Chapter 66

(3)

5.

The Imperial Castle of the Rubens Empire was renowned for its grandeur, as if it were flaunting its status as the mightiest nation on the continent. Its sheer size was enough to rival that of some kingdoms’ capitals, so that speaks volumes.

And that’s not all!

The interior of the castle was far more luxurious than what one might expect from the outside. It looked as though every castle and mansion was built from gold and riches.

However, there was one exception.

At the northern end of the castle, a quaint little forest existed. This forest looked like a miniature version of the eastern tropical rainforests. And right now, a figure was visiting this place.

A man in his mid-thirties.

He had platinum long hair and reddish-brown eyes, with a gentle demeanor. Behind him, a middle-aged knight followed like a statue guarding him.

Thump thump!

He was heading towards the center of the forest.

The luxurious cloak he wore got scratched by thorny vines along the way, but he paid it no mind.

How much time passed?

After navigating through the thick underbrush, he finally reached his destination. Suddenly, a faint singing reached his ears.

“―――.”

It was a melody without any lyrics.

Listening in silence, he felt a sense of calm wash over him. Perhaps that’s why he stopped walking and silently enjoyed the song.

Not long after, the song came to an end. He smiled faintly and clapped his hands.

“Still excellent craftsmanship.”

As soon as the man finished speaking, a girl sitting on a rock across a small pond abruptly turned her head.

A girl with snow-white hair and bright red eyes. Strangely, there was an air of mystery about her, which made the man grin subtly.

“Fertisha.”

The seventh princess of the Rubens Empire.

Fertisha Eve Al Rubens. She was his beloved younger sister, despite the noticeable age difference.

“Oh, big brother!”

With her brother’s appearance, the girl jumped off the rock in surprise. She soon ran over but stopped suddenly in her tracks.

The reason was simple. She had spotted the middle-aged knight standing guard behind her brother. The girl quickly changed her address.

“Crown Prince, what brings you here…….”

As expected, this was necessary.

The man’s name was Chartang Monique Al Rubens.

He was the Crown Prince of the Rubens Empire and would soon be the master of the empire.

When they were alone, it wouldn’t matter, but with a third party around, it was proper to maintain decorum.

However, Chartang didn’t mind at all.

“Haha, no need for such formalities. Today, it’s just Lord Orden with me.”

“Then I’ll behave accordingly!”

Since he allowed it, that was fine.

Lord Orden was one of the Five Swords who had protected the Imperial Family since before Fertisha was born.

In other words, he was almost like family.

At least to Fertisha, he was.

The two siblings, who could easily be mistaken for a father and daughter, happily sat on the rock and chatted away.

They discussed trivial daily matters until Chartang suddenly brought up a new topic.

“By the way, I heard some interesting news.”

“Really? What news?”

“Do you remember the ‘level 0 target’ that Grand Marshal Erkazhan reported the other day?”

“Is it about the barbarian who enrolled in Arsen?”

“Yes, that barbarian caused quite the incident again.”

With a lighthearted tone, Fertisha quickly interrupted.

“I’ve already heard that he severely injured Count Deorg’s eldest son!”

“That’s right. That was the story I shared. But what I brought today is a new story, different from that one.”

Just a month hadn’t even passed since the last incident, and he got into trouble again?

Fertisha tilted her head in confusion.

At the same time, Chartang continued to speak.

“Two swords were broken.”

“Swords?”

“The Sword of the Desert and the Sword of the Military. The two swords representing the Empire were defeated alongside that barbarian in a duel.”

“……?!”

Her red eyes widened in surprise.

There was no reason not to be shocked. The two swords Chartang just mentioned undoubtedly referred to the two masters representing the Empire.

But that was only for a moment.

She tilted her head in confusion, having spotted something odd in his answer.

“Huh? But that sounds a bit strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“While it’s understandable for Count Deorg, what was Marquis Gorphant doing in the duel……?”

Count Deorg had a reason.

He had requested a duel to restore his injured son’s honor.

In contrast, Marquis Gorphant had no such reason, which made her curious.

“He had been called by Grandmaster Berge, who happened to be at the Academy. Moreover, opportunities for masters to spar aren’t common, so it was a chance to fight too.”

After concluding the somewhat accurate speculation, Chartang suddenly smiled.

A playful grin. He looked back at Lord Orden, who was ten steps behind.

“In that sense, Lord Orden, didn’t you also secretly want to fight? Such chances for masters don’t come often.”

“I have not the slightest intention of that.”

The immediate denial came.

Lord Orden bowed his head, saying.

