October 19th, in an empty Inn room, was the makeshift office of one particular Young Master. Inside, there were two office desks, two humans, and a single Chick.
"You can call me King Chick, the one and only Sovereign of the boundless skies!" Colt stared at the one who claimed to be named Chick, speechless beyond compare.
'Heh, so much for my naming sense being shit.' Colt was smug. He wouldn't correct Chick for its stupidity. No, Colt would embrace it to show the world what genuine stupidity and idiocy looks like. Then again...it was a Chick.
"Chick, was it? Where's your brother? I haven't seen him since lunch passed."
The newly named King Chick felt wronged and puffed its cheek, "Call me King! KING!"
"Were you always this demanding…? Then again, you have been prejudiced of me since we first met. Have you gotten used to being out of that Egg…King?"
"I have, and after looking around, I found a lot of things have changed." A somehow surfaced from King's face. Then it recovered, "Oh yeah, older brother is in the kitchen, he's cooperating to complete the Chef's new dish."
'That gluttonous cat never stops eating, does he.' Colt could only imagine what the cat was doing.
"Hey, King, do you…"
"Ahem, Young Master, may you please, keep silent? It is hard to concentrate when you and that ball of fat feather continue on distracting me." Sera's voice echoed from the side.
She carried a respectful tone, but her choice of words was harsh. Colt was the Young Master, but he didn't say anything against Sera's request. After all, she was the one doing the family's accounting.
It had been three days since they started training, and the two had become closer than they were previously. Sera experienced a massive leap in both demeanor and strength. She began showing changes.
'Well, she's at least embracing my words.' Colt told Mina to act in this manner more.
Become sharp and direct, not conforming with the constraints of a Butler's or a servant's attitude, and embrace the fiery and uncontrolled temper of the fire aura. Colt told her to do this after noticing her refusal to acknowledge it whole.
'Your dislike for the fire aura must have stemmed from trying to meet Butler Go's expectation. Thus, to start with controlling the fire aura, you should change a bit of your façade.'
Was Colt's words, and at first, Sera was reluctant. But after a mere two days, this was the result. She was now a butler without regard to common knowledge. Her tongue was sharp despite her tone, and her whole being reeked of a mature vibe that met Colt's innate intense presence.
Now, when Sera stood beside Colt, her being there seemed more natural than before. And with her standing straight and tall, Sera looked more beautiful than ever before. But it did worry, Colt.
'She might become too unruly. I just need to keep her respect.'
Colt was worried about his future. But to keep his subordinates in check, he decided to make his presence more prominent than ever before. He overwhelmed those around him, and Colt became more eye-catching than before.
'I don't want fame, but this is to keep my end of the bargain.' Colt accepted this fact. Because of a particular reason, Colt needed to stand out from the rest once more. He was just about to let out a deep, deep sigh when he heard three knocks on the door.
Tak, tak, tak.
"Enter." Colt spoke as he sat then straightened her back.
The door opened, and Neun entered. In his hands were stacks of paper, "Good day to you, Young Master. I have things to report regarding the Ships and the 'Questioning' you asked of me."
Thud! Neun placed the stacks of paper on Colt's table.
Then, the sound of a skidding chair echoed.
"Where are you going?" Colt asked Sera that stood up, ready to leave.
"I thought the Young Master and Butler Neun would be conversing something confidential. I just thought I'd see myself out." She got ready to leave.
"No need to leave, you'd know sooner or later, and I'd be leaving the work to you later, so it would be best if you stay and listen." Colt argued.
"Understood, Young Master." Sera obliged.
Colt skimmed through one-half of the stacks regarding the answers of the interrogated soldier. The other half of the stacks regarding the plans to the three ships were handed to Sera.
Neun began his report as he stood stationary.
"Like the Young Master has predicted, the attackers came from the Eastern Continent led by three people they refer to as the Apostle of Light. When I was just about to pry open his secrets, he died from trying to utter the secrets he was about to say, and a Shadow Heart Oath activated. I wanted to learn about their intentions for coming here, but I fear that I failed to unearth their intentions. Please, forgive me, Young Master."
Neun apologized with a somber tone. He grew frustrated not only because he failed Colt, but also because of this concerned something bigger. Its scope involves the safety of the whole continent.
"It's fine, Teacher, you already gathered enough information that I want." Colt, however, already found his findings to be enough.
'There are three more Apostles? Three more children I do not know? That's going to be hard to deal with. I only know about Vol. 1 to 6, the forums and spoilers I visited never specified anything too much to avoid spoiling too much…dammit, why does internet etiquette work at the worst of moments?'
Even after scouring through his memories of villains, nothing came to him.
'Well, there goes my advantage.'
His genius, his confidence, and even his plans stemmed from the fact he knew of the villains he needed to face and take care of.
But now, all that had gone, poof, 'That was the closest I had with a Plot Armor too, that's too bad.'
Now, he was like the Isekai MC without the plot convenience. Colt was left with no armor to lean onto. Thus, there was only one way to conquer the situation, "And, now, it's time to become a sword."
"What was that, Young Master?" Neun drew a blank on his words.
Sera, however, felt her heart jolted. With her expression slightly shifting to a much anxious expression, Sera asked, "Young Master, are we finally doing it?"
"No, but we're getting there. First, send a letter to Butler Go, tell him to assemble the papers I asked of him when I was there."
"Understood, Young Master."
