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Chapter 41

Did my eldest senior brother come to this world before me? Or was this not “the world I knew” but instead “a different world that is very similar to the world I knew”?

Does this fact have any relation to the “forgotten age”?

Martial God, did you also see my master?

[...As I thought, you did meet with Baek Nogwang.]

“As I thought”?

[I couldn’t see him. Until just now, I was asleep.]

Then what did you mean by “as I thought”?

[I felt it.]

Pardon?

[...]

The Martial God didn’t answer me.

It didn’t seem like he’d fallen asleep again. It was more like he was deep in thought this time.

I spent the remaining time with complicated emotions brewing within me...

“...With that, the Blessing Ceremony will conclude.”

With new questions to look into, the Blessing Ceremony ended.

***

After the Blessing Ceremony, only the final banquet remained. Tables were set up everywhere, including the entirety of the hall on the first floor and even the rose garden.

Since it was the last banquet, a large feast was prepared.

Although the day was over, the garden was bright.

It wasn’t because the moon was particularly bright tonight, there were simply many lamps around the area.

Maybe it was because of the martial arts I’d learned, but I didn’t really like artificial lighting. As a result, I ended up sitting alone in a corner where there was nearly no light.

I wanted to go back to my room to rest because I had a lot to think about, but unfortunately, the young heroes were forced to attend the banquet.

Maybe it was natural since we were the main characters today.

Still, the food is great.

As I sat there shoveling food into my mouth, a familiar person approached me.

“Luan, you were here!”

It was my mother.

Arzan and Kayan were flanking her, and just looking at them filled me with pride.

“Why are you sitting in a corner like this? It took me so long to find you.”

Unlike how she usually spoke, there was warmth and emotion in her words. My mother sometimes showed this side of herself when her composure was disturbed. 

Well, she did look a little excited.

“It’s good because it’s quiet. More importantly, did something happen?”

“This boy, I’m here to congratulate you!”

“Congratulate me?”

“You received a blessing!”

I laughed as I looked at my mother.

“Yeah.”

“It’s amazing!”

“Still, it’s just one blessing.”

“There are countless heroes who left their mark on history with just one blessing! Like Hyde of the Swamp, or Sir Valter from my hometown, or the one called the Strongest Ranger, or even one of the imperial knight captains, Sir Steel Sword Ehiri...”

I listened as my mother talked, waiting for her to calm down.

Soon, after she’d calmed somewhat, she took a sip of water before continuing, “I got too excited. So, Luan, what blessing did you receive?”

“I don’t know.”

“Eh?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“...”

I still didn’t know what blessing I had received.

I heard that one instinctively understood any blessings they received, but I didn’t feel anything like that.

“That’s...”

My mother seemed speechless for a second, but she immediately schooled her expression.

“That’s... the first time I’ve heard something like that, ehm. It could be an incredible blessing that takes some time for you to completely understand...”

“It’s fine, mother. The blessing is just a bonus for me.”

“...Really?”

“Still, I’m thinking of hiding this fact for now.”

It wouldn’t be particularly odd for me to hide my blessing. Of the Lord of Blood and Iron’s 21 blessings, only 10 were known.

Of course, there were some blessings one couldn’t hide, but hiding a blessing wasn’t suspicious at all.

My mother let out a sigh of relief.

“Okay. that might be easier for you.”

Seeing her reaction, she might have intended to advise me to hide my blessing if I hadn’t said it first.

“Luan, come here for a moment.”

“Why? Do you have apple juice?”

For reference, apple juice was my favorite drink.

“The grand masters are gathered over there.”

Grand masters?

I glanced in the direction my mother was gesturing.

There were a lot of people there, unlike the other areas.

“Eight of the ten grand masters attended the banquet. Since this is the last day, they must want to see the level of the young heroes,” Mother said with some excitement. “How about going there and introducing yourself? Since you received a blessing as well, you’re a respectable hero.”

“I’m fine.”

“Why?”

I blanked out at that question, but I soon found a reasonable excuse.

“The Instructor of Blade and Swords isn’t there. I don’t want anyone other than him.”

“Ah... You did like Sir Calzark the most.”

My mother seemed a little disappointed, but she didn’t pursue the topic any further. Rather, it looked like she intended to go there on her own.

“...”

