Wolves of Hader

My companions could not respond to my words.

It must have been because there were no nobles in Rac who thought as I did.

The difference in status was so great that they probably had never even considered such an idea.

Russell stared at me for a moment before speaking.

"Please do as you wish, young master."

"You mean I can learn swordsmanship?"

"This is no longer the previous Hader Castle, so there is no need to listen to others. We're seriously lacking in soldiers, so even if Donnie takes up the sword, no one will object."

I nodded and started walking again.

As long as Russell accepted it, that was enough. The soldiers had the condition that they could become knights, so there was no reason for them to refuse.

The problem was the Marquis of Hader, my father.

As for the marquis, it's fine to ask for permission a few years later. What I told Russell and Donnie now... it's because we would begin training soon.

"Father must have a swordsmanship manual, right?"

Russell nodded.

"The family head was known as the Sword of Light, one of the few in the empire. The Sword of Light is a realm that can't be reached through effort alone; unique swordsmanship of the family is required."

"So our family has its own swordsmanship, then."

"The family head's swordsmanship is [Sword of the Star]. It's Hader House's unique sword art, and it doesn't fall short compared to any other noble house's style."

"Have you seen it in person?"

"Of course, I have. During the last western expedition, the family head wiped out a vicious band of pirates single-handedly. Every time the family head swung his sword, stars would swirl around."

Stars swirling from a sword?

I didn't know what kind of swordsmanship that was, but it certainly sounded cool.

Swordsmanship that only someone with the title of Sword of Light could possibly perform.

I, too, was once a Berserker.

I switched to a support mage because it was too difficult to surpass Guildmaster, who created and perfected the Berserker path, and that turned out to be an excellent choice.

After all, I created the Buffer, something no other guild had before.

This time, Russell asked a question.

"But, what did you mean about me becoming the knight order commander?"

"Exactly what I said. Once the family's power grows, we'll form a knight order, and you'll need to command them, Russell."

"Are you planning to train the soldiers to become knights?"

"Yes. Shouldn't I?"

Russell answered as he walked.

"A knight must train for a long time, and only those recognized by the imperial royal family are granted the title. No matter how skilled, without adequate qualifications, one cannot become a knight."

"What qualifications are required?"

"First, one must achieve military merit as a soldier and receive a recommendation from their liege lord to even qualify as a squire. Our soldiers can meet those requirements, but as you know, the current state of our family is one of being ostracized by the royal house..."

I just laughed at Russell's words.

"We don't need royal approval. I don't intend to have them officially knighted. We'll just call ourselves a knight order."

"You can't just give yourselves titles without permission."

"I don't care. Whatever we call it."

Rac's knights.

Here, they call it [Sword of Honor]. It means the same as the knights I know. Originally, 'knight' was a word for a mounted warrior.

So, I'll just decide the name myself.

Whether we call our knight order the Hader Guardians, or the Black Wolf Battalion, it's just a name for us alone.

"If you're uncomfortable with being called the knight order commander, I'll just call you captain. One way or another, we're forming a unit. Even if father opposes it, I'll make it happen."

Russell made no reply.

He must see 'Roger' as just a child with grand dreams. Everyone knows the family's financial status, after all.

In any case, the journey back was smooth.

With the north wind pushing from behind, it was much easier than battling headwinds.

It's already cold now, but I can't imagine how bad it would get during the thirty-year cold snap.

/ / /

A week passed since the polar expedition.

During that week, I went in and out of the family library every day, hoping I might find the marquis's swordsmanship manual.

In the end, I couldn't find it.

Instead, I learned quite a bit about the history and wars of Rac.

There weren't many books, so I couldn't find much about the other continents or kingdoms.

Now, there are about 26 days left until the thirty-year cold snap ends.

I know the resource locations, and the ways to defend, but the problem was money.

We couldn't even afford to reinforce the gate.

If I gathered the ancient coins from the troll cave and sold them, I could earn a bit.

But could I manage to sell them before the critical time limit?

It's a six-day round trip, and there are many things to buy, plus reinforcing the gate would take a week.

There had been no response for weeks to the letters I'd sent to the old western territory.

If even a blacksmith from the marquis' house arrived, we could start mining gold immediately.

But as a fallen family, they probably had no intention of coming.

Either way, I was going to wait a few more days.

