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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Successor Selection
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Successor Selection
Just as I had first predicted, the reason the Marquis summoned the three of us at once was for the selection of his successor.
"As you all know, the House of Lox is a family where the eldest son inherits the title. By right, Yuren should have already been named the successor. I myself was chosen when I was younger than Yuren is now."
The Marquis wore a bitter smile.
"However, Yuren has wasted too much precious time. So I was planning to give the position of successor to you, Collin, but Yuren has come to his senses, albeit late. I will not make the decision now. You will prove your own qualifications for the position."
"In what manner will you decide?"
"As this is an unprecedented event, I plan to divide it into several parts. The first test will be the defense of the territory."
The Marquis paused for a moment and looked out the window.
"As you know, the time is near for the adult monsters to come ashore. It is a truly crucial task, for if they are not swiftly dealt with, the people of the territory will suffer great harm."
"Ah…"
"I understand."
Without answering, I observed Collin and Raon. Judging by their reactions, they already knew about this. Kaina must have told them.
"In other words, the first test is monster subjugation. You will be deployed to three separate battlefields. There, you will demonstrate your abilities."
"How will we be evaluated?"
"I will assign my three personal butlers to you. They will observe you objectively and report back to me."
"Hmm…"
I trusted the Marquis, but I didn't know what tricks Kaina or her allies might pull. I would have to be mindful of the butler assigned to me.
"For this test, you may use everything at your disposal."
"Everything?"
"Yes. Not only your individual martial prowess, but also the forces you have gathered, your wealth, and your connections—you may use it all."
"Is that really allowed?"
Raon asked the Marquis, his face full of doubt.
"You are not trying to become knights; you are trying to become the Marquis. We are a martial family, so it is true that martial strength is important, but there are many things more important for the position of Marquis. If you have the ability, you may even borrow a knight order from another territory. Use any means necessary to achieve the best results."
"I see."
"Understood."
As if he had said all he needed to, the Marquis clapped his hands. The door opened, and servants began bringing in food.
"The expedition will be in one month. Prepare your best until then."
"Yes!"
**
"Monster subjugation, huh…"
As the Marquisate of Lox was a territory that guarded the southern coast, many monsters appeared from the sea.
I had thought we might be heading out on ships, but from the explanation, it seemed to be the simple task of fending off the adult monsters that came ashore.
"Raon will receive almost no support."
The Marquis had given both Collin and Raon a chance, but I suspected Kaina would consolidate her support behind one of them to ensure a decisive victory.
"Though no matter what they do, I'll win."
As I lay in bed thinking about the future, I sensed Peru's presence outside.
"Come in."
"Gasp!"
Startled that I had called out before he could even knock, Peru entered with wide eyes.
"H-How did you know?"
"By your footsteps."
"You're like a ghost."
Peru approached me with a flustered expression.
"Aren't you preparing for the expedition?"
"Is there really anything to prepare?"
"The other young masters are already on the move. I heard the second young master is even receiving support from knights of another house."
"Is that so?"
"You don't seem very interested. Isn't this incredibly important? The entire Marquisate is in an uproar…"
Peru seemed more anxious than I, the person directly involved.
"The Marquis told us to achieve the best results."
"Results?"
"Right. That means whether you borrow a knight order or go on a solo rampage, all that matters is killing a lot of monsters."
I was confident that I could go on a solo rampage without borrowing anyone's strength.
"Is that so?"
"Have you received any other orders from Kaina?"
"Ah! I was told not to use poison from now on."
"Heh, so that's how it is."
All of the Marquis's attention was on his three sons. She must have ordered it so, thinking that causing any problems at a time like this would be a net negative.
*Knock, knock.*
A knock came from outside. It was the sound of footsteps I had never heard before.
"Come in."
"Greetings to the Grand Prince! I am Klyde, a knight-in-training!"
The moment Klyde entered my room, he dropped to one knee and shouted with a voice loud enough to make the room echo.
"It's been a while."
