Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I entered the audience chamber of the Count’s castle.

The guards made the steward kneel, then placed the open box of spiritual herbs in front of him.

Standing behind with the guard captain, Count Valdemar leisurely walked in and sat on the chair.

The Count didn’t even glance at the kneeling steward and spoke to me first.

“Viscount Gradias, I heard you left.”

“There were suspicious circumstances but the tail wasn’t stepped on, so I disguised myself as having left.”

“So the steward moved?”

The Count looked down at the pot.

It was a pot of spiritual herbs that grow naturally near the Spirit Vein Forest.

“You mean my Snow Pine was originally inside those pots?”

“Yes.”

The Count looked at the guard captain.

“Evidence?”

“According to the statement obtained from the mercenary who invaded the Spirit Vein Forest, we found the mountain cabin and stored that box. The steward came there and checked the box, and finally mentioned with his own mouth that the Snow Pine was gone.”

Baron Martin untied the left button of his cloak and handed it to the Count’s attendant.

“Everything is recorded here.”

“You saw it with your own two eyes?”

“While watching the steward, when he headed to the forest unlike usual, I hid in the previously promised warehouse and waited, recording all those scenes.”

The button was lifted in the Count’s hand.

As mana rose from his fingertips, a square image formed on the surface of the Count’s pupils.

A moment later, the Count opened his mouth.

“Steward. Can you make an excuse?”

“I, I was wrong—”

The Count raised his hand as if he had heard enough and blocked the steward’s words.

“Zephyros. Behead him.”

“Yes.”

Blue mana crumbled under the feet of the knight standing behind the Count.

He was already retrieving the bloodstained sword from beside the beheaded steward.

The Count nodded, and Zephyros wiped the blood on the sword with a handkerchief and sheathed it.

“Clear it away.”

The corpse was carried out, and the Count called me again.

“Viscount Gradias.”

“Yes.”

“I should give you a reward for the merit of protecting my belongings. What do you need right away?”

“I want to return all businesses related to the Gradias family’s Ascar Forest, along with the management duty of the Spirit Vein Forest.”

The audience chamber briefly quieted.

“I said I would give a reward to the viscount who performed the duty well, and you want to return that duty?”

It might seem like why hand over what you have when a reward is being given, but in fact, returning a duty rather than a right or interest is not an easy matter.

Since it feels like saying to the person who gave the duty ‘I will no longer work for you’, it was a demand that could instantly sour the relationship without a decent justification or plausible reason.

“Yes, I was able to protect it because I was here now, but if something like this happened when I was away, I would not have been able to fulfill the duty. Baron Fallos and his son would have died, and the responsibility would have fallen on Gradias.”

The Count was lost in thought for a moment.

Then he nodded.

“That’s right. I would have held the Gradias family responsible. It would have been a big deal for you.”

As expected, the Count is an interesting person.

He is casually saying that you would have covered my loss.

But it’s a handling befitting the Count.

He decides right and wrong, and immediately reveals that judgment without hiding it.

“Yes, since the right to gather resources near the Spirit Vein Forest and the right to cut the trees of the forest come with that duty, I intend to hand over the entire business at once.”

This was for Baron Fallos.

So that the business entrusted and managed by the Fallos family doesn’t get fragmented, hand it over all at once.

This way, the Count won’t bother touching them who have operated well for hundreds of years and will continue to operate.

He will just attach guards to protect the Spirit Vein Forest and the manager and be done.

“Good. I’ll take it back.”

The Count nodded.

“But these rights and duties are always open to the Gradias family, and I will issue a certificate that allows you to demand restoration at any time.”

“Thank you, Count.”

The Count was speaking on the premise that he was temporarily retrieving that duty for the one year the family head of the Gradias family is away, and that he would return it upon coming back.

“The Valdemar Count family will purchase 90% of the shares of the overall forestry business held by the Gradias family and manage it. The Gradias family will receive 10% of the profits.”

Leaving 10% shares was unexpected.

Was it because I asked when he said he would give a reward.

Probably the Count wanted this procedure regarding the Spirit Vein Forest to appear as a clear reward bestowed on the vassal Gradias family rather than the aftermath of something he had overlooked.

“Come to think of it, you’re looking for a witch and restoration magic?”

“Yes.”

Am I just that good...?

The matter I conveyed to the butler not long ago has reached the Count’s ears.

This is something that cannot happen without interest.

“Is there something to fix?”

“Yes. There is a relic I want to fix quickly. Since it’s my great-grandfather’s item, a witch skilled in mysteries or high-level restoration magic is needed.”

“The magic department professor at the academy should be able to do restoration magic too... Ah, right, if you want a tight mouth, a witch is better. It must be a precious relic.”

Thank you for understanding on your own.

“You said you disposed of everything, but it seems you left the really important things.”

The Count laughed gladly.

“Yes, how can a family that doesn’t leave even one history be called a prestigious family.”

