The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Chapter 247

‘This is unsettling.’

Marquis Clifford de McNeil rested his chin on his hand, tapping the armrest of his chair with the other. The atmosphere in the conference room was cold as a result.

‘What is he so displeased about?’

‘Wasn’t it a complete and perfect victory? The 4th Prince is dead too.’

The commanders, who had returned triumphantly after a great victory, were puzzled by the incomprehensible situation.

“Is it Count Randal that bothers you?”

It was his fifth son, Viscount Brayden. Although his swordsmanship was average, his cleverness and strategic thinking were exceptional, earning the Marquis’s favor.

“Who do you think it is?”

Despite the abrupt question, braiden answered without any hesitation.

“I heard the marks on the corpse were from a spear. Naturally, one would suspect the Greer Marquisate, but do they have any reason to help Count Randal? Perhaps…”

Brayden paused for a moment, his eyes gleaming.

“Most likely, it’s the Templeton Duchy. Or it could be the Ashton household.”

“Indeed. My thoughts align with yours.”

The Marquis abruptly stood from his seat.

“Clean up the battlefield and return to the royal capital. There is still one more hurdle to overcome.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

The Marquis’s gaze turned in the direction of the Templeton Duchy.

*

The results of the war were spread throughout the kingdom. Battle of the Kerden Plains. Astonishingly, concluded with an overwhelming victory for the 3rd Prince’s side.

– Will the next king of the Ruben Kingdom be the 3rd Prince?

– The first-ever grand master duel. Yet, there was no chivalry to be found.

– The disappearance of five masters, including Count Randal. Where have they gone?

– 3rd Prince Herdian. Immediately after the victory, an envoy was sent to the Templeton Duchy.

– The Templeton Duchy rejects the 3rd Prince’s order to escort the 6th Prince Gerard and the 8th Prince Aenbard. Is another war on the horizon?

Alongside the news of the 3rd Prince’s victory, various revelations were published in the newspapers.

Perhaps because of the one-sided nature of the victory, the tone of the media was cautious, and citizens became more careful with their words and actions.

There were also articles questioning the identities of the newly emerged superhumans, but they were quietly buried.

The newspapers that carried those articles were completely recalled, and some press companies were shut down overnight due to actual enforcement of what seemed to be threats to press freedom.

The protests from the Tower of Magic and the Press Association barely managed to rescue those who had been detained, signaling the advent of a world truly dominated by 3rd Prince Herdian.

A few days after the war ended. Raul stood somewhere, striving to suppress the overwhelming tension.

– Grandfather, no, the Duke, wants to see you.

This was the message Dalton had delivered two days prior.

‘As expected, it won’t just pass like nothing happened.’

Raul passed through the castle gates, mentally preparing himself for the questions he anticipated. The Templeton Duchy’s main residence.

A small fortress located to the northeast of the kingdom’s capital, Thurium.

Generally, one would imagine the duchy’s capital to be a grand and splendid city. However, in reality, it was merely a small fort town with a population of less than thirty thousand.

The crucial point was that most of this population consisted of knight aspirants and swordsmanship trainees.

They gathered, hoping to catch the eye of the ducal family, get taught even a single sword technique, or join the knights.

The Ruben Kingdom, the kingdom of knights.

At the pinnacle of those numerous knights stood Marquis de Templeton. The fort belonging to the ducal family, known as Weaverly, was built upon the Sword Saint’s fame and the respect and admiration his name commanded amongst the knights.

“It’s just as I’ve heard. Fascinating.”

Jake said while continually scanning his surroundings. From children to elderly people walking on the streets, most wore swords at their waists.

Blacksmith shops were everywhere, and signs and slogans advertising various swordsmanship academies filled the fortress.

“They aren’t just carrying swords; the auras they emanate are significant. Could it be due to the ‘Mana Return Phenomenon’?”

Josh, serving as a guard, also took in the surroundings with an impressed look.

Mana Return Phenomenon.

This was the term scholars coined to describe the sudden surge in atmospheric mana following the recent barrier incident.

Based on research indicating that mana was more abundant and mana life forms were more prevalent in ancient times, there were predictions that the lost mana was returning and would restore those levels.

As a result, many people had become more sensitive to mana, and the number of those awakening to it was increasing.

“Well, one of them might become a Sword Saint in the future.”

If the duchy were ever engulfed in warfare, most of them would likely join the battle.

‘They could easily form ten knight orders or more….’

It made sense why the duchy was deemed the greatest house in the kingdom. After walking for a while, they arrived at the fortress’s center, where a low, long wall stretched out.

“It’s peculiar. Why is it a wall instead of a fortress wall?”

Josh looked puzzled as he glanced at the wall extending beside the main gate.

“One, two, one, two!”

“We can do it! We can do it!”

The sight of many people jogging along the duchy’s wall was impressive.

And beyond the wall, inside the mansion,

“One hundred downward strikes!”

“One hundred strikes! Hah!”

From the various training grounds scattered around, one could vaguely see the trainees of the duchy training under the guidance of their instructors.

“It seems to be a form of communication. Aspiring knights probably build their dreams by watching this.”

At Kane’s words, Raul nodded in agreement.

“And it’s also a matter of pride for the duchy. It signifies that they can protect themselves with just a wall, not a fortress wall.”

Dalton’s words came to Raul’s mind.

‘Training at the mansion was so boring. I used to sneak over the wall sometimes.’

The wall was indeed easy enough to climb over.

Creeeeak.

The gate opened, and a neatly dressed man in a suit came out to greet them.

“Welcome to the Templeton Ducal Mansion.”

There were no separate servants in the mansion, and the trainees and knights handled miscellaneous tasks, just as he had heard.

‘Even the guide is an expert. Interesting.’

