quivered. The knight who held his arm spoke in a calm tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Sir Gant. It seems you have business with Lord Keter, but could you allow me to speak with him first?¡±


    "Commander¡­ Of course, sir.¡±


    It was the commander of the Order of the Galaxy. His white hair and the deep lines on his face hinted at his age, yet it was clear why he was still the commander: the energy radiating from him was as overwhelming as a towering mountain.


    Even Keter couldn''t help but be astonished.


    ¡°You¡¯re something,¡± Keter said.


    "You flatter me, Lord Keter. My name is Gasilius."


    Gasilius greeted Keter with the etiquette of a knight. Keter liked this attitude.


    ¡°This is how a conversation should be. Who would want to talk if you start with threats, you know? If you want a physical conversation, I¡¯m all for it though.¡±


    ¡°Ugh...¡±


    Gant, who hadn¡¯t yet left, gritted his teeth as he looked at Keter.


    Gasilius once again showed his respect to Keter and said, ¡°The patriarch is looking for you, my lord. If possible, I would like you to come with me now.¡±


    ¡°Impossible. I¡¯m hungry and uncomfortable after a big battle. Tell him I¡¯ll come after I eat and wash up.¡±


    Gant was convinced that Keter was out of his mind. Not only had he disregarded the request from the commander of the Order of the Galaxy, but he was also ignoring the patriarch¡¯s request. Keter was practically looking down on the entire Sefira family.


    However, Gasilius merely bowed his head and said,


    ¡°I will relay that to the patriarch. So...¡±


    Gasilius turned his gaze toward Gant. Gant flinched at the attention.


    ¡°Sir Gant, please deliver my request for leniency to Lord Reganon.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, sir.¡±


    Gant gritted his teeth and glared at Keter. That was the best and only action he could take.

 Chapter 55: Call Me The Archery Genius (5)

    Besil checked the time. It was now an hour until his scheduled dinner with Elder Panir. Yet, Keter still hadn¡¯t shown up.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think he wouldn¡¯t come at all,¡± Besil said.


    As Besil sighed, Gasilius stepped forward. Suvide, the head butler, had left to prepare at Panir¡¯s residence, so Gasilius, who was next in line to become the head butler, was temporarily assisting him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and bring him here right away,¡± Gasilius replied.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Besil wondered what he should show his son, who returned with news of victory¡ªauthority or compassion? As Besil was thinking, both he and Gasilius turned to look at the window simultaneously.


    .


    Keter, who entered through the window, clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Seriously, I can never fool your ears, Father.¡±


    ¡°...You could just use the front door.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m helping you keep your senses sharp, Father.¡±


    ¡°Haha, well, thank you for that. But I didn¡¯t sense you from the sound.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say it was the wind.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Can I sit down?¡±


    ¡°Of course. You can have some chocolate, too.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Keter dumped the chocolates on the table into his mouth. Besil smiled, seeing Keter¡¯s lack of manners, then put on a solemn expression.


    ¡°I heard what happened from Luke, your partner.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we should have matched our stories. What did Luke say happened?¡±


    ¡°Haha, I think that will differ based on what you say. I thought I gave you the easiest mission, but you were doing the hardest one.¡±


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m the Solver.¡±


    Keter gave his business card to Gasilius, who was standing behind him.


    ¡°You should take it too, Grandpa. I don¡¯t give this to just anyone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored, my lord.¡±


    Gasilius smiled faintly.


    ¡°Now tell me: why were the knights of Nydent at Hacose Village, and how did you end up fighting them?¡± Besil asked.


    However, Besil didn¡¯t ask they won. From this, Keter got an idea of how Luke explained the situation.


    It was the correct response. Their opponent was a novice¡ªa rising star in the kingdom. Even though he was called the Spear Dragon, he was still just a rookie barely at the four-start level. He couldn¡¯t possibly stand against Demon Bow Amaranth.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be much different from what Luke said, but it¡¯s true that there are parts I can¡¯t talk about,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Even to me, the head of the family and your father?¡± Besil replied.


    ¡°I have plans with Elder Reganon.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to mention your grandfather. I know you met him before leaving on your mission. Does that have anything to do with what happened?¡±


    ¡°Why would Elder Reganon be my grandfather? He¡¯s just a stranger to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of it that way. Even if you are from different mothers, we are a family bound by blood.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I can only talk after I¡¯ve had another conversation with Elder Reganon.¡±


    It could seem like Keter was hiding something, but he wasn¡¯t, as Besil could press Reganon for answers anyway. Besil didn¡¯t probe further on that matter as well.


    ¡°Fine. Since you insist so strongly, I¡¯ll wait. By the way, Sir Luke mentioned that you used both aura and mana at the same time. He said you defeated the knights of Bydent with archery he had never seen before without even using Amaranth. Where did you learn such archery?¡±


    This was different from Keter¡¯s expectations; Luke had reported everything honestly to Besil, telling him everything he saw. This was a pleasing outcome for Keter, as that was why Keter displayed those skills.


    ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t think I had help from Amaranth,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°I heard about the condition of the Bydent knights from Sir Haxen. There were no traces of demon arrows.¡±


    ¡°Even if I say that it¡¯s self-taught, you¡¯re not going to believe me, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly hard to believe. Archery isn¡¯t just about placing an arrow on the string, drawing, and releasing. Its simplicity makes it all the more profound.¡±


    When it came to archery, the Sefira family undoubtedly had the deepest history¡ªexcluding the empire, at least.


    ¡°How much do you know about Liqueur?¡±


    ¡°That it is lawless and a place shrouded in secrets.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t find in Liqueur. As long as you have money and power, you can get anything.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you learned archery there?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the most plausible excuse?¡±


    ¡°Haha, I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re trying to deceive me or being sincere.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more truth than lies, so it¡¯ll be easier for the both of us if you just accept it as the truth.¡±


    ¡°Easier for both of us, you say...¡±


    Besil took a sip of his lukewarm tea.


    ¡°My son has many secrets.¡±


    ¡°I heard that a charming man should have many secrets. And aren¡¯t I actually quite charming?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so charming that it¡¯s dripping on my face. You could tone it down a bit, you know.¡±


    ¡°Then you should stand farther away. Or, perhaps getting soaked up close wouldn¡¯t be so bad either.¡±


    ¡°What do you plan to do with the Bydent knights? I heard you even ordered them to be treated.¡±


    ¡°I intend to interrogate them. They dared to challenge Sefira, so they must pay the price.¡±


    ¡°You plan to do the interrogation yourself?¡±


    Torture and interrogation were not things to be done with a clear mind, and without an understanding of human psychology, it could backfire. That¡¯s why skilled interrogators were extremely rare and expensive.


    Besil let out a scoff. It was because he thought Keter might actually be good at it. Though it was far from normal to have one¡¯s own son do such a cruel task, what choice did he have? Not even Besil himself, nor anyone in Sefira, had anticipated the sudden, unauthorized intrusion of the Bydent family. Keter discovered it during his mission, subdued them, and brought them all in. Keter had earned the right to handle this.


    ¡°Do not kill them. I can grant you the right to interrogate them, but the right to judgment belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°Kill them? I¡¯m not that ruthless. It¡¯s the world that forces me to be so.¡±


    ¡°Then the world must be at fault. Would you like another cup of tea?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost dinner, so I¡¯ll pass. Besides, isn¡¯t it about time we got to the point?¡±


    ¡°The point?¡±


    Keter rubbed his thumb and index together and said, ¡°Time to settle the bill, my lord.¡±


    * * *


    The Godfather of Liqueur who taught Keter told him that he had to remember this if he wanted to survive in Liqueur: give if received, and receive if given. The Godfather told Keter that this rule applied to everyone, even the emperor and gods.


    With that, the Godfather took ten gold from Keter as a lesson fee. He was only six years old at the time, and back then, his entire savings was seven gold. Keter certainly learned his lesson well¡ªgiving and receiving was the way of the world.


    ¡°The missing knight, Reynold, was confirmed to have run away. The fact that his family vanished with him proves it,¡± Keter reported.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a reward for the mission, payments will be made individually through the treasury, so don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Then, shall we talk about the reward for capturing the knights of the Bydent family? Normally, the ransom for a captured one-star knight in wartime is five hundred gold.¡±


    ¡°For seven of them, that would be three thousand five hundred gold.¡±


    ¡°Haha, my lord, why so modest? Those guys were at least two-star knights. And that Jordic fellow was a three-star knight close to being a four-star. You can comfortably consider him a four-star.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Negotiation wasn¡¯t Besil¡¯s strong suit. He just learned right now from Keter that the standard ransom for a one-star knight was five hundred gold.


    ¡°I see you are quiet, so I¡¯ll go ahead and do the math for you. Six two-star knights would typically go for three thousand gold each, but given that this isn¡¯t a typical wartime scenario, a special premium should be applied¡ªdouble the usual rate. That brings it to six thousand per knight, which totals thirty-six thousand gold.


    ¡°And Jordic, being a four-star knight and having the great title of Spear Dragon, should reasonably go for one hundred thousand. All in all, that¡¯s one hundred thirty-six thousand gold, my lord.¡±


    When Keter mentioned the full amount, Besil¡¯s pinky twitched slightly.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re not just the lord but my father, I¡¯ll knock off six thousand, and let¡¯s settle on one hundred thirty thousand. If you have any objections, I¡¯m willing to hear them.¡±


    ¡°Objections¡­ you say?¡±


    Besil had experienced war, but it was nearing the end when he participated. As such, he didn¡¯t really know much about negotiating ransoms for prisoners. Instead, he glanced towards Gasilius behind Keter, silently asking for his help.


    ¡°That seems like a reasonable price, my lord,¡± Gasilius commented.


    Even Besil seemed taken aback and confused.


    ¡°Are you saying Keter¡¯s claim is accurate, Sir Gasilius?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely true. The premium is a bit overblown. However, I believe it¡¯s acceptable,¡± Gasilius replied.


    ¡°The family¡¯s financial situation isn¡¯t in great shape,¡± Besil said.


    ¡°But the finances of the Bydent family are quite robust, aren¡¯t they?¡± Gasilius responded with a subtle hint.


    It seemed like Besil had caught on quickly, as his expression brightened almost instantly.


    ¡°So you¡¯re suggesting that the Bydent family can handle three times the premium.¡±


    ¡°My lord,¡± Keter interjected.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°Ten times.¡±


    ¡°...!?¡±


    Besil¡¯s eyes widened in shock, clearly thinking that ten times was too excessive. Keter couldn¡¯t blame him for feeling that way. Even though it was difficult to train and develop knights, demanding one hundred thousand gold as a ransom for each one did seem steep.


    But the captured Bydent knights were no ordinary prisoners. They held secrets¡ªsecrets of the Moon Rabbit Tribe.


    Bydent had to keep the existence of the Moon Rabbit Tribe absolutely hidden. If word got out, it wouldn¡¯t matter how much gold they had¡ªit would be the end for them. They could try spending tens of millions of gold to hire mercenaries, but it wouldn¡¯t help; no one would dare take the job.


    The emperor was serious about eradicating the Seven Cursed Species. Anyone affiliated with them, regardless of who they were, would face the emperor¡¯s army and become erased from everything. History had proven this beyond any doubt, so there wasn¡¯t any room to wonder about hypothetical questions.


