"The Great Misunderstanding II"

Rat Calendar, Year 2026

9th-23th Day of January

In the World of Tranquilis, A kilometer away from the Base Camp

Several weeks had passed since Accel's first battle in the unexplored territories outside the fortified base camp. The name "Accel, the Great Hidden Master" had now spread throughout the entire 5th Field Army. Rumors of his one-shot, one-kill swordsmanship against monsters over Level 400 and above had turned him into a living legend, though the truth of the matter was far simpler—his dual swords, Aetherium and Voidbringer, were overwhelmingly powerful.

What accelerated his fame was the fact that he couldn't refuse orders from the high command, particularly the Grand Knight Lord who had taken a liking to his capabilities. Every time he engaged in combat, Accel would reluctantly swing his swords, obliterating high-level monsters instantly. The squad members around him would erupt in cheers, praising his 'unparalleled skill' while he internally lamented the sheer misunderstanding that was growing beyond his control.

With his repeated achievements on the battlefield, an inevitable consequence followed—recognition from the higher-ups. The Commanding Officer of the 5th Field Army, Margrave Alistair Durnhelm Vaelmont, personally approved Accel's nomination for nobility. By his decree, Accel was to be granted the Noble Status of "The Squirehood" in acknowledgment of his contributions to the Second Expedition.

The moment this news reached Accel, he was caught off guard. He had no intention of accepting nobility. His entire reason for joining the expedition was to experience new things, to explore, and to strengthen himself—not to get involved in the nobility system. He was ready to politely decline the offer, but before he could utter a single word, his squad members erupted in celebration.

"Congratulations, Squire Accel Winchester!"

"This is well deserved! With your strength, we knew you'd receive a noble title sooner or later!"

"With the Great Hidden Master in our ranks, we're invincible!"

Accel's expression twitched. The sheer force of their collective joy overwhelmed him, and before he knew it, he found himself swept along with the moment. His mouth opened, but instead of a refusal, what came out was:

"I… appreciate the recognition."

The cheering grew even louder.

Somewhere deep inside, Accel felt like slapping himself. How did things spiral so wildly out of control? He had fully intended to reject the title, yet now he was officially recognized as Squire Accel Winchester. And to make matters worse, they weren't treating him like an ordinary Squire. Squires were supposed to aid knights in battle and administration, but a special case had been made for him—he was given the right to form his own squad.

Just as he was considering his options, he quickly shut them down by making a decision. "I'll stay with the Grand Knight Lord's squad," he said, thinking that it would limit the misunderstandings.

Instead, the response was entirely unexpected.

"An excellent decision!" the Grand Knight Lord praised. "A warrior of your caliber needs a proper team. We'll expand our squad from 30 members to 75!"

Accel mentally screamed.

Days passed, and Accel continued fighting as part of the expedition, his misunderstanding-fueled legend growing with each battle. Due to the absurd level disparity between him and the monsters, his Archivist System kept notifying him of his level-ups at a ridiculous pace. Slaying high-level monsters granted him immense experience, and soon, he skyrocketed from Level 100 to Level 250.

He hadn't even allocated his attributes yet—his level was rising so fast that he couldn't keep up with his own growth. He knew he needed to check his System Stats soon, but every time he tried, another order came down for him to fight. The never-ending cycle of battle and victory was only making things worse.

Unknown to him, his reputation had now reached the upper echelons of the Solaris Empire. Various nobles and military officials had taken an interest in the "Hidden Master" from the Central Continent. They reviewed his recruitment papers, expecting to find a veteran warrior or a retired hero—but what they found instead shocked them.

"He's only 19?"

"Impossible! To wield such strength at his age… He must be a prodigy beyond comparison!"

"No normal man could slay monsters of such a high level with such ease! What kind of training did he undergo?!"

Interest in Accel grew exponentially. Some nobles even began background checks on him, eager to uncover the origins of this mysterious warrior.

What they found, however, only deepened the mystery.

"He's from an ordinary family? His father is a bussinessman, and his mother is a lawyer from the Central Continent?"

"How does someone who is not well-known or high-class training reach such heights?"

As the nobles scrambled for answers, one particular revelation sent shockwaves through their ranks. When Margrave Alistair Durnhelm Vaelmont personally reviewed Accel's background, he came across a peculiar detail—his mother's maiden name and family name.

His hands trembled as he read the report. That name… it belonged to a noble household from the Western Continent.

"No… it can't be."

If the report was accurate, then Accel's mother was a noble who had vanished years ago. She had left behind her family and seemingly abandoned her noble roots, marrying into an ordinary man in the Central Continent.

Why?

What is the reason?

More importantly—do her son knows about her past?

The Margrave had no answers, but one thing was clear: this development had changed everything. If Accel's mother truly descended from a noble house, then granting him Squirehood was only the beginning. He would need to investigate further.

Meanwhile, Accel remained completely oblivious to the storm of intrigue brewing around him. He was too busy trying to navigate his unintended rise in fame, unaware that his mother's past had now caught up with him, and the misunderstandings were about to reach an entirely new level.