"Brother!"
"Young Master!"
Sara and Camilla called out to Kane.
They thought Kane was causing trouble.
However, Kane had a different perspective.
This was a matter of dignity.
"Stay out of this."
Sara tried to intervene again, but when she looked into Kane's eyes, she couldn't bring herself to speak.
His gentle face contrasted sharply with his eyes.
They were filled with ferocity.
Even Sara, who feared nothing, felt intimidated.
"Miss, you should step back for a moment."
"But it seems like something's about to happen."
"It's best not to interfere when he's like this. Otherwise, you'll see the monster."
"The monster?"
"Yes, the other persona hidden within the Young Master."
"Camilla, did you sense it too?"
"How could I not?"
The two women thought Kane had a split personality.
"Is it a side effect of barely surviving the demon forest?"
"Perhaps."
While they talked about Kane,
Kane stood before Theo.
"Not going to greet me?"
"What do you mean?"
"Greet me properly. When you see me, you should show respect."
Theo was taken aback by Kane's confident demand.
[What's wrong with him? Is this really the same dullard we know?]
[I'm just as confused. I heard he was shy and timid.]
[He's a completely different person from the last time I saw him.]
Theo and his subordinate shared their secret conversation.
Kane had already figured it out.
"Do you have so many secrets to share in front of me? Or am I not the person you used to know?"
Since secret conversations no longer had any meaning,
Theo spoke without hiding.
"Honestly, I'm baffled. It feels like I'm standing before a stranger."
"What was I like?"
"'The Dullard Young Master.' The entire continent calls you that."
"So?"
Kane unfolded his arms and said,"What does that have to do with your lack of manners? Do you think a lower-ranked knight from Dyer can disregard me just because I'm supposedly a dullard?"
Theo remained silent.
His silence was a tacit affirmation.
"So, you refuse to show respect?"
"I see no reason to. Why should I greet the Young Master of a ruined dukedom?"
Theo began to act arrogantly.
"Are you so cocky because you trust the Dyer family?"
"I trust in my own strength."
Such immense confidence.
This was not something he should be displaying in another family's house.
"With your skill, being at high-tier 3rd class, you're just asking to die in a foreign place."
"I don't think a 1st class Knight like Young Master should be saying that."
"Your eyes are as dead as a fish's."
Kane's smile grew even wider. Then he ordered the maids around him.
"Show them to their quarters."
Theo mistakenly thought Kane was backing down. Seeing an opportunity, he pressed further.
"We would like Lady Camilla and Lady Sara to guide us."
Kane stopped and turned back.
"I never thought someone would test my patience to its limit. It's been a while since I smelled blood."
Kane whispered this to himself and disappeared. The maids took charge of guiding the Holy Sword Knights.
"We will remember this treatment well, Lady Sara."
Theo followed the maids, smirking at Sara and Camilla.
Sara whispered to Camilla as they followed Kane.
"Doesn't the atmosphere feel off?"
"If it were the changed Young Master, he would have attacked Theo immediately. It's strange."
"I feel the same way. It makes me even more uneasy."
"Do you have a bad feeling?"
"Yes, it's chilling."
While they were talking, Kane's voice broke in.
"Camilla. I need to visit Old Daniel."
"Now? Should I escort you?"
"Not right now, in a bit… But first, I have something else to take care of."
Kane's smile turned deadly.
"You're not serious, are you?"
Ignoring Camilla's question, he spoke to Sara this time.
"Do we have any usable spears in the house?"
"None except practice ones. Why do you need a spear?"
"Nothing's better than a spear to make someone obedient."
When he was Ray Hatzfeld, he used to beat anyone who displeased him with a spear shaft.
To him, a spear was as good as a club.
"I need to meet Old Daniel."
Cedric had sold his spear when he obtained the blood of a highest grade mutant troll. It was likely he sold it to one of the corrupt vassals. If that was the case, it might be among the confiscated properties. Since Daniel managed these, he could help Kane find it quickly.
"Camilla, pack up and come over here."
"What about me?"
Sara pointed at herself.
"You stay and keep training. That way, I'll promote you to 4-star soon."
"…4-star, what's that?"
"Yes, there's something like that, so just focus on your basic training."
"What exactly is that? How are you going to do it?!"
"Blessings come to those who believe."
"You sound like a cult leader."
Though she seemed to grumble, Sara's face lit up with excitement.
After Sara headed to the training grounds, Camilla returned with her packed belongings shortly after.
"Let's go."
Kane and Camilla headed down to the estate together.
Bang!
Today again, the doors of the Blue Merchant Guild's building swung open wide.
"Old Daniel."
Everyone inside turned to look at Kane.
The number of people had increased since before.
"Greetings, Young Master."
"Familiar faces."
Kane was in sync with Rehinar.
He recognized all their faces from his memories.
"Seeing you in good health brings tears to my eyes."
"We were so worried when we heard the news."
"We heard you used the "Void of water". Impressive."
The old men were retirees from Rehinar.
Their faces were filled with emotion.
Kane felt a swell of emotion in his chest.
'Did I really eliminate these people with my own hands?'
Thinking back to his time as Ray left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Young Master?"
"It's nothing. That… it was just an imitation. I'm far from mastering it."
The old men were pleased with his humility.
Not being arrogant made him seem even more admirable.
"By the way, Old Daniel."
"Yes, sir?"
"Among the items confiscated this time, is there a weapon belonging to Sir Cedric?"
"I noticed a familiar spear and kept it aside."
"Where is it?"
Daniel went to the storage and brought back a spear wrapped in cloth.