    Besil thought ten times the original premium was too expensive because he didn¡¯t know this.


    ¡°Trust me. Even if Bydent claims they can¡¯t or won¡¯t pay, they will end up paying tenfold,¡± Keter said confidently.


    ¡°You seem to know the reason behind that, but I suppose that¡¯s a secret too,¡± Besil replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you someday, but not today.¡±


    ¡°Heh, Keter. If any of my other sons had said that, I would¡¯ve told them to stop pretending to be wise. But coming from you, it fits. I might even believe you¡¯re friends with Sir Gasilius standing behind you.¡±


    Besil¡¯s instincts were as sharp as ever. In Keter¡¯s past life, he was around the same as Gasilius, even though he wasted away the years fighting the queen.


    ¡°Oh, one more thing. If you decide to release them, make sure it¡¯s thirty days later,¡± Keter added.


    ¡°You¡¯re not even asking anymore, are you?¡± Besil replied.


    ¡°This is important. It¡¯s more of a request than a favor.¡±


    ¡°The request of Keter the Solver, huh? It seems I¡¯ll need to stay on good terms with him, so I¡¯ll allow it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Jordic, after all, had a contract stating that payment had to be made to Keter within a month. Jordic knew that the amount would increase tenfold if the deadline passed, but the Bydent family didn¡¯t. If Jordic failed to pay up, the Bydent family would be in real trouble.


    ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ve heard an interesting rumor that there¡¯s a Sword of the South Tournament, and apparently, Sefira is going to participate.¡±


    Keter had his eye on this tournament even before Jordic had mentioned it. The Sword of the South was set to happen three months from now. Until now, the Sefira family had always been denied entry, but this year marked their first participation. However, they were thoroughly humiliated in his past life.


    That incident drove Anis to madness, and Taragon became obsessed with Amaranth, causing even more chaos. Externally, it would serve as proof that archery was no match for swordsmanship, dealing a severe blow to Sefira¡¯s prestige. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unaware of this future, Besil tried to pacify Keter.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure where you heard that, but it seems you¡¯re interested. Unfortunately, the participants have already been decided. Four people, including Anis¡ªwhom you know well¡ªwill be representing us. Even if you wanted to join, the roster has been set in stone.¡±


    Keter hadn¡¯t even said he wanted to join, but Besil seemed to have assumed that¡¯s where Keter was going with this. Besil said that it was impossible for him to join.


    ¡°If the roster can¡¯t be changed, I¡¯ll just find another way.¡±


    That was just the way Keter lived life.

 Chapter 56: Are You Going to Run Away By Dying? (1)

    The Sword of the South Tournament was a competition to determine the strongest knight in the southern region. It attracted not only the nobles with power and influence in the south, but also hundreds of others who joined for social or entertainment purposes. The participant with the highest score across three types of matches would be awarded the title of the Sword of the South and receive three major benefits.


    First, if the winner wasn¡¯t already a high noble, they would be granted that rank. Second, they would earn the right to challenge for the title of the Kingdom¡¯s Greatest Swordsman. Third, they would gain the opportunity to meet Eslow, the Lord of the South and a Weaponmaster.


    For most nobles, the primary goal of competing was to attain the rank of high noble. On top of that, the prize money was huge¡ªone million gold for first place, five hundred thousand for second, and even one hundred thousand for third place.


    Not only that, this tournament was also the largest festival in the Lillian Kingdom. Tens of thousands of people traveled from other regions to watch, and hundreds of nobles from other territories also attended. In short, it was no exaggeration to say that the entire kingdom watched this event.


    Participants who ranked within the top five were able to instantly gain fame and glory. However, what the audience truly craved was something else entirely: a bloodbath. The tournament¡¯s rules mirrored those of a gladiator arena¡ªblood splattering everywhere, flesh tearing, and screams filling the air. The participants just happened to be nobles.


    What spectators really sought was violence; people wanted an outlet to vicariously release their repressed brutality. They cheered and went crazy over nobles failing disgracefully, begging for their life, and seeing the favored candidate collapsing in defeat and despair.


    The fact that Sefira, a high noble and master family, was eliminated in the preliminaries was not just something to be mocked and insulted for; it was much worse than that. Even neutral nobles turned their backs on Sefira, and the commoners who supported them became disappointed in the knights¡¯ disgraceful and helpless defeats.


    The honor and prestige of Sefira, which Besil had painstakingly maintained, were shattered overnight. The Sword of the South Tournament became a critical incident that even led to internal discord within Sefira.


    Keter planned to overturn this future. He intended to turn the execution ground for Sefira into a stage to showcase their potential and use it as a stepping stone to soar higher. The additional benefits and rewards of winning, not to mention the thrill, was a bonus. However, winning or whatever else was not the priority right now. He had to be able to participate to do anything, so he needed to take care of that first.


    "As Lord Keter mentioned, there technically is a way."


    Keter didn¡¯t have to go looking around for the information, as Gasilius had what he was looking for. Since Keter was interested and Besil didn''t seem to mind, Gasilius continued.


    "Although registration as part of the family has already closed, participation as an independent is still possible up until just before the tournament."


    Besil shook his head when Gasilius mentioned independent participation.


    ¡°Sir Gasilius, the conditions for that are too demanding. No one has ever succeeded at that.¡±


    Gasilius smiled faintly as he looked at Keter.


    ¡°Lord Keter seems eager to hear what these conditions are.¡±


    ¡°You know me better than my own father. From now on, Sir Gasilius, you are my uncle,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Lord Keter, there are three conditions to participate independently,¡± Gasilius explained.


    There were three conditions Gasilius laid out. First, one had to be acknowledged as a proxy by a high noble not participating in the tournament; second, one had to secure a letter of recommendation from a previous Sword of the South; and third, one had to acquire either a three-star knight¡¯s identification badge or a mercenary recognition tag that was Diamond-class or higher.


    There was a reason why no one was ever able to meet these conditions in the long history of the tournament. The rule for independent participation was, in essence, designed to allow free knights or mercenaries without affiliations to compete.


    However, how could an independent participant possibly gain the backing of a high noble and be acknowledged as their proxy, or secure a letter of recommendation from a previous Sword of the South? Even getting a chance to meet these people would be a significant challenge and hardship in itself.


    Even if they did meet, high nobles wouldn¡¯t be so lenient as to sponsor a mere three-star knight or Diamond-class mercenary. As such, independent participation had long become a hollow symbol.


    The conditions for participating were nearly impossible to fulfill, but Keter was smiling.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of trying.¡±


    This time, Besil could see what Keter was thinking¡ªKeter was determined to take on those three impossible conditions. Besil didn¡¯t bother to say he would fail or that it would be a waste of time. Failure wasn¡¯t something to be ashamed of, and attempting something was a sign of growth. It was something he always emphasized to both his children and his vassals.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the real thrill in achieving what everyone else says is impossible?¡±


    Keter didn¡¯t want to reveal any information about the future to Besil, so he gave him a simple reason. It wasn¡¯t a lie since it was also true.


    ¡°A thrill¡­¡±


    Besil could relate to Keter as he had also once been engrossed in that kind of thrill. However, he wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe that it was the entire truth.


    If one of his sons, like Hissop or Myle, hid their true intentions, Besil would have gently urged them to talk to him. But he didn¡¯t want to do that with Keter. It wasn¡¯t favoritism; Keter had asked him to trust, so he was choosing to trust him.


    ¡°Lord Besil, it is time for you to prepare.¡±


    At Gasilious¡¯s reminder, Besil broke away from his thoughts.


    ¡°Keter, time always seems to fly when I talk with you.¡±


    Besil stood up.


    Keter followed, asking casually, ¡°Where are you headed at this hour?¡±


    ¡°I have dinner plans with your great uncle,¡± Besil replied.


    Publicly, it was said that Panir was just staying at the house temporarily, but Keter knew that he was under suspicion of being a traitor and was confined to his living quarters. From this, Keter could sense that something was going to happen. From what he remembered from his past life, Panir was ultimately labeled as a traitor and stripped of his title. Keter wasn¡¯t sure if that was going to happen right now, as he hadn¡¯t been particularly interested in it at the time.


    Keter glanced out the window. The sun had long set, and the night sky blanketed the world like a shroud. It was the perfect hour for something sinister to occur.


    ¡°Please pass along my regards to Grandpa Panir.¡±


    ¡°...I will,¡± Besil replied, looking conflicted.


    Keter returned to his quarters, while Besil headed towards Panir¡¯s residence.


    Meanwhile, Jacques was resolved not to let Keter slip away this time.


    ¡°Lord Keter, I must ask where you intend to go at this late hour,¡± Jacques said firmly.


    ¡°Just for a walk,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°A walk at night is terribly dangerous, not to mention it¡¯s past the curfew.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more dangerous than anything out there.¡±


    ¡°That may be true, but¡­ ah! Regardless, you must not leave your room tonight. Tomorrow, you must have breakfast with your family!¡± he declared.


    Jacques closed the door behind him and stood in front of it.


    ¡°No matter what happens, I will guard this door. And don¡¯t even think of escaping through the windows¡ªthey¡¯ve all been locked!¡±


    Jacques clasped his hand over his mouth to muffle a sob, holding back his tears.


    Jacques believed this was his chance. Solidifying Keter¡¯s position now in light of his recent achievements would compel both Besil and the other siblings to acknowledge him.


    Luke had gone to the closed training quarters because he had a lot on his mind. Judging that mere soldiers wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop Keter, Jacques had received the help of two holy knights for additional protection.


    After thirty minutes had passed¡­


    Jacques felt uneasy because it was so silent. It wasn¡¯t like Keter to remain so quiet for this long.


    ¡°Could he have escaped through the window?¡±


    As he had locked the windows from the outside, it would be impossible to leave without breaking them and making a sound.


    ¡°My lord!¡± Jacques shouted as he rushed into the room, unable to bear the silence any longer. ¡°What¡­ He¡¯s gone?¡±


    The room was empty. The window was intact, but Keter had vanished without a trace.


    ¡°Search the room for Lord Keter!¡± Jacques shouted urgently.


    The two knights rushed in and began combing through the room.


    ¡°The bathroom!¡±


    There was nothing.


    ¡°The wardrobe!¡±


    Jacques and the two knights looked around the entire room, but there was no sign of Keter or his escape.


    ¡°Could he have used this?!¡±


    Jacques ran to the vent in the wardrobe.


    Seeing that, one of the knights stared at Jacques and said, ¡°Butler Jacques, there is no way Lord Keter could have gone through there¡­¡±


    Like the knight pointed out, it seemed impossible for Keter to have left through the vent. It was so narrow that Jacques could barely fit his face into it.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that because you don¡¯t know Lord Keter!¡±


    Jacques opened the vent and stuck his face inside.


    ¡°My lord! Are you there?! Huh?¡±


    Jacques, who was about to pull his face out, was surprised. It was easy to get in, but he was now stuck.


    ¡°M-my head is stuck. Help me!¡± Jacques shouted.


    ¡°¡±


    The knights approached Jacques, who was stuck in the small vent.


    ¡°They¡¯re having fun.¡±


    Keter, who was hiding behind the door, smiled. The knights hadn¡¯t thought of looking between the door and the wall because it was barely big enough for a child. However, that¡¯s where Keter was. Like a cat, he slipped through the narrow gap and left the room.


    * * *


    Besil arrived at Panir¡¯s residence.


