《Reborn as the Spirit King》 Chapter 0 - Prologue Prologue Awaken! As dim light slowly grew from the horizon, the shadow of a person quickly raised itself up from the bed. It looked at its surroundings with a look of shock in its eyes. ¡°Wh, what¡¯s this? What is this place?¡± The face of a man could be seen with perplexity engraved in his face. He was completely unfamiliar with his current surrounding. Then, he recalled his last memory. He remembered the pain and death that had crept up on him, yet, his body was strangely in good shape. If anything, his mind and body felt much more refreshed than he had ever felt before. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I died. Ah, was it all just a dream?¡± Slap! Thinking this was all a lucid dream, the man used his own hands to slap himself in the face. It was all for the sake of figuring out if he was currently dreaming. However, the distinct pain that he felt on his cheeks showed that this was reality and not a dream. ¡°What is this¡­¡± The man stared with a blank expression as the burning sensation continued to mask his cheeks. He couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. However, the pain coming from his cheeks and the distinct sound of birds coming from outside showed that this was reality. At that moment, the man¡¯s head began to throb. ¡°Ugh!¡± As prickly pain ran through the man¡¯s head, a numerous amount of memories rushed inside like a bolt out of the blue. From the clothes he wore, to the memories of being on the bed, everything rushed in at once. ¡°No way..¡± It wasn¡¯t often but this was something that occurred even on Earth, so it wasn¡¯t too surprising. However, there was something else the man was even more surprised with. He was able to firmly confirm he wasn¡¯t on Earth, and the owner of the body he was currently in was very similar to him. The man slowly got up from the bed and walked towards the mirror that was placed against the wall. ¡°How did this happen? Even if dimensional shifts are possible, why me?¡± The man continued to stare at himself with a blank face. No matter how he thought, this was way too shocking. He was born with absolutely nothing and never even thought of wanting to go through a dimensional shift. He was just a simple man who loved reading web novels. ¡°So why did this happen to me. I just wanted to die in peace.¡± Mumbled the man, as he stared at the body that was 90% similar to his own from when he was on Earth. The more he thought about it, the more absurd everything seemed. And, this was something he wanted to ask someone. Ask them why they¡¯re doing something like this to him. However, no matter how much the man spoke to himself and laughed in remorse, nothing changed. The only difference was that the sky got brighter. ¡°This is crazy. There¡¯s supposed to be a cause and effect for everything.¡± Unable to contain it any further, the man scratched his head. As he did, an innocent strand of hair fell to the ground. And, at the same time, he recalled a few memories. Memories of the original owner of the body. ¡°Name is Jade, age is 21, and occupation is Hunter.¡± As the man recalled more of these memories, his head began to hurt again. However, the pain he was feeling was tolerable, so he (aka Jade) continued to remember. ¡°And, he is the bastard child of Baron Leon.¡± Remembering one of the worst memories out of all the memories in his head, Jade¡¯s face became stiff. He was able to figure out that his current situation wasn¡¯t too great. ¡°I need to leave.¡± He had lived his life to be as silent as death, but there was no chance that he would be able to continue living like that. If the baron¡¯s heir found out of his existence, Jade was sure he would try and kill him with any means necessary. He wouldn¡¯t want to leave even a little bit of their royal genes with anyone outside of their family. The situation would¡¯ve been a little better if he had another sibling, but that wasn¡¯t the case as he was an only child. ¡°Why was I given such a shitty body. There must have been plenty of other options out there for me.¡± Mumbled Jade. He was already annoyed for being placed in this new world, but he was even more annoyed that he had to live like a fly ¨C unaware of when he was going to die. But, this wasn¡¯t the time to be annoyed. There was a backpack packed and ready to go on one side of the room ¨C as if the original owner of the body was ready to leave at any time. ¡°Should I be relieved that I have a place to run away to? Of course, even if I do, it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll be able to live comfortably without worry.¡± Looking through the room, Jade quickly found food to take with him. He also found more items that he thought necessary and packed them into his pockets and backpack. Everything around him was still unfamiliar, even with the memories from the original owner, so he only packed the items he knew of. ¡°Heup!¡± His body was very fit because of his job as a Hunter, but the backpack was still too heavy. It was to the point that Jade stumbled as he lifted up the backpack. Finding the balance within his body, Jade slowly walked towards the door. Swish, swish. Jade stopped walking towards the door and scratched his face. His face became itchy as a gentle wind caressed his cheek. However, his hand was now itchy. It felt as if a piece of grass was rubbing up against it. With a frown on his face, Jade turned his head and was shocked to see what it really was. ¡°What the?¡± Swish! Swish! He had turned his head thinking he would find a gnat, but instead found a translucent fairy smiling at him. However, the green colored fairy seemed to be excited at the fact that Jade could see her. She circled around and flew near Jade in a merry way. ¡°Fairy? No, is it a spirit? This is a fantasy like world so it¡¯s not that surprising, but why so suddenly?¡± Jade blinked his eyes as he continued to stare at the spirit that was restlessly flying around him. He was really confused with the current situation. Prologue ¨C End. Chapter 1.1 - Spirit Friends (1) A companion suddenly appeared out of nowhere, but the baffling feeling quickly disappeared. The most important thing right now was survival, so Jade focused his attention to that. Leaving the house, he plucked some of the Gideon grass that was growing around the house like weed. Any Hunter living in the Great Forest knew that the Gideon grass helped erase a human¡¯s scent. ¡°It won¡¯t be perfect, but it¡¯s better than not applying any.¡± Jade quickly applied the Gideon grass onto his body and moved forward. Watching all of this, the spirit named Sylph appeared with a smiling face. Jade named the spirit as such because she reminded him of the lower level wind spirit. She herself even nodded her head as if she liked the name. ¡°I heard lower level spirits didn¡¯t have much of a conscious, yet they were abundant with emotions.¡± Woossh! Woosh!! If Sylph was able to make a sound, she would probably be laughing in an elegant manner. That¡¯s how violently she was flying around Jade. The strange thing was, even with the appearance of a spirit, his body didn¡¯t feel any burden. He remembered it took mana to summon a spirit. ¡®Even from the get-go this was ridiculous. We didn¡¯t even form a contract or anything.¡¯ Spirits didn¡¯t HAVE to form a contract to appear into this world. They were very close to nature itself, so if they met the minimum requirements, they would be able to appear. Spirits and fairies born from this world also had to fulfill certain conditions to crossover to the Spirit Realm. Yet, the strange thing was, he wasn¡¯t in a situation where any of those requirements were met. ¡®Either way, I guess there¡¯s nothing wrong with it. It could just be that my affinity to spirits is super high.¡¯ The original owner of Jade¡¯s body had lived his whole life as a Hunter, yet he had never even seen a spirit in his whole life. There were legends regarding the Great Forest and the evil spirits within, but that was just nonsense to Jade as he wasn¡¯t from this world. However, if his soul really was switched out, then it made sense. Jade (original owner) himself didn¡¯t have an affinity to the spirits, but it was different for someone who had crossed over from another world. ¡®I should stop thinking about this for now. I need to get as far away as I can from this house.¡¯ This place, the continent of Arpedia, was like his original world where strength was the number one key to survival. Especially with how this world was very similar to civilization from the Middle Age. And, in order to gain strength, one first had to survive. ¡®Firstly, I have some things that only I know of and have this spirit with me.¡¯ Mumbled Jade, as he remembered the ability he had from his original world. Although it was a burden to the body, it was quite a useful ability. ¡°Huh?¡± As Jade was moving towards the rising sun, the smiling Sylph grabbed his hair and pulled. She also shook her head with a firm expression. It was as if she was telling him not to go that way. ¡°Don¡¯t go this way?¡± Nod nod! ¡°Why?¡± Rustle. Sylph changed herself into the shape of a little wolf to answer Jade¡¯s question. ¡°There¡¯s a wolf over there?¡± Nod! ¡°Then let¡¯s avoid it. The wolf will most likely be with others.¡± Just like in his original world, wolves from this world moved as a group. Additionally, they couldn¡¯t be looked down on just because they were wolves. Even if this was on the outskirts of the Great Forest, it was still part of the Great Forest. If one builds their own territory within that territory, it¡¯s because they have their own reasons for doing so. ¡®Although this body is well trained, it¡¯s still a normal Hunter¡¯s body. It hasn¡¯t learned to use mana yet.¡¯ Jade could feel how hard the original owner trained as he could feel the muscle and strength coursing through his body. However, although he would be able to fight against one or two wolves, it was a different case with bigger groups. Things may be different if traps were in place, but it was impossible to fight head on. The only way to survive was to avoid them. ¡®My life is priority. I need to be alive to do what I need to do.¡¯ He needed to find out how he came into this world, and if there was a way to go back, he wanted to. Even if he didn¡¯t have great memories of his previous world. ¡®I don¡¯t have any family there, but I do have friends who are like family.¡¯ The most depressing thing for Jade was the fact that he just got discharged from the military less than 6 months ago. That¡¯s why he wanted to go back to his original world. Although life was hard in his original world, one didn¡¯t have to live their life fighting monsters. ¡®There¡¯s also Baron Leon.¡¯ Jade naturally followed the path Sylph led him towards. He was very familiar with the road because the original owner of the body lived most of his life near the Great Forest. However, being familiar with the road and finding the safer route were two completely different things. That¡¯s why the only option he had was to trust and follow Sylph. ¡°Just believe in you?¡± Ting ting! As if noticing the uncertainty in Jade, Sylph loudly hit her adorable chest with her hand. She wanted to tell him that he could trust her. However, the more she acted this way, the more bizarre Jade felt. Even though it was just a fragment within his memory, there was nothing in there that showed lower level spirits as being this expressive. ¡®There¡¯s still a lot of things I don¡¯t know, and it¡¯s not like Jade knows everything either.¡¯ Just because he could read another person¡¯s memory didn¡¯t make the memories perfect. Only, the biggest difference is that the memories were very much vivid compared to most people. ¡®Tail storms are unexpectedly smaller here. I wonder if it¡¯s because the body is stronger in this world.¡¯ In his original world, Tail storms blew as they liked and were considerably bigger. Every time he looked through his memories, it felt like his head was going to split apart. But now it wasn¡¯t as bad. This was his way of pulling out data that he needed. He needed to learn of his current abilities to raise his chances of survival. Creek! Following Sylph¡¯s lead, Jade continued an endless cycle of walking and stopping. However, they didn¡¯t rest for long periods of time. He knew he had to get as far away from his house as possible, so he frequently crossed stream after stream. Jade had to jump far to crossover each stream, but it was all for the sake of erasing his scent. ¡°I need to slowly start finding a hideout.¡± His meal consisted of a quick bite of jerky that he prepared beforehand, and he continued to move forward by cutting down on his rest time. As noon quickly passed, Jade opened his mouth to speak. Nighttime comes very quickly in a forest, just as it does in mountains, so it was very important to quickly find a hideout. Tang tang! Sylph hit her chest once again as if telling Jade to believe in her. She looked as if she knew of just the place to go. Watching her, Jade did not brood anymore. They hadn¡¯t run into a single monster, let alone animals, since they started this trip. This made Jade trust in Sylph more than when they first started the journey. ¡°It¡¯s a cave.¡± As if satisfied with the location she found, she continued to lead Jade with a happy face. It was a cave that a bear would love to call home, so Jade quickly scanned the inner parts of it. Yet, there wasn¡¯t a single lifeform within this cave that was hidden behind lush, well-grown trees. ¡°There isn¡¯t even a single trace of monsters or animals outside the cave.¡± Jade had quickly scanned the outer parts of the cave with his special eyes before he walked in. He was but a poor, single guy in his original world, but the Jade in this world was a competent Hunter. If one didn¡¯t have the ability, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to survive the outer parts of the Great Forest. Yet, considering how long the original Jade had lived here, it could be said that he had considerable skills. Boop boop. ¡°Good job finding this place. Thanks, Sylph.¡± Flap flap flap flap! Using her small and adorable wings, Sylph flew around ecstatically. She was very excited to hear Jade¡¯s compliment. Watching this scene for a moment, Jade placed his backpack on the ground and made his way back outside. He needed to find some firewood and he also wanted to check and see if there were any game for him. (Game = hunting = food) ¡°Hmm.¡± Although he still had plenty of jerky left, it wasn¡¯t bad to have more food available. Jade knew that until he found a more permanent shelter, he would have to continue going to many different places so being self-sufficient was very important. He slowly looked at his surroundings once again. Both monsters and animals were very territorial, so Jade explored the area with caution. The only thing in his hand was a small bow and arrow. ¡®The common monsters found on the outskirts of the Forest were smaller sized creatures such as Kobolds, Goblins, and Knolls. There were a diverse number of animals as well.¡¯ One couldn¡¯t look down on animals either, because Shabel Tigers and Black Bears had similar fighting strength as Ogres. This is the reason why one must never be relaxed when they enter the Great Forest. Tuk. As Jade nervously navigated around the outside of the cave, Sylph tapped him on his shoulder and pointed him towards a certain direction. As Jade turned his head towards the direction, he saw a rabbit carefully eating grass. A bright, white rabbit that did not match the notoriousness of the forest. ¡°Thanks.¡± The chubby rabbit cocked its ears back as it continued to eat the grass. Staring at the rabbit, Jade knocked the arrow into his small bow. Of course, he wasn¡¯t expecting to make the kill shot with the first arrow, because although the body knew how to use the bow, Jade himself didn¡¯t. Chapter 1.2 - Spirit Friends (2) Sizzle sizzle. After multiple trial and errors, Jade finally succeeded in his hunt and began grilling the rabbit inside the cave. He had lived a normal life in his original world making it difficult for him to clean the rabbit. However, this was something he would now have to do often, so he clumsily got rid of the rabbit¡¯s head and its innards. ¡°I never really thought I¡¯d be eating something like this¡­.¡± Oil leaked out from the rabbit as it continued to cook over the fire, yet Jade did not focus on it as he stared out into the emptiness. It had almost been a full day since he opened his eyes, yet it was such a hard reality to take in. He really wanted to know how this came to be. Knock knock. As if to comfort the perplexed Jade, Sylph flew up and lightly tapped him on his shoulder. She was likely telling him that he wasn¡¯t alone. Unfortunately, this action did not comfort Jade at all. Rustle. Something else appeared instead. A lizard wrapped in flames crawled out from the bonfire. ¡°Ahh!¡± The sudden appearance of the lizard shocked the perplexed Jade and made him feel very displeased. Not showing any reaction to Jade and Sylph, the fire lizard approached Jade with an innocent expression. As it did, it rubbed its head against Jade¡¯s leg in a friendly manner. Even though its body was currently on fire, Jade didn¡¯t feel any form of heat coming from the little creature. In fact, he felt very comfortable. Smack! The lizard¡¯s affection did not last long, because Sylph appeared out of nowhere and kicked its side ¨C sending the creature flying. The lizard looked around in confusion. ¡°Are they not on the same level?¡± Even though it wasn¡¯t part of the original Jade¡¯s memories, Jade (current owner) read many web novels from his world and was immediately able to identify this lizard that looked very similar to the Salamander. Only, both spirits were of the same level, yet the Salamander strangely appeared to be lower than Sylph. Personality wise, it should be more aggressive. Flap flap! While Jade was preoccupied with his thoughts, Sylph quickly flew towards him and stopped directly in front of his face. ¡°Eh yah?¡± Shake shake! Sylph formed the words with her tiny mouth and fiercely shook her head. It was as if she was saying that it absolutely wasn¡¯t true. And then, she suddenly stopped shaking her head and formed the two words with her mouth again. ¡°No matter how I look at it, it looks like ¡®Eh yah¡± to me but I don¡¯t know what that is. Seeing as how we¡¯re able to communicate, it means she understands the human language.¡± Nod nod! Sylph clapped as she nodded her head, and then slowly formed the two words with her mouth again. Of course, no matter how many times she did that, there wasn¡¯t even a squeak coming from her mouth. ¡°Contract? Oh, you want me to form a contract?¡± Sylph brightly smiled. She was happy that Jade finally understood what she was trying to say, and she wasn¡¯t the only one. It was the same for the Salamander that was laying close by, with his stomach against the ground. It got super excited when Jade spoke the words ¡°contract¡±. ¡°That¡¯s right. You guys are usually able to stay with someone once a contract is formed huh? Plus, you can be of benefit to them¡­But, how do I form a contract with you guys?¡± Jade was stuck at an impasse. He knew he had a rare infinity with spirits, as it could be seen with how Sylph and Salamander appeared in front of him out of nowhere. But he had no idea how he was supposed to form the contract. It was the same for the original Jade. Smooch! ¡°Huh?¡± At that moment, Sylph immediately approached Jade and kissed him on his cheek. Through this, he was able to feel a connection form between himself and Sylph, and at the same time felt something forming within his body. ¡°Is this mana?¡¯ It was the feeling of mana that the original Jade wanted to feel, but never got to feel. It wasn¡¯t a lot, but it was a start. He would now be able to build upon this frame, because he now knew what mana felt like. Shwirik! Shwiririk! The way they formed their contract felt childish, but it was the truth that a contract was formed. He could feel it through his senses, even though he didn¡¯t learn how. Noticing this, Salamander walked towards Jade again and rubbed its head against his leg. However, there were even more surprises that were waiting to happen. Bbyororong. Rustle. As the canteen lid burst open, a lower level Undine appeared and at the same time, an old dwarf looking Gnome rose from the ground near Jade. The most well-known spirits with the four affinities had now appeared. Seeing this, Jade muttered to himself. ¡°¡­.Was I always this talented? But, why here? No, I guess I should be happy that it happened in this kind of place.¡± Like how Salamander first was, Undine and Gnome strangely both showed affection towards Jade. Undine had a similar fairy like look as Sylph as she shyly approached Jade, while Gnome smiled in a kind way and tapped him in the leg. As the two new spirits appeared, Salamander¡¯s show of affection grew stronger as it flipped over and showed its belly to Jade. ¡°Oh, come on.¡± Looking more like an animal than a spirit, Jade stared at Salamander and its actions. However, on the other side, Jade felt more confident. Even if they were lower level spirits, Jade was alone in this continent of Arpedia so all four spirits were important existences to him. Even today, Jade avoided all altercation with monsters and animals with the help of Sylph. ¡°Do you guys want to form a contract with me too?¡± With Jade¡¯s question, the eyes of the three spirits shined brightly. Jade smiled and held his hand out. He now knew they didn¡¯t have to kiss to form a contract. A simple touch was all that was necessary, as long as the touch was filled with the will of both parties. Before long, a connection was formed between the spirits and his soul. ¡°Mm! The consumption of mana is quite big. No, I wonder if this is normal.¡± The amount of mana consumed for each spirit was the same as Sylph, but because he had formed a contract with the three spirits together, he suddenly grew dizzy. It was the aftershock of forming contracts back to back. He was used to this feeling, but it was somewhat tolerable, because the shock wasn¡¯t going directly to his head. ¡°This could be a form of training too.¡± Seeing Jade suddenly stumble, the four spirits showed worried expressions. Especially Sylph, she stared at the three spirits in a strict manner. Feeling the pressure from the cold stare, the three spirits flinched. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be normal right? Forming a contract with spirits with all four of the affinities.¡± As the three spirits comfortably began to take their place around Jade, Sylph lay floating in the air, nodding to Jade¡¯s question. It was as if she was answering back to Jade. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Jade meaningfully watched Sylph, and the more he watched her, the more he felt that she was different from the other spirits. However, he did not ask a single question regarding it. ¡°Let¡¯s first eat dinner.¡± He began to eat his dinner as it was temporarily placed on hold with the appearance of the new spirits. However, unknown if it was with the help of Salamander or not but the rabbit wasn¡¯t the slightest bit burnt ¨C even though a significant amount of time had passed. It was cooked perfectly. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s so good. Maybe it¡¯s because of how hungry I am.¡± There wasn¡¯t any other seasoning done besides a little bit of salt. Jade wanted to use his seasons sparingly as he didn¡¯t have much of it, but the rabbit really did taste delicious. ¡°I would share with you guys too if you were able to eat.¡± He felt bad that he was the only one eating as he stared at the four spirits. However, even with those words, the four spirits just smiled brightly as if saying they were completely fine. ¨C Having finished his first dinner since coming to this world, Jade informally created an arrow with the branches he brought back with him. He used a multi-use dagger to awkwardly create his arrow shaft. It was an informal arrow without a tip, but Jade used it to practice. He knew that using the bow and arrow was essential moving forward with his journey, so he needed to make a training arrow. Seu geuk, seu geuk. He also used the rabbit¡¯s tendons to create a slingshot. His surroundings were filled with rocks, so he wanted to be able to utilize everything he could as he needed to. ¡°I must do everything I can, since I first need to find a way to go back to my own world. If there¡¯s a way to bring me here, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way to send me back.¡± This was reality. He had never had such a vivid dream before, and his five senses were also telling him that it wasn¡¯t a dream. Everything in front of him was real. Pook! Pook! Although small, Jade used the solidly made arrow to practice his bow skills. As he did, the gathered spirits seemed to show interest in his actions ¨C especially Sylph. She could be seen dancing every time he shot the arrow. Ting! ¡°Huh?¡± Jade furrowed his brows together. Even watching Sylph ride the arrow midair and dance excitedly didn¡¯t break his concentration. However, he had just heard a strange sound coming from the dirt wall he was practicing on. This made him stare in confusion. Rustle. As he approached the wall, Gnome cleared the dirt away from the area where Jade was shooting his arrow. This consumed some mana, but it surprisingly wasn¡¯t much. However, he still went to check. There were so many things he didn¡¯t know, so he decided to check even the smallest of things to remember them. ¡°It¡¯s a rusty sword. It looks really old.¡± The area Gnome cleared away showed a fragment of a rusty sword. Half of which was gone, so the only thing left of the sword was its handle and a fragment of the metal still hanging onto it. A little further past the sword was a partially decayed hand. ¡°I guess he died here.¡± Looking at the placement of the fingers, the owner of the hand must have died holding onto the sword. However, Jade did not show any feelings as he continued to stare. He believed there was a reason behind every death. Instead, he carefully picked the sword up with a twinkle in his eye. ¡°Mm!¡± As soon as his hand touched the handle of the sword, a massive amount of memories and emotions rushed into his body. But Jade was able to keep his sanity through the wave of emotions because it wasn¡¯t something that was uncommon in his original world. He also strangely felt that his mind became mentally stronger ¡°An Imperial Knight eh.¡± Everything happened in an instant, but there were many things Jade was able to see and feel. His eyes shone brightly as he felt that he could get what he wanted through fate. ¡°One more time.¡± If this was back in his original world, Jade would have felt a huge migraine every time he went through this process, but this time it was different. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of mana or if it¡¯s because of the dimensional shift, but the pain wasn¡¯t as bad as it used to be. Not only that, but he felt that he could look at the memories whenever he wanted to. Pa aatttttt!! The will of the sword continued to playback the memories it contained. Most of the memories were useless, but there were some parts that Jade currently needed. ¡°Keuk!¡¯ Unlike the internet, Jade couldn¡¯t pick out the information that he needed and instead had to receive everything. So, the rebound of the process came back as pain. The longer he used his ability, the more it felt like his head would break as the pressure continued to grow. However, Jade continued to put up with it. Compared to how the pain used to feel, he was now able to move about and keep his sanity through the process. Rustle. At that moment, a surprising thing happened. The mana that was spread throughout his body began to gather towards his head, and as it did, his migraine began to subside. ¡®Is this one of the uses of mana? Or is because I have a special body?¡¯ Jade couldn¡¯t figure out the reason, but the important thing was that it helped his pain subside. There was no reason why he shouldn¡¯t take advantage of this, since it didn¡¯t consume his vitality. ¡®Perhaps we had to use our willpower and vitality in the other world, because we didn¡¯t have mana at our disposal.¡¯ It was just a speculation that popped into his head, but Jade immediately threw it out. What was important right now was to grasp the memory that he wanted. Ever since he formed a contract with his four spirits, there was nothing more important than to raise his mana. ¡®Here it is.¡¯ The pain in his head was still there, but the level of pain was much lower than when he first started. That¡¯s why Jade was able to pull out the memory that he was searching for. It was the Imperial Knight¡¯s mana technique. Even if he formed contracts with spirits, he wasn¡¯t a wizard, so he was still able to build his body strength. And, that¡¯s exactly what he was going to fully utilize. ¡®Even if I have these spirits, the one who can save my life is myself. I need to become stronger.¡¯ Of course, there was a limit to how strong his body could get but he wasn¡¯t planning on getting discouraged. He was going to do everything he could to the extent that he could, which is why he continued to pull out the rest of the memories that were engraved into the broken sword. Jade felt lucky to have found this broken sword and to have still had the mana technique intact. The Imperial Knight must have been very affectionate towards his sword, because his memories were completely vivid. ¡®It¡¯s perfect since it¡¯s an elementary level technique that can be used until I get something better. Or, it can also be combined with the Imperial Knight¡¯s intermediate, advanced, and perfect mana techniques.¡¯ Just because someone knows the technique doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll be able to learn it, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to still have them memorized. Jade continued to brood about the future. During that time, the four spirits gathered near Jade and surrounded him as if to protect him. Chapter 2 part1 - 3 Years (1) Jade came out of his hideout as the morning dew filled the leaves. It was a hideout that was created above a small hill, but thanks to Gnome¡¯s help, it didn¡¯t look artificial. If anything, the hideout was covered in thick, lush trees. ¡°Let¡¯s start the day with vigor.¡±, said Jade as he walked out of a small hut while stretching. His appearance had changed a lot because a span of three years had passed. His hair was now long, and his facial hair was nice and thick ¨C covering half of his face. -Are you going to explore today too? ¡°Of course. There are still many places I haven¡¯t been to yet, and I especially need to remember where all the stronger guys are. That way, I can be even more careful when I pass by their territory.¡± -I guess we still have a long journey ahead of us. ¡°Is it okay for you to come out like this every day?¡±, spoke Jade as he stared at the dainty little spirit sitting on his right shoulder. It was the same size as Sylph but looked completely different from her. -It¡¯s completely fine as long as you don¡¯t use your strength. I told you. Your affinity to spirits is at a crazy high level, so as long as you don¡¯t spend your mana, we can stay summoned in this world. It¡¯s honestly a wonder. Your level is so high that you can literally spit on a High Elf. ¡°I¡¯ve been too lenient with you. You were so innocent when I first met you.¡± -Hey! I love the fact that I get to learn new words! I eventually also want to go to your world! ¡°I think it¡¯s going to get worse if you go over there. Jade instinctively thought of all the food she would eat in his world, and how she would copy and follow all the show programs shown on TV. This is the conclusion he had come to from what he had seen from her thus far. -You¡¯ll be able to go. I¡¯ll help you! I can say the same for our other friends too. ¡°I hope so too, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s possible. I feel like we got a lot stronger, but it¡¯s not to the point that I can go back to my original world.¡±, murmured Jade as he left the hideout. Having spent the last three years living in the Great Forest, Jade had gotten much stronger. It was to the point that it was incomparable to when he first woke up in this world, and not knowing a single thing. Since the ancient times, many people had visited the Great Forest because it was placed in the middle of the continent. There were many kings and emperors that had attempted to claim the Great Forest as their own because they had sought after the adjacent territories that were connected to it. Although it was dangerous, they were greedy because of how large the land was. Additionally, their memories were now with Jade, undamaged. -Think of the past three years. You¡¯ve become this strong in that short amount of time. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to become even stronger. ¡°The problem is my growth has noticeably come to a crawl.¡± -That¡¯s normal. However, you have a special skill, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to find a way to get stronger soon. ¡°I must. But first, I need to have enough mana to summon the true body for you four spirits.¡± Jade made a gloomy expression. Although he was able to grow through the knowledge he had gained from his original world and the memories he had had pulled from artifacts, he was nowhere near content with his current level of power. The Jade from when he first came to this world would have believed his current self to be strong, but recently, he felt like he was suffocating with his level. Three years might not be much to most, but it was different for Jade. -We will do our best as well, so don¡¯t be too depressed. ¡°I guess my current level IS outstanding. I don¡¯t have to worry about my life at least in the outskirts of the Great Forest. Only, the inner part of the forest is swarming with monsters.¡± -You can at least run away from them if you use all of your strength, you know? Although it might be difficult to win. ¡°That¡¯s true. Now, Let¡¯s go explore some more today.¡± -Okay!, yelled the wind spirit with an excited expression. As he heard her voice, Jade used the skill that was enchanted on an assassin¡¯s earring. The skill combined the technique of hiding and light steps together to move swiftly without noise. Swish. Swish. As he moved through the forest, he used his hands to draw out a map. ¡°I still have a long way to go.¡± -At this time, there isn¡¯t a single person contracted with a Spirit King, and even among elves, only High Elves are able to do such a feat. Even with them, there have only been one or two cases of such a thing happening. ¡°I can¡¯t even properly summon your true body.¡±, shrugged Jade. It was true that he had talent, but there was nothing he could do about time. -Everything will work out in due time. ¡°If I¡¯m still alive that is.¡± -If you don¡¯t do anything silly, there shouldn¡¯t be any reason for you to die. We spirits won¡¯t allow such a thing to happen either. ¡°Thanks.¡±, Jade sincerely spoke. If it wasn¡¯t for the spirits, Jade wouldn¡¯t be as sane as he was today. -Thanks for what? We¡¯ve been friends since day one. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would take Sylph¡¯s form though.¡± -Hehe! I was the first to notice you! And, I was the first to form a contract with you! Having remembered the past, the wind spirit laughed in delight. It was a smile that was filled with innocence ¨C the same as when they had first met. ¡°That¡¯s true. Ah, while we¡¯re at it, should we change how we do our exploring since there aren¡¯t any strong monsters around this area?¡± -At best it would be Harpies. ¡°Even they move around in groups though.¡± -Meh. Just summon Scylla. If it¡¯s that child, it should finish with one hit. The wind spirit spoke arrogantly. It wasn¡¯t as strong as her, but Scylla wasn¡¯t a spirit that couldn¡¯t be disregarded. It would be able to take care of a harpies without any issues. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s best that we continue this balance. There¡¯s no point in making a ruckus over nothing.¡± -But I like watching fights. The wind spirit smacked her lips. As there were many monsters and animals in the Great Forest, it was quite fun watching them fight. They were just as fierce as human wars. ¡°You can watch as much as you want after I leave. Just hold it in for now,¡± -How much stronger do you need to get before you leave the Great Forest? ¡°Until I get enough strength to at least topple a single nation?¡± -That should be possible if you summon all four of us. There was a twinkle in the wind spirit¡¯s eyes. There was a high chance that she was thinking of something crazy again inside her head. ¡°I think once I¡¯m able to do that, I¡¯ll be able to move around freely on this continent and search for sages.¡± -Wouldn¡¯t it be faster to go find a dragon? Although their numbers have dwindled, there are dragons still living in this world. ¡°Yeah, but I could die looking for them.¡± -That¡¯s true. They all have eccentric personalities. The wind spirit frowned, as if she had recalled a bad memory. Jade had to at least have a Spirit King if he wanted to talk big in front of a dragon. ¡°Who knows if that day will ever come. The day I confront a dragon with confidence.¡± -It will. I also want to be there when that day comes. Dragons are such bastards. Especially, Red Dragon and Black Dragon! ¡°I guess you¡¯re still not at a level where you can fight against them?¡± -I must at least become a Spirit King. Of course, even if I do, there are some that would still disregard me. But, in reality our strength is on the same level. We just never get to fight because dragons summon us, and of course, it would also be different if we fought in the Spirit World. ¡°A Spirit King you say.¡± Even with Celestine that was currently in front of him, he was quite shocked when he first saw her true body. That¡¯s how big of an existence she really was ¨C just overwhelming. Jade had though he had gotten strong, but after seeing Celestine¡¯s true body, his confidence hit rock bottom. He was just considered strong when it came to humans. -Everyone is interested in you, Jade. ¡°Really?¡± -Yeah! You currently have the most potential out of everyone here in this world. They don¡¯t really want to respond to a dragon¡¯s summon anymore either. Even if they¡¯re dragons, the ones to decide whether they accept the summon or not are the spirits. ¡°At least they¡¯re interested in me.¡± -There¡¯s no way they wouldn¡¯t be. Once you become a Spirit King, it¡¯s really difficult to cross over to the human world. Even for me, it¡¯s not as easy as you think! Celestine yelled out in excitement. She had adopted to temporary methods to come over to the human world. In order to maintain herself, she had to downsize her body to Sylph¡¯s size, but she did not feel any discomfort from doing so. She could always change herself to her original size if she wanted to too. ¡®The only thing was that Jade couldn¡¯t hold off for too long.¡¯ He was doing his best to grow his mana, and his growth was extremely quick when compared to humans, but even still it wasn¡¯t enough. The time won¡¯t be long until he reaches a higher level though. ¡°I¡¯m not lonely either with you by my side.¡± -Hehe! I AM fun to be with! ¡°Although there are times when you can be annoying.¡± -Hey! I know when to act like myself and what not to now! Celestine proudly yelled out. She wasn¡¯t always loud. And, she was pretty helpful to Jade as well. ¡°It¡¯s quite a big change compared to the beginning. Now, shall we get started again, Scylla?¡± Woosh. As Jade called out its name, wind gathered together, and a mid-level sprit appeared in the empty space. With a half translucent body, the Pegasus looking spirit rubbed its head on Jade¡¯s shoulder. It was expressing its joy with everything it had. ¡°You little fellow, you.¡± Jade laughed as he watched the huge spirit show its affection, and gently patted its mane. Neigh!! Chapter 2 part2 - 3 Years (2) The ends of Scylla¡¯s lips could be seen rising as Jade caressed its mane. And, seeing this, Celestine smiled in delight. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you. My safety is in your hands, okay?¡± Neigghhh! As if telling Jade not to worry, Scylla spread its grand wings and knelt forward to allow him on. It was very similar to how a human knelt. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Big Crows¡¯ nest.¡± -You¡¯re going to go rob the Big Crows? Sounds like fun since they love shiny objects! ¡°That¡¯s right. They have similar traits to a regular crow. If we¡¯re lucky, we might get our hands on an artifact since they have a lot of human objects with them.¡± Woosh! As Celestine and Jade were talking, Scylla gently flew into the air. Even with a half translucent body, Scylla carried Jade well and soon headed towards the Big Crows¡¯ nest. Kkaaakkk! Kkaakk! Before long, Jade could see the Big Crows. They had the combined look of a magpie and crow, and just as its name described, they were quite big. they were much bigger than regular crows. If both of its wings were spread open, it would easily be longer than five meters. -It¡¯s the Big Crows! ¡°Yeah, and they happen to have a leader amongst them.¡± -The leader is even bigger! If it¡¯s that big, it should be able to take out a Troll! ¡°Who do you think would win if they fought?¡± -I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll ever fight. Big Crows don¡¯t eat Trolls. They have quite expensive taste buds. Celestine spoke with confidence, because she knew how picky Big Crows were ¨C different from their appearance. At that moment, the group of Big Crows turned from their original direction. It was because they had noticed Jade and Scylla in the air. ¡°Don¡¯t they look like they¡¯re salivating while they¡¯re looking at me?¡± -Just as beasts like to eat human flesh, they do too. I think it¡¯s because you guys taste seasoned. ¡°Well, they are half monsters I guess.¡± Seeing the murderous intent within the Big Crow¡¯s beady black eyes, Jade prepared his bow. This bow was very different from the bow he had when he first came to this world and appeared to be much tougher. -I wonder if they¡¯ll notice that that bow is made from the bones and tendons of an Ogre? ¡°We¡¯re too far away for them to smell it, and even if they did recognize it, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll think much of it¡± -I think after today, they¡¯re going to run away every time they see you. They¡¯re quite clever, so I¡¯m sure they¡¯re going to remember who you are. ¡°That¡¯s a blessing for me, since I plan on visiting them quite often.¡± Pingg! It was difficult to find refined iron in the Great Forest, but there were plenty of other materials that were just as strong and that¡¯s what Jade had used to make his arrowheads. Pungg! Of course, mana coursed through the arrow, but the scariest thing about Jade¡¯s arrow was its accuracy. With the help of the wind spirit, Jade never missed his target. KKyaaaakkk!! As the arrows penetrated the Big Crows¡¯ heads, they began to fall to the ground one by one, Yet, there wasn¡¯t a single one of them that stopped their advance towards Jade. None of them showed fear even as their comrades fell left and right. If anything, they were even more determined to reach Jade. Neiiggh!! Watching this, Scylla held back his sneer. The Big Crows were the rulers of the sky, and even the Harpies made sure to stay clear from their territory. However, the moment Jade had appeared, there was a shift in hierarchy. ¡°I¡¯ll stop practicing my bow skills now.¡± -This is more than enough! ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve run out of arrows too. Summon Sylph.¡±, spoke Jade as he lowered his bow. As he did, dozens of Sylphs appeared around him. ¡°Change form.¡± Shiiiing!! With Jade¡¯s command, the small fairy like Sylphs combined and changed into a different form. They looked like a drill as they took on the shape of a triangular pyramid, and they began to rotate with tremendous speed. -Fire! Celestine clapped with joy as she knew what was about to happen. Wiiinnggggg! As soon as Celestine finished saying the word, the dozens of Sylphs split the sky in two. They flooded the Big Crows with tremendous speed and the result was exactly as Celestine had imagined it to be. Hoo doo dook. The path that the Sylphs shot through were filled with nothing but the Big Crows blood and feathers. There wasn¡¯t a single Big Crow that could block the attack. ¡°This is the best way to get rid of many of them at once.¡± -It¡¯s hard to see and super quick, and Big Crows also have weak feathers. Big Crows had weaker defense compared to other monsters, hence the reason why they were unable to block the Sylphs¡¯ attack. Boom boom boom! The Big Crows were getting massacred as Celestine and Jade continued to converse. Jade could control each and every Sylph, because they were connected to his soul. Kkaaak! With a horrible shriek, the leader of the Big Crows charged forward. It had seen too many of its subordinates die. -Are you going to kill him too? ¡°That would probably be for the best if I want them to really acknowledge my existence, right? Even if that one dies, another one will appear and take its place.¡± -Okay! Since we¡¯re doing it anyways, let¡¯s do it properly! Big Crows aren¡¯t necessary in the Great Forest anyways! Tu tu tu tung! Because of its size, the leader was able to somehow block the Sylphs¡¯ attacks. It just meant that it didn¡¯t die with one shot ¨C that was it. It forced its way through the Sylphs¡¯ onslaught and was able to reach Jade, however, Scylla stood between Jade and the leader. Rip! The proud Scylla, with his neck lifted high, shot wind arrows at the Big Crow leader and ripped apart its wing joint. It had become incapacitated with just two wind arrows, making it fall to the ground. Booooom! With a heavy sound, the leader could be seen wriggling on the ground. The body wasn¡¯t wriggling because it was still alive, but because of the shock it had incurred from hitting the ground. KKaaakkk!! Seeing what had just happened to their leader, the flock of Big Crows split up and flew off into the distance. They realized that their death was unavoidable if they stayed, so instead decided to run as far away as they could. Enjoying the scene that was unfolding before him, Jade thoroughly looked through the nests that were made within the cliffside. -Is it their breeding season? They even have babies. Some eggs haven¡¯t even hatched yet. Don¡¯t you like to eat eggs, Jade? It¡¯s your favorite. As Celestine spoke, the Big Crow babies cried for food not knowing that hey had just been cast aside by their parents. There were still plenty of eggs inside the cliffside. They were so big that even one egg was more than enough for Jade to use as a side dish for a while. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t even know how they taste, and I don¡¯t really have a reason to eat the eggs.¡± Not showing any interest in the obnoxious sounding babies, Jade continued to look through the nest. He needed to see if there were any items that were worth taking, and just as they had thought, there were plenty of Jewelry and ornaments that were collected. -So pretty! ¡°It would be perfect if we had a subspace artifact.¡± -We can just tell our little ones to carry them! ¡°Yeah, we can, but mana consumption is too much. If we had a subspace artifact, we would be able place all of these into it.¡± Jade smacked his lips, because the more he thought about it, the sadder he felt. There wasn¡¯t much he could do about it, so Jade sorted out the items to the best of abilities and packed them up. -We¡¯re rich! ¡°Money is money, but I wish we had found a Master¡¯s item instead. There aren¡¯t many military items here.¡± Unknown if they just didn¡¯t have any interest in weapons and armor, but there wasn¡¯t a single sword inside the nest. At most, he had found a round shield amongst the shiny objects. -They don¡¯t seem to have anything you need¡­¡­ Jade had gathered expensive jewelry knowing he would one day leave the Great Forest, but he still couldn¡¯t find the items he wanted. His disappointment was just as big as his expectations. ¡°It¡¯s okay. At least this wasn¡¯t in vain. Even if we had found an artifact, we wouldn¡¯t know what it¡¯s enchanted with since that¡¯s not your expertise.¡± -We can still feel the energy though and can tell when something is enchanted with magic. ¡°Well, today isn¡¯t the only day and I still haven¡¯t mastered the mana technique and the sword art.¡± -I love it! You¡¯re so positive! With her cute little hands, Celestine tapped Jade in the cheek. It was her way of showing encouragement. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±, spoke Jade, as he tapped Scylla¡¯s neck. Different from earlier, Jade¡¯s backpack was now filled to the brim. As the sun dimly lit up the night sky, Jade dusted off the chair that was placed in front of his hut. He was strangely very comfortable sitting on it. It felt like he was able to accumulate his mana better. ¡®I need to improve the technique that I currently have. If I can¡¯t find a better mana technique, then I need to develop this one better.¡¯ The mana technique that Jade was currently utilizing was the Imperial Knight¡¯s advanced mana technique. And, through his explorations, he had also found a weapon with an advanced sword art. However, Jade was not satisfied. He still felt weak. He didn¡¯t know how he could meet a dragon, but he at least needed to be strong enough to survive against one. Of course, he believed that it was impossible to put up a fight, but he was going to do whatever he could to get to that level. ¡®If I fully summon a Spirit King, I should be able to run away at least. And, if I summon at least two of them, wouldn¡¯t I be able to fight against the dragon?