Chapter 40: The Misunderstood Warrior
After finishing the heavy conversation,
I chatted lightly again with Zeke.
We spoke about Teran and Karlson’s growth, how the siblings were doing, and various other things.
Elphrel, without , was still peaceful. No matter how cold the North beca, Elphrel remained the land of warriors. No harsh winter could harm their bodies.
Adam’s progress, in particular, was remarkable. I heard that he had already mastered techniques on par with a high-ranking warrior. If he only perfected his physical form, it wouldn’t be strange for him to be promoted right away.
A bright smile blood on my face at that news. It was good news. Because I was close to Adam, I was all the more delighted.
Perhaps because we had fought fiercely against the Demon Beast, the sun was already setting before I knew it. The ti to part had co again.
Setting aside my lingering regret, I collected Luseus’s blood. A sar of blood still lingered, un-dried, at the corner of his lips. After scooping about a spoonful into a vial, I said,
“I should get going now. My companions are probably waiting.”
“Yes. But before that, Leon, there’s sothing I want to tell you about your condition.”
“My condition? Did you find sothing strange?”
“Each ti a blessing was erased, your body must have grown stronger. This ti was no different. Your physique now likely surpasses that of a high-ranking warrior.”
I was taken aback. I knew my body had grown considerably—but I hadn’t realized it had reached such a level.
“It’s an unnatural rate of growth. One can almost understand why the gods placed such a blessing on you. So let advise you in advance—if you truly wish to beco stronger, focus on training your mind rather than your body.”
Zeke spoke with a serious face.
“The warriors of Elphrel aim to make their bodies into a weapon through extre discipline. That doesn’t an they lack skill—in fact, Elphrel’s warriors train their techniques even more harshly than those of the Empire. Now that you know of the Demon King’s existence, you must cultivate yourself more than ever.”
I understood Zeke’s aning.
Superbia, Ira… I had already beco known among humanoid Demon Beasts. Worse, Ira even knew that I was Zeke’s son.
While wandering through the Empire, I never knew when I might run into them. Danger could always be lurking nearby.
“If it were up to , I’d teach you myself. Those who’ve reached the level of a high-ranking warrior often receive guidance from soone like . They’re not like the half-trained ones at the novice or interdiate levels. They’re people who’ve already proven themselves—there’s no reason to withhold teaching from them.”
That was sothing I hadn’t known. I thought Elphrel was a place where one had to grow strong alone.
But hearing Zeke, it seed there was sothing hidden—perhaps a secret known only to a rare few among the warriors.
And yet, he shared that secret with . That silent gesture told that I was soone worth such trust.
I felt a strange emotion stirring inside .
Just ten years ago, I had been a nervous wreck, afraid of failing the Novice Warrior Examination. Now, though still incomplete, I was being treated as a high-ranking warrior. The thought made smile naturally.
“Leon, your potential is vast. You possess a body that can grow almost infinitely. Once technique is engraved into that body… I can’t even imagine how powerful you’ll beco. But don’t grow arrogant. Technique is a matter of talent. Without it, even a strong body will be wasted.”
I had no intention of becoming arrogant. My talent was ordinary at best. I had no thought of overreaching with such ager ability.
Still, since it was a heartfelt piece of advice from my father,
I nodded and accepted it deep within my heart.
After returning to the Territory of Withers,
I handed over Luseus’s blood to Kazan. His joy was evident—his reddened eyes glimred with gratitude.
Retina was even more emotional. Tears fell as she bowed her head and thanked . Garan hadn’t even been treated yet, and still, her response was overly hasty.
That only showed how precious Garan was to them.
Without realizing it, I smiled warmly and accepted their thanks.
“This is what makes adventuring worthwhile.”
Ryan said as we returned to the inn, his cheeks flushed with excitent.
“To think soone would cry for a companion’s sake… Garan really is a blessed man. I do have close people too, but… my master isn’t the type to shed tears for .”
He chuckled softly, his playful grin carrying mischief.
“So, what’s your relationship with the Count of the Northern Frontier? You promised you’d tell when you got back.”
“He’s my father’s friend. It was Reinhardt who sent to the House of Kellyburn.”
“Ah… I suppose that makes sense.”
Since the Withers Territory lay on the northern outskirts, little news reached there. It wasn’t strange that the connection between the Conqueror and the Northern Frontier Count wasn’t widely known.
“Then does Reinhardt visit Elphrel often? Even if it’s in the North, the Conqueror entering Imperial territory must involve strict procedures, right?”
I flinched slightly. Zeke was the King of Elphrel. Normally, a king’s visit to another country was a grave affair.
‘But Father went to Withers as if it were a casual stroll…?’
I stopped thinking right there. My head was starting to hurt. Turning slightly away, I replied,
“I don’t know about that part myself.”
“Well, it’s between your father and his friend. No reason you’d know, huh.”
Ryan nodded, seemingly satisfied.
“Anyway, how did you even get the Dragon’s Blood? I didn’t get the chance to ask earlier.”
At that question, I paused. How could I even explain what had happened?