    ¡°The patriarch is here, Elder Panir,¡± said Suvide, the head butler.


    To that, Panir irritatedly grumbled, ¡°So what do you want me to do? Should I run over and bow down?¡±


    ¡°You always say that a noble must maintain their dignity, even in death. Why are you being so unreasonable now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of Besil. He¡¯s getting under my skin and making me angry, so how am I supposed to stay calm?¡±


    ¡°Elder Panir, Lord Besil is not merely your nephew; he is the head of this house. As an elder, you should be setting an example of loyalty. The patriarch has even come to you to make amends, and yet you refuse to cooperate? Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Elder Panir, who was quite a large man, was hunched over and grumbling. He resembled an angry bear.


    Suvide stared at Panir, who was turned away from him and thinking, with an unsettling gaze. When Panir finally turned around, Suvide¡¯s gaze returned to their usual calm demeanor.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Suvide. Words alone won¡¯t uphold a noble¡¯s dignity. Where is the patriarch?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°He is waiting in the dining hall. We should hurry.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I can¡¯t appear before the patriarch looking like this. Give me a moment.¡±


    Since no one else was in Panir¡¯s residence, he took a moment to check his appearance in the mirror, adjusting his face and clothes. He looked quite unrefined as his servants usually helped him get ready. Still, he looked quite presentable in his own eyes.


    Upon arriving at the dining hall, Panir and Suvide found Besil standing and waiting for them.


    "You came, Uncle."


    ¡°¡­Apologies for keeping you waiting, my lord.¡±


    "I just arrived myself. Please, have a seat."


    As Besil took his seat first, Panir sat across from him. The dinner was composed entirely of light, easily digestible dishes.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been skipping all your meals. Let¡¯s discuss things after we eat¡­¡± Besil said.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve come here out of pity, I won¡¯t eat.¡±


    ¡°How could I ever pity you, Uncle? I¡¯m simply concerned.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried I might act recklessly because I feel cornered as a so-called traitor, you need not be.¡±


    ¡°I have never called you a traitor, Uncle.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve thought it, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying even thoughts should be considered a crime?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Their words were sharp, but unlike last time, neither of them was getting agitated.


    ¡°I made a mistake last time. I judged you solely based on the circumstances without even explaining what had happened. For that, I apologize.¡±


    Despite having declared he wouldn¡¯t touch anything, Panir couldn¡¯t help but take a long drink of water.


    ¡°...I will also apologize for letting my temper get the best of me and not explaining myself.¡±


    The heavy tension in the room began to lighten slightly as they exchanged apologies.


    ¡°Uncle, earlier today, knights from the Bydent family intruded upon Sefira''s territory.¡±


    ¡°The Bydent family¡­ Those petty fools now dare to approach Sefira so openly. And here I am, wasting time¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. Whatever they intended to do, we¡¯ve apprehended all of them, thanks to Keter.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    At the mention of Keter¡¯s name, Panir¡¯s face flushed with anger once more. Keter was the one responsible for turning the family upside down and silencing the very niece he cherished like a daughter. And now, to hear that this same Keter had captured knights from Bydent¡­ Panir could not believe it.


    ¡°This is absurd. You¡¯re telling me Keter captured the Bydent knights? And you expect me to believe that, my lord? Why are you saying something like that?!¡±


    Panir was visibly agitated again, but Besil maintained a calm tone.


    ¡°Just yesterday, I called for Keter and instructed him that if he wished to be part of Sefira, he should accept a mission. Keter chose what seemed like a trivial task¡ªretrieving a soldier on unauthorized leave. I was disappointed, thinking he¡¯d taken the easy way out. But in the process, Keter encountered the knights from Bydent, and he fought them. What I¡¯m saying is that Keter stopped Bydent¡¯s trespassing and schemes, both of which none of us knew about.¡±


    ¡°I cannot believe this. If what you say is true, then we must consider whether Keter is a spy for Bydent. How else could he be the one to uncover intruders that even the patriarch was unaware of? And as soon as he arrives at the village for his mission? Are you claiming that this bastard is more capable than you, and more capable than anyone else in Sefira?¡±


    ¡°It does not matter whether it was skill or just sheer luck. Keter is my son and a member of Sefira. He protected this family, and yet you react with anger?¡±


    ¡°He is not part of our family!¡±


    ¡°And why do you believe that decision falls to you, Uncle?¡±


    ¡°Why do you always disregard my words? That seat should have been mine by right. Did you stop me from leaving and give me this seat just to belittle me?¡±


    Besil picked up on something from Panir¡¯s outburst¡ªa clue to his motivations if he were indeed a traitor.


    ¡°Uncle, I have never dismissed your opinions. I have always listened to them. But they were not in line with the direction I aimed, and so I could not follow them.¡±


    ¡°How is that any different from ignoring me?¡±


    ¡°It is different! As the head of this house¡ª¡±


    Besil¡¯s voice rose slightly in frustration, but before the tension could escalate further, Suvide intervened tactfully.


    ¡°Lord Besil, while other dishes may still retain their flavor when cold, the soup loses all its appeal. Might I suggest you both try it while it¡¯s warm?¡±


    Grateful for his timely interruption, Besil glanced at Suvide, then turned back to Panir.


    ¡°As Suvide says, Uncle, why don¡¯t we each have a spoonful of the soup? I¡¯ll join you.¡±


    Besil picked up his spoon, and Panir reluctantly did the same, dipping it into the soup.


    Meanwhile, Gasilius, who had accompanied Besil, sensed something was off¡ªan intangible feeling of unease. Yet, considering the setting, he refrained from acting impulsively and instead kept a vigilant eye on his surroundings. If he, a five-star and master-rank knight, decided to keep a watchful eye, there was no chance that anyone could even attempt to do something.


    However, Gasilius didn¡¯t know that it was darkest under the lamp. Suvide, who was standing right beside him, smiled ever so slightly as Besil took a single spoonful of the soup.

 Chapter 57: Are You Going to Run Away By Dying? (2)

    In the command control room of the Sacred Order of Sefira, Taragon, fully armored, was standing in front of Nox, the lieutenant commander. Four soldiers were waiting behind Taragon.


    ¡°Sir. I will begin the night patrol.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.. Must you really go on patrol, my lord? It has only been two days since you started learning field duties. Moreover, you must be exhausted from running all day, my lord. Why don¡¯t you plan the patrol routes with me here, as usual, my lord?¡±


    Though Taragon really did look tired, he forced a smile and replied, ¡°I will never be able to start if I continue to do that. I intend to learn directly on the field from today.¡±


    ¡°Since it is your will, I shall not oppose it twice, my lord. Sir Taragon, recite the four regulations of the patrol unit.¡±


    Taragon, despite stuttering briefly, managed to recite the regulations accurately.


    ¡°First, we are the guiding light that protects the House of Sefira. Second, reporting is the priority upon encountering an enemy. Third, a single enemy we miss ends the lives of dozens. Fourth, do not change or deviate from the patrol route without reporting.¡±


    ¡°State the assigned patrol route.¡±


    Although Taragon hesitated for a moment, he successfully recited the entire patrol route.


    ¡°Sir Taragon, you may begin the mission.¡±


    ¡°Deployed!¡±


    Taragon led the four soldiers and began his night patrol. Since it was his first patrol, Taragon was brimming with determination and nervousness. However, his tension seemed unnecessary as nothing significant occurred.


    Yet, Taragon witnessed sights he hadn¡¯t anticipated¡ªsights even more surprising than finding an intruder. The underground training hall of the west wing was completely filled. Knights aspiring for growth were staying up to train at night, and among them was Anis.


    Taragon noticed Anis but couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak to him. It wasn¡¯t simply because Anis was drenched in sweat, straining his lower body in intense training.


    In contrast, Taragon always ensured to rest as soon as the sun set. Even the morning training alone was grueling and tiring for him.


    ¡°Sir, we must continue,¡± a soldier quietly reminded him.


    Taragon snapped out of his observation of Anis when he heard the soldier.


    ¡°Oh, right. Yes, let¡¯s move on.¡±


    As the patrol continued, Taragon also encountered Myle, the second-oldest brother, in an entirely unexpected place¡ªthe library. Myle was there alone, relying on a single candle to read. Myle was so focused on his reading that he didn¡¯t even notice Taragon.


    Taragon felt dizzy. He thought his brothers were just born geniuses; he never knew that they were working so hard, as they never looked tired or exhausted at all.


    Tarragon felt embarrassed. He felt pathetic for thinking that he was like this because he wasn¡¯t born with natural talent, when he never put in as much work as his brothers.


    ¡°I would have never realized this if it wasn¡¯t for Keter¡­¡± Taragon muttered, even though the soldiers were standing beside him.


    ¡°I am pretty great,¡± Keter said from the dark.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    ¡°¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    The soldiers who were patrolling with Taragon fainted with short cries. Taragon instinctively reached for the sword at his waist, but he never managed to draw it. Kether¡¯s flick struck his forehead first.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Feeling like he had been hit by a hammer, Taragon stumbled back.


    ¡°Why on earth does an archer carry a sword? I just don¡¯t get it,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°Ugh, Keter. Is that really you?¡±


    Keter seemed to be wrapped in darkness as if it were his armor. Even though the soldiers held lanterns, the light only seemed to hide him further.


    ¡°Otherwise, you''d already be a corpse.¡±


    ¡°What about the soldiers?¡±


    ¡°I killed them for a bit.¡±


    ¡°W-what!?¡±


    ¡°Why are you surprised? I mean they¡¯re just unconscious.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡±


    ¡°¡®That¡¯s all you can say? Four soldiers nearly died, and you didn¡¯t even notice me coming.¡±


    Taragon picked up a lantern dropped by one of the soldiers, finally able to see Keter¡¯s face clearly.


    ¡°The ghost that stabs people in the back of the neck at night¡ªwas that really you, Keter?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important right now. I need a favor.¡±


    ¡°A favor? At this hour?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s something only you can do.¡±


    ¡°Something only I can do¡­!¡±


    Taragon, who was nervous, grinned at what Keter said.


    ¡°I want you to take Katherine to Elder Panir¡¯s residence.¡±


    ¡°That''s so out of the blue. Why?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to handle the reason. You still want to know?¡±


    ¡°... My life is hard enough, so I don¡¯t want to know. If you¡¯re asking me to take Katherine there, you want me to take her without anyone noticing, right? That¡¯s impossible. The patrol routes cover the entire mansion.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s two sides to everything. If you¡¯re good at patrolling, you should be able to get through it, too. Get Katherine out and bring her to Elder Panir¡¯s residence without anyone noticing.¡±


    ¡°It sounds hard¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems like you still want to stick to the easy things.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Taragon gasped as Keter turned his back on him.


    ¡°No, what I meant was¡­ It sounds hard, but I¡¯ll try. Leave it to me.¡±


    Walking into the dark, Keter said, ¡°I thought you would say that.¡±


    Then, he vanished in front of Taragon¡¯s eyes. Taragon, who was left in the dark hall all alone, didn¡¯t have time to think about where Keter went.


    As he cleaned up the soldiers, Taragon thought about what Keter said.


    ¡°There¡¯s two sides to everything¡­ I¡¯ll remember that.¡±


    * * *


    Panir looked down at the soup in front of him. It was a meat soup so clear that he could see his reflection. As Besil had taken a bite, Panir followed etiquette and took a spoonful of the soup.


