Chapter 71

Chapter 71. Stop the Movement, Are You Cheating? (3)

The first word Jairo remembers is “genius.”

He vividly remembers his father and mother always saying it.

“Jairo, you’re a genius!”

He didn’t even know what the word meant, but he just loved seeing his parents smile. No matter what he did, they praised him and lifted him up, calling him a genius.

“Do you know what taxes are? Jairo! You will surely become the greatest chancellor of this kingdom!”

“You want to learn swordsmanship? At your age, saying such a thing is definitely a first in this country! Well done!”

He loved seeing his family happy.

The expectations they placed on him weren’t burdensome.

Because, after all, he was a genius. He learned swordsmanship quickly, and muscles grew on his body in no time.

“Father, I will become a knight. I want to be the kingdom’s greatest swordsman and bring honor to our Shubil family.”

At nine years old, he declared his ambition to his father.

His father, who always supported him, hesitated for a moment. But soon, he smiled broadly and said,

“It will surely be so.”

In the southern region of the Lilian Kingdom, in the small village of Segwan, with a population of just over 500, belonging to the Argen Territory, the Shubil family produced their first and last knight.

‘Knight Jairo Shubil.’

He left the village and returned 15 years later, as a proud royal guard of the kingdom.

The village held a festival to welcome Jairo. The Shubil family also welcomed him with great enthusiasm.

“A royal guard! Our family has produced someone who holds the honorable position of serving the Queen. Jairo, thanks to you, I too feel that glory. Thank you, truly thank you!”

“Haha, Father. It’s too early to celebrate. I’m preparing for the Southern Sword Tournament now. You haven’t forgotten, have you? My dream.”

“The dream of becoming the kingdom’s greatest swordsman. How could I forget? But listen…”

The family head called Jairo aside and spoke to him quietly.

“Jairo. I wish I could stop here.”

“Huh? It’s just the beginning. I understand your concerns. But I’m a 3-Star Knight. Look. This is my Aura.”

Jairo confidently created an Aura Sword in his hand.

“You know what? Once you reach the level of a 3-Star, no matter how many ordinary people come at you, they can’t win. I didn’t believe it at first, but now that I’m a 3-Star, I understand. My senses are far superior and more precise than others. Father, grab a handful of soil. I can even tell you how many grains of sand are in it.”

“That’s amazing. Then, can you do this too?”

The family head pointed to the banquet hall with his finger.

“Can you kill all those people?”

Jairo was taken aback by his father’s words.

“Father, are you drunk? Those are the villagers. And our family is there too. Don’t you see Mother holding the youngest and smiling?”

“That’s why I’m telling you this now. I want you to stop.”

“Why? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Jairo… You must have been through a lot. You’ve faced death, and you must be mentally exhausted and tired. But what you’ve been through so far will be nothing compared to what’s to come.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Father.”

“My son. No matter what choice you make, remember this.”

The family head tightly gripped Jairo’s right hand and spoke in a clear voice.

“Once you start something, you must see it through to the end.”

“That’s what I was going to do. You seem drunk, go inside and rest.”

“I’ll go in first. Don’t tell your mother.”

“Go inside.”

The Shubil family head couldn’t bring himself to tell his son.

If you, with no connections, start to stand out, our insignificant family won’t survive.

The upper nobles of the Lilian Kingdom don’t look kindly on rising sprouts. They either crush them thoroughly or make them their own.

The family head entrusted Jairo with the fate of the family. Whether to fight against the upper nobles or bow to them.

What choice Jairo made would be known three years later.

“What are you doing in the middle of the night?”

“Shut up! We’ve received a report that you embezzled state funds. If you’re innocent, submit to the investigation quietly!”

The soldiers who stormed the Shubil mansion turned the place upside down. They even had the audacity to loot openly.

“Hmph, you hid it well! Let’s see if you can do it again.”

Jairo chose to stand against the upper nobles. But the price was paid not by Jairo, but by the Shubil family.

“Don’t tell Jairo. I don’t want to burden him.”

Not everyone agreed with the family head’s decision.

Some retainers left, and servants didn’t renew their contracts. After that, the upper nobles tormented the Shubil family with endless harassment.

The family head was reassigned to a distant customs office instead of the nearby one he used to work at, and the second son was denied admission to the academy.

Even the villagers who were friendly to the Shubil family turned their backs.

“Because of you, our taxes have doubled! Leave this village immediately!”

“My son was conscripted. He’s my only son! What am I supposed to do? Waaah!”

“Get out! We won’t sell you anything! Not even rotten stuff!”

The upper nobles’ retaliation was petty and vicious.

The Shubil family had no way to endure. The second son pleaded with the family head.

“Father, please contact Brother. We’re all going to die like this. We’ve done enough. Why should Mother and I die for him?”

“You fool!”

The family head slapped the second son and turned away.

He spoke with tears in his eyes.

“Tomorrow is the day of the Southern Sword Tournament. Do you know? All the strongest in the south will gather there. Even if we can’t cheer for your brother, are you trying to burden him?”

“What about my dreams! My life! Does that mean nothing, Father!”

“If you can’t endure, leave, like your brother.”

“…Fine. This family can rot for all I care.”

And so, the Shubil family’s second son also left, and the family head and his wife were left alone to protect the family.

With no money left, all the servants left, and only three loyal retainers remained. Even they were old men.

Trying to be self-sufficient, they did farming work they had never done before, losing nails, getting bitten by bugs, and chewing tree bark until their teeth broke.

Just as the Shubil family was desperately holding on, a ray of salvation came. Jairo became the 7th Southern Sword. He defeated the youngest son of a prestigious swordsmanship family, his final rival, and claimed victory.