¡¯ Jade wasn¡¯t just a simple summoner. He had enough skill and physical prowess to be considered a Spirit Warrior. He was also constantly finding ways to become stronger, and his result for doing so was phenomenal. ¡®I first need to begin with efficiency and be able to use my skills for at least 10 minutes.¡¯ Jade pondered. He was trying to figure out how to become stronger and how to become more efficient with his techniques, because he knew that was his biggest advantage. ¡®Perhaps this is the end. There may have only been a few that were stronger than the Imperial Knight, and that¡¯s exactly why I need to find a Master¡¯s relic¡­..¡¯ He was sure that someone had mastered the mana and sword art he had acquired. However, he wanted to shorten the time to reach that level. He was already 24 years old, and once a human turned 30 years of age, their bodies naturally began to regress. Before that happened, Jade had to rise to the Master class. ¡®It¡¯s all to stop the body from aging.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that the body stopped aging once you became a Master. Only, their bodies regressed much slower than a normal human¡¯s. ¡®I wonder if an elixir or sacred herb will fall from the sky.¡¯ Jade smacked his lips. He had always looked for elixirs or sacred herbs during his explorations, because they were the best way to get strong quickly. Especially because Jade was a Spirit Summoner who would grow much stronger with the growth of his mana. BOOOOM!! A sudden explosion could be heard from the distance as the ground shook with the sound. It was as if the ground was shaking with the clashing of two formidable forces. -I think somebody is fighting! ¡°What the hell is fighting exactly?¡± The surprised Jade forced out a laugh. It was because he was frightened by the immense force exuding from the inner part of the Great Forest. Chapter 3 part1 - Or a Burden? (1) Due to the explosion, a cloud of dust rose into the air ¨C and as it did, Jade stood up. The shockwaves from the collision were overwhelming, but Jade wanted to know who was fighting. -Let¡¯s go! I¡¯m so curious! ¡°I feel the same way but if we¡¯re unlucky, their attacks are going to fly towards us.¡± -You should be able to pull out another body from your core at your current level! Also, as a worst case scenario, I can bring my main body here! ¡°That¡¯s true, since I¡¯m constantly increasing my mana.¡± -Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go! Celestine kept nudging. There weren¡¯t many existences that could cause a huge ruckus in the Great Forest. And, because Celestine was sure that the shock came from the location of a top tier beast, she continued to pester Jade. ¡°Then let¡¯s come right back after we see what¡¯s going on.¡± -Watching fights are always the best! Jade knew there wasn¡¯t much he could do once Celestine became like this, so he summoned Scylla. As he did, Scylla naturally knelt forward so Jade could take a comfortable spot on his back. ¡°Thanks.¡± Neigh neigh!!! Hearing the warmth in Jade¡¯s voice, Scylla spread his wings with a happy expression and quickly flew towards the inner forest. Their eyes were filled with nervousness. ¡°Is that a Drake?¡± -It¡¯s a Gold Drake and a Black Drake. Different from the nervous Scylla, Celestine had a twinkle in her eyes. Scylla felt fear feeling the power of the drakes, but Celestine was clapping her hands and waiting for the drakes to start fighting. ¡°They¡¯re really big.¡± -Among the dragon type species in this world, they¡¯re second to none after dragons. Even though they¡¯re unable to use magic, their physical prowess is comparable to a dragon¡¯s. They¡¯re quite strong. But the weird thing is, they normally don¡¯t fight amongst themselves. Celestine made a perplexed expression. As strong as they were, drakes did not fight with their own kind. Even if they did fight, they never fought to the point of wanting to kill each other. ¡°Looking at the atmosphere of the situation, it seems like they want to kill each other.¡± Bannnngg! Both monsters were more than 30 meters long, but the Gold Drake had wings and could move quickly, while the Black Drake was wingless and looked like a huge landmass. When comparing the physical qualities of the drakes, it was normal to think that the Gold Drake had an advantage, but this situation was completely the opposite. If anything, the wingless Black Drake was pushing forward by fighting breath to breath when it could just dodge to the side. -Weird, isn¡¯t it? Why is it fighting like that? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The Black Drake was trying to recklessly move forward in a straight line, and the Gold Drake was doing everything it could to block its path. The Gold Drake didn¡¯t utilize its advantage like it should and instead fought the Black Drake hand to hand. Although their size was the same, because their strengths were different, the Gold Drake¡¯s body was soon filled with wounds. The Black Drake was also damaged, but no matter who saw this battle, they could tell who the victor was. Keeuuuuu oohhhhh!!! The Black Drake roared out loud as if declaring that it had won. However, the Gold Drake did not change the way it fought. -Drake¡¯s are pretty intelligent and the Gold Drake should have the advantage¡­ Boom boom booom!! Masking Celestine¡¯s mumble, the victor of the breath battle was the Gold Drake. However, it wasn¡¯t by a huge difference. Boooommm!! Accepting the Gold Drake¡¯s breath with its body, the Black Drake rushed forward and slammed into the Gold Drake. It was a simple attack, but the Gold Drake tumbled back. For some reason though, it continued to resist. ¡°Its energy seems to be unstable.¡± -Even from my point of view, is it on the verge of death? If that¡¯s the case, it doesn¡¯t have to go through the trouble of fighting like that. Although drakes were strong, they weren¡¯t omnipotent. They had a longer lifespan because they were part of the dragon species, but they definitely had an end to it. They even decided where they would lie down and die, hence the reason why Celestine stated that there was no point in the Gold Drake fighting the way it was. ¡°It¡¯s strangely not moving from that spot. I don¡¯t think it has a reason to fight to the death even if it has its lair there.¡± -Ah! ¡°What is it?¡± -I figured out what it is. So, that¡¯s what it was. No wonder. Celestine showed pity in her eyes. There really was a reason behind the Gold Drake¡¯s actions. ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± -There¡¯s an egg inside the lair that belongs to the Gold Drake. ¡°Ah.¡± Jade unconsciously let out a sigh. Now it made sense to him why the Gold Drake was acting that way. Just because they were monsters didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t have motherly love. -The reason why its energy is unstable is because it hasn¡¯t fully healed yet. ¡°Hmm..¡± Jade stared at the Gold Drake as it desperately fought against the Black Drake. Its whole body was filled with cuts and blood, but it still didn¡¯t dodge. Rather, it continued its attack on the Black Drake with murderous intent as if it was ready to die together. -What are you going to do? Celestine asked while staring at Jade. It seemed like she wanted to help the Gold Drake. Of course, even if they were to help, it didn¡¯t mean that the drake could survive its current wounds. But at least it gave it a chance. The Black Drake was worth fighting right now, because it was at least hurt to a certain extent. ¡°Timing wise, right now would be perfect, but I haven¡¯t fought to the death in a while.¡± -If you eat the Black Drake¡¯s heart, you can become much stronger than you are now! It¡¯s exactly the elixir that you were searching for! ¡°That¡¯s actually what I¡¯m most interested in.¡± The reason why Jade was stuck in a dilemma was because of the drake¡¯s heart. There wasn¡¯t any better elixir for him than the Black Drake¡¯s heart, and having watched their fight, it seemed like the drake had already lived for a long time. -There are plenty of uses for the drake¡¯s corpse as well! The claws, teeth, hide, etc! If we find a Dwarf, we can have him make you armor too! Celestine began to name the benefits of helping the Gold Drake, but she didn¡¯t need to. Jade had already made up his mind. There was nothing he could do about the fact that he really wanted the Black Drake¡¯s heart. ¡®If it¡¯s now, it should be more than possible since the Black Drake is worn out. Only, the problem is the Gold Drake.¡¯ There was a saying that the enemy of my enemy was my friend, but the Gold Drake wasn¡¯t human. Although it was known to be intelligent, it was still a monster, so Jade had to think with prudence. -Don¡¯t worry about the Gold Drake! Do you really think it will attack someone who¡¯s trying to help? And, if anything, you can just take the Black Drake¡¯s heart and run. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± As he finished pondering, Jade summoned the high-class spirit Salim. Its appearance was that of a fiery lion, and in a split second, it melted down like a slime and wrapped itself around Jade¡¯s body. A few moments later, Jade¡¯s body was covered in a full plate mail and it appeared as if Jade was on fire. -So cool, Spirit Armor! ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±, commanded Jade. And, as he did, Celestine flew towards the Black Drake. Grrrrr, Feeling the approaching energy, both drakes turned their heads to look for the souce. Chapter 3 part2 - Lucky? Or a Burden? (2) Both drakes stared at Jade amid their fight. However, they both showed different emotions in their eyes. ¡®Sword Aura will probably only make a scratch, if that¡¯s the case..¡¯ Although Jade was carrying a sword, he did not pull it out. He knew that at his current level he couldn¡¯t hurt the Black Drake. It was different if he could use Aura Blade, but his main job was a Summoner. If he fought as a Summoner, he was confident enough to even fight against the Black Drake. ¡°Shall we go give our greetings?¡± -Let¡¯s do it! -I will just follow you, master. Salim answered just after Celestine. Hearing the loyal Salim speak, Jade smiled and continued to compress Salim¡¯s energy. He showed a special control over his powers. ¡°I¡¯m curious as to what my limit is right now.¡± Sssuuuuuaaannngggg!! A laser beam compressed with Salim¡¯s power poured out from Jade¡¯s palm and rushed towards the Black Drake. It directly hit the Black Drake in the face and a fountain of blood sprayed out into the air. -Nice! ¡°So, it does work.¡± Jade laughed as he stared at the wound that was created by the laser beam. It seemed like an attack from a high-class spirit was effective. However, the damage must not have been deep as the Black Drake roared out and swung its tail. -It¡¯s useless! It was a very fast attack coming from a huge body, but Jade had Scylla. He wasn¡¯t the Gold Drake that needed to protect a lair, so he took full advantage of the sky. Puh puh puh pung! As he did, he constantly showered the Black Drake with compressed fireballs, focusing on the wound that the Gold Drake gave. Roaarrrr!!! It was already getting annoyed with how Jade was dodging his attacks, but it made it even more angry that he was only attacking its wound. And, at that moment, the Black Drake opened its mouth. ¡®This one is going to be dangerous.¡¯ A warning resonated within Jade¡¯s head. Even if he was wearing Salim as Spirit Armor, it was going to be dangerous to take the breath head on. That¡¯s why Jade unsummoned Scylla and immediately summoned the high-class spirit Silayron. There was no guarantee that Scylla would have been able to dodge the breath attack with his speed. Kwaa ooooooo!!!! Silayron had the appearance of a phoenix, and as soon as it was summoned, the Black Drake shot its breath towards Jade. Shwikkk!!! Silayron quickly flew to the side with full force. However, the Black Drake wasn¡¯t to be looked down on. It changed the direction of its breath by turning its head and continued to aim at Jade. If Scylla was still summoned, it would not have been able to dodge the attack just now. -You made a very good decision! ¡°Thankfully it doesn¡¯t seem like the Gold Drake wants to be a part of this.¡± -Because, it needs to catch its breath first. Jade muttered as he dodged the Black Drake¡¯s attack. Meanwhile, the breath attack lost its momentum. The Black Drake had stopped its attack because it knew that it wouldn¡¯t hit its target. Puh pung! Puh puh pung! Utilizing that gap, Jade continued his onslaught of fireballs, but it didn¡¯t do much damage to the Black Drake. If anything, it just made it angrier. ¡°The attack seems to be effective, but is it just not fatal enough?¡± Jade smacked his lips as he saw that although the Black Drake was bleeding, it seemed to be moving just fine. It was getting damaged, but the damage just wasn¡¯t fatal enough. That¡¯s why Jade changed his method. -Are you going to fight it on the ground? ¡°Yeah, I think there¡¯s a limit to what long distance attacks will do.¡± -Won¡¯t you be at a disadvantage? I think it¡¯ll be a good idea to drag this on for a long fight. ¡°I¡¯m going to get tired first and run out of mana. It might work though if it lost its reason and excessively shot its breath attack.¡± Koong koong koong koong! As Jade unsummoned Silayron and landed on the ground, the Black Drake rushed towards him. It was as if it wanted to trample on him at once. However, Jade did not land onto the ground without any plans. ¡°Noes.¡± Ssoo oo oook! As the high-class Noes was summoned, it quickly displayed its terrifying abilities. Putting aside the fact that Jade had a very high affinity with spirits, Noes was able to read Jade¡¯s thoughts and knew what to do. Grrr? As the Black Drake¡¯s feet suddenly sank into the ground, it began to wobble as it lost its balance. And, at that moment, dozens of earth spikes shot towards the Black Drake. ¡°Geez, the mana consumption is insane.¡± As big as the Black Drake was, the amount of mana that was being consumed was also huge. However, Jade still had a bit to spare. -Let¡¯s just half bury this thing altogether! ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m planning to do.¡± The Black Drake seemed to be fine, even with dozens of earth spikes. It had tolerated the attack with its sturdy scales, and seeing this, Jade changed his method again. Instead of attacking it, he was planning to trap and stop the Black Drake¡¯s movements. Boom ba boom! The earth around the Black Drake moved like the sea and swallowed the Black Drake. To stop it from moving, Jade buried everything except the Black Drake¡¯s head. Of course, the Black Drake did not calmly sit by and do nothing. It did whatever it could to escape the ground. Deu deu deu deu! The surrounding earth looked as if an earthquake had just occurred and showed that Jade¡¯s training was not in vain. He traversed the ground and stopped in front of the Black Drake with a huge sword made of fire. It was a sword of fire made with Salim¡¯s power. Jjuuhh uh ukk!!! As the flame sword filled with Jade¡¯s mana it rushed down towards the Blake Drake¡¯s neck. It was the only part of the drake that was currently visible, and the most effective. Jade knew the Black Drake would die if its neck was cut so he only aimed at one part of the neck and swung. -Be careful! At that moment, Celestine warned Jade because she had noticed the Black Drake¡¯s syrinx move. Chee eee eeek!! The drake¡¯s acid breath sprayed forth and melted the ground. That was how horrible the Black Drake¡¯s breath was. However, Jade dodged the breath at the right time and exquisitely moved towards the back of the drake¡¯s neck. ¡®If this continues, we¡¯re going to end up going into a long battle.¡¯ He was currently fighting with two high-class spirits, so it was obvious that he would be at a disadvantage if the fight grew longer. That¡¯s why Jade thought hard. The time had come for him to decide. Bannggg!!! At that moment, the Black Drake escaped out of the pit. It had escaped from Noes¡¯s grasp and no matter what Noes did, it was unable to catch the quick drake. ¡®It¡¯s too much for Noes.¡¯ A high-class earth spirit was definitely strong, but its opponent was a bad match. Drakes were at the highest level even among monsters, so it was unfortunately too much for Noes to handle. -Is it finally my turn to shine! Celestine yelled out in an imposing manner. Even she had realized that this was the time to be resolute, and that Jade wouldn¡¯t have enough mana to summon her if this fight dragged on any longer. ¡°Was it really too much?¡± -You did your best and even fought well! Only, your opponent was a bad match for you! ¡°Still, a loss is a loss.¡± -Hey! You haven¡¯t lost yet. You still have one last move. ¡°I have quite a few moves left. The problem is it¡¯ll also damage me.¡± Making his decision, Jade unsummoned Salim, took a deep breath and stared at Celestine. -I¡¯m ready whenever you are! ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± -Alright! Woosh!!! A fearsome wind began to circle around Jade. It was wind that had formed as the highest-class wind spirit¡¯s main body was summoned. At the same time, Jade¡¯s appearance also changed. He was wearing a blue wind armor and holding a spear. Kwaa ooooooo! The Black Drake¡¯s breath simultaneously sprayed forth. While Celestine was being summoned, Noes was also unsummoned, so there wasn¡¯t anyone to interfere with the Black Drake and its acid breath. -Meh! It¡¯s useless! It was a sudden attack by the Black Drake, but Jade did not panic. He believed that no matter how much he was sprayed with the drake¡¯s breath, he would be able to tolerate it with Celestine¡¯s armor. And, as if to answer his expectations, Celestine summoned a vortex in front of Jade and reflected the Black Drake¡¯s breath attack. ¡°We should take advantage of the breath.¡± -Just believe in me! ¡°Alright.¡± Having faith in the confident Celestine, Jade kicked the ground and through the Drake¡¯s breath. Chiiiiiikk! Celestine¡¯s wind quickly took care of the breath attack, however, the closer he got to the core of the breath, the higher his mana consumption grew. Even still, Jade did not stop his advance. -We¡¯re almost at its mouth! At the same time as Celestine¡¯s yell, Jade could feel that the acid breath was weakening. It had finally run out of air. At this moment, Jade jabbed his spear forward with all his strength., Stab!! As soon as the breath attack was over, Jade was right in front of the Black Drake and he used his wind spear to stab straight into the roof of the drake¡¯s mouth. Roarr!!! That wasn¡¯t all, Jade used the spear that was now stuck on the roof of the drake¡¯s mouth and pushed it into its head. He had used a wind blade to split the drake¡¯s head in two. Boom! No matter how strong its scales and hide were, there was nothing it could do if its head was split apart. The Black Drake lifelessly collapsed onto the ground as blood gushed out. ¡°Sigh.¡± Staring at the Black Drake that had instantly died with the use of the wind vibrations, Jade canceled his Spirit Armor. He did not have any more mana left. And, because he had split through the breath attack, there was quite a burden on his physical body. Shake shake. Jade turned his body as he grabbed ahold of his shaking right arm with his left hand. The Black Drake was taken care of, but the Gold Drake remained. Although it was filled with wounds, a drake was a drake. Jade¡¯s face was filled with nervousness. -That Gold Drake is in bad condition. Celestine spoke as she stared at the Gold Drake¡¯s body that was littered with wounds. Anyone could tell that it was barely able to stand. Chapter 3 part3 - Lucky? Or a Burden? (3) [Human¡­..] At that moment, the Gold Drake telepathically spoke. As expected, it was a female voice that resonated. However, the telepathic voice didn¡¯t have any strength in it. It was as if the light was soon to extinguish. [I have something I want to¡­..request of you. My child¡­¡­] ¡°What?¡± [My¡­¡­child, let me leave him in your care. In return¡­..I will offer my heart to you.] The look in the drake¡¯s eyes lit up for a moment. It was her final strength before her death. Instinctively feeling this, Jade felt perplexed. ¡°Why do you want to leave your child with me?¡± [Please take care of him¡­.at least until he becomes an adult.] The Gold Drake stared at Jade with earnest. She was sure that if she died right now, her child wouldn¡¯t have a chance to even be born and would become a monster¡¯s meal. Since Jade was strong enough to kill a drake, she was sure that she could leave her child with him until it grew into an adult. ¡°I understand how you feel¡­..¡± [In exchange, I¡¯ll give you my heart. I¡¯m not completely sure, but there should be much more energy inside a live heart rather than a dead heart.] The drake seemed to have a difficult time speaking, but even then, she continued to speak. Her child wouldn¡¯t be able to survive if she didn¡¯t somehow convince Jade, so she did all she could to hold on. She couldn¡¯t die until a contract was formed. ¡°What will you do if I just eat your heart but not form a contract with you?¡± [I smell the scent of a spirit¡­.and there¡¯s no way someone like you wouldn¡¯t hold true to their promise.] (I¡¯m sure this means she can smell that he has a contract with spirits, so she knows he won¡¯t break a contract with her.) ¡°Hmm.¡± [Please¡­¡­at least until¡­..my child becomes independent¡­..] Jade¡¯s heart grew weak as he watched the Gold Drake put aside her pride. And, as a human, he had nothing but pity in his heart. As a person who had lived in the Great Forest by himself, he knew exactly what would happen to the egg if it was left alone. -Let¡¯s help her. As for food, we have the Blake Drake! We can grow the baby by feeding it the enemy! And, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll grow to be helpful to you as well! You can ride it with your Spirit Armor on! Celestine must have also felt pity for the Gold Drake as she did her best to convince Jade. Even though it was the first time they were meeting today. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll accept it. It¡¯s not a bad proposal for me either.¡± [Th, thanks.] There was a limit to getting strong on his own, so Jade accepted the drake¡¯s proposal. Rip! As the contract was made, the Gold Drake kept her promise and ripped out her own heart while she was alive. As huge as her body was, her heart was also big. It was just as big as Jade. Jade then summoned a sylph and commanded it to bring the egg out from inside the drake¡¯s lair. ¡°I will keep my promise. Be at east and close your eyes.¡± [Please¡­..] The light in the drake¡¯s eyes dimmed at the same time as it lost its focus. Jade summoned Noes and made a grave for the drake at that exact spot. Barf! Jade received internal injuries from excessively using his mana, but he did not stop. Once the drake was completely buried, he grabbed the egg and the corpse of the Black Drake and headed back to his hideout. As soon as he arrived back to his hideout, Jade summoned Noes and created a huge cavity underground. It was for the purpose of preserving the Black Drake¡¯s body. He then summoned an ice spirit had completely froze the Black Drake. He wanted to preserve the body for as long as he could. -What about the Black Drake¡¯s heart? ¡°Later. We¡¯ll consume the Gold Drake¡¯s heart first.¡± -Yeah, the heart won¡¯t spoil if it¡¯s frozen and it¡¯ll be easier to preserve since it¡¯s underground. Celestine stared at the Black Drake¡¯s frozen body with admiration. It was as if it she was staring at her spoils of war. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t eat it, we can just feed it to the baby drake.¡± -I think that¡¯s a smart idea. It¡¯s a form of revenge too. ¡°Won¡¯t the baby grow really well too? But the egg is much smaller than I thought.¡± -That¡¯s exactly what I thought too. I thought the egg would be huge since the mom was huge, but it¡¯s much cuter than I thought. Celestine shook her head. She really did think the same as Jade when she first saw the drake¡¯s egg. ¡°It¡¯s even smaller than a wyvern¡¯s egg.¡± -But the energy inside the egg is definitely that of a drake. It¡¯s not a dragon type for nothing. ¡°Hopefully it grows well.¡± -Did you think of a name yet? Celestine¡¯s eyes shined brightly. Her expectations grew as another member was added to their family. Not only that, but baby monsters were cute. Her expectations grew even more because the egg wasn¡¯t that of just any drake, but that of a rare Gold Drake¡¯s. ¡°We don¡¯t even know its gender yet. Oh yeah, how do we figure out a drake¡¯s gender?¡± -I don¡¯t know! Celestine answered naively, and seeing this, Jade laughed uncontrollably. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too confident?¡± -This is my charm! Hehe! ¡°Well, we still have time so let¡¯s think about it some more.¡± Having fully preserved the Black Drake in ice, Jade went back up to the surface. Since he was now done preserving the Black Drake, he wanted to consume the Gold Drake¡¯s heart. -Are we finally starting! ¡°Yes.¡± -I¡¯ll protect you while you absorb it! Celestine yelled loudly as she beat her chest. However, even with those words, Jade did not hold high expectations because he knew that she would just be watching the egg. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± -I¡¯m serious! ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± -Chet! Hearing Jade answer back dryly, Celestine pouted and pulled on his hair. However, Jade didn¡¯t even blink an eye. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± Jade entered his hideout and reached for the Gold Drake¡¯s frozen heart. And, as he did, the frozen heart melted and a thick scent filled the room. -You must eat it whole! ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can eat the whole thing.¡± Jade was filled with worry. He wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to eat a heart that was the same size as him. However, something shocking happened. The Gold Drake¡¯s heart shrunk in size and was now perfect to be eaten with one bite. -As I thought, she had arranged this. ¡°This will make things much easier.¡± -Don¡¯t get swept away by the energy, and make sure you properly control it. ¡°Of course.¡± Jade quickly swallowed the heart in one bite, sat down cross legged, then closed his eyes. He was attempting to absorb the Gold Drake¡¯s heart completely with his mana technique. Pa ji ji jik! Unlike its thick scent, the drake¡¯s heart did not taste bad. If anything, it was as sweet as chocolate from his original world. However, he was only able to taste the flavor for a short period of time. The energy from the drake¡¯s heart filled Jade¡¯s body in an instant. ¡®Eup!¡¯ Jade made a sound as he felt a tingling sensation course through his body. However, even though his body was in pain, Jade began absorbing the energy with his mana technique. It was all in order to contain as much energy within his body as possible. If he didn¡¯t take control of the heart¡¯s energy now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to accumulate much of it inside his body. Crack! His head felt like it was going to split but Jade continued to persevere. Chapter 3 part4 - Lucky? Or a Burden? (4) Even as Jade¡¯s head became white, he did not lose consciousness. He was doing whatever he could to control the energy. And, as if it had noticed Jade¡¯s persistence, the uncontrollable energy became controllable. Shake shake shake! Although his inner was becoming stable, Jade¡¯s outer began to shake all over. And, that wasn¡¯t the only thing. The sound of bones cracking could be heard all over his body. -No way! Celestine yelled out in shock as she watched Jade like a hawk. Something came to mind as she watched him. -I didn¡¯t think he would go through a body change! Crack!! As soon as Celestine finished yelling, Jade¡¯s bones began to move. And, at the same time, all of Jade¡¯s hair fell to the ground. There was no exception whether it was his facial hair or eyebrows. -Ohoh!! Celestine clapped in happiness as she watched Jade change back to his primitive stages. During that time, black matter exuded out from all his pores. It was the bad that had accumulated within his body but was now getting cleansed out with the body change. Celestine used her wind to get rid of it. -It¡¯s hard to consider you a human now, huh? Celestine laughed happily. Body change was body change, but having absorbed the Gold Drake¡¯s heart, Jade¡¯s existence itself changed. From the outside he looked like a human, but he wasn¡¯t just an innocent human. And, that was the same as the humans known as ¡°Masters¡±. They were humans that weren¡¯t humans. Jade had now attained that level. -Huh? Celestine tilted her head as she continued to stare at Jade. She noticed that the energy from within him was also spilling out to the egg, and the egg was absorbing that energy as if it was drinking milk from its mother¡¯s bosom. -Is this what she was aiming for? Celestine rubbed her chin, because it felt like this was all within the mother drake¡¯s plans. -Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. The energy that would normally be released to nature is now being absorbed by the egg. Technically speaking, the energy pouring out from Jade right now is the mother¡¯s energy, right? -Why did you come out? -Am I not allowed to? Rustle. As water began to gather in the air, a spirit the same size as Celestine appeared. She was blue, the same color as Undine, but she looked completely different. -You haven¡¯t come to this world in a while! -That¡¯s because I thought it would be a burden to Jade. I don¡¯t have a thick head like you. -What¡¯d you say?! Celestine¡¯s face turned red. However, the spirit that had just appeared did not mind it at all. If anything, she turned to Jade and smiled. He had become much more stable compared to earlier. -I¡¯ll be together with you guys from now. I think it¡¯ll be fine to do so. -Eek!! Celestine seemed to have many things to say, but she did not respond back. They were both on the same level, so she was unable to say anything. ¡°Huh?¡± -Long time no see, Jade. ¡°How are you here, Elestra?¡± -I came to play too. Hehe. How¡¯s your body? You body has completely changed. Elestra provided Jade with extra clothes that were lying in the corner of the hut. As Jade was going through the body change, his body heat burned his clothes off and made him completely naked. ¡°It¡¯s good. Only, it¡¯s going to take a while for me to get used to the change.¡± -I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get used to it much sooner than you think. ¡°I feel like I can use Aura Blade now too.¡±, murmured Jade. He hadn¡¯t gained any new enlightenment, but he got the feeling he could. Because, even before the complete overhaul to his body, Jade was slightly able to use the skill. Only, the efficiency of the skill was currently atrocious, so it was unusable in an actual fight. -We have time, so we can just slowly work on it. ¡°That¡¯s true. But, is Celestine sulking?¡± -Haha! It¡¯s her loss if she sulks. For whatever reason, Celestine seemed dissatisfied as she pouted her lips. Not only that, but she had her arms crossed and was looking away towards a different direction. ¡°Get along with her, since we¡¯re going to be together from now on.¡± -I don¡¯t dislike Celestine. She¡¯s the one that doesn¡¯t like me. To be precise, she doesn¡¯t want your attention to be taken away by someone else. ¡°What does that mean.¡± Jade laughed dumbfoundedly. He had taken it as a joke, but Elestra was serious. Crack. As Jade finished wearing his clothes, a strange sound could be heard coming from one side of the hut. It sounded like something was cracking. And, hearing this sound, all three of them turned to look. -I think it¡¯s about to hatch! ¡°Well, it did absorb the energy.¡± Jade knew what had happened outside his body, even though his mind was busy maintaining the energy within. To be precise, he knew the egg was absorbing the energy as well. Crack!! Even as they were speaking, the crack continued to grow. In a matter of moments, the small crack covered the entire egg. And, seeing this, Celestine and Elestra¡¯s eyes shone brightly. They had both lived for a very long time, but they had never witnessed the birth of a drake. Too dook. Too doo dook. After a while, the top portion of the egg split and fell to the ground. It was as if a lid had opened. However, even though 1/3 of the egg was broken, they couldn¡¯t see the drake. -Wh, what happened? -Is something wrong? Both spirits were filled with concern. They were worried that the egg may have suffered some form of damage during the fight against the Black Drake. On the other hand, Jade continued to stare in silence. Kkyu? At that moment, a cute head poked out from the top of the egg. It was a baby Gold Drake with a tiny lump protruding out from its head. -S, so cute! It¡¯s so so cute!! -It¡¯s really cute! The two spirit¡¯s reactions were fierce as they stared at the yellow creature with its chubby cheeks. It was as if the drake had received all the cuteness in this world, making them unable to maintain their senses. However, different from the two spirits, the drake instinctively stared at Jade, smiled, and broke apart its egg. Kkyuu!! In a split second, the baby drake rushed towards Jade and snuggled against him. It knew who its guardian was with one look. ¡°It really is cute.¡± -It¡¯s not JUST cute! It¡¯s really, REALLY cute! -I agree! Celestine and Elestra made a big fuss. They were unable to contain themselves as they stared at the baby drake within Jake¡¯s arms. However, the baby drake was scared of the spirits. It was able to feel their energies, even though their main bodies weren¡¯t summoned. ¡°I think we should feed it first. They need to eat well when they¡¯re babies.¡± -I want to hold it too! -But it looks like it¡¯s scared of us and feels some sort of kinship with Jade. Celestine stared at the baby drake with a variety of expressions, wanting to play with it, but it didn¡¯t look at her even once. Rather, it cuddled itself deeper into Jade¡¯s arms. -Hiiinnnnggg!! Celestine sulked as the baby drake resolutely continued to look away from her. It was quite the shy one. -Those actions are normal since it¡¯s a newborn baby. -But it¡¯s seeing Jade for the first time too! -However, he has the same energy as its mother, and he was the one she requested to look after her child. Although sad, Elestra responded normally compared to Celestine. Every existence was the same as they all felt fear towards unfamiliar things. To say nothing of spirits, they don¡¯t even acknowledge humans that have zero affinity to them. Kkyuu? The drake ignored the spirits and cutely stared up at Jade. Its eyes were filled with trust, as if it was willing to give Jade its everything. And, seeing this, Jade smiled and caressed its head. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not your parent.¡± Kkyu?? The baby drake tilted its head and stared at Jade with a confused expression. -Ugh! -S, so cute! ¡°Well, it¡¯s true I¡¯ll be your nanny starting from now on.¡± Jade was thinking the same as Celestine, that the mother drake used her heart as a collateral for the contract to allow her baby to feel more intimate with Jade. -I want to help too! -You won¡¯t get much help with just Celestine. -What¡¯d you say?! -Did I say something wrong? The two spirits were instantly in another argument with each other, and seeing this, Jade shook his head. It wasn¡¯t often that they fought, but they were always loud when they did. Before the body exchange, Elestra didn¡¯t show herself too often because Jade lacked the mana capacity. But, now that he had more mana, their fights were going to become more frequent. ¡°Sigh.¡± Kkyuu!!! The baby drake stared at Jade with worry. It wasn¡¯t sure, but it knew that Jade was having a hard time. ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. Anyhow, I need to give you a name.¡± Grrrgg. The baby drake liked the feeling of Jade caressing its head, as it closed its eyes and purred like a cat. At that moment, Scylla carried a piece of the Black Drake¡¯s corpse over to them. Sylph was too weak to cut the Black Drake¡¯s meat, so Jade requested for Scylla¡¯s help. ¡°Melt it for me.¡± Chapter 4 part1 - Outsider (1) Sniff sniff! The excited baby drake opened its eyes wide as it smelled a delicious smell. -As I thought, it was hungry! ¡°It¡¯s at an age where it¡¯s supposed to eat a lot.¡± Woosh woosh woosh! As Scylla brought a piece of the Black Drake over, the baby drake¡¯s tail began to twirl like a windmill. It must have instinctively known that it was its meal. Watching this, Jade smiled and placed the meat inside the baby drake¡¯s mouth. -Although their color is different, is it alright to be feeding it its own kind? -It shouldn¡¯t matter. Most monsters fight their own kind and eat the loser after the fight. Some will purposely find dragon types to kill in order to make their babies stronger. And, this child has the right to eat the Black Drake¡¯s meat. -That¡¯s true. Crunch crunch! Even though it had just been born, the baby drake ate the meat well. Scylla had brought a big sized portion to feed, yet the meat was gone in an instant. And, as if it was hungry, the blood-stained drake stared at Jade in earnest. -It looks like it wasn¡¯t enough! ¡°I think so too. Scylla, can you bring some more meat?¡± Neigh! With Jade¡¯s request, Scylla rushed down to the basement and brought the baby drake some more meat. -So cute. It¡¯s eating all snuggled up in Jade¡¯s arms. -Its wings are much smaller compared to its body, so it¡¯s interesting to watch it fly. The baby drake was just eating normally, but the two spirits were watching it with smitten expressions. Even the calm Elestra kept extending her arm and then retracting it. Celestine also wanted to hug the baby drake. Burp! The baby drake burped after devouring the second piece of meat. Different from earlier, the baby drake was now rubbing its stomach as if to say it was full. And, the two spirits once again fell apart. Its every action felt adorable to the two spirits. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s going to be a lot of work for the time being.¡± Ggyoong. As Jade wiped the baby drake¡¯s mouth, it closed its eyes and savored the moment. Even this trivial action felt good for the little one, and as proof, its tail began to shake side to side. -What¡¯s the worry. We have plenty of little ones! (This means the many low leveled sprits that can be used) ¡°I¡¯m so thankful. By the way, what should we name it?¡± -I have something in mind! ¡°What is it?¡± -How¡¯s Les? Don¡¯t you think it matches this baby drake because it¡¯s cute and adorable? Elestra stared in wonder, because she immediately knew where the name Les came from. -Why are you giving the little one a part of your name? (CeLEStine) -Because it¡¯s cute like me! -That¡¯s ridiculous. As the saying went, Celestine put the cart before the horse. This made Elestra unable to speak. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good name for it.¡± -How?! It¡¯s cute and adorable like me so its name should come from my name! ¡°It¡¯s not your child.¡± -B, but still! Strictly speaking, the baby drake¡¯s guardian was Jade. He was the one that the mother drake requested for, and he was the one that had made the contract. So, if anyone had the right to name the baby drake, it was him. -Have you thought of a name? ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about it. But there isn¡¯t a name that yells out ¡®This is the one¡¯!¡± -We don¡¯t have to rush its name. We have plenty of time. Same for you and this child. ¡°My life span HAS increased quite a bit.¡± Jade answered with a comfortable expression. After going through the body change, Jade felt slightly less rushed. However, he still had a long way to go. He had delayed his body from aging, but it did not mean he wouldn¡¯t age. -You should be able to get what you want once you¡¯re able to summon the Spirit Kings properly. ¡°But that¡¯s just a possibility. Even dragons might not have an answer for me.¡± Jade smacked his lips. He hoped humans would have information regarding dimension shifts, but he knew that the probability of that was low. Not only that, but he also had to be very careful with who he told his secret to. The secret of him being from another dimension. Snore. Snore. As Jade thought about many different things, the baby drake fell asleep. It was full and warm, so it was in the perfect condition to sleep. -Everything will work out. If you came from another dimension, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way to get you back. ¡°True. Everything has a cause and effect to it.¡± -We¡¯ll do our best to help you too. -And, if we can¡¯t find an answer, you can just live happily with us!! Celestine yelled out to lighten the heavy mood. And, hearing her words, Jade faintly smiled. ¡°If I can, I want to go back. Although I¡¯ve acclimated to this world, I still have two friends waiting for me back at home.¡± -Humans always seem to miss their home, as if their home is the best place in the world. ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re human.¡± Rustle. Gnome created a small bed made of dirt. It had made the bed exactly as Jade had envisioned it. He then placed the baby drake onto it. -Sweet dreams, little baby. Watching the baby drake curl up into a ball within the dirt bed, Elestra kissed it. And as she did, Celestine followed suit and immediately kissed the other cheek. ¡°A spirit¡¯s kiss. I wonder if this guy will summon spirits in the future too.¡± -It has the possibility to since drake¡¯s have high intelligence. It¡¯s just, they struggle when it comes to communication with other existences. Elestra shrugged her shoulders. However, she looked as if she had quite the expectations. She was curious as to how a baby drake would grow up to be through the hands of a human and spirits. -Kyyaaahaat!!! Celestine ran away as she smiled brightly. She was playing hide-and-seek with Hwid. (The name apparently means ¡®move quietly with dexterity¡¯) Kkyu!! Hwid didn¡¯t feel unfamiliar with Celestine anymore as it flapped its wings and followed closely after her. However, she wasn¡¯t a wind spirit for nothing. It was very difficult for the little drake to catch her. -I can¡¯t tell if we came to explore, or if we came to play. ¡°We¡¯re exploring and taking a stroll at the same time.¡± -Also trying to teach Hwid how to hunt? ¡°Yup. The more experience it gets, the better.¡± One year had quickly passed. Unlike Korea, the Great Forest didn¡¯t have all four seasons, so Jade had to calculate by counting the days. -I didn¡¯t know Hwid had that skill. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know much about drakes.¡± -You think other drakes have it too? Elestra tilted her head as she stared at Hwid flying around wildly. She wasn¡¯t sure if the skill it was using was something of his own, or if other drakes had it as well. Up till now, she had seen many drakes in her life and had fought with many of them, but she had never struck a conversation with them. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll run into one later, so we can just confirm it with them then, right? Since, we have the strength to do so now.¡± Ah oooooo!! As Elestra and Jade followed behind Celestine and Hwid, they heard a wolf¡¯s howl and sensed hundreds of energies nearby. Jade did not miss a single movement of theirs with his keen senses. -They¡¯re at it again today. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s because Hwid still smells like a baby. They¡¯re totally looking down on it.¡± Jade made a curious expression. It was normal for beasts and monsters to run when they smelled a drake. However, it seemed as if they were looking down on Hwid because it was still a baby. -Well, who cares. Hwid seems to like it, and it¡¯s not like Hwid will lose to a mere Dire Wolves. You said it yourself, that we need to raise Hwid to be strong. Grrrrrr. Hearing the howl, Hwid¡¯s expression quickly changed from that of playing to a savage beast. Not only that, but it¡¯s cute body quickly began to change and grew to be past three meters. -I like this look too! Celestine yelled out as she now sat on Hwid¡¯s head. She acted as if its head was reserved just for her. Roarrr!!!!! With Hwid¡¯s short yet bold roar, many Dire Wolves appeared from different locations. In that short amount of time, they had perfectly surrounded the group. However, the Dire Wolves flinched as they saw Jade. -They¡¯re scared! -That¡¯s normal. Jade is like the highest-level predator in the Great Forest now. The Dire Wolves appeared as if they didn¡¯t know what to do. They were excited to smell the scent of a baby drake, but as soon as they saw Jade, hundred of Dire Wolves were unable to make a move. Although they had come as they wanted, they now knew that they couldn¡¯t leave as they wanted. Rooooarrr!! At that moment, Hwid rushed forward. It was angry at the fact that the Dire Wolves had looked down it, so it rushed towards the closest Dire Wolf and ripped it to shreds. Ah ooo!!! That was the beginning. Watching one of their own get killed, the still Dire Wolves immediately rushed towards Hwid. They had no choice but to do what they came to do. However, the results were brutal. Rip!! Crunch!! No matter how many Dire Wolves bit Hwid, they were unable to even leave a scratch. Instead, the wolves that bit ended up losing their teeth. Having noticed this, Hwid fully took advantage of this situation. It completely obliterated the Dire Wolves with its overwhelming physical abilities. Roarrrr!!! Only a year had passed since Hwid was born, yet it wasn¡¯t a normal drake. Since it had grown eating the Black Drake¡¯s corpse, it couldn¡¯t be looked down on because of its age. Shake shake shake! Only now realizing this, the Dire Wolves began to move back one by one, but Hwid did not watch in silence. It used its weak breath to finish the ones that were trying to run away. ¡°As I thought, its long-distance attack is still weak.¡± -It¡¯s now just a year old, so it¡¯s actually weird to see it so strong. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± -Kyhahahaahahahaha! Burn more! Burn them all! The Dire Wolves looked like burnt food. Not that they were planning on eating any. Clack clack clack clack! As Hwid began using his breath, the rest of the Dire Wolves scattered out and ran away. Roar!! Watching them run, Hwid loudly roared and celebrated its victory. -Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll be okay to put it against a Troll? ¡°It beats Orcs without difficulty, but still struggles with Orc Warriors.¡± -Obviously Orc Warriors are hard. They¡¯re able to use mana. Elestra responded back as if it was natural. Orc Warriors were even able to fight against Trolls because they were able to use mana. Of course, winning was a different story. Chapter 4 part2 - Outisder (2) Ggyuk! After celebrating his victory, Hwid returned to his small form and cuddled up against Jade. Even though it was now older, it still liked being in Jade¡¯s arms. ¡°This guy.¡± Hwid was cuddled up against Jade with blood all over, so Jade wiped the stains off with his sleeve. He knew exactly what Hwid had wanted. Grrrrr, Grrrrr, As he had thought, Hwid closed its eyes in bliss and began to purr. It was savoring Jade¡¯s touch. -Huh? -What is it? -I think there are humans nearby. ¡°Humans?¡±, asked Jade with surprise. The Great Forest wasn¡¯t a place for normal humans to venture into. As there were monsters like Dire Wolves, one had to have a decent amount of skill to be able to come into the forest. -Yeah. Let¡¯s go! Aren¡¯t you curious to find out what kind of humans they are? Celestine¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity. However, Elestra¡¯s face was unusual as well. -I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be bad to go. It¡¯s not like we have to run into them even if we go. -Our Jade is quite skilled! ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±, murmured Jade as he was unable to do anything when Celestine and Elestra became like this. He honestly lived quite far from other humans, and as his clothes were beginning to wear out, he had to at least go into human territory once in a while. As for the location, he had long since decided on the place. -Let¡¯s go see, let¡¯s go see! ¡°Alright.¡± -Yes!!!! With Jade¡¯s approval, Celestine danced around wildly in the air with excitement. And, seeing this, Hwid also followed suit. -It mustn¡¯t get influenced by her. ¡°Do your best to watch it for me Elestra.¡± -Aren¡¯t you giving me quite the burden? ¡°That¡¯s how much I trust you.¡± -Although that makes me happy, why do I feel like I¡¯m on the losing end? Elestra made a queer expression. She was happy, yet strangely not. ¡°What losing end. With our relationship?¡± -That¡¯s true. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jade kicked off the ground as he told the two that were flying around as always. And, as he did, Jade silently split through the forest. His speed was light and fast and wasn¡¯t far off from an elf¡¯s speed and dexterity. Watching all of this, Elestra made a look of admiration. ¡®I thought his growth had slowed down.¡¯ Because Jade had grown so quickly these past few years, Elestra had thought Jade was at a standstill. And it was normal to think that as Jade had absorbed the Gold Drake¡¯s heart and attained a high level through body change. However, Jade was still growing much quicker than normal. ¡®Maybe he was born with the talent.¡¯ She knew about Jade¡¯s ability to read an object¡¯s memories and emotions, because he was exploring the Great Forest every day for that specific reason. But she now thought that skill was much greater than normal. -There they are! There¡¯s a girl with them too! She¡¯s considerably beautiful? As Elestra was lost in her thoughts, the group reached their destination and could see the humans fighting against two Orcs. ¡°They¡¯re Crimson Orcs.¡± -Was this their territory? I could¡¯ve sworn it was a bit further in. ¡°Maybe they want to expand. They can¡¯t grow inwards, so they¡¯re aiming for the outer parts of the forest. Or, they could have rushed over here after smelling the humans.