[Chapter 14]
With the victory in the Duel Trial, the copper mine was now firmly in the hands of the Zestrad family. Karnak, who had saved the territory, was able to solidify his position as lord.
A feast was held.
Cows and pigs were slaughtered, and plenty of food and drink were offered to the serfs.
Among the lively festivities, what stood out the most was the appearance of the 'respected new lord.'
"Varos!"
"Yes, Young Master!"
"It's beef!"
"We also have pork! Not just sausages, but freshly slaughtered pork!"
"The fat is just dripping off!"
"And there's even sauce on it!"
The two of them were so focused on their meal that they even shed tears of joy.
They were so genuinely moved that it left the serfs feeling a bit bewildered.
"Is it something to be so delighted about?"
"Of course, beef is a rare delicacy, but still…"
For ordinary serfs, cows and pigs were foods they could only eat on special occasions, maybe once or twice a year, and only in times of plenty.
So, they were also deeply moved by the taste of the beef and pork they hadn't had in a long time.
But the reaction of these two was excessively intense.
"Don't nobles eat meat regularly?"
"But they're acting like it's the first time in decades…"
"Come on, that can't be true, right? They're nobles."
Not knowing the truth, the serfs could only think this way.
"How harsh must their training have been for them to be so pleased by such a small thing?"
"It must have been grueling. Didn't they put their lives on the line?"
"People really are unpredictable, aren't they?"
They all looked at the new lord, Karnak, with eyes full of respect.
The one who had once been a wastrel not only turned over a new leaf but also saved the territory and secured the future of the serfs. How could they not show him respect?
Of course, Karnak was just mindlessly chewing on his meat.
"Ah, it's delicious. But why is everyone looking at me?"
"Maybe we've eaten too much? If we eat more, we might get sick."
"We should be careful. We're precious, after all."
In any case, everything was going well.
He had become the master of a wealthy family and gained the respect and goodwill of the serfs. The family members who hated him had destroyed themselves.
It seemed that all the goals he had set when he turned back time and returned to the past had been achieved.
As he clinked his glass, Karnak smiled brightly.
"Now, all that's left is to enjoy life leisurely. Heh heh heh."
"Indeed, Young Master. Heh heh heh."
Varos responded with a radiant smile.
* * *
Three months had passed since the Duel Trial. In the outer training grounds of the Zestrad family, a group of knights gathered to watch a sparring match unfolding before their eyes.
It was a duel between a knight in his mid-thirties and a young man who seemed to be around twenty years old.
"Be careful!"
The knight in his thirties shouted a warning as he delivered a slashing strike.
"Yes, sir!"
The young man cautiously parried the attack and launched a counterstrike.
For a while, the clashing of blades echoed continuously as they engaged in an intense bout of swordplay.
Despite his youthful appearance, the young man's skill was impressive. He held his ground against a seasoned knight without faltering.
After a short while, the knight paused to catch his breath and sheathed his sword.
"Phew, let's stop here for today."
The young man also sheathed his sword and bowed his head respectfully.
"Thank you for your guidance!"
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Sir Valtun, a knight of the Zestrad family, shook his head in disbelief.
"You've almost reached my level now."
When Varos, the young man before him, suddenly declared his intention to become a knight, everyone had been taken aback.
It was said that he had trained alongside Karnak, who had mastered the Delphiad Swordsmanship…
'Just because you've learned exceptional swordsmanship doesn't mean you automatically become strong.'
'The ignorance of those with no experience is astounding.'
At first, it was so absurd that they didn't even feel like mocking him. They simply pitied him.
'A few good beatings should bring him back to reality.'
But in just a few months, his skills had improved at a startling pace.
Sir Torres, a veteran knight who had been observing from the sidelines, also found himself amazed.
"Varos, who knew you had such talent?"
Not only did he acquire skills at an incredible speed, but his combat instincts were flawless, and still being in his growth phase, his physical abilities improved daily.
