The bustling district of the free neutral city Elanore.
The Caracol Clan’s clan house stood out as particularly flashy and eye-catching even among the splendid buildings there.
Citrio Altus, one of the Continent’s Twelve Heroes, had gathered all the clan’s key executives in the most lavishly decorated room within that ornate building.
The top five executives and eight others no less capable.
All thirteen possessed outstanding martial prowess comparable to a nation’s court mage or knight order captain, and they were confidants who had devoted at least ten years or more to Caracol and Citrio.
“Today, I’ve called you all to share information about the grand plan and to commend the achievements so far. Adelio?”
“Yes. There are a few minor issues, but nothing major to worry about, and the progress is very smooth. First, regarding the contact with Prince Ramon…”
Adelio, the de facto sub-master, explained the matters concerning the Glicia civil war in a straightforward and clear manner.
Citrio smirked.
His second son, whom he had marked as his successor, excelled in many areas. While he fell short of Citrio, one of the Twelve Heroes, in terms of martial strength, his ability to lead an organization could even be considered superior.
“…That concludes the report. In my personal opinion, to completely eliminate variables in the civil war, it seems necessary to win over the clans around Elanore.”
“Win over?”
“Yes. By now, the large-scale clans have likely sensed the signs of the Glicia civil war. It would be good to gather them and issue a warning to prevent any unnecessary thoughts.”
“Indeed. While our key executives are away from the clan house, there’s a possibility that someone among them might pull some trick.”
The clans of Elanore themselves posed no real threat. But if they recklessly brought in external forces, it would give the Caracol side a headache.
By appropriately using carrots and sticks to buy time, they could safely navigate the civil war.
“Hmm, that’s a good idea. Hold a banquet and invite the key figures from the surrounding clans.”
“Understood.”
The Continent’s Twelve Heroes, Ebel Stroke, had arrived!
If this became publicly known, it would be a major event that would stir up the surroundings for quite some time.
Yet Ebel himself, unbefitting his fame, had quietly visited the clan house accompanied only by a few escort knights.
Among the half-dozen or so attendants, there were familiar faces mixed in.
The three elite knights—Linfred, Maximilian, and Wolfgang—who had escorted Chesa and me to Blispiel previously.
While I was making eye contact with them out of gladness, Arent stepped forward.
“I am Arent Lindal, the current Clan Master of Blispiel. It is an honor to meet you, Sir Ebel of the Stroke Principality.”
“Ebel Stroke. Lord Lindal, your fame alongside the Thousand-Man Slayer has reached even the distant north.”
“Heh heh, it’s just that I’ve been riding on the coattails of a talented friend, leading to undeserved praise. Compared to Sir Ebel, who has been personally recognized by the Church of Struggle for his individual prowess and influence, it’s nothing but a drop in the bucket, is it not?”
Arent and Ebel burst into hearty laughter.
Look at these old men bonding…
“Then, I’ll leave Sir Ebel to you, Aiden.”
Soon, Arent handed over the esteemed guest to me and abruptly headed to the training hall.
Lately, I’ve been thinking that while my title is sub-master, in practice, I’m treated no differently from the clan master in both internal and external affairs.
After the brief welcome ceremony at the clan level ended.
I welcomed Ebel’s party in the reception room, accompanied only by my usual companions.
Chesa gave a polite bow.
“It’s been a while, great-uncle.”
“Tch, Duke Elvio’s second daughter, huh. You’ve had it rough sticking by this troublesome guy’s side.”
Before leaving the principality, she had stayed at the Stroke Mansion for a long time. Thanks to that, she had built a decent rapport with Ebel.
More than that, something else caught my attention.
The last time I saw him, Ebel’s face had been shadowed with deep gloom. But now, he seemed somehow more at ease.
It clearly meant he had achieved something to completely dispel his inner demons.
Without a doubt, a glance at his character sheet. <Ebel Stroke>
[Level: 55/55]
[HP: 17] [STR: 20] [AGI: 13]
[MP: 14] [MEN: 13] [SEN: 08]
[DIV: 03]
[Traits: Slugger (U), Sword Sovereign (S+), Will of the Harsh Cold (A), and 3 others]
[Skills: Stroke Blunt Swordsmanship · Extreme (S), Stroke Heart Method · Extreme (A+), Croa Guardian Swordsmanship · Extreme (A), Principality Grappling Arts (B), and 6 others]
[Description: 69 years old, human. A current member of the Continent’s Twelve Heroes and renowned as one of the strongest knights in the north. Currently retired from his position as commander of the Reperta front.]
“…Ha.”
A sigh escaped me involuntarily.
It was now Dragon God Year 984, June 15.
Four years remained until the start of the original story.
Yet he had already surpassed his future self.
The stats that should have gone toward [STR] had all shifted to [MEN], and in two years, his potential level limit had increased by 1.
This was truly remarkable growth. As one ages, leveling up becomes harder. Not to mention how difficult it is to exceed limits and expand one’s vessel.
Among them, what stood out was that Ebel had awakened a unique trait, as expected.
Slugger (U), huh.
It gave off a heavy, home-run hitter vibe, but from the name alone, I couldn’t quite grasp what ability it was.
Soul imprints change fluidly in function as the user’s mind evolves. This meant the “Tripper System” couldn’t textualize the functions.
As a trait, it was probably a continuous or transformation-type soul imprint, but beyond that, there was no information.
Soon, Ebel spoke to me.
“It seems you’ve been making good use of the Seal of Struggle. Thanks to you, the letters piling up at the Rykrol mansion aren’t just one or two.”
“I’m just starting to establish my position. If there’s a means available, I should use it to the fullest.”
“Not wrong.”
Ebel nodded readily.
Looking at him, I was puzzled.