    The subtle umami of the meat and the mild sweetness of the vegetables created an appetite he didn¡¯t realize he had. Panir, who initially had no intention of eating, found himself eyeing the well-toasted bread on the table. There was no reason not to have it. He cut a small piece and took a bite. The bread was soft and buttery, filling his mouth with a rich taste. As he swallowed, a pleasant sense of fullness sent a shiver of satisfaction through his body.


    Even though it was just a spoonful of soup and a piece of bread, Panir felt a shift within himself. He began to reflect on why he became so angry while speaking with Besil.


    Panir ran his hand over his right knee. In his youth, according to the rule of primogeniture, Panir, as the eldest son, was set to become the patriarch. However, he suffered a crippling injury when an aura-infused arrow struck his knee on the battlefield, which forced him to abandon his position.


    The one who had fired the arrow was Ricotta, his younger brother. He insisted it wasn¡¯t intentional, claiming it was an attempt to protect Panir from an ambush. It was true that he had saved Panir, but it was also true that he crippled him.. As a result, Ricotta became the patriarch, and Panir, the eldest son who could not become the patriarch, naturally retreated into seclusion.


    It was Besil, who succeeded Ricotta as the patriarch, that brought Panir back from his half-wrecked life. Besil asked him for help, asking him to become an elder of the family.


    Panir was convinced by that. Though he wasn¡¯t able to be the patriarch due to an unfortunate accident, he vowed to advise the patriarch and make Sefira even greater. He resented Ricotta, but Besil, his son, did nothing wrong.


    But as time passed, Panir¡¯s attitude changed. Besil didn¡¯t accept his suggestions.


    Besil always seemed open to his suggestions, but nothing ever went Panir¡¯s way. As the family¡¯s situation started heading downhill, Panir began to feel like this was Besil¡¯s fault¡ªthat the family was falling because Besil wasn¡¯t listening to him. He found himself overwhelmed with suspicions. He believed that the family wouldn¡¯t have become this isolated if Besil had just listened to him. He wondered if Ricotta had ordered Besil to appoint him as an elder to torment him.


    At some point, Panir stopped giving Besil advice. He silently carried out his given tasks, and all he did at family meetings was pick on Besil¡¯s plans without giving his own. Since Besil never listened to his advice anyway, Panir wanted to know just how remarkable Besil¡¯s own ideas were that he could so easily disregard him.


    As time passed, Panir believed that he couldn¡¯t save the Sefira family with his current attitude. As such, he began to act on his own; he made his own plans without notifying Besil. All of it was for Sefira.


    Panir felt himself losing his appetite again. He glanced at Besil. The once feisty, energetic Besil now had lines of age across his face.


    Panir still resented Besil, but for some reason, he thought that perhaps none of it had been intentional.


    Panir knew that their relationship had soured, but staying like this would be detrimental to Sefira.


    Panir stood up in resolve. He knew that something definitive had to be settled here and now, even if it meant his own downfall.


    ¡°Besil, I¡­¡±


    As Panir was about to go on¡­


    ¡°.¡±


    Bright red blood covered the appetizing foods. Besil, who had coughed up blood, looked at Panir, his hands trembling uncontrollably.


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    Panir¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Besil collapsed in front of him, covering his mouth. It was slow, as if time had slowed down.


    Soon after, the two people who were guarding the door rushed to the table. It was Suvide and Gasilius.


    Suvide emptied the antidote into Besil¡¯s mouth and shouted, ¡°Sir Gasilius, arrest Elder Panir immediately!¡±


    Gasilius didn¡¯t move, and neither did Panir, who could have gotten arrested. Instead, the soldiers and knights rushed in, hearing the commotion.


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    Though shocked that Besil had collapsed, the knights locked the door and the windows. The servants outside began to stir, and the atmosphere froze instantly.


    ¡°Y-you really¡­!¡±


    His lips trembling, Panir pointed at Besil.


    Panir was enraged that he had fallen for such a petty trick, and he felt his rationality slipping away. The situation was so tense that it could blow up at any minute. Panir¡¯s face flushed red, and veins stood out on his body. Though he was unarmed and one knee could not function properly, Panir was a master-level knight¡ªoverpowering him would not be easy. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, someone shouted, ¡°Everyone, stop!¡±


    Everyone turned their attention to the voice. Even Panir, who was furious, reacted to it. It was Prosciutto¡¯s voice. He was leaning against a pillar with his head bowed low.


    Keter hid behind the pillar as he held Prosciutto up.


    Mimicking Prosciutto¡¯s voice, Keter said, ¡°The culprit behind the poisoning is not Elder Panir!¡±

 Chapter 58: Are You Going to Run Away By Dying? (3)

    Everyone at the dining hall looked at Prosciutto.


    In confusion, the knights murmured, ¡°Why is he leaning on a pillar?¡±


    ¡°Never mind that. Butler Prosciutto just said that Lord Panir isn¡¯t the culprit.¡±


    ¡°What is happening?!¡±


    In the midst of the confusion, Panir¡¯s bellowing echoed in the dining hall.


    ¡°Keter, you brat! What kind of foolery is this in front of me?!¡±


    The knights were dumbfounded at the sudden mention of Keter.


    Gasilius also added, ¡°Lord Keter, could you come out from behind the pillar?¡±


    Then, Keter really walked out from behind the pillar.


    ¡°The situation was too tense, so I did an impression to lighten the mood. It was uncanny, right?¡±


    ¡°You bastard. How dare you!¡±


    When Panir saw Keter, he lost his temper and pretended to shoot an arrow. However, it was real; a bow and arrow made of aura suddenly appeared in Panir¡¯s hands. He shot an arrow at Keter, but it was shot down by Gasilius, who had anticipated the attack.


    ¡°How dare you interrupt me?¡±


    Panir aimed his arrow at Gasilius, who also raised his bow towards him.


    As the five-star knights released their aura, the entire building began to tremble. The knights¡¯ faces paled, and the servants around them fainted from shock. Amid the chaos, Keter stepped forward nonchalantly and stared at Panir, who had his aura-charged arrow aimed right at him.


    ¡°Gramps, you really don''t like me, do you?¡± Keter said.


    ¡°This is all your fault.¡±


    ¡°It very well could be.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you either. That¡¯s why I stepped in. If you''re going to fall, it should be by my hands¡ªnot someone else''s.¡±


    ¡°Just as Besil said, you¡¯re insane. Are you implying you knew about this plan all along?¡±


    ¡°I figured it out an hour ago, when I heard you and the patriarch would be dining together. That¡¯s when I realized¡ªit was a trap.¡±


    ¡°Hah! And what proof do you have of that?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Keter tapped his own head a few times with a smirk.


    ¡°My brilliant mind is all the proof I need.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Everyone in the room blinked. The ones who already knew Keter¡¯s antics thought it was just like him to behave like this.


    Panir, momentarily speechless, regained himself and retorted, ¡°That''s all you have to say after showing up...?¡±


    ¡°Enough chatter! The culprit is right here among us!¡± Keter declared loudly, even though it was obvious.


    Suvide, watching calmly, interrupted, ¡°Lord Keter, this is no time for games. The lord has been poisoned. We must call for a doctor immediately.¡±


    Keter glanced at Besil for a moment and replied, ¡°From the look of things, he''ll wake up soon enough. Besides, the real target wasn¡¯t him, but Elder Panir.¡±


    ¡°Utter nonsense. I¡¯ll take the patriarch outside immediately. Sir Gasilius, why haven''t you arrested Elder Panir yet?¡±


    ¡°Don''t move! Anyone who tries to leave is the culprit.¡± Keter shouted.


    Suvide froze. He glared at Keter as he was about to carry the patriarch. Just then¡­


    ¡°Pardon me, Head Butler Suvide.¡±


    Gasilius, abandoning his watch over Panir, swiftly approached Besil. He was too fast for Suvide to intercept.


    ¡°Well... it seems he''s not in critical condition,¡± Gasilius observed.


    Visibly flustered, Suvide replied, ¡°Sir Gasilius, are you truly believing in that brat¡¯s words? What could a lowly bastard with no regard for propriety possibly know about this matter?¡±


    ¡°Head Butler, why are you so rattled? This isn¡¯t like you,¡± Gasilius replied.


    ¡°This is a matter of Lord Besil¡¯s life, and Lord Keter dares to meddle beyond his place. How can I not be angry?¡±


    ¡°Lord Besil is fine. I swear on my name.¡±


    Gasilius was confident, but Suvide turned to the other knights.


    ¡°Are you just going to stand there? Lord Besil lies gravely poisoned, and you¡¯re going to do nothing?¡±


    Keter stepped in this time.


    ¡°You really think Sefira¡¯s patriarch would fall to something as trivial as poison?¡±


    The knights exchanged glances in agreement. Besil was a master-level knight; he wasn¡¯t someone to easily succumb to poison. Besides, Gasilius himself had said he was fine.


    As Keter touched on their emotions instead of logic, the knights didn¡¯t budge, even with Suvide¡¯s urging.


    ¡°So, Lord Keter,¡± Gasilius said. ¡°Who is the mastermind behind this incident?¡±


    All eyes turned to Keter. Even Panir, who was fuming, lowered his weapon and glared at him. Keter looked around at those around him slowly. Everyone flinched a little when he made eye contact, but they didn¡¯t avoid him. But one person¡ªSuvide¡ªbriefly averted his gaze without realizing it, only to hurriedly look back up.


    ¡°The culprit is you!¡±


    Keter pointed at Suvide.


    * * *


    ¡°Haha¡­ Hahahaha.¡±


    Suvide let out a hollow laugh when Keter pointed at him, which echoed through the dining hall. He shook his head as his laughing came to a stop.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much longer I have to humor this childish prank.¡±


    He glanced around, hoping for some agreement, but no one came to his defense.


    Today marked Keter¡¯s momentous feat¡ªhe had captured knights from the Bydent family and brought them in. Thanks to this achievement, Keter now had a voice and a right to speak.


    Suvide, recognizing that, refrained from further objections and spoke calmly, ¡°I will give you a chance. However, I have served not one but two patriarchs of this house. How could I be the culprit, Lord Keter? Do you have any evidence?¡±


    Suvide was confident. There was no evidence. No one knew he had conspired with the chef, unless the chef himself confessed. But it was odd; Keter looked equally confident, as if he had proof.


    ¡°Evidence? Of course, I don¡¯t have any. You¡¯re not an idiot.¡±


    ¡°...?!¡±


    It was a convoluted statement, but it was somewhat logical.


    Before Suvide could protest, Keter continued.


    ¡°But I do have a witness.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The room stirred at Keter¡¯s words.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Keter called out.


    All eyes turned toward the dining room entrance, but no one entered.


    Suvide let out a scoff and said, ¡°Really, how long must we indulge in this trick¡­¡±


    The door opened¡ªnot the dining room entrance, but the door leading from the kitchen. Everyone¡¯s gaze shifted in that direction.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    Though his face was battered beyond easy recognition, his chef¡¯s uniform and his stocky build made his identity unmistakable.


    It was Hulan, the head chef of the Panir¡¯s residence.


    Suvide¡¯s eyes began to tremble slightly.