¡± -The monsters living in the forest love humans for some reason. I wonder if it¡¯s because they don¡¯t get to eat them often. But there are plenty of food to eat in the forest. Gyuu? As Celestine clicked her tongue, Hwid watched within Jade¡¯s arms and tilted its head. It was surprised to see humans gathered together that looked similar to Jade. -It seems like they¡¯re in the midst of running away. They¡¯re not in great condition. Not only that, but two of them don¡¯t even know how to fight properly. ¡°They still have a Master with them. Although his injury seems to be severe.¡± -That old guy? ¡°Yeah.¡± Caressing the top of Hwid¡¯s head, Jade stared at the old knight that was swinging a sword around at the front of the group. His face was pale, but his blade was still fierce and doing better than even the younger knights. However, there were too many Orcs. -It looks like they have a story to tell. Elestra¡¯s eyes wandered to the center of the group, where a boy and a girl were standing. They appeared to be siblings, but seeing as how bad their situation currently was, they both had stiff expressions. ¡°Gnome.¡± Having seen this, Jade quickly summoned Gnome. It was better to use Sylph if he wanted to eavesdrop on their conversation, but he decided to go with Gnome because of the old knight. No matter how sensitive the old knight was to mana, Jade believed he wouldn¡¯t be able to focus on the ground while he was fighting for his life. -Me too! I want to hear them too! Celestine approached Jade as she knew what he was planning to do. And, even Elestra came and took a spot right next to her. Rustle. Unable to do anything about the two spirits, Jade summoned another Gnome and connected it to the first. ¡°Ugh! Leader! There are too many Orcs!¡± ¡°We must break through like this! We need to keep them as far apart as possible from Baron Leon¡¯s main party!¡± ¡°This might be Orc territory, so wouldn¡¯t it be better to take a slight detour?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have the time to do that! We must break through!¡± The old knight spoke firmly. He had the same thoughts as the other knights, but decisions had to be made based off the situation. They did not have the ability to turn back. ¡°Everyone is exhausted, sir!¡± ¡°Keuk!¡± Furthermore, none of their armors were maintained properly and were full of dents and blood. The armor helplessly became crushed by the Orcs¡¯ glaives. Also, there wasn¡¯t a single knight out of the eight people that did not have an injury. They each had small and big wounds all over their body. The old knight having it the worst. ¡°I, I will fight as well!¡± ¡°What are you talking about!¡± The noble looking person inside the circle flatly yelled out as his body was shaking. Although he had never fought with a monster before, he was a boy who had received some training with the sword. Of course, he normally didn¡¯t like to fight, but the situation right now called for action. However, the older looking female firmly grabbed the boy¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I must help them! ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but you will only be a burden if you go out there! Just hold still for now!¡± ¡°B, but!¡± The boy bit his lip as his sister strongly dissuaded him. He was struggling to just sit there and be protected, but his sister¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong. As he had no experience with real battles, he would just become a burden to the other knights. ¡°Please do not worry! We will handle this swiftly!¡± ¡°Lord Heinze!¡± Even though he was heavily injured, the old knight continued to fight at the fore front. He looked as if the lady of virtue was going to appear at any moment. The girl did not cry or make a sound as she knew exactly what state the old knight was in. It was all in order to show a strong front in front of her little brother. ¡°Th, there are more Orcs coming!¡± ¡°Wh, what?¡± The girl¡¯s face became pale. A few dozen orcs could be seen in the distance with a cloud of dust rising up into the air. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°Is this why they call this place the Forest of Monsters¡­..¡± ¡°I heard this place wasn¡¯t for the like of humans¡­.¡± Same as the noble girl, the knights¡¯ faces also became pale. They were already struggling with the Orcs in front of them, but if 50 more of them were to join¡­ ¡°Get a hold of yourselves!¡± At that moment, Heinze, the old night scolded the knights. He was the only one who had not given up. Oong oong oong! At the same time, a Master¡¯s symbolic attack ¡®Aura Blade¡± surged forth. The color of the Aura Blade was as white as the old knight¡¯s hair, as it lit up the sky and instantly tore apart the nearby Orcs. ¡°Cough!¡± Blood spurted out from Heinze¡¯s mouth. The already injured organs became more damaged as the old knight overused his mana. However, he didn¡¯t stop swinging his sword. ¡®I must do whatever I can to open up a path!¡¯ Even if he and the knights were to die here, he had to save the two kids no matter what. That¡¯s why Heinze clenched his jaw. ¡®Even if I die, I will die in the realm of the Kingdom of Arhan!¡¯ The Orcs that were rushing forward momentarily flinched, as they felt the murderous intent exuding from Heinze. Even though they were known to be fearless, they were currently frozen stiff. Chapter 4 part3 - Outsider (3) ¡°Baron Leon huh.¡± -Isn¡¯t that your family? ¡°Not exactly. I¡¯m not considered part of their family.¡± Jade shook his head firmly. He wasn¡¯t someone recognized as being part of the family, because he was the child of a mistress. There was no point in hiding this fact, but he wasn¡¯t going to be sharing it with the world. If anything, there was a higher chance that he would get killed before that happened. ¡®That¡¯s also the reason why I came to the Great Forest in the first place. I¡¯m sure they think I¡¯m already dead.¡¯ To the public, he was just a normal Hunter. Not amazing, not horrible. That¡¯s why he was sure the Leon family stopped following him after they lost his scent in the Great Forest. This wasn¡¯t a place an average Hunter could survive in. -Why don¡¯t we just flip the whole place upside down? If we rush in now, it shouldn¡¯t be an issue. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Jade thought hard as he heard a name he wasn¡¯t expecting to hear. When he had first awoken in this world, the name Leon was something akin to fear for him. However, this wasn¡¯t the case now. He would easily be able to get rid of a weak little Baron. -Even with just me, I can easily destroy them! ¡°I know.¡± -Just tell me when! I¡¯m always on your side Jade! -It¡¯s the same for me as well. Ggyoong! As if to say that they wouldn¡¯t lose out to Celestine, Elestra and Hwid also vigorously shouted. They didn¡¯t really like killing things, but if it was for Jade, all three of them would do anything. ¡°We are definitely not on good terms, but it¡¯s not to the point of having to erase them from this world. Instead, let¡¯s have a bit of fun.¡± -Fun? What kind of fun? Celestine¡¯s eyes began to sparkle. It was because she could see the insidious look on Jade¡¯s face. ¡°There¡¯s this saying in my world, ¡®utilize a barbarian to control a barbarian¡¯. To put it simply, it means to use an enemy to control the enemy.¡± -Using those guys? ¡°Yeah, they have some items that we need, and it¡¯ll be easy to save them since they¡¯re nobles.¡± Jade had a meaningful expression. He had thought of many things within a short period of time. And, having made the decision immediately, he kicked off the branch. -Let¡¯s steal that grandpa¡¯s skill too! You always wanted a Master¡¯s memories! ¡°Of course, I already thought of that. It¡¯s honestly much better to get recent memories rather than memories from an old item. Much less stressful on the mind too.¡± -As expected! Celestine clapped her hands while sitting on Jade¡¯s right shoulder. She was happy to have had the same thoughts as him. Squeall?!! The Orcs that were about to attack the humans were surprised to see Jade appear from within the forest. Some were even frightened. They had recognized who Jade was. ¡°Noim.¡± Jade summoned multiple mid-level earth spirits from the ground by the name of Noim. They were much better to use compared to Gnome when it came to higher numbers, as they were efficient in separating the humans from the Orcs. Grrrrrrrr! The raccoon shaped Noim instantly separated the two parties as soon as it was summoned. It had done this by creating a thick earth wall, and the only mage from the human party unconsciously yelled out, ¡°A Summoner!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s get rid of the Orc¡¯s first.¡± Although the person could be considered a mage, he was either low skilled or hurt, because he had only been using low level skills until now. He wasn¡¯t able to see the spirits, but as he was able to feel the mana around him, the mage could tell what level the spirits were. ¡®An intermediate Summoner! And, it seems like there¡¯s a drake being held in his arms¡­..¡¯ Summoners were much rarer than mages. One had to have the innate ability of having an affinity with spirits, and if they didn¡¯t, there was no point in even trying to become one. As rare as it was to see a Summoner, it was even rarer to see that Jade was an intermediate Summoner. What was even more shocking was that the boy had a drake in his arms. At first glance the drake was a baby, but this made the mage even more confused. ¡®It¡¯s not possible to raise a drake. Not only is it impossible to get a drake¡¯s egg, but a baby drake would not listen to the words of a human.¡¯ There was history of wyverns and griffins being raised in the empire, but they were raised through special means as soon as they hatched from their eggs. However, there was not a single story of this being done to a drake. If anything, it was also the first time the mage had seen a Gold Drake. ¡®Who is this person?¡¯ Anyone could tell that the baby drake was showing a lot of affection towards the Summoner. And, this was what made the mage confused. One guess he could make was that the drake was affectionate towards Jade because he wasn¡¯t just human, but a Summoner. Squeal! Squeal!! As soon as jade appeared, the Orcs lost their will to fight. The backup Orcs that were coming from the rear turned and ran, and the Orcs that had attacked the knights were now running in different directions. It was their first-time seeing Jade, but their tribe knew there was a monstrous human living in the Great Forest. Grrrr! The only problem was that, even if jade was okay with letting them go, Hwid did not have the same idea. It had also believed that getting rid of the Orcs would be of help to Jade, so it quickly changed its shape and flew out into the distance. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Wh, what the!¡± ¡°It really is a drake?!¡± Hwid instantly grew past 3 meters, and although this was still considered to be small for its kind, he was still huge compared to humans. The sight of him using lightning breath also brought fear to the knights. Swallow! Different from how he looked within Jade¡¯s arms, the drake had no enemies. It ruthlessly bit and trampled on the Orcs that were running away. The surprising thing was that the Orcs were brave enough to attack a Master, yet they did not even fight back against the drake. ¡°A summoner with a drake huh.¡± Different from the younger brother¡¯s astonished expression, the young lady stared at the boy with sparkles in her eyes. The appearance of the boy was like a string of hope for her. ¡°My lady.¡± Heinze approached the young lady. Although his face had become as pale as the Aura Blade he had used, Heinze¡¯s eyes were still full of strength. He was suppressing his pain with his tough willpower. ¡°Sir Heinze.¡± ¡°That young man is strong.¡± ¡°Is he that strong?¡± The young lady seemed surprised. Heinze was known to give little to no compliments, and even stated that expert level swordsmen were just ¡®useful¡¯. That¡¯s why the look in the young lady¡¯s eyes changed. ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s strong as a Summoner, or strong as a warrior. What I do know for certain is that I may not be able to beat him even at my full capacity.¡± ¡°Huh!¡± The noble boy breathed in deeply as he overheard what Heinze had said. He knew Jade appeared to be strong, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he really was. ¡°Only, we¡¯re going to have to see if he¡¯s someone we can trust.¡± ¡°Just looking at his outer appearance, he looks like he¡¯s been living in the Great Forest for a while.¡± ¡°Clothes can always be changed.¡± ¡°Then let me ask in a different way. Are they able to send someone as strong as him to us?¡± Heinze blinked. Thinking about it, he didn¡¯t have any reason to be suspicious of Jade. If the enemy had someone this strong on their side, he knew they wouldn¡¯t have made it this far in the first place. It wouldn¡¯t end with just injuries, but death. ¡°¡­¡­¡­We must grab a hold of him.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Both of them made the same expressions. They hadn¡¯t said much, but they were both thinking the same thing. At that moment, Hwid who had been chasing after the Orcs let out a roar to celebrate his victory. ¡°Th, thank you! We survived because of you!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move to a different location first. We¡¯re very close to the Crimson Orcs¡¯ territory, and the Killer Bees¡¯ hive.¡± ¡°Killer Bees?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The mage that thanked Jade made a weary expression. Killer Bees were known for their ferocious personalities and would chase their enemy down to the end of the world. That¡¯s why it was wise to avoid them when possible. ¡°Let¡¯s move now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± Responding back with a short reply, Heinze gave a slight nod to Jade. He knew they had to begin moving as soon as possible. The ground was littered with Orcs and their blood, so it was natural to attract other monsters to their vicinity. They left the lead to Jade. ¡®The possibility of him being with the enemy is low, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can fully trust him.¡¯ Even as he naturally allowed Jade to take the lead, Heinze was filled with suspicions. He had no other choice because he had to keep the two siblings safe. -That old man is staring at Jade with eyes full of suspicion! -That¡¯s normal. Being thankful is one thing, while being suspicious is another. -Maybe he¡¯s grown scared with his age! Jade laughed. If they were to talk about age, Celestine and Elestra were much older. However, he did not bring this up. Ggyu! Ggyuu ggyu!! As if Hwid was unhappy with the old knight¡¯s eyes, it squinted its eyes and bared its teeth. He was definitely going to teach him a lesson if he did anything wrong. ¡°Let¡¯s rest here, since it seems like there are a lot of people injured.¡± ¡°¡­..There was a place like this.¡± ¡°This is one of the places I found while exploring. It¡¯s a little too cramped to use for a long time, but perfect for resting for short periods of time. There¡¯s a pond nearby as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little late but thank you. Thanks to you, no one died, and everyone made it out alive.¡± Heinze held his hand out as he saw his party sitting down in comfort one by one. However, Jade did not simply accept the handshake because he knew the intent behind it. ¡°No problem. We need to stick together and help each other as fellow human beings.¡± ¡°Cough cough! Are you staying here in the Great Forest?¡± ¡°Yes, for personal reasons.¡± ¡°Then you must know the roads well.¡± Heinze¡¯s eyes sparkled. If they were lucky, they would be able to get out of the forest without having to fight any monsters. Not only that, but there was a high possibility that Jade wasn¡¯t on the same side as the enemy since he had been living in the Great Forest. Chapter 4 part4 - Outsider (4) ¡°Yeah, I know the outer parts pretty well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to ask you this since you¡¯ve already helped us out plenty, but can you guide us to the Morcus estate? We will give you a handsome reward.¡± ¡°To the Morcus estate¡­.¡± Jade pretended to think about the request. As soon as he had heard the name Leon, Jade already guessed where they would be going. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I request this of you as well.¡± Following after Heinze, the young lady also bowed her head as she was filled with a thoughtful expression. However, no matter how pretty or dignified she was, Jade was not impressed. He himself was from another world and he preferred eastern beauties over western beauties. ¡°I will guide you, since it¡¯s not that far from here.¡± ¡°Thank you. Here is our down payment to start with.¡± The young lady breathed a sigh of relief as Heinze pulled out a ruby from his pocket with an expressionless face. It was all to pay Jade his advancement. ¡°I¡¯ll take it once we reach our destination. Let¡¯s focus on the ones that are injured first, since there seem to be some with internal injuries.¡± With Jade¡¯s words, a few of the group members flinched. Although no one had died, they had all received some sort of injury from the fight. Especially for the mage, his internal injuries didn¡¯t seem to be getting any better, so he was desperate for a rest. ¡°Do you have a way to heal them?¡± ¡°Let me go find some medicinal herbs from around here. I¡¯ll also hunt while I¡¯m at it, so just rest for now.¡± ¡°You know how to concoct medicine?¡± ¡°Well, I AM a hunter so it¡¯s a very simple thing to do.¡± Seeing Jade heartlessly turn around, Heinze made an awkward expression. He felt that Jade was helping them only because they were humans like him. ¡°Rest for now. All of you look exhausted.¡± ¡°Hooo!!¡± With the young lady¡¯s words, the mage and knights collapsed onto the floor. No one said it, but all their limbs were feeling extremely heavy. Not only that, but with the series of fights they had to endure, their spirit was also exhausted. ¡°One person must be on guard.¡± ¡°Even though we came all the way here?¡± The young lady also looked with a curious expression as she took a seat on the ground. They were currently inside a cave with little to no vision of what was outside, so she wondered if there was a point to having someone be on guard. But, Heinze firmly spoke. ¡°It¡¯s true that young man saved us, but that doesn¡¯t mean we should completely trust him. Even if he¡¯s not connected to our enemy. And, although this cave seems to be the best place for us to rest in, it could be that he placed us in here so we can¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Mmm!¡±, murmured the young lady. It was true that the cave was a double-edged sword for them. Even more so if the young man was a summoner of an earth spirit, he would be able to imprison them all. ¡°Is there any point in having to think so much?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no harm in being more careful. Even in the current situation that we¡¯re in.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.That¡¯s true.¡± The young lady¡¯s face darkened. Her already tired face looked even more tired as she was now filled with anxiety. However, that didn¡¯t mean she could just give everything up. ¡°Let¡¯s take turns taking breaks, since we do need the rest.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°What about food?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..We only have a few beef jerky left, since we had to quickly run away.¡± Heinze¡¯s face hardened as he heard the knight¡¯s words. And, it was the same for the other knights as well. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for now. He said he¡¯s a Hunter and it seems like he¡¯s been living in the Great Forest for a while now, so he should easily be able to bring us some food.¡± ¡°Even if he brings something to eat, we¡¯re going to have issues with the smoke.¡± Heinze¡¯s worries weren¡¯t without reason. As simple as it may be for the young boy to hunt for game, they were currently on the run from their enemy. As soon as smoke was released into the air, they¡¯ll be giving away their position to their enemy. So, even if Jade brought meat, they would only be able to eat it raw. ¡®We¡¯re fine but¡­.¡¯ Heinze¡¯s eyes landed on the two siblings. He had drunk blood in place of water on the battlefield, however, the siblings had lived a life completely opposite of that. ¡°Sigh.¡± Thinking about this, he naturally sighed. Wooshh!! Wooossh!! Jade was quickly moving through the Great Forest. He was heading towards his hideout. He had seen a few medicinal herbs that were good for healing external and internal injuries, yet he did not pick them. -You¡¯re going home to pick up a few things to take with you, right? ¡°Yeah, I first need to get money. Thankfully, the bronze and silver coins that are used in the Kingdom of Paulstein can be exchanged for coins in the Kingdom of Arhan. And, there are a few other things I need to get as well.¡± -You have quite a few medicinal herbs growing in the garden too. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chapter 5.1 - That incident that happened in the Morcus’s estate (1) Jade quickly packed his baggage after returning to his hideout. His empty bag was now filled with items he needed, yet the more he filled, the more he desperately wanted a subspace bag. Even if it was small, he was sure that he could fit more items into a subspace bag than a regular bag. ¡°I¡¯m definitely going to buy one this time.¡± -If you don¡¯t have enough money, let¡¯s get it from those kids! Or, ask for one of the subspace bags they already have! ¡°The best thing would be to buy it from the Magic Tower as well as shop for other items.¡± -Sounds good! I love seeing new things! Celestine was happy just thinking about it. She had been summoned to this world many times before, but it was mostly to fight, never to sightsee. There was a reason why Celestine and Elestra continued to stay summoned in this world. Ggyu? ¡°Eat a lot while we¡¯re here, Hwid. You won¡¯t be able to eat Black Drake meat for a little while.¡± Ggyu!! Although it couldn¡¯t speak, it nodded its head as if to respond to Jade. It understood what he had said. And, as if to verify that fact, Hwid followed Jade down to the basement and ripped off a piece of the Black Drake¡¯s tail to eat. It was slowly thawing the ice with its thunderbolts. -Whoever raised it has done a magnificent job! ¡°Help with the thawing. If it continues, it¡¯s going to end up burning the meat.¡± -It eats the burnt meat well though? It probably likes the difference in texture. ¡°You think so? Well, it DOES need to practice controlling its power.¡± Jade smiled as he watched Hwid concentrate and slowly thaw the ice. It was because it was growing up rather quickly for a one year old. If it was human, they would barely be able to walk, but Hwid was running around fighting against Orcs and Dire wolves and eating them. -Why are you taking the teeth? ¡°Since we may run into a dwarf, we should at least be prepared with basic gear. That way I can lower my mana consumption.¡± -Are you sure you don¡¯t have some obsession with efficiency disorder? ¡°I¡¯m just doing the best I can, and besides, what are we going to do if we just leave it here? We should use what we can.¡± Jade pulled off a moderate-sized tooth from the Black Drake¡¯s skull. And, thinking of selling some as well, Jade pulled off two more teeth and placed the three teeth into his bag. As they were placed inside, the bag looked as if it was about to explode. -We really do need that subspace. ¡°I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s absolutely necessary. Not only do they have great capacity, but they¡¯re also very light.¡± -Let¡¯s take some medicinal herbs too! Celestine took the lead and headed towards the stairs. This was all in case Jade had forgotten. With Sylph¡¯s help, Jade carried a huge buck back to the cave. As he stared at the party that he had left there, he could see they were resting but were still filled with anxiety. And, as for the two siblings, they were either asleep or dead as they were unable to wake up. ¡°You came.¡± ¡°Go ahead and start cooking the buck first. I will go mix the medicinal herbs I brought with me.¡± Heinze¡¯s eyes grew wide as he had been meditating to suppress his internal injuries. Then, his eyes landed on the buck that Jade brought back with him. Although it wasn¡¯t enough to fill the stomachs of the big knights, it was more than enough to appease everyone¡¯s hunger. ¡°Cough! Thank you for bringing the buck with you, but we can¡¯t start a fire. We¡¯re currently in an unspeakable situation.¡± Heinze cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment. He knew very well how strange it was to be asking for help but not giving enough detail. However, he was unable to tell Jade their circumstance as he didn¡¯t fully trust him yet. Jade was a formidable person that Heinze wasn¡¯t sure he could win against even if he was at full power, so he didn¡¯t want to show any weakness. ¡°I understand, since everyone has their own circumstance. Nor, am I curious. I¡¯m just showing a bit of good faith as a fellow human being because this is who I am.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯ll be best that you guys eat. At this rate, you guys will pass out before we even get to the Morcus estate. If I calculate the distance from a normal, strong man¡¯s perspective, it¡¯ll take at least two days to reach our destination.¡± ¡°Two days¡­..¡± Heinze dwelled on Jade¡¯s words. Two days could be considered long or short. However, the one thing he was sure about was the time was much shorter than he expected. ¡°As long as we don¡¯t run into any complications, if we leave tomorrow morning, we¡¯ll be able to reach the Morcus estate by the following night.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± ¡°Only, if we¡¯re constantly able to move without anyone passing out. So, eat. You don¡¯t need to worry about the smoke. Sylph.¡± With Jade¡¯s summon, a cute spirit appeared. As Jade had purposely summoned her to be visible, Heinze¡¯s eyes shook. He now understood why Jade was confident with them eating the buck. ¡°I apologize for the late introduction. My name is Ince.¡± ¡°My name is Jade.¡± Heinze naturally used his alias because his real name was well known. And, if Jade by chance knew who he was, it would complicate their situation even more, so he chose to use his alias instead. ¡°Your accent sounds like it¡¯s from Paulstein.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. When I was young, I lived on Baron Leon¡¯s land, although I¡¯m currently living by myself in the Great Forest.¡± ¡°Is it to train yourself?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± Heinze stealthily and inquisitively interrogated. He had naturally grasped information from Jade. Of course, his eyes were fixated on the buck, since he was trimming it. As for the knights, they were getting drinking water and the bonfire ready. ¡°As expected, there are many people who come to the Great Forest to become stronger. Especially the ones that have run into a wall.¡± ¡°And, a lot of them die.¡± ¡°But there are some that overcome that wall, since they face trials that are life threatening.¡± ¡°Either way, the probability is about half half, so whether they succeed or fail, eat this. It¡¯ll help alleviate your internal injuries. Although you won¡¯t fully recover, you can apply the rest of it onto your external injuries.¡± Mixing the medicinal herbs that he had brought; Jade separated the medicine onto two plates and gave one of the plates to Heinze and the mage. It was medicine to help with internal injuries, but instead of drinking it, Heinze gave it to the mage first. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really effective. It makes me feel somewhat better.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best to go to a temple for internal injuries. I only now how to administer first aid.¡± ¡°Even with this I¡¯m very thankful, since I don¡¯t feel any more pain.¡± Noticing that the mage was fine, Heinze also took a sip. As he did, he felt his body getting better, just as the mage had said. Gulp! After a while, the buck was fully cooked through the bonfire. As oil dripped from the meat, an amazing smell filled the insides of the cave. And, as it did, everyone within the cave swallowed their saliva. Not having eaten a decent meal the past few days, the meal before them was a sumptuous feast. ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Jade spoke as he poked at the buck meat with a dagger. And, hearing his words, Heinze was the first to reach out and cut the buck meat. He was first preparing portions for the two siblings. Once he was done, the knights and mage then reached out and did the same. ¡°Sniff!¡± ¡°This is so good¡­..¡± ¡°How long has it been since out last meal¡­..¡± Tears began to form around the eyes of the knights as they hastily ate the buck meat. Jade had only sprinkled some salt and pepper onto the meat, but the meal tasted better than any other meal they had ever tasted. They carefully ate everything without leaving a single piece of cartilage. ¡°So good¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay right?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s sooo good. Even though there¡¯s barely any seasoning on it.¡± The siblings were also impressed. They would have never looked at buck meat in the past, but right now, it had a heavenly taste to them. That¡¯s why the two ate their meal without care. ¡°Mmm!¡± ¡°Huhu. So good.¡± ¡°I wish I could just fall asleep after eating this¡­.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do that. We need have someone standing watch.¡± Everyone had a languid expression now that they were healed and full. They were unable to contain their body¡¯s wants. However, Heinze was the only one who was able to maintain a stern expression. ¡°I can have Sylph on standby for night watch.¡± ¡°Even still, we MUST have one person switch off.¡±, Heinze firmly spoke. He did not deny the convenience of having a spirit, but he did not fully trust Jade yet. That¡¯s why he decided to number the knights for the watch. ¡°If it¡¯s one at a time, it shouldn¡¯t be too bad.¡± ¡°I will stand watch as well.¡± The mage merrily raised his hand. He couldn¡¯t be active in the battle due to his injuries, but he was fine enough to take part in the watch. In addition, he had an alarm spell available for use. However, the siblings were exempt from participating. Chapter 5.2 - That incident that happened in the Morcus’s estate (2) At a time while everyone was asleep. With the alarm spell and spirit, Heinze canceled the night watches. It seemed as if he had grown a bit more trust towards Jade. However, while everyone was soundly sleeping, the sound of rustling could be heard. -The baby boy is waking up. -He¡¯s a bit old to be call a baby. I¡¯m sure he would hate being called that. -I wonder what his identity is? It¡¯s obvious that he¡¯s a noble, and not just any noble, but a high-ranking one. Jade opened his half-shut eyes to see what the boy was doing. However, Celestine and Elestra openly stared at him since nobody could see them. Snore! Snore! On the other hand, Hwid was sleeping well on Jade¡¯s chest. -I don¡¯t know much about nobles so I can¡¯t say, but I can make a few predictions because there are only a handful of people in Paulstein that can have a Sword Master as a guard. -It must be the royal family as expected? And, if they¡¯re running away, then it must be because they got pushed back in the struggle for succession. -It definitely seems like it, but I¡¯m not sure. Even within Jade¡¯s memories, there isn¡¯t enough information regarding the royal family. All he knows is that the current king was born weak, but he has many children? -It could be that he¡¯s not the king¡¯s child. -How can you say something so frightening. Jade laughed in vain. However, he believed that it was highly possible because it was a common occurrence that had occurred even in his world. -There is no end to human greed! -That I acknowledge. Slide. As Jade and the group were busy talking amongst each other, the young boy carefully walked to the dirt wall and unsheathed his sword. He then swung his sword with a determined expression. He must have known that he wouldn¡¯t instantly become strong like those he had read of in novels. However, even still, the young boy tenaciously swung his sword. -The old knight woke up too! -Well, he¡¯s probably just watching. It¡¯ll be hard for the boy to quickly get strong, so he¡¯s probably just admiring him. -He must really be anxious. I can feel regret flowing out from his emotions. -I can tell just by staring at his face expression. -Hehe! Celestine laughed out of embarrassment. She honestly didn¡¯t have the ability to read a human¡¯s heart, but she could tell by their expression and atmosphere. -Regret, lethargic, frustration, but obstinate. -However, he has no talent. Elestra spoke as she watched the young boy. She could feel how desperate he was, but he unfortunately didn¡¯t have any talent with the sword. And, be that as it may, he also didn¡¯t have any affinity to spirits or mana. -If he really is of the royal family, then it¡¯s not important to have, since they already have everything. -The problem is that the kid has lost that ¡®everything¡¯ and is now just a regular human being. His plunge downward will be much longer since he knows the feeling of being at the top. ¡°Ugh!¡± The young boy choked on his tears as he could feel that he wasn¡¯t getting any better. As he didn¡¯t want to wake anyone up, he suppressed his tears. However, although this scene was quite sympathetic, Jade¡¯s eyes were cold. -I¡¯m sure they¡¯re going to the Kingdom of Arhan with a plan, but do you really think it¡¯s possible for them to regain their spot? -He himself doesn¡¯t have to be outstanding. It¡¯s also a skill to be able to gather and deal with people. -So sad. Celestine made a pitiful expression as she could guess how the young boy was feeling just by looking at his face. However, different from Celestine, Elestra looked calm. She didn¡¯t have much interest in the boy, because he wasn¡¯t someone she was contracted to and Jade was temporarily using him for his own gains. ¡°Sigh!¡± After crying, the boy went back to the spot he lay at before. And, just like how he left, he carefully made sure to not wake anyone up, wiped his tears and closed his eyes. However, his shoulders still shook. It seemed like he was angry at himself for being insufficient. -Reality is harsh so blood, sweat and tears much be dropped to change it. He¡¯s not horrible though, since he at least knows what he needs to do moving forward. -You¡¯re much more positive than I thought, Jade. -That¡¯s not true. It¡¯s just, I¡¯ve seen kids much worse off than him in my world. Jade closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t need to sleep, but he still closed his eyes. And, as he did, many thoughts came to mind and left. ¡°F, finally!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a town!¡± The knights shouted as they saw the old but strong-looking wall. They were happy to see the old wall. However, Heinze and the young lady were surprised for a different reason. It was because, ever since Jade began leading the group, they had not run into a single monster. ¡®Are all summoners like that?¡¯ The young lady glanced at Jade with a curious expression. Yet, Jade pretended to not notice her and continued to look at the town¡¯s wall. ¡°Who is it!¡± ¡°We are active mercenaries from the Kingdom of Paulstein! We went into the Great Forest to handle a request but came here in search of some urgent supplies!¡± ¡°Hmm. mercenaries huh?¡± A soldier on top of the wall stared at the group with suspicious eyes. As he did, he saw a mana filled staff and nodded his head. It was difficult to tell the difference between bandits and mercenaries if the party didn¡¯t have a mage, but it was different if they had one. Only noble families or skillful mercenaries had useful mages in their party, so the soldier waved his hand to his replacement. ¡°Let¡¯s begin with confirming your mercenary tablet.¡± Creak. The steadfast gate opened and the group walked in with Heinze in the lead. He had already prepared the mercenary tablet. ¡°Here it is.¡± The soldier that received the tablet looked surprised. He had unknowingly made this expression as he felt something underneath the tablet. ¡°Hmm hmm! Go inside. I welcome you to this city.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°No need to thank me.¡± Heinze smiled and walked in after their private transaction was fulfilled. However, he did not know that the soldier continued to watch them as they walked away and out of view. ¡°Finding lodging is our priority.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Although they were thrilled to see so many people around them once again, the knights responded with discipline. They acted like they were mercenaries, but they were clearly knights. They had to act the part even more so, because they were escorting important people with them. ¡°Do you know of any place?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been here myself.¡± Heinze asked in a much different tone compared to before. His vigilance was now completely gone and was now only filled with trust towards Jade. And, this was expected, because he was able to witness Jade¡¯s abilities during their journey. ¡®I wish he can come with us to the capital, but I¡¯ll talk with the young lady about this later.¡¯ Heinze did not want to simply let Jade go as he had thoroughly felt the usefulness of having a summoner around. The journey completely changed with the addition of a single summoner to the party. So, if it was possible, Heinze wanted Jade to join them on their way to the capital of Arhan, all the way to the Kingdom of Paulstein. Although the other knights didn¡¯t say anything, they also felt the same as Heinze. ¡°Let¡¯s go to that inn over there.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As Heinze was concentrated on Jade, the young lady found an inn. She had felt dirty and uncomfortable for not having been able to bathe. ¡°Mister Jade should join us as well, since you came all the way here. I know the Great Forest is comfortable for you, but I want to treat you for at least a day.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± At any rate, there was something Jade wanted to do, so he didn¡¯t reject the young lady¡¯s¡¯ offer. There was no point in refusing an offer of being treated. -Wow! It¡¯s an inn! Ggyuu!! Hwid was excited to be in an inn for the first time. And, because he showed interest and curiosity to new things, Hwid¡¯s eyes sparkled while being held within Jade¡¯s arms. ¡°Let¡¯s gather again after we wash up. We can eat after that, since we can refill our supplies tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Heinze spoke as he allotted the rooms the knights had gotten for them. As he did, Heinze and the young lady exchanged meaningful gazes. They appeared to have something to say to each other. Chapter 5.3 - That incident that happened in the Morcus’s estate (3) Laney looked refreshed after finishing her bath. Although she was alone and without her brother, she was very happy because she could get rid of the dirtiness that was bothering her for the past few days. ¡°Aren¡¯t you liking it too much?¡± ¡°Do you not?¡± ¡°I like it too, but not as much as you sister.¡± ¡°Cleanliness is important for women. Although I understand there wasn¡¯t much we could do given our circumstance, but it was still hard since I¡¯m the only female in the party.¡± Laney grumbled as she saw her brother that was already washed up and waiting in the room. This was something that only women understood. Of course, it was still better to be dirty rather than dead. ¡°I¡¯m sure you were quite uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Are you sure you washed your body properly? You didn¡¯t rush things because you were alone, right?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a kid?¡± ¡°You are a kid to me. Maybe I should¡¯ve washed you.¡± ¡°W, what nonsense!¡± The young boy detested it. It was horrible just thinking about it. He quickly crossed his arms in front of his chest as if to protect himself from his sister. He could tell from the look in his sister¡¯s eyes that she was very serious. ¡°We always used to bathe together though?¡± ¡°That¡¯s when we were really young!¡± ¡°I even used to wash our little Lloyd¡¯s dick and butt.¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°Hehehe!¡± Laney laughed as she stared at her brother¡¯s red face. He may not remember much of the past, but she remembered every detail of it. Even if things may have changed a lot now. ¡°That was a long time ago!¡± ¡°Just from your outward appearance, you¡¯ve grown a lot, but there were less things to worry about back then.¡± ¡°¡­.It¡¯s all because of that bastard. The child of that concubine!¡± ¡°Yes, but he drove us out. You guys are the same age, but he indisputably made a foundation for himself.¡± Crunch! Lloyd clenched his teeth with an angry expression. However, he did not deny it, because he understood that he had been living his life with complacency. He did nothing while the child of the concubine was sharpening his knife in the dark. Knock knock knock. ¡°It¡¯s me, my lady.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Heinze had quietly arrived at the siblings¡¯ room while Lloyd was unable to control his anger. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me then. Ah, it seems like I came a bit too early. I¡¯ll come a little¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. My hair just hasn¡¯t dried yet. What about the others?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all resting for now. The medicine Jade made must be working wonders. All of them seem much better.¡± ¡°We ate well on our way here too.¡± Heinze openly nodded his head. Their recovery speed was much quicker now that they were resting and eating well. And, as a result, they had reached Morcus much quicker than anticipated. ¡°I want to hear your thoughts, princess.¡± Heinze spoke after confirming that all the windows were tightly secured. Not only that, but he utilized his aura to cut off all sound waves. He wanted to make sure their conversation didn¡¯t spill out of the room they were currently in. ¡°I¡¯m actually more interested in your thoughts regarding this person named Jade. Tell me honestly.¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not completely sure what part of him is real and what isn¡¯t. If you look at his movements and posture, he definitely knows how to use the sword. And, he¡¯s also carrying a dull sword with him. Summoners shouldn¡¯t be outstanding when it comes to the sword, but one thing I can be sure of is he hasn¡¯t shown us all of his power yet.¡± ¡°At the least though, he¡¯s an intermediate summoner, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But, realistically, he¡¯s at least an advanced summoner and is skilled enough to be written in history.¡± ¡°Is an advanced summoner considered as a Master?¡± Laney asked seriously. She had ready many books due to her high social level, however, since the books she read were written in novel format, she couldn¡¯t understand how strong an advanced summoner was. They may be weaker if fought one vs one, but they have the advantage on the battlefield. Of course, this is just my opinion, but as much as there are differences in skills with Masters, it should be the same for summoners as well. Advanced summoners shouldn¡¯t all be on the same level.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you believe that he¡¯s as strong as a Master?¡± ¡°Yes, and he must be of that level to survive in the Great Forest by himself.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Laney¡¯s expression became serious, and it was the same for Lloyd who was sitting next to her. Having been with Heinze, they both knew how monstrous Masters were. ¡°But I wonder how he¡¯s living by himself in the Great Forest? Not only is he young, but since he¡¯s as strong as a Master, he should be able to get a nice position with any Kingdom.¡± ¡°Thinking about the tendency of known summoner¡¯s, it¡¯s not weird for him to be staying in the Great Forest. They¡¯re human but have similar tendencies as elves.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Lloyd nodded his head. It really wasn¡¯t weird for Jade to be staying in the Great Forest if he had the same tendencies as elves. ¡°Do you think it will be beneficial for us to recruit Jade?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not just anyone but a strong Master. He would definitely be of great help to us.¡± Heinze had been very cautious of Jade in the beginning, but it seemed as if he had softened up. He also liked how Jade was prudent and cautious. Of course, the thing Heinze was most impressed with was Jade¡¯s strength. ¡®I¡¯m already seventy years old. If we were to kill the Marquis to reclaim the Kingdom, we need someone to replace his position.¡± The only two Masters in Paulstein were currently aiming their swords at each other. This meant that only one would survive, and if that was to happen, the overall strength of Paulstein would drop. Heinze believed it was absolutely necessary to recruit Jade into their group. For Lloyd, Laney, and the future of Paulstein. ¡°I feel the same way as you, sir. I believe that we will be at a great advantage if Jade was to join us.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± Lloyd agreed with Laney. Everything had changed ever since Jade had joined their group, so he immediately agreed with the decision. Even more so since Heinze acknowledged him as a strong person. ¡°The only problem is the method of keeping Jade with us. Even if he¡¯s from Paulstein, it doesn¡¯t mean he HAS to have loyalty to the king. Not only that but were not in the best position right now either. To be blunt, it would be much better for him to join the other side rather than us. And, he has other countries he can join if he wants to so there are plenty of options available for him.¡± ¡°I will try and convince him. As a citizen of the kingdom, I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be able to heartlessly refuse.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Not everyone has the same loyalty as you, sir. You saw it this time.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Heinze¡¯s face grew dark as he heard Laney¡¯s sharp words. There was no space for him to rebut, because there was a clear example set right in front of him. ¡°We cannot think of mister Jade as a commoner. Although commoners want to become nobles, mister Jade is a summoner.¡± ¡°Then we need to find and give him something he wants.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We need to start with that first.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Heinze stroked his chin. He had no idea what to provide as an offer, since Jade didn¡¯t particularly seem to show any greed for money. A normal commoner would be greedy for a title, but Jade didn¡¯t seem to care for neither land nor title. If he did, he would¡¯ve already settled down on a piece of land in Paulstein or Arhan. ¡°Do you have anything you can think of?¡± ¡°For an average guy it would be prestige, money, or women because that¡¯s the normal standard for success. However, since Jade is a summoner, I can¡¯t think of anything particular for him nor do we have anything worth giving a summoner in our royal treasury.¡± Lloyd responded back seriously. There didn¡¯t seem to be a particularly certain method. ¡°Women, money, prestige huh.¡± Laney gave a meaningful look to the serious Lloyd as she mused over his words. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just tell him the truth and ask for his help? We can listen to whatever he wants if he can help us push back the rebels. Or we can just honestly ask him what it is that he needs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s dangerous. If we don¡¯t give him a charming offer, he won¡¯t be moved. And, if we give him an ambiguous offer, he can defect to the rebel¡¯s side. Whatever we can give him, the second prince can give as well. That¡¯s why we need something more definite.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Heinze fell in deep thought after hearing Laney¡¯s cold words. He was confused. This was the first time he had experienced a situation where he didn¡¯t know what to offer the other party. Chapter 5.4 - That incident that happened in the Morcus’s estate (4) ¡°We don¡¯t have enough time. He might leave tomorrow morning, so tonight during dinner¡­.¡± ¡°My god!¡± Laney was cut short halfway through her sentence. It was because Heinze had jumped out of his seat as if the world was ending. He then quickly opened the window. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Shit¡­.¡± Heinze cursed without thought. That¡¯s how bad the situation was. Whether his body was in bad shape or not, he was angry at his helplessness. This made him angry and remorseful, however, this wasn¡¯t the time to be angry. He had to think of countermeasures. ¡°Ah ah! Do you hear me voice? You guys are already surrounded, so obediently come out. Well, I won¡¯t stop you if you want to sit there, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to die a quick death rather than be burned alive?¡± The ringleader on the enemy¡¯s side spoke while volumizing his voice with mana. It was as if he had already won. However, they weren¡¯t empty words as an arrow was pointed towards the inn. The inn would very easily burn if they added fire and oil onto the arrow. ¡°Kyyaakkk!!¡± ¡°Wh, what is it? What¡¯s going on?!!