Imperial Throne Chapter 31 : Soderbell

Chapter 31: Soderbell

Yam's family had now beco the most influential and powerful household in the White Mountain Territory. Even the Bole Family clearly had to rely on them.

His father, Ion, was granted Old Mountain Village as a fief, while his younger brother Akar was similarly awarded Fisher Village, Giggs had specifically co to apologize to Yam for this, since he had once promised to give Fisher Village to Yam as a fief. But Yam didn’t mind. He said that his brother receiving Fisher Village was no different than him being rewarded.

However, their family didn’t feel any joy from this.

Because their mother had died more than three months ago during that bloody night in White Forest Castle, in the incident targeting the Bole Family.

The Bole Family clearly knew who the murderer was, but had no intention of publicizing it.

This made Akar extrely dissatisfied and furious, but Ion understood and asked Yam to calm his impulsive and hot-headed younger brother.

Yam had a private conversation with his father about it.

He spoke plainly, “You know who was behind those assassins that night, don’t you?”

“If I’m not mistaken, it should be that Count Shuvaric whom the Lord has ntioned multiple tis,” Ion nodded without hesitation.

He had started to find his two sons increasingly difficult to understand ever since they beca Bloodline Users.

The youngest, Akar, seed to have awakened a violent nature.

He exuded a heavy killing intent and could only behave sowhat normally when around Yam or Ion.

That was also why Ion insisted that Yam accompany him during the mission to rescue Baron Ster, he simply didn’t dare let Akar act alone, fearing even Akar himself wouldn’t know what he might do unsupervised.

anwhile, Yam was the complete opposite.

He didn’t act on impulse like Akar, nor did he try to solve problems by imdiately eliminating the source.

Others saw Yam as steady, ticulous, principled, and diligent, completing tasks like the most righteous of knights. But Ion knew that Yam hadn’t always been this way.

He, too, had once been rash and careless like most young n. It was only in the year Ion had taken Akar away, leaving Yam to shoulder the burdens at ho, that he had changed so much under pressure.

If Akar was a naturally born nace, then Yam’s current personality left Ion unsure whether it was a blessing or a curse.

Because he saw that his son had beco thoughtful and assertive, unlike the younger one who only knew how to use force, Ion felt safe enough to share his thoughts on the real killer behind their mother’s death.

After listening to Ion’s speculation, Yam rely nodded and said he understood. He never brought up the matter again.

Not even at their mother’s funeral did he shed a tear. He remained calm and composed.

But Ion had noticed sothing, when Yam looked at his openly grieving and emotional brother Akar, his eyes showed a trace of envy.

At that mont, Ion realized his son had grown up. He was no longer the little boy who followed behind him, clumsily but earnestly mimicking his every move.

Ti passed quietly.

In a blink, three and a half months had passed since Baron Ster returned and reclaid White Forest Castle.

Half a month ago, Baron Ster had abruptly executed over twenty-one rchants in White Mountain City without warning, throwing the entire city into a state of fear and unrest.

Only in the last few days had the city begun to recover, as influential figures finally believed the aftermath of the White Forest Castle massacre had co to an end.

But Yam had paid no attention to any of this, nor had he participated in any of the rchant purges.

Akar, on the other hand, had heard about it from Ion and Giggs and had taken a particular interest.

As a result, all the residents of the White Mountain Territory now knew about the Bole Family’s bloody enforcer known as the [Fla Bow].

anwhile, the reserved and low-profile Yam was hardly ntioned. In fact, to many self-proclaid "inford sources," Akar was the knight retainer recruited by Giggs, not Yam.

But Yam didn’t care about those rumors.

He continued practicing swordsmanship daily, thodically using his Bloodline abilities to stimulate his Bloodline Concentration and condense more True Blood.

Since returning from the rescue mission, Yam had condensed two drops of True Blood.

Adding that to what he had gained after reaching Second Tier, he was now only seven drops away from achieving perfection at this tier.

He had also co to realize that intense combat stimulated Bloodline Concentration far better than regular training. Ever since becoming a Second-Tier Bloodline User, he could no longer condense one drop per month; now it took two to three months for each.

But during that long-distance raid to rescue Baron Ster, when he breached the enemy camp and slew a Second-Tier Bloodline User, he condensed a drop of True Blood in less than half a month.

That dramatic difference finally made Yam understand why so many Bloodline Users craved battle.

Still, Yam reined in this desire for bloodshed.

“Endure,” he told himself.

And so, returning to the daily rhythm of sword practice beca his best form of relaxation.

But he had forgotten, he was no longer that naless Bloodline Knight.

On the third day after White Mountain City had co back to life, Giggs ca to find Yam.

He was visibly excited.

The mont he saw Yam practicing in the courtyard, he couldn’t wait to ask, “Have you thought about what surna you want for your family?”

“Surna?” Yam was stunned.

A surna was a noble’s privilege.

Or more accurately, a symbol of noble Bloodline.

Commoners had no surnas, only given nas. To differentiate people with the sa na, they added the father's na.

So, if Yam t another person also nad Yam, he would be called Yam Ion. And if Yam’s son later t soone with the sa na, his na would include Yam’s na.

This was how commoners lived: never overstepping Bloodline privileges.

So commoners with surnas were descendants of once-noble families, whose lineages had fallen into ruin. If they annoyed the noble class, they might even be forced to abandon their surnas forever.

Even so, not all Bloodline Users were eligible for surnas.

There were two paths in the Tyrella Kingdom to earn a surna.

First, beco a Third-Tier Bloodline User and receive a fief, then, when registering with the kingdom, you could submit a surna.

But since the royal family had long ceased granting new lands, this path was essentially sealed.

That left the second option: being granted a surna by a higher noble.

For example, Ken’s surna “Andar” was given by Baron Ster.