    Keter, with an arm slung casually around Hulan¡¯s shoulders, said, ¡°Alright, say it again, loud and clear. Who told you to do what?¡±


    ¡°H¡­ Hed Buler Svide told me to put poison in de masther¡¯s sthoup,¡± Hulran stammered.


    His words were slurred, and he had a lisp from missing teeth. Yet, everyone in the room could understand him. Everyone turned to Suvide like they couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Suvide scoffed and said, ¡°This is perjury! Clearly, he was forced to say that under duress!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re suggesting this witness is a fake?¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°Obviously!¡±


    ¡°The patriarch was poisoned. Is that also fake?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ is true,¡± Suvide admitted.


    It had been Suvide himself who first administered an antidote to Besil.


    ¡°Suvide, you acted like you knew exactly what happened¡ªthat the patriarch had been poisoned. You immediately administered the antidote before confirming anything.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense is this? There were no signs of an outside intruder or an attack. If the patriarch vomited blood during a meal, how could it be anything other than poison?¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I was waiting for you to say that you¡¯re certain the patriarch was poisoned. Now, where would the poison have been?¡±


    Gasilius was the one who answered.


    ¡°The patriarch only consumed the soup.¡±


    ¡°Then the poison must have been in the soup,¡± Keter stated, pacing slowly around Suvide.


    Suvide¡¯s anxiety rose. He couldn¡¯t predict what Keter would say next, making it impossible to think of an excuse in advance.


    ¡°Poison is tricky to store, so it requires a special glass vial. And this glass vial was given to Hulan here by you, Suvide.¡±


    Keter, who usually took his time, immediately pulled out a glass vial from his coat and held it up. Everyone was fixated on the vial. That was the poison vial that had harmed Besil¡¯s life.


    At that moment, Suvide suddenly shouted, ¡°Ha! Ridiculous! Trying to deceive us with a fake like that!¡±


    Everyone fell silent. Those who hadn¡¯t yet grasped the situation blinked in confusion, while the more insightful ones were in shock.


    Then, Keter delivered the final blow.


    ¡°And how did you know this was fake the moment you saw it, Gramps?¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    The people in the room were longer able to hold back their astonishment.


    Even the seasoned Suvide gasped and stumbled back. It was as good as an admission.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s ridiculous! I just meant no criminal would be foolish enough to leave the vial intact! Clearly, it¡¯s a fake!¡±


    It was Suvide¡¯s attempt at a last-ditch defense, but the glances around the room had already changed; they narrowed and sharpened.


    ¡°As you said, Suvide, this was a fake. Let¡¯s go over this again. Was it by chance or intentional that the patriarch ate the soup?¡±


    Only two people could answer with certainty: Gasilius and Panir, who were present at the scene.


    Gasilius, his expression darkening, responded, ¡°It was Head Butler Suvide who suggested the patriarch try the soup.¡±


    ¡°If Suvide hadn¡¯t suggested it, would the patriarch have had the soup?¡±


    ¡°He would not have. It was not the time for it,¡± Gasilius replied.


    Even he couldn¡¯t believe what he was saying. Why would the esteemed Suvide poison the patriarch to frame Panir? Gasilkus couldn¡¯t understand why, yet all clues pointed to Suvide.


    Suvide then removed his monocle and said, ¡°So, where is your proof? Not circumstantial claims, but concrete evidence. What was my motive? Where is the undeniable proof that I poisoned the soup?¡±


    This was his last, desperate defense, but also a compelling one. Even those who were convinced of his guilt began murmuring amongst themselves.


    ¡°He¡¯s right. Why would Head Butler Suvide do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°He served three patriarchs loyally. And he never seemed to have ill will toward Lord Panir.¡±


    Keter stomped on the floor to grab everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Then let me ask in return: where is the evidence that Elder Panir poisoned the patriarch¡¯s soup?¡±


    ¡°Elder Panir had a motive,¡± Suvide replied. ¡°Sir Gasilias, surely you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Gasilias said.


    He couldn¡¯t say anything; his silence was an unspoken confirmation.


    ¡°And I, of course, have concrete evidence.¡±


    Suvide grinned, clapping his hands together.


    ¡°...¡±


    But nothing happened. Surprised, Suvide clapped again.


    Keter then spoke, ¡°Stalling for time? That¡¯s an old trick.¡±


    ¡°Let me step outside briefly. I¡¯ll bring the evidence myself.¡±


    ¡°And this evidence¡­¡± Keter said, pulling a paper from his coat. ¡°Could it be this?¡±


    Suvide¡¯s eyes widened when he saw it. The others, unable to figure out what it was, looked curious.


    ¡°W-why do you?!¡±


    ¡°One of the maids was nervously pacing back and forth, so I examined her and found this. She said she was given instructions by you, Suvide, to bring this letter as if it was accidentally discovered when you gave the signal.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is this letter, Lord Keter?¡± asked Gasilius.


    Keter responded with a casual tone, ¡°It¡¯s a letter about me written by my mother to my father.¡±


    ¡°But why would Head Butler Suvide have such an important letter...?¡± Gasilius asked, puzzled.


    ¡°The patriarch probably thought he had lost it. Imagine what he would think if it happened to turn up in Elder Panir¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    It was crystal clear. If Besil collapsed during a meal shared with Panir, and then the missing letter appeared at Panir¡¯s estate, Panir would inevitably be branded as a traitor. It was a flawless trap.


    ¡°Quite a story you¡¯re spinning here,¡± Suvide retorted. ¡°What motive would I possibly have to implicate Lord Panir?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps Elder Panir himself could tell us.¡±


    Everyone turned their gaze toward Panir. His next words would settle everything.


    Keter looked at him steadily, knowing this was the final, decisive moment. He was correct in sensing that something was going to happen at Panir¡¯s residence. It was good that he figured out the situation by beating Hulan, who was trembling in anxiety, but he didn¡¯t have enough time. Searching the estate and finding the suspicious maid with the letter was the best he could do.


    Suvide was certainly no easy opponent. Keter had cornered him psychologically and pressured him to the point of making a mistake, but Suvide managed to damage control.


    As he said, there was no concrete evidence. Keter hadn¡¯t uncovered a motive, either, but Suvide was undoubtedly the culprit. Right now, they just needed to keep pressuring him, and Panir was the key.


    It was simple. If Suvide wasn¡¯t the culprit, then Panir would be. Panir would have to resist with all he had.


    All Panir had to do was admit it, fabricate if necessary. He just needed to convey that Suvide was capable of doing something like this. But Panir hesitated, torn between self-destructing and giving in. It was because of Keter.


    Panir¡¯s thoughts were destructive. He would rather die than accept help from the Keter. He was well aware his choice was irrational, but he was exhausted from all the schemes and chaos. Part of him even thought it would be better to admit to the poisoning and end things here. At least then, he could die without tarnishing the Sefira name further.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Just as he chose to self-destruct¡­


    ¡°Lord Panir!¡±


    Panir¡¯s eyes widened. He became angry once again.


    But he was certain this voice was Katherine¡¯s, the person he cherished like a daughter despite never having had children of his own.


    Panir glared at Keter with a deadly gaze. But in the very next instant, his eyes widened in shock.


    Standing right there beside Keter was Katherine herself.

 Chapter 59: Are You Going To Use Death To Run Away? (4)

    Katherine was the rose of Sefira. What could possibly change with her appearance? Perhaps she brought evidence. No¡ªall she did was call someone¡¯s name.


    ¡°Lord Panir!¡±


    She said nothing more and stared at Panir with wet eyes. Everyone wondered and wanted to ask why Katherine was here and how. That was all they thought of Katherine¡¯s sudden appearance.


    However, it was different for Panir. Everyone at Sefira respected and feared him, but they did not love him. He didn¡¯t expect love to begin with, as love and respect could not coexist.


    But Katherine was different; she respected and feared him but also loved him. It was not romantic love but more of a familial love. She greeted him with happiness and came to see him often. She worried about Panir catching a cold when it was cold, and she always shared her good news with him. To Panir, Katherine was truly like his daughter.


    The reason Panir didn¡¯t actually adopt Katherine was because he was worried that the attention that would draw would be too much for her. That was how much he cared for Katherine. But now, someone whom he thought of so deeply was now staring at him, standing beside none other than Keter.


    Panir¡¯s hatred for Keter grew stronger. However, his resolve to end himself right there disappeared.


    ¡°...Ridiculous,¡± Panir finally spoke up.


    He glanced back and forth between Keter and Suvide and said, ¡°Head Butler Suvide and I do not have a bad relationship. I don¡¯t have any guesses either.¡±


    Suvide¡¯s lips curled into a smile. As soon as he opened his mouth to chime in, Panir continued.


    ¡°But Besil and I have a terrible relationship. That¡¯s probably the reason why Suvide tried to slander me.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Lord Panir, what are you talking about? How could Sefira¡¯s elder and former judge falsely testify?!¡±


    Panir calmly continued through Suvide¡¯s shouting.


    ¡°All of you have eyes and ears, so you probably saw that I constantly clashed with Besil. That is true. I dislike the current patriarch. The direction he and I pursue is simply too different.¡±


    It was a shocking statement, but no one reacted strongly. It was no secret that Panir harbored resentment toward the patriarch.


    ¡°Besil left me alone, despite that. I don¡¯t know why. But I must have been a thorn in Head Butler Suvide¡¯s side. A person who constantly defies the patriarch and finds fault with him wouldn¡¯t be well-regarded, so he probably wanted to deal with me¡ªfor the sake of the head, and for the unity of the Sefira family...!¡±


    Panir looked at Besil, who was still unconscious on the floor.


    ¡°I''m sure Besil knew nothing of it. He wouldn¡¯t have allowed it in the first place because he¡¯s Besil.¡±


    No one disagreed with Panir. Then, he glanced at Suvide.


    ¡°Head Butler Suvide tried to use Besil to strip me of power for the unity of Sefira: that must be the truth behind this incident.¡±


    ¡°Proo¡­!¡±


    ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be any evidence since you orchestrated it.¡±


    Suvide could not say anything¡ªhe couldn¡¯t think of anything to say.


    At that moment, Keter stepped forward.


    ¡°There is evidence.¡±


    ¡°...!?¡±


    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, Hulan here personally added poison to the soup. He even said he broke the vial into pieces and tossed it into the trash bin. We¡¯ll turn the trash bin upside down, recover the broken vial, and then combine the pieces. After that, we can use magic to extract fingerprints.¡±


    ¡°How do you plan to reassemble shattered glass?¡± Gasilius criticized.


    In a casual tone, Keter replied, ¡°In the underworld, there are experts in all sorts of things. They can even restore glass that¡¯s been ground to powder.¡±


    He shrugged as if it were nothing. Gasilius nodded and approached Suvide.


    ¡°Head Butler Suvide, you were the one who said that, given the circumstances, Lord Panir is the culprit and should be arrested. I¡¯ll now have to say that to you. Under these circumstances, I hereby arrest you as the culprit.¡±


    ¡°You''ll regret this. You¡¯ll regret not trusting our family, which has been loyal to the Sefira family for hundreds of years, and not trusting me, who served two patriarchs!¡± Suvide shouted angrily.


    Gasilius jabbed Suvide in the back of the neck. Suvide was quite strong, but he was no match for Gasilius, a master-level knight.