¡± Many people within the inn rushed out as they heard the threats coming from the scar faced, middle-aged man. However, the group that surrounded the inn seemed to be completely uninterested in everyone else. ¡°Sir!¡± During that time, all the of the knights that were resting rushed and gathered into Laney¡¯s room. They were all fully equipped. ¡°Things are getting quite weird.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Mister Jade.¡± Jade appeared as if he had just finished washing up. He had wet hair as he walked into Laney¡¯s room with Hwid in his arms. However, different from his words, his face did not show any surprise. ¡°What had happened is¡­.¡± Heinze spoke as no one was able to respond. Although they were late on the explanation, they had no choice but to explain to Jade their circumstance now. ¡°Lord Heinze, I will explain it to him.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Heinze was interrupted midway as Laney stepped in to speak with a determined expression. ¡°The situation is as it is, but we had something to tell you during dinner time, mister Jade. At that time, we were¡­..¡± ¡°Wait. You can explain it to me after we handle this situation. I think that¡¯s our priority.¡± Jade spoke as he stared at dozens of archers preparing their fire arrows. Objects caught on fire when introduced to flame, but what was more worrisome than that was lack of oxygen. That¡¯s why it was a priority for them to get outside. ¡°Let¡¯s then.¡± Heinze immediately replied as he understood what Jade was saying. And, as he spoke, the knights and mage quickly moved their feet. Of course, the party did no forget to protect Laney and Lloyd amidst everything. ¡°You finally came out. I was about to burn the place down since there was no response back.¡± The rough looking, middle-aged man spoke to the group while smiling. However, Heinze was unable to give an impetuous order because the man had high military prestige for a mercenary. Not only that, but their numbers were higher and even expert level mercenaries were considered strong. Although most of them were at the beginner level, there was a huge difference between those who could use aura and those who couldn¡¯t. This meant that the opposing side had perfectly prepared everything. ¡®If Jade wasn¡¯t here, half of us would¡¯ve had to prepare for the worst.¡¯ If his body was healed, Heinze wouldn¡¯t have any trouble killing hundreds of the mercenaries by himself. However, the problem was that his body wasn¡¯t healed. His internal injuries had improved but the damage was still deep, and he also had two people he had to protect no matter what. The enemy was fully using this weakness to their advantage by surrounding their group. Drip. Thinking up to that point, a cold sweat dropped from Heinze¡¯s forehead. The reason why their pursuers were unable to find them was because of the Great Forest. They had purposely pretended to chase after the group to trap them in Morcus. In addition to inducing their last distraction. ¡°Looking at your expression it seems like you finally understood everything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Did you receive a request from the Marquis?¡± ¡°Who knows. I have nothing to say regarding that. It¡¯s an unwritten rule to keep our client¡¯s information a secret.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you two times more than what they offered you.¡± ¡°Ha! Does Sir Heinze really have that kind of money to offer when you¡¯ve spent your whole life working for the royal family?¡± The middle-aged man scoffed. However, he wasn¡¯t the only one. The other mercenaries around him also began to jeer one by one. They knew too well that Heinze had lived his life filled with integrity, so there was no way he would have a large sum of money. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t have it. However, you should know who it is that I¡¯m escorting?¡± ¡°Ah ah, That¡¯s right. If it¡¯s the royal family, they should have more than enough money to hire us mercenaries. But, did you know? A royal daughter and crown prince that don¡¯t have the recognition of the royal family isn¡¯t considered to be royal blood?¡± Crack! With the middle-aged man¡¯s sarcastic words, Heinze¡¯s eyes were filled with killing intent. However, even though killing intent was pouring out from a Sword Master, the middle-aged man¡¯s cheeky expression did not change. It was because he knew that Heinze was deeply hurt and wouldn¡¯t be able to recklessly attack him, because of the two people he had to protect. ¡°They¡¯re just a pretty girl and a useless brat.¡± ¡°You dare!¡± Heinze¡¯s face grew bright red and the middle-aged man scanned Laney¡¯s body up and down. However, Laney still had a calm expression, even with the man¡¯s disrespectful gaze. He was nothing but a vulgar old man, while she was a royal princess. If anything, Lloyd¡¯s face was filled with anger. ¡°And, as of today, you have fulfilled your duties as a Sword Master. We have come fully prepared to deal with someone like you.¡± Rustle! A dozen or so mages appeared behind the middle-aged man fully equipped with their special robe and staff. Although they didn¡¯t look to be high level mages, they radiated a fairly sharp air around them showing they had been in the mercenary game for a long time. ¡°Mm!¡± A middle-aged mage hummed as he stood behind Heinze on standby. The man would have been comfortable taking all the mages on by himself if he wasn¡¯t hurt, but as of now, he may be able to take down half of them. ¡°Am I on the list to be killed by chance?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re that guy. The one that joined the group in the Great Forest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was a guide to be exact.¡± The middle-aged enemy stared at Jade. However, his eyes were quite cold. ¡°Just think of it as bad luck. You know how everyone is walking on a tightrope. There¡¯s nothing you can do since you grabbed onto a rotten rope this time.¡± ¡°That must mean you¡¯re going to kill me?¡± ¡°They want us to kill everyone who is connected to the request. And, we told them we would take care of all the back-end work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the rope you latched onto.¡± ¡°Haha! That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve met quite the rich client after a long time.¡± Jade shrugged his shoulders. He asked by chance, but it was as he¡¯d expected. ¡°Then, without further ado. Noem.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± At the same time as the intermediate level spirit Noem was summoned, an earth wall of about three meters formed in front of the archers. The group and mercenaries were completely split in two. However, this was only the beginning. The raccoon looking Noem pulled the archers into the ground one by one, at the same time as it created the wall. ¡°H, help me!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± The mercenaries were shocked as they had never experienced anything like this. However, a few of them dodged Noem¡¯s grasp as they could make quick judgments. They had reacted as soon as they felt that something was amiss. ¡°What are you guys doing! Attack!¡± The middle-aged man that appeared to be the leader of the mercenaries yelled out. He had shown a quick response to an unexpected situation. Bang bang bang! With the command of the leader, the Expert leveled mercenaries broke apart the wall. Nevertheless, half of their archers were already buried into the ground, and Noem wasn¡¯t his only weapon. ¡°Scylla.¡± Neigh! As soon as Scylla appeared, it shot a wind arrow as soon as the wall collapsed. ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Normal mercenaries were unable to defend against the wind arrow. ¡°N, no way!¡± Chapter 6.1 - What you need before you make a deal (1) The leader of the mercenaries opened his eyes wide as half of his subordinates were either instantly killed or incapacitated. He was unable to believe the reality that had unfolded in front of him. ¡°L, leader!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Even the best of the mercenaries was having a difficult time blocking Scylla¡¯s wind arrows. Whereas Scylla didn¡¯t look the slightest bit tired as it continued its attacks. Of course, nobody was able to see this and was one of the reasons why it was so scary fighting against a summoner. ¡°Eughhh!¡± The leader of the mercenaries snapped out of his stupor and smashed the ground with all his limbs. He wanted to complete the request, because at this rate, they would be completely annihilated. It would be great if he could kill Heinze, but he didn¡¯t HAVE to kill him. ¡®I just need to kill the royal princess and the crown prince!¡¯ The leader clenched his teeth as he called upon his subordinates that were waiting at the back of the inn. Although he was frustrated with how much damage his group had received, what was more important for the leader was to complete his mission. That¡¯s why the leader bit his lower lip and rushed towards Heinze. He wanted to detain Heinze while his subordinates killed their target. ¡°I¡¯ll feel sad if you forget about me.¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Only, there was one problem. The unexpected summoner was much stronger than he had imagined. Most of the subordinates that had run in under his command were instantly skewered and killed by earth spears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this but this guy is not Gnome, but Noem.¡± (??!= You bastard! Sounds the same as ??= Gnome). ¡°Keuuu ahkk!!¡± Different from Scylla who was putting on airs of elegance, Noem was stuck against Jade¡¯s leg. It was showing its affection towards Jade while following his commands. And, at the same time, it had created a row of earth spears in front of the mercenary leader. This completely stopped the leader and his subordinates from approaching Jade. Stab stab stab! And, Scylla did not stop its barrage of wind arrows as it utilized the timing of Noem¡¯s skill. ¡°Shit!¡± The only thing coming out from the mercenary leader¡¯s mouth were curse words. And, at the same time, his head began to spin. Even as he was busily swinging his sword to break apart the earth spears, his head was thinking. ¡®It¡¯ll be too difficult if this continues. Not only did we receive huge damage, but everyone is exhausted. On the other hand, the old monster and his knights are doing completely fine. We might be able to complete the request if we put our lives on it, but¡­..¡¯ The mercenary leader¡¯s eyes sank. He had received a huge amount of money as an advance from his employer, however, it wasn¡¯t enough to risk his life for. Of course, if he ran away now, his employer would do everything they could to kill him. However, that problem would be dealt with if he just crossed over to a different country. That prince¡¯s influence only extended out to Paulstein and Arhan. ¡®Let¡¯s fall out.¡¯ Thinking up to this point, the mercenary leader made a decision. Although it was sad to give up on Paulstein and Arhan, which he had been active in for a long time, it wasn¡¯t worth risking his life for. ¡®I can refill the spots of those who had died.¡¯ Many of his core members had died, but with the money he had received in advance, it would be easy for him to refill those spots. There were plenty of mercenaries to choose from. ¡°Thinking of running away?¡± ¡°You bastard, I will remember you. I will cut your head off the next time we meet.¡± The mercenary leader whistled. He sent Jade a warning as his subordinates retreated away from the prince and princess in perfect order. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll passively sit here and let you go?!¡± As the mercenary leader tried to retreat, Heinze burst into a roar. He then kicked the ground with a bloody look exuding from his eyes, not wanting to let the enemy leave. However, Heinze had no choice but to stop his advance as a rain of arrows showered onto him. Not only were the arrows filled with mana, but they were also aimed towards the prince and princess. ¡°Let¡¯s meet again, summoner.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I don¡¯t feel like letting you go either.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Ba boom! The mercenaries¡¯ eyes grew wide. Everyone became surprised with the earth wall that had suddenly formed behind them. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should see an end to this since we¡¯ve already pulled our swords out?¡± ¡°L, leader!¡± The mercenaries stared at the leader, not knowing what to do. However, he was also confused. He was in a daze after seeing his path of retreat blocked. Yet, while the enemy was lost in thought, Scylla and Noem did not rest. ¡°S, save me!¡± ¡°Surrender! I surrender!¡± The 50 or so mercenaries that were left quickly dwindled in numbers as the invisible spirits continued to attack. Most of them were dragged into the ground as they tried to avoid the wind arrows. ¡°W, wait! We surrender! I¡¯ll tell you everything¡­¡±!¡± Slice. The mercenary leader¡¯s head fell to the ground. Taking advantage of the weakened offense, Jade rushed in and immediately cut the leader¡¯s throat. Seeing this, the mercenaries that were trying to surrender turned their bodies and attempted to retreat over the three-meter wall. ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± However, as soon as the enemy showed their backs, Scylla attacked. Even then, the mercenaries didn¡¯t have any other choice. It was better to die trying rather than sitting there and waiting to be killed. They thought they would be able to survive if they were lucky enough. Stab stab stab! However, there wasn¡¯t a single mercenary that was lucky. Scylla didn¡¯t miss a single mercenary. Rustle. As soon as the enemy was crushed, Noem disappeared with the earth wall, while Scylla walked up to Jade wanting praise, then left after having its cheek rubbed. ¡°We received your help once again.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we first get away from here?¡± Jade shrugged as he heard the sincere gratitude. He didn¡¯t think what he did was a big deal. ¡°First, we need to go to a land that has a teleport gate¡­.¡± ¡°We contacted the other side, but they won¡¯t be able to get here immediately. If anything, they might even think we¡¯re already dead.¡± The mage carefully spoke as he was also in charge of communications. If it wasn¡¯t for Jade, either everyone would be dead or only some of them may have made it out alive. And, he would not have been among those that survived. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the feudal lord¡¯s land, since I have something to do there as well.¡± ¡°Whatever it is you need to do; we¡¯ll do everything we can to help.¡± With Jade¡¯s words, Laney and Heinze both had a radiant look to them. They were worried that Jade was going to leave them at this point but was now relieved to hear that he was going to be going with them. ¡°You promised us.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Anyone could tell how happy Laney was as she nodded her head in large motions. The group soon got a carriage and left the town. It was unrealistic for them to stay in a town they were just attacked in. Chapter 6.2 - What you need before you make a deal (2) Laney took a deep breath. Her nerves relaxed as she was now at a safe location. However, she still had some nervousness lingering due to the most recent attack. ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°Can you at least knock before you come in?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to knock with our relationship. You come into my room without warning too, you know.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the royal place though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s true.¡± Lloyd¡¯s face darkened. He once again felt his own misfortune. However, unlike before, he didn¡¯t feel ashamed. He knew he didn¡¯t have the time to do so anymore. ¡®I won¡¯t have anything else taken from me, because I won¡¯t be sharing.¡¯ They say people get stronger through trials and tribulation, and just as the saying went, Lloyd had changed. His naivety wasn¡¯t completely gone, but his state of mind had completely changed. A fighting spirit had formed within him that wasn¡¯t there before. ¡°So, why did you come here?¡± ¡°Because I had something to say.¡± ¡°To me?¡± Laney¡¯s eyes grew wide. She was confused as to what he wanted to say to her. ¡°Yeah, I guess it¡¯s more of an advice than anything.¡± ¡°Is it something you¡¯ve been thinking about recently?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Laney stared at her younger brother with a peculiar expression. Unknown if its due to the experiences they¡¯ve recently endured, but her brother seemed to have a deeper look to his eyes. It felt as if he was in the process of changing from a boy to a man. ¡°Don¡¯t try to shoulder the burden by yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I think you know exactly what I¡¯m talking about sis, so don¡¯t overdo it. I¡¯ll do my best as well. And, I¡¯m the legitimate successor, not you.¡± ¡°However, you¡¯re my younger brother.¡± ¡°It was like that in the past, but not anymore.¡± Lloyd spoke firmly. His eyes did not have the look of a boy anymore. Laney smiled as she saw the determination in her brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°I already feel much more reassured?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me, because I¡¯m not joking. Anyways, I just came here to tell you that. Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°Thank you for worrying about me, Lloyd.¡± ¡°I, I didn¡¯t come here because I was worried, okay?! I just didn¡¯t want to give my burden to you! I¡¯m a man!¡± Lloyd¡¯s face became red with Laney¡¯s gentle words. However, his reaction was unexpected. And, as if to run away, Lloyd quickly left his sister¡¯s room. ¡°Huhuhu.¡± Laney smiled as she thought of the transition her brother was going through, and the merits that it also brought. Knock knock knock. The confusion in her head completely faded away thanks to Lloyd. However, at that moment, someone knocked on her room door. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Please come in.¡± Laney straightened her dress as she heard Jade¡¯s voice through the other side of the door. After a brief moment, Jade opened the door and walked into the room. Ggyuu!! Hwid was in Jade¡¯s arms like a baby, staring at the inside of Laney¡¯s room. Its eyes sparkled with curiosity as Laney¡¯s room was big and spacious. Everything seemed interesting to it. ¡®So cute.¡¯ Hwid was adorable, flying while flapping its tiny wings. Although she knew its actual appearance was that of a three-meter-long beast, her heart still momentarily fluttered. That¡¯s how cute Hwid was. ¡®I, I want to touch it.¡¯ Watching Hwid fly around everywhere, Laney almost extended her arm out. However, she held herself back as she knew Hwid was on guard with people it didn¡¯t know. Laney bitterly smiled as she remembered that Hwid did not allow everyone to touch it. ¡®I wish I could hold it once.¡¯ Whether it was a fluffy stomach or fluffy butt, Hwid looked like a cute baby Drake. Even its scales were yellow and not of golden color yet, so to Laney, everything was adorable. Plop. As if losing interest in Laney¡¯s room, Hwid plopped back into Jade¡¯s arms. And, out of habit, Jade naturally began to rub Hwid¡¯s head. Gororong. Gorong. ¡°Your guys¡¯ relationship seems to be good today as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only because it¡¯s still a baby.¡± ¡°Please sit here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Laney politely recommended Jade to take a seat. Even as a princess, she stood up and personally suggested a seat to Jade, a commoner. However, neither of them felt that this behavior was weird. ¡°Were you able to finish your business?¡± Even though there was a comparison in their social status, Laney personally poured tea for Jade. Not only that but she had even called him for a private meeting. Heinze wanted to join them in their meeting, but Laney quickly refused. She wanted to do this alone. ¡°Yes, but it didn¡¯t go as planned. I thought there would be plenty of magical goods here but there wasn¡¯t as much as I¡¯d expected.¡± ¡°Magical goods?¡± Laney¡¯s eyes grew wide. She felt doubtful that a summoner was looking for magical goods. ¡°I need a subspace bag. I have a lot of items to store, so I think it would be much more convenient to have one. Food management will also become easier.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true.¡± Laney nodded her head as she quickly agreed. Life became much easier with a subspace bag. She felt this even more as she was currently on the run. ¡°That¡¯s why I decided to visit the capital, since I heard there was a magic store that was managed by the kingdom there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s quite big too. There are many nobles that go to the capital just for that reason.¡± Laney¡¯s eyes sparkled. They were also planning on heading to the capital tomorrow through the teleport gate. However, since Jade said he was also planning on going to the capital, she felt they would be able to get to the capital safely. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. If possible, I want to buy a subspace bag with the biggest storage space available.¡± ¡°This should be helpful to you then.¡± Laney smiled as she brought out a small bag she had prepared. It was the bag that contained Jade¡¯s reward since the Great Forest. However, because the weight was heavy, Laney barely placed the bag in front of Jade. ¡°Is this the reward?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a bit late huh? I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No problem. I didn¡¯t do this for money.¡± ¡°Of course. But still, a promise is a promise. Although you were just helping us out of good faith, it was a big help to us. If it wasn¡¯t for you, Lloyd and I may not have made it all the way here. So, thank you.¡± Laney stood from her seat and politely bowed. And, as she did, Jade waved his hand. He didn¡¯t help them to receive a bow, nor was it out of pure good intentions. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. A precious person like you shouldn¡¯t bow your head so easily.¡± ¡°But I think you did plenty for us to at least deserve this much. Through this experience, I¡¯ve realized how equal everyone is in front of death. And, I¡¯m sure you know this by now, but I¡¯ll give you a proper introduction. I am the first princess of the Kingdom of Paulstein, Laney Leu Paulstein.¡± Laney gave a graceful greeting. It was a greeting that could only be seen in the royal court. However, watching this scene, Jade had a calm complexion. He wasn¡¯t taken aback even though a princess was standing before him. ¡®As expected.¡¯ Although a commoner, Jade did not care for status because of his skills. He was a person who could be considered a Master and was even recognized as a strong person by Heinze, the sword of the kingdom. That¡¯s why Laney didn¡¯t show much of a reaction to his behavior. He was more than qualified to act the way he did in front of her. Chapter 6.3 - What you need before you make a deal (3) ¡°Although we¡¯ve been in a rush recently, we now have a bit of spare time, so I felt that this was the perfect time to properly introduce myself. Not only that, but I kept saying I was going to give you a reward, but that also continued to get pushed back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not too poor to care about money.¡± ¡°Still, it doesn¡¯t hurt to have a lot of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Jade gently nodded his head. If it weren¡¯t for the Big Crows¡¯ nest, he wouldn¡¯t be as relaxed. Even though he had the Black Drake¡¯s bones, it wasn¡¯t worth much as it wasn¡¯t cash. And, it wasn¡¯t like a small town had enough money to afford the bones. ¡°Reward is a reward, but the reason why I wanted to speak to mister Jade was because I had something to personally tell you.¡± ¡°You have something personal to say, eh.¡± Jade¡¯s behavior did not change even after being told she was a princess. He already had a feeling of who she was since she was protected by a Sword Master. But, not only that, although his body was from this world, his mind wasn¡¯t. This made it so the current situation made things a bit curious for him, nothing more ¨C nothing less. He did not feel fear or discouraged just because she was of royal blood. ¡°I believe you have some sort of idea of what the current situation is like in our country.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jade did not refute. Although he didn¡¯t want to hear anything about it, he had naturally heard bits and pieces of it during their journey. However, since it would be weirder for him to say that he didn¡¯t know anything of the situation, he just gently nodded his head. ¡°To be honest, Lloyd and I need you mister Jade. I believe you know the reason why without me having to explain it to you. However, I¡¯m not shameless enough to blindly ask for your help, nor has your help thus far been small. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to ask, is there anything you want?¡± Laney was more serious than she was ever before. However, there was no sign of servility. It¡¯s because she knew how to display the perfect amount of forcefulness when dealing with those who were of equal power. Of course, the one who had the upper hand was Jade. Laney desperately needed Jade, but it wasn¡¯t the same for him. Although he was from Paulstein, there was no reason for someone as strong as him to dwell at his birthplace. He could easily become a noble anywhere else if he wanted to. And, knowing this, Laney decided to confront him honestly. ¡®We desperately need mister Jade. Not only to correct the rebellion, but to also have him help the country.¡¯ Although Lloyd and Laney were chased out, the successor for the throne was yet to be decided. The king was still alive on his sickbed, and not all the nobles were on the side of the other prince. Not only that, but there were still many nobles that were neutral, so there was still more than enough time to turn things around. However, Laney thought even further than this. She even thought of what would happen once everything fell back in order. ¡®If the Marquis dies, Heinze will be the only Master left. However, sir Heinze is old. He wouldn¡¯t be able to go back to his prime, even if he were to be healed at the capital.¡¯ Although cold, this was reality. And, even Heinze himself understood this fact. That¡¯s why Heinze was all for Jade joining their group. Even if he was to die during this civil war, Paulstein wouldn¡¯t be hit with a huge impact if Jade was around. ¡®Only, the conditions aren¡¯t the problem.¡¯ The most important thing when making deals was to know what the opposite person wanted. With just that, one had the upper hand on the negotiation table. However, knowing this, Laney still gave up the idea. ¡®Holding onto them with conditions is only temporary. To put it differently, if someone gives them better conditions, they will easily choose the other side. That means, the way to¡­..¡¯ Laney bit her lips. No matter how much she thought about it, there wasn¡¯t a better method than this. ¡°What I want huh.¡± ¡°If you want, I can give you a title and land.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Are you not interested?¡± Laney bit her lower lip. Jade didn¡¯t seem to show any reaction to her examples. Of course, she had also expected this situation. Jade wasn¡¯t a normal person but a summoner. ¡°To be honest, I have no interest in those things, nor am I comfortable managing other people.¡± ¡°Then is there something specific that you want?¡± Laney drily spoke. She desperately needed Jade, so she unknowingly showed an air of urgency. ¡°I¡¯m in a bit of dilemma with your sudden offer.¡± ¡°That could happen. Sorry. I guess I¡¯ve only been thinking about our situation.¡± Laney pulled herself together, however, she couldn¡¯t completely hide her look of impatience. That¡¯s why everything still seemed a bit clumsy. ¡®A title huh.¡¯ Jade on the other hand was lost in thought as he knew what Laney wanted from the beginning. No, it wouldn¡¯t make sense if he didn¡¯t know. Although he was inexperienced in this world, he had gone through plenty of life experiences in his original world. -Oh ho! You¡¯re going to become a noble? -I don¡¯t mind Jade becoming one. -Are we the ones that are going to take care of his land? -That should be the case, right? -Sounds like fun! Jade bitterly smiled as he listened to the two spirits speaking nonstop. There was no room for silence, especially because of Celestine. Even Elestra spoke a lot. ¡®My original plan was to moderately use the princess¡¯ party.¡¯ Although he had helped them in the Great Forest with pure intentions, he also had another purpose. He could tell they were nobles as soon as he saw them, so he was going to use them to get the things he wanted. In this world, there was a huge difference of what was available to civilians and what was available to nobles. Yet, things have turned a little strange. ¡®I didn¡¯t think they would cling to me like this.¡¯ Jade honestly still hadn¡¯t shown all of his powers, yet it seemed like even then he was considered incredible to the princess¡¯ party. -What are you going to do? The princess looks restless! -She can¡¯t seem to sit stilll? She seems to be doing her best to contain herself, but maybe it¡¯s because of her age, it¡¯s so obvious. Gguuaam! Unlike the spirits, Hwid appeared to be bored as it continued to yawn. It then closed its eyes and fell asleep. ¡®It sounds like the Master class on the enemy¡¯s side is the biggest obstacle for them right now.¡¯ It was clear why Laney was so aggressive. Although Heinze was leading the group, he was old, decrepit, and injured. This made it difficult to fight against the Master class enemy. That¡¯s why Jade¡¯s value soared more than normal. ¡°Mister Jade.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Please speak.¡± Maybe it was due to the long pause, but Laney appeared to have made up her mind as she firmly called out to Jade. ¡°If you want, I can become yours as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jade, who had constantly appeared calm, now had an astonished expression. That¡¯s how shocked he was. He was honestly shocked to hear words he never thought he¡¯d hear. However, unlike before, Laney was calm and collected. ¡°The most certain method to gain your assistance is to become your family. If we simply sign a contract through other conditions, you can choose to go with someone else who can offer more.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°However, if we become family, you will support Lloyd and I will all of your power.¡± ¡°You¡¯re serious.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Laney did not look away from Jade. Now that she had made a decision, she was not embarrassed, nor did she ponder any longer. And, this was also the reason why she wanted to have this meeting without Heinze. If he heard these words coming out of Laney¡¯s mouth, he would cough up blood and would do the best he could to stop her. Chapter 7.1 - At the capital (1) ¡°Oh man. I¡¯m not sure how I should take this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how desperate we are for your help. And, the advantage is that it hasn¡¯t yet been revealed to the world. So, tell me. I¡¯m ready to offer myself to you.¡± In other words, it was the same thing as offering Jade a blank check. And, that showed just how desperate they were. It was enough for the princess to give herself to him. ¡°I think you¡¯re overestimating me.¡± ¡°I honestly don¡¯t have the discerning ability to know what level your skills are at mister Jade. However, it¡¯s different for sir Heinze. He is a knight of the royal family and is also known as the sword of the kingdom. That type of person told me that you were of equal level to him or higher.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the trust for him.¡± ¡°Yes, he is more or less like a father to us. And, he had brought us to this point while putting his life on the line.¡± Jade nodded his head. He knew exactly what the relationship was like for the three of them. ¡°¡­..Can I hear your answer?¡± Laney continued to ask with a nervous expression. She felt she had given Jade plenty of time to think. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say but I don¡¯t think your proposal will work. I don¡¯t think I would match as your partner.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Laney¡¯s face turned pale with the indirect refusal. And, at the same time, her eyes shook. She was at a loss for what to do. ¡°Instead, I would like something else.¡± ¡°W, what is it?¡± ¡°You told me you could give me a title.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lloyd would undoubtedly become the king once they cleared the rebellion. However, she had the power to make these types of decisions for herself. It would be difficult to make Jade a Duke or Marquis, but she should be able to make him a Count at the least. And, with enough time, he would be able to rise in ranks. ¡°I want to receive a title.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Can I ask for your reason? I¡¯m asking out of personal interest.¡± Laney asked with an awkward smile. Looking at her face, it seemed like her pride was slightly hurt. However, even though Jade had noticed this, he decided not to point it out. He instead revealed a secret that nobody else knew. ¡°I¡¯m honestly Baron Varrys Leon¡¯s bastard child. Although, there are only two people that currently know this information. Myself and Baron Varrys.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need a title. A title even higher than that of the Baron¡¯s.¡± Laney¡¯s eyes were wide open. However, the tumult was brief. She now understood why Jade stayed in the Great Forest even with his outstanding skills. Additionally, she now knew what Jade wanted and understood why he was telling her a secret that only two people knew. He was exposing himself to her as she had compromised her pride for him. ¡°Do you want revenge?¡± ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t have any particular thoughts and I¡¯ve also gotten stronger. It makes me think, is it really even worth it. Only, with the way things have been flowing, I¡¯m getting greedy. I also have something I want to ask him face to face.¡± Beat. Beat. His heart suddenly began to beat louder, regardless of his will. ¡®Is it what you want as well.¡¯ Jade smiled because it was as if the original Jade also wanted the same thing. They wanted to crush the Baron not through physical power, but with the so-called incredible status of a noble. It wouldn¡¯t be fun to simply crush him with pure strength. ¡®It¡¯ll also give me a sense of justification.¡¯ It was clear why Laney wanted to give herself to Jade. It was all for the purpose of making sure Jade didn¡¯t turn to the enemy¡¯s side. Of course, Jade didn¡¯t have any such thoughts, but Laney, Lloyd and Heinze wouldn¡¯t believe him even if he was to take an oath. Which was also the reason why they wanted to tie him up through blood relations. ¡®Well, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll still have suspicions but since I told her about my relationship with Baron Leon, her suspicions should be a little less.¡¯ Although Laney had offered herself to Jade, the chances of that coming true were slim. Lloyd and Heinze would immediately pick her up and take her away. That¡¯s why, his proposal was just about right. ¡°Baron Leon huh. That¡¯s great. We had something to settle with that family as well.¡¯ ¡°I think this is more than enough as an answer.¡± ¡°Of course. Although I¡¯m not completely satisfied. Am I not to your liking?¡± Laney jokingly asked. However, unlike her smiling face, her eyes were serious. She held quite the grudge. ¡°There¡¯s no way. You are the most beautiful girl I¡¯ve seen thus far. And, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll become even more beautiful.¡± -That¡¯s a lie! I¡¯m prettier! -I can¡¯t agree with what you just said either. I have quite the looks too. As soon as Jade finished speaking, the two spirits fiercely reacted. It was as if they would never agree with Jade¡¯s statement. Although Laney wasn¡¯t able to hear them, Jade had a hard time containing himself as they were loudly yelling around him. His ears felt like they were going to burst as they continued yell on his shoulders. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± Laney beamingly smiled. She was strangely happy to hear his simple lip service. Then, she suddenly stared at Jade with an expression different from before. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d like to say?¡±, asked Jade. It was obvious she had something to say as she nodded her head. ¡°This is something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you since we first met, but do Lloyd and I have any affinity to spirits?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± Laney forlornly laughed. She had a slight bit of expectation, but as expected, they did not have any talent in that field. ¡°Why did you ask?¡± ¡°To be honest, our mother is a quarter elf. Although the world doesn¡¯t know of this. That¡¯s why Lloyd and I have a little bit of elf blood in us, so I thought we might have at least a little bit of talent.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Jade nodded his head. If that was the case, then it was more than enough reason for her to have had some expectations. Different from humans, elves were part of the fairy family and had quite the relationship with spirits. Only, it seemed as if that bloodline did not continue forth to the two siblings. ¡°It¡¯s a pity but there¡¯s nothing we can do. Affinity with the spirits is something one must be born with.¡± ¡°At least you guys will gain many things from now on, right?¡± ¡°I hope so. No, I¡¯ll make sure that happens without fail since you said you will help us.¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t hold too high of an expectation towards me.¡± Jade could tell how much trust and anticipation Laney had towards him through the look in her eyes. However, even with his words, Laney stared at him with warm eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure we will win. Especially because the other side doesn¡¯t have much information regarding you. You are in a sense our secret weapon.¡± ¡°They probably haven¡¯t been against a summoner.¡± ¡°That goes to show how rare it is to see a high-level summoner.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Jade did not confirm nor deny; he just beamingly smiled. However, it was the same for Laney as well. She had the same expression as Jade. ¡°We¡¯re going to take the teleport gate tomorrow and head straight to the capital. So, if you have anything left to do here, you should try and get it done today.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together later.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Now that they were on the same boat, Jade did not refuse her proposal. He was actually looking for someone who had as much experience as Haynes. ¡®A living Master will definitely be helpful. Even more so because sir Heinze has been around for a long time.¡¯ As Jade stood up, the quietly sleeping Hwid also got up. He had woken up from Jade¡¯s movement. Then it cheerfully flew around him once again. Click. As Jade and Hwid left the room, Laney stared at herself in a serious manner. Although Lloyd hadn¡¯t noticed anything, Laney had put a lot of effort into her clothes, makeup and hair for this meeting. Even then, she had still been completely refused, and this hurt her pride. ¡°Aren¡¯t I okay? I even have elf blood in me.¡± Laney toucher her body. Big breasts and a slender waist. And, past the waist was a voluptuous buttock that would make any man happy. She had even worn clothes that made her body even more noticeable. ¡°¡­.There¡¯s no way he can¡¯t be attracted.¡± Objectively speaking, Laney was more than enough to fall into the beauty category. And, even if a little, she had elf blood in her so she aged differently from regular humans. Even then she had been refused so she didn¡¯t understand what was going on. ¡°Quite frustrating.¡± She was always on the choosing side. However, now that she was on the opposite side and had been refused, she was extremely unhappy. At the same time, an unyielding spirit was born within her. ¡°Just you wait.¡± Laney clenched her teeth as she recalled the calm demeanor Jade had shown when she offered herself to him. She was willing to do anything she could to recover her pride. Anyhow, she had to appease herself without fail. Chapter 7.2 - At the capital (2) After arriving at the capital, Jade immediately headed towards the magic shop. His goal from the beginning was to look for an artifact with a subspace enchant, and he wanted to act independently from the group so the two siblings wouldn¡¯t stick out. ¡°Haha! Believe in me! I¡¯m known as the genius in the royal family!¡± Of course, he wasn¡¯t alone. They had placed the mage of the party with him to be used as an attendant. As a member of the royal party, there was no way that Jade would be scammed but just as a precaution, Laney had the mage follow Jade. ¡°I¡¯ll trust in you mister Steven.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t suffer any wrongdoing!¡± ¡°Please.¡± Jade realized from the moment he met Steven that he was a man with lots of tension. Especially since the current job was related to his field of expertise, his voice was even louder than ever. ¡°Welcome.¡± ¡°There should be an appointment set under Princess Laney.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been briefed. Please come in. I will guide you.¡± ¡°Ahem! Let¡¯s go in mister Jade.¡± Steven was surprised to see how neat and full of dignity the clerk¡¯s actions were. However, he quickly erased it from his mind and focused on Jade. Not only did he think that it would be Jade¡¯s first time, but he had also been personally requested by the princess. -Wow! There are so many artifacts! -Who cares. There¡¯s nothing special about them. They¡¯re all mediocre. Celestine was interested to see the number of artifacts that filled the room. However, different from Celestine, Elestra felt dull. She had lived long enough to not feel any form of emotions towards these artifacts. ¡°Is there anything specific you¡¯re looking for?¡± ¡°I want to see your items with the subspace enchant on them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most sought for item here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because we all think alike.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Please come this way.¡± The clerk politely responded before leading the group. Nevertheless, the clerk still made sure to glance at Hwid who was in Jade¡¯s arms. There were plenty of nobles that carried beasts as pets, but never had there been a Drake. However, although interested, the clerk didn¡¯t dare to ask. The most important thing to remember when working at the store was to keep your emotions at home. Additionally, Jade was someone that was part of the royal group. It was even more important for the clerk to contain himself and just lead him into the room that held that subspace artifacts. ¡°Everything in this section contains artifacts with the subspace enchant. As this shop is catered to nobles, I assure you the quality of all the items.¡± ¡°Oh ho.¡± Steven sharply stared the items. Although enchantment wasn¡¯t his specialty, he had a great eye for discernment as a royal mage. Furthermore, he was instructed by Laney to assist Jade, so he checked the items with even more prudence. ¡°Is there a specific variety that you want? Although bags have more storage space, it¡¯s much bigger than the other items so people tend to avoid them. And, we also have jewelry that have the subspace enchant on them, but they¡¯re a bit pricier. There are some interesting people that want the enchant on their shoes or belt, so we also have those items.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite diverse.¡± ¡°Well, there are as many preferences as there are people in this world. Even more so with nobles, since they care a lot about aesthetics on top of the enchant.¡± The clerk explained calmly. However, to Jade, it just sounded like the items were expensive. ¡°I look more at the practicality of the item.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m sure you would rather get an item with bigger storage space.¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m becoming indecisive having seen the jewelry.¡± ¡°The bags have the most storage space out of all the items. Of course, we do have a jewelry with lots of storage space but¡­¡­.¡± The clerks words were faint. However, Jade immediately understood the meaning of those words. ¡°It must be an expensive item.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the money.¡± Steven stepped in as soon as they began speaking about money. Although they were currently on the run, the two siblings were a prince and princess. No matter how quickly they ran away from their home, they would still have money with them. That¡¯s why Steven spoke and said not to worry it. ¡°I have plenty of money as well on top of the money I received from you guys.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Show me the item with the biggest storage space.¡± As soon as Jade finished his sentence, the clerk grabbed three items and placed them in front of him. They were a small bag, bracelet, and necklace. ¡°Within our store, these three items have the most storage capacity. Price range from highest to lowest will be bracelet, necklace, then bag.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go with the bracelet.¡± Although the clerk had placed three items in front of him, Jade¡¯s eyes only landed on one. The bracelet appeared to be the most convenient. ¡°The price¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Take whatever you need.¡± As the clerk carefully opened his mouth, Jade gave him the bag he received from Laney. It was the bag filled with gold coins and small jewels. The clerk made a surprised expression as he nimbly opened the bag. ¡°Is it not enough?¡± ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s more than enough.¡± The clerk quickly finished the calculations and grabbed the necessary gold coins and jewels needed for the bracelet. Then he politely handed it to Jade. ¡°How do you use it? This my first time owning a subspace artifact.¡± ¡°It¡¯s similar to other enchants. Once you equip the item, either say the word ¡®open¡¯ or think it within your mind. Just make sure the item is touching your body for the enchant to work.¡± ¡°Can I set an owner for the item? I want to be the only person that can use it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely possible. And, if you want to transfer the item to someone in the future, you can just get rid of the identity code. Should I do it for you right now?¡± The clerk stared at Steven. This was something simple that even Steven could do. ¡°I¡¯ll do it for him. This is a simple magic that any mage can use. It¡¯s just difficult to cancel the identity code without the owner¡¯s consent.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Jade appeared satisfied with Steven¡¯s words. The item would completely become his once he set himself as the owner. ¡°Do you need anything else? We also sell magic swords. The stronger ones will obviously be more expensive, but we have decent ones set with affordable prices.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass on weapons.¡± ¡°We also have armor.¡± The clerk spoke with caution. Jade appeared to be ill equipped for someone who was part of the royal group. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll come by again if I need something.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The clerk did not ask anymore as Jade continued to refuse. Instead, Steven was unable to look away as there were many good items on display. ¡®If the items sold to nobles are at this level, then the ones sold to special people would probably be even more amazing, right?¡¯ Steven¡¯s eyes grew heavy. There were many things running through his mind as the court mage of the Kingdom of Paulstein. It wasn¡¯t that the kingdom wasn¡¯t supporting their mages, but the fact that the difference in level was huge. ¡®We must get stronger. Not to create wars, but to protect ourselves.¡¯ Steven felt the strength of Arhan for the first time, and different from when he came, he walked out of the store with a heavy expression. There were many things he had to report to the prince and princess. Chapter 7.3 - At the capital (3) After buying the item he wanted, Jade immediately headed towards the capital¡¯s blacksmith. Steven followed suit stating he would aid Jade once again, however, in Jade¡¯s eyes, Steven wanted to follow out of curiosity. It also seemed like he wanted to get closer with Hwid. Ggyu! However, even with Steven¡¯s lure of sweet talk and snacks, Hwid stood firm with its principles and refused all of Steven¡¯s advances. This showed how smart Hwid was. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s very arrogant.¡± ¡°I honestly don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s male or female yet.¡± ¡°I think it might be a daughter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still too young to decide that by mere personality.¡± Steven lowered his head with a dejected look. Even with all his effort, he was still getting rejected. It was Steven¡¯s first time seeing a drake, let alone a Gold Drake, so there were many questions he had. That¡¯s why he had planned to get close with Hwid to ask Jade these questions, yet Hwid didn¡¯t even allow the first part. ¡°I, it¡¯s still young?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s only a year old.