Yam clearly rembered his father’s dream, using the Rusty Sword’s unique power to establish a family and win noble status for their descendants. The most important step was acquiring a surna.

Yam had assud that Baron Ster would be the one to grant their family na.

After all, it was a symbol of authority, how nobles displayed their influence.

But from what Giggs was saying now, it sounded like Yam could choose one himself.

Yam’s breath quickened.

“No rush, if you haven’t thought of one yet,” Giggs smiled. “My father said this isn’t urgent. Just decide whenever you’re ready…”

“No,” Yam shook his head.

He gripped the now-polished sword tightly and looked firmly at Giggs.

“I’ve made my decision.”

He looked up with a solemn expression and said, “Soderbell.”

“Soderbell.” Giggs repeated it several tis, then smiled and nodded. “Alright, I’ll rember that.”

Then he added, “By the way, what do you think of my sister?”

“Miss Lily?” Yam was puzzled by the question, but still answered seriously, “She’s a very beautiful and capable person. …If I may be blunt, Miss Lily is much more capable than you, Master Giggs.”

“Hahaha.” Giggs didn’t mind that last comnt. He burst out laughing. “Of course, I know that. If I hadn’t been born a few years earlier, the title of White Mountain Lord would probably have gone to her. …But now, that’s no longer possible.”

Yam remained calm.

He didn’t know what had happened inside the Bole Family, but he knew that inheritance was a sensitive subject, one not fit for a Bloodline Knight to comnt on, so he remained silent.

“My father wants to marry her to you.”

“Oh.” Yam nodded nonchalantly at first, thinking he just needed to smile.

But then his expression froze as the words sank in. He stared at Giggs with a “what did you just say?” look. “Master Giggs, what did you say?”

“Hahaha, you won’t be calling ‘master’ much longer.” Giggs laughed and patted Yam’s shoulder.

“But my sister is still young, so you might have to wait a couple of years. In the anti, it’s a good chance to settle the surna issue.”

“Master Giggs…”

“Please treat my sister well, Yam Soderbell.”

Yam had a thousand things to say, but when he heard that last sentence, he swallowed them all and simply replied, “I will.”

As Giggs walked away, clearly pleased, Yam was left in a daze.

To marry Lily Bole, of course Yam was thrilled.

It wasn’t just because she was a noble. Lily was the most beautiful and capable woman Yam had ever seen.

Others might be prettier, but none had Lily’s intellect or tactics. Even those with similar cunning lacked the decisive gap in Bloodline status.

With the Rusty Sword’s aid, Yam believed his family’s future would be far from ordinary.

But that didn’t an they could ignore the rules of Bloodline Nobles.

If there was one thing Yam had learned in the past year, it was realism.

He had to think of himself, Akar, and their father, not fantasize about so glorious future while ignoring the present.

So Lily was the most perfect woman he could marry right now.

He understood clearly that it was only because Baron Ster agreed to the marriage that they had been granted a surna.

Soderbell.

“‘Swordbearer,’ is it?”

A voice suddenly ca from behind, startling Yam.

He realized only then that dusk had fallen. He had spent the whole afternoon zoning out in the garden.

“Soderbell… did I misunderstand the aning of ‘Swordbearer’?” Lily laughed gently.

Her voice was soft, not sad, just like the woman Yam had co to know these past few months.

“Yes.” Yam laughed softly too. All lingering doubts within him dissipated.

He knew that the woman before him, his perfect partner, didn’t resist marrying him. “It ans ‘Swordbearer.’”

“My father asked yesterday if I’d be willing to marry you.”

“Giggs told today.”

“Not calling him ‘Master Giggs’ anymore?”

“If you prefer, Miss Lily.”

Lily laughed.

Her smile was dignified and subtle, not toothy, not artificial.

Yam always thought this smile was sweet, and genuine.

“You’re full of surprises,” Lily said as she sat beside him, gazing at the night sky.

“My mother died early, and my father was always busy. So it was my elder brother who raised . He took care of , my second and third brothers, he was more like a father than our actual father.”

Yam sat silently beside her, looking up at the stars.

“So even if Giggs inherited the title and my other brothers weren’t Bloodline Users, we never resented him.”

“Master Giggs is indeed a good man,” Yam nodded.

“My father says Akar is dangerous.”

Yam suddenly didn’t know what to say.

“But I know my father is wrong.” Lily turned to look directly at him. “The most dangerous person in the Soderbell family is actually you. Akar is just a blade. But you, you are the one holding the blade.”

Yam didn’t respond. He just turned and t her gaze.

Lily’s normally calm, almost chillingly composed face lit up with a smile. She grabbed his hand and pressed it to the scar on her abdon, speaking gently, “Can you feel it?”

“Hatred.”

“If given the chance, would you leave a scar like this on your enemy?”

Yam looked straight into her bright eyes, unwavering. “Yes.”

“Others lost loved ones that night at White Forest Castle too,” Lily released his hand. “My two brothers. Miss Nika, who died protecting . So…” she took a deep breath, her voice slow but steady, “I will too.”

“Do you know who was behind the four assassins that night?”

“Shuvaric Antares.”

“A Sixth-Tier Bloodline User,” Yam exhaled heavily. “We might never reach that level in our lifeti.”

“But maybe our children will,” Lily remained firm. “This is a blood feud, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Yam’s eyes sharpened. “It’s a blood feud.”

“I will marry you,” Lily rose slowly, her smile still sweet and sincere. “I will be the perfect wife for you.”

“And I will be the best husband for you.”

“Hello, Lily Bole.” Lily extended her right hand.

“Hello, Yam Soderbell.” Yam took her hand.

“Goodnight, my Swordbearer.”

“Goodnight, my lady.”

[Volu One Ends]