Chapter 24

Kkiiiig.

He passed the gates of the Jevarsch and entered the chapel.

It was late at night, but there was a man in the chapel, with his back to the moonlight entering from the door.

“The chapel’s door was still open this late at night.”

Seok.

He finally saw the man, who’d turned around, face to face.

Despite wearing a noble attire and an easy smile on his face, that strong physique couldn’t be covered up.

Bernard’s eyebrows twitched for a moment as if in annoyance, but only for a moment.

“The bosom of God is always open. But why is the next successor of Jervain here at this late hour?”

The man was the adopted son of Count Jervain, often mentioned as the next head of the household, who’d come back from the border.

Callavan von Jervain.

Apart from the current Patriarch, he was the highest authority within the Jervain family.

“Bernard. I want you to join us on the Wheel.”

He said that he wanted to participate together in the upcoming hunting competition, Patalite’s Wheel.

The breeding season was approaching, and soon there would be war against the beasts flooding in.

The hunt needed to happen before that occurred.

“Didn’t I tell you last time? Callavan. The Lord asked me to protect Jevarsch.”

“Father is really being unkind. To keep a Paladin like you cooped up inside the castle.”

“Even if an old man goes and wields his sword, how long can he keep it up? I’d be lucky to not get swept away by the Wheel.”

Bernard waved his hand and laughed.

However, Callavan made a sour face as if he wasn’t going to give up easily.

“Bernard. As you know, I have to prove myself on this Patalite’s Wheel. And I have to show my son and daughter that they need to not be ashamed of their father.”

“Sounds possible enough.”

“No. It isn’t.”

Callavan asserted.

“This time the Patalite’s Wheel will be very different from the previous ones.”

“… How can you be so sure?”

At Bernard’s question, Callavan only gave a meaningful smile.

“Emily. I heard you spend a lot of time with her.”

“She’s a cute kid.”

“Jervain is quite cruel to its own bloodline. Don’t lions have a habit of dropping their cubs down a cliff?”

“What do you want to say?”

“Come with me. Otherwise, Emily might… die on the Wheel.”

“… Are you threatening me now!”

“No, nothing like that. How can I threaten Bernard-sama? I was just stating the truth. You don’t know. Emily is a from the main branch of the family. It’s true even for the collateral branch, but the main branch is even more cruel to its children.”

Emily von Jervain.

The child, who descended from the direct blood lineage, was going to participate in Patalite’s Wheel.

Lonely and alone[1], with nobody to rely on.

“She is a pitiful child. Without a mother or father, without a single person to support. Not only that, her divine blood is blocked, and yet, as Jervain’s direct descendant, she has to bear the Wheel… It’s pitiful.”

Bernard swallowed his saliva.

Everything Callavan said was true.

Emily.

The child was a direct descendant of Jervain, but had no parents.

Therefore, she found the envy and jealousy surrounding her within the family difficult to bear, and was in a situation where she did not know when she could be bitten by the vortex of the family’s internal power struggle.

‘Only if she had no talent.’

Contrary to the fact that her divine blood was blocked, her talent for swordsmanship was outstanding.

The Jervain family, known as a family of master swordsmen, could not easily give up on Emily, even if her divine blood was blocked.

That’s how unique Emily’s talent was.

“But if Bernard is with me, I will keep Emily in my arms and not let her be swept away by the Wheel.”

Callavan, the Patriarch’s successor.

He had the power and ability to do what he promised.

Although he hesitated a little, after a while Bernard shook his head.

“This must also be God’s will.”

“Hmm… I’m sorry to hear that, but we still have plenty of time. If you change your mind in the meantime, please let me know.”

Kkiiiig, kuung.

It wasn’t until Callavan disappeared that Bernard clicked his tongue.

“He’s like a snake.”

Rather than a guy like that –

Bernard thought of another who happened to be particularly obsessed with his sword.

A few days later.

[Patalite’s Wheel]

From your destiny flows the fate of death that covers you like a shadow.

Survive.

<Reward> [???]

“Hmm… is this the start?”

