EPISODE 38

"Do as you wish." The Iron-Blooded Lord nodded and said calmly, "I will warn you separately. If the church's assassins are determined, even the main house can't fully protect you. Of course, those who harm you won't survive, but they don't intend to in the first place."

"Isn't it an achievement only earned by enduring this much?" I replied.

Though I said that, I naturally had no intention of dying. I planned to have one or two safeguards to protect my life even if the assassins attacked.

At that moment, the Iron-Blooded Lord spoke again. "You."

"Yes?" I asked.

"You've lost your mind a little, haven't you?" he remarked.

What did he mean by that?

I blinked in confusion as he continued, "Do you have any other plans after the blessing ceremony?"

"Nothing in particular," I answered.

"Then let's have a meal later," he suggested.

I struggled to follow the conversation's flow, but my mouth responded on its own. "Sure. Why not?"

"Good," he said. "I will send someone to inform you of the time and place."

I watched as the Iron-Blooded Lord rose from his seat. Flustered, I stopped him. "Is that all you have to say?"

"Ah," he added, almost as an afterthought. "Tell me if you want to sell the map. I'll offer a better price than others."

"Oh, alright."

Before I could say more, he vanished without a trace, leaving me alone in the room.

"I think it worked out well?" I muttered.

I wasn't sure, but I felt a bit more relieved than before. For now, I decided to be satisfied with that.

***

Finally, the morning of the blessing ceremony arrived. It felt refreshing, the first such morning I had experienced in a long time.

"Nothing beats a good bed," I remarked.

I rose from the soft mattress and opened the window.

The weather was perfect. Though the winter wind carried a chill, the sun's warmth balanced it, and the air was crystal clear.

The mansion, nestled in the heart of a forest, brimmed with natural energy. For a martial artist like me, simply staying in such a place was a reward in itself. Meditating here would yield exceptional results.

After a quick wash, I left the room and headed straight to the dining hall. My stomach growled, reminding me I'd eaten little the night before. Home-cooked meals never disappointed, and the thought of a hearty breakfast made my mouth water.

As I entered the dining hall, a delicious aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air.

Meals were available at any time during the blessing ceremony, but arriving during peak hours ensured warm, freshly served dishes. The spread was diverse—meat, vegetables, seafood, and fruit—but I loaded my plate mostly with meat and scanned the room for a seat.

There are quite a lot of people.

I glanced around and noticed that most of the people here were about my age. They were likely participants in today's blessing ceremony. I chose a table with fewer occupants and settled in.

"You will soon turn into a pig if you keep eating meat like that," a blunt voice interrupted.

It came from the girl sitting at the far end of the rectangular table.

"It seems that Young Master Badniker knows nothing about nutrition," she added mockingly.

I recognized her as the girl from the auditorium yesterday, with hair I'd initially struggled to categorize as silver or white. Now that I was no longer exhausted, it looked more silver.

"I'm aware," I replied calmly.

"And yet you eat like this?" she rebuked.

"I've been eating only grass for a week. Consider this a supplement," I explained.

She turned her head away, her tone dripping with annoyance. "What?"

It looked like she didn't even want to talk to me. So why did she initiate the conversation?

I took a bite of the sausage I had speared with a fork and concluded she hadn't initiated a conversation; she had picked a fight.

"You know what?"

"What?" she snapped.

"Why are you wearing gloves even while eating?" I asked.

"What's it to you if I eat with gloves or a hat on?" she retorted.

It was a fair point, but it was rich coming from someone who'd just provoked me.

"You know..." I paused deliberately, savoring the moment.

"What is it now?" she demanded, her patience clearly wearing thin.

"It's a shame you already have so much gray hair at your age," I said with a smirk.

"It is silver hair, you idiot," she corrected, her voice rising.

"Looks white to me," I replied, shrugging. "From now on, I will call you Snowy."

"Crazy bastard," she muttered under her breath.

"Snowy," I repeated.

She glared at me and abruptly rose from her seat.