He was an extraordinary genius. It was almost a waste for someone like him to be stuck in such a remote place.
'At this rate, if it were a real fight, I might not be able to handle him soon.'
However, not wanting to let praise go to his head, Sir Torres spoke in a deliberately stern tone.
"But don't let it go to your head. It's common for a warrior born with talent to meet a tragic end due to lack of experience."
Varos humbly bowed his head.
"I'll keep that in mind, Sir Torres."
Of course, he was still hiding most of his true abilities.
If he fought seriously, he could cut down all five of these Zestrad knights within a minute by himself.
After all, weren't they just rural knights who couldn't even handle one Randolf?
But that wasn't a reason to look down on them.
'It's not as if I'm some incredible genius either.'
Varos was well aware that his rapid progress was due to the vast combat experience he had accumulated over the years, not because of any heaven-sent talent.
In truth, before becoming a Death Knight, he had been, at best, a second-rate knight, unable to even awaken his Aura.
'Now that I think about it, I wonder if I could master Aura on my own without the Young Master's help. Well, at least I understand the theory now, so I should be better off than before.'
Regardless, there was no denying that the evaluation of Varos had skyrocketed.
The knights began to speak, each with a tone of admiration.
"At any rate, it's impressive."
"To have such skill at your age…"
"And to think that with this talent, you used to just mess around?"
"Maybe that's precisely why you've developed such a sharp combat sense."
Though Karnak and Varos had been criticized for their wild behavior in the past, they hadn't actually caused any significant trouble.
All they really did was sneak into nearby towns to drink, gamble, and get into back-alley brawls. They couldn't even indulge in women because they didn't have the money for it.
That sort of behavior was something even the knights themselves engaged in from time to time.
And if teenagers were already indulging in 'adult vices' without any forethought, it was only natural they were seen as delinquents.
Sir Torres, reflecting on the changes, muttered with a mix of emotions.
"It's a good thing. Not just for you, but for the Young Master as well. Who would've thought he'd mature like this…"
Many had initially doubted Karnak's transformation. No matter how much he had changed after becoming a lord, they wondered if an old scoundrel could truly turn over a new leaf.
But those doubts had long since melted away.
After all, everyone had seen how deeply moved he was by just a single glass of alcohol.
The intense emotion that seemed to shake his very soul was undoubtedly the expression of someone who had been sober for years, savoring the first drink in a long time.
"He certainly shows restraint, only drinking a bit with meals. Thanks to that, the Young Master—no, the Lord—seems to be in much better health," Sir Torres said.
Varos couldn't help but smirk inwardly.
'Of course he is.'
Unlike before, Karnak was now also paying attention to his physical well-being.
It wasn't that he had any intention of becoming a knight.
He had simply come to realize the importance of health.
After all, he had spent decades living with a dead body, sacrificing everything just to regain this one.
In both a figurative and literal sense, his body was indeed "precious."
Health was now his top priority! Take care of yourself while you're young! If you wait until you're old, it's too late! I know because I've learned the hard way!
Both Karnak and Varos were now focused on eating a balanced diet, maintaining a regular routine, and exercising diligently, all to care for and refine their precious bodies.
"I never thought a person could change so much."
"Indeed. I heard he's even deeply into reading now?"
"Unlike before, he spends most of his leisure time in the study."
"When the previous Baron passed away, I thought everything was lost…"
The knights reminisced with wistful expressions as they thought of their new lord, Karnak.
Ah, the future of the Zestrad territory now seemed bright!
Varos, however, kept a wry smile to himself.
'It's true he's holed up in the study, but it's not exactly like he's immersed in reading as you imagine.'
***
After returning to the past, Karnak's original plan had been to travel across the continent, gather treasures, and use his foresight to make profits through trade, thereby securing his position.
This family's situation was so dire that there seemed to be no other solution.
But with the discovery of the copper mine, the financial problems had been resolved.