A spear covered in blue, with a long tiger motif drawn on the shaft.
Kane had worried that the corrupt vassal might have sold it in the meantime.
Fortunately, it had been kept safe.
"This is indeed Sir Cedric's spear. Can I take it?"
"What do you intend to use it for?"
"I'm giving it back to Cedric."
"You shouldn't arbitrarily take the family's assets."
"Doesn't he need a weapon to fight the enemy?"
"That's true, but Sir Cedric's spear has already been absorbed into the family's assets."
"Deduct it from his unpaid salary."
"A wise decision."
Finally, Kane was able to persuade Daniel.
A truly inflexible person. It was almost a disease.
"If you're ready for the trading trip, depart immediately."
"Are you really keeping the escorts to a minimum?"
"Yes, we'll travel slowly and attract some flies. Camilla will protect the caravan, so don't worry."
Daniel's face was filled with worry.
The wagon was loaded with expensive goods.
Selling all of it would bring in a lot of gold.
He fretted about the possibility of losing it to bandits along the way.
"Camilla alone won't be able to protect all the goods and workers."
"I'll be following behind as well."
Only then did Daniel's tense expression relax.
"You're going in person, Young Master?"
"Change the route to the eastern gate. And spread the rumor nicely, got it?"
"Yes, the rumor that Lord Rivan entered the demon forest to fetch a gift for Lady Sara has already been circulated."
"Also spread the word about our route."
"Understood."
"I'll follow shortly. Camilla, take care of things for now."
"Alright. Young Master, don't overexert yourself."
Camilla was already worried about Kane.
She had a rough idea of what he was planning to do.
* * *
Kane returned to the estate. His destination was the mansion where Cedric was.
"Camilla has separation anxiety, so I need to join the caravan as soon as possible."
It would be ideal to have one more reliable subordinate. He felt the lack of manpower acutely.
"I just need to hold out until I recruit "him" in Philaec city." Kane thought about another person while smirking.
There were two reasons for going to Philaec:
One was to obtain a hidden artifact nearby. The other was to unlock his former right-hand man, Mikhail Pervatz.
Although Mikhail had betrayed him by stabbing him in the back, it wasn't of his own will.
It was because of that bastard Dirk.
It was forced betrayal under duress.
Who could maintain loyalty when their family was held hostage?
For most people, it might be difficult to understand, but with Mikhail Pervatz, it made sense.
To him, family meant everything.
"He should be… in the arena around this time?"
To unlock Mikhail Pervatz, Kain needed to succeed in a specific quest, and the place to receive that quest was the trade city of Philaec, part of Dyer's territory.
The character was difficult to unlock and even harder to develop.
But Kane was confident. This was his second time tackling it.
He already knew what Mikhail liked and wanted.
"I can't wait to meet him."
Swish—
Bang!
The sound of something cutting through the air reached his ears.
In front of the mansion, the guardian knights were practicing.
Their swords sliced through the air with a mix of elegance and fluidity.
It was the exact opposite of the Hatzfeld spear technique.
"Senior knights, the Young Master has arrived."
"Attention!"
The guardian knights halted their practice and saluted Kane.
"Good day, Young Master!"
Their movements were disciplined, reflecting respect and reverence.
It was awe for the Rehinar bloodline.
"Where is Sir Cedric?"
"He is always by His Grace's side. Shall I call him?"
"No, I'll go to him myself."
As Kane was about to enter the mansion, Cedric emerged from inside.
"You have arrived, Young Master."
"I was just on my way to see you."
"Is there something you need to command?"
Kane showed Cedric the spear wrapped in cloth.
"This belongs to you, doesn't it?"
"Indeed, it is."
"I retrieved it for you."
"I should pay for it."
"Old Daniel gave it to me."
Kane mixed in a small lie. Cedric was too rigid to reclaim his weapon after trading it for highest-grade mutated troll blood. He was better than Old Daniel but still quite inflexible. If Kane mentioned it was taken away from the corrupt vassal, Cedric would undoubtedly refuse it.
"I came to ask if you could lend me this spear for a while."
"Can you handle a spear?"
Kane nodded.
The guardian knights watched the two with curious eyes.
"Would it be possible for you to demonstrate your spear skills briefly?"
Spears were challenging to use in combat, which is why most people preferred swords. A misused spear could lead to defeat without even engaging the enemy.
Moreover, the Rehinar family was renowned for their dual swordsmanship, not spears.
"Sure."
Kane unwrapped the spear completely.
Grasping the shaft, he rotated it side to side using his wrists. It was a warm-up move with the spear, executed so naturally.
The guardian knights watched with keen interest when suddenly—
Boom!
Kane stomped the ground forcefully, thrusting the spear forward.
'It feels perfect in my hand. This is a good spear.'
With just one thrust, the spear cut through the air with a ferocious momentum.
After pulling back the spear, Kane took a deep breath.
"Shhh."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
A wave of intense heat emanated around him.
'First Form of the Phoenix Spear Technique: Flame of Severance.'
[You have used an unlearned skill.]
A faint flame began to wrap around the spear's shaft.
As the flames fully engulfed the shaft, he swung the spear from top to bottom, just like in his warm-up.
Whoosh!
Flames burst forth from the spear.
His target was Cedric.
Boom.
The fiery spear strike was deflected by the barrier Cedric conjured, dispersing the flames to the sides.
Cedric, a knight of the 7th class, was far beyond the capabilities of Kane, who was at the beginning of the 3rd class.
Just as Cedric was about to applaud in admiration for Kane's skills, Kane prepared another strike.
"A second consecutive spear strike?"