Chapter 98 – Spread the Wings (2)

Lucas looked down at the ring with eyes full of emotion.

“Within this, Henry. A promise obtained by our ancestors long ago, that is, a very long time ago, is contained.”

“A promise?”

“You could call it a promise, or you could call it a declaration. It was when the knights of the Camilton family were making a name for themselves. Your grandfather knew the exact value of this item. He said it was an item that could not dare be compared even if you combined all the treasures of the family.”

“What kind of item is it exactly?”

“……The problem is that I don’t know. Your grandfather did not tell me. He said I would find out when the time came, but that thing called time never came.”

Lucas Camilton laughed sheepishly.

For although he protected the heirloom, he ended up unable to pass down even its meaning.

However, perhaps.

He was expecting that if it was Henry, he might be able to find out.

“Take it.”

Lucas handed the ring. Henry received it with an awkward face.

“It is an item that naturally goes to you. You do not have to feel burdened.”

“Thank you. I just feel strange.”

“This father feels even more so.”

It was a natural story. Lucas had lived longer years than Henry. It was a time of endurance.

Henry slipped the ring onto his finger.

“It fits perfectly.”

“That is a relief.”

“Only you know about this space, right, Father?”

“Viscount Redwood also knows. Since I had to obtain a residence here.”

Normally, it would be better to tell no one.

However, there was no lord who would not think it strange to settle down right beside his own territory.

Although Lucas did not reveal all facts, still he had no choice but to confess honestly to some extent.

In the way that to the Viscount House of Camilton, this place held a very important meaning, and there was also a symbolic item passed down each time the family was succeeded.

“I will try to find out.”

“Find out?”

“How to use this item. It won’t be easy, but I will be able to find out someday, right?”

Lucas nodded with a pleased expression.

For he felt that if it was Henry, he would be able to do so. Also, by handing this item to his son, he felt as if he had laid down a load that occupied a corner of his heart.

“Graphic, if it is you, Henry.”

Perhaps it might be impossible.

Even if it was possible, it would not be an easy process.

However, just by him saying he would try, Viscount Camilton had nothing more to wish for.

Of course.

Although Henry spoke with a slightly different meaning.

“As expected, I can also purchase information on this ring.”

Sponsor Shop.

In a place that sold all kinds of items in the world, ‘information’ was also treated as a product.

It meant that if he only paid the amount, he could perfectly grasp what kind of item the Camilton family’s heirloom was.

However, not now.

“I will film the related video separately. Because Father must have a lot to say right now.”

Henry ended the recording. Since he uploaded the video, the remaining task was Fire Solo’s portion.

‘It would be good if I could give something too.’

Henry was in a position of not being able to do anything for the manager. For there was no way.

Fortunately, the two managers seemed to have no complaints about that, but he couldn’t keep only receiving help like now forever, could he?

‘In any case.’

It was not a problem to worry about now. Lucas had a half-dazed face. Carefully, Henry pointed toward the stairs.

“Shall we go up now?”

“……Yes. Do you plan to sleep for a night and go?”

“I plan to return immediately today.”

“You thought well. Since you will be able to graduate before long, it would be better to take leisure then.”

Lucas Camilton looked at Henry’s hand. The ring engraved with the dragon pattern was there.

The name Camilton was not cut off.

“Now there is no reason to stay here either.”

Saying so, Lucas was smiling, feeling relieved beyond measure.

***

Vallaran Royal Knight Academy.

Although in principle it was merely an educational institution that fostered Vallaran’s outstanding talents, practically it was a place with enough power to maintain positive relationships with nobles of all walks of life.

The reason was simple.

To the nobles of this country, a ‘knights order’ was the easiest way to reveal their own power.

The criteria to judge the value of a knights order were three.

The number of knights, their average skill, and also the level of the commander who led the knights order.

Among them, the part evaluated as the most important?

It was precisely the commander’s skill.

For a significant number of knights were attracted by the existence of an outstanding leader they could trust and follow, rather than the power of a family.

And to obtain a knight outstanding enough to be entrusted with the commander position, they surely had to receive the support of Headmaster Versailles Bergant.

Trainees belonging to the upper ranks felt goodwill toward the Headmaster. Since they showed talent and received corresponding support, it was a natural thing.

In the end, in the process of a trainee choosing a ‘family,’ the Headmaster’s influence had no choice but to be strongly applied.

“I ask for your kind support by all means.”

“Wouldn’t the decision be something the trainee himself makes?”

“Well, of course…”

“My job as the Headmaster would be up to leading all trainees to make the ‘correct’ decision. This Headmaster thinks so.”

“Those are truly very correct words.”

The man of the Damon Marquisate bowed his waist to the Headmaster several times. Although Damon was also a member of the ten great noble families, he could not dare to act arrogant to the Headmaster.

Even if Marquis Damon himself visited, the relationship would not have changed significantly. Since to steadily recruit excellent knights, they eventually had to bow their heads to the Headmaster.

“I will visit you again.”

“I will wait gladly.”

The man left. He handed over gold, asking for kind support this year too, and delivered the names of trainees he particularly wanted.

It was an amount the Headmaster was also reasonably satisfied with.

Slide. Clack.

The document the man handed went into the ‘first drawer’ of the desk.

The documents to be positively reviewed were inside it.

Each time the drawer went down by one tier, it meant the document in question was relatively less important.

The Headmaster checked the clock.

It was the time for the next guest to visit.

“Come in.”

