🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 2
In the end, the bloodline awakening ceremony concluded without any major incidents.
“…….”
Wilheim glared at me until the very last moment, but I mustered all my strength to avoid his gaze.
So, what talent had I awakened?
“Wait and see. Just in case, I’ve prepared the bloodline records.”
According to what my father had researched, the talent I had awakened was as follows:
“Hmmm… It’s called the Blessing of Death.”
“Blessing of Death?”
“Yes, it’s a necromancy talent. It seems you inherited this from your mother’s bloodline.”
I had never heard of this before.
A talent from my mother’s side?
“Does that mean…?”
“Hmm, you didn’t know? Your mother Viola was a necromancer. I didn’t expect she’d be a bloodline holder. Well… we’ll talk about it more when the time comes.”
I was shocked.
My mother was a necromancer?
‘She never mentioned anything about that…’
Anyway, after that, I returned to my room.
I immediately began packing my things.
“Run. Only by running will you survive.”
What? Brilliant talent?
None of that mattered.
During my stay in Palaon, I had caught glimpses of Wilheim training, and he wasn’t human.
Once, he lifted a log as big as a human torso…
―crack, snap!
…and tore it apart with his bare hands.
Not just splitting it—he literally grabbed a freshly cut, still-moist log and tore it apart with his hands.
Here’s the question:
‘Which is stronger, my body or that log?’
The answer was obvious.
“Still… the situation isn’t completely hopeless.”
Why are nobles nobles? Simply because they were born to good parents? That part was true.
But what I meant was that in this world of swords and magic, how could a noble survive without becoming the target of a revolution?
The answer lay in the “bloodline talent.”
The moment a bloodline talent awakens, a noble literally becomes a ‘noble’ in body and ability.
This is called…
“Physical Transformation.”
Regardless of the talent type, the transformation affects bones, muscles, and the nervous system.
Muscles become tougher, bones harder.
Reaction speed improves as well.
The degree of transformation depends on the magnitude of the talent…
“…….”
I grabbed a decorative sword hanging on my room wall.
I didn’t know why it was even there, but it didn’t matter.
The sword was blunt, being decorative, so I held the blade with one hand and the hilt with the other.
Then…
creak!
With pressure, the sword slowly bent.
“Huff… huff.”
It bent just a little, but it was something I couldn’t have done yesterday. The strength wasn’t normal for an untrained fifteen-year-old.
‘With this, I shouldn’t get beaten to death anytime soon.’
Of course, I had no intention of fighting thieves or monsters heroically.
I had to run.
My legs had gotten faster, too.
I gathered valuable items from my room—silver candlesticks and other things worth money—and waited nervously until nightfall.
I even skipped dinner.
When the sun had set and it was past midnight…
“Father, this unworthy child will be leaving now.”
I stepped out of my room.
By the time I reached the side gate of the lord’s castle…
I ran into someone.
“…….”
“…….”
What the…?
A man froze upon seeing me.
For a moment, I thought it was Wilheim, but no.
If it were him, there’d be no need for a mask.
‘Then a thief?’
Before I could think further, he suddenly charged at me.
“I bear no grudge.”
“What?”
The man lunged with a sharp dagger.
He must be an assassin sent by Wilheim!
I rolled on the ground and shouted valiantly:
“INTRUDER—!”
“……!”
Then it happened.
Boom!
The castle wall erupted.
Through the debris, someone shot out like lightning and grabbed the assassin’s neck.
“Gah…!”
The struggling assassin and the person holding his neck… it was a familiar face.
“Wil…heim?”
“…….”
Yes.
It was none other than Wilheim, who had descended like a cannonball to save me.
How had this happened?
Just as I was about to sneak out, an assassin appeared.
I assumed Wilheim had sent him, but to my surprise, Wilheim himself was standing before me.
On that dark night, hidden even from the moon, Wilheim lifted the assassin by the neck.
“How dare you—”
Dong, dong, dong, dong—!
The alarm rang, and torches lit up across the castle.
“This way!”
“This way!”
Knights and soldiers rushed toward the intruder.
When they arrived at the scene, the knights froze.
“Lord Wilheim…?”
“What’s happening?”
Ktoon lay on the floor, and Wilheim held the intruder by the neck.
They had no idea how to interpret this scene.