The royal family immediately granted Jairo the status of an upper noble, along with territory and a mansion. It wasn’t in a village, but in a city.

Jairo returned to his hometown to share the good news, but he couldn’t help but be shocked.

The family mansion was in ruins. There was no sign of life.

“Wait, hold on.”

Keter interrupted the story with a wave of his hand.

“Listening to you, it sounds like you’re about to talk about your wedding night. I’ve heard enough about how miserable you were. So, are you going to Sephira or not?”

“I’ll tell you the rest of the story later, but to summarize, it’s as you said, boss. I accidentally found out the secrets of this country, tried to escape, got caught, and my family was all slaughtered. That’s when I decided. I will definitely take revenge on Lilian, the root of all this.”

Jairo spoke firmly.

“Even if my soul is devoured by a demon sword, even if I have to bow to a mysterious child who hasn’t even had their coming-of-age ceremony and call them boss, even if I have to live as a drunkard in someone else’s family.”

“That’s the longest way I’ve ever heard someone say they’re leaving.”

“It was the romance of my era. Hahaha!”

Jairo laughed heartily, slapped the table, and stood up. He slung his greatsword over his shoulder.

Crash!

One of the ceiling beams broke under the weight of the greatsword.

“Oops, still a bit drunk…”

Jairo glanced at Joyray and quietly slipped out.

Keter was laughing, even though he would have to pay for the damages. Jairo seemed perfectly fine now, but once the alcohol wore off, he would cause chaos.

A whole different level of trouble!

“Kukuku, I’m sorry I didn’t get to see it with my own eyes. Leganon and Panir, those old men trying to subdue Jairo.”

Of course, no matter how much chaos he caused, he wasn’t completely out of his mind. He wouldn’t do something like commit murder.

Moreover, Jairo’s chaos would be a great help to Sephira. It would wake up the relaxed knights and stir up their violent emotions.

“Keter. You’re really making a villainous face.”

Luke, who had finished his meal, said with a disgusted expression.

“You’ve developed some discernment, huh.”

Keter patted Luke’s shoulder and stood up.

Joyray, as if waiting, blocked his way. He pointed to the ceiling with his chin. The beam Jairo had broken was dangling.

“Luke. Wait outside. I need to talk business with the captain.”

“Okay.”

Luke left the tavern without suspicion.

Keter entered the kitchen, followed by Joyray, and handed him a bill.

“1,000 gold should be a decent consolation… What!?”

Joyray took the bill with both hands and lifted it. Under the light, it wasn’t a 1,000 gold bill. It was a 10,000 gold bill.

Before Keter could say anything, Joyray put the bill in his pocket and said,

“You noticed too. The history and value of that beam just now. Hoho.”

“Don’t mess with me, Captain. The beam is worth 1 gold at most.”

“What? Then why did you give me this money? Did you steal it? Laundering?”

“Have you gone senile? A 10,000 gold bill can’t just go missing.”

“I know, man. But you’re the one who gave it to me. If it’s you, you could make it happen somehow.”

“Anyway, I’m taking over the Ruquer Mercenary Branch. Help me out.”

“Why are you reporting that to me?”

As Joyray said, he was just the tavern owner.

But Keter tapped Joyray with his elbow and said,

“Come on, Master. Why are you like this? Between us.”

“You brat. Didn’t I tell you not to call me master anymore? You stole my techniques!”

“You showed them to me to learn, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t know you were peeking!”

“Anyway, Master, please help me out. The 10,000 gold I just gave you is for your trouble.”

“I don’t know why you’re eyeing the mercenary branch, but are you trying to buy it off for just 10,000 gold? You’re really a bandit, a mountain thief, a pirate.”

“Master, you’re too much. What’s so great about being a branch leader? Frankly, the Ruquer branch leader position is a demotion.”

“Hahaha! Look at this, Keter. Why are you acting like this? As you said, in the past, all branch leaders wanted to leave this place. But the current branch leader has been holding on for over 10 years. He’s always acting like he’s about to die, but do you think there’s no other reason?”

Joyray pressed Keter.

Then a customer shouted from outside.

“When’s the food coming! It’s been 30 minutes, you madman!”

Swish!

Joyray threw a kitchen knife behind him.

The knife flew in a graceful curve and embedded itself deep into the table of the shouting customer.

Keter whistled.

“Whew-! As expected of Master. A clean trajectory worthy of the originator of Flying Swordsmanship.”

“Hey, don’t you really want to learn Flying Swordsmanship properly? Then you’d become the strongest mercenary in the world. I heard your dream was to be a mercenary, right?”

“Being the Mercenary King was my old dream. Not anymore.”

“If that’s not the reason, why do you want the mercenary guild branch leader position?”

“To take revenge, and for personal use. That’s it.”

“Tsk, what nonsense are you up to now… And why are you trying to recruit me to take the branch leader position? I’m not even a mercenary.”

“It’s getting hard to pretend not to know.”

Keter suddenly grabbed a kitchen knife and threw it at the ceiling.

The ceiling seemed empty. But when Keter’s knife pierced a certain point, the ceiling rippled. The core of the illusion magic was broken.

Joyray’s face stiffened.

Meanwhile, Keter looked up at the ceiling in admiration.

The kitchen ceiling was hung with countless weapons, too many to count. Each one was of the ‘highest quality,’ and they were very well maintained.

Joyray subtly removed the apron around his neck. Around his waist were six kitchen knives neatly arranged.

The true identity of Captain Joyray, who runs a tavern in Ruquer.