The Martin Family

"Look over there!" someone exclaimed.

"What the...?! Who's climbing the Guardian Tower?!" The servants, mages, and guards of the Martin family all stared in one direction.

The astonishing sight was not just that someone was climbing the tower, but that it was Jed Arhan.

People were bewildered, unsure what to make of this.

"We should report this to the head of the family. If something happens..."

"We already know. We've been ordered not to assist him, so let's not make a fuss."

The butler appeared, and the servants bowed, their eyes still darting towards the tower.

Jed had already reached the middle section and looked precarious, but he showed no signs of tension.

"If only there weren't these restraints, this would be nothing," he thought. His hands were not free, so he focused a bit more.

The Guardian Tower was made of mana stones, with many uneven surfaces providing ample handholds.

"It's just like rock climbing," Jed mused. For mages, this might be a punishment, but for him, it was a reward. Rock climbing was excellent for training the core, arms, shoulders, and legs.

Lately, he hadn't had much time to exercise, so this was a valuable opportunity.

He wished he could climb the tower until the next day's gate transfer.

"Hmm..."

Until now, his climbing process involved releasing his hands and using his lower body strength to push himself up quickly to grab the next hold. With his hands bound by restraints, he had to release one to grab the next.

Jed gazed at a distant hold and let out a faint hum.

"This one will be quite dangerous. I need to focus."

He would have to jump to reach it.

Jed tensed his legs.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed as he sprang upward like a frog.

The people below gasped in shock, followed by sighs of relief.

Jed ignored them and looked for the next point.

"That guy is...!"

Silia arrived late, staring at Jed, who had already climbed more than two-thirds of the tower.

She was amazed by his audacity.

"I never thought he'd dare do something so reckless!"

If he fell, what would happen?

Although she was certain Arhan wouldn't be involved, she couldn't shake off her anxiety.

"What if something goes wrong...?"

Since the head of the family had ordered no assistance, Silia could only stand by.

"Almost there! He's really going to make it!"

The onlookers' emotions were unanimous. Initially, they thought Jed was crazy, but by the middle, they were sweating with tension, and now they were cheering him on.

"It's incredible! Only someone from Arhan could do this!"

The news reached Lumard, who rushed outside without even changing his shoes.

He saw Jed nearing the top and shook his head in disbelief.

"This madman...!"

Mages typically don't engage in physical training, relying on mana instead.

Even Lumard, a ninth-circle mage, wouldn't have imagined climbing the tower without mana, especially with his hands bound.

"He's reached the top! Jed Arhan has conquered it!"

The servants applauded and whistled, unaware of their lord's discomfort.

Jed sat at the top, waving in response, and the cheers grew louder. It was hard to tell if this was Martin or Arhan territory.

"Ugh..." Lumard revealed his displeasure.

Everyone trembled at the intensity of his aura, even as they watched Jed begin his descent.

Lumard silently observed the bold young Arhan.

"Was it genuine, not just bravado...?"

Climbing the Guardian Tower wasn't meant as a punishment but as a symbolic act of reflection under the guardian of the family's estate.

No one in Martin's history had ever done this.

For mages, mana was their eyes, ears, arms, and legs.

Finally, Jed descended and brushed off his hands, seemingly unbothered.

Lumard felt as if Martin had been conquered by the young Arhan.

"I've completed the punishment. I hope you won't hold my past mistakes against me."

"What is your true identity?"

"I am Jed, the Seventh Lord of the Arhan family."

"No, I'm asking about your real nature."

Jed knelt on one knee and looked at Lumard.

What was he being asked?

After a moment, Jed slowly opened his mouth.

------

"The magician aiming to become the empire's strongest, and the future heir of Arhan seeking an alliance with the Martin family," I said.

"Preposterous!"

Lumard raised his hands, seemingly impressed by Jed's audacity. It was believable, given that Jed had achieved the impossible by climbing Martin's supposedly impassable defensive tower.

"...You win. I can't take it anymore," Lumard said, releasing Jed from his restraints.

Jed smiled lightly as a gesture of gratitude.

Soon, lunch was served. Silvia sat to Lumard's right, and I sat to his left. The table, as large as a sports field, was laden with food, and it looked like the legs might buckle under the weight.

"You like Vertisan beef, don't you? I had it rushed over, so I hope it meets your taste," Lumard said.

"Just by looking, I can tell it's top-grade," I replied.

