Path of Knowledge: A Gamble of Fate

Everything Was Perfect

The conditions were ideal.

Sirone was a lowborn commoner who could be discarded at any time, yet he was intelligent and deeply filial—a rare combination.

Feeling that his efforts had finally paid off, Temuran turned away.

"I'll come back for you in a week. If you change your mind before then, you're free to refuse. But remember—once you enter the mansion, you won't be able to leave until the work is finished."

Temuran walked out alone. Normally, he would have instructed his men to check on the family as well, but he wasn't in the mood.

A Priceless Opportunity (2)

Vincent grabbed Sirone by the shoulders, his voice shaking with urgency.

"Sirone! Why did you agree to this? This is far too dangerous! No, this is my fault—I was too ignorant! Let's refuse, now!"

"It's okay, Dad. As long as I don't leak any information, there won't be a problem."

"It's not that simple! In a world run by people, secrets don't stay hidden. This is madness! I won't allow it—I'll refuse on your behalf!"

Sirone shook his head.

He was grateful to have such caring parents.

"Father."

It was the first time he had ever addressed Vincent so formally.

Vincent froze, stunned. But what truly shook him was the sight of tears streaming down Sirone's face.

"S-Sirone…"

"Thank you."

Sirone spread his arms wide, beaming.

"You've given me the greatest gift in the world."

"Hngh…!"

Vincent broke down in tears, forgetting all sense of dignity.

Had he ever seen his son look so overjoyed before?

"Don't worry, Sirone! No matter what happens, I'll protect you! Just do your best—I'll make sure nothing happens to you!"

"I will, Dad. I promise."

"That's my boy! My treasure!"

As father and son embraced, Sirone's mother, Olina, wiped away her own tears of happiness.

One Week Later

The house stewards of the Ozendt family arrived to escort Sirone.

Though the task would take over two years to complete, Sirone, who had lived a humble life, packed everything he owned into a single backpack.

As part of the agreement, Temuran promised to pay the family 20 gold per month.

Considering their entire household had previously survived on just 4 gold a month, it was an enormous sum for a hunter like Vincent.

Would the house look a little more luxurious when he returned?

Sirone knew his parents' frugality well, but he still allowed himself the fleeting pleasure of the thought, using it to push aside his lingering sadness.

The stewards efficiently finalized the contract, and before Vincent could properly say goodbye, his son was already boarding the carriage.

'This is it.'

Despite his worries, Sirone felt unexpectedly calm.

He had hidden it from his parents, but from now on, he couldn't afford to be ruled by emotion—only cold, rational judgment would carry him through.

Activating his Spirit Zone, he sensed his parents' lingering anxiety.

'Don't worry.'

As the thought fully formed in his mind, Vincent and Olina were suddenly overwhelmed with warmth, as if their hearts were being embraced.

"…Sirone."

It wasn't magic.

It was simply their son's sincerity reaching them.

"Move out!"

The carriage jolted forward. The impact knocked Sirone out of the Spirit Zone, but he kept his eyes closed.

'Stay focused.'

Entering the Ozendt family estate was both the greatest opportunity and the greatest risk of his life—a double-edged sword.

For the next two years, he would be surrounded by people of immense power.

Could he survive?

'Stay sharp.'

Surrendering himself to the unknown future, Sirone dove back into the Spirit Zone.

The Ozendt Family

The Ozendt family was a prestigious martial house, known for producing warriors of the highest caliber.

"The head of the family, Lord Ozendt Bischoff, is a certified Rank 4 knight—a title officially recognized by the state. He currently serves as the military commander of Creas City. In other words, he's the true power behind this city's military forces."

Sirone listened as the steward explained while their carriage approached the estate's grand entrance.

"Whoa."

A massive road ran through the heart of the enormous mansion, stretching forward like a streak of lightning.

'The Great Main Road of the Ozendt family…'

Completely unobstructed, the road itself was a statement of the family's values—direct, unyielding, and formidable.

"Heh, feeling intimidated? Don't be. The people inside are even scarier."

"Watch your tongue. Unless you want to lose your head," a senior steward snapped.

The younger steward grumbled but fell silent as they proceeded toward the gate.

"Follow me."

The Great Main Road was not for servants.

Instead, Sirone was led along a garden path that bypassed the mansion.

The servants' quarters were housed in a four-story circular building. Inside, they met Temuran in his office.

"You're here. I'll explain your job—follow me."

"Yes, sir. I'll do my best."

Temuran didn't even acknowledge the greeting, simply grabbing a thick stack of documents and heading toward the library.

As the old iron doors creaked open, Sirone's breath caught in his throat.

He had dreamed of this moment.

A world of books.

Shelves stretched from the first floor to the fourth, packed with countless volumes.

"Whew."

The scent of paper filled the air as Sirone clenched his fists.

It was worth risking his life.

"All of these books will be transferred to the new library. Your job is to organize and catalog them. Every week, you'll receive a list of books to collect and set aside. Work hours are from 9 AM to 6 PM. Outside of those hours, you're free to do as you wish—except you cannot leave the mansion, and you are not allowed inside the main estate unless instructed. The other stewards will teach you the household rules. Understood?"

"Yes. When do I start?"

"Tomorrow. For today, unpack and rest. Use the time to memorize the house rules."

The Work Begins

From the next day, Sirone officially started working in the library.

It didn't take long to understand why they had assigned just one person to this task.

The documents Temuran provided listed hundreds of book titles, but the categorization was subjective.

For example, should The History of Swordsmanship be classified as a history book or a swordsmanship manual?

'Temuran already set the main guidelines. As long as I stay consistent with my own system, I should be fine.'

Sirone devised a personal classification method: history was broad, while swordsmanship was specialized, so The History of Swordsmanship went under swordsmanship.

It took two full weeks just to establish a system.

Even this process was valuable.

He realized that all knowledge was interconnected.

The work became smoother, and soon he could meet his daily quotas with ease.

A Bigger Plan

'Time to start reading.'

With access to this vast collection, Sirone couldn't afford to waste time.

But there were 10,000 books.

Even with nearly two years, reading them all was impossible.

'Should I just read randomly?'

Then, an idea struck him.

"That's it!"

Since knowledge was connected, the most efficient approach was to focus on one field first and expand from there.

'What should I start with?'

After much thought, a grin formed on Sirone's lips.

"History."

History was the backbone of knowledge.

Everything—religion, science, magic, mythology, literature, politics, war, and economics—was recorded in chronological order.

By understanding history, learning everything else would become easier.

The library contained 850 history books.

Sirone made his decision.

'I'll read all 850 in two years.'

He was going to build the backbone of knowledge.

And so, his real studies began.