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Steven¡¯s eyes grew wide. Although Hwid normally stayed small and cute in Jade¡¯s arms, it was a three-meter monster when it fought. That was its true form. And, just by energy alone, it appeared as if Hwid would easily be able to barbeque a troll and eat it. Yet, to think that it was only a year old. Steven was absolutely shocked. ¡°It¡¯s a year and one month to be exact.¡± ¡°Huhuhu¡­.¡± Gyuuuuhaam! Different from Steven, Hwid let out a big yawn. It was becoming tired from Steven¡¯s constant glances towards it. ¡°If compared to a human, it¡¯s a complete baby. However, it seems to be quick in understanding what we say. Not sure if it¡¯s because it¡¯s around me all the time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really interesting. I had thought it would be intelligent, but I wasn¡¯t sure since it wasn¡¯t as clear as day. However, looking at Hwid, its intelligence level doesn¡¯t seem too far off from a human¡¯s. Compared to a one-year old human baby, it¡¯s much smarter.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait and see.¡± Ggyoong. Hwid didn¡¯t show much of a reaction, even knowing they were talking about it. Instead, it grasped Jade¡¯s chest with its forepaws and closed its eyes. Ting ting ting. As Jade and Steven were talking, they had arrived at the blacksmith. The place was too small to be considered the most famous blacksmith of the capital, but Jade still appeared to have expectations. The reason being the owner of the blacksmith was a dwarf. They had the appearance of a child but had outstanding craftsmanship. ¡°The door is open!¡± As soon as they knocked on the door again, a sharp voice resounded out. Anyone could tell the voice sounded annoyed. However, Jade pushed the door open without a sign of displeasure. -All dwarves all like that! -But, if you get close to them, they really take care of you. Only, that¡¯s the most difficult part. Getting close to them and gaining their recognition. -I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll like Jade. Dwarves can be considered to be part of the fairy family. Although their fairy blood is much more diluted these days, dwarves were originally born as earth fairies. The door to the entrance was human size even though dwarves were much smaller. One could tell the building was created by a dwarf. ¡®Are they a Tsundere? Ill-tempered on the outside but warm on the inside?¡¯ Even the door hinges were well made with no sound of friction. On the other hand, Steven was completely uninterested in such things and just stared straight past the door. Tang! Tang! As soon as they walked in through the door, they heard the sound of something being hit. It sounded light and steady, but the sound was consistent. It was obvious they weren¡¯t hitting the same spot over and over again. ¡°You might have to wait a while. They¡¯re a race with eccentric personalities.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve taken that into consideration, so you can head back first if you¡¯re busy. I¡¯ve memorized how to get back already.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I was told to assist you the whole day today, so I will take full responsibility of it. And, to be honest, this is the first time I¡¯m meeting a dwarf as well. It¡¯s rather rare to see their kind in our country, and even going into the Great Forest this time was a first for me.¡± Steven awkwardly laughed. However, Jade just calmly stared as Steven laughed out of embarrassment. He felt that it was important for one to understand his own shortcomings. ¡°Huh?¡± As they were busily staring at the items that were hung on the walls, a door inside the shop opened and a heat wave burst forth. It appeared to be the workroom, and at the same time as the heat wave, a sweat ridden stumpy dwarf cheerfully walked out However, the dwarf¡¯s eyes grew wide as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. He appeared to be surprised at Jade. ¡°Summoner?¡± ¡°You¡¯re able to recognize it so quickly.¡± ¡°Hu. It¡¯s very rare to see a human summoner. Even more so, it seems like you¡¯re even better than an elf?¡± Facial hair covered the vast majority of the dwarf¡¯s face and the only parts visible were his forehead, two eyes, nose, and mouth. He appeared quite ridiculous. Different from his balding head, the sides of his head had plenty of hair and even covered his ears. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. I have yet to meet an elf and it¡¯s even my first time meeting a dwarf.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not able to make contracts with spirits but we¡¯re really good at smelling spirits since we¡¯re also part of the fairy family.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m very sure about what I said. Sniff sniff!¡± The dwarf spoke with conviction as he lifted his nose into the air. He then circled around Jade and inspected him thoroughly. ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°Your body is also properly trained. But is the thing buried in your chest a drake?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°HA!¡± The dwarf was once again surprised. It was unbelievable to see such a calm drake within someone¡¯s arms as they were known to have little to no rivals beneath dragons. They weren¡¯t species of low-grade either. ¡®A Gold Drake is high-grade even among other drakes¡­..¡± Among all the drakes, Red Drakes and Gold Drakes were known to be the fiercest. And among them, Gold Drakes were even rarer, so it was an unbelievable sight to see one within the arms of a human. Chapter 7.4 - At the capital (4) ¡°How did you tame it?¡± ¡°Rather than taming it, you can say we formed a relationship.¡± ¡°Ahem! I would like to hear more about it.¡± The dwarf¡¯s eyes sparkled. There was no way a story like this wouldn¡¯t stimulate his curiosity. However, even Steven listened attentively. Although he didn¡¯t show it, he was definitely interested in this topic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but that¡¯s a little..I have many reasons behind it.¡± ¡°I, is that so.¡± ¡°Let me show you this instead.¡± Jade brought out a Black Drake¡¯s tooth and showed it to the depressed dwarf. As he did, the dwarf¡¯s reaction changed. ¡°T, this is!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the tooth of a Black Drake. I want to create a weapon with this as its base.¡± ¡°Are you serious?!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I came all the way out here.¡± The dwarf made a radiant expression. As he was born to be a blacksmith, he couldn¡¯t help but get excited with new metal, minerals, and materials. Especially for something like a Black Drake¡¯s tooth, it was difficult to get even if he were to look for one. Drake¡¯s were rare in and of itself, and even if one were to find their location, it wasn¡¯t easy to kill them. ¡°Ha! To think I would be able to see a Black Drake¡¯s tooth in my lifetime. Do you have more by any chance?¡± ¡°I brought two more with me as a reserve. I was going to use one as payment¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s immediately make a contract!¡± Although it was the smallest tooth, the dwarf didn¡¯t need to even think twice. As the most famous blacksmith in Arhan, he had plenty of work still pending, yet he still didn¡¯t hesitate. It wasn¡¯t often that he got the opportunity to obtain a Black Drake¡¯s tooth. ¡°I would like to make a long sword with one of the teeth and a dagger with another. From the way I look at it, the length seems to be perfect for them, but is it possible?¡± ¡°Of course. Who do you think I am? There¡¯s more than enough to make you your weapons. But the remaining pieces that you don¡¯t need¡­¡­¡± Different from his first appearance, the dwarf appeared to be rubbing his hands together. It was as if he was craving for something. ¡°You can have it.¡± ¡°Kuhahahha! You¡¯re as valiant as I thought! I really like you!¡± Tak tak tak! Hearing the words he had been hoping for, the dwarf tapped Jade¡¯s hip while laughing. He would much rather have tapped Jade on the back, but due to their size difference, the only place he could reach was Jade¡¯s hips. Only, Hwid had now woken up. It had been in deep sleep on Jade but woke up from Jade¡¯s body shaking. Crack crack. With sleepy eyes, Hwid opened its mouth. And, as it did, thunderbolts began forming inside it. The dwarf walked back in fight as he saw the thunderbolts that were the same color as the drake¡¯s scales. He had known Jade¡¯s skills were out of the norm, but a Drake was still scary. ¡°It¡¯s okay, go to sleep.¡± Ggyoong. Feeling the hand caressing its back, Hwid buried its head into Jade¡¯s chest and closed its eyes once again. It had naturally fallen asleep as it felt the warm hand on its back. ¡°Sigh!¡± The dwarf was relieved to see this site. It felt like he had lost 10 years of his life. ¡°How long will it take to make them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to start immediately, so let¡¯s say about three days?¡± ¡°It¡¯s that fast?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only possible for me. I am THE Ralph!¡± Tap tap! A large fist, unmatching its body, tapped the dwarf¡¯s chest. Even then, Ralph didn¡¯t appear to be in pain as he confidently smiled. ¡°I would be thankful if you can make it quickly.¡± ¡°It could be late by a day since this will be the first time I work on Black Drake¡¯s teeth. I¡¯m going to have to do a lot of research and try out different processes. However, the item itself won¡¯t be a problem. I guarantee it.¡± ¡°I look forward to it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why¡­.¡± Rustle rustle! Ralph¡¯s pompous attitude disappeared, and he began to rub his hands together. He appeared to be expecting something. ¡°Please talk without reservations.¡± ¡°A, are you able to gather more Black Drake¡¯s teeth? I will give you as much as you want!¡± ¡°I do have some left, but I don¡¯t have them with me. Let¡¯s negotiate the next time I come back.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Ralph quickly grabbed Jade¡¯s hands. He was excited to hear that Jade was willing to negotiate with him. ¡°Please do your best on my weapons.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I will turn them into my best work of art! That¡¯s why don¡¯t sell your teeth to anyone else! I will outpay anybody for them!¡± ¡°Haha. Alright.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see. The contract¡­..¡± As if the begging wasn¡¯t enough, Ralph began to look for a contract. He wanted to make sure that everything was perfect. ¡°Umm¡­.¡± Steven, who was silently listening to their conversation, carefully opened his mouth to speak. He had the same expression and look in his eyes as Ralph. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Would you be able to sell some of it to us too? We want to research it.¡± ¡°Cough!¡± Ralph became uncomfortable to hear that he had gained a sudden rival. As difficult as it was to gather the item, he didn¡¯t want to share it with Steven. However, Steven wasn¡¯t one to back down easily. The Black Drake¡¯s teeth were just as important to him as it was to Ralph. ¡°I will give you some. Do I just have to tell my price to the princess?¡± ¡°Uh, let me ask about that.¡± Steven immediately became crushed. Although he was a court mage, he wasn¡¯t someone who had a lot of money. ¡°Kuhahahaha! Competence is what makes a man! I can even provide you with a down payment!¡± Seeing the crushed Steven, Ralph yelled out in high spirit and appealed himself to Jade by telling him he had plenty of money available. ¡°Let¡¯s just make a provisional contract for now. I may immediately have to go to Paulstein.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I wanted to try so many different things.¡± Ralph smacked his lips as he had heard what was happening in Paulstein, and he knew he didn¡¯t have the right to stick into human matters. In return, he grabbed Jade¡¯s hands and earnestly spoke. ¡°I know you¡¯re not one to die easily, but please be careful! Even if you die, you must die after fulfilling out contract!¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Jade laughed as Ralph was completely serious, and it was also the same for Celestine and Elestra. Especially Celestine, who had the biggest reaction. -Kyahahahha! What a complete nut job! -Dwarves are normally quite eccentric, but this guy seems to be super weird? Is it okay to trust Jade¡¯s weapons to this guy? Elestra scrunched her brows as she stared at Ralph. No matter how she looked at him, he looked unreliable. ¡°I¡¯m joking, so look forward to it. I will make your swords into my masterpiece, and I¡¯ll even make you some usable equipment.¡± ¡°You sounded serious to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the skills of a jokester to you, Kuhahahaha!¡± Ralph touched Jade in many areas as he heartily laughed. As a master craftsman, he was able to get Jade¡¯s sizes just with the mere touch of his hands. That was also the reason why Jade stood there without doing anything. ¡°I will look forward to them.¡± ¡°I only make the best, hence the reason why I¡¯m the most popular in Arhan. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll make quality items to meet your expectations.¡± ¡°Then can you contact the royal palace once your finished with the items?¡± ¡°Will do.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Jade turned around as he didn¡¯t want to take any more of Ralph¡¯s time. And, as soon as the two turned away to walk out of the store, Ralph walked back into his workshop. In his hands were the precious teeth of the Black Drake. ¡°Kukuk! Kuhahahaah!¡± A little while later, a loud laugh burst out from the shop. Chapter 7.5 - At the capital (5) Knock knock knock. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the guest with me.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± After hearing the soft voice respond from within the room, Jade and the siblings walked in. However, they did not show any signs of anxiety, because the person they were meeting were the siblings¡¯ grandmother. And, to Jade, there was nothing special about it. Even if she was royalty, he had been with the siblings throughout his journey. ¡°Welcome.¡± Following the siblings, Jade saw a well-groomed beauty inside the room. It was difficult to say that she was a grandmother, but Jade did not find it strange. She was a half elf making her life many times longer than a normal human¡¯s. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Jade.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you as well. Please, just call me Clara. I¡¯m not a queen anymore, and I¡¯m just here to see my grandchildren.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an amazing summoner, just as I had heard. Especially¡­.¡± Clara¡¯s eyes looked towards Jade¡¯s shoulders. Most people stared at Hwid who was in his arms, but she was different. With slightly frightened eyes, Clara was staring at the location where Celestine and Elestra were. -I don¡¯t think she can see us. -But I¡¯m sure she can still feel us. Her being half elf should somewhat allow her to. ¡°I¡¯m not that amazing.¡± Ignoring the comments made by the spirits, Jade humbly responded back. He didn¡¯t feel the need to reveal the extent of his true powers. Of course, he would do his best to hide his powers rather than revealing them, but he felt that the amount they had seen thus far was adequate. ¡°I¡¯m surprised. I don¡¯t mean to belittle humans in any way, but I had thought it would be difficult to compare with against elves when it came to spirits.¡± ¡°Is it really to that extent?¡± ¡°Yes, you could be comparable to an elf ¨C no, you might be more than even elves themselves.¡± Laney stared at Jade with a with a new look. She had realized that Jade was powerful, but she didn¡¯t think her grandmother would be so surprised. However, Laney didn¡¯t know that even Clara couldn¡¯t grasp the true extent of Jade¡¯s power. ¡°I can¡¯t compare to an elf.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good to be too humble, you know. Shall we sit down first?¡± Clara laughed and she lightly waved her hand towards Jade and offered him a seat. She was late to realize that they were still standing after their introductions. Different from Jade, the siblings naturally took seats in a familiar way at their normal spots. ¡°You¡¯re going to be able to taste tea that¡¯s going to be on a completely different level compared to any other tea you¡¯ve had till now.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°Our grandmother cultivates them herself, so you can only taste it here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the rare tea.¡± Jade was calm even with the pride filled words that Laney had just spoken. It was the same reaction he had shown when she had revealed her identity to him. ¡°Huhu!¡± Clara made a peculiar smile as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. It was because she knew what had happened between Jade and Laney. As for Lloyd, he restlessly stared at his sister and Jade. Although his sister hadn¡¯t told him what had happened, he appeared to have somewhat noticed it. Ggyoo? Hwid¡¯s eyes quickly opened as the maid prepared the table. It was an instinctive response as it had smelled food. Due to it still being young, it was quite the glutton for food, and it wanted to try every new food at least once. ¡°You want to try it?¡± Ggyoong! A fancy plate with fruits, cookies, and salad. Hwid was unable to take its eyes off the plate, and noticing this, Jade smiled as he filled his own plate with the different food. As he brought some of the food to Hwid¡¯s mouth, it quickly gulped it down. ¡°How is it?¡± Ggyoo! Chapter 8.1 - War Elves (1) Although the salad tasted bad, Hwid smiled as it ate the fruits and cookies. Its lips were raised up like humans. ¡°So interesting. It should be difficult to create a relationship with a drake. Even more so with a Gold Drake.¡± ¡°It was all a coincidence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Life is a series of coincidences. How old is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about 13 months now.¡± Clara appeared slightly surprised by Jade¡¯s response. She was unable to believe that it was barely 13 months. No matter how quickly babies were said to grow, the amount of energy the drake currently had was beyond that. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Burp! Different from the surprised Clara, Hwid burped as it tastily ate the food Jade was giving it. Now that it had drank a cup of water, a burp naturally came out. Then, with eyes full of curiosity, it stared at Clara. Steven and Laney tried so hard to appeal to it and yet it had ignored all their advances, yet for the first time ever, Hwid appeared to be giving interest first. ¡°Hello?¡± Clara introduced herself with a smile as she felt Hwid¡¯s clear eyes stare at her. As she did, Hwid left Jade¡¯s arms and slowly walked towards Clara. ¡°Woah!¡± Laney was unable to hide her envy as she watched Hwid approach her grandmother. She was surprised and jealous to see Hwid interested in her grandmother when everything she did was ignored. Sniff sniff. However, Hwid didn¡¯t care how Laney felt. It just slowly approached Clara as it continued to sniff. He was interested in her because it was his first time meeting a half-elf. -Hwid should definitely be interested in her. -She¡¯s a completely new race and also has half the blood of a race that¡¯s loved by nature. -But her affinity to spirits is quite low. Most elves had a spirit by their side. Even if a contract wasn¡¯t formed, the spirits usually stuck around them ¨C yet this wasn¡¯t the case with Clara. Despite the fact that she was a half-elf. Rustle. Clara extended her arm, unaware that two spirits were talking about her. Although she had already lived for over 300 years, Hwid was still cute. Clara rubbed Hwid¡¯s head while smiling. Stiffen! Hwid momentarily stiffened as its forehead was an area that only Jade could touch. However, it soon gave itself up to the soft touch caressing its head. ¡°Oh, how cute.¡± Reptile-like scales covered Hwid¡¯s body, yet it wasn¡¯t cold to the touch. If anything, she enjoyed the slight roughness it gave and continued to stroke Hwid¡¯s head. ¡°I want to pet it too¡­.¡± Swoosh! Hwid quickly turned around as soon as Laney extended her arm. It coldly turned around and quickly flew back to Jade. ¡°As I thought.¡± ¡°Hing!¡± Lloyd didn¡¯t think much of it as he had seen this scene many times throughout their journey. Nothing had changed. On the other hand, Laney appeared as if she were about to cry. She had tried to secretively touch Hwid, but it had immediately detected her and ran. ¡°I heard you were going to be helping out my grandchildren.¡± ¡°Yes, we were somehow able to come to an agreement.¡± ¡°I leave them in your care.¡± ¡°I will do my best.¡± Clara laughed as Jade calmly responded back. She honestly couldn¡¯t believe it when she heard that Jade was at most an advanced-level summoner. Even though those words had come from Heinze himself. Because, as a half elf, she knew exactly how important it was to have an affinity with the spirits. So, when she heard that Jade might be a high-level summoner, she just quietly shook her head. However, this was a miscalculation. The world was wide and there was a human here that had the same amount of affinity with spirits as an elf. ¡®He¡¯s not only at the advanced-level. He could be higher.¡¯ Clara¡¯s affinity to spirit¡¯s was below average. That¡¯s why it was impossible for her to completely measure Jade. Even more so for Heinze, because spirits weren¡¯t his specialty. ¡®Either way, I¡¯m relieved someone like him is on our side.¡¯ Clara sighed a sigh of relief. Although she was their grandmother, she was unable to interfere with family business. Not only was she hiding herself from the public, but it wasn¡¯t right for Arhan to interfere with Paulstein. However, if it were Heinze and Jade, they would easily be able to flip the current situation. ¡®Even more so since the other side doesn¡¯t have any information regarding Jade.¡¯ She was sure they would at least know that a strange summoner had joined the group, but only to that extent. Furthermore, even if two summoners were of the same level, there was a huge difference in power depending on how they utilized their spirits. ¡®High-level spirits were strong enough to be considered Master¡¯s themselves, and their strength was more apparent when fought in large-scale battles.¡¯ As a half-elf, Clara understood a spirit¡¯s strength more than anyone, so she stared at Jade with trust filled eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure Lloyd and Laney will do well, but if you ever need any help, don¡¯t hesitate to reach out to me. If it¡¯s a request from you, I will do whatever I can to get it done.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Finishing their short conversation, Jade left the room. Their initial goal was to just introduce themselves, so Jade went back to his room. However, even after he left, the conversation in the room was still regarding him. ¡°What do you think Grandmother?¡± ¡°We really got hit with a stroke of luck. We were able to meet someone like him, and it shouldn¡¯t have been easy to have him join our group. This means the heavens is still on your side. However, don¡¯t be too relieved. The enemy will have their own secrets, just as you have yours.¡± With Clara¡¯s words, the siblings nodded their heads with stiff expressions. They had already been keeping this thought in mind. The second prince should know where they currently were and was most likely making plans to go against them. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s best you both resolve yourselves before that happens. Are you guys confident?¡± The kind expression Clara had was now completely gone. Not only was she their grandmother, but she was once the queen of Arhan. With that in mind, she was now staring at her grandchildren with a stern look. Lloyd swallowed his saliva with his grandmother¡¯s sudden change; however, he did not look away from her eyes. ¡°Yes, I will no longer share or run away from him. And I want to go back and regain my position.¡± ¡°You might die.¡± ¡°I know. However, I can¡¯t live like a coward anymore.¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯s my grandson.¡± Clara brightly smiled. This was exactly what she was hoping to hear, however Lloyd wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°Even if I die through my failure, I will make sure that my sister at least survives. So, promise me that you¡¯ll at least take my sister in if something goes wrong with the plan. ¡°What are you saying!¡± ¡°Be quiet sister.¡± Lloyd continued to stare at Clara and didn¡¯t bother to even glance at his sister. Feeling Lloyd¡¯s intense stare, Clara laughed and nodded her head. ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Keep your resolution until the end. Even after you become the king.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Clara couldn¡¯t stop smiling with how different Lloyd had become and truly believed people grew stronger through experience. ¡°However, wouldn¡¯t it be better to believe in Jade rather than me? It¡¯ll be safer for her to stay by his side instead of mine. I¡¯m not even the queen anymore.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Grandmother!¡± ¡°My ears are going to fall off. Just to let you know, my ears haven¡¯t aged at all.¡± ¡°As I thought, you went and said that to Jade?¡± Seeing Laney¡¯s blushing face, Lloyd clenched his teeth as he asked. He knew this had only happened because of how weak he was. ¡°I completely approve of it. I met him for the first time today, but his soul is rather good. Humans can lie, but summoners can¡¯t. There are evil summoners out there, but it¡¯s very rare to find a summoner that spirits love. ¡°What level do you think he¡¯s on grandmother?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at LEAST advanced. He can summon high-level spirits.¡± ¡°He¡¯s at LEAST?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Laney¡¯s eyes grew wide with surprise as did Lloyd¡¯s. This meant that Jade had at least made a contract with a high-level spirit. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s with wind and water spirits. Their scent was the strongest.¡± ¡°Water? He¡¯s never summoned a water spirit yet.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for him to show you guys. Do you think he would lay all his cards on the table just because he¡¯s joined the group? It should be the same for you guys as well.¡± Chapter 8.2 - War Elves (2) ¡°Mm!¡± Laney remained in deep thought because everything her grandmother said was right. On the other hand, Lloyd¡¯s face grew bright. The stronger Jade was, the stronger his future became. ¡°That¡¯s why, if you¡¯re going to grab ahold of him, be quick about it. Who cares about status for someone like him. Furthermore, didn¡¯t you say he had some noble blood in him already? You must make him yours before someone else takes him from you.¡± ¡°Arhan wouldn¡¯t do that to us, right?¡± ¡°Regarding that, I can¡¯t say. I¡¯m not the queen anymore.¡± Lloyd swallowed a dry saliva as he heard the ambiguous answer given by his grandmother. Laney also seemed surprised. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. Do you think I would take my grandchildren¡¯s person away from them? However, don¡¯t be too relieved. I might not do such a thing, but the current king and nobles might have different thoughts in mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, grandmother.¡± ¡°How¡¯s it going with appeasing the neutral nobles?¡± ¡°¡­..It¡¯s not easy. The second prince is also expending his resources to gain their trust.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he is.¡± Clara nodded her head. The second prince was very thorough, because he wanted to handle and clear this situation as quickly as possible. ¡°However, there are people who are waiting for Lloyd. No matter what people say, he¡¯s the true descendant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°We¡¯re planning on returning as soon as the reinforcements arrive, and that will be the true beginning of everything.¡± Laney¡¯s eyes were filled with determination. Although she could do nothing but run to Arhan from the enemy¡¯s surprise attack, it was going to be different now. She was going to make sure that happened at all costs. ¡°Don¡¯t put all of your faith in Jade. You can¡¯t ignore the power of numbers, and you must make sure there isn¡¯t too much damage done to the other side. Although they¡¯re currently enemies, they are still considered to be citizens of Paulstein.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lloyd responded with a heavy tone. He had been thinking of this for a while now, and understood the soldiers weren¡¯t at fault. If anything, the nobles who supported the second prince were at fault. ¡®I will reclaim my position and without fail turn Paulstein into a powerful nation.¡¯ A firm goal began to form within Lloyd¡¯s eyes. Chirp! Chirp! To prevent himself from being revealed as much as possible, Jade was assigned a villa away from the royal palace. It was an excessive treatment for a mere commoner. However, nobody thought this to be strange. Since the Sword Master Heinze and the prince and princess were treating Jade with so much respect, the maids and butlers paid special attention to his words and actions. -How is it, how is it? Do you like it? ¡°It¡¯s definitely lighter. The strength of it is incomparable to the sword I was using previously. This must be the reason why dwarves are sought after.¡± -Is it really that good? ¡°Yeah.¡± Celestine¡¯s eyes grew wide as she heard Jade¡¯s praise-like assessment. Jade rarely gave such compliments and the weapon from head to toe was completely black. -Just looking at the color of the thing, no one would deny it if it were called a demon¡¯s sword. ¡°Even though there isn¡¯t a single enchantment on it.¡± -But it¡¯s not an ugly black. A demon sword has an eerie and bloody atmosphere to it, and also has its own ego. ¡°Quite interesting. There are so many things I don¡¯t know about in this world.¡± -There¡¯s nothing good about it. Celestine spoke resolutely. The mere existence of a demon sword was harmful to the world, so there was no point in Jade seeing such a thing. -I¡¯m interested in your world. -Me too me too! I¡¯m also interested in the fact that there aren¡¯t any spirits that have information about your world either! Even the queen hasn¡¯t heard about your world! With Elestra¡¯s words, Celestine began flying around the room and yelling out in a loud voice. As she did, Hwid also followed suit and began flying around the room. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to see it in person one day, since you guys can follow me back to my world.¡± -Exactly! I¡¯m really curious! I heard chunks of iron moves by itself and flies in the sky. -It sounds like a whole new world just hearing the things you told us Jade. ¡°We need to first figure out a way to get back.¡± Jade murmured as he swung the new sword to break it in. However, although there was some weight to the sword, the balance of the sword was perfect to the point where that weight could completely be neglected. Every time Jade swung the sword, it sounded like he was cutting through space itself. -Let¡¯s first become strong enough to beat up a dragon! And then we threaten it! Tell it to cough up every information it has about your world! ¡°¡­..Although that sounds like a sure method, I¡¯m not sure if it will be possible. I did become much stronger through the body change, but I still have quite a ways to go.¡± -It¡¯s more than possible to reach your goal since your life span increased! You¡¯re paving yourself into history right now! -That¡¯s right. There are very few humans in this world that have formed contracts with high-level spirits. Even more so to have two high-level spirits. ¡°¡­¡­really?¡± Jade appeared to be surprised. He didn¡¯t know he was that talented. -There¡¯s obviously the fact that you¡¯re putting in effort as well. There¡¯s absolutely nothing in this world that can be earned without effort. ¡°But it¡¯s not like everyone can get good at something just by putting in effort.¡± -That¡¯s true. Elestra nodded her head in a gentle manner. She had seen many humans who put in plenty of effort but was unable to overcome their roadblock. It was difficult to constantly be putting in effort and challenging oneself. -Are you going to name your new sword? At its current level, it can be considered an excellent sword. Same with your dagger. ¡°A name you say.¡± -Most iron swords can cut things, so it¡¯s okay to give it a name! Celestine playfully tapped the blade of the sword. As she did, Hwid¡¯s eyes began to sparkle as it quietly watched Jade perform his sword dance. It seemed to be interested in Celestine¡¯s actions. However, Hwid continued to patiently wait. ¡°It¡¯s quite the sword. Sir Heinze¡¯s sword is pretty out there as well, but this sword doesn¡¯t lose to it at all.¡± -Not only that, but the owner of the sword is you! A faint smile could be seen on Jade¡¯s lips. He was thankful to have Celestine who was always on his side to praise him. He felt uncomfortable in the beginning but was now completely comfortable. In fact, she had become a strong pillar to his mental fortitude. ¡°You think too highly of me.¡± -It¡¯s the truth. You¡¯re going to continue to grow stronger, and even compared to others who have gone through body change, I¡¯m sure your body is much stronger. ¡°Unless there¡¯s a human that ate a dragon¡¯s heart.¡± -Let¡¯s catch a dragon and eat its heart too! It might¡¯ve been difficult to take in as a normal human, but the current you should be able to handle it! Celestine brightly smiled as she indulged in her imagination. The stronger her contractor became, the more power she was able to utilize. Chapter 8.3 - War Elves (3) After consuming a drake¡¯s heart and going through the body change, Jade became something above a regular human. However, even then, Celestine was unable to display the full extent of her powers. ¡®Well, it¡¯s a big deal even now. There has never been a human summoner that could pull out this much of our power until now. Of course, I can¡¯t say there has never been a human that has seen our kings/queens, however none of them could form a contract with them.¡¯ The history of Arpedia went further back than humans thought. And, within that amount of time, there were plenty of geniuses that came and went. Among them were some that were as talented as Jade. However, there were few to none that had a combination of talent and effort as Jade did. ¡°I don¡¯t think we HAVE to catch and eat one.¡± -It¡¯s one of the fastest ways to quickly become strong. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s never been a dragon slayer before. Of course, the majority of the dragons were mediocre at best, but it¡¯s still incredible. ¡°Oh?¡± Jade made a cold expression. He didn¡¯t care about anything else, but that was a title he desired. -But honestly, true dragons start from the wyrm level and above. That¡¯s when they can truly be considered to be dragons. The mediocre ones have weaker scales and breath. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet one someday. Didn¡¯t you say they still exist on this continent?¡± -Yup, there¡¯s quite a bit. There aren¡¯t as many as there were in ancient times, but their numbers are steadily decreasing. Jade nodded his head as it wasn¡¯t an issue for him that they were steadily decreasing. The important thing for him wasn¡¯t the number of the dragons, but if there was a dragon that knew how to cross through dimensions. ¡®Even if they don¡¯t know, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll show interest. And I can take advantage of that interest. Of course, the most comfortable thing would be to make them find a method for me.¡¯ Arpedia wasn¡¯t uncomfortable. He had sufficiently adapted to the place and could sufficiently live here. However, no matter how much he adapted to the new world and gained the strength to do so, he was still considered a foreigner. Knock knock knock. Jade awoke from his thoughts as he heard the attendant knocking at his door. Hwid and the spirits simultaneously turned to look at the door. ¡°Sir Jade. The prince and princess have come to visit you.¡± ¡°Please escort them in.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± The door opened at the same time as the servant¡¯s respectful response back, and Hwid jumped straight into Jade¡¯s arms. It knew that Laney bothered it when it was separated from Jade, so it quickly escaped in advance. ¡°Ah, were you in the middle of your training?¡± ¡°No. I was in the process of breaking in my new sword.¡± ¡°I heard it was made with a Black Drake¡¯s tooth?¡± ¡°Yes, I was luckily able to get my hands on a few of them¡± Laney stared at Jade with curiosity. She had seen plenty of wyvern and griffon bones, but she had never seen a drake¡¯s tooth or bone. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s quite possible in the Great Forest, since it¡¯s so dangerous there.¡± ¡°In return, it¡¯s a land filled with opportunity as well. Just as dangerous as it is, the rewards that can be found are amazing.¡± Rustle. Jade¡¯s eyes landed behind the siblings. There was a total of three visitors in the room; the two siblings and another with half its face covered with a hood. However, Jade focused on the energy that was radiating off the visitor instead of their outward appearance. -It¡¯s an elf! -Not only that, but it¡¯s a strong elf. Jade still appeared calm amidst the fuss. Even if they didn¡¯t point it out for him, he could tell the other side was an elf just by feeling their energy. Not only that, but she was a full-blooded elf, unlike Clara. ¡°This is our new partner and the reason why we came out here in the first place.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Arelia and I¡¯m a war elf.¡± ¡°The name is Jade.¡± ¡°You¡¯re exactly as Clara said.¡± As Arelia extended her hand out first to Jade, he calmly extended his out as well. However, the look that she was giving him was unusual. They were filled with surprise and shock. ¡°As I thought, you¡¯re not surprised. I secretly thought you would be surprised.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many existences that can have such a strong smell of spirits. But this is my first time hearing of war elves.¡± Laney appeared disappointed as she had secretly wanted Jade to be surprised. Now it was a bit ambiguous to boast the fact that they could invite a war elf to their party. ¡°It¡¯s exactly as the name sounds. You can think of it as us being known to be fighters even among the elf race.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Should I say we¡¯re not scared to see blood?¡± Arelia laughed and responded back on behalf of Laney. And seeing this, both Lloyd and Laney appeared to be incredibly surprised. They didn¡¯t think Arelia would smile so brightly. She always carried around a joker face and blunt personality, yet she was now standing in front of them smiling. Jade obviously being the reason why. ¡°To put it simply, you guys are good at combat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s also the reason why I travelled for the past month to meet these two. Most elves don¡¯t like the thought of fighting. Of course, there are guards within the elf race that protect the tribe, but they¡¯re not fond of seeing blood.¡± As Arelia spoke, she stared at Jade with eyes filled with curiosity. Spirit affinity was one thing, but like her, Jade was a warrior that also trained his body. That¡¯s why she had formed a competitive spirit. ¡°How many of you guys have come?¡± ¡°Including me, I would say about 300.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot.¡± ¡°The numbers aren¡¯t high, but every single one of them are strong warriors.¡± Jade nodded his head as heard the confident filled response. He was sure there wasn¡¯t anyone who was as strong as Arelia but having 300 warriors wasn¡¯t considered to be a small number. Since they were all warriors that could summon spirits, each warrior was able to do the work of 100. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Our grandmother was a huge help. Even we didn¡¯t think they would help us to this extent.¡± In response to Jade, Laney answered while nodding her head. She was expecting some sort of help, but she had no idea it was going to be to this extent. That¡¯s why Laney and Lloyd were both shocked. ¡°It¡¯s only possible because Clara is also a war elf. If she was part of a different tribe, I would estimate maybe two or three of us willing to help out.¡± ¡°That you very much.¡± ¡°But keep in mind, this will be the first and last time we help.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± Feeling the difference of how Arelia spoke to her compared to Jade, she felt intimidated. However, this didn¡¯t mean she was unhappy. Arelia wasn¡¯t a normal elf but a war chief of the war elf tribe. This gave her the ability to speak the way she did. ¡°When are we leaving?¡± ¡°Tomorrow. We came here tonight to introduce you to the new member of the party and to let you know of our plans.¡± ¡°To be exact, I wanted to see you.¡± Chapter 9.1 - To Paulstein (1) Arelia stared at Jade with eyes filled with curiosity and interest. It was to the point where it was getting a little uncomfortable. However, unable to realize this, Arelia began walking towards Jade. Ggyoo? ¡°Oh?¡± Hwid¡¯s scales lifted as it could feel that Jade was uncomfortable. It then lowered its tail and began to cry in a sharp tone. However, even with Hwid¡¯s threat, Arelia wasn¡¯t shocked but rather amused with what she was seeing. A baby drake¡¯s threat was nothing more than cute for Arelia. Grrrrrrr! Realizing this, Hwid now raised its lips and bared its fangs. As it did, lightning began to form in its mouth, ready to fire off a breath at any moment. ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t get so excited.¡± Ggyoo?? Different from Clara, although Arelia was 100% elf, Hwid¡¯s actions were vastly different. And watching this, Jade smiled and began to stroke Hwid¡¯s head. As he did, the lightning within Hwid¡¯s mouth instantly disappeared and it immediately began to relax. ¡°This child is quite cute.¡± ¡°We were somehow able to form a relationship with each other.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the uncommon relationship. But, if it was a situation outside of your control, I completely understand and will leave that child to you.¡± Arelia¡¯s eyes moved from Hwid back to Jade. However, her eyes were still fiery. She instantly knew Jade wasn¡¯t a simple summoner so she was burning with fighting spirit. ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± ¡°So, I was thinking, would we be able to spar?¡± ¡°Spar?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Arelia¡¯s eyes grew hotter. As a War Chief of the War Elves, her fighting spirit was burning. However, Jade appeared to be at a loss. ¡°We¡¯re immediately leaving tomorrow, so I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Ah¡­..¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you think we¡¯ll have other opportunities in the future, since we¡¯ll be moving together?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Today isn¡¯t the only day. Then let¡¯s at least make a verbal promise.¡± Arelia smiled brightly. She believed they would one day be able to fight as Jade hadn¡¯t refused her request. And, for her, waiting wasn¡¯t an issue. ¡°Isn¡¯t there someone else besides me who¡¯s strong?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re talking about Sword Master Heinze? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s fully recovered yet. And, even if he does, it¡¯ll be difficult for him to show me his full powers.¡± ¡°I, is that true?¡± With Arelia¡¯s definitive answer, Laney and Lloyd simultaneously yelled out. They were both surprised because this was something they hadn¡¯t heard till now. ¡°You knew as well didn¡¯t you Jade?¡± ¡°Yes, He overdid it with his aura when he still had heavy internal injuries. It might¡¯ve been different when he was younger, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s quite the burden for him now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± The siblings simultaneously heaved a heavy sigh. However, even though it was regrettable, there was nothing they could do about it. He himself probably already knew that truth, but this left the two to miss one of the most important facts. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Please take care.¡± ¡°Hoho! What¡¯s there to worry about.¡± In response to Jade¡¯s polite words, Arelia smiled and escorted the siblings out of the room. However, the siblings were so shocked from the previous statement, they were instead instinctively dragged out of the room with Arelia in the lead. ¡°So chaotic.¡± -I don¡¯t like her! ¡°Don¡¯t spirits like elves?¡± Jade breathed a light sigh and walked into his bedroom. He was planning to rest for a little while. -She keeps flirting with you! Besides, she¡¯s stupidly glamorous! ¡°It seemed like it. Her affinity to spirits didn¡¯t seem amazing for an elf.¡± -I¡¯m sure she¡¯s contracted to a high-ranking wind spirit. Just one. The others are all just at the intermediate level. Elestra added. As a water spirit of the highest level, she could immediately tell with just one look. ¡°She seems to have noticed it too.¡± -I¡¯m sure she¡¯s noticed it much more than Clara. Their levels are incomparable. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Jade agreed. There was a saying that said, ¡°you see as much as you know¡±. Just as he had figured out Arelia, he was sure she had figured him out as well. -There¡¯s nothing special about being an elf. One must at least be a High Elf if they want to compare against you. ¨C That¡¯s how amazing our Jade is! Ahem! ¡°Now that we¡¯re out of the Great Forest, the people and species that we meet are becoming more and more diverse.¡± From a prince and princess, to a Sword Master, a dwarf, half-elf, and now a War Elf. It hasn¡¯t even been half a year since they left the Great Forest. And it was no exaggeration to say they could go into war tomorrow. -It¡¯s absolutely necessary to experience different things to reach higher stages of your training. -We also get to explore the world at the same time~ It hasn¡¯t changed much from before, but as expected, the Human World is so fun. So exciting and electrifying! Ggyoo! Ggyooooo!! Watching Celestine swimming in the air as she spoke, Hwid attempted to copy her. However, it looked much easier than it seemed. As a wind spirit, Celestine could manipulate the air as if she were breathing, but that wasn¡¯t the case for Hwid. It just appeared to be flopping around in the air. Gyyooahhh! Hwid yelled out in frustration. It was unhappy with the fact that it couldn¡¯t use its body the way it wanted to. However, to Jade and the two spirits, Hwid appeared extremely cute. -Ogu ogu. Our little Hwid. -Hehe. Celestine and Elestra stared at Hwid as if they were staring at their own child. Every bit of Hwid¡¯s actions were too cute for them. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s normal for it to be hard since it¡¯s your first time. The more you do it, the better you¡¯ll become.¡± Ggyoo! With Jade¡¯s support, Hwid clasped its front paws as if to encourage itself. Then, Hwid continued its attempts. -I¡¯ll help you! -Me too. The two spirits flew towards Hwid as they saw that it wouldn¡¯t give up. And, seeing all this, Jade stared at them with warm eyes. Chapter 9.2 - To Paulstein (2) Pa aht! A bright light shot up into the air in Morton, a land that bordered Arhan. It was a light that was made by a teleport gate. A few moments later, approximately 20 people appeared above the gate. Morton wasn¡¯t a big land, so the teleport gate was smaller than normal. This made it so only a few people were able to teleport at any given time. ¡°I humbly see the prince and princess!¡± Chu chu chuk! As Lloyd and Laney appeared through the teleport gate, Aus Morton ¨C the Lord of Morton, sonorously gave his greeting and knelt on one knee. As he did, the knights and soldiers behind him followed suit and lowered their heads with discipline. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Lord Morton.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really glad to see you in good health!¡± ¡°Please rise.¡± Lloyd spoke with a dignified tone as he could feel Lord Morton¡¯s sincere loyalty. Different from before, he was showing the true appearance of a prince, and Laney and Heinze who were standing behind him smiled with a satisfied expression. ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°I would like to receive your report first.¡± ¡°Please follow me.¡± Aus was not shocked to hear that Lloyd wanted a report as soon as he returned. Instead, he appeared to be delighted. They were currently at war, so he was rather happy to hear Lloyd¡¯s question. Pah Aht! A few moments later, War Elves appeared through the gate. They were sending their units at the maximum capacity available. However, every single one of them were wearing wide hoods, covering their faces all the way to their feet. ¡°Why are they dressed like that?¡± ¡°Is there a reason why they need to be completely wrapped up like that?¡± ¡°Are they by chance Arhan¡¯s secret units? Then wouldn¡¯t this grow bigger than it should?¡± The soldiers that were lined up began to speak noisily, and it was the same for the knights as well. Although they weren¡¯t saying anything, they were staring at the War Elves with queer looks. However, because of Arelia¡¯s instructions, none of the elves spoke or made eye contact with the others. ¡°Please follow me.¡± Instead, Steven stepped forward and guided the War Elves. In Arelia¡¯s stead, he escorted them to their lodging. Meanwhile, Lloyd arrived at the meeting room and naturally took his spot at the head of the table. And, to his sides were Aus on one side, then Laney and Heinze, Jade, and Arelia on the other. ¡°I would like to hear of the current situation.