"Eat as much as you want. You've had a long day," Lumard added.

It wasn't a long day, but I could climb the tower ten more times if Lumard allowed it. However, the tower was a sacred object protecting the family, so treating it lightly would be impolite.

"You're really impressive. I never thought you'd actually climb it," Silvia said.

"Wasn't it scary?"

"It was fun," I replied.

Silvia smiled awkwardly, probably thinking I was boasting again. But I was genuinely sincere. Men are creatures that enjoy thrills, and with exercise involved, it was even more enjoyable.

"Bring more beef. It looks like it won't be enough," I said.

"Yes, Lord," the servant replied.

Lumard and Silvia exchanged strange glances, but I didn't care. Before the finest Vertisan beef, other people's opinions didn't matter.

"Bring everything," I said.

"Yes, Lord," the servant replied again.

Lumard and Silvia's expressions grew even more peculiar.

"Is that enough?" Lumard asked.

"It's just right," I replied.

"Right...? Hmph. Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it," Lumard said.

The empty plates were cleared, and steaming hot tea was served. The aroma was so enticing that it made me sniff appreciatively.

Lumard looked around, seemingly aware of potential Black Guard members.

"There's just the three of us here," he said.

"Do you have something to say?"

"I do. You mentioned wanting an alliance with Martin earlier. Is that truly sincere?"

"Yes, it is. If I become the head of Arhan, I will form an alliance with Martin," I replied.

Lumard looked puzzled and asked, "Why? Arhan has never formed an alliance before."

"I believe that eventually, the imperial families must unite. Not just with Martin, but with several families, if they are worthy," I explained.

"Why do you think they need to unite?"

The real reason was the emperor, but I couldn't say that directly. The current emperor was revered by all.

However, Lumard seemed to see right through me.

"Is it because of the emperor?"

"?"

"Don't be surprised. Arhan has always sought to surpass the emperor. If they unite, it would be for that reason alone," Lumard said.

"If it's to fight against the emperor... would you really oppose the alliance for that reason?"

Lumard didn't respond and simply sipped his tea.

As an imperial subject, the idea of rebelling against the emperor was unimaginable. The emperor was powerful, but the bigger issue was the lack of justification. If anyone rebelled against the revered emperor, few families would support them. Perhaps none would, except for Arhan, and even within Arhan, opinions would be divided.

The cunning and intelligent emperor had maintained his benevolent ruler image for the same reason.

"Jed Arhan," Lumard said, breaking the silence.

He nodded to Silvia, who produced a thick bundle of documents.

"My daughter told me you visited the black dragon statue and wanted to see the records from that day," Lumard said.

"...Will you show them to me?"

"Sharing family records with outsiders goes against our laws. However, I want to hear your judgment. After reading the records, speak about the emperor," Lumard replied.

"Does this mean the black dragon's appearance 500 years ago is related to the emperor?"

"See for yourself," Lumard said.

Silvia opened the marked pages, revealing the records of the black dragon.

[September 27, 511, the black dragon appeared in the central square of Vidente. Its body was larger than any family's mansion, covering the sky and blocking the sun.] [Its claws and teeth were incredibly sharp, shining brightly, with a scar on the right wing joint and its left eye closed.] [People knelt and bowed, and the dragon roared loudly before flying back into the sky.]

"Hmm," I murmured.

The records ended there. I closed the document and asked Lumard, "I don't see anything about the emperor."

"The scar," Lumard replied.

"Yes?"

Lumard showed me another document, this time with illustrations rather than text. It depicted various types of scars.

I examined it closely and fixed my gaze on one.

"What is this?"

"This is what the Martin family has secretly investigated. Like magic, swords leave traces. The scar on the black dragon's wing joint is from the emperor's sword," Lumard explained.

"Then, could it be...?"

"This is what we've found. The black dragon, which supposedly died with Temud in the First Great War 950 years ago, appeared here 500 years ago. This means the black dragon didn't die. And there's a scar from the emperor's sword on its body."

Suddenly, a realization struck me.

If this were true, the black dragon and Temud might have...

"...Did they succeed in killing Temud but not the black dragon?"

"We can't jump to conclusions yet, but I think the same," Lumard said.

"Amazing... really," I said.

"We believed Arhan's hatred for the emperor stemmed from this. Arhan wouldn't be unaware of what Martin knows," Lumard added.

Arhan's secret.

Perhaps I've found a clue.