I assumed she was going to leave, but instead, she sat down across from me and thrust her head forward, demanding, "Look straight ahead! How is this white hair?!"

I immediately frowned. "Move your head. You're getting hair in the food."

"What?" she snapped. "Are you accusing me of losing my hair now?"

"Even without hair loss, people shed about 100 strands of hair per day," I replied.

"R-really?" she stammered.

I wasn't sure, but I pushed away her head full of thick hair. "So, Snowy, why have you been targeting me since yesterday?"

"I have a condition where I pick a fight when I see an annoying face," she answered.

"Really? I thought it was because you are a Goodspring."

Snowy flinched at my casual remark. Her expression changed, and she asked, "You know who I am?"

"Yes," I replied.

"You pretended not to know from the beginning," she accused.

"Not at all. I found out on the way here."

I couldn't recognize her identity at first glance. Goodspring children usually had hair as warm as spring sunlight. Meanwhile, this girl had the chill of a northern wind.

"Anyway, I'm eating now," I said firmly. "Don't talk to me."

I waved her off in annoyance, and Snowy pouted, clearly displeased.

Honestly, I expected she wouldn't listen, but for some reason, she stayed quiet, though she didn't leave. Her meal seemed finished, yet she sat there, scowling.

Did she have something to say?

In any case, I continued eating.

The girl seemed fine after I finished two bowls, confused after the third, surprised after the fourth, and tired after the fifth.

I had one more bowl before finally finishing my meal.

"Do you have a beggar in your stomach?" she asked incredulously.

"A beggar wouldn't even be able to see food like this," I retorted.

The Badnikers' main house served excellent food. Even I, picky as I was, had overeaten.

After drinking some cool water, I finally looked at her. "So, what do you want, Snowy?"

Snowy suddenly introduced herself, "I am Seren Goodspring."

I didn't bother introducing myself. Instead, my mind lingered on the familiar name.

"Seren?" I repeated.

"Now you know who I am?" she said pointedly. "Your ex-fiancée."

I was surprised she could say the word "fiancée" with that expression. Naturally, eyes filled with love and affection were out of the question.

Seren stared blankly for a while before sighing deeply. "Anyway, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Are you really going to attend the blessing ceremony today?" she inquired.

Why were there so many people interested in whether I would attend?

Though puzzled, I nodded.

She sighed again.

"Why the sigh?" I asked. "It's none of your concern."

"It is my concern, which is why I am asking. If you receive a blessing this time, the worst-case scenario can happen."

"The worst-case scenario? Ah." I immediately understood what Seren was saying. "You mean our engagement could be revived?"

"You are not completely stupid," she said dryly.

I hummed.

In my memory, the engagement had ended after my incompetence came to light. If I received a blessing today, the marriage talks would probably resume.

"Dammit," Seren swore, sighing gloomily as though she had just learned the world was ending.

It was an awkward look, yet it suited her well.

The Goodsprings were one of the empire's most prestigious families, valuing dignity and elegance above all else. Seren, however, didn't fit that mold.

"You don't want to marry me?" I asked.

"Is that even a question? No." She paused mid-sentence, then said, "It isn't that I hate you specifically. I just don't like the idea of marriage."

"Why?" I pressed.

"Do I have to explain that?" she shot back.

From one moment to the next, I can't figure her out, I thought, standing up.

"Don't worry. Even if I get a blessing, I will never marry you," I said.

"Why?" she demanded.

"That—"

Just then, a familiar figure strode into the dining hall. It was none other than Hector, the Badniker family's second son. He scanned the room as though searching for someone.

Is he looking for me?

The moment the thought crossed my mind, our eyes met.

Hector's lips twisted into a sneer, and he approached me. "There you are, Luan."

"What do you want?" I asked.

"What do I want? Of course, I want something. Do you really think I'd waste my time seeking out a piece of trash like you for no reason?"

There was a commotion around us.

A murmur rippled through the room. As the Badniker family's second son, Hector naturally drew attention, and his sharp words only amplified it. Yesterday, he had waited until we were alone to confront me. Now, he was openly insulting me in a crowded dining hall.