¡± ¡°To tell you the truth, it¡¯s really not good.¡± ¡°I expected as such. Just tell me as it is.¡± ¡°¡­.The majority of the neutral nobles have sided with the duke. Baron Taven, Viscount Vytautas, and Viscount Andrea are on their way to join as well.¡± ¡°Are there any Count¡¯s among them?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No sir.¡± Aus spoke with a heavy tone. Of course, he had justification for it. The Marquis and Count were usually in charge of the borders, so they weren¡¯t supposed to recklessly move their troops. However, to put it in another way, this meant they wouldn¡¯t participate in the fight that was currently ongoing with the prince and princess. And, to put it into finer details, this meant they weren¡¯t going to provide their strength to the prince and princess. Aus closed his eyes as he knew Lloyd understood this as well. ¡°When will the three family¡¯s troops arrive?¡± ¡°Sir?¡± Unable to stare at Lloyd, Aus had his head down, but with Lloyd¡¯s question, he instinctively questioned back. He was surprised to hear Lloyd¡¯s calm voice. Yet, it wasn¡¯t as if he was forcing himself to be calm. He was literally calm. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know, but the amount of information that I have right now is extremely limited since I just returned. That¡¯s why I want to be briefed on the situation accurately.¡± ¡°It, it appears that the three family¡¯s troops will arrive in the next two days. The only issue is the second prince is beginning to gather his forces at Viscount Alan¡¯s place.¡± ¡°That must mean Marquis Madrane will be there as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be coming together with the second prince.¡± Marquis Madrane single handedly beat Heinze and became the country¡¯s greatest swordsman. That¡¯s why, Aus swallowed his dry saliva and quickly glanced at Heinze standing behind Lloyd. ¡°How big do you estimate his troops to be?¡± ¡°If the Duke really doesn¡¯t move his forces, then we¡¯re looking at approximately 10,000.¡± ¡°That¡¯s about 10x larger than us.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Yes sir.¡± A heavy tone naturally came out. However, Aus decided to follow Lloyd, even knowing they would have this big of a difference in power. He felt that it was the right thing to do. Of course, Lloyd was lacking in every degree compared to the second prince, but Lloyd was the one that was assigned as the Crown Prince. That¡¯s why the vassal would naturally follow behind him. Even if it led the family to their destruction. ¡°It appears the second prince wants to keep the damage down to a minimum as well, seeing as how he¡¯s flying all the way out here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Are you okay sir?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there not to be okay?¡± ¡°Are there more forces coming from Arhan by chance?¡± Aus asked out of curiosity. He couldn¡¯t officially join the civil war but could help as much as he wanted privately. There was a saying where ¡°everything is okay as long as you don¡¯t get caught¡±. ¡°There won¡¯t be anymore coming. The 300 that we brought with us is all we have.¡± ¡°I, is that so.¡± Aus¡¯s complexion quickly darkened. Just as high as his expectations were, he was just as equally disappointed. However, he didn¡¯t know that everyone in the room was currently watching the change in his expression. ¡°It¡¯s not too late, Viscount.¡± ¡°What do you mean sir?¡± ¡°It means you still have an opportunity.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already pledged myself to the King, and the pledge continues to you, not the second prince.¡± Aus firmly spoke without a hint of hesitation. If anything, he appeared to be mad hearing those words. And, seeing this, Heinze unconsciously brightly smiled. ¡°It seems you have already prepared yourself, Viscount.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I will be with the Crown Prince, even till my last breath. The same goes for the soldiers and knights of Morton.¡± ¡°That loyalty, I will never forget it in my life.¡± After confirming Aus¡¯s thoughts, Lloyd and Laney earnestly looked at the map. They were confirming the location that would become their battleground. Furthermore, they were figuring out ways to lower the damage of the battle. It was important to win, but it was just as important to keep the damage to a minimum. Chapter 9.3 - To Paulstein (3) Coming out onto the terrace, Jade thoroughly looked around the interior of the villa. The atmosphere of the villa was heavy as they were about to embark on a war. Whether it was the soldiers, maids, or butlers everyone appeared nervous. -The atmosphere is so heavy. -There¡¯s nothing they can do about it. Their superficial power is clearly inferior. -Even though there are two secret weapons. Celestine stuck her mouth out. Even if it was depressing, they were way too discouraged. They should know Lloyd and Laney didn¡¯t rush over just to die. -Secret weapons are secret weapons only when they¡¯re kept a secret. They would just be weapons if they were found out. And, the other side should¡¯ve also prepared some of their own secrets. Well, maybe not since there¡¯s such a huge comparison in power. -Even if they do, it doesn¡¯t matter. The Crown Prince has Jade on his side! -That¡¯s definitely huge. Elestra smiled brightly. Although Aus and his troops appeared nervous, Lloyd and his group appeared completely fine. Even if their fighting force was 10x less than the enemy, they knew their overall power was great as well. ¡°They also have 300 all-around warriors with them.¡± -Still, Arelia is the strongest among them. ¡°That¡¯s true. It seems she¡¯s a War Chief.¡± -With her powers, it¡¯s not surprising for her to be at that level. Celestine mumbled with her arms crossed. Although she didn¡¯t like Arelia, her skills were the real deal. Gyyooonng. Hwid rolled itself into a ball feeling the cold night air then stared at Jade as if it wanted something. ¡°It¡¯s not good for you to eat so many beef jerkies.¡± Different from what he was saying, Jade pulled out a beef jerky from his subspace item. It was a beef jerky made with the best quality beef available. Ggyoo! Hwid¡¯s nostrils opened and closed as it smelled the peculiar smell coming from the jerky. It was getting excited just from smelling it. ¡°Here, make sure you chew on it well.¡± Ggyoong! Quickly biting onto the beef jerky, Hwid slowly chewed on the meat just as Jade told it to. It was experiencing the taste and texture of the meat thoroughly before swallowing it down. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of beef jerkies when I have spirits with me.¡± -It¡¯s probably because you were only focused on the freshness of the meat. The meat is good for Hwid, but the blood is also beneficial for it. ¡°When we get back next time, I¡¯ll turn half of the meat into jerky. I¡¯ll also pack some of the Black Drake¡¯s scales since they can all be sold for money.¡± He wasn¡¯t short on money, but because he was quite poor in his other world, Jade had a strong desire for wealth. There was nothing wrong with having more money. Knock knock knock. At that moment, the sound of knocking could be heard. Feeling the nervousness from the knock, Jade smiled and walked towards his door. ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite late for you to be coming to a man¡¯s room by yourself, princess.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t see me as a woman anyways.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Please come in.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to openly acknowledge it you know.¡± Laney quietly grumbled. However, thanks to Jade coldly drawing a line with their relationship, Laney¡¯s nervousness instantly melted away. ¡°I heard everything.¡± ¡°I said it for you to hear.¡± ¡°I remember your personality wasn¡¯t like this before.¡± ¡°It means I¡¯ve become that much more comfortable with you. I¡¯ve experienced many things and have been embarrassed in front of you as well.¡± ¡°Please forget it.¡± Jade smiled as he firmly spoke. As he did, Laney stuck her lips out. She also had some elf blood in her, yet she felt that Jade was looking down on her. ¡°It happened too recently for me to just forget about it.¡± ¡°Rather than the amount of time, I think one¡¯s state of mind is more important. Anyhow, what brings you here at this time.¡± ¡°Do I have to get straight to the point?¡± ¡°Nothing good will come out of you staying here longer than needed.¡± ¡°For me? Of for you?¡± Laney provocatively asked Jade as she watched him shrug his shoulders. It felt like he was treating her like a child. ¡°Hm. Let¡¯s say it¡¯s for both of us.¡± ¡°Hu!¡± Laney made a dispirited expression. Although he said those words, she instinctively felt that he was leaning towards the latter. ¡°Are you really nervous?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..Is it obvious?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be weird if you weren¡¯t. Furthermore, this will be your first war.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Will we be able to win?¡± Laney¡¯s expression quickly changed. Her fake mask tore off and her true emotions revealed itself. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°In the event of a defeat, we¡¯re all going to die. To be honest, I¡¯m fine since Lloyd and I will die if we lose. However, for Sir Heinze, Steven, Arelia, the War Elves, and the soldiers ¨C they¡¯ll become nothing more than victims.¡± Laney¡¯s shoulders began to shake. She appeared to be afraid, and seeing this, Jade understood why she came to him instead of Heinze. ¡®It seems like she¡¯s looking for something else.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t get to date because he was poor. But, because he was poor, he was quick-witted compared to others. However, Jade did not show it. Instead, he thought of the words that Laney needed to hear right now. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t escape death. Every living thing will eventually die. This holds true for elves and even dragons. The timeframe we get to live may be different, but we all eventually meet an end.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°At the same time, everyone can decide on the location of their death. Just like you princess.¡± Badump! Badump! With Jade¡¯s words, Laney¡¯s eyes grew wide. His last words left a lasting impression to her. ¡°There are people who run away at the face of war. However, there are people like Aus as well. People who stick to their loyalty knowing they¡¯re going into a losing battle. And, to those people, I believe there¡¯s only one image you should be showing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I came here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I could be of help.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯re done with everything, are you going back to the Great Forest?¡± Looking more stable compared to earlier, Laney carefully asked. She was showing she didn¡¯t want someone like Jade to leave. Even though Arelia had come to help, she and her group of War Elves were bound to go back to their home. That¡¯s why Jade was a necessity for her and Lloyd. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m planning on for now since that¡¯s the only place I can return to.¡± ¡°How about staying at the royal palace?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you thinking too far into the future when we haven¡¯t even cleared the civil war?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same for you? Are you planning on returning back home because you¡¯re sure we¡¯re going to win the war?¡± ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± Jade smiled but didn¡¯t deny it. No matter how amazing the numbers looked on the second prince¡¯s side, Jade didn¡¯t think he would lose. It was the same for his two spirits as well. ¡°I hope you can give staying at the capital some thought as well.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get up now, since just as you said, it¡¯s not good for a grown man and woman to stay in a room together this late at night.¡± Laney stood up before Jade could even respond. This was her way of keeping whatever pride she had left. ¡°Sleep well.¡± ¡°I wish I could.¡± Laney confidently walked out of the room and smiled. A moment after, she took the maid that was waiting in front of the entrance and disappeared beyond the passage. -She¡¯s such a fox. -Agreed. -You must be careful. Women are all foxes! Especially Arelia! As soon as the room door closed, the two spirits began to chatter. They were constantly talking as if they were his sisters. However, Jade let their words flow in through one ear and out the other. He was already aware of what was going on even before they said anything. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to see it tomorrow.¡± Jade walked back out onto the terrace and looked out toward Viscount Alan¡¯s territory. Chapter 9.4 - To Paulstein (4) As the sun began to rise over the horizon, the atmosphere increasingly became depressing. It was because, at the same time as the sun began to rise, over 10,000 soldiers emerged from Viscount Alan¡¯s territory. Each faction held their own flags, but those flags numbered more than 20. Seeing this behind the castle walls, Lloyd¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°I think this is for the best. We were able to nip the buds through this event.¡± ¡°If we win that is.¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯re going to lose?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.It won¡¯t be easy.¡± Even with the War Elves combined, they only had 1,300 on their side and this force was barely gathered. On the other hand, the second prince assembled the elite of the elite and easily gathered over 10,000 soldiers. Feeling this comparison, Lloyd¡¯s mouth grew dry. Be confident. We¡¯re not weak either. Numbers don¡¯t account for anything.¡± ¡°I know that. But why are you here, sister? Go back inside.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stay here by your side.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous here.¡± Lloyd shook his head. He was the Crown Prince as well as a man. That¡¯s why, even if he wasn¡¯t to personally fight himself, he had to be on the battlefield. However, this wasn¡¯t the case for Laney. ¡°I¡¯m a princess too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°Heinze is here, and so is Steven. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Laney firmly responded back. She was showing there was no way for her to back out from her decision. ¡°Ah ah.¡± At that moment, a familiar face appeared between the soldiers that were lined up in an orderly fashion. And, next to that person was Marquis Madrane. Tremble! Seeing the peculiarly cold face of Marquis Madrane behind the second prince, Heinze¡¯s face began to shake. He seems to have remembered the defeat he suffered at the royal palace. ¡°Can you hear my voice?¡± ¡°I can hear you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. I was worried we wouldn¡¯t be able to hold a conversation. It seems you have mage on your side that you can use this magic as well.¡± The second prince spoke with a wry smile. However, Lloyd¡¯s face appeared calm even amidst the second prince¡¯s taunts. He wasn¡¯t so gullible to fall for an easy trap like that anymore. ¡°There¡¯s no way I would be that powerless. In case you haven¡¯t forgotten, I¡¯m the Crown Prince while you¡¯re the second.¡± ¡°Huhu! How much you¡¯ve grown, Lloyd. You even know how to talk back. Did you go through a lot while you were out on your journey?¡± ¡°I had no other choice but to. That¡¯s why, I¡¯m just a tiny bit thankful in regard to that. You helped me come to my senses.¡± ¡°Kuhhahahahha!¡± The second prince loudly laughed. He didn¡¯t think Lloyd would respond in such a way. However, he soon looked at him with a cold look. ¡°You think anything is going to change just because you come to your senses now? You should face the reality. There is no way you can win, so just surrender. Don¡¯t needlessly cut down our Nation¡¯s power. Everything will be settled once you die since there won¡¯t be any unnecessary sacrifices.¡± Chapter 10.1 - An Outbreak of Civil War (1) ¡°Let me suggest the same thing. Surrender. Everything will go back to the way it was if you die.¡± ¡°Oh? It seems like you brought some decent reinforcements from Arhan to be speaking to me so pompously. Did you bring the elites of the elites or something?¡± The second prince¡¯s eyes landed on the people standing in a line behind Lloyd. For some reason, they all had hoods over their heads and their armor were quite unusual. Long sword, bastard sword, claymore, long spear, etc. They were all carrying different types of weapons and were not unified. ¡°You can say that.¡± ¡°But what can I say, even if you brought the elites of the elites, they won¡¯t be able to handle a force 10 times bigger than them.¡± The second prince mockingly said, and at that moment, huge clouds of dust arose from his back. Another force had just arrived. ¡°¡­.They¡¯re the mercenaries.¡± Heinze spoke with a heavy tone behind Lloyd. He had confirmed it by putting mana through his eyes and seeing the flag that was being carried by the arriving force. However, they numbered more than 2,000 soldiers. Just their force alone was more than the amount of people on Lloyd¡¯s side. Murmur murmur! The soldiers were shaken by this sight. It was already bad enough that they were heavily outnumbered, but with the addition of the mercenaries, the soldiers looked on with a somber look. ¡°You can tell just by seeing right? Let¡¯s not needlessly sacrifice our soldiers. What sin have they committed? Even though they have their swords pointed at us right now, they are all people of the kingdom.¡± The second prince continued to speak as he looked upon the agitated soldiers. He was craftily taking advantage of the opponent¡¯s atmosphere, while simultaneously boosting the morale of those on his side. ¡°Why would someone who cares so much about the people start a rebellion?¡± ¡°What do you mean rebellion. I just pulled down the person who wasn¡¯t fit to take the spot as king. You¡¯re not capable of leading the kingdom. The king is sick, so what the kingdom needs is me. I¡¯m the only that can turn Paulstein into a powerhouse. That¡¯s why even Marquis Madrane took my side.¡± You¡¯re so obstinate.¡± ¡°What¡¯s important is skill. I¡¯m able to prove it, while you¡¯re not. That¡¯s why this is the conclusion.¡± The second prince spoke confidently as if he had already won the war. ¡°That¡¯s right. I agree on that point since I¡¯ve only shown my ugly side. However, it¡¯s going to be different moving forward. I¡¯m going to prove that and show it to everyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but you won¡¯t be getting that opportunity, since you¡¯ll be dying here today.¡± The second prince¡¯s eyes were filled with killing intent. They were eyes that wanted to see Lloyd dead without fail. ¡°I¡¯m sure that would have been the case in the past. If it was the me before I changed.¡± Even with the constant ridicule and disregard, Lloyd was calm. He himself felt that his past self was ugly, and it was right to say that he wasn¡¯t fit to be the Crown Prince. However, that¡¯s why he had changed. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the time for you to be sentimental. Decide. Are you going to surrender and save the people, or sacrifice the people and die a horrible death? I personally choose to the latter for you. That way, you won¡¯t die looking so pathetic.¡± The second prince spoke as if this was the last time. In fact, the winner and loser were already decided. Although they had the disadvantage of having to fight a siege, their fighting force was more than 10 times larger than the enemy. But there was one reason why he was still striking up a conversation with Lloyd. He wanted to avoid as much damage as he could and didn¡¯t want there to be needless bloodshed. That¡¯s why he was trying to give his recommendations to Lloyd. He even used money to employ the mercenaries to achieve this goal. ¡°Let me return that back to you.¡± ¡°Are you really planning on going all the way?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we try it out first to see if it¡¯ll be short or long?¡± ¡°Chet! Viscount Madrane.¡± The second prince smacked his lips as he was unable to convince Lloyd even a little. Although he had expected this outcome, he still wanted Lloyd to listen to his advice if possible. That way, everyone would feel more comfortable. However, Lloyd still chose the worst option. ¡°I will bring you his head.¡± ¡°Please.¡± Viscount Madrane slowly walked out while making an expressionless face. He was moving forward while looking straight at Lloyd who was standing on the city walls. However, seeing this, no one ever dared to attack. He was a Sword Master so even if the bows were ready to fire, none of the arrows were released. ¡°Please come out, sir Heinze. Shouldn¡¯t we have a match to decide the final victor? Or were you unable to heal yourself yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid my body is old now, so there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°Are you planning to run away?¡± As he stared at Heinze standing behind Lloyd, Viscount Madrane made a sarcastic expression. Although his words were courteous, the look in his eyes and his expression was completely different. ¡°There¡¯s someone else who will be fighting you.¡± ¡°Someone else?¡± Viscount Madrane furrowed his brows. The whole kingdom knew he was a Sword Master, yet there was someone else who could contend against him? That could only mean one thing. Wooosh! Tap! Having the same thoughts as Viscount Madrane, the second prince¡¯s face also darkened. At that moment, someone had landed on top of the castle walls. Even with how tall the walls were, the person was easily able to jump onto it. ¡°This person will be fighting you.¡± ¡°¡­..Who is it?¡± Chapter 10.2 - An Outbreak of Civil War (2) Viscount Madrane asked the person with the hood on, yet there was no response back. Instead, two swords appeared like lightning and rushed forth towards the viscount like a storm. Slice! The viscount immediately pulled out his sword to match the overwhelming force, and in an instant, created an Aura Blade and slashed his sword at the unidentifiable assailant. However, they were equally matched. ¡°Huh!¡± He had sent a crushing blow to his opponent to blow away the hood that covered their face, yet the opponent didn¡¯t budge an inch. This reality made the viscount smirk, and at the same time, his mind began to race. He was trying to think who in Arhan was able to match his strength. Rustle! However, that thought did not continue for long because the unidentifiable person rushed towards him. This was the beginning of something amazing. The moment Arelia jumped forth, 299 War Elves lifted their arms up. Ooonnngg! At the same time as they raised their arms, huge longbows appeared from their left arm with a faint resonant sound. They each used their own subspace to bring out a longbow that was approximately the same size as their body. ¡°A, attack!¡± Seeing this, the second prince urgently yelled out because an alarm had gone off in his head for a moment. However, the attack from the War Elves were one step faster. Hit! Hit! Hit! Hit! When one thought of elves, they were known for their skills in summoning spirits and archery. And the War Elves showed elaborate archery skills as proof of this fact. They had accurately shot at the figures that appeared to be the commander of their forces. ¡°S, shields!¡± Forget counterattacking, the nobles were only able to yell as they observed their people die with arrows sticking out of their heads. A few of them even retreated in an attempt to move away from the bows reaches. However, distance and shields didn¡¯t matter to the Elves. Hit hit hit hit! Even as they retreated or blocked with their shields, the War Elves arrows went precisely through their target. With mana wrapped around the arrows, even iron shields were instantly pierced through. ¡°Is it slowly going to be my turn.¡± -It¡¯s finally our turn! Jade murmured to himself as he stood next to Laney and watched the War Elves bring morale to their side. Same as the second prince, Lloyd was also worried about keeping the casualties down to a minimum. Although they were currently standing on opposite sides, they were soldiers that would become normal civilians if the second prince died. That¡¯s why Jade received a request from Lloyd. -What are you going to do? ¡°It¡¯s easy to kill them, but that¡¯s not what the little prince wants.¡± Although Laney was near him, she was unable to hear his words because her mind was completely fixed on the battlefield. Even though the War Elves were very active, Laney was unable to take her eyes off the fight between Arelia and Viscount Madrane. She felt that victory or defeat lay in the outcome of their battle. -Let¡¯s summon a bunch of us too! We¡¯ll win with the same numbers as them! Celestine yelled out. She appeared to be excited about the battle in her own way. However, Jade did not have any thoughts of doing this. ¡°Silayron.¡± Woosh! With jade at its center, a huge wind began to form and a few of the War Elves stopped shooting their bows and turned to look at Jade. The flow of mana was in itself amazing, but everyone was surprised to feel a high-level wind spirit being summoned. Ggyoo! Hwid¡¯s eyes sparkled as it looked upon the being that looked like a phoenix. Although it was young, it could tell the difference between things that were wonderful and things that were unsightly. That¡¯s why it looked at Silayron¡¯s figure with awe. Kkiiiii!!! Only, Silayron didn¡¯t show any particular interest in Hwid and instead rubbed its body on Jade to show its affection. It appeared to be thanking him for summoning it. ¡°Listen to my request first.¡± Kkkkiiiikk!! Silayron¡¯s eyes changed as it listened to Jade¡¯s words while he gently patted its beak. And, at the same time, Silayron¡¯s cry echoed out through the battlefield and instantly incapacitated the soldiers. ¡°Ahhk!¡± ¡°My ears!¡± ¡°Ugh!!¡± Hearing the ear ripping sound, the soldiers threw their weapons down and covered their ears. They had instinctively covered their ears with the appearance of the sudden noise, and this was the same for the nobles and the troops that guarded their commanders. Hit hit! Hit! The War Elves did not miss this opportunity. Although they didn¡¯t discuss this in advance, their timing was impeccable. ¡°Eek! What are you guys doing! Especially you summoners!¡± The second prince yelled with all his might as he observed his allies helplessly falling. He was annoyed to see something different from what he had envisioned. ¡°Th, the spirits aren¡¯t listening to us. They¡¯re afraid because the enemy has a high-level spirit.¡± ¡°You useless bastards!¡± The second prince had received of report of a summoner by the name of Jade while he was in Morcus, so he brought summoners with him to keep him in check. However, even though he had used a lot of money to hire them, they were unable to do anything. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Shut your mouth! This instant!¡± ¡°Make a Sortie!¡± The second prince eventually pulled out his best card. He was sending out the Royal family¡¯s knights and the knights of the other nobles. Soon, a horse-riding party of knights began to charge forth. Kkiiikkk! Noticing this, Silayron once again cried out. However, the knights weren¡¯t foolish enough to suffer from the same attack twice. They were all experts that were able to utilize their mana. Ba ba ba bang! The front group of knights were the strongest of the group, so even the attacks from the War Elves did nothing to them. With their thick shields and mana, the arrows could do nothing but to fall to the ground. This was the scary thing about facing against a formation filled with horse-mounted knights. ¡°We¡¯re going to break straight through the gates!¡± Yelled the vice-captain of the group, as the led the party forward. Although Sword Master Heinze was standing above the castle walls, he still felt confident. Chapter 10.3 - An Outbreak of Civil War (3) The injured Heinze was easily able to defeat a few dozen knights by himself, and while doing so would give them a gap to rush in and kill Lloyd. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to do that.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± The eyes of the vice-captain of the mounted knights grew wide. A huge wall of dirt suddenly shot out from the ground and blocked the party. ¡°Wh, what is this!¡± Something else had occurred. As the flat ground suddenly turned into a downhill road, the vice-captain clenched his teeth and veered away. ¡°We¡¯re going to head towards the right!¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± They could shoot through the dirt wall with their lances, but the vice-captain decided to go around it instead. He believed there was no reason for them to strain themselves, since there was no way their opponent could keep summoning like this. And it would become more advantageous for them if they dragged the fight on. ¡°Unfortunately, you guys won¡¯t be able to get out from there.¡± ¡°C, crazy!¡± The vice-captain turned pale with astonishment. The earth moved like a wave as earth spears began to shoot out. For their role in the assault, their horses were also wearing armor, but there was none protecting their feet. Furthermore, they were rushing forward with all their might, so it was impossible to dodge. Neeiiigggh!!! The horses fell while making gruesome sounds. They were helpless against the earth spears that shot forth from the ground. However, the problem was with the knights. As they were on top of the horses, they fell to the ground in a terrible way. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ahk!¡± The knights couldn¡¯t help it as they were wearing heavy armor and had suddenly been dropped to the ground. Additionally, the horses that were behind them also fell on top of them, so they died one after the other without being able to fight. ¡°Ahhhhhh!! You son of a bitch!¡± Pulling his body out from the mess, the vice-captain screamed with bloodshot eyes, because half of his platoon were either dead or hurt in an instant. They had yet to even fight properly, but with the slight movement of Jade¡¯s fingers, their platoon had completely been dealt with. In a fury, the vice-captain kicked the ground and rushed toward Jade. Woosh! Woosh! However, he was only able to move forward a few steps as the War Elves arrows shot through the arrows of the other archers. A mana less arrow was powerless in front of the vice-captain, but a War Elf¡¯s arrow was different. ¡°Aghhhh!!¡± Using his shield, he blocked the arrows that were aimed at his joints, then quickly grabbed a lance that was laying on the ground and rushed towards Jade once more. He had jumped forth after amassing all his mana and took proper aim at this target. Wooshh! With the snap of his wrist, the lance was now rotating and rushing towards Jade with immense force. However, contrary to his spirit, the vice-captain¡¯s attack futilely failed. Jade had used his sword made of the Black Drake¡¯s tooth to easily flick away the incoming attack. Squish! Unable to believe what had just occurred, an earth spear shot through the vice-captain¡¯s stomach. The earth spirit had timed its attack perfectly and had shot the spear through the back of its target. ¡°Ugh!¡± Although the vice-captain attempted to bring his aura together after the stealth attack, it didn¡¯t seem to work. The firmly compressed earth spear had already punctured through his full plate mail and through his stomach. ¡°Kuk!¡± ¡°S, save¡­..¡± This was the same for the other knights as well. Although some had survived, they wished they had died on the spot instead. Poo Pook! Without hesitation, Noes dealt with the survivors. As it was just a spirit, it didn¡¯t care much for a human¡¯s life. It just loyally carried out Jade¡¯s will. ¡°D, damn it!¡± Seeing his subordinates die trapped within the ground, the vice-captain cursed out loud. However, nothing changed even if he did, because shortly after, he fell to the ground filled with blood with his eyes closed. Bang!! Around the time of the annihilation of the mounted group, their fight was also coming close to an end. They were equals at the beginning of the fight, but at a certain point, there was a big tilt in power. ¡°Ugh!¡± With the frantic oncoming attacks from the dual blades, Viscount Madrane took a few steps back. His chest also had a long, diagonal cut on it. As he used his sword to block one of the swords, the second sword flashed through and cut him. ¡°Viscount!¡± The viscount¡¯s knights yelled out as they could see that the cut was deeper than it appeared. They wanted to rush forth as soon as they could to help their leader. ¡°Who are you? From what I know of, Arhan shouldn¡¯t have a Master capable of using a dual sword. Are you a knight that was trained in secret?¡± ¡°You talk a lot.¡± ¡°¡­¡­female?¡± ¡°Why? Are females not allowed to become Master¡¯s?¡± The viscount¡¯s eyebrows shook, because he didn¡¯t think the opponent he was facing till now was a female. ¡°Agggghh!!!¡± Suddenly, a gruesome scream could be heard nearby. Anyone could tell it was the sound of someone dying, and furthermore, a slight tremor could be felt from the ground. ¡°E, everyone is dead! They were all annihilated!¡± ¡®Annihilated?¡¯ Viscount Madrane¡¯s eyes shook. He was unable to see what was happening around him because he was focused on the girl in front of him. However, he knew the mounted party was also on the attack. Yet, it was unbelievable for him to hear that they had all been killed because he himself knew how strong their party was. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we decide the victor soon as well?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting yourself too involved with another countries¡¯ affairs? How are you going to deal with the repercussions of your actions?¡± The Viscount spoke as he stopped his chest from bleeding with his left hand. He knew the Crown Prince¡¯s mother was from Arhan, but he still felt they were getting too involved with their business. ¡°Are you threatening me right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a threat but a friendly suggestion, as a war could happen in Arhan as well. I¡¯m sure Arhan wouldn¡¯t want that to happe.¡± He had spoken in a roundabout way, but it was clear what he was trying to say. Unless you want to start a war, stop what you¡¯re doing. However, the girl in front him smiled instead of responding back. Chapter 10.4 - An Outbreak of Civil War (4) Viscount Madrane looked confused as he stared at the lips that were drawn upwards. ¡°That¡¯s right. Arhan doesn¡¯t want to start a war. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t participate in this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­They didn¡¯t participate?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not with them. Neither are my comrades.¡± ¡°What does¡­..!¡± The Viscount was unable to finish his words. As soon as the hood was unveiled, sharp ears that were unlike human ears appeared. ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying now?¡± ¡°What are the mages doing! Hurry up and attack! Same with the soldiers and knights!¡± Arelia spoke in a clear voice, a voice not suited to be heard in this type of atmosphere, and the second prince¡¯s angry voice could also be heard through the battlefield. His mounted party was dead and even his trusted Viscount was now hurt. The only thing he could do was order the rest of his troops to attack. He was unable to contain himself any longer just to keep the casualties down to a minimum. Ooo ooo oo ooongg! Shortly after, the flow of mana could be felt from all over the immediate vicinity. The mages were casting their spells, and those who had pre-casted their spells released them as an earthquake erupted. ¡°I, it¡¯s the power of the spirits!¡± ¡°Block it! Hurry up and block it!¡± The second prince yelled out in rage. He knew at once who was trying to disturb him. Hence the reason why he stared at Jade who was standing on the castle walls with killing intent. However, even with the second prince¡¯s glare, Jade continued to look down on the battlefield in an arrogant manner. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to block it!¡± ¡°You MUST block it!¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± The earthquake, which grew worse, was now weakening. And, at the same time, the mages who finished casting their spells shot their magic towards Lloyd¡¯s party. They had used fire and lightning magic as they were the most destructive out of all the elements, and what followed those spells were the advancement of the soldiers and knights from each faction. Psshhhhh¡­.. However, the brilliant spells suddenly dissipated like fog near the walls of the castle. Seeing this, the mages reflexively yelled out. ¡°D, dispel?¡± ¡°Even though they don¡¯t have any mages?!¡± They began to talk amongst themselves as they observed half their magic disappear. However, no matter how much they stared at the castle walls, they were unable to identify anyone who appeared to be a mage. Boom boom boom! Half the magic had been dispelled, but the other half was still left and had precisely hit the castle walls and the soldiers. ¡°Agghhh!!!¡± ¡°Ugh!!!!¡± The second prince¡¯s knights began to charge forward at a raster rate as they heard their enemies scream. Now that the opponents were on the receiving end of the attacks, their moral had risen and even the mercenaries who had been hesitating were now beginning to join in on the battle. Crunch! Watching everything unfold, Lloyd bit his lips. It appeared as if they were winning, but as expected, there was nothing they could do about the numbers. If they were to receive the same number of casualties as the other side, they were the ones that were at a disadvantage. The War Elves were doing much better than he had expected, but they appeared to have lost their presence as soon as the mages stepped forward. Pa pa pat! Additionally, Viscount Madrane appeared to have thrown away his pride as he attacked together with the other knights. He was quick to make the decision as he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to win against his opponent. They all appeared to be struggling the same, but Lloyd could see that that wasn¡¯t the case. The battle was slowly beginning to tilt toward the second prince¡¯s favor. ¡°I feel like we could turn this whole thing around if we can take the viscount down.¡± ¡°I also think the same as you. Only, we don¡¯t have any spare strength to do so.¡± Heinze¡¯s words were dull. He had thought the same thing as Lloyd but knew they didn¡¯t have any spare forces to take care of the viscount. ¡°How do you feel about joining the battle sir Heinze?¡± ¡°I need to protect the both of you.¡± ¡°We have Steven as well as Jade. If you help Arelia, we should be able to break apart that tight balance. Furthermore, it¡¯ll be possible to seize the second prince as well.¡± No matter how injured or exhausted a Sword Master was, a Sword Master was a Sword Master. They weren¡¯t called Masters without reason. Only Masters were able to block other Masters, so Lloyd was doing his part to persuade Heinze. No matter how much the royal knights tried to protect the second prince, Heinze and Arelia would be able to seize the second prince. ¡°I cannot. We are already inferior in number so I must not separate from you two.¡± ¡°If we continue at this rate, the number of casualties is going to grow. They are still people of our kingdom, so we must end this war as soon as we can.¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± Heinze groaned. He was unable to refuse as Lloyd was correct. However, at that moment, something strange caught Heinze¡¯s eyes. Amid all the arrows and spells being shot through the battlefield, he could see a group of people crossing through with ease. ¡®Special forces!¡¯ Seeing 11 figures with light armor making quick work towards the castle, an alarm rang out in Heinze¡¯s head. He immediately knew what their mission was. ¡°It¡¯s those guys!¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re the second prince¡¯s secret weapon. The one at the lead is an expert at the highest level.¡± Gulp! Hearing Heinze¡¯s words, Lloyd and Laney¡¯s faces grew dark. An expert at the highest level was someone even Heinze couldn¡¯t look down on in his current condition, and his words did not stop there. ¡°The fellows following him are experts just one step behind the one in lead.¡± ¡°Where did he find¡­.¡± Lloyd spoke with a dejected expression as he fell into a daze trying to figure out where these figures came from. ¡°Crown prince!¡± Even Aus yelled out with urgency as he had also noticed the special forces. However, he was unable to move from his spot as he was busy dealing with the enemy. No, it was the same for everyone that was currently on the castle walls. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you two.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chapter 10.5 - An Outbreak of Civil War (5) It¡¯s already a burden having to deal with an expert at the highest level, yet there were 10 others that were just one level below that. It was a force that Heinze was unable to deal with in his current state. No, it was the same for Aus or any of the other knights. But, even still, as Jade stepped in and said he would take care of the prince and princess, Heinze could only stare at him with wide eyes. ¡°I will protect you two.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t bring the spirits here. We¡¯re already inferior in power as it is¡­.¡± ¡°Noes will fight on its own. That¡¯s the good things of having a spirit.¡± Boomm! Noes, who had the shape of a rhinoceros, went on a wild rampage. It caused an earthquake to its immediate vicinity and stirred the battlefield. Although the summoners on the second prince¡¯s side did their best to take control of the situation, they were unable to as their spirits weren¡¯t on the same level as Noes. ¡°Then how are you planning on dealing with them?¡± ¡°With this.¡± Jade smiled as he pulled out the sword that was made of the Black Drake¡¯s tooth. However, Heinze¡¯s expression was filled with distrust. Although Jade had deflected his vice-captain¡¯s attack, he had thought it was from the use of Jade¡¯s spirits. Jade had never used a sword in front of anyone, so Heinze figured he only had the powers of a summoner. ¡°Those guys are all experts of¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, because I don¡¯t have any ideas of dying here today.¡± Wooooonngg! A Sword Aura burst forth from the black sword. It wasn¡¯t a half-backed Sword Aura, but a fully refined one and seeing this, Heinze¡¯s eyes grew wide with surprise. He knew Jade had trained his body to a certain extent, but he didn¡¯t think it was possible for him to create such a stable Sword Aura. -You can¡¯t be surprised over this! Ahem! -He hasn¡¯t even shown you his true skills yet. -That¡¯s right! Celestine and Elestra responded back in a condescending manner as Heinze, Lloyd and Laney were unable to hide their astonishment. Even though the three of them couldn¡¯t hear the spirits¡¯ words. Ggyoo? Instead, Jade who had heard the two spirits¡¯ words smiled as he placed Hwid down from his arms. He couldn¡¯t take Hwid out onto the rampant battlefield yet as it was still a baby. -Take care of Hwid. -Don¡¯t worry! We will protect it at all costs! ¡°Hwid be good and stay here too.¡± Gyyooo!! Hwid nodded its head as it heard Jade¡¯s words. It was confident it could do better than anyone else in waiting. ¡°Good good.¡± Jade smiled and rubbed Hwid¡¯s head as it obediently listened to him. However, Laney slowly walked closer to the two of them. ¡°We¡¯ll be by its side.¡± ¡°Will you please?¡± ¡°Yes, since it¡¯s still a baby.¡± Laney responded back with great confidence. However, different from her confident words, she appeared to be filled with nervousness as she wasn¡¯t used to the environment in the battlefield. Even still, not only was she doing her best to stay in her place, but she was also thinking of Hwid. ¡°I leave it to you.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± It didn¡¯t make sense that Laney would protect it when Hwid was much stronger than her, but it wasn¡¯t bad to have her by its side for psychological support. After speaking with Laney for a little while, Jade turned around. Tap tap tap tap! As Jade and Laney were talking, the 11 figures arrived at the castle walls and lightly ran up to the top of the wall. This was easily done with the use of their mana. Of course, the soldiers attempted to keep the unit off the walls, but a common soldier¡¯s arrows couldn¡¯t stop the 11 figures. ¡°Haaa!!¡± Heinze rushed toward the figures. He initiated the attack first as he did not want them to advance any further. However, the figures did not panic even as Heinze approached them. Instead, six of them quickly surrounded him and the rest spread out into the distance. ¡°You old man can play with us for a little while.¡± ¡°You bastards!¡± It was obvious where the scattered knights were heading to. While they kept him in place, the others were rushing towards Lloyd and Laney. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t be able to play with us for too long.¡± ¡°We already got the approval to get rid of you.¡± The knights that surrounded Heinze make invidious remarks. Although Heinze had once been known as the Sword of the Kingdom, he was nothing but an old, injured tiger now. That¡¯s why the knights spoke as if they had already won without noticing Heinze¡¯s expression. ¡®His reaction is weird?¡¯ The middle-aged man that was an expert at the highest level and the head of the Special Forces furrowed his brows. While everyone else was chatting and giggling, he was the only one to watch Heinze with a cool head. Bang! At that moment, he heard a deafening noise. A huge explosion had occurred from a distance not too far from his location. And, at the same time, everyone¡¯s expressions stiffened. If there was someone strong enough to make such an explosion, their plans were bound to have mishaps. ¡°The summoner shouldn¡¯t be able to focus on us, right? Furthermore, his weak body shouldn¡¯t be able to¡­¡­¡¯ The expert¡¯s eyes grew wide. Amidst a cloud of dust, his comrade flew out with blood all over his body. Half his neck was cut open and was already dead, yet it wasn¡¯t just one person that was dead. ¡°Ugh!¡± A knight with both of his arms grotesquely bent fell off the castle walls. He appeared to have been wounded by an overwhelming force, and seeing this, the middle-aged man was shocked. The knight that had fallen wasn¡¯t a normal knight, but a knight that was only one level below him. For a knight like that to have lost in that manner made the leader stare straight into the cloud of dust. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have the spare time to be looking somewhere else.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The leader was unable to stare into the cloud of dust anymore. Heinze was now rushing towards him with terrifying spirit. It was hard to say that he was injured as his strength was still overwhelming. The middle-aged man clenched his teeth. He knew it wasn¡¯t going to be easy beating Heinze, but not to this extent. ¡°You may have come here as you pleased but leaving will be different, because none of you guys will be leaving here.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you subdue us before saying such words!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The other five knights became alert as they felt Heinze¡¯s terrifying spirit. They realized they would easily lose their necks if they didn¡¯t give it their all. That¡¯s why they were unable to see what had happened to the man that had rushed towards the Crown Prince and princess. Chapter 10.6 - An Outbreak of Civil War (6) ¡°M, madness!¡± A knight blurted out as he arrived at Lloyd¡¯s location. His face was filled with fear as it had turned pale with the appearance of this monster-like being. ¡°To think you were a summoner and a swordsman¡­..!¡± ¡°I never hid it from anyone. You guys were the ones that just never noticed it.¡± Wooshh! Jade smiled as he swung his sword, and as he did, the blood that covered his sword splattered onto the ground. ¡°Where did someone like you¡­.¡± ¡°It just means the Crown Prince isn¡¯t ready to die yet. Anyhow, how long are you going to keep talking like this? Didn¡¯t you come here to fulfill a mission?¡± Gulp! Three of the knights drily swallowed, and as they did, they quickly exchanged glances with each other. Five of them had attacked at the same time, but in an instant only three of them were left. Of course, the first two were a bit careless, but the remaining knights understood the result wouldn¡¯t change even if they were to attack again. If that was the case, they only had one solution. ¡®Take care of Heinze and wait till the others get here.¡¯ Although it was impossible to win on this side, it was a different case on Heinze¡¯s side. It should be a definite victory as he was heavily injured and there were six knights against him. ¡°Are you waiting for your companions? Will you be able to survive till then?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Jade rushed forward without a sound and stabbed towards a knight. The knight quickly raised his sword to block the attack, while two of his companions rushed towards Jade from the side. However, rather than trying to kill Jade, they were trying to keep him in check. Crack. Jade did not follow-up with another attack and instead retreated. As the knights were relieved at the sight of this, they heard an unusual sound coming from the sword of that knight that had just gotten attacked. It sounded as if something had cracked. ¡°What the¡­!