Raul discreetly activated his analysis skill and clicked his tongue. After passing through more than ten training grounds spread across the garden, they arrived in front of the main building.

“Welcome. The head of the family is waiting.”

Dalton, who had returned to the main house, greeted Raul as a friend and guided him with a grin. Taking a sly look around, he moved closer to Raul and whispered in his ear.

“Don’t be too surprised if the old man suddenly swings his sword. It’s his way of greeting. And I didn’t say much, so don’t be too nervous.”

Dalton winked as he spoke, but it wasn’t particularly comforting. Instead of the reception room, Dalton led Raul to the underground training ground.

“Good luck then!”

Dalton waved his thumb and stayed behind with Raul’s attendants outside the door.

“Whew.”

Raul took a deep breath and confidently stepped inside.

The ceiling was over 10 meters high. Despite being underground, the numerous magic lights made the interior as bright as day.

The walls, coated with Tantalium, were engraved with special defensive magic circles that could block both sword qi and a certain level of aura.

Such things honestly did not catch Raul’s attention at all. What caught his eye was the white-haired old man seated in the center of the training ground.

A low growl filled the air.

Marquis de Templeton.

The strongest character in the world of Connect, standing at the pinnacle of countless swordsmen. He opened his eyes and spoke to Raul.

“Let’s see your skill.”

Raul reflexively pulled out his greatsword from his inventory and swung it in the air.

Clang!

He heard a sound of something shattering.

‘Ugh.’

Raul frowned at the tingling in his hands and was pushed back a few steps.

“Hoho.”

The Sword Saint still in his seated position, let out a low sigh of admiration. And in the next moment.

Clang! Crash! Boom!

The air in front of Raul shimmered with the sounds of impacts bursting one after another.

This time, Raul, who had been firmly prepared, planted his feet solidly on the training ground and swung his greatsword calmly. While he didn’t get pushed back like before, his expression was far from bright.

‘I expected it, but this is too much.’

A golden aura blade had somehow formed on his greatsword, but the Sword Saint remained unmoved, still in his seated position.

Invisible mana blades.

These flying mana blades, created out of thin air without a sword, were rushing towards him without any warning. In some ways, they were quite similar to Raul’s psychokinesis.

‘Facing them directly is tricky.’

Since they were invisible and noiseless, he could only sense them through his ki. Moreover, each blade carried considerable power.

‘But it’s not beyond my capability.’

Raul’s spatial awareness surpassed that of typical superhumans. His senses and control, developed to the point where he could move thousands of objects simultaneously, naturally picked up on the several intangible mana blades the Sword Saint wielded, even without him trying.

Realizing this, the Sword Saint suddenly halted his attacks.

The Sword Saint rose from his seat and said, “Come at me.”

Though he hadn’t even drawn his sword from its sheath, there was no opening to be found. Nevertheless, Raul was undeterred and focused his mana into his greatsword.

“Here I come.”

Swish.

A huge golden aura blade filled the training ground and surged toward the Sword Saint. What seemed to be a random swing of the aura took on a distinct shape as it reached the Sword Saint’s eyes.

Boom.

Like a roaring bear swinging its claws, the golden traces curved into claw shapes, splitting into dozens and sweeping through the space.

It was the secret sword technique of the Ashton household. Bear Crush was beautifully executed from Raul’s hands.

“Good! Hahaha.”

The Sword Saint grinned brightly, blocking the golden aura’s barrage with his sheathed sword.

Bang! Crash!

Fragments of the aura burst across the vast basement, revealing translucent magic circles on the walls that blocked them.

If such a special mechanism had not been in place, the ducal mansion might have already collapsed.

Moments later.

As the aura fragments and the sound of impacts subsided, the figures of the two men became visible again. The Sword Saint was smiling satisfactorily, while Raul had a somewhat discontented expression.

‘To block everything without moving a single step…’

Even though only pure swordsmanship was used, Raul realized the immense gap between himself and the Sword Saint. Yet, he couldn’t help but admire it.

‘What I felt in my previous life was really just the tip of the iceberg….’

Back then, he had only watched from a distance, barely able to see. He had thought that the Sword Saint was just a bit stronger than other masters.

‘The level is different.’

As much as he could see now, surpassing his former level, Raul felt the Sword Saint was nothing short of a monster.

It was astonishing how such immense power could reside within a human body, and the ability to control it without wasting even a tiny bit of strength was truly remarkable.

But the Sword Saint was just as astonished.

‘Seventeen years old, huh? How could anyone achieve such feats at that age?’

When his usually adorable grandson had suddenly declared he wanted to join an unheard-of knight order one day, the Sword Saint had allowed it with a laugh.

The boy, who had lost interest in swordsmanship after barely reaching the Expert level, had shown some motivation, which was a welcome change.

In his view, all knight orders were similar, so he thought he could call the boy back and teach him properly when the time was right.

However, his grandson’s achievements were extraordinary.

Within just half a year, he skipped two levels, and a bit more than a year later, he reached the inconceivable realm of a master.

He wondered if his grandson had gained power through unscrupulous means or had done something he shouldn’t have. He even collected information on Raul and the First Knight Order through all his connections.

The results were simply astonishing. The various miracles and accomplishments were only possible if he truly had divine blessing.

The reason he called Raul today was to conduct his final verification. And the result was not disappointing.

‘There is not a trace of foul energy. And such pure soul light….’

It was partly due to honing his spiritual power, but Raul’s aura felt purely innocent to the Sword Saint.

‘It’s audacious to withhold his true strength even before me….’

However, it also meant that he was a deeply thoughtful boy.

“This will be the end of the test. Now, tell me. What on earth were you thinking, pulling the Templeton Duchy into the midst of a power struggle!?”

The killing intent emanating from the Sword Saint’s roar made Raul gulp.

(To be continued)