At the same time, there was no longer a need to roam the continent.
The entire plan had been about becoming a moderately powerful local noble, living a peaceful life without drawing too much attention or being looked down upon.
Having achieved that, what reason was there to leave the territory and go through hardships?
Adventure? The passion of youth? Curiosity about seeing the world?
He had already traveled around the world five or six times. He had seen everything there was to see, and even more than he ever wanted to.
However, that didn't mean he planned to spend his days lazily or idling around.
Now that he owned the copper mine, it was possible that more people like the Viscount Debentor would come after him.
No, it was certain that they would.
There was no greater driving force for humans than greed.
He needed to have at least the minimal strength necessary to protect the territory.
But since he couldn't use necromancy, he required abilities that could be displayed openly.
In the large study on the second floor of the Zestrad mansion, Karnak sat on the floor, meditating under the moonlight streaming through the windows.
"Hoo…"
Taking a deep breath, he focused his mind, gathering the surrounding energies.
The darkness of the night, the yin energy of the moonlight, and the faint traces of negative energy all converged towards him, being reprocessed.
After a moment, Karnak opened his eyes.
"Good, I've gathered enough."
He raised a finger, and a small flame flickered to life at the tip.
Varos, who had been watching from the side, looked intrigued.
"Huh? It doesn't have that typical necromancy feel to it."
When necromancy is activated, the aura of death it emits is something that any living being, even an ordinary human, can sense as an ominous presence. Clerics, in particular, are highly sensitive to it.
However, the flame that Karnak had just conjured lacked that distinctive aura. It looked like an ordinary spell, nothing more.
"The color is red, too. It just looks like a normal fire," Varos observed.
"Exactly," Karnak nodded.
"This originated from necromancy, but it's no longer necromancy."
For Karnak, necromancy had lost its appeal as a power. He knew all too well what the end result would be, no matter how much he strengthened it.
But starting anew as a knight, wizard, or cleric was also out of the question.
"Once you learn necromancy, there's no turning back."
"I'm aware of that. But that applies not just to necromancy; it's the same with other paths, too," Varos replied.
In this world, there are four ways to transcend human limitations.
The Aura, wielded by knights, which manipulates life force.
The Mana, wielded by wizards, which manipulates natural forces.
The Divine Power, wielded by clerics, which follows the principles of light and providence.
And lastly, necromancy, or dark magic, which manipulates the powers of death and darkness.
What all these methods have in common is that they accumulate the energy of the world within the body and convert it into a unique power. In this process, the soul and body of the practitioner become optimized for the method they've chosen.
In other words, once you choose a path, you're bound to it.
Can a wizard, who wields mana, also train in martial arts?
It's certainly possible. After all, having arms and legs means one can wield a sword or spear.
But mastering Aura is impossible.
Once the soul and body are imbued with the essence of mana, no matter how hard one tries, the world's energy will only accumulate as mana.
The same principle applies to necromancy.
Once a soul has been stained black, it can never turn white again.
"Well, to be precise, it can be bleached. The bleaching process itself is possible."
The problem was that the memories and personality of the individual would also be bleached away in the process.
The act of converting that energy into power essentially remakes one's soul and body anew.
This is also why Aura users, wizards, or clerics who dabble in necromancy often end up corrupted. They lose their original power and even their personality changes, transforming them into someone entirely different.
For Karnak to make a completely fresh start, he would have needed to turn back time to before he learned necromancy.
But that was an impossibility.
The nature of the time-reversal spell was inherently linked to necromancy, targeting points in time after he had already mastered the dark arts. Because of this, he could only return to moments after he had learned necromancy.
"Varos, you were able to return to a time before becoming a Death Knight because you were tied to me."
Karnak had been aware of this issue since his days as the Necromancer King. That's why, after returning to the past, he had prepared a method to make a fresh start.
"And this is the result."
He waved the flame at his fingertip and grinned proudly.
"I've named it Chaos Power."