Yesterday's incident must've shaken him deeply.

Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just about that.

I remembered my request from the previous night.

"Father, please spread a rumor."

"Say that Luan Badniker killed an assassin of the church in the mountains and defeated the Sapphire Snake..."

It hadn't even been a day, yet the Iron-Blooded Lord had taken my demand far too seriously.

Seren was suddenly caught in the middle, her face awkward, as if unsure how to react.

Well, this works, I thought.

I scanned the crowded dining hall while keeping my eyes on Hector. If any church members were present, they'd undoubtedly be watching this unfold.

"You are speaking harshly awfully early," I said, my tone steady.

"You are the one in trouble. Yet, I still considered you my little brother. I thought that even though you lived a miserable life, there were parts of it that deserved sympathy."

I couldn't hide my disbelief. He thought of me as a younger brother? I wasn't sure about anything else, but this was fucking bullshit. He had to be out of his mind if he truly believed that.

Hector reached out, grabbing me by the collar. "But you have crossed the line. You have gone too far."

Seren let out a surprised gasp.

"You defeated a Jewel Beast? What are you playing at? There is a limit to tarnishing Father's reputation...!" Hector demanded.

His anger far surpassed yesterday's after the slap. His reaction revealed exactly how much he revered our father.

"I really did defeat it," I insisted.

Hector scoffed. "Where's the proof? For example, where are the salvaged parts from the Jewel Beast's body?"

"I didn't have time for that. I came straight here," I replied, my voice firm.

"Are you messing with me right now?" he growled.

He released my collar, shoving me away, and delivered a hard kick. A large table flipped over, sending dishes and cups flying.

I braced for impact, expecting it to hurt if the table hit me.

Bang!

But the airborne table suddenly dropped vertically and returned to its original position.

Of course, I didn't do it.

A delicate, gloved hand rested on the table.

Seren shot Hector an annoyed look. "I don't want to intervene in family disputes, but you are taking this too far."

Hector stared at her blankly, then ignored her and turned his glare back to me. "Yesterday it was the butler, and today it's your fiancée? Pathetic. Who's next? Will you ask your mother to babysit you?"

Hector's cold sneer hung in the air.

Just then, a voice echoed through the dining hall. "The blessing ceremony will begin shortly! All young heroes, please gather in the rose garden!"

Hector took a deep breath, seemingly to calm himself, then leaned in and whispered threateningly, "After the ceremony, I'll formally challenge you to a duel. You'd better not refuse. It's better to have all your limbs shattered than to die."

His face twisted with anger as he spoke, and he stormed out of the dining hall.

"I had heard that the Badnikers' sibling feud was insane," Seren said, glancing between me and Hector with annoyance before shaking her head. "But seeing it firsthand was beyond anything I imagined. Such a strong sibling bond, isn't it?"

"Are you blind?" I asked.

"I was being sarcastic, idiot!" Seren shouted, her face turning bright red before she clamped her mouth shut.

"In any case, you are utterly pathetic. He might be your older brother, but he insulted you in front of everyone, and you didn't say a word."

I remained silent.

"I'd understand if you said it's the weak's way of surviving, but you don't seem like the son of the Iron-Blooded Lord." Seren shot me a disappointed look before walking away.

I watched their retreating backs and brushed the moisture off my clothes, likely from when the table had been flipped.

"An insult," I muttered.

Seren was right. Hector had insulted me.

But was I angry? Not really. I was only annoyed when he carelessly brought up my mother.

I glanced around the dining hall, now emptying as the crowd dispersed.

What intrigued me most was how the family's rat would react after my older brother publicly humiliated me before countless offspring from prestigious families, and then watched me cower behind my ex-fiancée, letting her shield me. I was the very image of a fool, an idiot, a weakling.

"Ah." I snapped out of my thoughts.

As the dining hall continued to clear, I moved with the crowd. The blessing ceremony awaited.