As I looked at the quest inside my room, my eyes stopped for a while on the reward.

Patalite’s Wheel.

「Main Quest」

It started as expected.

“The preparations are in progress. So I just need to face this calmly.”

It was marked with question marks, but I roughly knew the rewards.

If a quest appears on the Pilgrim’s Path and the reward is a question mark, it implies one thing.

‘Flexible.’

Compensation is flexible depending on the situation.

There would be a quest completion level.

From S grade, to F.

The reward varies according to the level.

Thanks to that, I can’t be sure exactly what is going to happen, but…

The main storyline was conceived by me.

There isn’t much to take extra note of.

“If I can quickly turn Loas into a Spirit Sword…”

I can become stronger than I am now, and take over Rakan from Bernard.

And if I can strengthen Rakan further, then go to Dexter to unlock its potential, there will be nothing to be afraid of.

“What is Patalite’s Wheel?”

A quest where a swarm of demonic beasts appear, hungering for nutrients during the breeding season.

It’s a simple quest where you have to go into the White Forest and hunt the beasts in advance, but… Wouldn’t it be great if everything in the world was as simple as that?

This quest is the starting point.

After the North collapses, all the high-ranking nobles of Carpe scamper to sell off their own country and scarper off to the Empire.

The North’s collapse becomes a signal for those bastards who’ve been quiet for so long, and they seize the opportunity to gang up with the Empire and devour the nation.

The country was already in ruins, but the North’s collapse signifies a disastrous loss of support for Carpe.

The collapse of the Jervain family in the North, the symbol of Carpe, is the harbinger of its final downfall.

And what begins that spiral is the failure of this quest.

Tok, tok.

As the sound of a knock disturbed my thoughts, I grabbed Loas which had been by the bed.

Although the sword was broken in half from the middle, Loas can regenerate like a lizard’s tail when fed with blood.

In that respect, should I say it’s useful, or disgusting?

“Who is it?”

“It’s Bruns, master.”

“Come in.”

Kkikikik.

The door opened, but I did not let go of the sword. It had been quite a while since I learned the Six Peak Flowers technique, and developed sharper and more perceptive senses.

The door opened and Bruns came in, somebody hiding behind him. It was impossible for me to not sense it.

“I, master…”

“You pathetic bastard.”

Bruns was crying with his hands raised.

There was a girl aiming a sword behind him.

“What could little miss Jervain be doing in this kind of a shabby place?”

Emily von Jervain.

A young girl with black hair and gray eyes. A child holding an old-fashioned double-edged rapier[2] as if it fit her naturally.

Emily looked at me with a straight gaze and opened her mouth.

“Grandpa told me. That you bastard will go to the hunt with me.”

“… I see. What does that have to do with threatening my servant?”

“It’s a test. Of course, this servant that looks like a smashed potato is disqualified.”

“Who’s a smashed potato! Heeik!“

Bruns, who had been about to refute, raised his hand even higher at the sharp prod in the back.

“You’re being threatened by a kid like that… How useless.”

“I, master…! Save me!”

I shook my head.

“So. Am I disqualified?”

“I’m going to test that now.”

“How are you going to test…”

Just as I was about to say that, Emily’s rapier pierced the gap between us.

Quick like the lightning.

Arm outstretched.

Lower body firmly stretched out to exert the maximum possible force.

All of that combined to create a sharp sting that could not be expected from a child.

Swiiik!

Teok.

“You’re cheeky.”

I pinched the tip of Emily’s rapier between my index and thumb. This level should have been enough for the bandits. If only the divine blood hadn’t been blocked, that stab would been something unsurpassable at that age.

‘You have talent.’

She was a smart and clever child, but she also had an extreme talent in swordsmanship.

She wasn’t any worse than ordinary Knights who didn’t have divine power.

“So says the scapegrace!”

In that instant, Emily’s form seemed to disappear.

“Better than Bruns.”

As soon as her sword was caught, Emily released it and turned her body to land a roundhouse kick at my temple.

It was an amazing demonstration of agility and jumping ability.

Teok!

