Chapter- 03
He brought his fingers together with a faint smile.
At once, his attendant and knight rushed forward to stand behind him.
“And from now on, do not call my name so casually. It is proper etiquette to address a formal heir by their number. I will not overlook it next time.”
“I will remember that. I’m truly sorry.”
When I bowed deeply to apologize, Baren nodded as if satisfied.
“Well, well. You’re newly arrived, so I suppose you couldn’t have known. Let me introduce myself properly. I am Baren Lasarc, the Fifth Heir. I preside over the ‘Sea.’”
“I’m Allen, in charge of the Eighth Treasure.”
“That much, everyone in this castle already knows.”
He leaned in close until his face was right in front of mine.
“Isn’t that right, you fool?”
“You flatter me.”
A faint scent of mint drifted from him.
It must have been the perfume he used — but there was something else that brushed against my nose.
He’s angry.
A subtle trace of fury seeped out from him.
Apparently, like the other apprentice heirs, he didn’t take kindly to me.
“You take that as a compliment?”
“If it wasn’t, then that’s my mistake.”
“Hmph. You know how to bow, yet you don’t know yourself.”
His smile faded gradually as he spoke.
“The House of Prophecy exists for one purpose — to move the future. It has dedicated thousands of years to that cause. You are an official heir of that house!”
“……”
“The entire continent dances to the words that flow from this family’s mouth! There are even some who say our house stands higher than the royal palace itself. You know that, don’t you?”
“……Yes, I know it well.”
“If you know that, then why are you wasting time swinging a wooden sword? An heir of such a house, engaging in such vulgar labor?”
“It’s merely a personal pastime.”
“A pastime? For what purpose? What need have you for such base, unpleasant, and foolish physical work? Manual effort is for the lower people. The upper ones merely observe from above — do you not understand that?”
“……”
I answered vaguely.
“I was simply training in self-defense.”
“Self-defense?”
“I’ve heard that the internal conflicts within our house can be quite fierce, so I was preparing myself.”
“Self-defense, you say… very well, I see.”
A smile bloomed again on Baren’s face.
Meanwhile, his attendant’s expression grew increasingly grim.
“Then, since my little brother is training for self-defense, I, as an elder brother, ought to help him.”
“My lord!!”
“Oh? What’s wrong? Didn’t he just say it himself — self-defense?”
“If you cause another disturbance, the retainers’ council will—!”
“Ah, those old fools won’t be saying anything for long. Don’t worry, steward.”
“Still…!”
“Pallian? Are you ready?”
The attendant tried to stop him, but Baren didn’t even pretend to listen. He called for his knight instead.
It seemed that “Pallian” was the knight’s name.
Pallian cracked his neck and stepped forward.
“Of course. I’m ready, my lord.”
He looked at me with the gaze of a predator eyeing its prey.
Baren, meanwhile, watched me with the expression of someone looking at a toy. Now I understood what his smile had meant all along.
He’s the type who enjoys toying with people.
He’d come here with that intention from the start.
I looked at Pallian and met his eyes.
He chuckled as if amused.
“Would you care to spar with me?”
How could an heir of a noble house possibly spar with a knight?
Especially when my current strength didn’t come close to his.
If I accepted, I’d likely end up seriously injured — perhaps unable to move for days.
“I’d rather not—”
Shiiing!
Before I could refuse, Pallian’s sword slashed toward me.
I barely managed to draw my blade and deflect the strike.
When I looked at him in surprise, Baren spoke in mock reprimand.
“Hey, Pallian! You swung before he even answered!”
“Eh? I could’ve sworn I heard him say yes, my lord.”
“Did you now? Haha, well, if you say so, it must be true.”
I continued staring at Pallian in disbelief.
“But since the new heir looks frightened, be gentle with him, won’t you?”
“Yes, my lord!”
My eyes trembled faintly.
So this is how it is.
When our swords met, I saw something.
At the same time, the ring on my finger pulsed faintly.