But one thing was clear: Wilheim was furious like they had never seen.
They dared not move, quietly taking in the sight.
The intruder’s grim fate was obvious.
How could it not be?
He had been caught by the same hands that could tear steel apart.
At that moment…
“What is going on—! Lord Wilheim?”
“……Sir Balt.”
“What is the situation?”
The arrival of Balt, Palaon’s chief knight, slightly calmed Wilheim’s fury.
Though his eyes still burned with anger, reason had returned slightly.
Wilheim’s head cooled a little.
Boom!
“……!”
“……!”
He slammed the intruder to the ground and brushed off his hands.
“He’s not dead. You can take him for interrogation.”
“May I ask for the full details?”
“This guy…”
Wilheim looked at Ktoon and quietly said:
“He tried to kill Ktoon.”
“What?!”
Balt was shocked.
To attempt to kill Lord Ktoon? That was serious.
Even as an illegitimate child, Ktoon was still a noble, and the baron had high regard for him.
Balt’s face hardened, and he ordered the soldiers:
“Take the intruder to the underground prison and put the army on alert.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir!”
While Palaon’s soldiers moved efficiently, Wilheim looked at his half-brother Ktoon.
His brow furrowed.
“Where were you going at this hour?”
“J-just a night walk…”
“A night walk? With all this luggage?”
“…….”
Ktoon had no words, and Wilheim sighed deeply.
But that was brief.
He reached out his hand.
“Stand up.”
“…….”
“Stand up, I said.”
Ktoon refused to take his hand.
Wilheim’s face tensed slightly, but no one noticed.
At that moment, the baron of Palaon arrived.
“What’s all this commotion?”
Having evacuated his wife Hela and searched for Ktoon, the baron frowned at the gathered sons.
“Wilheim, explain. What’s happening? You said you’d go out briefly—why is Ktoon here?”
“There was an intruder.”
“An intruder?”
“Yes, it seems he was encountered during a night walk, but I returned just in time.”
“So the shouting came from Ktoon?”
“Yes.”
The baron felt dizzy.
He hadn’t recognized his own son’s voice!
He had been looking elsewhere and was utterly embarrassed.
He could have lost his son!
“Ktoon, are you okay? Any injuries?”
“Yes, thanks to Lord Wilheim…”
“That’s a relief. Truly a relief.”
The baron hugged his son, his heart still racing, then looked at Balt with anger.
“Sir Balt, where is the intruder?”
“He’s in the underground prison.”
“…Guide me. I will interrogate him personally. Ktoon, rest. We’ll talk afterward.”
As the baron moved, Wilheim called:
“Father.”
“What is it?”
Wilheim carefully requested:
“I want to take Ktoon to the ancestral tomb.”
“……The tomb?”
“Yes. It was scheduled for tomorrow, but I want to go now.”
The baron looked at his eldest son.
Though they had spent little time together in childhood, he trusted him.
“Very well, go.”
“Thank you. Let’s go.”
Wilheim led, and Ktoon hesitantly followed.
Behind Palaon Castle, in the hills,
a young man and boy walked along the dark night path.
The youth in front was Wilheim, the eldest son of the current baron and heir to Palaon.
Behind him was his illegitimate brother, Ktoon.
Ktoon followed, rolling his eyes.
‘Hmph, what now?’
Why the ancestral tomb?
He had heard of it before. The tomb of Palaon’s founder, the hero who killed a dragon.
He wondered silently while Wilheim’s voice reached him:
“Originally, Palaon nobles visit the ancestral tomb after the bloodline awakening to test their aptitude.”
“Aptitude…?”
“Yes. A sacred ritual unique to Palaon.”
Hearing this for the first time, Ktoon frowned.
“Why am I…?”
“Why? You truly don’t know?”
Wilheim stopped walking.
“Didn’t I ask why I brought you here?”
“……Yes.”
“Place your hand on that stone slab.”
Ktoon obeyed.
Then…
Prick!
The slab reacted, scratching Ktoon’s finger.
Immediately, a magic circle spread from his hand.
It was a magic circle that responded only to Palaon blood.
Zzzz—!
The slab opened with a loud sound.
“I never once thought you weren’t Palaon.”
Wilheim’s voice pierced Ktoon’s ears.