“I am the sword protecting the Imperial Family. I have no interest in the mundane duels of mortals.”

“Tsk, just joking. You’re such a buzzkill.”

Chartang clicked his tongue.

Of course, he knew.

This loyal knight named Saxen Yul Orden, the Imperial Sword, wouldn’t abandon the Imperial Family no matter what happened.

The conversation then returned to the original topic.

The level 0 target designated by the military, Ulan, and the duel that ensued between him and the masters of the Empire. Fertisha gazed in astonishment, frequently exclaiming in wonder.

“Wow, that’s truly amazing. I heard he’s just one year older than me, but how could he already possess such power…….”

“The world is vast, and talents are plenty. Right now, you have talents beyond comparison to me, don’t you?”

“You flatter me. I can’t possibly accept that.”

Fertisha smiled shyly.

It was an adorably charming smile. A smile that unconsciously resulted in one blossoming on Chartang’s lips as well.

“So, I’m giving this to you.”

“What?”

“It seems the military and Grandmaster Berge are conspiring to soon bring that barbarian into the Empire, so if they succeed, I’ll make him your knight.”

Each noble has their own dedicated knights.

The Emperor or Crown Prince has the Imperial Sword, Lord Orden, by their side, while other royalties are accompanied by knights possessing the highest skills among experts.

‘However, for Fertisha……’

No knights were assigned to her.

More precisely, it was correct to say that no knights had sworn loyalty to Fertisha.

Due to the complicated circumstances, noble knights were generally reluctant to become her knight.

‘But that barbarian is different.’

He was an individual connected to no nobility.

Moreover, according to the reports, he was said to possess a rather rational and calm judgment, which was rare for a barbarian.

And with the strength to defeat the masters of the Empire, if well-trained, he’d qualify to become Fertisha’s knight.

“Big brother, but I……”

“I know. You wanted to see and judge with your own eyes the person you’d make your knight, right?”

“Hehe, you remembered.”

“Of course. It’s a request from my little sister.”

Following the hearty response,

Chartang continued.

“Don’t worry. Although it’s a bit early, I’m preparing a birthday gift for you.”

“Huh? A birthday gift?”

Fertisha questioned in confusion.

At that moment, Saxen suddenly approached with quick strides. He then opened a small box that had been prepared separately and handed it to Fertisha.

The moment she saw it,

“……!”

Her eyes widened in shock.

It was as though she had stumbled upon something unexpected. Chartang smiled softly at her reaction.

“I’ve arranged for you to transfer to Arsen Academy starting the next semester. So you can see and judge for yourself……”

“Thank you, big brother! I’m so happy!”

Fertisha threw her arms around him.

Her voice felt choked with emotion.

There was good reason for that. Enrolling in Arsen Academy was one of her long-cherished dreams.

Meanwhile, Chartang quietly stroked his little sister’s head. After a moment, he added the condition he hadn’t mentioned.

“Of course, you won’t be able to live a normal life. You’ll have to use a separate dorm, and you’ll have escorts.”

“Yes! That’s all right. I want to go!”

“Haha, great. Then look forward to it.”

Afterward, the two continued their warm conversation.

How much time passed?

When the sunset began to sink, Chartang finally left the forest. Fertisha walked him to the entrance of the forest.

On the road back to the Imperial Castle, as he treaded in silence, Saxen cautiously spoke up from behind.

“Are you really okay with this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Though Arsen is supposedly a neutral zone, there are still risks present. It would be much safer to keep you by the Crown Prince’s side……”

“No, Arsen is safer.”

Chartang replied decisively.

His eyes held a silent determination.

“This place will soon become a battlefield.”

“……! Does that mean!”

“Lord Orden.”

Suddenly stopping in his tracks, Chartang continued in a calm tone.

“Inform everyone. On the day Fertisha leaves the Imperial Castle, they’ll have their one and only chance to prove their loyalty.”

His response was filled with resolute conviction.

Finally, the time has come.

Saxen trembled slightly. After a moment, he firmly bowed his head.

“……I shall obey your command, Your Highness.”

The honorific used had changed drastically from before.

With a sense of foreboding lingering in the air, Chartang resumed walking, leaving the strikingly red sunset behind.

6.

After the duel,

Ulan immediately returned to his room.

Perhaps it was because he had repeatedly used the Transcendent Domain, but his spirit and stamina were completely drained.

Moreover, his muscles were quite damaged. The substantial pain he felt in various places was evidence of that.

‘With this, I’ll need at least two days of rest.’

Based on his past experiences, it would take more than two days of lying down before he could return to his usual self. Thinking this, Ulan lay down on his bed the moment he arrived.