    When Suvide slumped over, unconscious, Gasilious sighed and said, ¡°Take Head Butler Suvide to the prison. I¡¯ll personally escort the patriarch to the infirmary.¡±


    The knights, who were frozen, began to move again. Amid the bustle, Panir approached Keter.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, not even trying to run,¡± Panir said with hostility in his voice.


    With a grin, Keter responded, ¡°I make a good living because of that.¡±


    Panir had to admit it. It was remarkable that Keter could maintain this level of composure under his aura that made even a seasoned two-star knight fall to their knees.


    ¡°You''re even more than what I''d heard, Keter. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Do you still not know?¡±


    Keter pulled out a business card from his coat.


    ¡°I¡¯m simply a great Solver.¡±


    * * *


    As Panir¡¯s mansion was being tidied up, Panir and Keter moved to the study.


    ¡°Leave Katherine alone.¡±


    ¡°If anyone overheard, they¡¯d get the wrong idea. Katherine was the one who approached me first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you to a much more beautiful match than Katherine¡ªsomeone much more beautiful. So let her go."


    ¡°Beauty can make money, sure, but they¡¯re a hassle to handle. I prefer money that doesn¡¯t talk back.¡±


    ¡°Finally showing your true colors, are you? How much do you want?¡±


    ¡°How much do you have?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°Is that really what you think Katherine is worth? A mere ten thousand? She¡¯d be heartbroken if she heard that.¡±


    ¡°Katherine isn¡¯t shallow like you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m shallow, so I can turn everything into a monetary value. Katherine vowed to be my slave, thanks to your mission. Do you really think a mere ten thousand will break that vow?¡±


    Keter was getting under Panir¡¯s skin. Though Panir saw right through his intentions, he couldn¡¯t help but get angry.


    ¡°If your goal was to provoke me, you¡¯re doing a fine job. In return, I could kill you right here and now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not planning on letting you kill me.¡±


    ¡°You insolent¡­!¡±


    ¡°If you really want to tear me apart, feel free to try anytime. But if not, how about settling accounts first?¡±


    ¡°Settling accounts?¡±


    ¡°Why are you pretending like you don¡¯t know? I helped you, didn¡¯t I? I saved you from Head Butler Suvide¡¯s wicked scheme. Don¡¯t tell me you planned to brush it off with a simple ¡®thank you¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­!¡±


    Panir seriously considered killing Keter on the spot. Even if he decided to be merciful and not kill him, he at least wanted to hit him a few times.


    ¡°What makes you so confident to act this way?¡±


    Instead of replying, Keter simply pointed at himself.


    Panir was left speechless. In all his decades of life, he¡¯d never met someone with as much self-confidence as Keter. It was almost fanatical.


    ¡°You¡¯re an insane brat, aren¡¯t you?¡± Panir said.


    ¡°An insane brat asking for his payment, please.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you ten thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t need money.¡±


    A vein bulged on Panir¡¯s forehead. Just a moment ago, Keter said money was everything, and now he was refusing it.


    ¡°You are truly¡­!¡±


    ¡°Instead of money, I want a favor.¡±


    ¡°No way. Take the money. I don¡¯t want to be involved with you any longer!¡±


    ¡°Well, it seems we¡¯re on the same page since we¡¯re family. I don¡¯t want to be involved with you either, Grandpa, so let¡¯s settle this with a single favor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious you¡¯re going to ask for something absurd. Go on, spit it out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to introduce me to a high noble who can sponsor me. It has to be someone from a family that isn¡¯t participating in the Sword of the South Tournament.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keter was unpredictable.


    Panir thought it was obvious what Keter¡¯s request would be¡ªperhaps to help him become an official member of the Sefira family. But to be introduced to a high noble specifically from a family not participating in the Sword of the South Tournament?


    ¡°Keter, don¡¯t tell me¡­ you¡¯re planning to enter the Sword of the South Tournament?¡± Panir asked.


    ¡°I guess I am.¡±


    ¡°Ha, haha! Ahaha!¡±


    As Panir burst into laughter, Keter stuck a finger in his ear.


    ¡°Your sense of humor must be broken.¡±


    ¡°So that was it. That¡¯s why you helped me? Impressive, Keter!¡±


    Though now retired, Panir had once been a judge of the high court and now served as an advisory member. It had been a while since he put down the gavel, but his authority remained. Over his decades of rulings, he formed connections with many nobles. Because he often gave rulings based on necessity rather than strict fairness, there were quite a few nobles who had escaped crises or kept their secrets thanks to him. In other words, there were a significant number of nobles who would gladly help if Panir requested it.


    ¡°Who would sponsor you, a thug from a lawless city and an illegitimate child? Nobles would refuse, even if they were offered a million gold. But if I make the introduction, that changes things. There are certainly high nobles who owe me, a former judge, some favors. That¡¯s what you thought, isn¡¯t it, Keter?¡±


    ¡°Well... sure, let¡¯s go with that.¡±


    That was not at all what Keter had thought. He had simply gotten involved in an incident that caught his eye for the fun and profit. It was the others who were interpreting his intentions differently.


    Keter had experienced this type of misunderstanding countless times, even back in Liqueur. At first, he tried to explain it as a coincidence, but no one believed him. Eventually, he stopped trying and just let people think what they wanted. Helping Panir this time was merely a byproduct of the outcome.


    Of course, Keter did have a quick mind when it came to figuring out how to get compensated after lending a hand.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll introduce you. However, even if you can¡¯t participate in the Sword of the South Tournament, my part of the deal is done.¡±


    ¡°Since the tournament¡¯s three months away, I¡¯ll need you to find someone within a month.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll find one within a month. And as for you, how exactly do you plan to get a recommendation from a previous Sword of the South champion and reach diamond-class within three months?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll get it done with hard work and determination.¡±


    ¡°Good. This settles any debt or grudge between us. Get out. I don¡¯t want to see your face ever again.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? You need to sign this contract.¡±


    Keter pulled out a contract and a fountain pen from his coat. It was the same unforgeable contract he had given to Jordic. Panir scowled.


    ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    ¡°Do you trust me, Grandpa?¡±


    With a sharp glare, Panir scribbled his signature on the contract and threw it at Keter. Keter unfolded the crumpled contract, checked it, and nodded.


    ¡°You have terrible handwriting.¡±


    ¡°When Besil and I clear up our misunderstandings, I¡¯ll take Katherine back.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. If you can.¡±


    ¡°If we meet again, try calling me Grandpa one more time. I¡¯ll beat your face in.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Grandpa. Since you said next time, I suppose it¡¯s fine to call you that now, right, Grandpa?¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    Panir grabbed a book within reach and threw it, but Keter nonchalantly caught it and left the study.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Panir stared at the closed door for a long time, unable to believe it.


    ¡°¡­How did he catch that?¡±


    He didn¡¯t just throw the book as a joke. He infused it with aura, even setting it so that it would explode on impact. Yet Keter had caught it effortlessly.


    ¡°¡­So he¡¯s not just a common opportunist or con artist.¡±


    Panir completely revised his assessment of Keter¡ªfrom a mad troublemaker to a troublemaker with real skill.


    After leaving Panir¡¯s estate, Keter didn¡¯t return to his quarters. Though he had plenty of fun, he still felt something was missing. He hadn¡¯t properly tied up loose ends with Suvide, the head butler behind the poisoning incident. As such, he decided to pay a visit to the prison where Suvide was held.


    Though the crime of attempted murder of the patriarch was serious, Suvide¡¯s status prevented him from being confined to a harsh prison cell. Instead, he was in a room that resembled a bedroom, with a window and no bars. There were no guards outside the door either. There was no need to publicize such an incident and lower morale. A thick lock on the door was the only guard.


    Keter easily picked the heavy lock and entered, looking at Suvide, who lay sound asleep on the bed.


    ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time until sunrise, but you¡¯re sleeping already?¡±


    Keter channeled his aura into Suvide, forcing him to wake up.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Suvide was knocked unconscious out of the blue, then woke up to a piercing pain. The first thing he saw after waking up was a fist.


    ¡°Ugh?!¡±


    Suvide fell to the ground helplessly from the pummeling. Keter pulled Suvide, who was barely holding onto his consciousness, by the collar.


    ¡°From now on, you need to answer me well. Based on what you say, I can become the angel or the devil.¡±

 Chapter 60: Are You Going to Run Away By Dying? (5)

    Suvide certainly came to understand that a single punch could say more than a hundred words. He realized that neither his status as head butler of a noble family nor his old age could stop Keter¡¯s fists.


    ¡°This letter looks familiar, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Suvide nodded when he saw the letter Keter held out.


    ¡°It seems that my mother is the one who wrote this letter. Who delivered it? Surely it didn¡¯t just magically appear on the patriarch''s desk, right?¡±


    There was no way a letter for the patriarch of a noble family could have been delivered directly. Numerous procedures and checks would have been involved. Above all, the patriarch didn¡¯t have the time to look over trivial letters.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible my mother personally came here to deliver the letter. If not her, then someone would have. Tell me who it was.¡±


    ¡°...I guess even a rascal like you longs for a mother¡¯s embrace, it seems.¡±


    ¡°It really pains me, you know. I should respect the elderly, yet here I am assaulting one¡­ Since you¡¯ve caused me such heartache, you¡¯ll have to feel even more pain.¡±


    Suvide had learned something through Keter¡¯s beating: though all his senses had dulled with age, it seemed like his pain sensitivity had only heightened. Despite being hit with a blunt fist, the pain felt as if a stake were being driven straight through him. He endured the excruciating agony, not even able to scream.


    Then, Keter finally stopped punching.


    At that moment, Suvide quickly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see them! I looked into it as well, but there was no one who received the letter, including the patriarch. The letter was simply on his table to begin with.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, just as I thought.¡±


    None of this was anything a mere human could accomplish. Why go through such troublesome and suspicious actions?


    Keter let out a scoff. He thought his past life had been complicated, but his present one wasn¡¯t much better either.


    .


    Though Keter didn¡¯t know what exactly, he strongly felt that way.


    A tangled web of questions swirled in Keter¡¯s mind, each one leading to another. But he chose not to dwell on them and buried these thoughts deep within him. What good would it do to dig up the secrets of his origins or his mother¡¯s mysteries? What mattered was him living a good life.


    Keter let go of Suvide¡¯s collar.


    Suvide squeezed his eyes shut, thinking another blow was coming, but nothing happened. He still kept his eyes shut for a while, so he grew curious. He didn¡¯t hear any footsteps leaving, yet there was no sense of anyone nearby.


    ¡°Did he¡­ leave?¡±


    Suvide cautiously opened one eye.


    Keter, who had been standing right in front of him, poked both his eyes with his fingers.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t left yet.¡±


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    ¡°I treated you like an angel because you behaved. One piece of advice before I go: just confess before they restore the vial and run the fingerprints. Don¡¯t make this harder than it needs to be.¡±


    ¡°Guards! Is no one there? Guards!¡± shouted Suvide, but strangely, no one came.


    * * *


    There were three people seated at the Sefira dining hall.


    ¡°Father is late. That¡¯s unusual,¡± muttered Myle, the second eldest son, as he glanced at his pocket watch.


    Besil would always let them know in advance whenever he would be late for breakfast, telling them to eat without him. As far as he knew, it was the first time for Besil to be late without a word beforehand.


