“Very well, Gauss, you have my approval. Now, please come home with me. I need to get something for you and explain the specific requirements for finding the person.”
“Yes, sir. Let’s head out then.”
Sodlan took Gauss’s carriage back to his home.
In the backyard, Sote was swinging a wooden stick as if it were a sword, imagining himself as a Human Sword Saint slaughtering enemies in all directions.
He didn’t notice his father had returned at all.
Sodlan pushed the door open and motioned for Gauss to come in and sit, but Gauss maintained his professional demeanor and firmly declined to enter.
Left with no choice, Sodlan had to bring the items out himself.
“Take these. They should ensure your safety.”
There was one map, one Quick Move Magic Scroll, one gold coin, and a sword.
In the Human Race, magic scrolls were rare and extremely expensive items. Sodlan was clearly willing to pay a heavy price to find Soran.
“Your task is to search in that area. As for what my friend looks like, don’t worry about that. As long as you see a human, they are my friend.”
“Bring him back, and I will give you the remaining payment.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you for your trust. I’m going home now to prepare some supplies, things like food and fodder. Once I’m ready, I’ll set off immediately, so I won’t come back to say goodbye.”
“Very well, Gauss. Stay safe on the road. You must return safely.”
“Yes, sir.”
After a brief exchange, Gauss took the items Sodlan had provided and rode away on his horse.
‘I hope this boy, Gauss, can find him.’
At that moment, Sote, who had been playing in the backyard, returned to the house.
He walked while brandishing his wooden stick.
“Die! Evil dragon!”
Sote glared at a chair and swung his stick, successfully knocking it over.
“Sote, being naughty again?”
After finishing his business with Gauss, Sodlan had returned to the room just in time to see Sote’s mischievous display.
‘Is that… Father’s voice?’
“Father, you’re back!”
Sote quickly righted the chair and hid the wooden stick behind his back.
“I wasn’t being naughty. I was just playing.”
“Not being naughty? I heard everything.”
Sodlan walked up to Sote, snatched the wooden stick from behind his back, and slammed it onto the ground.
It snapped into two halves. Then, he walked into his room.
‘No way… I was just playing with a stick. Is Father really that angry?’
“Father, I’m sorry. I won’t be this naughty next time. Please, punish me.”
Sote walked to the door of his father’s room and apologized from the bottom of his heart.
However, when the door opened again, Sodlan was carrying a large, heavy, and thick chest.
It was covered in a thick layer of dust and looked like it had quite a history.
“Sote, move aside. Help me carry this chest to the living room while you’re at it.”
Sote was stunned for a moment before quickly agreeing.
“Okay.”
After they moved it to the living room, Sodlan looked at Sote meaningfully and asked him a question.
“Sote, do you want to… learn swordsmanship? I mean, do you want to learn right now?”
Years ago, Soran had started learning swordsmanship at a very young age.
His comprehension was incredibly high, far exceeding children of the same age, and he had always been Sodlan’s pride.
But his younger son, Sote, was a bit lacking.
It wasn’t that he was the complete opposite, but there was a visible gap between him and ordinary children.
By the time he reached the age to study, Sote was the type of poor student where information went in one ear and out the other; he couldn’t learn anything.
Because of this, Sodlan hadn’t demanded much from Sote regarding his studies.
His eldest son, Soran, was excellent enough that even if Sote knew nothing, the family could still prosper.
But now, Soran was gone.
Sodlan had to prepare for the worst.
If Soran couldn’t be found, the future of the Bernas Family would rest entirely on Sote’s shoulders.
Sote would have to be the one to provide for the family.
By coincidence, Sodlan had caught Sote playing with the stick today.
Perhaps if Sote was truly willing to learn and had the desire in his heart, combined with the resources of the Bernas Family, he might still become a talent even with poor natural aptitude.
“Do you want to?”
Sodlan asked again.
People always have a moment when their intellect awakens.
Some are early, others are late, and Sote belonged to the latter category.
“Father, I want to be like my brother! I want to learn swordsmanship and protect the country!”
Clearly, Sote’s intellect had awakened.
Perhaps it was Sodlan’s sudden departure that caused this young child to grow up so quickly.
These realizations always come abruptly, and they are quite exciting.
Sodlan looked into Sote’s determined eyes and saw the hope of the Bernas Family within them.
He patted Sote’s head.
“Very well! Sote, you’ve grown up. Come, I’ll show you something to see if you’re qualified.”
Sodlan then opened the item he had just brought out—the long-sealed chest.
A deep blue light burst from the chest and gradually faded, revealing a straight longsword with a faint blue luster lying in the center of the box.
“Whoa! Father? What is this?”
“The name of this sword is the Cold Light Steel Sword. it is a treasure passed down from my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather.”
“Then this sword must be very powerful, right?”
“Of course. This isn’t an ordinary steel sword. It contains the power of the Ice Element. Legend has it that this sword was forged by an Alchemist using ordinary steel and Far North Steel Ice.”
“Are you really giving such a powerful sword to me?”
“Not entirely. Because this sword possesses elemental power, it has certain requirements for the user. The wielder must have an Ice Element affinity to unleash the sword’s full potential. Elemental Affinity is something you’re born with. I don’t have it, and neither did your grandfather. That’s why this sword has been kept in this chest.”
“Now, Sote, grab the hilt and give it a try.”
“Okay.”
Sote felt a bit excited. He reached out his hand, gripped the hilt, and lifted it slightly.
A deep blue light pulsed from the blade once more, and the runes engraved upon it gradually became visible.
This meant the sword’s Ice Element power had been activated.
Seeing this, Sodlan’s hands trembled as he gripped Sote’s hand.
“Sote, you did it. This sword is yours now.”
“Huh?” Sote blinked. “Father? Just like that? You’re giving me this treasure sword just like that?”
It was a surprise, an absolute surprise.
“Yes, that’s right.”
In truth, if Sote had failed, it wouldn’t have been a problem because there were swords of other elements to try.
However, succeeding on the first try was for the best, as it saved him the trouble of moving chests around.
In the Human Race, most people did not possess an Elemental Affinity.
Someone like Sote, who could activate an Ice Element sword, was considered rare among the rare.
All of this depended entirely on talent.
Sodlan closed the chest and turned his back to Sote.
“Alright. From this moment on, I am going to put you through devilish training.”
“Devilish training? Isn’t that a bit fast? This is the first time I’ve ever held a real sword.”
“It’s not fast. It’s not fast at all. Back in the day, your brother Soran was much faster than you.”
“But Father, I’m not ready yet.”
Sodlan turned around and gripped Sote’s sword-hand tightly again.
His eyes locked onto Sote’s like a bolt of lightning.
“Sote! Answer me, are you ready?”
“Father?”
“Are you ready?”
“…”
“Are you ready!”
For some reason, as Sodlan shouted for the third time, a seed in Sote’s heart seemed to catch fire.
“I… I’m ready!”
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