However, it wasn’t long before he suddenly felt a surge of warmth.

‘This is…….’

Soon after, a surprising phenomenon occurred.

The pain in his muscles gradually faded away, washing away the accumulated fatigue. Also, he could feel his depleted stamina rapidly recovering.

What in the world was happening? Confused, Ulan quickly closed his eyes. He moved the tiny amount of spirit remaining in his body to discover the cause of this anomaly.

And he soon realized the reason.

‘The power from the enchantment is surging.’

The Hero’s Enchantment etched on his back.

This incredible change was the source of that enchantment. The moment he realized this, a memory flashed in Ulan’s mind.

“This enchantment increases the owner’s strength and agility when injured, and grants explosive recovery if stamina is depleted.”

Exactly what Noa had explained to him.

Yet at the time he heard that explanation, he was honestly skeptical.

‘Of course, that’s how it would be.’

It wasn’t like he received any special blessing; it was just a tattoo on his back. How could that enhance his strength and recovery?

So he had let it go in one ear and out the other.

But experiencing it firsthand made all the difference.

‘I can’t believe it turned out to be true.’

Ulan’s eyes sparkled with wonder.

Half a day after returning to his room, Ulan’s condition noticeably improved.

The pain that had once plagued his muscles disappeared entirely, and his fatigue was completely gone. However, not everything was positive.

“……I’m hot.”

While explosive recovery was a good thing, his body felt hot all over due to prolonged overheating.

Had he finally reached his limits?

Ulan tossed off his clothes without a second thought.

“I need to cool down.”

He stepped directly into the bathroom and splashed himself with cold water. This felt much better than before. As he continued this process repeatedly,

Knock knock!

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

A familiar voice followed right after.

“Ulan, it’s me.”

It was Noa. Accompanied by a somewhat stiff voice, she continued.

“May I come in for a moment?”

“It’s fine.”

“Okay, then excuse me…….”

Noa opened the door and stepped inside.

However, she could not finish her sentence.

The sight before her eyes was too shocking. Ulan was completely naked and showering in the bathroom, their eyes locking.

“……!?”

After a silent scream, Noa quickly turned away.

Then she hurriedly shook her head, trying to forget the ‘something’ she just saw.

“You’re not alright at all!”

Her face and ears were flushed red.

After covering her face with both hands, Noa stomped her feet and shouted.

“No, more importantly, why are you taking a shower with the door wide open?!”

“I’m hot.”

“Even so! You should at least put on some clothes or shut the door. Hurry up!”

She suddenly came in and was making a lot of demands.

Ulan grumbled as he closed the bathroom door, leaving only a small opening for them to talk.

“Ha, seriously.”

Noa let out a long sigh, fanning her face.

As she tried to cool her flushed face, Ulan nonchalantly commented.

“Your face is really red.”

“Who do you think made me like this?”

“If you’re too hot, then take off your clothes too.”

“I won’t!”

While she shouted back, Ulan decided to ask again.

“But why are you here?”

“……Ah. Just a second. I forgot.”

“You have a surprisingly forgetful side.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you.”

As Noa shot him an annoyed glare, her eyes suddenly widened. It seemed she finally remembered the reason.

“Oh, right! I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“Ulan, did you secretly take some sort of potion before coming to the Academy?”

Despite her very serious expression, her question came totally out of the blue. Ulan tilted his head, confused.

“Potion?”

“You know, something that strengthens your power or boosts magic.”

“I don’t recall eating anything like that.”

“Are you serious?”

“Seriously.”

Ulan nodded his head.

Noa bit her lip slightly, considering he didn’t appear to be lying.

‘Well, Ulan doesn’t lie in the first place.’

He might skip explanations or answers out of annoyance, but he never lies. That was also the case in the original narrative.

‘But how did he become a master so quickly?’

Ten years earlier than in the original at that!

Just obtaining Kazan wasn’t a sufficient explanation; no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t figure out where that discrepancy sprang from.

‘Maybe I should just ask him directly?’

Ask him if there had been any special events that happened.

But she soon gave up. She had an instinctive feeling that even if something truly had occurred, he probably wouldn’t share it.

‘……Ulan doesn’t trust me.’

Noa had many secrets.

Therefore, Ulan said this.

With so many things hidden, and having not shared them with his companions, it would be challenging for him to share his own ‘secrets.’

‘Back then, I thought he was just joking.’

Now that she thought about it, it was never just a casual remark.

Not a typical secret, but implying that the moment he mentioned ‘my secret’ meant Ulan had something to hide as well.

