CHAPTER 41

Sturma, the capital of Bayezid County.

In a massive mansion there, a man with half-white hair and an old man with a long white beard were having a conversation.

"They say a group of pilgrims will pass through our Sturma."

"Should I greet them?"

In response to Peter's question, Advisor Lagmus shook his head and replied.

"It seems they don't wish for that. They prefer to pass quietly, just observing the traces of dragons as they go."

"Quite traditional."

Peter nodded silently as he heard Lagmus's words.

Voices of gods who desire nothing.

Indeed, it's been a while since he saw devoted pilgrims like them.

"······Would it be alright to secretly aid them, perhaps?"

"I expected you to say that."

Those with qualifications have the right to enjoy certain privileges.

Knowing Peter's nature and personality well, Lagmus nodded and said he would prepare.

"And my second son, and... Vlad."

And there were other qualified individuals.

Fortunately, they were entities within his territory, so no one would object regardless of what he offered.

"I heard they did an excellent job."

"Yes. The report even contains words that could make an old man's heart beat faster."

"Hmm."

Peter nodded while listening to Lagmus's words.

The first discipline of the Swordmaster.

Peter smiled sincerely at the words he missed hearing for the first time in a very long time.

"It must have been a rare scene in times like these, where knights are highly esteemed."

"It would have been truly wonderful if you were there."

Though he didn't show it, Peter agreed with Lagmus's words.

A knight is a precious existence and also a strategic weapon that requires significant resources and investment. 

Therefore, from the beginning, most noble families have selected those with proven noble bloodlines or exceptional talent and provided elite education to create knights.

Gemstones that are thoroughly managed.

Hence, there were young knights and squires who hadn't yet faced extreme situations requiring the strict discipline of the Swordmaster. 

Some older knights complained about these circumstances, but it was inevitable that times were changing.

However, on that day in Deomar, there was a glimmer of light that went against the times.

For some, it might be a nostalgic and welcome romanticism they hadn't seen in a long time.

"There must be some people who will appreciate it."

"It reminds me of the golden age of the Bayezid family."

"The elders will bring snacks for the chicks."

Peter put down the documents he was holding and sank deeply into his chair.

"Even so, it's my son's, so I'll need his permission."

"If you do that, Lord Josef will surely like it."

"...I have a lot to think about."

Peter couldn't help but frown even while smiling.

He thought his son would give up soon since he seemed to be struggling, but the young man persisted and eventually rummaged through the mud, bringing back something shiny.

"A lot to think about."

Peter fell into deep worry as he thought about his second son, who was willing to roll in the mud to win.

Both the inadequate and the exceptionally talented ones were causes for concern.

In the end, he had to choose only one.

※※※※

"Why do you keep blinking your left eye? Did a pebble get in there?"

Vlad's training with Zayar upon returning to Sturma.

There, Vlad wanted to focus on confirming his own progress with the inflated dream.

"...I probably told you not to do things that you haven't become yet."

And that was also the thing his teacher told him not to do the most.

The boy had just ignored the rules set by Zayar.

"Kwak!"

Vlad suddenly rolled on the ground, looking up at the sky.

The blow Zayar had just delivered was as harsh as always, but there was no consideration at all.

"Get up."

"Ugh."

Vlad couldn't come to his senses easily due to the excruciating pain, but he quickly corrected his posture upon seeing Zayar's eyes fixed on him.

Whether it was anger, passion, or anticipation, Zayar always treated him with burning intensity.

"Do you think something happened to you when you succeeded in a clumsy counterattack at Deomar? Are my words so laughable that you can ignore them?"

In his eyes now, there was a cold sense of disappointment.

"..."

If you don't expect anything, you won't be disappointed in the first place.

That's why, for Vlad, the adult expressing the emotion of disappointment was a first in his life.

And as much, it was piercing the his heart painfully.

"...I'm sorry."

"Today's training ends here."

Zayar sheathed his sword with concise movements and spoke.

"If you're forcing yourself, don't come, and if you think you can do it without me, don't bother looking for me."

"..."

Unlike usual, the words didn't contain any swear words, but Vlad felt like it would be better to.receive insults.

Scorn, mockery, and disdain for being insignificant were so familiar that they didn't even hurt.

However, the disappointment Zayar displayed now was digging deep into Vlad's heart.

It was like a warm needle poking into the icy heart.

Vlad felt the coldness that came from the warmth and was at a loss as to what to do.

"Go."

"...Yes."

Vlad, who was well aware of Zayar's temperament of not easily going back on a decision, had no choice but to bow his head and follow his decision.

Today's training was over.

It was because of the attitude Vlad had shown, attempting to rely on aura clumsily.

He couldn't overcome his impatience.

[Starting from the basics.]

"..."

Hearing the words, Vlad somberly sheathed his unadorned sword.

[I might have been angry too.]

Zayar had been treating Vlad very sensitively ever since he unleashed his aura.

It seemed so precarious.

Certainly, what the boy had built up was shining and impressive, but where it had settled was like a sandy beach by the sea.

Fragile things that could be swept away by a big wave at any moment.

Zayar didn't want Vlad to be like that.

"...I just wanted to use it again."

[It was just a manifestation of possibility. It's better for you too if you forget it quickly.]

And the voice was also expressing concern about his current state.

Can every knight use aura?

No, that was not the case.

So, are knights who cannot use aura considered less skilled?

That wasn't true either.

Being able to handle aura was merely the manifestation of the possibility of rising higher than other knights.