It seems he didn’t like that I disposed of the Gradias family’s heritage as if it wasn’t a waste.

If I don’t do it myself, you’re the one who disposes of everything...

Well, even in war, if I perform, I’m a hero, if the enemy performs, a demon, isn’t it.

He said to the attendant.

“If there is a restoration scroll, bring it. If not, bestow wealth equivalent to its value.”

He asked what was needed right away, but was he thinking of this from the beginning.

It meant he would give a restoration scroll, or pay the price instead.

Before long, the attendant brought the scroll.

“Thank you, Count.”

“I feel the same. It’s fortunate that the Snow Pine could be protected. But when are you returning to the sword family?”

In the end, I end up hearing these words.

If I hear words like ‘hurry and go to the sword family, finish training and come back’ from the Count, it was essentially no different from a temporary exile order.

That’s why I was trying as much as possible not to face him until finishing the work in the Count’s territory, but now there was no need for that.

There is nothing more to worry about on this land.

“I can delay no longer, so I intend to prepare quickly and leave.”

“I’ll send the documents or items you need to the sword family, so don’t worry and do so.”

The Count stood up from his seat and withdrew from the audience chamber.

I shook hands with the guard captain and conveyed thanks.

“Thank you for helping.”

“No. Please come find me anytime.”

Baron Martin, who got angry as if it were his own matter regarding the father who was a knight commander, is a guard captain from the knight order, and when I secretly went to him and asked for help, he readily cooperated.

Thanks to that, I was able to finish the work without information leaking.

“Well then, let’s go out and have a meal. I’ll treat.”

“Good.”

“Is meat okay?”

“Of course, Viscount.”

***

“Count, what are you thinking so hard about?”

“That child of the Gradias family.”

“Yes.”

“I wrote the recommendation letter for that guy.”

“You mean the Equira Sword Family.”

“It’s a waste.”

“The recommendation letter?”

“The person.”

The Count looked outside the window.

The lush Ascar Forest was visible far away.

There, just then, red light was falling down.

“Hmm?”

***

Standing on the mid-slope of an uninhabited mountain, I tore the restoration scroll.

Mana swirled and the magic trapped in the paper was released.

A complex magic circle widely spread on the chest. I took out the Red Moon Stone and placed it in the empty space between them.

Centered on the Red Moon Stone placed in the air, mana flowed through all circuits and the magic circle began to rotate.

Blue mana surged toward the Red Moon Stone like waves.

The stone that shook and trembled crumbled.

The red fog created that way rode the faint and long blue path and went upstream toward the moon in the sky.

Before long, as if answering it, a red thread touched the forehead.

I was quietly closing my eyes.

A brief sense of floating.

At the feeling of both feet touching the ground, I slowly opened my eyes.

...The eye that looks down on the world.

The red moon that honors heroes declares.

The seed of magic power has germinated and taken root.

“What...?”

I mulled over that sentence once more.

The seed of magic power has germinated.

And taken root...

If translated into the language of the path of magic, it was like this.

‘The dead path seed has awakened and become a Magic Root.’

If explained a bit more easily, it was like this.

‘You have obtained the qualification of a magic practitioner.’

The enemy Solders Orsel later entered the path of magic and possessed numerous Blessings.

I thought I could receive one of his Blessings, but that wasn’t it.

What I received was the very reason he was able to enter the path of magic.

When I faced the Demon King and regressed, only one answer came to mind.

To stop something like that, there is no choice but to become a god.

That’s why I decided to do my best to prevent the descent so that there would be no need to stop it.

But is that enough?

The path where I can win even in the final, worst situation.

The path I couldn’t choose because it wasn’t in the options.

I walk the path of magic.

***

Seara returned.

I received my identification card back from her.

The guard corps knew that Viscount Gradias was inside the Count’s territory, but they didn’t stop her return.

“It was fun.”

Baron Fallos moved the luggage of the hut he had remodeled into lodging to his own mansion.

“Even if you recover the furniture later, I’ll fill it with similar items, so come and stay anytime.”

Later, as the crimes of the steward and the Baales Mercenary Group were revealed, Baron Fallos learned the fact that not only he who was attacked in the Spirit Vein Forest but also his son’s life was in danger.

His loyalty deepened even more, and now it felt like he treated me almost like an emperor.

I spent a few days at his house before leaving the Count’s territory.

Butler Morris Hendel decided to follow, leaving his hometown.

“The place where the Gradias family is is where I should be.”

The carriage heading to the Equira Sword Family stopped in front of the Fallos Baron family.

I boarded the carriage receiving everyone’s send-off.

I smiled and said to Seara visible beyond the window.

“I’m going.”

I didn’t say let’s meet again.

Anyway, when time passes, she’ll come looking on her own.

The carriage heading to the sword family departed.

When the people waving their hands from the rear window of the carriage grew distant, I looked forward and said.

“Don’t enter the sword family right away, let’s stop by the capital first.”

© Rovin#1p34l