"I have wanted to see you, but this is the first chance I've had!"
"You must have been surprised when I placed you under my command without a word."
"N-Not at all! I was truly delighted to hear that the Grand Prince I dueled with had chosen me."
Klyde looked at me with sincere eyes that anyone could see were truthful.
"I still lack skill and have no sponsor, so I was uncertain if I could ever become a knight. But because you chose me, sir, I've gained confidence. Thank you so much."
Just as Klyde said, in the original story, he fails to become a knight of Lox. My choice had changed his life.
"I'm glad to hear you think so. Then…"
*Thump!*
I took out the Greatsword of the Fire Spirit I had purchased from Giranox from my golden pouch.
"Gasp!"
"This is…"
"It's your sword. I heard there's a tradition of a lord bestowing a sword upon his knight. With your strength and ability, you should be able to handle this sword."
I offered the hilt of the Greatsword of the Fire Spirit to Klyde.
"I-I am still just a knight-in-training. I don't know if I can accept something like this…"
"My arm's getting tired. Hurry up and take it."
"Thank you."
After hesitating, Klyde finally grasped the sword's hilt.
*Fwoosh!*
"Agh!"
"W-What the."
The moment Klyde grabbed the sword, red flames erupted from it, engulfing his entire body.
"I-It's fire, but it's not hot at all. It's just warm. What is this?"
"It is the Sword of the Fire Spirit."
"Fire Spirit?"
"Yes. How's the weight of the sword?"
"It's good. Not too heavy, not too light. It's just right."
"Excellent."
He had passed the sword's trial. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have even been able to hold it properly.
"From now on, try to communicate with the sword regularly."
"Communicate, you say? I understand."
Whether he would earn the spirit's favor and draw out the sword's true power, or simply use it as a sturdy blade, was now up to him.
"Thank you so much. I will be sure to become a knight and protect you with my life, Grand Prince."
Klyde bowed his head dozens of times before leaving.
"A spirit sword. That's nice."
"I'll get you something good later, too. Ah, but you'll have to pay me back first."
I returned the magic pouch I had borrowed from Peru.
"Ah, thank… Gasp!"
Peru, who had opened the pouch without much thought, recoiled in shock.
"W-What is all this?"
"I told you. I'd pay you back several times over."
"This isn't several times, it's tens of times more!"
"If you invest in me, that's the kind of return you can expect."
"Wow, what kind of gambling did you get into?"
This guy still thought I had been gambling.
"C-Can I really accept this?"
"Seeing as you've saved up a considerable amount for your age, there must be something you need money for. I hope this can help you solve it."
Even for an assassin, Peru had an unusually large amount of money for his age. I figured there had to be a reason he had saved so much.
"Yes. With this… I think I can solve it. Thank you."
Peru kept his head bowed, unmoving. Seeing his shoulders tremble slightly, it seemed he was sobbing.
[Creator's Eye is activated.]
[Name: Peru]
[Traits: Poison Use Lv.1, Swift Movement Lv.2]
[Favorability: 61 (High Favor)]
[Current Mood: Moved.]
Moved, huh? So he was hiding some kind of hardship after all.
Seeing his favorability and mood, I decided it was safe to tell him the truth. Peru was completely on my side now.
"And I've completely detoxified the poison, so you don't have to worry."
"Ah, thank you so much!"
Peru lifted his sleeve and wiped his face once.
"I will tell you everything once my matter is resolved."
"Be sure to tell me if you run into any problems. And take this."
"What's this money for?"
"It's a commission fee. I need you to acquire the poisons I'm about to list."
"Understood."
After telling Peru the poisons I needed, I sent him out. He, too, bowed his head for a long while before disappearing.
**
"Grand Prince."
"Did your training just end?"
"Yes. It ran a little long today."
Arin came to see me only after dinnertime had passed.
"By the way, Grand Prince, when did you learn to use a sword?"
"A sword?"
"I heard you defeated the candidates at the knight academy with a sword, not a dagger."
