I Acquire Overpowered Traits Just By Taking Damage

The lack of sufficient lighting in the lord's hall was made obvious when night came. The candles on the walls were too few and too far apart, producing nothing more than sad and weak light.

"Given how neglected the castle defenses are, and how the townsmen don't seem to mind that the castle sits empty, is it right for me to assume this town is somewhat peaceful?" Clifford asked, pausing with his spoon mid-air. His head pivoted slightly as he addressed the slim figure standing to the left of his chair at the high table.

Agnes, whom he had summoned from the lower table where she had been supping with Lucas and the servants, gave a simple nod. "Yes, my lord. The town is safe enough. It helps that the land around us is all bare hills and open plains. Nothing can sneak close—there is nowhere for brigands or beasts to hide."

I could tell it pleased Clifford to be called lord. Strictly speaking, the title was not his to bear—he had not been ennobled, and castellans were a step below true lords. Yet to the common folk, the distinction mattered little. A man who sat in a castle and exercised lordly authority might as well be a lord to them.

"But the same cannot be said about the villages nearer to the woodlands and the roads leading to the town. Greenskin attacks on villagers and travelers are constant news," she continued, her voice carrying across the thin silence of the hall.

Clifford nodded and turned his eyes back to us. Seated with him at the high table were myself and Elena, flanking him to left and right. Next to me sat Leofric, and beside Elena was Edmund.

"That is good, then. We don't have the gold, and our armory is empty. I doubt the tenants and the landholders could provide us with proper fighting men. They'll give us peasants armed with staves and pitchforks," Clifford said. "We'll have to wait until we've collected taxes before we can think of rebuilding the garrison."

We nodded and grunted in agreement. Fighting men summoned through feudal obligations were typically low-quality, and we couldn't even keep them long term. If we had to rely on them, we'd be in real trouble.

Thankfully, Clifford himself was a formidable mage, more than enough to discourage most dangers in these lands. Edmund and Leofric, too, were warriors of no small repute—between the three of them, I reckoned they could hold the castle against even a determined band of raiders.

"What the landholders could give us instead are laborers and food supply. The castle is in need of repairs and some thorough cleaning. I will send for them tomorrow."

Elena, however, frowned at this. "But we do have money. Is two hundred gold not enough to recruit soldiers and buy equipment?"

Clifford chuckled softly. "Your money is not our money, my lady. We will not rob you of your inheritance. As long as you're with us, you will not have to spend or do anything."

I knew that would be his response. Even though Candor had treated him a bastard, he behaved himself a gentleman—sometimes with too much pomp, but never with dishonor.

Elena gave a weak smile. "Thank you, Master Clifford. But I will not abuse your hospitality. Please allow me to earn my keep."

"You will have many chances to do so. But I will ask nothing of you while you still grieve," Clifford responded.

After the exchange, which seemed to have pleased everyone, we proceeded to silently eat our dinner.

A couple of noisy chickens had been running impudently around the courtyard earlier. Edmund, growing tired of their arrogance, had finally ordered them into the pot. They weren't exactly well-fed and had little meat to speak of, but Agnes, somehow, had managed to turn them into a respectable chicken stew for dinner.

The silence was broken again by Leofric.

"Ah, my lady… I almost forgot. I wish to ask for permission. Master Devon wishes to learn swordsmanship from me, and I would like to take a few hours a day to teach him."

Elena looked surprised. In fact, everyone at the table did. When I asked Leofric to teach me swordsmanship, he offered to do it for free but said he would first ask the lady. I didn't think he would do it at the table, in front of everyone.

"Your swordsmanship did look atrocious to me, Master Devon. Should you learn how to wield the sword, you'd be a god of slaughter. But you could have come to me instead," Edmund said, furrowing his brow. "Why Leofric here?"

"Well, he told me he's better than you with the sword," I replied, intentionally deflecting the heat off me and onto Leofric.

Edmund huffed. "I could duel with ten Leofric and not shed a single bead of sweat."

Leofric shook his head. "That's just exaggeration. And while you're a better fighter than me, I am the better swordsman. That's exactly what I said to Master Devon here."

The mercenary mischievously grinned. "Isn't that why you switched to the axe? Because you could never defeat me in a non-magical swordfight?"

Edmund looked like he was about to erupt, ever the ill-tempered man-child. A gentle hand on his arm from Elena calmed him like a flame snuffed with a pinch of wet fingers.

"Of course! Master Devon!" Elena beamed, the brightest since her father's death. "But in exchange, why don't you teach me water magic? Since we're out of the ship, it should be safe to reveal to them you are a legendary water mage!"

I froze in my seat as the rest of the faces lit up in excitement. Right there I realized how neatly that identity fitted with the assumptions of the other two.

According to Clifford, I was a demigod—and a demigod being able to wield legendary water magic would be no surprise. It only reinforced his theory.

According to Edmund, I was some super-talented high lord. While he had seen my clumsy swordsmanship against the greenskin, he had yet to witness my magic. And they all knew I was lying through my teeth when I told the marquis I was a wind mage.

To make matters worse, that wretched sailor who had seen me walk on water was retelling the story, excitedly and loudly, at the other table with the servant. Now I wouldn't be able to dismiss it as merely Elena's delirium.

"You could learn swordsmanship in the morning, and you teach me water magic in the afternoon," she continued.

Everyone waited for my answer. I watched Elena's smile slowly fade as she began to read the reluctance on my face. Demonstrating water magic was one thing, but there was no way I could fake my way through teaching it.

Elena appeared like she was about to cry.

"I… I understand," she said, her excitement now completely gone. "And of course, Leofric is yours to command. You saved my life, and because of that everything that is mine is yours."

"You are a great mage, and I understand… to be your disciple is no trifling thing. But I will prove myself worthy of your tutelage," she continued amidst the deafening silence that hung heavy over the hall.

"Will you reconsider then?"