SSS-Rank Hunter Reborn: Private Tutor to the Count's Bastard Son

"...A messenger came from Serneck Forest?"

Count Arcdute narrowed his eyes at the report.

"Yes, they say he's heading here now."

Along with Ayl's answer, the Count began tapping the table with his finger. It was a habit he often did when he had a lot on his mind.

How much time had passed like that?

A knock was heard from outside the door.

Knock knock—

"Let him in."

As soon as permission was given, the door opened. A knight with his head bowed and someone in a red robe could be seen. A being wearing a pure white mask. It was Serneck's messenger. The messenger walked without even looking at the Count.

Step by step—

At his unhesitant approach, Ayl stepped forward. It was to prepare for any unpleasant incidents that might occur. Fortunately, nothing like that happened. The messenger stopped about ten steps away from the Count.

Shortly after, the messenger took out a token. It was the proof of alliance he'd shown when passing through the gate. When the Count silently nodded, the messenger opened his closed mouth.

"According to the alliance, I've come to take Silvan Arcdute."

A husky voice escaped through his lips.

Hearing this, wrinkles formed on the Count's brow.

"Shouldn't removing your mask come first?"

"Why should I do that?"

"Because that's courtesy in the human world."

"I'm not human. So I have no obligation to follow it."

A firm refusal poured out. At the same time, Ayl frowned. No matter how much of an alliance relationship they had, Count Arcdute was clearly the master of this land. Yet to show such an attitude?

"Still, there are proprieties..."

Just as he was about to say something sharp, the Count suddenly raised his hand. It meant to be quiet. Then Ayl immediately closed his mouth as if nothing had happened.

"Hearing your voice, I'm getting an idea of who you are."

The Count grinned with narrowed eyes.

"I didn't expect you to come. Irona Serneck."

"...Don't call my name carelessly, Count."

Irona growled low. Just from her voice, you could feel her displeasure. But the Count neither apologized nor was flustered.

"Ayl, prepare quarters for our guest to stay."

He just gave instructions to Ayl.

But Irona shook her head. It meant she had no intention of staying. However, that opinion wasn't important.

"You must be tired from the long journey, so please rest and recover from your travels first."

A butler always prioritizes his master's will.

Ayl approached with a smiling face. It was to guide Irona to her quarters. But he had to stop before long.

Bang—!

It was because Irona suddenly stomped the floor with her foot. As the floor vibrated with a loud crash, a knight who had been waiting outside came in with a startled face.

After drawing everyone's attention, Irona spoke briefly.

"Bringing Silvan comes first."

As soon as those words ended, the atmosphere changed dramatically.

The Count began pressuring Irona with a terrifying aura. It was the aura emitted by none other than a Sword Master. If it were an ordinary person, they would have immediately fallen to their knees.

But no change could be found in Irona. Rather, she kept her back straight and stared directly at the Count's face.

Didn't he like that confident attitude? Wrinkles formed on the Count's forehead. But there was nothing more he could say. In the end, the Count withdrew his aura with a low click of his tongue.

"Tsk! Bring the boy."

"Yes, I'll be back shortly."

With Ayl's answer, the surrounding noise disappeared.

A room with only the two of them left. A quiet atmosphere continued like a still lake. Just when it seemed no one would dare open their mouth.

"Isn't this enough now?"

The Count suddenly broke the silence. No answer came back. Nevertheless, the Count stubbornly continued speaking.

"I've given many conveniences for half a year. As Irina's last will requested, I taught him noble refinement and hired a tutor. Also, Burke Logwood, the family's best knight, taught him swordsmanship. I think I've done enough."

"..."

"I'm not saying I'll drive him out immediately. Even after the coming-of-age ceremony, I plan to care for him here until he turns seventeen as promised. So isn't it time to remove the shackles?"

Strong longing was embedded in those last words.

With those words, the Count closed his mouth. After a while, Irona slightly lifted her chin. A husky voice was heard from between the mask.

"Irina was a kind and wise child. She couldn't easily suspect others and hated suspecting people. She hated causing harm even more."

The emotionless voice trembled finely for a moment.

It wasn't from nervousness. It was anger. Irona suppressed her rising fury and forced herself to continue.