¡± The knight made a bewildered expression. Even though he had blocked the incoming attack with a sword aura, his weapon had cracked. However, the knight did not have the time to be surprised. ¡°What are you doing! Hurry up and join in!¡± ¡°Hurry up and rush in! Ugh!¡± Jade quickly rushed forward again after his short retreat. He bombarded two of the knights with his sword without allowing them to rest. With Jade¡¯s fast, yet strong attacks, the two knights clenched their teeth and did their best to block all his attacks. However, as the force of the sword continued to grow stronger, the two knights¡¯ faces became red. Slice! Slice! Furthermore, their wounds continued to increase. Although they were wearing armor, it was of no use. That¡¯s how strong Jade¡¯s Sword Aura was. ¡®This is my first proper fight, but it¡¯s not too bad.¡¯ This was the first time to be fighting someone at the Sword Expert level since he had only fought with monsters until now. Although Orcs were the closest to looking like a human, the way they fought was completely different. Because Orcs were faithful to their instincts rather than reason, Jade was feeling and learning a lot as he fought the three knights. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°Calm down!¡± ¡°Do it as we planned!¡± Although all three of the knights were attacking together, the knight on the furthest right felt that he was getting pushed back so he clenched his teeth and swung his sword as hard as he could. He attacked with his full strength hoping to at least get one good hit in, however, it was to no avail. Ting! Whether it was the Sword Aura, physical capabilities or mana, Jade was stronger in every way. The knight had thought he had a chance of winning, but he was mistaken. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Dumb ass!¡± Seeing their companion¡¯s sword break in half, the other two knights clenched their teeth and swung their swords hard in a large motion. They were hoping to disturb the attack while attracting as much attention as possible. By doing this, they had expended the mana they had kept in reserve, but there was nothing they could do about it. They had quickly made their decision as it was already difficult facing Jade with the three of them, but if it dropped down to two, there was no way they would be able to beat him. ¡°What are you doing?! Hurry up and grab a sword!¡± ¡°Grab anything even if its one of the ones lying on the ground!¡± Bang bang bang bang! They swung their swords with all their might, yet the two knights were still pushed back. Furthermore, as time went on, their swords began to chip. Not only were they inferior in Sword Aura, but they were also inferior when it came to weapons. ¡®A little bit more!¡± The two knights shook as mana frighteningly gathered in front of them. However, there was no way they could stop at this point, because if they did, the shadowy black blade would easily take their lives. ¡°Keuk!¡± The black aura that exuded from the black sword easily penetrated through the armor like paper. The wound wasn¡¯t shallow as it hurt every time he moved, yet there was something more frustrating than the pain. At this point, their fellow comrades should have killed Heinze and be here helping them, yet there was no sign of them appearing. ¡®It won¡¯t be good if we continue like this. We might end up getting exhausted first.¡¯ One of the knight¡¯s clenched his teeth. Although his comrade had rejoined the fight with a broken sword, there was not difference in their situation. If anything, their wounds continued to grow as time elapsed. ¡°Agggghhhh!! At that moment, a familiar scream could be heard. It was a scream that was made by one of their comrades. ¡°It seems like you guys are still waiting for your comrades to show up, but it¡¯d be best not to hold any expectations. Heinze right now is super scary.¡± Chapter 11.1 - Kingmaker (1) ¡°Ugh!¡± Hearing someone¡¯s death throes, the eyes of the knights changed. They believed they had to do something now that it had come down to this. If the fight continued to drag on, they would end up wasting their mana and at the end of that was death. ¡°Haaap!¡± ¡°It¡¯s either sink or swim!¡± Thinking up to this point, the knights gathered the rest of their mana. They had made the decision to figure out who the victor was going to be, and for that reason, their mana was quite fierce as they rushed towards Jade, hoping to take him to hell with them. Woooonngg! Furthermore, their Sword Aura was incomparably sharp and fierce compared to earlier. They appeared to be excited, but their techniques were brilliant. ¡®Is the middle knight the motivator for this group?¡¯ The toughness of these knights was amazing. Jade could do nothing but to acknowledge these three as their auras were dense and the essence of their sword stretched out in a magnificent way. However, no matter how flashy one¡¯s swordsmanship was, there was only one main sword. The numerous flashes of the sword were just after shocks of the main one. Ting ting ting! The three knights poured everything out as they filled the air with endless amounts of swords and tried to hide their true attack. They wanted to use their final strike to stab straight through Jade¡¯s body. However, even thought two of the knights were acting as baits, their plan failed. Stab! Stab stab! Of the three swords that penetrated through exquisite angles, Jade easily blocked two of them. Additionally, he didn¡¯t end there as he expanded his Sword Aura and pierced through all three of the knights. ¡°M, mas¡­.!¡± ¡°He hid his skills¡­¡­, cough!¡± ¡°Shit! Isn¡¯t this what the world is all about.¡± The knights appeared dejected as they were respectively stabbed through the throat, heart, and stomach. They had come to the realization that their tenacious fighting was meaningless. Drop! Fall! Their lives began to weaken like a candlelight in a storm, then they all died with the same facial expressions. And, including Laney, the other knights watched the scene in a daze. They knew what it meant for someone to easily kill three expert knights by himself. Bang!! As Jade wiped the blood off his sword, a deafening sound could be heard coming from Heinze¡¯s location. And three figures could be seen bouncing back. ¡°You¡¯re still the same as ever.¡± Although he couldn¡¯t kill them in an instant like Jade, Heinze was pushing the enemy back with his old man¡¯s fighting spirit. Two of the knights were already seriously injured. However, Heinze¡¯s complexion didn¡¯t look too great. ¡°S, sir Jade.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Seeing what was happening to Heinze, Laney continued to stand next to Hwid as she called out to Jade. At that moment, Jade¡¯s body shot forward towards Heinze. Bang! He instantly arrived next to Heinze and immediately blew one of the knight¡¯s head off. Jade behead the knight without any hesitation. ¡°You killed them all?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s slowly wrap this up now.¡± ¡°¡­..Okay.¡± The middle-aged man that blocked and obstructed Heinze opened his eyes wide as Jade made his appearance. He didn¡¯t think Jade could wipe out five of the knights. Additionally, he had a hunch that his mission was going to be a failure. ¡®If it¡¯s like this, our plans are completely screwed up¡­.¡¯ The middle-aged man furrowed his brows. However, his troubles were short lived. He believed his number one priority was survival, but Heinze quickly understood what his opponent was thinking. Haatt! He had lived as a knight for many years, so he didn¡¯t lose to anyone when it came to experience. Although his political skills were nonexistent, he was an existence that was one of the top five knights in the history of Paulstein. Baang! Even if his body wasn¡¯t exactly normal at the moment, he retained all of his prior experiences. Besides, his swordsmanship was currently better than his golden days as he was using up whatever energy he had left in his body. ¡°Ugh! Retreat!¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± ¡°Who said you could leave?¡± ¡°Agh!¡± With the middle-aged man¡¯s instructions, the remaining two knights quickly recovered their swords. They wanted to retreat as their fight became meaningless. However, unfortunately for them, things weren¡¯t going to turn out as they had hoped. Noes suddenly appeared, grabbed the two knight¡¯s feet and pulled them into the ground. ¡°Release me!¡± Ting! Ting! As they were instantly pulled down to their shins, the knights swung their swords in fright. They aimed their Sword Aura and slashed the ground without mercy. However, Noes had suddenly appeared beside Jade. ¡°They¡¯re quite stupid. No, maybe it¡¯s because they don¡¯t have any experience in dealing with summoners.¡± If they wanted to get out of their predicament, they had to attack the spirit¡¯s main body. Yet, the flustered knights didn¡¯t even look for Noes and just instinctively slashed at the ground below them. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean they were completely helpless. Their reckless act might be able to turn things around and give them the opportunity to get out of the situation. The problem was, Jade wasn¡¯t going to sit back and let it happen. Bababang! As the knights were busy focusing on the ground that had swallowed their legs, Jade lightly slashed his sword. And, as a result, the two knights were cut from their neck to their arm and immediately died on the spot. ¡°Damn it!¡± Even as he was blocking Heinze¡¯s attacks, the middle-aged man indisputably continued to check his surroundings. It was to react immediately because of variable knows as Jade. Chapter 11.2 - Kingmaker (2) The middle-aged man saw his two subordinates suffering helplessly. ¡°The situation has currently flipped around. How does it feel? To go from predator to now a prey.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, old man!¡± ¡°Huhu! You¡¯ve really lost your composure.¡± Woosh! There was no telling when Jade would join the fight, so the middle-aged man swung his left hand in a wide motion. As he did, three daggers filled with aura flew towards Heinze¡¯s head, heart, and stomach. Ting ting ting! Heinze barely blocked the three attacks that came towards him at the same time as the middle-aged man jumped down from the castle walls. He was now fleeing knowing there was no chance of winning. ¡°Jade.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t easily let someone like that go.¡± ¡°Ughhh!!¡± The middle-aged man who ran away without looking back suddenly screamed, and in an instant, his body was covered in blood. Jade had recalled Noes and instead summoned Silayron to attack. Although the middle-aged man was an expert at the highest level, he was exhausted, and his back was wide open so there was no way he could block the surprise attack. ¡°I¡¯ll go finish the job.¡± ¡°I leave it to you.¡± Although Heinze was acting as if everything was okay, Jade knew his body was currently in the worst possible condition. He knew Heinze was hiding the pain with his mental fortitude, so he kicked off the ground and jumped down from the castle walls. Banng! He was heading towards Arelia¡¯s location. Not only was Sword Master Madrane there, but the elite of the elites were also there fighting against Arelia. She herself summoned mid-level spirits to help her fight against six enemies. As an elf, she summoned wind and fire mid-level spirits and continued to bother Madrane with them. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit late?¡± ¡°I was busy with my own fight.¡± ¡°I waited forever for you.¡± ¡°I thought you would easily be able to blow them away.¡± ¡°I think that would definitely be possible if we worked together.¡± Arelia smiled as she looked at Silayron that was beside Jade. Different from her exhausted enemies, Arelia didn¡¯t even break a sweat. She had shown them the different in level between Masters. Not all Masters were of the same level. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and put an end to this. It doesn¡¯t seem too good on the other side.¡± ¡°There¡¯s just too big of a difference in numbers.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s side was barely able to defend using the castle walls. However, because the second prince had so many soldiers on his side, it wasn¡¯t weird to think that the castle walls would fall at any moment. ¡°You are¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but I don¡¯t have time to talk to you.¡± With the sudden appearance of Jade the battle went into lull for a moment. Yet, this was just for a moment. Jade released his aura and rushed toward Viscount Madrane¡¯s knights. ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°I doubt you guys will be able to with your skills.¡± Arelia spoke as she faced against the Viscount. The person directly involved hadn¡¯t said anything, yet Arelia did. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just a response that she gave. Wooshh! The Aura Blade that exuded out from her dual blades made a loud noise as it split the air. Different from before, she had used a Flying Aura Blade. ¡°D, dodge it!¡± The knights that rushed towards Jade scattered out of fright. None of them dared to try and block the attack, and this was the same for a Sword Master like Madrane. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going.¡± However, excluding the viscount, none of the knights were able to dodge the attack, because Silayron had held the others its wind. Only Madrane could destroy Silayron¡¯s attack and survived. Slash slash! Nevertheless, this was only for a moment as well. With the sleek movements of an elf, Arelia jumped through the air and landed behind the Viscount. Being one step behind, Madrane swung his body and attacked Arelia, but her dual blades were faster. She used the blade in her right hand to black Madrane¡¯s sword and used the blade in her right hand to stab him in the heart. ¡°Ugh!¡± At the same time as feeling a hot texture, the heart pierced Viscount coughed out blood. And, as he did, he stared at Arelia with a black stare. ¡°Don¡¯t humans have this saying? Always stay in line.¡± (no idea what this is supposed to mean lol). ¡°¡­..Keu keuk!¡± Viscount Madrane made a hollow smile. He did not become a Sword Master to die in vain like this. Furthermore, he hadn¡¯t joined the second prince¡¯s camp, yet the result ended like so. ¡®Was I wrong¡­¡¯ For his honor and family, he had chosen to side with the second prince. He believed the second prince should become the next king because he was vigorous while the Crown Prince was indecisive and weak. If he played a decisive role in it, he believed He would be promoted from a Viscount to a Duke. However, all those plans ended here. ¡°You¡¯re just taking responsibility for the choices you made, so don¡¯t feel so wronged. Either way, the winner outcome has already been decided.¡± ¡°Cough! What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of knowing. You¡¯re on the verge of death any ways.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, true.¡± The light in Viscount Madrane¡¯s eyes disappeared. His death was so futile for someone who had briefly become Paulstein¡¯s sword. ¡°V, viscount!¡± ¡°Shall we clear the battlefield now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s, but the war already seems to be over.¡± After glancing at the Viscount who had yet to release his sword even after death, Jade began to walk. As he did, the soldiers moved away from him, as if a wave were being split apart. Nobody dared to stand in front of him. Even the mercenaries that were employed by the second prince slowly retreated back. They also had eyes and could tell which way the tide of victory was turning. Click click. Although everyone was staring at him, Jade¡¯s footsteps were light. He was staring straight at the second prince as he walked forward. Chapter 11.3 - Kingmaker (3) ¡°D, don¡¯t come near me! What are you guys doing! Hurry and attack that bastard!¡± Gulp! Watching the approaching figures of Jade and Arelia, the second prince screamed like hell but none of the soldiers moved. Even the Royal Knights that guarded him didn¡¯t move. Although they had sworn their allegiance to the second prince, no one dared to rush towards Jade and Arelia. ¡°Mages! Summoners! Hurry and attack!¡± Seeing that the Royal Knights didn¡¯t want to move at all, the second prince bit his lips and yelled. However, nobody had the balls to go up against a summoner and a Sword Master. ¡°Agh!¡± With the tacit refusal, the second prince quickly became red. His anger was overflowing, but this was the unfortunate result. In the end, he was defeated. ¡°Are you going to capture him?¡± ¡°Yes, because there¡¯s someone else who needs to take his life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The second prince stared at Jade and Arelia. Everything resulted in the way it did, because of these two, so he glared at them with bloodshot eyes. However, the outcome would not change just because he glared at them. ¡°Will you quietly come with us, or shall we disgracefully drag you there?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you bastards¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a woman. Can¡¯t you tell just by looking at me?¡± With the dual blades still in her hands, Arelia brought her arms together to accentuate her breasts. However, the second prince¡¯s face became redder with her actions. He believed she was insulting the loser. Craaack!!!!! The second prince glared at Arelia as if he wanted to kill her. Of course, a low-level expert like the second prince wouldn¡¯t be able to get a reaction out of Arelia. Mumble mumble. At that moment, the surrounding began to bustle. They were whispering amongst each other as if they had seen something. ¡°Quite the expression you¡¯re making.¡± ¡°Lloyd!¡± ¡°Long time no see. It¡¯s been a while since you last called out my name. We were close like brothers when we were younger and didn¡¯t know anything, yet now we¡¯re trying to kill each other.¡± Lloyd appeared from behind Jade and Arelia. He was accompanied by Heinze, and Laney as the stood in front of the second prince. ¡°How can, how can a bastard like you¡­.!¡± ¡°I¡¯m honestly amazed as well, since no matter who saw this situation, I had the higher chance of dying today. However, the result was completely different. I won, and you lost.¡± Crack! The second prince glared at Lloyd with bloodshot eyes and clenched his teeth to the point of almost breaking them. It was so loud that even the people in his near vicinity could hear the sound, yet Lloyd continued to stay calm. ¡°It¡¯s your loss.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for them, I would¡¯ve won!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If I didn¡¯t receive their help, I would be on my knees right now waiting for my death.¡± Lloyd passively admitted. Just as the second prince had stated, if the War Elves and Jade hadn¡¯t helped, he wouldn¡¯t be standing here as the winner. However, what was important was the result. He had won, and the second prince had lost. ¡°I am! I am the better choice as the king!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you a promise. I¡¯ll make Paulstein more rich and powerful compared to the plans you had. I¡¯ll turn it into a kingdom where every citizen will be happy.¡± ¡°Ahahahahah! Do you think someone like you can make that happen?! It¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°That might be true, but what¡¯s important is that I¡¯ll be putting all my effort into making it happen. I¡¯m determined to make it happen.¡± Slide. As if his weak and indecisive personality was now in the past, Lloyd extended his right arm to Heinze with a determined expression. As he did, Heinze respectfully handed his sword to Lloyd. Even if he didn¡¯t speak, Heinze understood what Lloyd was asking for. ¡°I was so close! If only I had been able to kill you!¡± The second prince yelled out in anger. However, he did not rush towards Lloyd. Not only was Heinze by his Lloyd¡¯s side, but so were Jade and Arelia. That¡¯s why the second prince was unable to do anything. Even his Royal Knights didn¡¯t make a single movement or sound. ¡°Are there any last words you¡¯d like to say?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.no.¡± The second prince closed his eyes and shut his mouth as he was the loser. However, he was unable to contain his tears as bloody tears fell from his face. Briefly watching this, Lloyd release a deep sigh and raised the sword above his head. Stab. Although they were half-brothers, they still shared the same family blood. Even then, Lloyd did not hesitate. He believed it was the responsibility of the winner to do this last thing against a challenger who had risked everything. Ugh! As the sword pierced through the second prince¡¯s heart, he vomited out blood but did not make a single sound. He was just one who had been defeated in the battle of becoming a king. That¡¯s why he proudly accepted his death. ¡°¡­¡­.Take care of the body.¡± ¡°I have received your orders.¡± When the heartbeat Lloyd felt in the sword stopped, he gently pulled the sword out and gave his orders. There was no more pity or sorrow in his eyes. Instead, he only seemed determined. ¡°C, Crown Prince!¡± ¡°We surrender!¡± ¡°P, please spare us!¡± Ting ting! As soon as the second prince died, the nobles and knights that supported the second prince threw down their weapons and yelled out to Lloyd. As the victor was decided, they had surrendered without hesitation. However, the funny thing was, the remnants of the defeated side were higher in number than the winner, yet no one was fully aware of it. ¡°C, Crown Prince!¡± ¡°Leader!¡± The Royal Knights who pledged their allegiance to the second prince were particularly desperate in yelling out to Lloyd and Heinze. There were slightly anticipating their responses as they had at one point eaten from the same table together. If Lloyd were to kill them all, Paulstein¡¯s fighting force was sure to drop. Hence the reason why they were eagerly staring at the two with anticipation in their eyes. ¡°You must kill them al.¡± ¡°L, Leader!¡± ¡°The moment they became traitors, they lost their right as knights.¡± The knights¡¯ eyes grew wide with surprise. They did not think Heinze would respond in such a way, yet he was firm with his decision. They were knights that he had chosen himself, and there were even those who were his disciples. Yet, without hesitation, Heinze had stated they had to be killed. He had to be firm even if wanted to help with Lloyd¡¯s future course of action. ¡°I will give you time to commit suicide.¡± ¡°C, Crown prince!¡± ¡°Please give us one more chance! We pledge our loyalty to you!¡± ¡°Please forgive us, Crown Prince!¡± The knights knelt to the ground after hearing Lloyd¡¯s determined words, but he didn¡¯t change his mind. Rather, he stared at them with an even sterner look. ¡°Just die with the honor of a knight. It¡¯s also a knight¡¯s job to follow after their lord and die.¡± ¡°L, Leader!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, I¡¯ll kill you myself.¡± The knights grew frustrated as Heinze stared at them with the vicious eyes of a tiger. They knew there was no forgiveness for them and eventually reached down with the shaky hands and grabbed their swords. ¡°I can¡¯t die like this!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Of course, not everybody reacted the same. Chapter 11.4 - Kingmaker (4) There were those that chose life over honor and they ran with all their strength without looking back. Their skills were good enough to become a Royal Knight, so they were hoping to seek asylum in another country. If that didn¡¯t work, they could also work as mercenaries. Swoosh! Only, the problem was Lloyd had War Elves on his side. As they were masters when it came to archery, they picked off the defecting knights one by one. ¡°C, Crown Prince!¡± ¡°We had no choice but to follow behind the second prince!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The second prince coerced¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to what you need to say at the royal palace.¡± Watching all the knights get killed off one by one, the nobles that had sided with the second prince all fell to the ground. They were nervous as the feeble little prince was now gone. Lloyd stared at the nobles with cold eyes one by one then turned around. Ggyyooo! Ggyoo!! As the heavy atmosphere began to weigh down on the audience, Jade turned his head to one side. His body had naturally reacted as he heard Hwid¡¯s familiar sounds. -We¡¯re here! We even brought you a gift! -We believed this would be useful to you Jade. Jade had found it strange that Hwid wasn¡¯t with Laney when they arrived. However, watching it flying over to him with a sword in its mouth, Jade couldn¡¯t contain his smile. The sword that Hwid had in its mouth was Viscount Madrane¡¯s sword. Ggyoooo!! With eyes that sparkled, Hwid cried as if it wanted to receive praise, so Jade smiled and rubbed its head. As he did, Hwid¡¯s tail began to sway gently. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the sword Viscount Madrane used?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the sword of the enemy general, so I personally wanted to take a look at it. Of course, if you want it, I can give it to you at any time Arelia.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I like my dual blades more. You should take it if you need it Jade.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Hey, no need to thank me.¡± Arelia winked at Jade. However, Jade¡¯s reaction didn¡¯t change, and he instead put the viscount¡¯s sword away into his subspace. He wanted to check the memories of the sword when he was by himself. ¡®I can see what techniques Viscount Madrane used and his sword techniques. It¡¯s enough as spoils of war I guess.¡± It might not be much for most people, but it was different for Jade. That¡¯s why Jade made a meaningful smile as he hugged Hwid and walked back into the castle. As soon as Lloyd and Laney returned to the royal palace, a terrible wind of blood blew. Lloyd had boldly lifted and used the sword of purging, as if to say that his feeble self was now gone. He was making sure that all fault didn¡¯t go unpunished, the same way he had killed all the knights that had defected to the second prince¡¯s side. Only, he was unable to easily kill the nobles that had sided with the second prince, so he instead gave them punishments equivalent to death. ¡°I guess they don¡¯t call it the royal palace for no reason. It¡¯s really flashy.¡± Different from the blood-swept royal palace, Jade was currently staying at the royal villa where it was peaceful and quiet. They treated him very well as he had the biggest part in bringing down the second prince. He also didn¡¯t show any interest in what was happening at the royal palace. -It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been at a royal palace! -Civilization changes really quickly with humans, yet at the same time, it¡¯s still the same. -To be honest, when one becomes our level, it becomes difficult to sightsee. -Because battles come first. It was exceedingly rare to find a summoner that was able to summon spirits of the highest level. Only a handful of elite Elves were able to summon such spirits. That¡¯s why it was unusual for Celestine and Elestra to be able to comfortably sightsee. Ggyyoooaamm! Jade wasn¡¯t the only one that felt comfortable. Hwid was developing very well as it could eat well, poop well, and sleep well every day. Although it still looked like a cute baby drake on the outside, its mental capacity was growing at an alarming rate. ¡°There are a lot of delicious things to eat, but you like to eat what you normally eat huh?¡± Ggyoo! Hwid who had been yawning was now nodding its head. Although there were many different types of food that tasted interesting and fun, Hwid¡¯s favorite was still the Black Drake¡¯s meat. It didn¡¯t get tired of its jerky. -You¡¯re surprisingly adapting well though. ¡°Me?¡± -Yeah! This kind of lifestyle should be a first for you. Although you were born a noble, you¡¯ve never lived in the care of the Baron. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not in my memories at the least, since strictly speaking its not my memories. It¡¯s the memories of this world¡¯s Jade.¡± Jade shrugged his shoulders. Just as Celestine had said, he had never lived in such a fancy place before. Yet, because it wasn¡¯t his original world, it didn¡¯t feel overwhelming or amazing. If anything, he wouldn¡¯t been more surprised if he had found a hotel in this world. -The Crown Prince has changed a lot. He¡¯s just beheading everybody right now!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me this you know.¡± -The smell of blood is insane! ¡°It was the perfect chance for him to change, and it¡¯s good that he¡¯s serving new wine to his new troops. What¡¯s scarier than an enemy is a comrade who you can¡¯t trust. At least he properly cares for those who are on his side, right?¡± After coming to the royal palace, Jade had never once stepped out of the royal villa. Chapter 11.5 - Kingmaker (5) Although there were many people that were interested in Jade, there was no one that interested him. He had come to the royal palace just to relax for a short while. However, there was someone next to him that told him everything that was currently happening within the kingdom, so he was well versed with what was actually happening outside. -He should take care of him. He placed his life on the line to help him defend his spot. He shouldn¡¯t forget that loyalty. ¡°It seems like they were talking about giving him an extra step in peerage too. And, in a way, it¡¯s fair. The Crown Prince needs to build his own strength, since the nobles are currently alive and well.¡± -Politics is so hard! ¡°It¡¯s easy if one¡¯s strong enough. But, because he isn¡¯t, he needs to use his head like this.¡± -It would be easy for you then, Jade. Celestine laughed as she tapped Jade in the cheeks with her elbow. However, Jade shook his head. ¡°I hate getting headaches.¡± -It seems like they¡¯re planning on giving you a title as well Jade. They have a lot of empty spaces available right now. -They need to give you a title to keep you in their grasp, since they saw your strength. Elestra spoke as if it was a matter of fact. The nobles weren¡¯t sending him invitations for nothing. And, although the Crown Prince knew this, he continued to keep it to himself. ¡°I just hope it¡¯s at a moderate level.¡± -What level do you want it to be at? Celestine¡¯s eyes sparkled. She was asking what title Jade wanted to receive. ¡°It should at least be higher than a baron, right?¡± -Your worth is at least the level of a duke. ¡°Realistically that¡¯s impossible, since there is only one duke in all of Paulstein. Nevertheless, there is still one possible method of gaining the title of a duke.¡± -It¡¯s possible if you marry the princess. -I don¡¯t like that! Hearing Elestra¡¯s words, Celestine violently shook her head. Jade was barely 25 years old, so marriage was too quick. There was no way she was going to accept that. ¡°I don¡¯t want that either. The higher the title I get, the more responsibility I¡¯ll have. That¡¯s why I¡¯d rather get a moderate title. A title that¡¯ll allow me to enjoy a good amount of rights without any responsibility of obligation.¡± -Aren¡¯t you taking advantage of them too much? ¡°Humans usually have this type of mentality. Should I just say it¡¯s a trait of our race?¡± -You¡¯re not just trying to pass over it like that are you? ¡°You caught me.¡± Jade laughed yet seeing this side of Jade made Elestra smile as well. She knew that he unconsciously believed himself to be an outsider, but when she listened to his words, it didn¡¯t sound like he had a for sure plan to go back to his world. ¡®I wonder if this world is just uncomfortable for him. I¡¯m not sure. He¡¯s not the type to pour his feelings out.¡¯ Watching Jade take jokes from Celestine, Elestra made a queer expression. Although some time has passed since they¡¯ve been together, there wasn¡¯t anything she really knew about him. -Then wouldn¡¯t Marquis be perfect then? It seems like Viscount Aus will become promoted to a count. Then that would mean you would have to receive the Marquis title, since you contributed more to the battle than Aus. ¡°If that was the case, then Arelia would have to get that title. She was the one that took care of Madrane.¡± -Elves aren¡¯t interested in human titles. They get placed in their positions by their responsibilities, so they don¡¯t care for titles. Celestine firmly shook her index finger. This meant that she was sure Arelia wouldn¡¯t receive the title, even if she was given it. Although she and the War Elves came to the royal palace for Lloyd and Laney, they were bound to leave as soon as the situation became more stable. ¡°There are honorable titles too and my heart is leaning more towards that route. It¡¯ll be quite convenient to have a noble title when travelling the continent, and I¡¯ll have to deal with the flies even less.¡± -That¡¯s definitely true. Jade spoke as he watched Hwid curl up into a ball. It would be more comfortable to have the identity of a noble rather than a mercenary when traveling or doing some sort of foreign activity, and the siblings were sure to want to form some sort of connection with Jade. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be okay to gain a single victory title as well.¡± -You think it¡¯s going to work out that way? Both siblings are quite greedy you know. The Crown Prince even appears to be planning on ripping apart and rebuilding the whole kingdom again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you spying on them too much?¡± Jade burst out laughing. Although they couldn¡¯t see her, she was eavesdropping on them way too much. -It¡¯s not like I¡¯m hearing it because I want to. My little ones are the ones hearing it and telling me. The amount of spirits in the royal palace have grown because of the War Elves, though the humans living here don¡¯t seem to realize that. ¡°That¡¯s true. It really is rare to find someone who has a strong affinity with the spirits. I haven¡¯t seen a single one yet, even though there are so many people living in the kingdom.¡± -Even if there was, it¡¯s because they don¡¯t know they have talent in that field. -That¡¯s why it¡¯s important to have a summoner who can help guide them. Unless you¡¯re someone like Jade. -Cases like Jade are REALLY rare. Celestine wrapped her arms behind her head like a pillow and floated in the air as if she were swimming against her back. She used her legs to move back and forth through the air. ¡°In a way, I¡¯m glad to hear that. As much as it¡¯s a unique talent, it¡¯s also quite capable. If I didn¡¯t have any affinity to spirits, I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve even survived like this.¡± Although he had grown up as a Hunter, he wasn¡¯t a genius in that field. He was average for his age, so it was obvious he wouldn¡¯t have been able to run away for so long in the Great Forest without the help of his spirit friends. And, even if he did survive, he would¡¯ve barely been scraping by each day. -What¡¯s the point of thinking about that. It¡¯s not like that¡¯s ever going to happen. -That¡¯s right. Life is short even when you just think about the present and the future. Ggyoo! Hwid curled up into Jade¡¯s arms as if telling him it was there as well. It had quickly flown over to him and took a spot in his chest. ¡°Little rascal.¡± Chapter 11.6 - Kingmaker (6) -It seems to understand everything you¡¯re saying now. If it learns to deal with its apprehensions, it should quickly learn how to speak. Gyyoo! Hwid who was within Jade¡¯s arms nodded its head in wide motions. It was as if it was telling him that it was already trying its hardest. As Hwid¡¯s actions were adorable, Celestine and Elestra flew over to its cheeks and rubbed them. -Doesn¡¯t it seem like its cheeks are starting to get bigger? -It¡¯s eating so well. Wouldn¡¯t it be stranger if it didn¡¯t gain any weight? -That¡¯s true. Celestine was convinced without even realizing it. Although it was still in its growing phase, the amount of food Hwid ate within a day was extraordinary. It seemed to eat less when Jade didn¡¯t have his subspace or when it was being mindful of its surroundings. However, now it was eating all the Black Drake meat that it could to replenish itself from the days it couldn¡¯t eat much. -It¡¯s not like its sick or anything, so who cares. It¡¯s at its growth phase right now. Although, the cheeks and stomach seem to have grown a bit¡­ Elestra used her fingers to pinch the fat on Hwid¡¯s stomach. Ggyoo!! Different from the smoothness of Hwid¡¯s stomach, Hwid appeared to be upset as it stared at her with sharp eyes. However, unlike Hwid¡¯s sour look, Elestra laughed. She appeared to like the feeling of touching Hwid¡¯s stomach. -Me too me too! -Is this why humans touch their belly fat? -It¡¯s so soft and smooth! Ggyooo!! With the spirits touching its stomach and sides, Hwid spread its wings out of anger. However, unfortunately for it, this didn¡¯t deter the spirits one bit. ¡°Even I think Hwid¡¯s gotten a little chubby, but it¡¯s okay since Hwid is cute chubby.¡± Grrrrrr. With the amount of food that Hwid ate, it didn¡¯t look too different besides the slight puffiness of the cheeks and the steadily growing belly fat. Of course, its actual body weight was growing at an enormous rate, it wasn¡¯t much of a burden for Jade. -I agree with that. Our Hwid is tremendously cute. -Although its true nature is different. -Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a very contradicting charm that it has? It¡¯s okay since its cute to us. Savoring Jade¡¯s touch, Hwid suddenly flipped its head around and glared at Celestine. It still seemed to be in a sulky mood, yet even this appearance was cute to Celestine. -Awww. Is our little Hwid angry? Grrrrrrrr! Hearing Celestine speak with a baby-like tone, Hwid bared its fangs at her. However, Celestine wasn¡¯t one to back away just from Hwid baring its teeth at her. This amount of grumbling was nothing but cute in Celestine¡¯s eyes. Crack crack! Although Hwid began to form lighting within its mouth, Celestine still watched it while smiling. As the days went by, Hwid¡¯s breath was becoming stronger, but it wasn¡¯t enough to recall Celestine back to the spirit world. -I¡¯ll stop touching you today so come here. Jade needs to train. Grrr! Celestine gently spoke and lifted her arms open, yet Hwid coldly shook its head. It didn¡¯t have any thoughts of forgiving her yet as it turned around and flew to a different location. As it landed, it turned around and stared at Jade with a piercing look. -Is it going through puberty already? -Stupid, how is 13 months supposed to be puberty? If you think of a drake¡¯s lifespan, it¡¯s still a newborn baby. -It just seems to be growing so quickly. -What do you mean quickly? This is the first time you¡¯re even seeing a baby drake. Elestra criticized Celestine, because one way or another, she wanted to live peacefully with everyone and genuinely observe everything. She also believed that Hwid was growing at an alarming rate, but this didn¡¯t change the fact that it was still a baby. -Do you even know? We¡¯re the same. -But I don¡¯t treat it like a complete baby. Isn¡¯t that right, Hwid? Elestra called out to Hwid with a unique, soft, beautiful voice. However, Hwid didn¡¯t turn its head in the slightest. It just continued to piercingly stare at Jade. ¡°Little rascal.¡± Hwid stared at Jade without turning its head in an almost uncomfortable manner, but he did not mind it. He was used to this scene and understood that Hwid was still a baby. Even dogs and cats had symptoms of anxiety, so it shouldn¡¯t be any different for drakes. Shwing. After staring at Hwid for a moment, Jade pulled out the sword from his subspace. It was Viscount Madrane¡¯s sword and was something that Hwid had brought itself. Swish Swish! Staring at the item that it had brought, Hwid began to swing its tail side to side. However, it did not spring forward. It understood that Jade was going to start training from now on, so it just watched him calmly. -Just suck everything out of what was Viscount Madrane! Just swallow the whole thing in one gulp! -That right there is the real thing. It might even be worth more than receiving a piece of land. Hearing the two spirits speaking, Jade used his ability that he had from the very beginning. And, as he did, he looked through the memories that were left on the sword. Chapter 12.1 - Arelia (1) ¡®As I thought, a special sword.¡¯ A light smile appeared on Jade¡¯s face as he closed his eyes. The ability that had once given him pain, was now able to be used with ease. Mana was one thing, but it was also because his mental fortitude had grown. That¡¯s why Jade leisurely checked the memories contained within Viscount Madrane¡¯s sword. ¡®The viscount¡¯s mana technique isn¡¯t that much better when compared to the Imperial Knight¡¯s technique, nor does it feel original.¡¯ Jade made a bitter smile. The viscount¡¯s mana technique was definitely advanced. It was to the point where it wasn¡¯t much different to the technique that Jade was currently using. However, Jade unfortunately didn¡¯t have much to take away from it. ¡®He was for sure a master swordsman, but it¡¯s only within Paulstein¡¯s standards. It¡¯s not to the point where he can become renowned throughout the continent.¡¯ Although his critique was cold, it was realistic. Furthermore, Viscount Madrane¡¯s family crest was no longer in existence. Even at this moment, Lloyd was exterminating his family and cutting off their family line. As Madrane was the second prince¡¯s closest associate, Lloyd was cruelly killing off his family members. Of course, this was the same scenario that was currently occurring to all the nobles that were involved with the second prince. ¡®But experiencing it indirectly will definitely be a big help.¡¯ Although Viscount Madrane was known to be a master swordsman, it was unexpectedly rare for a Sword Master to be discharged. Viscount Madrane was also someone who had become a Sword Master for the first time in a long time. ¡®I want to gain a Duke¡¯s written divination too. I wonder if I¡¯ll have the chance.¡¯ In Paulstein, someone who had the same level of strength as Viscount Madrane as a master swordsman was the Duke. That¡¯s why Jade was envious. Although the current Duke wasn¡¯t a Master, he was known to be an expert at the highest level. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to suddenly become a Master at any given moment. ¡®Hmmm.¡¯ However, Jade stopped thinking about such things. He instead began to concentrate on the memories contained within the sword. He was watching the most recent memory that was stored in it, which was the fight that had occurred with Arelia. ¡®She¡¯s definitely strong.¡¯ Although they were fighting like hell, Jade could tell as he was watching from a 3rd person view. From the beginning to the end, Arelia appeared to have plenty of leisure during the fight. She didn¡¯t even utilize her summoner skills at the beginning of the fight. She was purely fighting the viscount with her sword skills. ¡®The cut to the chest was definitely big.¡¯ Through the sword¡¯s memories, Jade could feel the viscount¡¯s utilization of mana and his state of mind. Jade could even feel his swordsmanship. Although there wasn¡¯t much he could take away from the viscount¡¯s mana technique, there were many things he could take away from this experience and swordsmanship. ¡°Hoooooo!¡± -How is it? Was it of any help? Can you take away anything from the memories? ¡°The mana technique is whatever, but I have plenty to take away from the swordsmanship.¡± -The Royal Family seems to want it too. Although the viscount is dead, losing the swordsmanship and mana technique is regrettable. Celestine and Elestra approached Jade without stopping. However, the first one to enter within Jade¡¯s arms was none other than Hwid. ¡°It¡¯s definitely regrettable from the perspective of the kingdom, since the person holding the sword is the bad person, not the sword itself. So, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll give it to the proper person, since it was the same for Viscount Madrane.¡± -Heh? You¡¯ve been looking that far into it? ¡°My mana and mental fortitude are now much stronger.¡± -Hehe! I wonder if other will know? That Jade is good at stealing things too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not stealing. I¡¯m just peeking. There are plenty of restrictions that come with the ability too.¡± Jade answered back firmly. Although he wasn¡¯t wrong, it wasn¡¯t completely right either. Knock knock. As Jade was talking with the two spirits and petting Hwid, the sound of knocking could be heard. Then he heard the voice of a servant that had always been tending to him. ¡°Sir Jade, miss Arelia has come to see you.¡± ¡°Please send her in.¡± ¡°Yessir.¡± A leisurely, calm answer responded back as the door to the entrance opened. And with a fresh, soft scent, Arelia appeared. ¡°It¡¯s been a while huh?¡± ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t. This place is too artificial compared to our forest. It¡¯s a little uncomfortable to look at too. There are a lot of nobles that pretend like they¡¯re not looking but keep sneaking their eyes on me.¡± ¡°I had heard there were many nobles that bought mixed-race slaves.¡± ¡°Paulstein actually responds decisively regarding those types of people. It¡¯s most likely because the royal house has elf blood within them. Of course, it¡¯s a very thing bloodline now.¡± Arelia shrugged her shoulders. It was as if she was remembering the two siblings that didn¡¯t have any affinity with the spirits. However, she didn¡¯t seem to have a hint of regret or sympathy. ¡°You guys must be heading back soon.¡± ¡°Yes, since we were only planning on staying until they settled down and Heinze is almost completely healed now as well. Of course, it¡¯ll be difficult for him to show his skills from when he was in his prime, but he¡¯s physically better now.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about that. He¡¯s old.¡± ¡°I was once again able to feel how short human lives were. That might also be the reason why they live their lives with such vigor.¡± Jade nodded his head. He also seemed to believe the same thing as her as a few geniuses burned their lives away with intensity and died. ¡®I wonder how long I¡¯ll live for.¡¯ As they were talking about lifespan, Jade was suddenly thinking about his own lifespan. It was definite that he would live slightly longer than most people as he had gone through a boy change. He would at least live for another 100 years, but he wasn¡¯t sure exactly how many years he would live for. ¡°Jade?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. It¡¯s because we were talking about lifespan.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see why Laney¡¯s pride was hurt. For you to be thinking about something else when a pretty lady is standing in front of you. Are you by chance¡­..?¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely not the case.¡± Jade made a serious face. However, Arelia smiled as she saw his expression, because it seemed like he was trying too hard to be strong. Of course, even if he did like men, she would¡¯ve respected his choice either way. ¡°I don¡¯t care either way, so you don¡¯t have to be so serious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really not. I like women.¡± Chapter 12.3 - Arelia (3) Jade looked around the vicinity as they landed on a basin that was surrounded by mountains. It was an area of space that looked like a plain and was fully open when looked at from the sky, but it was a place that could never be found if searched from the ground. Jade nodded his head as he knew this place would never be found because of the surrounding mountain peaks. This location was the best since no one would be able to watch their fight. ¡°You were able to find this place by the skin of one¡¯s teeth.¡± ¡°The Royal Palace was a little stifling for me, so I went out pretty often. I¡¯m sure my comrades also know of this place.¡± ¡°Shall we start then?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Both Scylla¡¯s were recalled and Hwid who was in Jade¡¯s arms retreated with Celestine and Elestra. Because it was a fight between two Master¡¯s, they separated themselves as far as they could. However, all three of the spectators were watching with sparkling eyes. -Win Jade! Win Jade! Gyyooo!! Ggyooo!! Following after Celestine¡¯s fun-filled cheer, Hwid flapped its wings as it raised its palms up and excitedly shook them. They were cheering for Jade¡¯s victory with vigor. ¡°Oh wow.¡± Arelia, who was lightly warming up with her dual blades out, smiled as she watched this scenery unfold. Hwid was way to cute for its own good. She had relieved herself of her nervousness and just laughed as she continued to watch the cute baby Golden Drake. ¡°Huhu!¡± This was the same for Jade. Although Arelia wasn¡¯t able to hear it, Jade was able to hear Celestine¡¯s cheers and was unable to contain his laughter. ¡°Hwid is quite cute.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure your mind will change if you were to see it fight.¡± ¡°Meh. That¡¯s the same for anyone. And Hwid is actually very docile. There are plenty of monsters that are vicious even though they get raised by humans.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Pulling out the sword that was made from the Blake Drake¡¯s tooth, Jade nodded his head. And, as he did, he channeled his mana into the sword. He was storing his mana into it so he could use it at any given time. ¡°I think you¡¯re remarkably interesting Jade. It¡¯s not easy to handle mana so elaborately, yet you do something even elves have a hard time doing.