This time, it was a man with a gloomy impression. He had hollow eyes as if he had not slept for several days already, and his beard and hair were disheveled.

Seeing the man’s state, the Headmaster rather nodded his head as if satisfied.

“You worked hard this month too.”

“Isn’t my creed to work as much as I receive money?”

“Did you succeed in retrieval?”

“That…”

The man scratched his beard vigorously with a troubled face.

“We must set the plan again from the beginning. At this rate, we will never be able to retrieve it.”

“……There must be costs already paid, right?”

“We must start again from that. The price pricing was wrong. Putting aside the people traveling together, the target you entrusted this time is a 3-star.

The Headmaster’s eyes widened.

“What did you say just now… Did you say 3-star? Henry Camilton?”

“I saw it clearly with my two eyes. It is certain.”

The man explained the situation he saw. A fairly large-scale battle took place, and there Henry Camilton revealed his skills.

“The minimum I estimated is 3-star. It might be even higher. If I had approached closer there, even I would have been in danger.”

It was content in which not a single grain of falsehood was mixed.

The Headmaster also made the judgment that the man’s words were true.

“3-star… Good. Let’s cancel this matter. You don’t have to return the paid costs.”

“Is that for real?”

This time the man was surprised. What kind of human was the Headmaster? He was none other than the one who was extremely stingy with spending even while holding a massive amount of gold.

“I will contact you at the next operation. You may return for today… Ah, just in case you saw incorrectly.”

“It is absolute. It is certain. If I saw incorrectly, I will compensate you three times as breach of contract. How about it?”

“That is a peerlessly rational condition.”

“Then I am going? There is nothing more to say, right?”

The man asked while opening both hands, and the Headmaster nodded.

Now, things like a necklace were of no importance.

According to the original plan, he intended for Henry Camilton to ‘lose’ the artifact, and bill the costs to the family he chose after graduation.

Because just with that, he could leave a profit of over 10,000 gold.

Although it was a thing he had done without exception to trainees of sufficient body value, this time it seemed he had to make an exception.

‘A 3-star knight!’

The moment the news spread, the nobles who were said to wield power in their own right would send contacts without exception, and it was certain that a person of the Royal Knights would also be mixed among them.

From then on, Henry Camilton’s value was literally whatever price was asked.

For it was a talent to the extent that even hundreds of thousands of gold would be insufficient.

‘However… it will be troublesome at this rate.’

The Headmaster still had a task remaining.

Since it was information found out through unofficial channels, a process to ‘officially’ verify Henry’s skills was needed.

Click.

The Headmaster pressed the call button on the desk.

“Deliver to Chief Instructor Rousseau. To visit the Headmaster’s office as soon as he finishes today’s schedule.”

***

“I do not know of this matter.”

“If so, there is a problem. What do you think the duty as an instructor is?”

“It is to raise children correctly.”

Receiving the Headmaster’s sudden summon, Rousseau was revealing his unpleasant feelings blatantly.

An action others would not dare to do.

However, Rousseau was in a position where he had nothing to lose.

“To raise correctly…”

“And although I know what you want, Headmaster, first of all, if the trainee himself decides to hide his skills, it can never be found out.”

“Even for the Chief Instructor, it is so?”

“Yes.”

“Did you think so too, Instructor?”

“About what?”

“I mean the judgment that Henry Camilton is hiding his skills. This Headmaster misunderstood you, Instructor.”

“That is…”

“I thought you hid it intentionally.”

The Headmaster sent a subtle gaze. Rousseau wrinkled his face.

“I do not hide anything. Also, I do not think Henry Camilton hid anything either.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes.”

“You may go now. Through this conversation, I have clearly come to know your will, Instructor.”

“I am only grateful that you recognize my conviction as an educator.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Leaving behind the Headmaster’s face smiling calmly, Rousseau stepped out of the Headmaster’s office.

‘He found out something. Surely. Only when that old fox corners people in this way is that the case.’

Rousseau had experienced the human called the Headmaster for a long time.

It was also the reason why he was anxious to this extent now.

Although he tried hard not to reveal it in front of the Headmaster, once the Headmaster came out with that kind of attitude, it meant he held some clear evidence.

‘I must deliver it to Henry as soon as he returns…’

It seemed he had to move busy.

What if the fact that Henry was 3-star was officially recognized?

Henry’s ‘body value’ will soar without end.

Naturally.

It would be an amount the Viscount House of Camilton could not handle.

‘At best, the ten great noble families… no, Marquis grade among them must be excluded. Two Dukes and three Marquises, and the royal family will also squeeze in.’

Actually, looking at the level of funds or group, the Royal Knights was the most outstanding, but what could be called a variable was the fact that ‘the trainee himself must choose.’

That was why other noble families could also contact him without giving up.

However, Henry spoke clearly to Rousseau previously.

‘He said he would inherit the family.’

If he became a royal knight, he could maintain his family name. However, what Henry wanted did not seem to be to that degree.

He was surely dreaming of standing fully on his own while putting forth solely the name Camilton.

“Austin!”

Barging in!

Rousseau opened his training ground door and entered. If Henry returned, he would have headed here first, and even if not, Austin would be guarding the place.

The prediction hit the mark.

“Instructor? What is going on?”

“Henry? Has he not returned yet?”

“Not yet. There was no contact either.”

Rousseau smacked his lips in disappointment. In fact, it was a natural thing. How long has it been since he left that he would return immediately?

Even more so since he said he had to see his father, he would probably return only tomorrow.

“Austin, a problem has occurred.”

BJ Swordmaster