Chapter 10 : The Fire Blessing Expedition

It had been three days since they brought down the Red Scorpion.

During that time, Ethan was attempting to resonate with the mana hole in his arm, beyond his wrist.

“It’s about half full,” he thought.

If he could gather just a bit more, he’d be able to implant the second Essence of Fire.

He opened the wardrobe.

The closet, once filled with old, musty clothes, was now brimming with new garments.

He put on a clean outfit and stepped out of the room.

The annex looked completely different from three days ago.

For starters, the furniture had been replaced.

Decades-old, worn-out pieces were swapped for new ones, and workers had renovated the long-neglected annex, giving it a much neater appearance.

But the changes didn’t stop there.

Elena now had a dressing room filled with clothes, complete with a dedicated dress designer.

The once-empty training yard was now equipped with various training tools.

The reason for these changes?

“Did you cough, Young Master?”

It was all thanks to the head servant, who was now bowing deeply before him.

He had sold off all of the gems Ethan had given him and poured the money into sprucing up the annex.

As a result, both his sister and younger brother had been smiling more often lately.

Though they hadn’t said it outright, living in the annex’s poor conditions must not have been pleasant.

The head servant clearly knew how to address their needs.

“The Young Lady and the Youngest Master are already waiting in the dining hall,” the servant said.

Ethan nodded and headed toward the dining hall.

Among the maids bustling about with food, he spotted Elena, dressed in an elegant gown.

“It suits you well,” Ethan remarked.

“R-Really? The head servant gave it to me…”

“Yeah. Wear things like that from now on.”

His sister had spent over a decade tending to a sick person, enduring nothing but hardship.

At the very least, Ethan wanted to ensure she could live without envy from now on.

After the meal, he posed a question to the two of them.

“Do either of you know about the tradition held at the hunting annex around this time?”

“Tradition? Was there such a thing?”

Myers tilted his head.

Elena seemed equally clueless.

“It’s been forgotten, then,” Ethan thought.

In his previous life, it was called the Festival of Fire.

It was an event where children over ten years old would meet the Fire Spirit to receive its blessing.

“Both of them are well past ten,” he mused.

The reason for receiving the blessing was simple.

Those who received the Fire Spirit’s blessing could attune their bodies to fire energy more effectively.

In his past life, it was a mandatory process for the family’s bloodline.

The more accustomed the body became to fire energy, the stronger the connection to sowing, cycling, and blooming mana would be.

The Fire Blessing could only be experienced once in a lifetime.

“Since I need to go through it myself anyway…”

He figured this was a good opportunity to bring his younger brother and sister along to receive the blessing as well.

Looking at Myers, he asked, “Myers, how’s your wound?”

“It healed up quick with some medicine. Look!”

Myers lifted his shirt slightly, revealing his side.

The spot where he’d been stabbed by a dagger was almost completely healed.

Not only that, but the bruises covering his body had nearly faded as well.

Even with medicine, his recovery speed was remarkable.

At this rate, he’d have no trouble hunting monsters.

“Hans,” Ethan called.

“Yes, sir.”

“We’re going hunting in the Pusikes Mountains.”

“I’ll make preparations. Should I assign some servants?”

“No. Just the four of us.”

Hans glanced between Myers and Ethan.

“Four? Who are the other two?”

“My sister and you.”

Despite caring for Ethan for ten years, Elena’s swordsmanship skills were abysmal.

Still, there was no harm in her receiving the Fire Blessing.

It could enhance her health and beauty, even if only slightly.

As for Hans, the final member, he’d serve as both porter and cook.

Hans’s face fell at the mention of the Pusikes Mountains.

Even seasoned hunters would shake their heads at the name.

The mountains were teeming with all sorts of beasts and monsters.

“Why there, of all places?”

Hans thought.

There were plenty of other hunting grounds nearby.

Why choose the infamous Pusikes Mountains, a place even veteran hunters avoided?

He desperately didn’t want to go, but he had no choice.

“…Understood. I’ll prepare,” Hans said reluctantly.

“Prepare lunch as well.”

“How long should I plan for?”

“Two weeks.”

“Wow, the Pusikes Mountains? Keron said that place isn’t fit for humans,” Myers chimed in.

“Who’s Keron?” Ethan asked.

“A hunter friend from the village. Also a drinking buddy.”

“Are you scared?”

“Nah, I’m excited!”

Myers swung his arms enthusiastically.

Ever since the Red Scorpion attack, Ethan had noticed Myers had quite the guts.

“Well, guts are a good thing,” Ethan thought.

For a knight, a profession so closely tied to death, boldness was essential.

A single blink in a life-or-death moment could mean the difference between survival and death.

“Everyone, pack your things,” Ethan instructed.

“Ethan, isn’t the Pusikes Mountains dangerous? I’m no different from an ordinary person…” Elena said, worried.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” Ethan reassured her.

“Alright, Ethan.”

The three of them headed to their rooms to pack. Ethan did the same.

The Pusikes Mountains were half a day’s journey north from the hunting annex.

It was a dangerous place, so it was customary for the family’s adults to accompany children going to meet the spirit.

A mishap en route would be a serious issue.

This time, Ethan would take on the role of protector.

“The mountains? No big deal.”

To a member of the ducal family, it was just another ordinary hunting ground.

There was a reason the hunting annex was built nearby.

Ethan led the way with a two-handed sword, followed by Myers with a steel shield and one-handed sword.

Bringing up the rear was Hans, carrying an overstuffed travel bag that looked ready to burst.

From noon to dawn, they traveled diligently for half a day and reached the foothills of the mountains.

“We’ll camp here tonight,” Ethan announced.

“Ugh!”

Hans, gasping for breath, collapsed onto the ground.