“I assumed you came to reprimand me for overusing the seal, but it seems you don’t mind much?”
“I’ve recently stepped down from the Reperta commander position, and the subhuman nations bordering the principality have been quiet, so I’ve been quite bored. Hearing stories of where you’ve been causing trouble has been perfect for passing the time.”
But, he added.
Ebel glared sharply this way.
“…Even so, you’ve overused the seal beyond limits. Do you realize that if you stir up unnecessary trouble, I, the original owner, have to handle all the cleanup?”
“I thought you had considered all such annoyances when you first gave me the seal.”
“There’s such a thing as moderation.”
Ebel scolded me with a displeased look.
But he didn’t seem truly angry.
Feeling curious, I asked.
“Great-uncle, neither of us is the type to beat around the bush, so I’ll ask directly. What brings you here?”
“Heh, good. I like how straightforward this is.”
Ebel gestured lightly.
Then, an unfamiliar knight stepped forward. <Leopold Boergen>
[Level: 29/31] [HP: 11] [STR: 08] [AGI: 09]
[MP: 12] [MEN: 03] [SEN: 14]
[DIV: 00]
[Traits: Insightful Eye (A), Brawler (C)]
[Skills: Stroke Heart Method (B), Stroke Swordsmanship (B), Fighting Spirit Grasp (B), Northern Advanced Swordsmanship (C)]
[Description: 30 years old, human. An elite knight of the Stroke family renowned for his excellent discernment.]
Leopold Boergen, huh.
A character who appeared in the original work.
Within the Stroke Principality at the time of Part 1, he was evaluated as the second strongest elite knight after Julio, Ridle’s closest aide.
However, Leopold’s true value lay not in his combat strength but in his exceptional discernment. He was highly skilled at gauging someone’s capabilities.
Insightful Eye (A) was a trait that allowed one to grasp the number of “skills” an opponent had mastered at a glance.
And Fighting Spirit Grasp (B) was a skill that roughly gauged the level gap between oneself and the opponent.
“Leopold, how does Aiden look to you?”
“…Pardon my presumption, but excluding Sir Ebel, there seems to be no knight in the current Stroke Principality who could match the prince. Perhaps the same holds true across the entire suzerain state of Croa Kingdom.”
Leopold himself seemed incredulous as he spoke, his eyes wide.
Ebel nodded and opened his mouth.
“Indeed. Now I’m starting to get a sense of how things are unfolding.”
“What do you mean by ‘things’?”
“You’re not unaware of the recent movements by the de facto power in this free neutral city… the Caracol Clan. They probably intend to swallow the Glicia Kingdom whole.”
“Hmm….”
Only four months remained until the kingdom’s civil war.
It was about time for any major force to notice the suspicious activities of the Caracol Clan side.
“According to Leopold’s assessment, Aiden, you seem to have grown to a level comparable to the lowest rank among the Continent’s Twelve Heroes. On top of that, the recent movements of the Blispiel Clan… Could it be that you’ve prepared countermeasures against Caracol as well?”
My heart skipped a beat inwardly.
Upon reflection, it wasn’t particularly strange that Ebel had caught on to my movements.
From a third-party perspective, Blispiel was just a small clan on the verge of revival.
But if the focus shifted to me as an individual, the story changed a bit.
The matter of single-handedly settling the debt owed to Caracol.
Resolving the “Giant’s Sword” alongside Kubri.
The behind-the-scenes work through Camillo.
Taken separately, they could be dismissed as coincidences, but Ebel Stroke had already observed my peculiar actions and superhuman growth back in Rykrol.
From that, he speculated that I might be deliberately preparing for the civil war.
Of course, since it was close to conjecture without solid evidence, the wary Caracol wouldn’t have been watching me as closely as Ebel.
“…Since you seem to know everything, there’s no point in hiding it. Your guesses are mostly correct, great-uncle.”
“As I thought.”
Ebel nodded.
I asked him.
“We’ve circled back to the starting point after all this. So, what do you want to say to me?”
“I, along with the principality’s knights, wish to join the Blispiel Clan side and participate in the Glicia civil war.”
“…Is this the stance of the entire principality, or your personal wish?”
“Both.”
“Hmm….”
“Though you’ve left home and joined a clan, aren’t you the second son of the Stroke princely family? With a small price, you could receive great help. Why haven’t you requested aid? It’s puzzling. Foden seems to feel slighted as well.”
Suddenly, Ebel narrowed his eyes.
“Moreover, I personally have great interest in ‘Colossus’ Citrio Altus, the Clan Master of Caracol. He’s the most similar type to me among the Twelve Heroes, so I’ve wanted to test my skills against him.”
“You mean set up a stage for a one-on-one with Clan Master Altus during the civil war? He’s one of the Continent’s Twelve Heroes. Even for you, great-uncle, it would be dangerous?”
“Opportunities for clashes between the Twelve Heroes don’t come often. Considering my age, this might be the last.”
Ebel seemed firmly resolved.
I pondered for a moment.
If things went according to plan, with just the support from Quentaltin and the fairy knight orders, I could win the civil war fairly easily.
But if Ebel joined and blocked the variable that was Citrio’s movements, the win rate would approach a solid 100%.
There was no reason to refuse this.
“In other words, you’re participating for free? Then I’ll gratefully accept.”
“It’s not free. The condition is that I won’t quibble over the ownership of the seal.”
“That’s the same thing. More importantly, there’s something I need your help with right away, great-uncle.”
“What is it?”
“Join me here.”
What I handed him was a luxurious letter. None other than an invitation to the banquet hosted by the Caracol Clan.
Originally, I planned to lay low until just before the start of the Glicia civil war, but his appearance had changed the situation a bit.
What mattered now was seizing the initiative.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.