It wasn't just any blacksmith, but a Dran smith, they said. I would call for him later, but it was a shame he couldn't come right away.

At that moment, I heard someone outside.

"May I come in?"

"Yes, father."

The Marquis of Hader entered my room.

Lately, he looked even more visibly ill.

"Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

"No. It's just aftereffects from swordsmanship--don't worry about it. You've been visiting the library often recently. Is there a book you've been looking for?"

"I was just curious about a few things."

The marquis sat at the table and quietly looked at me.

The dignified gaze of a middle-aged man.

"You've changed a lot so suddenly that this father has been worried. But seeing you studying like this puts my mind at ease. If you have a book you're looking for, tell me. I'll get it for you if I can."

Should I tell him now?

He might find it strange if I suddenly showed interest in swordsmanship.

I was about to hedge, but I decided to say it directly.

"Could I... see the family's swordsmanship manual?"

The marquis just looked at me, without answering.

That was the response I expected. The family's swordsmanship would be as important a secret as military intelligence.

Even so, as his child, I had to ask.

"You want to learn swordsmanship?"

"I'm just curious about what kind of swordsmanship it is."

The marquis kept his eyes solely on mine.

Did he want to stop me? Was he proud?

"There are three swordsmanship manuals in the family. The basic sword manual, the imperial swordsmanship training book, and the first family head's original Sword of the Star manual."

"Is there a difference between them?"

"Yes. The training manual, as the name suggests, is solely for practicing technique. But the original manual is different. It describes special exercises for magic power. It's the ultimate swordsmanship, usable only by those who possess magic power."

"I'd like to see all of them."

The marquis's expression was complicated.

"I'll pass the manuals to you through Donnie. However, this father wishes you wouldn't train in swordsmanship."

With that, the marquis left the room.

I didn't have anything to say in reply either.

/ / /

It was about two hours after the marquis left.

I was waiting to see when the swordsmanship manual would arrive.

"Young master! Something terrible has happened!"

"What is it?"

"T-the family head!"

I rushed with Donnie to the marquis' room. When we opened the door, the marquis was lying in bed.

My older sister, Rozie, was next to him, as was the village's only elderly physician.

"What happened?"

Rozie's eyes were brimming with tears.

"I was talking with father about the financial situation, and he suddenly collapsed. No matter what I did, he wouldn't wake up, so Ross went to the city to fetch another physician."

"Do you know the name of his illness?"

"I don't know. He's been sick ever since he lost his magic power. I think he was taking medicine, but it seems the medicine ran out a little while ago."

"What kind of medicine?"

Rozie pointed at a wooden box by the bedside.

I opened the box, but it was empty.

"Do you know anything at all about what illness he had?"

"No. He never told us. He lost his magic power by imperial decree, so I think he kept it to himself on purpose. He looked healthy, so I thought he wasn't sick anymore, but I guess he just didn't show it."

I examined the marquis's condition.

A pale face. A slow-beating heart.

A heavily bruised solar plexus.

The smell of blood in his breath.

I wasn't completely sure, but these are the symptoms of someone with severe internal injuries caused by magic power.

Sometimes it heals with rest, but if it worsens, major meridians become blocked and the patient can suddenly become gravely ill.

"Donnie. Call the servants right now and have them find the ingredients I write down. You need to catch up to elder brother Ross and tell him to get medicinal magic powder."

"Understood."

I took out parchment and quickly jotted down the words.

I only listed ingredients that would be easy to find.

The problem was the magic powder—would there be any in this region?

In the game Rac, it was a common healing item.

You take it when you've been hit by a powerful magic attack, and it seemed to be effective for what the marquis was taking.

However, aftereffects caused by magic power are fundamentally difficult to cure.

"Donnie, go quickly!"

"Yes, young master!"

Donnie grabbed the parchment and ran out of the room.

Rozie and I stayed by the marquis's side.

Time passed helplessly like that.

Even when morning came, the marquis did not wake.

The physician Ross had brought overnight said he did not know a cure, and left the fortress.

On top of that, Ross had not managed to acquire the magic powder.

So Ross ran again to find the magic powder, and Russell too set off on horseback to the big city to find a doctor.

Rozie and I could only wait.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
I'm guessing the royal family took the family head's magic power and gave it to Art...
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】