Jin was having a dream.
A jet-black tentacle monster was stuck to his face and wouldn't let go no matter what.
Mmmh! Mmmhmmm!
He couldn't breathe. He could only let out small groans as he suffocated.
As he frantically opened his eyes, Jin finally realized the source of his nightmare.
Meow~
Meow, meow~ Meoowww!
A small black cat was asleep on Jin's face. Indeed, it was Murakan. He had been lying on Jin's face for over thirty minutes.
"Get off me, geez."
Jin slowly got up and stretched his arms. Sunrays beamed in through the window and brightened his room. He could smell the fragrant aroma of tea near him; it was the scent of the black tea Gilly often brewed for him.
'I had a nightmare because of Murakan… But now that I'm awake, I feel fully refreshed. Did I fall unconscious right after the duel with Vishukel?'
His entire body felt light like a feather. The wound on his chest and the grazes throughout his entire body had completely vanished. The Runcandel medic had probably healed Jin while he was unconscious.
"You've awakened, Young Master."
Gilly sensed his awakening and approached the bedside with a cup of tea and some cold water.
"How long was I out for, Gilly?"
"For two days."
"What? Two days?"
Jin was surprised but quickly nodded in acknowledgement. Not only had he bled too much, but during the final exchange, he had reached a new realm for a short instant, which used up all his mental and physical energy. Considering those circumstances, he had woken up pretty early.
"The banquet must have ended already. It seems I was unable to send everyone off and bid them farewell."
"There is no need to worry so much. During the past two days, your duel against Lord Vishukel was the hot topic of the banquet that everyone gossipped about. I think everyone was understanding of your situation. Moreover, you've shown them more than enough courtesy while you were attending."
Gilly was right. Although there was a complete mismatch between an 8-star and a 5-star, the duel was all that the guests were talking about until the end of the banquet.
It was because of the 'Mind's Blade' Jin had displayed at the very end. Although it couldn't be called a perfect Mind's Blade, the fact that a turnabout almost happened during Jin's fight against an 8-star knight was more than extraordinary.
Vishukel wasn't the only one to have noticed Jin's feat. In fact, many others had realized it. However, the 8-star knight in question appeared to have been so shocked that he never returned to the arena afterwards until the end of the banquet.
'The daily training I've done with Elder Sister Luna is finally paying off. I couldn't understand anything in the beginning… To think that it would come in handy like this.'
Jin recalled Luna continuously saying 'use the eye of the mind to observe' like some religious chant and chuckled to himself.
He first realized what kind of sensation the Mind's Blade produced during his training with the Clear Stones. Afterwards, he tried to recreate that feeling again, but to no avail, which frustrated Jin.
'Seems like for now, that sensation will only manifest itself during dangerous situations or in subconscious moments.'
It was a pity, but Jin couldn't do anything about it. It was already impressive that he had somehow managed to imitate the Mind's Blade, albeit sloppily. Generally speaking, the Mind's Blade was a realm only attainable by true masters starting from the 8-star stage.
Jin stretched again and got off the bed.
'In any case, that was a very fruitful banquet. I gained so much. I figured out Beradin's standing within the Zipfel Clan, started a good… friendship? Bond? Something like that with the Hidden Palace's successor. At the very least, she behaved somewhat amicably after our duel.'
Moreover, Jin got the chance to beat up Bouvard Gaston half-dead and also learned that Bouvard has a close relationship with Vishukel. This was the greatest outcome of the banquet.
'It's highly likely that the Yvliano Clan or Vishukel alone are backing the transformation crimes. It's also possible that Vishukel is part of some organization outside of his clan, and Bouvard Gaston is affiliated with them.'
Jin thought of many possibilities, but he couldn't make a hasty judgement. He had to investigate them and unravel the truth himself.
Moreover, he planned on making them take responsibility. Responsibility for the assassination attempt on him five years ago performed by the radical Zipfel followers. Jin was going to interrogate them and make them admit their involvement with the assassins' disguises.
After Jin's thoughts came to an end, Gilly pointed at a certain vase on the bedside. There were pure-white flowers resembling Baby's Breaths but with a soft, snowflake-like shape glowing faintly.