Humanoid Demon Beasts were a tightly kept secret, known to very few. Of course, the Black Dragon knew of their existence—but this was a different matter altogether.
‘The Demon King’s seal… and the Seven Apostles. On top of that, Superbia being one of them… There’s no easy way to explain this.’
I hesitated. I wasn’t skilled at lying. A clumsy excuse would only make Ryan suspicious.
So, I decided to answer honestly.
“I can’t say.”
“Huh? Why not? Did the Dragon cast so kind of spell on you?”
“That too, I can’t say.”
I answered seriously. Maybe he saw sothing in my expression—Ryan’s face stiffened in turn.
“You didn’t… get so weird offer from the Dragon, did you? Like giving up half your lifespan or sothing awful like that?”
No, it was the opposite. It was Luseus who was giving up his lifespan. I rely moved my lips slightly, wanting to deny it.
The silence stretched on. The longer it went, the more Ryan’s eyes filled with shock.
“You… even if we’re companions, that level of sacrifice doesn’t make sense.”
“…What?”
I asked blankly, dumbfounded. What did this guy just say? Sacrifice? Who? ?
“Don’t play dumb.”
Ryan spoke, his expression filled with emotion.
“If it’s not because of so strange restriction, then why can’t you explain what happened that ti? You didn’t even deny it when I ntioned a price. Maybe it wasn’t half your lifespan, but you definitely offered sothing to the Dragon—for the Captain’s sake. Sothing precious to you, no doubt.”
Ryan’s gaze burned intensely, just like when he had first learned about Garan’s situation.
“Leon, I owe you an apology. When I first saw you, I thought you were just a rough northern warrior. Later, when I heard you were the Conqueror’s son, I thought you were just a lucky man born into privilege. But now I see differently. Regardless of birth or status—you’re simply a good person.”
Where did he get this idea from? Ryan spoke faster, swept up in his own misunderstanding.
“I never thought I’d et soone like you in my life. You’re loyal to the bone. Yeah… this is what adventure and romance are all about. Leon, even though we’ve only traveled together a short while, I’ve learned a lot about you. So, I’ll make you a promise. If you ever fall into danger, I won’t turn my back. I’m sure you’d do the sa for if I were in trouble.”
No, I wouldn’t, actually…
I barely swallowed the words that nearly escaped my throat. Ryan was completely mistaken. It was absurd—beyond absurd. What in the world went through his head to make him think like that?
I pressed my lips together tightly. I didn’t want to talk to him anymore.
Turning away, I lay down. The night was deep. It was ti to sleep.
But sohow, Ryan took it differently again.
“Heh. So you get shy more easily than I thought? Alright, alright. I’ll stop talking for today!”
He chuckled to himself. The more I heard his laughter, the deeper my frown grew.
Naturally, since I couldn’t talk about what happened with Luseus,
I didn’t bother to correct his misunderstanding.
The next day.
“Good morning, Leon.”
Kazan greeted as I ca down for breakfast. His face looked brighter than usual. He must have been overjoyed that Garan could finally be treated.
I bowed my head slightly in reply—my usual way of greeting.
Then I asked, “Retina isn’t here. Is she still resting?”
“Ah, she’s completely focused on preparing the dicine. The blood you brought turned out to be different from what she expected. She said the formula had to be adjusted slightly.”
“The formula? Will that cause any problems in making it?”
“She said it’ll only require one or two additional ingredients. Nothing rare. It’ll be ready soon.”
I felt relief wash over . Even as I collected Luseus’s blood, I had been anxious. What if this blood doesn’t work? I had wondered.
Fortunately, there seed to be no problem with making the elixir.
“By the way, Leon, I’d like to hear about what happened yesterday. Don’t worry, I won’t ask about the Northern Frontier Count. I promised not to.”
Just from those words, I could tell what he really wanted to know—the story of how I obtained the Dragon’s Blood.
As I hesitated, unsure of what to say,
“Captain, could I have a word?”
Ryan stepped forward. He leaned close and whispered sothing in Kazan’s ear so that no one else could hear. And Kazan’s expression began to shift—first heavy, then moved, then sorrowful. A cascade of emotions crossed his face.
When Ryan finally returned to his seat—
“Leon.”
Kazan looked at with fervent eyes.
“Truly, thank you. Our eting was short, but I feel as though I’ve co to understand the kind of person you are.”
His words were almost identical to Ryan’s from yesterday. I couldn’t help but sigh internally. Suppressing it, I said,
“I don’t know what you heard, but Ryan’s words are false.”
“Then can you tell what really happened yesterday?”
“…”
“I see…”
When I stayed silent, Kazan let out a quiet sigh. He took a long breath before speaking again.
“Leon, whatever happened, you can rely on . I’ll do everything I can to help you.”
Kazan’s words carried more weight than Ryan’s. But even so, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling of deceiving him.
So I only nodded with a faint, troubled look.
Before long, Retina announced that the elixir was complete. She had said it wouldn’t take long—but even so, the speed was impressive.
With nothing left to do in the North, I imdiately set out toward the capital.
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