"...That child put shackles on someone. And on someone she'd been intimate with. You should know very well what this means."

As Irona gritted her teeth, the Count suddenly stood up. Placing his fist to his chest, he opened his mouth with a solemn face.

"I swear on my name..."

"Don't waste your efforts. I don't trust humans."

But the Count couldn't finish his words. Irona had cut off his words in one go. Soon after, Irona growled with a threatening voice.

"So hurry up and call Silvan. No matter what you babble, my decision won't change."

Knock knock—

As soon as Irona's words ended, someone knocked on the door.

It was Ayl who had gone to fetch Silvan.

"Count, I've brought the third young master."

"...Come in."

The Count muttered with a low sigh.

Before long, the door opened.

***

Creak—

The pure white door opened. Soon two people entered his field of vision. One was the Count sitting in a chair, and the other was a stranger.

A figure covered in a red robe. Seeing that they wore a mask, that being must be Serneck's messenger. But there was something puzzling.

'What? That's not Harmin?'

Ferda tilted his head in confusion. Because the Serneck messenger described in the novel wasn't like that.

"...A man in a teal robe wearing a pure white mask. He was the messenger from Serneck Forest. What was unusual was that he was incredibly large. His head nearly touched the ceiling."

But the person in front of him was the complete opposite in everything except wearing a mask. Even the color of the robe was different.

'Could it be that someone else came?'

Just as he was thinking that, Irona from afar opened her mouth.

"Silvan."

A husky voice. But it was quite different from the tone she used with the Count. Irona's voice tickled Silvan's ears gently like a spring breeze.

The moment he heard that voice, Silvan perked up his ears. After a while, his golden eyes grew large. Silvan seemed to realize who the voice belonged to and muttered in a trembling voice.

"I-Irona?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it would be this late."

Irona moved her steps. Soon she approached Silvan and gently stroked his head.

"You've grown so much. You had a hard time, didn't you?"

Looking at her touch, it didn't seem like she'd only stroked him once or twice. Silvan couldn't hide his flustered look and quietly nodded.

"Yeah, Irona seems a little different too."

"Me?"

"The spirits got bigger. Their colors got deeper too."

Silvan's gaze turned toward above Irona's head. Then Irona asked back with a rather surprised look.

"You noticed that? How?"

"Huh? I can just see them..."

While the two who hadn't seen each other for a long time were having a conversation.

Ferda quietly looked at Irona.

'...Irona Serneck.'

Serneck Forest's second warrior. Someone who handled all weapons well and was especially skilled in spear techniques. Also someone who showed excellent talent in spirit magic. The twin sister of Irina Serneck, the current Dark Elf chieftain's daughter and Silvan's mother.

She would be Silvan's aunt.

'Why are you here?'

Ferda's eyes narrowed.

In the original, Irona was someone you could only meet after arriving at Serneck Forest. It had been like that in every season.

But this time was different.

Another development different from the original. He didn't like this kind of thing. As his brow was gradually furrowing, the Count's voice suddenly came.

"I won't stop you from taking Silvan Arcdute according to the alliance."

A somewhat stiff voice. Everyone's gaze turned to him.

Then the Count continued speaking.

"However, Silvan Arcdute is one of the candidates to succeed me. No matter how brave a warrior you are, I can't help but feel uneasy."

As soon as the Count finished speaking, Irona snorted. A cold sneer. Ferda felt the same way. Whether he knew their thoughts or not, the Count silently continued.

"Therefore, we'll also attach an escort. Ferda Inosid."

A name suddenly called. But he wasn't flustered.

Ferda immediately knelt on the floor.

"Yes, Count."

"As his dedicated tutor, you will assist Silvan Arcdute."

The Count planned to attach surveillance to Silvan. And right now, there was only one person in the Arcdute family most suitable to carry out this mission. Only Ferda, who had stayed with Silvan the longest.

'And one more thing.'

In the original, he secretly assigned one more mission. Would he give the same mission this time too? With that thought, he quietly bowed his head.

"I will follow your orders."

A smile bloomed on Ferda's lips, hidden in the shadows.

***

After the business was finished, Ferda remained alone in the room.

It was because the Count had called him aside separately. Shortly after, when the Count appeared again, Ferda jumped up from his seat.