To truly claim to use aura, one had to make it entirely their own and be proficient in using it in practical combat.

[Remember that it hasn't been long since you started wielding the sword. A splendid flower only blooms on a solid foundation.]

"..."

However, the voice understood.

A boy in his prime, having grasped a shining sword, would naturally want to swing it around and test its capabilities.

Anyone would feel the same way.

[Think again about what Zayar said. If you weren't worthy, he wouldn't have been disappointed without reason.]

"I understand."

So, it hoped that Vlad would understand its words.

Now that the boy had finally bloomed, it wished for him to endure countless temptations and lift his head proudly towards the sky.

Although a bitter feeling rose in his throat, Vlad only frowned and didn't slump into despair.

Today's training was a failure anyway, so what could he do?

He had to forget about it for now.

Living through the bitterness of disappointment, Vlad was no stranger to false emotions.

In any place, the world does not kindly extend a hand to someone who hesitates once.

Instead, it often forces those who hesitate to kneel even further.

Vlad, who had lived in the lowest place, knew well the cruel side of the world.

".....Guess I should go eat something."

Vlad ruffled his blonde hair and headed to the dining room, carrying an unadorned sword and wearing the shirt given by the countess.

Vlad entered the dining room.

"······."

"······."

The response that greeted Vlad, who returned after almost a month-long mission, was an inevitable silence and a small amount of respect.

Some squires who were quick to hear the news had already heard about what Vlad had done in Deomar through their families.

Thus, everyone present here could clearly ascertain who among the current squires had become the most valuable and outstanding.

The prestige of the family and the disparity in status were no longer important.

The alley fights among children were over.

The world they stood in had changed with the arrival of a single newcomer.

From now on, the true leader in this place was the new blond boy who had rolled in like a fresh stone.

"You're back?"

"Did you get beaten up while I was away?"

"No, no. No one hit me."

Potree greeted Vlad, extending sausages piled higher than the food on the plate.

"I missed this. This meat."

"Eat a lot."

Vlad picked up sausages with his bare hands without even using a fork.

Successfully overcoming depression emotions with the savory juices, Vlad displayed a truly satisfied expression.

"This is it."

When he was in Deomar, they served healthy foods like lemon sauce salads and bread for special guests.

Certainly, it was something Alicia prepared especially for valued guests, and Josef also appreciated them, but Vlad didn't really like them.

It wasn't that they tasted bad, but honestly, they weren't delicious.

To a growing boy, nothing was as tasty as meat.

"As expected, the taste comes from salty and sweet."

"That's right. That's the truth."

Vlad took a big bite of the sausage, listening to Potree's sincere agreement, and then glanced around.

"······."

Everyone was glancing at him subtly.

"Do you all know?"

"More or less······."

Potree chuckled subtly, scratching his head.

Just in case his current actions might be seen as a sly favor seeking some kind of reward.

"······Alright."

Vlad sucked the juices off his fingers, lost in thought.

Seeing the attitudes of the squires, it somehow felt like he was sitting where he shouldn't be.

But he had no intention of leaving.

"By the way, what are you going to do on this vacation?"

"Vacation?"

Vlad couldn't help but wonder as unexpected words came out of Potree's mouth.

"You didn't know? All the squires are on vacation this week. It's a regular vacation that occurs about twice a year."

Potree and everyone here might not be nobles, but they were children sent from wealthy households.

Dealing carefully with such squires was a matter of course.

That's why the Bayezid family regularly gave the squires a vacation to relieve accumulated tension and fatigue.

"······Do I have a vacation too?"

However, Vlad was a person with nowhere to go.

There was a place he missed, but to return there, he had to make a lot of preparations.

Looking at Vlad, who momentarily had a vacant gaze, Potree spoke.

"······Then, do you want to come to my house? My father wants to formally invite you."

"Your house?"

Some squires who had no place to go would gather at friends' houses instead of wandering alone.

It was to form another network of connections in that place.

"To be honest, I've never taken a friend home before······."

"You didn't have any achievements."

Vlad nodded his head, thinking about Potree's circumstances.

Even though he was pushed to mingle with individuals to build connections, all that came back was bitter news.

That's why the interest of the head of the Kanoor family in the blond boy who was now attracting attention in society was exceptional.

It was Potree's father who desperately wanted to see the boy named Vlad, not only from the perspective of the head of the family but also from the perspective of the father.

"You will definitely be treated well in my house."

"Hmm."

Vlad began to seriously consider Potree's suggestion.

The mission in Deomar had been a series of tension.

Now he wanted to eat freshly cooked meat rather than sausages.

"You said you were looking for a horse?"

"Huh?"

Potree also knew well what Vlad wanted other than meat.

"As I said before, my family mainly engages in ranching and livestock farming. We may not be the best family in the north in those fields, but at least we have the best horses around here."

"....Oh."

Not bad.

It was hard to refuse this.

"I wonder if they'll ask if I have any vacation time..."

"I heard there are some better horses than Sir Zayar's horse."

"I'll ask. I might be able to get a vacation."

Well, Josef would probably handle it anyway, but it wouldn't hurt to check in advance.

Finding a suitable horse on his own might be better than receiving it from someone else.

"Ugh!"

Vlad slapped Potree on the back of his head as if to say good.

"Good."

Vlad just laughed, regardless of whether Potree was surprised or not.

This was also a greeting used only between close friends in the back alleys.

Vlad remembered old times for the first time in a long time.