So this is the kind of power the House of Prophecy holds!
I gripped my sword tightly and smiled faintly, distorted.
No wonder none of them ever noticed — they’ve never swung a sword in their lives.
I suppressed my laughter and sharpened the tip of my blade.
“Very well. Let’s have a match, then.”
“Ahahaha! Spirited, aren’t you, Allen?”
This might be my perfect opportunity.
Clang! Clang!
From that point on, Pallian’s strikes completely overwhelmed me.
His speed was far beyond mine, and with my frail body, all I could do was block desperately.
Claaang!
Our blades collided again, forcing me back several steps.
Anyone could see I was clearly on the losing end.
And yet, Pallian’s face twisted in frustration.
“You little…!”
“You’re learning something, I see, Pallian.”
“Shut up!”
Despite his overwhelming strength, his sword hadn’t even grazed me.
And now, his breathing had grown ragged.
“Why… why isn’t this working! The young lord’s watching!”
Clang! Creak!
Our swords locked again, edge to edge.
Pallian had no choice but to retreat a step.
“Huff… huff…”
I could barely hold back a grin.
His strength is far greater than mine.
But in everything else — technique, composure, psychology, variety of sword forms — I held the advantage. I’d once become the King of Mercenaries through the sword alone.
“Damn it!”
When he yelled in frustration, even Baren’s expression changed slightly.
“Pallian, haven’t you had enough fun?”
“My lord, I—!”
“It’s still early, but if the other heirs see this, they’ll talk. End it now.”
“…Yes, my lord.”
Pallian forced a grin, but from this distance, I could see his lips trembling.
“He said to stop, didn’t he?”
“I will! Whatever trick you’re using, I won’t hold back anymore!”
He threw all his strength into a single strike.
But it was laughable.
Clang.
“Not holding back?”
CLANG!
“You’ve been at full strength from the start.”
“You bastard!!”
Clang! Clang! Clang!
He abandoned his sword form entirely, just hacking away furiously.
“This makes no sense! Huff… no matter how I think about it, it’s not right!”
“Whoa there, calm down.”
“Damn it! How are you blocking everything? It’s like you can read my attacks—!”
He shook his head violently, trying to clear his thoughts.
“No, no, don’t think nonsense!”
Then he stared at me carefully.
“Yes… I get it now.”
A crooked smile returned to his face.
“You must’ve learned by watching the knights train, right? You’ve got a good eye — that’s how you can predict my moves.”
His attitude changed again, confidence flooding back.
“In that case…”
He adjusted his grip and stance completely.
“I’ll show you a different sword style.”
“Hm…?”
“You look surprised. First time seeing a new sword art? This one’s from my days as a mercenary, before I became a knight.”
A dark bloodlust filled the air as Pallian licked the edge of his sword.
“You should feel honored. Normally, I’d never reveal this — but no one here will recognize it, and…”
He rolled his eyes to scan the surroundings.
“…I’ll just ‘accidentally’ kill you here, so it’s fine, right?”
Then, like a madman, he charged.
I stumbled back instinctively.
“Die!”
“This is…!”
My eyes widened.
“The sword style of the Antis Province.”
“What?”
Pallian’s face went pale.
But the crude, brutal swing he’d already launched couldn’t be stopped.
“Ah.”
“It’s been a long time.”
CLANG!
His strike — focused at a single point — was easily deflected by my blade, flying from his grasp.
The sword spun away into the air, and Pallian stared at me in shock.
“What… what did you just say?”
“I said nothing.”
Shhk.
My sword was already at his throat.
I swallowed my words.
My victory hadn’t come from greater skill, or more sword forms.
I simply saw it — the future of your blade.
That was the true power of the Eighth Treasure.
Beyond the memories of my past life — beyond my enhanced swordsmanship — it granted me one more ability.
“So, that means I win, doesn’t it?”
“Th-that’s…!”
To read the path of the sword —
To glimpse a fraction of the future.