    To Myle, Anise said, ¡°Was there something going on last night? Do you have any idea, Myle?¡±


    ¡°No idea. Taragon, I heard you did the night patrol yesterday¡­ You didn¡¯t notice anything, did you?¡±


    Taragon felt both nervous and excited; this was the first time his older brothers had asked him something about official matters. But he couldn¡¯t say anything. How could he tell them that Suvide, the head butler, had tried to poison the patriarch to frame Panir? Everyone present had taken an oath; they were to carry this incident to their graves unless the patriarch himself spoke of it first.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize... But speaking of rumors, is it really true that you¡¯re running laps around the training ground because of Keter? Is that ridiculous rumor true?¡±


    Taragon bit his lower lip, but he had no intention of denying it. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to lie about taking advice and learning from someone better than him just to save face.


    ¡°It¡¯s... true.¡±


    ¡°True? Why would you be following Keter¡¯s orders? Have you forgotten what Hissop told you?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit of a complicated story...¡±


    Although Taragon¡¯s confidence had grown thanks to Keter, he still couldn¡¯t completely shake off the intimidation of his older brothers.


    ¡°Anise, you said you were going to have a rematch with Keter, but I haven¡¯t heard anything. Are you still recovering?¡± Myle asked.


    ¡°...I have my own reasons.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re both acting strange. What is it? Is there something I don¡¯t know? Why do I feel like I¡¯m the only one left out?¡±


    As Myle stood up and glanced between Taragon and Anise, the dining room door opened. The three of them adjusted their postures, expecting it to be Besil, but it was someone else who entered.


    ¡°My lords, I have brought a message from the patriarch.¡±


    Myle and Anise, who didn¡¯t know what happened, were confused when Gasilius, the commander of the Order of the Galaxy, appeared. They wondered where Suvide was and why Gasilius was delivering Besil¡¯s message.


    ¡°Lord Besil says, ¡®I have no appetite today, so eat amongst yourselves.¡¯ That is all.¡±


    ¡°Sir Gasilius, is there something wrong with the patriarch?¡± Myle asked Gasilius.


    However, he just shook his head, refusing to answer.


    As soon as Gasilius departed, both Taragon and Anise stood up.


    ¡°I think I need to lose some weight, so I¡¯m going to go,¡± Taragon said.


    ¡°I have some unfinished work from yesterday, so I¡¯ll skip breakfast just this once,¡± added Anise.


    With both of them hurriedly leaving, Myle found himself alone, bewildered.


    ¡°What is this? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Feeling extremely puzzled, Myle lost his appetite.


    ¡°Strangely enough, everything seems to connect back to Keter.¡±


    Anise and Taragon had both changed after meeting Keter. Myle felt certain there was something going on with him. Of course, Hissop had advised him not to meet Keter, but¡­


    ¡°If Hissop were in this situation, he¡¯d have gone to see Keter, too.¡±


    Myle stood up as well.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go meet Keter.¡±


    * * * S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besil had heard it all¡ªthe full story behind the poisoning incident, from start to finish.


    Though everyone thought he had fainted after being poisoned, he hadn¡¯t actually lost consciousness. Even Keter hadn¡¯t realized this. Who would have guessed that the head of a noble family was merely pretending to be unconscious?


    Besil sensed the poison the moment he tasted the soup. During his younger years, he had nearly died from accidentally eating a poisonous mushroom, which left him with a deep trauma around poisons. To overcome this, he deliberately ingested small amounts of various poisons, gradually building up a resistance until he had completely conquered his fear.


    Only his father, Ricotta, knew about this; had anyone else known, they would have surely tried to stop him. Even Suvide, his closest confidant, was unaware of Besil¡¯s exceptional resistance to poison.


    So, as he pretended to be unconscious, Besil observed everything, eventually realizing that it was indeed Suvide who was responsible for the poisoning.


    Even after being moved to the infirmary, he lay on the bed for a long time without rising. It wasn¡¯t because of the poison; he could have gotten up at any moment. He simply didn¡¯t want to.


    Suvide¡¯s betrayal was the betrayal of someone he had trusted so deeply. Even if it was done with Besil''s best interests in mind, it was still a betrayal.


    As the patriarch, he couldn¡¯t just let it go. He would have to enforce strict punishment. Without a firm example, there could be more traitors in the future. Rationally, he knew what had to be done, but Besil was torn.


    He laid awake through the night, only rising when dawn broke.


    ¡°M-My lord!¡±


    Besil gestured for him to be quiet and then exited the room, where Gasilius was waiting just outside.


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved to see you unharmed, my lord,¡± Gasilius said.


    ¡°Thank you for pretending not to know.¡±


    Gasilius noticed when he touched Besil to help him. He saw Besil''s eyebrows tremble slightly but went along with the ruse, fooling the others with him.


    ¡°The children must be waiting. Could you go and tell them to eat without me?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After sending Gasilius away, Besil went to find Suvide.


    Suvide was huddled in the corner of his cell, and the moment he saw Besil, he knelt down.


    ¡°My lord, whatever you¡¯ve heard, none of it is true.¡±


    ¡°Suvide, your eyes are swollen. I thought you never cried.¡±


    ¡°No, my lord. Keter came to me last night and tortured me. That brat did this to me.¡±


    Suvide removed his shirt and showed the purple bruises all over him.


    Besil let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Head Butler Suvide, it¡¯s just the two of us here, so you can speak freely. Did you truly try to bring Panir down solely for my sake, without any other motive?¡±


    ¡°Why would I ever do something like that?¡±


    ¡°Because you care for and worry about Sefira as much as I do.¡±


    ¡±...!¡±


    ¡°You said a few months ago that we should dismiss the two elders who refuse communication and are forming separate factions within the family. You said we needed to unify the family.¡±


    ¡±...You remember, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I cannot ignore you so carelessly? I just never said anything because I believed you knew it wasn¡¯t feasible.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    Besil placed a hand on Suvide¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d understand without me having to say it. I thought I would burden you if I shared my thoughts. It¡¯s my fault for not making my intentions clear!¡±


    ¡°M-my lord... I... I''m so sorry. I failed to trust you.¡±


    Suvide struck his forehead against the floor, and blood trickled down his face. Besil wanted to close his eyes tightly and turn away from reality. If not that, he wished he could at least shed tears.


    The frail old man before him, bowing with his forehead to the ground, was someone who had given Besil more care and love than even his father, Ricotta. Suvide was the one who taught him manners and the history of their family, and he was the one who always cleaned up after his misdeeds when he was young. Once, Suvide had even shielded him with his body when Ricotta was about to punish Besil.


    This person, who had influenced Besil more than anyone else, was now suffering disgrace because of him. He felt a surge of emotion welling up inside.


    ¡°Please, rise. No, please stand, Head Butler Suvide. It''s my fault entirely, not the elders¡¯ or yours. This mess is all because an incompetent leader like me tried to guide capable people such as yourself.¡±


    ¡°My lord, why are you speaking to me so respectfully? Please, don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°How can I deny my incompetence when I see you like this? You, the one with the most noble character in Sefira, were driven to such shameful actions because of me. How could I not be at fault?¡±


    ¡°Please, stop... I¡¯ll admit to it all. It was indeed my doing. I¡¯m an old fool. I only wanted to be of some help to you, my lord. I knew it was presumptuous and wrong, but I couldn¡¯t bear to see you suffering in silence. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡±...¡±


    Besil turned away. Even without looking in a mirror, he knew his face must look pitiful, and he didn¡¯t want Suvide to see him like that.


    Suvide once again lowered his forehead to the ground and said, ¡°My lord. Panir and Reganon were acting with intentions clearly opposed to yours. If they were left unchecked, they would have inevitably become obstacles to you. That¡¯s why I sought to eliminate them. That¡¯s all there is to it. My lord, I¡¯ll accept my sins as they are and offer my life as an apology. Please, do not forgive this foolish old man.¡±


    Suvide leaned back, his head held high. He was going to slam his forehead into the ground to end his life.


    ¡°Are you going to run away by dying?!¡± Besil shouted.


    Suvide froze and looked up at him.


    ¡°Oh, my lord... why do you make a face like that for me?¡±


    ¡°As I said, it is my fault for not communicating. But we can start over. I¡¯m saying that you can do things right from now on.¡±


    ¡°My lord...¡±


    ¡°Things will change, so please trust me. If you can''t, then I won¡¯t stop you from choosing death.¡±


    ¡°Do I have the right to live?¡± Suvide asked.


    ¡°Live for me.¡±


    ¡°... Yes, my lord.¡±


    Suvide slowly lowered his head, and after a moment, he collapsed, overwhelmed by exhaustion. Besil lifted him and laid him on the bed before leaving the cell.


    ¡°Keter, come out,¡± Besil called into the empty corridor, and Keter emerged from behind a narrow column.


    ¡°Really, it''s impossible to deceive you, Father.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve helped me both within the family and outside. I owe you so much.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me¡ªI¡¯m keeping a record of everything.¡±


    ¡°Did you come for me or for the Head Butler Suvide?¡±


    ¡°I came to see both of you before leaving, but... now, just you.¡±


    ¡°Leaving? You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    Besil hoped Keter wouldn¡¯t say what he expected.


    But, mercilessly, Keter smiled and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m leaving Sefira.¡±

 Chapter 61: Be Careful of Who You Befriend (1)

    Besil was the patriarch of Sefira, the Masters of Archery. He had a duty to protect his family from downfall, and he chose defense as his strategy. He ignored the provocations of his enemies and focused on securing the family¡¯s territory.


    Thanks to this approach, the nobles weren¡¯t able to bring Sefira down easily. Peace had also lasted a long time; however, Besil didn¡¯t know how long this peace could continue for. He simply hoped that the situation would improve if they held out long enough. Perhaps the nobles would tire and stop their attacks, or maybe a new war would erupt, restoring the value of archers.


    Of course, Besil knew there was another option¡ªoffense. This was exactly what Panir advocated for: attacking instead of merely defending. However, Besil couldn¡¯t run the family in an offensive way. It was an uncertain path, bound to result in casualties. While defense was also uncertain, at least it avoided sacrifice.


    Besil feared sacrifice, so avoiding it was crucial. At his command, thousands of soldiers and hundreds of knights would mobilize. This was no child¡¯s play with toy soldiers.


    Throughout its five-hundred-year history, Sefira had not fought with anyone. The family even declined the title of marquis to avoid power struggles, and it had long maintained its status as an earl¡¯s family out of tradition.


    Though no one explicitly stated it as Sefira¡¯s policy, all the previous patriarchs valued peace and negotiation over conflict. So how could Besil ignore and shatter that history? By what right could he drive the peaceful Sefira into a pit of hatred? He couldn¡¯t bring himself to do that.


    Maintaining the status quo was the safe path. Even if soldiers and knights had to endure humiliation, at least it wouldn¡¯t kill them. Besil thought that was enough, that he was doing his part. He believed the future of Sefira would be resolved not by his own inadequate self but by the next generation. His best role was to preserve Sefira as it was.


    However, recently, Besil had completely changed his mind. It was because of Keter, he and Akrah¡¯s son who was raised in Liqueur. It had only been three days since Keter arrived in Sefira, but three days were enough for him to shatter the silence Besil had built around Sefira over decades.