Neun noticed Sera flashing a rather sinister smile. Once again, he drew blank from the conflicting emotions.
"…was she always like that, Young Master?"
"It's nothing, that's a part of her training. She's training to claim the fire as hers by integrating it to herself. She was refusing its existence, so I had her act like fire herself…is there a problem with what I told her?"
"…no, there's nothing wrong with her. Rather, your method was good. In fact, I was going to teach you that if ever you didn't manifest water aura. But it appears your hard work pushed your body to forcefully accept the water aura, heh, heh, heh, just as planned."
Neun showed that devilish smirk of his.
Colt happily reminisced of the past.
With time, noon came to be, and, in the afternoon, it was announced that the rebuilding of the manor was around 70% completed.
Colt did some extra training and managed 6 swings.
Midnight, of the same day, a messenger, Night Falcon, was received by a naked Shickly.
This was messenger Night Falcon used by nobles top quickly send their letters to others. It was the fastest of all messenger birds. Shickly received the Night Falcon's message carried back to bed.
"Hmm? You didn't rip a letter? Did Liron send it? I'm pretty sure I sent him a message through a Golden Globe before the Night Falcon reached him." Faerith asked as she covered her body while shooing the Falcon away.
Most of the time, Shickly would rip the letters if it's not from Liron or something regarding war.
But this was different.
"It's the Royal Seal."
"Oh…"
Shickly read through everything, and the next thing he did was write a quick response before ignoring everything else and spending the night with his wife.
Morning arrived.
"So, who wants to go to the Capital and meet with the King?" Faerith asked with a smile on her face.
For a moment, everyone was silent until Risa raised her hand and break the silence.
"Not it."
"Not it." Shickly spoke of without acting ashamed.
Colt was last to realize what was happening, and he already knew what's going to happen, so instead of waiting for the verdict, he just raised his hand, "Fine, I'm going."
'Such is my luck.'
Faerith saw the reluctance in his eyes. She could only sigh and then turned to Risa as she realized something brilliant, "Risa, go with your brother to the capital?"
"What!?" Risa's celebration was doused by cold water as she heard Faerith's words.
"Why, are you disobeying my orders?" Faerith's words were both oppressive and didn't give any leeway for argument.
Risa knew she wouldn't win against Faerith. She gave up and swallowed her words.
But, then, a timely assist she didn't would appear arrived, "I don't think that's a good idea, Mother."
It was a surprise seeing Colt not wanting Risa to suffer after everything she put him through.
"Why is that, my son?"
"An epidemic has swept the capital and surrounding City. Now that I think about it, I suppose this is the perfect time to talk about the current situation."
Faerith's brows raised. Her attention was robbed by Colt's words, "What do you mean? Isn't it just some widespread Red Rose Poison? I heard you already had someone make an antidote for that? Which takes me to a question, a birdie informed me that you had your hand in that? And that bird is not Butler Go, I wonder why your overseer didn't tell me anything."
"Hooo, it appears Older Brother is starting to show his head." Risa became uncharacteristically serious.
'My escapades have reached their ears it appears.' Colt could see Faerith's irritation; he put down the utensils, "I didn't mean to hide it, I simply forgot to tell everyone about what I'm doing."
He motioned only to point at himself, "I confessed about many truths and then leave soon after. So many things were going on that it slipped my mind."
He motioned towards Hylda and Filla. He was barely spared from criticism, "Okay, where do I begin? I probed around the capital as a noble should and then got a whiffed of many shady businesses. One thing led to the other, and I saved Jin, Sera's older brother, and employed him to become my personal Apothecary. I funded his endeavors, and this is the result."
Colt told the diet version of what happened and somehow managed to convince them. Though the sharp Faerith could see that he's hiding something. She stopped digging any deeper.
"If it's not anything illegal, then I have nothing against it. Just make sure you're not hurt. And just so you know, you didn't explain anything about this epidemic thing."
"…Research."
Breakfast was adjourned, Colt went to prepare for the journey ahead.
"Do you really have to leave?" Mina hugged him from behind.
"You know I can't, it's the King's order. I also want to stay and rest, but that is impossible for the time being."
"I want to go with you then."
"No, you're pregnant, and our daughters won't come with me anyway. They need their lovable mother here."
Mina pouted and buried her head on Colt's back, her cheeks still puffed like a chipmunk.
Turning around, Colt saw Mina's face, with one cheek on both hands, Colt mushed and rubbed it to his liking, "No.You.Cant. that's final."
"Awww." Mina acted like a child. With her shoulders drooping down.
A sense of guilt washed Colt, "Sigh, I won't be long, promise. The date of our marriage is coming, so I think it's high time that I help cure the epidemic. We can't exactly hold celebratory occasion with hell about to erupt all over the world."
"...I understand." Her cheeks only grew in size.
'Ah, she's sulking, I like this version a lot.'
Colt was pleased. Then, while he continued playing with Mina's cheeks, he thought of something rather unconventional and asked.
"Dear, do you think I can ask for some Light God Shards from your Teacher?"
"Hmm? I guess I can ask, but..."
"You still can't come."
Colt interjected, and Mina punched Colt's chest ever so softly.
Colt was tickled.
Mina calmed down after a few minutes, and she gave her answer, "Yesh…Y du you ashk dow?" it was hard talking while Colt rubbed her sulking cheeks.
"Hmmmm, I want to build a Nuke."