Chapter 16

Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Eisen’s briefing was far from over.

“It isn’t merely your potential that stands above the rest. Even if we account for identical tiers of mastery, the clarity of your physical form is fundamentally superior to other warriors. Because of this, the impact of mana fortification will be significantly more potent for you. You will possess the capacity to command a greater volume of mana at a far more intense concentration.”

“Are you suggesting I would hold the advantage even against a combatant of my own rank?”

“Initially, it may manifest as a minor edge, but eventually, your growth will allow you to contend with two peers of the same grade at once. In time, you might even find yourself capable of matching those who stand at a superior stage of development.”

Lucian took a heavy breath as he processed the startling news.

When he first took up the Lion Heart Sword, he hadn’t dared to envision such heights. He would have been content simply to enter the ranks of the truly elite—a milestone he had failed to reach in his previous existence. Even that achievement would have garnered him immense respect throughout the land.

There was also the grim truth that he couldn’t devote himself entirely to the blade if he intended to organize for what was to come. Yet, the idea that he could surpass the status of a Sword Saint…

I want to witness it.

More than simple greed, his spirit as a warrior thrummed with fervor. Denying it would be a falsehood. However, at that same moment, Eisen’s previous remarks pulled at his thoughts.

“But what was the reasoning behind telling me to abandon the path of the heir? Is it truly impossible to coordinate my martial training with the duties of a successor?”

“Well, the matter is…”

Eisen paused, showing reluctance for a lengthy interval. Lucian remained composed in the quiet until, at last, a heavy breath broke from the veteran knight.

“Third Young Master, observe me closely.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Look upon this face. What do you perceive?”

The aged warrior questioned him while tracing a hand over his own features. Startled by the abrupt inquiry, Lucian studied the man’s face with a sense of confusion. What was there to see? Only the marks of age.

“Ah.”

“I believe you grasp it now.”

Eisen offered a pained grin as he watched the understanding settle on Lucian.

“I am an old man, Third Young Master. Due to a constitution refined by mana circulation, I remain robust for my years… but lately, I sense that my window is closing.”

He wasn’t wrong.

In his prior life, Sword Saint Eisen had perished eight years from this point. Given that he had reached three years beyond a century and passed without the burden of sickness, it was as graceful a death as one could hope for.

However, eight years was a vanishingly small period to cultivate a replacement for a Sword Saint.

The higher one climbed the mountain, the more arduous the ascent became. For a master of the Sword Saint’s level, the wisdom to be transmitted to a pupil would be staggering. Even if he dedicated every waking minute of the next eight years to instruction, it was doubtful if Lucian could grasp it all. When factoring in the moments a student would naturally falter or lose their way, the timeframe seemed even tighter.

“If I am to hand everything down while I still draw breath, the time remaining is insufficient. It is certain that you would have no capacity to also vie for power against the other young masters.”

“I follow your reasoning.”

Lucian shut his eyes and retreated into thought.

To be the heir to the Sword Saint. It was an incredibly tempting path. If the world were destined for permanent tranquility, he would have discarded his claim to the lordship immediately to lose himself in the sword. It was far more prestigious to be the sole protégé of a Sword Saint than to squabble with his kin for decades.

The issue is that a period of total chaos is drawing near.

Lucian had witnessed the world collapse with his own eyes. The authority of the Emperor became a mere shadow, and ambitious men everywhere began crowning themselves. There were numerous cliques, such as Hugo’s, that ascended through raw violence without any lawful right to rule.

Yet, most were dismissed as usurpers and faced unending rebellion. The cause was basic: their power lacked the weight of legitimacy.

There was a massive gulf between a life taken to settle a blood feud and a life taken for no cause at all. The usurpers, blind to this reality, relished their fleeting triumphs only to suffer the consequences shortly after. Power seized without a rightful claim meant others could snatch it away just as easily, and no one would view it as an injustice.

Coups and murders became the rhythm of life. The scales of power were never still.

Only a handful of rulers with genuine justification and the proper lineage managed to govern their lands with any permanence. During those years, Lucian saw exactly how vital legitimacy truly was. He understood that even if one could dominate the world, the victory wouldn’t endure without a righteous cause.

Obtaining various forms of standing was a mandatory phase in readying for the approaching storm. And yet, he was being asked to formally drop his claim as an heir of House Valdek—a lineage carrying the blood of the throne—simply for the sake of martial mastery? To abandon a “legitimacy engine” that could utilize both the Valdek reputation and the Imperial connection?

Certainly not.

While the title of Sword Saint was alluring, the price of surrendering his birthright was far too steep. Sadly, he had no alternative but to decline Eisen’s offer.

“I am truly sorry. My priority is to remain a Valdek, above all else.”

“Ah…”

A low sound of disappointment escaped the old knight at the polite refusal. Lucian could sense the man’s deep sorrow at losing his final opportunity.

“If that is your decision, then it cannot be helped. This old man’s ambition must have been overreaching.”

“It brings me shame to turn away such a magnificent proposal.”

“No, do not feel that way. In truth, with your innate skill, you could likely reach for the rank of Sword Saint in a few decades even without my guidance. I only attempted to force the choice because of my own desperate wish to leave a legacy behind through my own efforts.”

“….”

“How pathetic of me. I wonder what I was doing in my prime to be creating such a scene in my twilight years. A strong seedling is destined to become a towering tree even without my pruning. Hahaha.”

