Chapter 62 - Kids These Days (3)

A tree taking root on a low hill.

Standing with her back to the window where the tree could be clearly seen, the woman with water-colored hair bit her lip.

"... The Gaidar Family has now secured a bridgehead leading to the North."

"To be exact, they have taken a region where they can establish a bridgehead. Because to advance into the North, they will eventually have to pass through us."

The piles of documents stacked heavily next to the desk blocked the incoming sunlight, casting a shadow over her face.

"Will they come for us?"

"... I cannot be certain, but you must be prepared."

Alicia Heinal.

The Family Head of the Heinal Family and the master of Deirmar.

Right now, a map was spread out before her, and upon that map sat a piece representing the Gaidar Family.

"It would be easier on my mind to assume they are coming. Though I don't know when."

"You are right."

The Gaidar Family had now pushed right up to the doorstep of Deirmar.

The new conqueror of the West was expanding relentlessly, and now their influence was reaching into the North and the Central.

"... While we were busy holding off the Central, the West was approaching before we even realized it."

Watching the situation flow in an unexpected direction, Alicia tried hard to let out the anxiety building up inside her.

The blood of a noble must be blue.

Because one must be able to make a cold, clear judgment at any time and in any situation.

Alicia was constantly struggling to make sure she could do exactly that.

"I should write a letter to the Bayezid Family."

Alicia bit her lip as she looked down at the map.

Fortunately, she had taken out some insurance just for times like this.

"They will help us. They should have both the duty and the reason to do so."

"You are right."

Bayezid would surely help Deirmar.

Because geographically, if they were to be breached, the next target would be Bayezid County, one of the pillars of the North.

There was a good reason why the duel of honor, which was like a proxy war between the Central and the North, took place here.

"I'm glad I gave him my handkerchief."

"Indeed. Rumors about the boy have been coming in constantly lately. He is growing splendidly."

When praise for Vlad came from Duncan's mouth, Alicia inexplicably shrugged her shoulders and continued speaking.

"It seems he forged a connection with San Rosino this time around. It can't hurt to be on good terms with the church."

Upon hearing Alicia's words, Duncan looked down at her with a subtle expression.

The fact that the Soara investigation party had discovered an ominous omen in House Uthman was the most talked-about event in the North lately.

However, most lords would be paying attention to the traces of black magicians or the delicate dynamics between Baron Uthman and Bayezid.

"... I did invest in that boy, after all."

"I understand."

Yet Alicia was showing more interest in Vlad's movements than in such political trends.

Having constantly kept track of his movements ever since Vlad left Deirmar, the intelligence network she had spread across the North was rather strengthening as a result.

"I also think it was a good decision."

"Right. The higher his name value rises, the more it benefits us."

Having received Lady Alicia's handkerchief, Vlad had a moral obligation to answer her call.

And when the boy returned to Deirmar with the justification of the handkerchief, he would not be coming alone.

Because she had made a promise with Joseph that it would be so.

"Let's broaden our reconnaissance range a bit. So we can quickly notice any suspicious movements. Since we lack military power, we will have to buy whatever time we can."

"... Understood."

Seeing Alicia quickly change the subject, Duncan decided to let it go quietly.

Since it was a busy and difficult time, it would be good to leave her at least a small moment to catch her breath.

"I hope this passes by safely."

"I think so too."

The world was changing rapidly.

To an extent that the old folks who had been ruling the world until now could not predict.

The old knight simply felt sorry for the youth who had to carry heavy burdens into this ever-changing world.

The white flowers blooming in full on the tree atop the hill.

Those flowers, which had begun to bloom right after the boy left, were the only comfort that currently existed in Deirmar.

* * *

CLANG! CLANG!

With the loud sound of a hammering hammer in front of him, Vlad sat there panting.

"That stubborn old man. If I had it my way, I would have rammed into him right then and there."

"... Is that so?"

Watching Vlad curse at an old man right in front of him, the old blacksmith just silently swung his hammer down with a subtle expression.

Youngsters might have their own burdens to bear, but there were also times when old folks had to turn a blind eye and pretend not to notice.

"But what on earth did you go around cutting this time?"

"It was a somewhat tough guy this time."

It was a reprimand given while looking at the sword that had become completely chipped again not long after it was last fixed, but the boy had a valid reason for it.

"... And what is this about a headless man?"

Hearing about an existence he had never seen or heard of in his life, the old blacksmith let out words that sounded like a sigh.

The heavily heated unadorned sword looked particularly pathetic today.

"You seem to be fighting tougher and tougher bastards as time goes by."

"I guess that's my fate."

Watching the boy joke that he wasn't destined to live a comfortable life anyway, the old man silently began to strike down on the unadorned sword.

It was a piece he had poured all the strength he could into, but it was not a sword made for such purposes.

"Isn't it about time you changed your sword?"

"What?"

At the old man's casually tossed words, Vlad widened his eyes in panic.