"Ferda Inosid pays his respects to the Count..."

"Enough. I already received your greeting earlier."

The Count sat across from him.

He continued with an awkward face.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you in advance."

"Not at all. Following orders as someone employed is only natural."

Did Ferda's answer please him? A smile formed on the Count's lips. After exchanging trivial pleasantries, a maid brought tea. And when the door closed again, the Count's expression suddenly changed.

"I called you aside separately because I have something for you to do."

It seemed he would assign the 'secret mission' he'd thought of earlier. Ferda quietly bowed his head. The Count smiled satisfactorily at his obedient appearance.

"First, take this."

Thud—

It was a leather pouch. From the dull sound, it seemed to contain coins.

"Travel expenses. It's quite a distance to Serneck Forest, so use it well."

"Thank you."

It was good to accept things like this quickly.

He might dislike the person, but money wasn't hateful.

"Given Irona's personality, she'll leave this place today. I've given instructions to the south gate, so don't make a fuss and leave quietly."

"Yes, understood."

"And next is about Serneck Forest..."

Listening to information he already knew again was quite difficult. Moreover, if he had to nod seriously and pretend to understand, the fatigue doubled.

Ferda forcibly suppressed the urge to yawn and listened to the Count's words.

"...Finally, about the mission I'm assigning you."

Finally, the main point came out.

At the same time, the Count took out a sheet of paper. It was paper with quite a unique pattern drawn on it. A pattern where symbols representing the sun and moon overlapped, with swords, spears, and arrows seemingly piercing through them.

Ferda knew what this was. But here he had to pretend not to know. So he deliberately narrowed his eyes sleepily and stared intently at the pattern.

"Th-this is...?"

"You don't need to know."

Did his unconscious true feelings leak out?

A cold voice flowed from the Count's mouth. Only after speaking did he seem to notice, adding an explanation in a somewhat softened tone.

"If you see something that looks like this, bring it by any means necessary. This is a very important matter involving our Count's territory's safety."

A voice completely stiffened and filled with earnestness.

After briefly closing his mouth, the Count even promised exceptional compensation.

"If you successfully complete this task, I'll give you a knight's title and a manor with two hundred peasants. If you want, you can even use the Winteress banner."

He even gave permission to use the fallen family name.

Conditions that would make anyone's mouth water. In the original, Ferda showed a blank expression here for a moment, then bowed his head many times saying thank you. So it would be good to imitate that as closely as possible.

"A-are you serious?"

"Of course. I promise on my name."

Ferda put on his best acting performance. He clenched his fist so tightly that veins popped out on the back of his hand. Then he shouted with a solemn face.

"...Yes, understood. No matter what happens, I will definitely succeed!"

"Yes, I'm counting on you."

The Count patted his shoulder with a pleased face.

With different thoughts, smiles formed on both men's lips.

***

After the meeting with the Count ended.

Ferda immediately headed to Silvan's room. It was because he had business with 'Irona Serneck.'

'Why did you come as a messenger?'

Did something happen in Serneck Forest? Or did the First Disaster start a bit earlier? Many questions followed one after another.

That's when something blocked his path.

Tap tap—

"What's this now?"

Ferda stood in the middle of the corridor and frowned.

He could see the scenery on the other side, but couldn't pass through. It was because there was something blocking the front like transparent glass. Meanwhile, he had a guess.

"Could this be spirit magic?"

He'd seen something similar to this in the original.

An invisible wall that blocked advancing enemies and protected allies. Just as he thought this far, giggling laughter suddenly came from the empty air.

[Amazing. To think a human would see through this.]

[Ahaha! Right, it's a wall we made.]

[Irona asked us. To block any humans who come.]

Their forms weren't visible.

But hearing their lively voices, he got an idea of who they were.

'Wind spirits.'

Plus, seeing how chatty they were, spilling information no one asked for, it seemed almost certain. Whether they knew their identity was discovered or not, the spirits kept chattering in bright voices.

[So go back obediently.]

[Right, don't waste your energy.]

[Ordinary humans can never break this.]

At their confident answer, Ferda chuckled.

Should he test whether it really couldn't be broken?

At that moment, Arcane's dagger was drawn from its sheath.