However, no matter how much she had trained his body, she was still a child.

Her strength did not surpass that gap.

I lightly grabbed Emily’s foot with my left hand and lifted it up, and threw the blushing child away.

Thud –!

“You cheeky –!”

“It’s not me who’s cheeky, it’s you. Did you try to test me with just that level of skill?”

Was that too much? Why are you so sad, that I’m seeing those fat teardrops again?

“… Am I the one in the wrong?”

“Yeah, you kind of are.”

No, no.

This is not my fault.

“This is your fault.”

“Why is it my fault!?”

“You brought her with you.”

“… Then I’ll go. I’ll go bring you two some tea.”

So you’re running away?

Bruns ran away, and there was silence in the room. Also, children were annoying.

A suffocating silence ensued.

After a while.

Emily, who secretly wiped the corners of her eyes, said as she sat on the bed pretending to be okay.

“Fine. It’s alright for a scapegrace. I’ll allow you to accompany me.”

“… It doesn’t depend on you allowing it. I’m doing it at Bernard’s request, not because you’re cute or something.”

“Hey, I don’t want to be escorted by a nanny either.”

“Then you go tell Bernard. That you don’t need an escort.”

“…”

But for some reason, Emily didn’t open her mouth any further. Why did Bernard ask Emily to participate in the Patalite’s Wheel anyway?

‘Let’s just say no now.’

No.

There’s no way that’s going to work.

Then, what is the reason?

As I pondered slowly, the answer came unexpectedly easy.

“Are you being bullied by others in the family?”

Jervain’s children are considered adults when they turn 12.

It’s not that they suddenly start being considered as an adult, but by hunting the northern beasts, they announce that they have become adults.

Those who inherit the blood of Jervain must learn how to hunt monsters when they reach the age of 12.

To prove themselves in that crucible.

For Jervain, hunting beasts is an important matter that can be called a long-cherished dream.

The same goes for Emily.

However, Jervain is not crazy enough to push a 12-year-old child into the White Forest alone.

With so many magical beasts there, how could they dare do such a dangerous thing?

The principle is to attach the Knights of the family and organize a kind of party to act.

Of course, it is natural that there is a difference in power even within the family, so if you don’t have your own influence, the combat power you can gather is less.

It depends on the number of vassals following you.

The number of Knights is bound to be small.

And maybe for Emily… It is clear that she would have even fewer Knights than that.

Otherwise, Bernard, who clearly knew who I was, would have never made me do this.

As if trying to stab me again, Emily’s eyes started a little sharply at me.

“They’re all just scared of me. I’m pretty, smart, and I’m good at swordsmanship.”

So that’s the answer.

“You don’t have parents?”

“… I must prove myself in this hunting contest, otherwise… I will be killed.”

Wait, what.

“Killed. What do you mean?”

“The man who will be the next head. Callavan von Jervain, will kill me.”

“… Are you talking about that collateral branch who was adopted?”

“Yeah.”

“Why will the man who will become the next head kill you? It’s not like you’ve inherited the bloodline of the main branch.”

As I said that, Emily shut her mouth tightly.

“… Are you a direct descendant?”

Emily nodded her head.

Callius’ brows narrowed.

As far as he knew, there were two direct descendants of the current Patriarch.

Callius, who had been expelled from the family.

And Callius’ sister, Elysse von Jervain.

‘Is she Elysse’s daughter?’

But that wasn’t possible.

Callius’ younger sister, Elysse, was already not in the Jervain’s domain, and it was unlikely that she would have had a child.

Then all that was left was Callius.

‘I am twenty-six years old.’

Then I would have had to have an accident when I was only 14 years old.

That doesn’t make a lick of sense.

“No way.”

Then there’s only one possibility left.

“Are you the Count’s child?”

Emily, who had turned her head as if she was sulking, nodded quietly.

Editor’s Notes:

[1] 혈혈단신 (lit. single blood) means someone alone and with nobody to rely on.

[2] 세검 (lit. three sword) is similar to a rapier with both edges, so that’s how we are translating this.