[TL/N: Check out Baby's Breath on Google if you don't know what type of flowers they are.]
"The Hidden Palace's successor left these flowers for you. She waited for you to wake up until this morning but left afterwards as she had to return."
"Hm? Lady Syris left these behind?"
"Yes. Maybe you hold a special place in her heart~?"
"No. The Hidden Palace's snow blossoms mean 'unfinished battle' in the language of flowers. Seems like she wants to fight me again in another duel. She's quite the persistent and tenacious woman."
Gilly simply shrugged at Jin's response.
"Whatever it signifies, this is still your first time receiving flowers from a lady. Congratulations, Young Master."
"Kuahaha! Your first flowers are a letter of challenge. That's hilarious! This is monumental, don't you think so, Strawberry Pie?"
Murakan laughed out loud excessively and glanced at Gilly.
He was being cautious around her due to the incident where he sneaked into the banquet hall without her authorization. Indeed, Gilly was acting like Murakan didn't exist for the second day straight.
Having grasped the situation at hand, Jin just lightly shook his head. A despondent Murakan transformed back into a cat, his ears drooped.
"Speaking of which, the patriarch has ordered you to go find him as soon as you wake up, Young Master. Just as you mentioned before… I think the time for you to prove your qualifications has arrived."
The trial to prove his qualifications to become a flag-bearer. Although he had been expecting this, Jin felt somewhat conflicted now that his father's directive had arrived.
Jin couldn't even have dreamt of this day in his past life, but now it was right before him, within his grasp.
"I see. It seems we'll be leaving the clan for a while. Where is Father?"
"At the mausoleum."
"Alright. I'm off."
When Jin's siblings received the same summons from their father, they all wore neat ceremonial clothes and brushed their hair before going to see him.
However, Jin lazily tidied his disheveled hair and wore some good-quality leather travel clothes. He also wore Bradamante at his waist before entering the corridor.
The mausoleum.
The Garden of Swords' courtyard—where countless swords were impaled—was no different to the clan's graveyard. However, the clansmen who achieved extraordinary accomplishments even amidst the best of the best knights were allowed to be buried in the mausoleum as heroes of the clan.
Inside the mausoleum, at the lowest floor underground, there was not a single spot of light. The darkness smelled of metal, and a low voice resounded.
"You're here."
Jin could barely see Cyron's silhouette from behind. He respectfully lowered his head.
"It's been a long time since a child of mine answered my summons in such comfortable clothes. I assume you've realized that you'll be spending time outside of the clan for a while, right?"
"Yes, I plan on departing immediately."
Cyron quite liked this aspect of his youngest son. The boy didn't feel intimidated by him and simply announced his intentions clearly.
His other children couldn't even have imagined behaving as such before their father. They already had a hard time trying to conceal their fear and anxiety just by being in his presence… Actually, it wasn't the case for all his other children. Luna was also different. She had quickly left Cyron's grasp and lived her own life.
Jin was aware of his father's personality, which was why he purposefully came in laid-back clothes.
'Ever since my regression, I find my father to be the easiest person to read.'
It was an inexplicable thought. In his past life, not only was Jin terrified of Cyron, but he also had barely interacted with his father during his 28 years of life.
The father and son duo didn't speak for a while. Nevertheless, it wasn't an awkward silence.
"Is this your first time inside the mausoleum?"
Cyron was the first to break the silence.
"Yes, Father."
"If the garden is a burial ground permitted only to those who bring honour to the clan, then the mausoleum is only permitted to those who protect the clan."
That was it. As simple as that.
The Runcandel Clan had faced countless dangers during its thousand-year-long history. The dangers varied from all kinds of small, personal disputes to big threats that brought the clan to the brink of destruction. Indeed, all kinds of conflicts and battles had threatened the clan throughout time.
And every time such major incidents happened, the people who protected the clan till their very last breaths received the honour of getting buried in the clan's mausoleum.
"Did you know? The clan's first patriarch, Temar Runcandel, is not buried here."
As soon as Temar's name exited Cyron's mouth, Jin had a hunch that his father would bring up the topic of Solderet.
He was confident in his intuition.