The old man's attitude, appearing so calm as if it were nothing, looked rather unfamiliar to Vlad.

"It's a piece I made thinking you'd be lucky to just go out and slice up monsters with it. The material is merely ordinary iron, and the one who made it is just a mediocre blacksmith."

"But."

"If you keep using it like this, it will eventually break."

The boy would run into more hardships as he grew, but the unadorned sword would forever remain in its current state.

The old blacksmith hoped the sword he made would not hold the boy back.

This guy lying here battered and bruised probably wouldn't want that either.

"I'm not telling you to change it right this instant, so just think about it."

"... Do you take custom orders?"

At the boy's words, the old blacksmith just ended up laughing.

He usually acted all grown up, but showing his childish side at times like this made him a completely unpredictable kid.

"This guy is my final masterpiece. Go find another blacksmith besides me."

Lamenting a farewell is a privilege of the young.

Because for old folks who were worn out and aged, it was just something like a daily occurrence.

"Are you taking it with you today?"

"I might have to use it a little later."

"Alright."

After being dipped into the water trough to cool its heated body, the unadorned sword had returned to its smooth appearance once again.

It was an appearance that still wouldn't fall short even if it stayed by the boy's side.

"It's hot, so be careful."

"Yes."

The old man squinted his eyes, which stung from the sparks, and saw off the boy leaving the smithy.

'...'

The footsteps of the boy stepping outside were confident and steady, unlike before.

Enough that he could now easily slip past a mire like the one ahead.

"As it should be."

Nodding his head as he watched that sight, the old blacksmith locked the door of the smithy with a series of quiet coughs.

Business was closed for today.

Since he had just poured all his strength into the boy's sword.

* * *

Vlad's nerves had been on edge lately.

It wasn't simply because he had received a probation order from Joseph.

'...'

["There is someone tailing you."]

Just as the Voice said, there had been someone tailing Vlad since yesterday.

Feeling like he knew who the owner of that gaze was, Vlad quickly left the familiar alleyways and intentionally began to twist his route.

Vlad briskly walked past a skewer shop filled with pungent smoke to widen the distance, and completely hid his presence by brushing through a crowded main street.

And then, watching the boy suddenly disappear in front of a dark alleyway, the old man ended up halting his steps.

'He catches on quick.'

Not only did he notice his presence, but sensing the boy standing behind him before he knew it, the old man nodded his head.

As expected, there was a reason he had received Bayezid's leather armor.

"Why are you following me?"

"I was merely going my own way, so what are you talking about?"

At the old man's nonchalant reply, Vlad began to growl as if he could no longer hold back.

"Starting from yesterday, it seems you've been provoking me far too much."

'... Good, sharp momentum.'

Seeing the boy who was furious yet not swept away by it, the old man nodded.

Seeing how he knew how to control himself, he was a lad with great capacity.

If so, his defiance back then must have definitely been intentional.

What an insolent brat.

"That's why you shouldn't have done something so stupid in the first place. Did I say anything wrong back then?"

"..."

Looking at the old man sneering in front of him, Vlad caught on.

The old man was provoking him right now.

He definitely had a purpose, and there was something he wanted from him.

"If you have a problem with me, you should just say it. Instead of beating around the bush."

Watching the boy growling as he slowly gripped his sword hilt, the old man smiled.

There was a raw feeling to the boy that he hadn't felt in a very long time.

It was something he missed, and also something he was glad to see.

"If you're pissed off, come at me. You punk."

Seeing the old man gesture with his hand for him to come, Vlad hardened his resolve.

He didn't know who he was, nor why he was doing this, but the old man was someone Joseph vouched for.

There must surely be an intention behind him acting like this right now.

"... You started this."

If there was an intention, Vlad quickly drew his sword with the resolve to smash even that intention to pieces.

The old man who had survived countless battlefields was undoubtedly someone stronger than him.

However, the boy who had lived in a world where being looked down upon meant death was someone prepared to pounce on anyone at any time.

SHING!

Following the principles of the one-hit kill, Vlad drew his sword at a speed that defied prediction.

'You've got some tricks up your sleeve!'

Seeing the sword sharply slicing through the incredibly narrow alleyway with no room to dodge, the wrinkles on the old man's face smoothed out.

It was rather commendable that a mere kid had imbued his own unique traits into a single strike of his sword like this.

So he would have to show him a little something himself.

"What are you doing instead of pulling it out quickly?"

"...!"

Vlad was panicking.

It wasn't because the strike he unleashed had been blocked in vain.

He had already anticipated that much.

When he moved right, it moved right.

When he moved left, it moved left.

Seeing the old man's sword constantly following and bizarrely pressing down on the tip of his own sword, Vlad realized his movements had already been read.

'Damn it!'

Watching the old man's divine-like swordplay, Vlad quickly closed his left eye.

He had expected it, but as expected, he was not an opponent whose measure could be taken.

"Why the hell are you doing this to me!"