I gestured with my chin at Kayan and Arzan. The two of them simultaneously bowed their heads slightly.

If both of them were with her, nothing annoying should happen.

After being left alone, I took a look around the garden and regularly sipped my drink to keep myself busy.

It’s about time I get a reaction...

Today was officially the final day of the Blessing Ceremony.

Depending on the choices of the young heroes, they could stay at the main house of Bednicker to receive training like how to use their blessings.

But that was their choice.

In truth, the group could be separated in two: those who were going to go home and those who were going to stay.

Thus, if anyone wanted to kill me, they would need to do something now. They couldn’t know whether I would remain at the main house or leave it.

* * * * *

* * * * *

At this moment, I caught a glimpse of someone with a deep hood over their face, but they quickly disappeared from my vision.

Hmm?

I instantly became suspicious of them as I looked around the garden for a while... and that person eventually revealed themself again.

I saw them a bit more clearly this time. I saw the hair that flowed out of their deep hood.

White hair...? No.

Silver hair.

Considering the form under the hood and the uncommon hair color, I naturally could only think of one person.

Sellen Goodspring.

I’m pretty sure she didn’t come to the banquet because her condition wasn’t good, or so she said.

I’d heard that sometimes, when someone received many blessings at once, they experienced intense stress on their body and mind.

But why was someone who should be resting in her room out here?

Perhaps she had changed her mind or her condition had improved... but I didn’t think either of those was the case.

Looking at Sellen again, I could tell she was trying to hide herself as much as possible.

She was moving so secretively that if I hadn’t been staring off into this corner of the garden for no reason, I wouldn’t have even noticed her.

In any case, it didn’t look like she expected to be seen by someone here...

While I was watching her, she disappeared into the darkness beyond the back garden.

“...”

In truth, Sellen was a possible mastermind.

Although I’d never felt any hostility from her, Sellen was a member of House Goodspring, the eternal rivals of House Bednicker.

Regardless, Sellen had become the main character of this banquet... In the end, no one had received as many blessings as her.

There’s nowhere beyond the back garden that she should be going.

Since I had lived in the main house for some time, I knew its general layout. I also knew the places that absolutely should not be entered.

Crunch.

I ate the remaining ice in the glass and rose from my seat.

***

After walking through House Bednicker’s back garden for a while, one would reach a tall fence.

It was a fence with a rose bush messily climbing all over it. I had heard that there were unused training grounds beyond it.

Entry was currently forbidden.

I hadn’t been there either.

Anyway, as I quietly chased after Sellen, she jumped the entire fence at once.

...

My suspicions about her started to grow.

For what reason was the third daughter of House Goodspring, which possessed a good reputation, jumping the fence of a different House without hesitation?

I heard her land on the other side, and I waited for her footsteps to fade a little before jumping the fence myself.

In an instant, the area became quiet, as if the sounds of the banquet had been but a dream.

The ground beyond the fence was covered with dead grass and dried leaves that would crumble if one stepped on them.

It’s winter now.

Were these grounds unmanaged because this was a forbidden area? But this was still within the bounds of the main house.

Even as I felt that something about all this was off, I paid particularly close attention to my steps. The dried leaves would create loud sounds if I touched them even a little.

In any case, my pursuit ended not long after.

Sellen stood in the middle of the shabby training ground and called out with a cold voice, “Come out.”

“...”

It was natural for one to feel their heart drop when they heard that, but I didn’t get scared. I was confident in my stalking skills.

More importantly, Sellen’s attention was in the opposite direction from me.

Crunch.

As expected, a presence showed itself on the other side of Sellen.

Who is it?

A familiar face appeared.

So that man...

It’s that person from yesterday.

Hariba of House Garcia.

For some reason, he looked a bit sinister.

Although he usually looked sinister, he looked about twice as sinister right now.

The environment was probably playing into that as well.

“You’re here, Sellen.”

“...”

“Sorry.”

Hariba suddenly fell to his knees on the spot.

What’s he up to?

“I’m really, really sorry...”

What the hell?

Hariba started to bawl like a kid as he sat on the ground.

“But it’s still fine, my Sellen.”

This unforeseen situation had me speechless. My mental question mark became even bolder as I listened to what he said next.

“I’ll definitely kill Luan Bednicker.”