"Yes. I am also aware that there is not a single grave or tombstone throughout the garden dedicated to the first patriarch."
The only legacy that was left behind was Temar's beloved sword 'Barisada', which was now hailed as the family heirloom. Other than the weapon, there was not a single memorial or ceremony that honoured him.
"The dark power you possess. That power is the reason why we are unable to honour the first patriarch. Show me your spiritual energy."
Jin calmly extended his hand and created a ball of spiritual energy on his palm.
After the first patriarch's death, the Runcandels made a humiliating pact with the Zipfels.
A pact that banned the swordsmen from using magic ever again.
Moreover, they were prohibited from worshipping ancestors who used magic.
That was the true reason behind the downgrade of the Runcandel Clan—the unique 'Clan of Magic Swordsmen'—to a mere clan of knights.
It was an inescapable fate as Solderet wasn't there to protect the Runcandels from the Zipfels' gods anymore.
As a result of the pact, the Zipfels' gods united their powers and cast a curse on the Runcandel bloodline.
Thus, every Runcandel after Temar was born with a body that couldn't control mana.
"When you beat the Tona twins with spiritual power back at the Storm Castle, I didn't ask you the details of how you obtained that power. Do you remember?"
"Yes. I also remember that I lied about how I'd use the spiritual power to protect the clan."
"Haha, that's right. You were lucky you were still young. If you told such a lie before me now, I wouldn't have let it slide so easily."
Although Cyron was laughing, Jin knew that his father was being serious. Thus, he didn't laugh along.
"…Solderet. Did you hear his voice?"
"Yes, I heard him. He called me his contractor."
Needless to say, Jin had yet to hear Solderet's voice ever since his regression. But there was no need to hide his identity as the contractor from Cyron anymore.
"How unfair this is for your siblings."
Not only was Jin born with more potential than Luna, but he had also contracted the god who had left the clan long ago. In fact, maybe Jin was able to contract Solderet thanks to his extraordinary potential.
"Will you be able to defeat your siblings and conquer the clan using that power?"
Jin had already come up with an answer to that question.
"If I explore the world and do not find anything else worth conquering more than the clan, then I shall do so."
Jin had also predicted that this answer would greatly satisfy his father. It goes without saying that Cyron smiled widely, showing his beautiful and uniform teeth.
"The others departed the Garden of Swords in order to get recognized by the clan… but you will depart the Garden in order to find a reason to recognize the clan itself, is that it? I'm not sure whether it's praiseworthy or pure insolence. Kuhahaha."
Cyron hunched forward towards Jin, who still had his right arm extended forward with a ball of spiritual energy.
"I shall give you five years. During that time, whether you get recognized by the clan or recognize it, find an answer for yourself and return. I shall await with impatience."
There was no need to drag out the conversation.
Shling!
Jin unsheathed Bradamante and raised his sword.
"Thank you for everything until now. I shall see you again in five years, Father."
Jin exited the mausoleum and returned to his room. Gilly had already finished the preparations for their departure and was waiting for him.
The only luggage they had was a small basket in which lay Murakan along with some dry food and Jin's notebook with the transcription of the secret tomes.
Gilly had metal nails impaling her wrists and ankles. As Jin's gaze reached these anomalies, Gilly adjusted her clothes and hid the oddities.
The nails were medical tools used to seal Gilly's aura. She would be unable to use the energy until Jin's qualifications as a flag-bearer were proven.
"I had heard about this from my seniors and the other nannies, but it feels quite weird to suddenly lose my powers. Haha…"
Gilly laughed awkwardly, to which Jin felt a suffocating throb in his chest.
It was the clan's tradition. The Runcandels sealed the nannies' powers so that the provisional flag-bearers couldn't receive their help in gaining reputation and honour.
If they ever removed the seal without the clan's authorization, the nanny would be crippled mercilessly.
"I'll protect you from now on, Nanny. Not just for the next five years, but for the rest of my life. I'm sorry."
"Please don't say such things. I am just content and touched that you've become a provisional flag-bearer already, Young Master. And I'll regain my powers once the trial is over, so please don't worry."
And so, they left the room and departed the Garden of Swords.
***