Vast worlds were always quick to pressure and kick the boy around.

Now absolutely sick and tired of such treatment, Vlad erupted with all the anger he had built up so far and lunged at the nameless old man.

'Excellent!'

Feeling the boy's momentum trembling under his sword, the old man curled up the corners of his lips.

Even back in his active days, there were few who could wield such clear aura at this age.

"Do I look like such a pushover!"

CLANG!

Within the cramped alley, the swords of the boy and the old man clashed.

The boy's momentum, which could not be suppressed by technique alone this time, clung to the old man along with fierce sparks.

"Good momentum!"

It wasn't just his momentum that was good.

Struggling to stick as close as possible so that he couldn't use any tricks, the boy was actually thinking right now.

He might not be able to catch up in technique or experience, but being younger, he could at least overwhelm him in strength.

The movements of the boy, who was analyzing his opponent's weakness and stubbornly biting down on it, were clearly yearning for victory.

SCREEECH!

With a harsh metallic sound, the old man was pushed all the way back against the wall.

Indeed, the flow of time was cruel, leaving him unable to stop the young lad from shoving him back.

"Pretty impressive."

"Let's see how long you keep smiling."

Fired up with irritation at the old man's relaxed smile, Vlad shoved the unadorned sword forward with all his might, thrusting it toward the old man's neck.

"It was a good move, but you picked the wrong opponent."

"...?"

However, the moment Vlad felt an ominous sensation while looking at the old man's still-relaxed smile...

"What?"

The old man's sword.

No, the old man's arm was glowing.

Vlad was utterly horrified to see the old man infusing aura into his arm rather than his sword.

Because among all the knights he had seen so far, he had never once seen a knight infuse aura into their physical body instead of their weapon.

"Pretty useful, right? It's reinforcing the body."

The old man, who joked as if he were showing off a toy, began to fiercely push Vlad's sword back, as if declaring it was his turn now.

"Ugh, urgh..."

Feeling a completely different level of strength from before, Vlad's sword gradually began to be pushed back.

An old man was physically pushing back a young man with pure strength.

"With application, even things like this are possible."

"...!"

There was no time to panic at the bizarre turn of events.

This time, the old man's palm glowed, and he unhesitatingly grabbed the boy's sword.

Since it was a sword that had just finished undergoing repairs, it was surely sharp, yet not a single drop of blood had formed on the old man's hand.

The old man's palm, having become harder than steel, made that possible.

'What is this!'

Vlad let out silent screams inside his head.

It was a scream let out as a piece of the common sense he had built up until now shattered.

["..."]

In a situation where even the Voice wasn't offering any advice, as if doing so on purpose, Vlad gave up his sword on his own out of pure instinct.

And then, he quickly drew Jorge's dagger and dug into the old man's embrace.

"... Hah!"

Seeing Vlad's sharp judgment, the old man ended up letting out an exclamation of admiration.

The boy charging in after discarding his sword, as if he couldn't care less about face or pride.

It was a daring maneuver that only a lad with the heart of a beast could perform.

He felt it once again, but this lad was a natural.

"You brat!"

Faced with an unorthodox movement that no properly trained knight would make, the old man unconsciously threw a powerful punch laden with aura.

"Keugh!"

It was merely a single strike.

It had been quite a fierce contest of strength, but with the single blow delivered by the old man, Vlad ended up being sent tumbling backward with a loud crash.

He hit him so hard that the armor part around the boy's shoulder practically burst apart.

The snake's protection, which had been shattered during the previous battle, could no longer protect the boy.

"... Oh no!"

However, even if it was just a single punch, Vlad's desperate struggle, which managed to draw out the old man's sincerity despite him being a mere pup, was definitely worthy of praise.

To the point that Joseph or Jager, who would probably be at the city hall, would be shocked if they saw this current situation.

"Are you alright?"

The old man shouted toward the boy, blaming himself for failing to control his strength, but the one who needed to answer was just lying sprawled out far away.

It seemed he had passed out from the overly forceful impact.

"... His durability is a bit lacking."

Having finally found a single flaw, the old man approached the fallen boy with a truly satisfied expression.

There was a reason Jager had smiled so cryptically.

"...!"

However, as the old man approached to help the boy up, he was thoroughly spooked by the blue eyes suddenly lunging at him.

Gregory had said it.

That no matter the situation, as long as his flame didn't go out, he would be fine.

And the boy had not given up yet.

"Drop dead!"

"... Oh crap!"

Vlad clamped onto the old man who was trying to help him up with his entire body and delivered a headbutt.

Stuck so close with virtually no room to dodge, the old man had no choice but to take the attack exactly as it came.

THWACK!

The sound of something breaking echoed through the empty back alley.

Vlad's intention had clearly succeeded.

"Shit..."

Amidst his fading consciousness, Vlad ended up letting out a low curse.

The last scene caught in Vlad's vision before he lost consciousness was the old man's wrinkled forehead, sparkling brightly from aura.