The hollow laughter grated on Lucian’s spirit. Despite the words, the blow of having his last spark of hope extinguished was clearly immense. After a brief pause for thought, Lucian looked toward Eisen.

“I have a single question. Even if I am not the one, what would you do if there were another prospect with the capability to become an exceptional pupil?”

“…?”

The Sword Saint blinked, stunned by the unexpected remark.

Lucian’s offer was straightforward. Within the span of two years, he would locate and deliver someone with a talent that far surpassed his own.

—It will require some time, but I will present someone so gifted that they will more than compensate for those two lost years. A student worthy of upholding Sword Saint Eisen’s name for centuries.

—I am moved by the sentiment alone.

—I am being completely honest. I will track them down.

—If you insist, I shall remain patient. But I feel regret for causing you such distress.

Eisen had laughed it off, failing to take Lucian’s promise with much weight. How could such a prodigy be found so casually? Lucian himself was a talent seen once in a hundred years; to discover someone even greater was unthinkable. He simply categorized it as a sweet gesture intended to soothe his feelings.

However, contrary to Eisen’s belief, Lucian was entirely sincere.

The Sword Demon should be in the vicinity of Kelheim around this time.

Felix the Sword Demon. He was the same age as Lucian, and their paths had crossed briefly during their time as soldiers of fortune. He was a striking man with delicate features who frequently faced ridicule for his pretty face. But that mockery usually ended abruptly.

In the heat of battle, Felix’s proficiency with a blade was nothing less than terrifying.

Even celebrated knights couldn’t survive more than a few moments against Felix’s steel.

The startling detail was that Felix’s blade arts were basic, much like Lucian’s own. Even though his rivals were far more skilled at mana fortification, Felix crushed them through sheer technical brilliance. He was even known to replicate segments of arts he had witnessed only once on the fly.

Even those who were consumed by envy eventually fell silent in reverence. If Lucian was the one gifted with a perfect body, Felix was the one with a perfect instinct for war. For the reborn Lucian, Felix was the top talent to secure before his fame exploded.

The obstacle was that Felix’s history before his mercenary years was a mystery. All Lucian knew was that Felix would start his career the following winter in the hamlet of Vindeln. Since he lacked his current coordinates, there was no way to recruit him just yet.

I feel regret for making Sir Eisen wait for more than a year, but it is necessary.

“Still, I thank you. It isn’t a bad feeling to know the Third Young Master holds me in such high regard.”

Thankfully, Eisen appeared to be in higher spirits, a grin returning to his features. Even if he assumed it was merely a comfort, he seemed moved by Lucian’s earnestness.

“Now, let us conclude this old man’s whining. Regardless of the path you have chosen, my responsibility is to instruct you in the sword.”

As Eisen’s expression became focused, Lucian nodded and adjusted his stance. The serious training was set to commence.

“My third brother has been named as a fresh contender for the inheritance?”

“That is correct, Young Master.”

Joshua scowled at the messenger’s news. Joshua was already struggling in the race because of his youth. To think his third brother, who had been invisible until this point, would enter the competition.

“This is infuriating. What on earth shifted his perspective after all this time?”

His other two siblings likely wouldn’t take it to heart. They had already established their power bases and were probably convinced that Lucian’s skills wouldn’t equal theirs. But for Joshua, who had yet to fully cement his own standing, this was a devastating setback. It meant another candidate had appeared for the knights who had not yet pledged themselves to the two eldest brothers.

It was certain that everyone would now be occupied with comparing Lucian against Joshua.

“Curses. He is truly of no benefit. Would it kill him to just remain in the shadows and assist his younger brother?”

“Is there truly a reason to be concerned? Even if the Third Young Master enters the struggle now after showing zero ambition all these years…”

“Who said I was intimidated by that idiot? The issue is that the followers I’ve recruited are starting to hesitate!”

“I-I am sorry!”

Joshua’s tone turned sharp as his subordinate failed to understand the nuance. After cooling his rising anger, Joshua evaluated the state of affairs logically.

It wouldn’t be an issue if he had only displayed his weak side, but the fact that he recently outplayed Jordi is the complication.

To Joshua, it was nothing but luck—a reckless move that happened to pay off. Lucian, who had never exhibited a temper, had simply lost control, and Jordi had looked like a fool because he was unprepared for the outburst.

The problem, however, was that to everyone else, it appeared as though Lucian had orchestrated the entire event with precision. In the worst-case scenario, capable individuals might believe the rumors and align themselves with Lucian instead of Joshua.

I must tear away Lucian’s false image as quickly as I can.

Once Lucian’s shallow character was revealed, everyone would regain their senses. The fairy tale about him hiding his strength would vanish. The only hurdle was how to dismantle that mask. Since Lucian was now a formal participant in the succession battle, inflicting direct physical injury was strictly against the rules.

“Wait, what did you say my third brother is occupied with right now?”

“H-he is at the training grounds receiving instruction in the Lion Heart Sword from Sir Eisen. Just as you did previously, Young Master.”

A plan struck Joshua’s mind like a bolt of lightning. He stood up and barked an order.

“I am going to the training grounds. Bring me two well-honed blades.”

“I beg your pardon? Do you mean actual steel?”

“Yes. Not blunt wooden tools, but live blades meant for real combat.”

Joshua smiled wickedly as he looked toward the direction of the training grounds.

“As the younger brother who mastered the art first, it is only right that I assist my brother with his drills.”