"Ah, that? I just had to swing it. Swords are surprisingly easy."
I was being completely honest. Thanks to the Heavenly Martial Body and the Creator's Eye, my swings naturally became swordsmanship.
"…"
But Arin didn't take it that way. From her icy expression, I figured her favorability must have dropped.
[Creator's Eye is activated.]
[Name: Arin]
[Traits: Swift Sword Lv.2, Clear Mind Lv.2, Aura Adaptation Lv.2]
[Favorability: 51 (High Favor)]
[Current Mood: Obnoxious.]
Her favorability hadn't dropped, but the words written in her current mood caught my eye.
Calling me obnoxious just because I boasted a little…
"Arin, I have something for you."
"For me?"
*Clack!*
I took the Rapier of the Wind Spirit from my pouch and placed it on the table.
"This is…"
"It's a sword for you, my future knight."
"A sword? Is it alright for me to accept this?"
"Of course."
With a trembling hand, Arin grasped the sword's hilt.
*Swoosh!*
Even though the windows weren't open, Arin's hair and clothes began to flutter in the wind. Tiny, particle-like things were flying around her.
So those were wind spirits.
"W-What is this, Grand Prince? There's wind coming from around me."
"Those are wind spirits."
"What?"
"A wind spirit resides in that sword. Can you hear what it's saying?"
"Yes. It says it likes me."
It seemed she had been properly acknowledged by the sword. I'd heard that if you weren't, all you would hear were incomprehensible ghostly whispers.
"If you get close to them, you'll be able to become much stronger than before."
Arin couldn't take her eyes off the sword.
"I'm sorry, but I want to swing it right now. May I go?"
Arin was fidgeting, desperate to swing the sword. It was the first time I had seen her act her age, and a laugh escaped me.
"Of course."
"Thank you so much for bestowing this sword upon me."
"Ah, take this too."
"What is this?"
"The money I borrowed."
Arin opened the pouch, her eyes widening as she looked up at me.
"This is too much."
"An investment should have a return."
"But…"
"Ah, it's fine. You said you wanted to swing your sword, so hurry up and go."
"Then… I'll be back."
Arin bowed her head and went outside. Looking through the window, I saw her running off without even changing her clothes.
"She must really like it."
**
A week later.
After hearing that Giranox had settled into his workshop, I went to find him.
"Oh, it looks decent from the outside. Better than your last place."
"Grand Prince. You've come."
Giranox, who was inspecting a furnace, approached with a bright smile.
"How is it? Is it alright?"
"Thanks to you, sir, everyone around here is taking good care of me."
"Well, that's a relief."
He must have been eating and living well, as his face had filled out a bit.
"I found owners for the two swords I bought from you."
"You did? The greatsword and the rapier?"
"Yes. It seems both swords have accepted their new masters. They both absolutely love them. I'll bring them by sometime."
"Really? That's a relief. I thought they were failures."
"Failures? What are you talking about! Those are masterworks that choose their own wielders. They're incredible!"
Overcome with joy, Giranox seemed to lose his strength and sank to the floor.
"Thank you…"
"I should be the one thanking you. For making such fine swords."
"That's the first time anyone's ever said that to me. I feel so energized, like I can do anything!"
Giranox rolled up his sleeves and stood up.
"Now, what should I do next?"
"Make me ten weapons that look like this."
I used Agnes to show him a weapon from my mind, one of the Sichuan Tang Clan's hidden weapons.
"The shape is different from a typical dagger. It looks like a pure throwing weapon. This will require a lot of work."
"That's right. It was created solely for throwing."
The hidden weapon I showed him was shaped to maximize the techniques of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
"There's less than a month until the expedition. Think you can do it by then?"
"I will do my best."
"Good. I'm counting on you."
"Um, but…"
Giranox, who was fidgeting with the design, hesitated before speaking.
"I've thought about this a lot, and I feel I must tell you, Grand Prince…"
"What is it?"
"There's a serious problem with the House's armory."