He had packed heavily to prepare for any potential mishaps, and the weight was no joke.

Panting, Hans pulled out the supplies he’d prepared.

He gathered flint and dry firewood, skillfully starting a fire.

“Huff! Huff!”

Despite his weak lung capacity, his efforts were enough to fan the flames.

Whoosh!

The fire roared to life.

Hans let out a sigh of relief.

The group pulled out jerky from their packs, including Ethan.

As he chewed, Ethan said, “Hans, you’ll take the first watch.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll take the second, and Myers will take the last.”

“What about me?”

Elena asked.

“You rest well. You’ll need your strength for when we enter the mountains.”

“But…”

“Eating well and resting is how you help us.”

“Alright, Ethan.”

Soon, all but Hans wrapped themselves in cloaks and fell asleep almost instantly.

Hans, staring into the dark forest, swallowed hard.

It’ll be fine, right?

It was only two hours.

Even in a notorious mountain range, nothing would happen at the foothills, would it?

Crackle. Crackle.

As he listened to the fire burning, he suddenly felt a vibration from the ground.

“Huh?”

Hans focused on the sensation beneath his feet.

Small pebbles on the ground were trembling.

It was definitely a vibration.

What’s this?

Should I wake them?

Fear gripped him as he glanced at Ethan, who seemed fast asleep.

If this turns out to be nothing…

That hot-tempered Young Master wouldn’t let it slide.

As he hesitated, the ground gave way with a crumble!

Something leaped out and charged at Hans.

It was so massive that its shadow alone engulfed him completely.

“Argh!”

Terror filled Hans’s eyes.

At that moment:

“Duck.”

Hans immediately crouched.

Whoosh!

A heavy gust of wind passed over his head.

Skreee!

With a deafening screech, liquid splattered onto Hans’s face.

He frantically touched his face, finding sticky, viscous green fluid.

Looking ahead, he saw a giant spider, sliced in half, twitching on the ground.

“W-What the…?”

“A… spider?”

Myers and Elena jolted awake.

“Get ready. It’s a Jumping Spider,” Ethan said.

Jumping Spiders were monsters that burrowed underground to ambush prey.

Their most notable trait?

Bzzz. Bzzz.

They hunted in packs.

Ethan rushed toward the source of the vibrations.

The ground erupted as Jumping Spiders sprang up from all directions.

There were easily over a dozen.

Annoying.

Their encirclement was tight, and taking them on one by one would be tricky.

With his still-developing body, dodging every attack would be difficult.

His decision was swift.

The Essence of Fire trembled.

Mana, infused with fiery energy, surged through his two-handed sword.

Slash.

A single strike that poured out immense power.

It was the perfect technique for this situation.

“Hup!”

Ethan took a deep breath, planting his feet firmly.

The rotational force from his legs traveled through his waist to the sword in his hands.

As the blade swung forward in a wide arc:

Skreee!

Kiii!

The air turned green.

In an instant, every spider was sliced in two.

Ethan exhaled slowly.

Half my mana in one slash.

A faint pain coursed through his muscles.

His limited mana and underdeveloped body made the strike less than ideal.

If he’d had his full strength from his past life, he could’ve cleaved the entire mountain, not just some spiders.

As Ethan felt a twinge of regret for the strike:

“Brother, what was that…?”

Myers said, a mix of excitement and awe in his voice.

Unbelievable… Hans thought, utterly stunned.

Thick carapaces.

Massive bodies.

Cunning pack-hunting tactics.

Jumping Spiders were notorious among travelers.

And yet, Ethan had cut them all down in a single strike?

Even a 3-star knight, an official knight, couldn’t have pulled off such a feat.

It was an unbelievable sight.

Is he really beyond a 3-star knight?

The Young Master, rumored to have a broken mana hole?

Hans swallowed hard.

Should he report this to the baron?

As he wrestled with the thought:

“Three more over there.”

Crunch!

Before Ethan finished speaking, three more Jumping Spiders leaped from the ground.

Their targets were the seemingly weaker humans—Hans and Elena.

Two headed for Hans, one for Elena.

Ethan hurled his steel sword.

Whoosh!

The blade flew like lightning, piercing the spider targeting Elena.

“Eek!”

As Hans screamed, someone grabbed his waist tightly.

Clang!

A massive shield cleanly blocked the spiders’ legs, and the world spun as Hans was pulled out of their encirclement.

In an instant, the two spiders were now directly in front of them.

It was a brilliant repositioning.

Meanwhile, Ethan had pulled Elena back.

“Stay behind me,” he told her.

“What about Myers?”

“He needs real combat experience.”

Myers shouted to Hans with vigor, “Stay behind me!”

“Y-Yes!”

Blocking the two spiders with his shield, Myers stabbed one deeply.

His sword, faintly imbued with mana, cut through the tough carapace, sending blood spraying.

Skree!

Watching the thrashing spider, Hans hurriedly pulled a bottle from his pocket.

Holding a small vial in each hand, he shouted, “Young Master! Hold your breath!”

“Huh?”

“Die!”

Hans threw the bottles.

Crash!

With a loud shatter, red powder exploded across the spiders’ faces.

It was a special blend of chiligpaprika powder he’d painstakingly prepared before departure.

Skreee!

Kraaak!

The spiders frantically rubbed their eyes.

When did he even prepare that? Ethan thought, dumbfounded.

Hans was certainly good at looking out for himself.

Hiding behind Myers again, Hans shouted, “Youngest Master! Now!”

Myers nodded vigorously and stabbed one spider in the face.

The trembling spider collapsed.

The remaining one tried to resist, but the advantage had already shifted to Myers.

He won’t gain proper combat experience like this, Ethan thought.

Hans shouldn’t be allowed to carry spices anymore.