    And it wasn¡¯t just the silence that broke. Keter ignited and stirred Besil¡¯s hardened, withered heart. Thanks to Keter, Besil realized that mere maintenance and defense weren¡¯t the right paths. But nor was the attack that Panir had advocated for¡ªthe answer was counterattack, something between attack and defense. Thanks to Keter, Besil realized that this was the best path to save Sefira.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Besil grabbed Keter''s wrist. Normally, that¡¯s all he would have said. However, through Panir and Suvide, he came to realize that his feelings would not be delivered correctly unless he expressed himself clearly.


    ¡°You are needed in Sefira,¡± Besil added.


    At this moment, the curse of silence that had plagued Sefira was finally lifted.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t leave.¡±


    Besil held onto Keter''s wrist firmly, as if he would never let go.


    Keter glanced at him with a gentle gaze and asked, ¡°And if I say no?¡±


    Besil¡¯s expression grew even more serious. Seeing that, Keter waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Come on, can¡¯t I even joke with you? I was only kidding.¡±


    ¡°Then, you won¡¯t be leaving Sefira?¡±


    ¡°I do have something to take care of outside, so I¡¯ll be stepping out briefly. Or did you think I wouldn¡¯t return at all?¡±


    ¡°You said you were leaving.¡±


    ¡°But I never said I wouldn¡¯t come back.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Now, would you let go of my wrist? You¡¯re going to break it.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Besil let go of Keter and smoothed out his clothes awkwardly. A distinct red mark remained on Keter¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Honestly, you should let people finish speaking. You¡¯re going to hurt someone,¡± Keter said.


    ¡°I guess you don¡¯t think there was anything wrong with your choice of words. You could have simply said you¡¯d be stepping out briefly.¡±


    ¡°To me, it¡¯s the same thing. Ah, by the way, I¡¯ll be taking Luke with me.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me where you¡¯re going and when you¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t usually share those details, but I plan to go to Liqueur. So, I¡¯ll need to receive my mother¡¯s keepsake now.¡±


    Originally, Keter was supposed to spend a year in Sefira to receive his mother¡¯s keepsake¡ªa special artifact allowing him free passage in and out of Liqueur. But he needed it right away, so he confidently asked for it.


    ¡°You mean you¡¯re going to go back to that dangerous place?¡± Besil asked. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯ll invite you to Liqueur sometime. It¡¯s hard to warm up to, but once you do, there¡¯s nowhere better,¡± Keter replied.


    ¡°...Akrah.¡±


    Besil took a black ring from his breast pocket and held it out, adding, ¡°That¡¯s your mother¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Keter had been so curious about his mother¡¯s name, but he didn¡¯t care about it much now that it was out of his interest.


    ¡°If you need anything, just say it. I¡¯ll even assign you the Order of the Galaxy.¡±


    ¡°No thanks. They¡¯ll just be bothersome.¡±


    Besil was genuinely curious¡ªwas Keter¡¯s disregard for Order of the Galaxy, Sefira¡¯s strongest order, due to ignorance or confidence? Moreover, he disrespected Sefira even in the presence of him, the patriarch. If Anise or Taragon had spoken like that, Besil would have scolded and punished them severely.


    Maybe Keter didn¡¯t care about being part of a noble family. Or perhaps it was that Sefira was not appealing to him. Besil considered that as a possibility since Keter had seen the signs of decline from his very first day in Sefira.


    ¡°Get into just the right amount of trouble and come back safely.¡±


    If Sefira failed to captivate Keter, forcing him to stay would only backfire. Besil decided not to cling to him. Or rather, he was going to pretend he wasn¡¯t clinging.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring back a gift, so look forward to it.¡±


    And with that final promise, Keter left, leaving Besil with a small hope in his heart.


    * * *


    A splash of icy water hit Volus, the eldest son of the Bydent family, in the face. Patra, the patriarch, tossed aside the empty glass.


    ¡°Say it again,¡± Patra said.


    ¡°The commander, lieutenant commander, and five others from the Order of the Silver Leopards were captured by Sefira.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It was reported to be because of Keter, the bastard child, and Luke, a holy knight, but that¡¯s likely inaccurate.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t disciplined you since appointing you as the deputy patriarch. Do you know why? It¡¯s not because you¡¯re the deputy patriarch, but because you handled things well.¡±


    ¡°Father, this time it was not¡­!¡±


    ¡°Silence! Which weapon do you want to be struck with? Bring it to me yourself.¡±


    The walls of Patra¡¯s room displayed an array of weapons. There were dark red stains of dried blood on them, showing they weren¡¯t merely for decoration.


    Volus bit his lower lip. He was almost thirty and was called the deputy patriarch outside these walls. It was demeaning to be punished like this. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His mind screamed at him to rebel, yet he did nothing. Reluctantly, he walked over to the wall, grabbed a club, and handed it to Patra.


    Patra, holding the club, stood up and spoke, ¡°Raise your hands. Do you want your arms broken?¡±


    Volus raised his arms high. It was a humiliating posture.


    The club hit Volus repeatedly. He staggered with each strike, yet each time, he got back up like a punching bag that couldn¡¯t be knocked down. Patra was an elderly man with not much strength, so he could only swing the metal club for so long before tiring.


    Trying not to show his exhaustion, Patra spoke, ¡°...I¡¯ll give you a chance to explain.¡±


    ¡°I believe Elder Reganon has betrayed us.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    ¡°... Not entirely.¡±


    ¡°Only speak of what you¡¯re certain of.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start by freeing the Order of the Silver Leopard who are imprisoned. Even if it wasn¡¯t Elder Reganon, there are other collaborators inside.¡±


    ¡°Sefira went through the trouble to capture our knights. Security will be tight; will you manage?¡±


    ¡°No matter how tight, it¡¯s still Sefira. This time, I won¡¯t fail.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no chance the captured ones will reveal our secrets, is there?¡±


    The critical secret behind Bydent''s success¡ªthe Moon Rabbit Tribe, one of the Seven Cursed Species. If Sefira learned of their existence, Bydent would face complete ruin.


    ¡°The regular members don¡¯t know about the high elder. The only ones aware are Jordic, the youngest, and Deputy Commander Arbold, both of whom are resistant to torture.¡±


    Torture resistance didn¡¯t simply mean they could endure pain well; it meant they had mastered techniques to block their sense of pain. This skill required no aura, so even if their aura was suppressed, it wouldn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°I will also send a letter to Sefira''s patriarch, requesting the return of our captured knights. He¡¯s quite passive, so he¡¯ll likely give in and hand them over with a little pressure,¡± Patra said.


    ¡°Truly wise, sir,¡± Volus replied.


    ¡°Still, Besil will stall for as long as he can. But breaking out of prison right under their noses would be an even greater disgrace for Sefira. Understood? You must not fail.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember it well, sir.¡±


    ¡°Get out. I don¡¯t want to see your face anymore.¡±


    Soaked in water and bruised all over from the beating, Volus bowed formally to Patra one last time before leaving the patriarch¡¯s chamber.


    ¡°¡±


    The guards at the door couldn¡¯t help but gasp at the sight of Volus.


    ¡°Hah, even you find me laughable, don¡¯t you?¡± Volus asked.


    ¡°No, my lord, not at all.¡±


    The guards quickly averted their eyes. Volus clenched and unclenched his fists as he walked down the corridor, thinking about the report he received from the two surviving members of the Order of the Silver Leopard, who had barely escaped Hacose Village.


    The Order of the Silver Leopard was a secret order loyal to the Bydent elders and the Moon Rabbit Tribe. Their strength and resolve surpassed even the Order of the White Leopard, the pride of Bydent.


    ¡°What on earth happened there?¡± Volus yelled in frustration.


    The two survivors hadn¡¯t been in the thick of the fight. They were stationed at the village under Jordic¡¯s orders. They only heard the sounds of battle outside, so they didn¡¯t know that the Blade Bird Tribe was there. What they saw and reported were that Keter and Luke had defeated the strongest forces of the order. All other intel gathered from their spies confirmed the same: Keter and Luke alone had overpowered everyone. That was the only story that had made it out.


    ¡°Reganon¡­!¡±


    Volus was convinced that Reganon was behind it all; it seemed impossible otherwise. Even if Reganon had intervened, it was impossible that the Silver Leopard knights lost to the Galaxy knights. But for now, the accusation that Reganon had betrayed them was the priority.


    Volus¡¯ rage burned, and he vowed not to leave any of Sefira unscathed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill every last one of them, down to the very last child.¡±


    He stopped mid-step and glanced back.


    Once this matter was settled, Volus was determined to become the patriarch by any means necessary, legal or not.


    * * *


    In Sefira¡¯s underground prison, all the rooms were solitary confinement cells. In these cells were the Bydent knights. Though they had regained consciousness long ago, they were unable to do anything but remain locked in place. This wasn¡¯t simply because they were shackled with aura-suppressing bracelets.


    ¡°No strength... What in the world have they done to us?¡±


    Jordic, the first of them to wake up, immediately attempted to escape. Even without aura, his pure physical strength alone was enough to break through wooden planks. The prison bars weren¡¯t thick, so it seemed like he could just pull them apart.


    ¡°This is absurd. No guards or shackles.¡±


    Gripping the bars, Jordic gave a powerful tug.


    ¡°Haaah!¡±


    Nothing budged.


    ¡°Wh-what''s going on? The bars won¡¯t move at all. Are they made of some kind of super steel?¡±


    He strained himself to the limit, putting every last ounce of energy into his grip, but the bars held fast, unmoved. And he quickly realized¡ªit wasn¡¯t the bars that were unusually strong.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten weaker.¡±


    Jordic felt around his body but didn¡¯t find any signs of damage, curse symbols, or marks to suggest they had somehow gotten rid of his muscles.


    ¡°Damn it. I can¡¯t even bend a measly bar?¡±


    It was only then that he looked around. In one corner was a small hole, likely serving as a toilet, and a straw bed. That was it. The cell was simple and plain.


    ¡°Is this supposed to be food?¡±


    There was one bowl just outside the cell door. Jordic stirred it with the spoon beside it and saw that it was a clumpy porridge made of flour. He didn¡¯t need to taste it to know it would be utterly flavorless and disgusting.


    ¡°Is anyone there? Bring me someone in charge! I am Jordic, the Spear Dragon!¡± he shouted at the top of his lungs, but only silence responded.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Jordic kicked the wall in frustration, only to hurt his own foot as he was now weaker than a commoner. He didn¡¯t have a sense of time because there were no windows in the cell, which made him a little stuffy. The dim lantern beyond the bars barely provided enough light to keep total darkness away, which only heightened his frustration.


    And then, suddenly¡­


    ¡­ A door opened somewhere in the distance.


    Jordic knew he was a prisoner, but he wasn¡¯t really afraid. After all, he was the youngest son of the Bydent family and the Spear Dragon. He wasn¡¯t someone that the Sefira family could dare touch. Even as a captured criminal, he had no reason to grovel. His family probably figured out the situation by now, and it was only a matter of time before he left¡ªhe would be out by today, maybe a week at most. Jordic had no doubt about it.


    The sound of something being dragged grew closer, until a figure stopped just outside Jordic¡¯s cell. To assert his confidence, Jordic stood with his back to the door, but just as he began to turn¡­


    ¡°Why is a damn criminal standing up so straight? It¡¯s irritating.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t Besil nor an elder of Sefira.


    Jordic spun around to see who it was.


    ¡°K-Keter!¡±


    Standing outside the cell, Keter sternly said, ¡°Jordic. It¡¯s time for your torture.¡±