¡± ¡°I was just lucky, since I was given an opportunity.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Arelia¡¯s eyes glistened as she heard it was an opportunity he had obtained. However, she did not ask further. In return, she slowly began to draw out her mana like Jade. ¡°I think we¡¯re both ready now, so should we start this?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first, since I¡¯m the one requesting this of you.¡± ¡°In terms of skills, shouldn¡¯t I be the one going first?¡± ¡°Huhu!¡± Instead of responding back, Arelia smiled and lightly kicked off the ground. However, different from her light footwork, her movement was appallingly fast. She had reached Jade in the blink of an eye. Woosh! Her dual blades danced in the air at the same time as she sprinted forward. The two blades that looked the same was tenaciously aimed at Jade¡¯s flesh. Using the flexibility of her body, Arelia¡¯s quick sword movements made Jade¡¯s eyes hurt. ¡®This is my second time seeing it, but it¡¯s pretty crazy.¡¯ Although this wasn¡¯t the first time seeing her quick swordsmanship, it was quite threatening. Especially when the two swords were of the same length but never overlapped with each other. Rather, the two of them flew in one after another making them much more threatening. Tang tang tang! However, Jade was also formidable. He was only holding one blade, yet he was able to block Arelia¡¯s attacks. Furthermore, when it came to physical abilities alone, he wasn¡¯t any bit inferior. No, if anything he was much stronger than her. Bang! Figuring this out after a few bouts, Jade boldly applied more strength into his sword. Trying to match the timing of when the dual swords crossed each other. ¡°Hup!¡± Just as much as she was nimble, Arelia was lighter than Jade leading to her being pushed back by the blow. Arelia bit her lower lip as she was helplessly pushed back, even though she had used her mana to build up her physical strength. As she had an extremely competitive spirit, Arelia¡¯s pride was hurt for easily being pushed back. Bamm! However, she was unable to linger on those thoughts as Jade continued his onslaught. Bang! Bang! Arlia faltered as she received one of Jade¡¯s attacks filled with his aura. That was how strong Jade¡¯s aura was within his sword, and since her physical strength was also weaker than Jade¡¯s, she was unable to block the attack with one hand. ¡®Why does it feel like he understands my swordsmanship?¡¯ Arelia furrowed her brows amid the raging attacks. The more their swords clashed, the more she felt that something was off. It was as if Jade had already unraveled her swordsmanship making her feel strange. ¡®Although he might have seen it on the battlefield, is it possible for him to understand this much with just looking at it once?¡¯ Arelia internally shook her head as she questioned herself. She was good at making light and flashy attacks with her dual swords As such, she was most confident than anyone about her skills. Yet, her specialty wasn¡¯t working well now. ¡®Furthermore, he¡¯s really good with using his left hand.¡¯ Arelia¡¯s eyes became sharp. There could only be one reason why she was unable to utilize the advantages of using a dual sword. Jade was good with using his left hand, making it difficult for her to utilizing the advantages of her techniques. Ting ting ting! Because he had been using an amazing technique where he utilized the flicking of his finger, Arelia was unable to swing her sword like usual. Every time she tried to do something, she couldn¡¯t because she was interrupted with amazing timing. ¡®However, this doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have any other means.¡¯ Arelia¡¯s momentum changed since she was unilaterally on the defensive. An Aura Blade shot up from her dual blades with a heavy resonance. Chapter 12.4 - Arelia (4) She was finally using her power to its fullest potential. Woong woong woong! Seeing this, Jade also shot up an Aura Blade as if responding to her actions. Before long, three Aura Blades clashed in the air. Bannnggg!! A loud clash could be heard that couldn¡¯t be heard until now as the earth tore apart. However, the two people that had clashed continued to swing their swords as if this had no effect to them. Bang! Bang! With intense force, deafening sounds of clashing could be heard, and the atmosphere gradually changed. Arelia who was on the defensive quickly regained her momentum. It was as if she wasn¡¯t going to go easy on Jade anymore as the speed of her blades continued to rise. ¡°Ugh!¡± As the quick movement of the blades became even quicker, Jade¡¯s face was flustered with urgency. Even the wind technique he had practiced with his left hand became useless. No matter how much aura was contained in the wind, it couldn¡¯t compete against a properly manifested Aura Blade. Furthermore, just as Jade was getting used to Arelia¡¯s swordsmanship, she was also getting used to his as well. Ka ga gak! Jade wrapped his left arm with aura to block the tip of the sword that attempted to penetrate through him like lightning. He had created a sort of self-defense mechanism with a barrier to block the attack. However, as the Aura Blade was as tough as nails, as soon as it collided with Jade¡¯s barrier the original form of his barrier began to crack. ¡®Is it a difference in experience?¡¯ Jade made a bitter smile as this was clearly a turning point in their fight. He had known that Arelia was strong from the beginning, and he understood that she had practiced the sword much longer than he had. Yet, he couldn¡¯t hide the bitterness in his heart as he felt inferior to her. ¡®But I won¡¯t lose so easily.¡¯ Not all Sword Masters were the same. Just like with the Expert level, Masters also had different levels within them., and Arelia was definitely a professionally that was a level above him. That¡¯s why Jade quickly made his decision and did what only he could do. Woong woong woong! His physical abilities and mana were better than Arelia¡¯s, so he fully utilized these advantages. ¡°Haaaappp!¡± As he considered that he could get injured and rushed forth, Arelia flinched. Just as Jade understood his strengths, Arelia also understood her own weaknesses. That¡¯s why she avoided a head-to-head confrontation. She could confront his strength for a short while by using her mana, but this was impossible if the fight were to drag on. Seu seuk! Knowing this, Arelia put more distance between herself and Jade. There was no reason for her to fight the way Jade wanted to. Furthermore, distance wasn¡¯t a big issue for a professional like her. Swish swish! Here two Aura Blades extended out like rubber and rushed forward toward Jade. She was attacking him from a good distance away. Bang bang bang bang! Like a bombardment, Arelia incessantly swung her dual blades. It was as if she wasn¡¯t giving him the chance to close the distance. However, Jade wasn¡¯t the type to just take the blows as is. He had also extended his Aura Blade like Arelia and began his attack. Banggg! Banggg! As a result, the basin was quickly crushed. As two Sword Masters fully used their powers, everything around them got destroyed. And, as expected, Hwid and the two spirits retreated further back. ¡°Hoooooooo!¡± ¡°Hmmmm!¡± The two simultaneously stopped moving after exchanging many blows then retracted their Aura Blades. ¡°Shall we call it a tie for now?¡± ¡°I would say I¡¯m the one that lost this one.¡± Jade spoke as he put his sword away into its scabbard. Arelia appeared to be completely fine but Jade¡¯s clothes became completely ragged. Although he didn¡¯t gain and fatal injuries, the result could be soon by looking at his appearance. ¡°We didn¡¯t get to fight with our full strength. If we did, would I really have been able to win?¡± ¡°That¡¯s also the same for me.¡± ¡°Meh. You know I can¡¯t compare to you when it comes to spirits. The only thing I¡¯m superior with is my swordsmanship and there doesn¡¯t seem to be too big of a difference with that either, so let¡¯s just call it a tie.¡± ¡°What do you mean there isn¡¯t much of a different¡± Jade burst out laughing. Of course, it was true that he wasn¡¯t using his full strength as his real strength came from his spirits. However, it was the same for Arelia as well. ¡°Since we both have our own trump cards, let¡¯s just call it a tie. Although I¡¯m a little emarassed to say it like this. Hoho!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot from our spar.¡± ¡°Same here. It was a nerve-wracking spar that I haven¡¯t felt in a while. I especially felt like your swordsmanship was a completely different style that I¡¯ve never seen before. I have plenty of experience in sparring with others, but you had lots of strange attacks. So, I was wondering if we could do this again tomorrow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that.¡± Jade gladly accepted Arelia¡¯s proposal. As he was inexperienced, his fight with Arelia was a huge help to his growth, so there was no reason for him to refuse her offer. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It helps me out as well. Only, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to meet your expectations.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to try too hard.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± Jade shook his head as he smiled. He had learned a lot through their spar today that he was planning on releasing them in their next battle. Gyyyooo!! As soon as the spar was over, the first one to fly over was Hwid who then proceeded to look over his body. Although he didn¡¯t have any huge injuries, he had many small scratches all over his body. ¡°It¡¯s okay. These will heal very quickly.¡± Rustle. As soon as Jade finished speaking, a mid-level water spirit Undine appeared. It was all for the sake of increasing the disinfection and the resilience of the wounds. However, even then Hwid¡¯s eyes began to get teary. ¡°Little rascal.¡± Jade laughed as he rubbed the Hwid¡¯s head. His heart had become cozy as it showed its concerns to Jade. However, even with the appearance of Undine, Hwid¡¯s face was still dark. Chapter 13.1 - Baron Leon (1) Belis had returned to his territory but lived every day out of fear. As the purge continued, it was difficult for him to even sleep. He had attempted to go to the capital to try and change the situation, yet the royal palace did not allow this to happen. They had instructed him to not move about and calmly stay within his land. ¡°There¡¯s definitely a reason why. What exactly is the reason?¡± Belis placed his hand on his chin as he paced back on forth in the oval office. He was unable to stay seated as he was too nervous. He was so stressed out that he appeared to be showing early signs of balding. ¡°They had caught all the nobles that helped the second prince, yet why are they leaving me alone? Why?¡± Belis mumbled as he cleared his dry throat. At the time of the siblings¡¯ escape to the Great Forest, the last place they were chased to was Baron Leon¡¯s territory. He was also the one that gave the instructions to chase them up to there, and although they were far away, he had even locked eyes with the Crown Prince and princess. Yet rather than getting rid of him immediately, they instead imposed short-sighted measures. They did not take further steps after this. ¡°There¡¯s definitely got to be a reason¡­.¡± Although the nobles that sided with the second prince felt envious of his situation, Belis felt like he was going to go crazy. He would feel much better if they just killed him quickly and took his land away, but they did not do that. They just left him be as he was. ¡°They haven¡¯t given any further instructions, nor are they allowing me to use any form of communication¡­..¡± Belis¡¯ eyes nervously shook. As he was instructed to just stay still and not do anything, rather than feeling stifled, he felt as if the blood in his body was drying up. It felt like he was already given the death penalty but had yet to be executed. The only thing that came out from his mouth was a sigh. ¡°Father, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Come in.¡± Hearing the voice of his only sign from the other side of the door, Belis replied back with a weak voice. Shortly after, the door opened, and Carlton stepped in with a pale face. ¡°Have you heard anything from the Royal Palace yet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still the same.¡± ¡°Hoooo.¡± Carlton released a long sigh. It was a sigh that was filled with the same feelings as his father. ¡°Have you heard anything else from the surrounding territories?¡± ¡°Everyone is busy taking it easy right now. Even the magic communication seems to have a hard time connecting, and when it does go through, there¡¯s an immediate disconnection.¡± ¡°Kuhum!¡± Belis clenched his teeth. Although they weren¡¯t super close, they didn¡¯t have a bad relationship with the other nobles. Yet as the situation turned out the way it had; everyone turned their backs on him, and he felt betrayed. ¡°I really wish they would at least give us a reason as to why they¡¯re acting like this. It¡¯s not like they want to kill us off by drying us up to death.¡± ¡°How do you think I feel right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.I¡¯m sorry.¡± Although Carlton was running around as the small lord, he couldn¡¯t compare to how Belis felt as he was the lord of the land. Nevertheless, the situation was as such. ¡°They¡¯re definitely after something, but I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re after. And it¡¯s not like I can do any foreign activities right now¡­¡­¡± ¡°Either way, isn¡¯t the result already out.¡± ¡°Hooo! That¡¯s true.¡± A sigh came out from Belis¡¯ mouth once again. Although he didn¡¯t know why they were leaving him alive, the result was obvious. Just looking at the actions coming from the Royal Palace, it was obvious there was no chance for Baron Leon to receive mercy. ¡°How do you feel about us seeking asylum?¡± ¡°To where? Arhan?¡± ¡°Even with that meager number of people, the Crown Princess and princess were able to get through the Great Forest. You think we won¡¯t be able to get through it ourselves?¡± ¡°MMmm!!¡± ¡°I¡¯m also against the desert to the south as they¡¯re made up of numerous tribes and they would never be happy to see us, so let¡¯s cut through the Great Forest and head to Teron.¡± Carlton spoke without reserve as if he had been planning this for a while. Instead of sitting here and waiting for the day they die, he felt it would rather be better to just seek asylum. Although Baron Leon was poor, they were still nobles. If they took all their wealth and people with them to the new land, they would still be able to retain their title. ¡°Teron you say.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to gain a territory immediately, but I think it¡¯s better than dying. We can just start from the beginning.¡± Although honor was important, it wasn¡¯t as important as keeping one¡¯s life. Especially for a Baron, who wasn¡¯t even on the level of a Count. As a Baron was on the lowest level among nobles, Carlton felt it was easier to just through away any lingering regret. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re even bringing it up to me means you¡¯ve already prepared things to a certain extent?¡± ¡°Yes, I secretly hired some hunters to act as our guide. If we use the outer part of the Great Forest, it should be possible to get Teron without hitting heavy losses. We won¡¯t be able to completely avoid all the monsters, but they¡¯re confident they would be able to get us through with the least amount of contact with monsters.¡± ¡°Pursuers may come after us.¡± ¡°Our family knows more about the Great Forest than anyone else in Paulstein. Furthermore, aren¡¯t they giving us plenty of time right now? We must take advantage of the Royal Palaces¡¯ complacency.¡± Belis¡¯ eyes glowed with intensity. Chapter 13.2 - Baron Leon (2) His mind was slowly leaning towards what Carlton had said because he felt the same way and did not want to die. He had sided with the second prince to get promoted, not to get himself killed. ¡®There is no compromise. That¡¯s for sure. If that¡¯s the case¡­.¡¯ Although he had never been strong, his family line had been loyal to Paulstein¡¯s king from generation to generation. Of course, they were in their current situation because of his ambition and lack of judgment, but he did not want to obediently die. ¡°This is our chance and the timing is just right. They might be thinking that we know what¡¯s currently going on through our magic communication system, or at least obediently waiting for them.¡± ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s leave at night. Can you get everything prepared?¡± ¡°I was just waiting for your decision father.¡± ¡°You were planning on leaving by yourself it seems.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way.¡± Carlton firmly shook his head. Nobody in Teron would welcome him into their home as he wasn¡¯t the Baron. It might be different if he were a Master, but it was obvious that he would just get ignored. That¡¯s why he definitely needed his father with him. ¡°M, my lord!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± As Belis made his decision he heard urgent footsteps and the voice of his butler. However, as the butler had served the Baron for many years, Belis could tell his voice was unusual. It was filled with nervousness. ¡°A guest has arrived from the Royal Palace! However, the person named Jade and the leader of the War Elves, Arelia is also with them!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Although he was in a rush, the butler carefully opened the door and delivered his message to Belis. And, after hearing the message, Belis¡¯ brows furrowed. It made sense that a guest from the Royal Palace came to visit out of the blue. However, it was strange to hear that Jade and Arelia were also with the guest. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t know the two people, but they didn¡¯t have any sort of relationship with the Baron. ¡°Who¡¯s the other person? Who seems to be the executioner?¡± ¡°There are three people who have come to visit. Jade, Arelia, and court mage by the name of Steven.¡± ¡°¡­¡­only those three?¡± Carlton also looked on with a blank stare as he really couldn¡¯t understand the composition of the group. That¡¯s why he stared at Belis with a blank expression. ¡°Where are those three right now?¡± ¡°I escorted them to the drawing-room for now.¡± ¡°Did they give you a reason as to why they were coming for this visit?¡± ¡°I asked them, but they said they would speak to you in person my lord.¡± ¡°MMmm!¡± Belis¡¯ expression became complicated. Of all things, they happened to come visit when he had made the decision to seek asylum and for some reason, he kept getting a queer feeling about the situation. ¡°Isn¡¯t Jade that high-ranking summoner?¡± ¡°Yessir.¡± ¡°Plus, the War Elf huh. What kind of combination is this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too sure with that either, sir.¡± The butler lowered his head in response to Carlton¡¯s statement. Although he did his best to find out, the visitors made it clear that he shouldn¡¯t ask any more questions. ¡°If the summoner wasn¡¯t there, we wouldn¡¯t have become like this.¡± Meanwhile, Carlton was clenching his teeth. He became angry the more he thought about it. If the high-ranking summoner wasn¡¯t there, they would have been able to win the battle and Baron Leon would¡¯ve been able to promote. ¡°Let¡¯s go and talk to them for now.¡± ¡°I will escort you, sir.¡± ¡°I would like to go as well.¡± ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m sure it shouldn¡¯t matter.¡± Belis did not refuse his son¡¯s request. This visit wasn¡¯t arranged to begin with, so he believed it was fine to take Carlton with him. Instead, he sent his butler to send a message to his Knight Commander. In a short amount of time, Belis has a written a short message for the Knight Commander. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Watching this, Carlton made a meaningful expression. He understood what was written in the letter even if he didn¡¯t read what was written on it. ¡°This is Baron Leon¡¯s place.¡± ¡°Have you heard anything about this place?¡± Although the servant poured tea for Jade, he did not touch it. It was completely in contrast to Arelia and Steven who were drinking it without any thought. ¡°Of course. Do you really think I followed you hear without knowing anything?¡± ¡°I wanted to finish this as quietly as possible.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t plan on doing anything. I¡¯m just going to watch from behind you, and I also get to see the Great Forest. I¡¯ve lived a good while but coming to the Great Forest is a first for me.¡± It was quite a shabby drawing room when compared to the one in the Royal Palace, but Arelia did not mind such things since they had a different goal to begin with. ¡°There¡¯s nothing special about the Great Forest. It¡¯s just a forest with a lot of monsters. Only, theere¡¯s quite a bit of monsters here and the forest is quite big.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s so interesting. For an elf who loves forest, it feels like the forest was just thrown away and cast aside. I feel like there¡¯s a possibility for Dark Elves to be here, but I¡¯m not too sure.¡± ¡°Now that you say that I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen any Dark Elves yet and I¡¯ve lived in the Great Forest for quite some time now.¡± ¡°They¡¯re a race that like to keep to themselves, but mister Jade.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jade smiled as he stared at Hwid who was excited for coming back to its birthplace. However, he did not turn his head. It was just too cute watching Hwid fly around in an excited manner. Especially when it was trying to sniff the air around it, it would crunch its nose and shake it side to side in a cute fashion. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to shave your facial hair? I think you would look much better if you just trimmed your mustache and beard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite comfortable keeping it like this though.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Arelia furrowed her brows as Jade completely refused her words. Chapter 13.3 - Baron Leon (3) If shaving was hard, she at least wanted Jade to trim his facial hair, but listening to his response it seemed like even that was going to be a difficult task. -Why does she care? Jade is Jade whether he shaves or not! Heung! -Aren¡¯t you being too sensitive about it? -I don¡¯t want her caring about our Jade! Celestine who was playing with Hwid suddenly flew towards him like lightning and hugged him. She hugged his cheek and was yelling at Arelia who couldn¡¯t see nor hear her, and seeing this, Elestra who was sitting on Jade¡¯s opposite shoulder made an annoyed expression. -Hey, that¡¯s a sickness too you know. -It¡¯s not a sickness! -Sigh. Elestra shook her head as Celestine obsessed over strange things, and at that moment, a nervous knock came from the door. ¡°Please excuse us.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Although the voice was unfriendly, Jade instinctively knew whose voice it was. ¡®It must be my father.¡¯ Babump babump. Just like last time, Jade¡¯s heart was beating hard against his will. His body was instinctively reacting on its own. Squeak. Jade turned his head as his heart began to beat faster. Shortly after, the door opened, and two men walked into the room. It was Belis Leon the Baron and his son Carlton Leon. ¡°Nice to meet you, mister Steven, Jade, Arelia.¡± Belis focused his greeting to Steven as he assumed Steven was the one bringing news from the Royal Palace. Although Steven was a court mage, he did not have any other titles attached to his name nor was he a noble. However, it was certain that he would be promoted once the purging was over, so Belis lowered his head even though doing so hurt his pride. Rustle. Yet even with his courteous greeting, Steven did not open his mouth and instead turned his upper body back. Seeing this, Belis was late on realizing who the most important person was in the group as Jade was the one sitting in the middle. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in a comfortable relationship to be greeting each other like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­So you were the main person mister jade.¡± ¡°I believe we can form a new relationship through talking.¡± Belis did not look down on Jade even though he was much younger and was a normal civilian, because Jade was the main contributor to the previous battle. Furthermore, he was a summoner that could summon a high-level spirit, so he was on the same level as a Master. ¡°A new relationship you say. From what I heard, I¡¯m sure it was your side that didn¡¯t want to talk Baron Leon.¡± Startle! Belis was startled for a moment, but that look disappeared in a flash. However, what he didn¡¯t realize was that there was a deficient Carlton by his side. ¡°And once a traitor will always be a traitor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. We did not have such thoughts.¡± Belis strongly feigned ignorance. Even if it were true, there was no way he would admit it in this meeting. That¡¯s why Belis made an expression as if he had suffered unfairness. ¡®Was he normally this type of person?¡¯ Jade stared at Belis and Carlton with a queer look. The Belis and Carlton in his memories were very terrifying, and they honestly were. In this land, he was like a king. It was normal for them to be frightening to normal civilians as they controlled the life and death of those below them. However, the current situation was different. ¡®If he hadn¡¯t fused with me and received my talent or affinity with the spirits, I¡¯m sure the situation would still be the same.¡¯ Jade didn¡¯t run away to the Great Forest without reason. He was at his current level now because of his talent and affinity with the spirits, but if he didn¡¯t have those two abilities, Jade would still be on the run even now. If anything, he may not even be alive right now. However, what was important now was the present. ¡®What¡¯s important to know is that the time of revenge has come.¡¯ Jade pulled out Belis¡¯ information which was hidden in his memories. Many of it was information he had received from his mother, but 99% of the information she had given him was true. That¡¯s why he had decided to take revenge without a second though. Additionally, Jade was qualified to do so. ¡®Just the number of women he messed around with exceeds several hundreds, and among them was Jade¡¯s mother.¡¯ An insignificant lord in an unimportant territory. He wasn¡¯t even rich so while the other nobles had concubines by their side, Belis didn¡¯t have any. Maybe that¡¯s why he labeled his inferiority complex with twisted desires. He secretly messed around with all the women in his land. Only, the problem was his after-measures as he didn¡¯t take care of any of the women that he messed around with. Although family was treasured within their own bloodline, they made sure to prevent any children from being born from other women out of fear of a possible succession struggle. That¡¯s why Jade and his mother couldn¡¯t settle down and had to wander the land. ¡°Baron Leon is always loyal to Paulstein. If you think about what happened before, strictly speaking we weren¡¯t betraying the kingdom since the second prince was a descendant of the Royal family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but the problem is that your thoughts are completely different from the Crown Prince¡¯s thoughts.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Belis was speechless. At the end of the day, the Crown Prince Lloyd was the one that was the decision maker. That¡¯s why Belis stared at Jade with shaky eyes as he was the one who knew what Lloyd¡¯s thoughts were. ¡°Let me ask you one thing.¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± Belis answered calmly as he felt the grief of being an insignificant lord of a small territory. However, his insides were blazing with rage. ¡°Do you know who Helen is?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Who is that?¡± ¡°As expected, you don¡¯t remember.¡± Jade momentarily looked dejected. His mother was treated like a toy, got pregnant with Jade, and lived in hiding all her life. Yet the party involved didn¡¯t even remember her name, when his mother had lived her whole life with anxiety. Chapter 13.4 - Baron Leon (4) -He¡¯s so bad! How does he not remember a woman he slept with?! -It could be because he slept with so many different women, he can¡¯t remember every single one of them. It seemed like there were more women before the battle than during and after. And I¡¯m sure there are more that are still hidden compared to the ones that are currently known. Celestine vented her anger in Jade¡¯s stead. It was just way too unbelievable. On the other hand, Elestra didn¡¯t seem too surprised. She had seen many of these situations among nobles, so this was nothing new to her. -Well, I wonder if it doesn¡¯t matter. Even if people knew, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference. -Let¡¯s just kill them all! Leave it to me! -Then what about the land? There won¡¯t be any of it left over. Jade inwardly smiled. He knew well what would happen if he allowed Celestine to run rampant without a leash. That¡¯s why Jade restrained himself and instead took out what Lloyd had written from his subspace. ¡°This was sent to you by the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± Belis¡¯ expression became gloomy as he stared at the luxurious sealed letter. It was because he could already guess what was written within the letter. However, because he couldn¡¯t just ignore the letter now that it was in front of him, Belis knelt down on one knee and carefully received it from Jade. ¡°Go ahead and read it.¡± Gulp. As Belis was still a noble of Paulstein, he swallowed his saliva and respectfully began to rip apart the letter. And then, with a nervous expression, he slowly read the letter that was written by Lloyd. ¡°There one thing I¡¯m curious about.¡± ¡°Please ask.¡± ¡°Why did you prolong coming here? The disposal of this family should have already been on the table.¡± Belis asked with a stiff expression. Yet, there was something unusual about him. It felt like he would pull his sword out at any given moment. ¡°It¡¯s because of me. I wanted them to prolong it.¡± ¡°You did?¡± Jade spoke with a wry smile as Belis had now spoken to him without respect. He asked Jade with the look of a predator getting ready to attack its prey. ¡°Yeah, you see, I wanted to get rid of you with my own hands. If I can, I want your death to be as miserable as possible.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all for the sake of my mother who had to die while living her whole life in anxiety all thanks to you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Belis¡¯ eyes opened wide and it was the same for Carlton who was also beside him. They were surprised because what Jade was saying was so obvious. ¡°To be honest, I held a little bit of an expectation from you, but as expected, you disappoint me. Either way, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, since I¡¯m going to clean this place up nice and well.¡± ¡°Attack!¡± Ba ba bang! At the same time as Belis¡¯ thundering cry, all the windows in the drawing room broke. The knights had jumped down from the castle walls and rushed in through the windows all at once. However, even with the surprise-like entrance made by the knights, Jade and Arelia didn¡¯t seem to be too surprised. ¡°As I thought, you weren¡¯t planning on quietly accepting your demise.¡± ¡°But I really didn¡¯t think you would attack so openly like this. It¡¯s now like you don¡¯t know our fighting power either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all for the sake of stalling time. The two of them are already gone.¡± ¡°Oh no.¡± Arelia¡¯s eyes grew wide. As the knights surrounded the three of them after rushing in through the windows, Belis and his son disappeared. However, even as he knew this, Jade did not panic. ¡°Well, even if they do this, it¡¯s not going to change the outcome.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. There are two Masters on our side.¡± Although the knights were the ones that were surrounding the group, they were also the ones that were the most nervous. Most of them had seen Jade and Arelia fight during the battle in Morton, so although they had surrounded the three, they did not dare to rush forward. Even if they were to attack, they knew they would be the ones to lose their lives. And, even from the beginning, Belis knew the knights wouldn¡¯t be able to kill the three of them. ¡°To think he doesn¡¯t realize that summoners are the best at pursuing inside a forest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because he thinks he¡¯s used to the Great Forest.¡± ¡°But the real expert is you, Jade.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not to that extent, but I do know a little.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you know more than those two fools.¡± Arelia jokingly laughed. However, different from their leisurely actions, the knights that were surrounding them were currently filled with cold sweat. Even though the two of them weren¡¯t doing anything, the knights were completely nervous. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°It seems like they slowly made it out of the castle, shall we go get them?¡± ¡°Y, you can¡¯t leave here!¡± ¡°We must do whatever we can to hold them back!¡± The knights shouted as soon as Arelia finished speaking. However, there weren¡¯t many that actually stepped forward. As the knights were also human, they did not want to die. Rip! That¡¯s why Arelia impartially killed all of them. She killed them as cleanly and as quickly as possible. Although they were all brave men that fought against the monsters from the Great Forest to protect their land, they were nowhere near being able to contend again Arelia. ¡°Laney told me new alcohol had to be poured for new troops.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong, that¡¯s for sure.¡± With a single strike of the sword, 20+ knights were all eradicated and as a result, the drawing room became a sea of blood. ¡°I will take care of clearing out this land.¡± ¡°I leave it to you.¡± Steven spoke with confidence. His usual idiocy was completely gone, and he now looked serious. ¡°Please come back safe.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any problems, since I¡¯ll be going with him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honestly not that worried. You guys were the heroes during the battle, so I think it would actually be rude for me to even think of being worried about you guys.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Arelia smiled. She was the one who knew Jade¡¯s skills the best, so there was no reason for her to feel nervous. And to be honest, she was more than sufficient to get rid of Baron Leon with his miniscule amount of strength. ¡°Scylla.¡± While Arelia and Steven were speaking to each other, Jade quietly summoned Scylla and as soon as it was summoned, Scylla lifted Jade and flew out the window. It knew exactly how Jade was currently feeling. ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡± Chapter 13.5 - Baron Leon (5) Gallop Gallop Gallop Gallop! Without a carriage, everyone was riding their own individual horses as Belis¡¯ group traversed the Great Forest. With the sudden appearance of Jade¡¯s group, their plans were completely foiled and had no choice but to move forward with the current people in their group. Carlton felt like this was too much of a waste. ¡°There is no time for you to be angry. We must move as quickly as possible, so the two of them can¡¯t follow us.¡± ¡°Yes father, but¡­..¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that later.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Noticing that Carlton had realized something, Belis shut Carlton¡¯s mouth. He believed there was no reason for this type of conversation to be talked about in front of so many people. Furthermore, what was important now wasn¡¯t Jade but his survival. ¡®I¡¯m certain they said they met in the Great Forest, so we must put as much of a distance between us as possible.¡¯ Belis became solemn. Everything had become chaotic. As much as he couldn¡¯t change what happened in the past, the only thing he could do now was to move forward with full force. ¡°Let¡¯s move even quicker!¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± As they had informed the Commanding Knight of their plans earlier, they were able to at least gather the little amount of people that were currently in the group. However, they were unable to pack any of their family wealth. ¡°H, hey!¡± ¡°Agh!¡± One of the knights that were sprinting forward on their horse suddenly freaked out and shouted. And hearing his shout, Belis¡¯ heart naturally began to pound. For some reason, he began to feel an ominous feeling and his feeling wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Mmm!¡± Belis looked devastated as he saw Jade and Arelia¡¯s figure tear through the sky. Although he was hoping for something, it was as expected that his weak knights wouldn¡¯t be able to hold the two of them behind. ¡°¡­¡­..Father.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep going. Nothing will change even if we were to stop right now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Even his surprise was short lived as Belis pulled his reins with all his might. Although Jade and Arelia had caught up to their group, it didn¡¯t mean they were finished. He believed he could leave them behind if he utilized the topography of the Great Forest, since he was the one that knew this forest the best. Boom boom boom! However, the Earth moved like waves as if to sneer at Belis¡¯ thoughts. The once hard ground was now moving around like a wave. ¡°Uhuh?!¡± ¡°Calm down! I said calm down!¡± The horses began to freak out as the ground began to move beneath them. They were shocked as this was something that had never happened before in their entire life. However, the surprises didn¡¯t stop there. Rustle! 10-meter Earth walls began to form around the group as if to surround them. ¡°Mmm!¡± Belis became gloomy as the Earth walls shot up from the ground out of nowhere. As they were now completely blocked off, they couldn¡¯t run away even if they wanted to. ¡°M, my lord!¡± Even the knights who were barely able to calm the horses down, approached Belis with dark faces. However, even he himself didn¡¯t have any other methods left. ¡°To think you would even leave your wife behind just to run away. You¡¯re even more of a trash than I expected.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t butt in. Someone like you doesn¡¯t have the right to butt in.¡± ¡°Huk!¡± As soon as Jade finished speaking, Noes appeared near Carlton and smacked him in the face with its tail. However, even though it had lightly swung its tail, blood poured out from Carlton¡¯s mouth as he flew five meters into the air. ¡°L, little lord!¡± Seeing this, the knights became flustered and yelled, but none of them dared to move. Seeing Noes standing in between them with a dignified manner made it impossible for them to move. Not only did it have the figure of a huge rhinoceros, but its aura was also extraordinary, so none of the knights were able to reach for their swords. ¡°¡­¡­.Do you really have to do this? At the end of the day, I¡¯m still your father.¡± ¡°How laughable. Since when did you even give me any paternal love.¡± ¡°If you can just close your eyes for me just this once and pretend like nothing happened, I¡¯ll disappear from you and never appear before you again. Additionally, I won¡¯t ever come back to Paulstein. I promise.¡± ¡°Your fate has already been decided. It just got slightly extended thanks to me.¡± ¡°So, you really want to go¡­.! Ugh!¡± Belis groaned as he pulled his sword out. He was directly hit by Hwid¡¯s lightning breath and was electrocuted. As he was a sword expert, he was able to endure the breath, but that was it. As he was electrocuted, Belis wasn¡¯t even able to speak properly. ¡°Uh?! Uh?!¡± ¡°P, please spare me! I was just doing what I was¡­..!¡± Noes moved at the same time as it gradually began to pull the spectating knights into the ground. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Why me! Why are you taking me as well! What the hell did I do wrong!¡± And it was the same for Belis and Carlton. The two began to sink into the ground as they received Jade¡¯s cold stare. ¡°I, I will never¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll curse you! Even if I must become a ghost, I¡¯ll curse you till the end!¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± The two nobles cursed with all their might, but the outcome was still the same. Shortly after, both their figures completely disappeared into the ground. ¡°Do you feel refreshed?¡± ¡°I¡¯m calm. Although it¡¯s revenge, it¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Jade meekly nodded his head. Although adults had told him to forgive his enemies and those who sinned, but he couldn¡¯t as he wasn¡¯t a saint. He as just a normal person. Bloop bloop. The ground wriggled as Jade was casually staring at the spot where Belis had been swallowed into. Then it suddenly began to spit out a few items. -As expected! Noes has commons sense! -The goods are innocent. The more there are the merrier. -Of course, of course! While the Earth walls that had risen high were sinking, all the goods that Belis and his people had rose to the ground. Even though it wasn¡¯t given any instructions, Noes used common sense to gather the items. And seeing this, Jade began to laugh uncontrollably, but he did not refuse Noes¡¯ hard work. Pooheung! Pooheung! Noes¡¯ eyes sparkled as Jade approached it once it was done gathering the items. It wanted Jade to praise it, so it began to blow air out through its nose. ¡°It seems like it wasn¡¯t something you requested Jade?¡± ¡°Yeah, Noes did it himself.¡± ¡°It seems like the spirits really love you. It¡¯s really rare for them to move on their own like this.¡± Arelia couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she could see that it wanted to be praised by Jade. And, at the same time, she couldn¡¯t but feel amazed. Although elves were said to be the closest to nature, spirits didn¡¯t act this way with them. ¡°Thanks.¡± Poorururunngg! Noes didn¡¯t know what to do as it felt Jade¡¯s gentle stroke. It wagged its butt and lowered its head to the ground as Celestine and Elestra burst out in laughter. This was a first for the two spirits as well. Ggyyoo! Only Hwid appeared to be displeased with the situation and looked to be jealous of Noes. However, seeing that Hwid was getting jealous, Noes smiled as it walked over and rubbed its head on Hwid. It was doing its best to comfort Hwid because it knew Hwid was still a baby. ¡°Such a nice thing to see.¡± ¡°I really believe I was fortunate enough to meet such nice kids.¡± ¡°It could also be that these nice kids appeared before you because you¡¯re a good person.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Arelia made a strange smile on her face. However, Jade was unable to see her expression because he was busily putting away the items Noes had gathered for him, into his subspace. A few moments later, Jade and Arelia both rode Scylla back to the Baron¡¯s land. Chapter 14.1 - Conferment Ceremony (1) Having arrived back at the capital, Jade received a summon by the two siblings. They had timed it perfectly and summoned him as soon as he got back. ¡°Mister Jade has arrived.¡± ¡°Escort him in.¡± ¡°Yessir.¡± With a stern expression, the Grand Chamberlain responded back in a deep voice and opened the door. Shortly after, with the escort of the Grand Chamberlain, Jade was able to see the two siblings sitting a little garden. ¡°You¡¯ve come.¡± As soon as Lloyd saw Jade, he immediately jumped up from his seat and welcomed him. However, there wasn¡¯t a single person that thought this was strange. Everyone knew that Jade had immensely contributed to the battle and felt that this was an appropriate reaction coming from Lloyd. ¡°Did you have a safe trip?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to you guys, I was able to take care of everything before coming back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad everything went well.¡± Laney gave her greetings with a smile after Lloyd, yet her atmosphere seemed to have changed in the last few days. Although she had originally been beautiful, it seemed like she was blossoming even more now. ¡°Now we can move forward with the conferment of your title. Although they didn¡¯t show it, there are three people who have been waiting for a while now.¡± ¡°It seemed like Steven had some expectations as well.¡± ¡°Haha, we know. He¡¯s not someone who¡¯s able to hide his true feelings.¡± Lloyd lightly laughed. However, a tint of leisure could be seen on his face that wasn¡¯t there before. ¡°Are you finished with the purges?¡± ¡°Yes, I finished it up just in time.¡± ¡°Thanks for you hard work.¡± ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s something I definitely had to do. If anything, I had a great time. It was something I was able to do because I beat the hardship and survived.¡± Laney who was quietly sitting next to Lloyd slowly nodded her head. If they weren¡¯t fortunate enough to meet Jade, they may not have been sitting here like this. That¡¯s why Jade was a necessity to the two siblings, even if Heinze didn¡¯t pressure them to. -That kid¡¯s eyes are filled with greed! -I don¡¯t think she gave up yet. Celestine and Elestra whispered into Jade¡¯s ears. As much as her face had become beautiful, Laney¡¯s greed had grown as well. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t know why Laney was acting like this, but the mere fact that the two spirits just didn¡¯t like her. It was very apparent that -she wanted to use Jade. -What¡¯s she going to do if she doesn¡¯t give up when I don¡¯t have any feelings for her. -In the old days, men always had to be careful of women. They always had to be careful of their middle leg! -What can a spirit not say. Jade was dumbfounded, yet on the other hand, he was curious as to where she learned to say such things. -Heng! How long do you think I¡¯ve lived for? You think even I don¡¯t know how old I am? -You don¡¯t have a reason to calculate your age, and when your young, you don¡¯t know how old you are. Elestra responded back for Jade as she felt that Celestine was being absurd. However, this didn¡¯t mean that Celestine understood what she said as she continued to be confident. ¡°Everything happened the way it did because of you Jade. If we hadn¡¯t met you in the Great Forest¡­¡­.Hoo. Even thinking about it is horrible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure us siblings wouldn¡¯t be able to sit here like this. We won¡¯t be able to forget this grace for the rest of our lives, and we will live each day while paying you back.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t achieve all this with just my help.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s true that you took the biggest role in it.¡± Lloyd spoke with sparkling eyes as he saw Jade shake his head. Of course, what Jade had said was correct as well. However, it was the definite truth that Heinze, Arelia and Jade played key roles in winning the battle. ¡°I really believe it was good luck that allowed us to meet you in the Great Forest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t seem to think straight because you two keep praising me.¡± ¡°Ei, what do you mean praising you. We¡¯re just telling the truth.¡± Laney responded back while giving a sidelong scowl with her beautiful eyes. And seeing this, Celestine became enraged. It was quite a good thing that Laney was unable to hear her words. Instead, Hwid who was in Jade¡¯s arms wriggled its eyes as the spirit was being too loud. ¡°Furthermore, we haven¡¯t been able to give you a proper reward yet. Although the nobles want me to be noncommittal, I would never be able to do that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the title.¡± ¡°Yes, I made this arrangement for us today so we could discuss things with you. Different from how I feel, it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll just take it even if I give it to you.¡± ¡°Are you trying to make me a Duke?¡± Jade jokingly spoke, but Lloyd¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t normal. He had made an expression as if he had thought up this idea as well. ¡°If it was me, I would love to give it to you since our territory isn¡¯t small. Of course, there¡¯s a higher position than that and can be a faster method.¡± Lloyd jokingly spoke as he glanced over at Laney. With eyes full of meaning, he began to look back and forth between Jade and Laney. And even Laney played along with his jokes. ¡°I¡¯m ready whenever you are.¡± ¡°Keum! You must not take a joke so seriously.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being honest though?¡± Laney made an expression as if she was hurt by Jade¡¯s words. However, everyone knew she was just acting. An act where there was sincerity at the core of it. ¡°With everything you¡¯ve done for us in the battle, I want to give you title of a Duke, but the nobles are highly against this. Even though they know you¡¯re a high-ranking summoner. Of course, I understand from their point of view as well, since a new duke means the current duke will lose more power and that would be the same thing as the nobles becoming weaker. So, as unfortunate as it is, I think Marquis is the limit that I can hit right now, but I promise I will promote you to Duke before long.¡± ¡°I think Marquis is plenty high already.¡± Jade waves his hand. He just needed the identity of a noble, not a high-ranking title.