The frustrating thoughts led her back to the starting point.

While she sighed in exasperation, knock knock!

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

It was a new visitor.

“I’m from the Inspectorate. Please excuse the intrusion for a moment.”

It was none other than Ulan’s dedicated inspector.

His expression changed when he saw the scene unfold before him.

“……What on earth is this situation?”

Ulan was showering in the nude, while Noa was sitting on the floor, peeking through the slightly opened door.

The inspector quickly processed the situation.

“Voyeurism is a disease.”

“N-no! This is a misunderstanding!”

“It’s also a cause for penalties.”

“It’s a misunderstanding!”

Noa protested with an innocent look.

Just then, a savior’s voice came through.

“What brings you here today?”

It was Ulan.

The inspector then shifted his gaze from Noa back to Ulan.

He then revealed the purpose of his visit.

“Count Deorg has awakened.”

“Already? That’s surprisingly fast recovery.”

“It’s because of the potions he consumed. Anyway, the Count expressed a wish to meet you. He mentioned he has apologies to offer.”

This must be in accordance with the promise made before the duel began.

It was likely he was trying to honor the promise of taking responsibility and apologizing on behalf of Himel.

“Of course, you can refuse if you’re tired.”

“No, I’ll go see him.”

Ulan shook his head.

If this had been right after the duel, it might have been draining, but he was feeling rejuvenated now.

“Understood. Then I’ll await you on the first floor.”

After delivering his message, the inspector turned to leave.

As he was about to exit, he shot a glare at Noa, still looking toward the bathroom.

“Noa Darshen, you’re receiving a penalty.”

“Huh? No! Why, why?!”

“To sneak into a fellow student’s room and spy while they bathe, you’ve gone too far.”

“But I said it was a misunderstanding!”

Noa shouted back, looking genuinely aggrieved.

Yet the inspector left after issuing her a penalty, and once the commotion settled, she dropped her shoulders in disappointment.

“Ugh, I just want to go back now……”

She had come to check when Ulan had become a master but left with nothing but an unfortunate penalty.

As she was about to turn and leave dejectedly,

“Noa.”

She heard Ulan calling her back.

“I have one request.”

“Yes? A request?”

“Could you bring Ivella to me?”

It was an unexpectedly sudden request, but Noa quickly understood the context. She then rephrased to confirm Ulan’s intent.

“So, you want me to take her to the sickroom where Count Deorg is?”

“That’s exactly it.”

Ulan grinned.

She truly had a knack for picking up on things.

“Anything else you want me to relay?”

“Nope. That’s all.”

“Understood. I’ll take care of that.”

After Noa left the room,

Ulan finally emerged from the bathroom. Perhaps because he had drenched himself in cold water repeatedly, he finally felt a lot cooler.

He wore a satisfied smile as he hastily prepared to leave.

Just then,

[Growl!]

A massive shadow suddenly loomed over him.

A familiar voice called from behind. It was none other than the White Wolf’s voice. Ulan turned around and slightly widened his eyes.

“You’ve grown so large.”

Just as he said, White Wolf had outgrown his previous small size to become larger than a wild horse.

Suddenly, a realization struck him.

White Wolf inflated its size by absorbing magic. As soon as he came to this conclusion, Ulan asked, looking intrigued.

“Did you absorb everything that was there?”

He recalled the high-grade magic stones, nearly a dozen of them, that were on the shelf in Diplyn’s cabin.

When he asked, White Wolf revealed them, grinning.

[Grrrr! Grrrr!]

It was a positive response.

Indeed, if he grew that much in such a short time, there would be no other explanation. Ulan nodded in agreement, but soon his expression turned troubled.

“But this makes it hard to coexist.”

It took up half the available space just sitting there. If this continued, it wouldn’t be feasible to stay together, so it would be better to start thinking of returning it to the forest.

Just as he was about to convey this to the creature,

Whoosh!

White Wolf suddenly transformed into mist.

Moments later, it returned to its previous small size. Seeing this, Ulan asked in surprise.

“You can change your size at will?”

[Growl!]

“What a convenient ability.”

This changed everything.

Ulan chuckled softly. He ruffled White Wolf’s head and turned to leave.

“I’ll be back shortly, so just rest here.”

No response came.

The creature curled into a ball and quickly fell asleep, as if it had never stirred.

Perhaps it was due to being well-fed by magic that it had succumbed to drowsiness. Ulan left with a chuckle, leaving the White Wolf behind.

And at that moment,

In the Source of Magic, Cabin Zone 1, a scream erupted from Diplyn.