Chapter 313

Urich spent several days staying as a royal guest while refraining from meeting people to keep his identity hidden.

Gottval noticed that Urich was growing bored and asked him to teach Louyan martial arts. He was being considerate in his own way.

Louyan and Urich stood in the training ground alone without any servants.

Louyan took two wooden swords from a weapon box and tossed one to Urich.

“Urich, they say the world is round like a ball. Master Gottval doesn't seem to want to believe it, but scholars from the empire are almost certain. They say it can’t be explained otherwise after their measurements,” Louyan said, holding the wooden sword.

Culturally, Porcana was practically the successor of the empire after having absorbed its remnants after its fall. It actively employed imperial scholars and technicians, which was necessary even if it was just for the sake of the exploration of the Eastern Continent.

“The world is round? That’s nonsense. Then why don’t we slide off and fall?”

Urich laughed, holding his belly.

“I don’t know either, but it will be revealed someday. In the future, it will be common knowledge that the world is round.”

Louyan drew a circle on the sandy ground with the wooden sword.

“Hah, I don’t believe those desk-bound fools. I only believe what I see with my own eyes. That’s my way.”

“They call people like you outdated.”

Louyan chuckled. In response, Urich spat on the ground and grinned fiercely.

“Men need to be beaten up a bit to grow up, but it seems you weren’t hit enough. Probably because you grew up without a father.”

Louyan attacked first, showing off a swordsmanship that was neat and close to the textbook that was clearly learned from an excellent knight.

Clack!

Urich deliberately clashed the wooden swords to defend. The two engaged in a power struggle as their wooden swords stuck together like magnets.

Thud!

Urich kicked up the sand on the training ground, spraying it onto Louyan’s face. Louyan spat and closed his eyes, covered in sand.

Clang!

Urich didn’t miss the opportunity and knocked Louyan back with the wooden sword and pushed him with his forefoot.

“Kicking up sand like that?!” Louyan grumbled, wiping his face with his sleeve after falling over.

“It’s not like I can teach you consistently over a year or two. What I’m teaching isn’t swordsmanship, but how to fight. Tricks you can use in real combat.”

Urich tapped his shoulder with the wooden sword, laughing.

“Such dirty tricks...”

“You have to do even worse things in a real battle. No matter how dirty, surviving is what matters. You’ve only learned the basics of fighting. I’m sure the knights knew that as well, but they probably didn’t teach you past that because they knew you weren’t interested in swordsmanship to begin with.”

From a distance, real combat was ugly. One had to roll on the ground, struggling for survival while targeting the opponent’s vital spots.

“If you know I’m not interested in all this, then why are you teaching me?”

“Fights don’t always happen because you want them to. If someone comes to kill you, you have to fight with all your might. For example, let’s say King Varca dies suddenly. And let’s say that in that gap, Duke Lungell marries Varca’s daughter to his son and tries to claim the throne.”

“Duke Lungell wouldn’t do that. He is loyal to the royal family.”

“Hah? Before you were even born, Duke Lungell was the man who didn’t support Varca in the Porcana civil war and bided his time instead. He has always been aiming for power. The only reason he’s loyal now is because Varca’s royal power is strong. Your perspective is still narrow and immature. You are going to face unimaginable hardships in your life.”

“I did hear that Duke Lungell was once a political opponent of the royal family, but...”

Louyan trailed off. By the time he started to grasp the political aspect of his life, Duke Lungell was already a loyal servant to the kingdom, and he couldn’t imagine the duke leading a rebellion.

“Even Hamel and the empire, which seemed like it would last a thousand years, fell by my hand. There’s no such thing as absolute in this world. It would be nice if you never had to fight... but when the time comes and you have to fight for your life, today’s lesson will help. Now, if you heard what I said, get up!”

Urich tapped Louyan’s leg with the wooden sword. Louyan, getting more heated, attacked Urich fiercely.

As the wooden swords clashed rhythmically, Urich rolled his eyes around to use the terrain to his advantage.

Rolling on the ground, Urich quickly grabbed a pebble and threw it. Louyan, hit on the forehead by the pebble, was dazed.

“Dammit!”

Urich laughed at Louyan rubbing his bruised forehead.

“Always watch your surroundings. It’s the basics to scan your surroundings before you start a fight. Especially if you get ambushed in a disadvantageous situation, you need to use the environment to your advantage.”

Urich taught Louyan how to win fights. At first, Louyan grumbled, but he gradually accepted Urich’s methods. The training sessions took place daily from noon until evening.

“Oof, my body aches. I gotta take a breather. Let’s take five, Louyan.”

Urich sat down and drank water. The torso he revealed was nothing short of intimidating.

‘How is he still alive with a body like that?’

Louyan couldn’t take his eyes off Urich’s body. His skin was tattered like a rag, with no unscarred areas. Particularly prominent was his right forearm, marked by deep lightning-shaped burn scars, and a long horizontal scar across his abdomen.

Even Louyan, who had no interest in a warrior’s life, felt a sense of respect as he realized that Urich’s body told the story of how fiercely he had lived. Living such a superhuman life earned him the right to be respected by others.

‘The man who led a barbarian army and brought down the empire that was standing at the pinnacle of civilization.’

He barely remembered the times when Hamel ruled. Since childhood, the empire had been a symbol of downfall for Louyan. The empire’s collapse seemed inevitable but seeing the very man who had brought about its downfall made him realize the magnitude of that achievement.

“You had everything in your grasp, so why did you put it all down?”

Louyan also sat down in front of Urich and drank water. Sour sweat dripped from his hair.

“Because that position wasn’t what I wanted.”

Urich stood up with a limp. His current body easily broke down with just a slight exertion, and even now, his legs were numb from the unusual vigorous activity.

“I heard you’re going to the Eastern Continent,” Louyan said.

“I’ve been curious about it for a long time,” Urich replied.

The exploration fleet was set to depart as soon as the preparations were complete. Every kingdom was paying attention to Porcana’s voyage, knowing that discovering the Eastern Continent would bring about an even greater change than crossing the Sky Mountains.

“Are you sure your body is fit for such a strenuous journey?”

“If I can’t endure it, then I’ll just die there,” Urich answered calmly with a smile.

“Even the best racehorses have rest days. You need to rest adequately to run better the next day.”

“Are you worried about me? What an honor!”

“His Highness and my master hope you stay here in Porcana.”

“And you? What do you think? Do you want me to stay?”

Urich glanced sideways, uncharacteristically seeking approval.

“What makes you think I would want you to stay?”

“...Just asking. You know what, let’s call it a day. I’ll see you back here tomorrow.”

“I won’t be able to come for a while starting tomorrow. There will be a banquet with many nobles attending, and I have to make an appearance as well. Try to hide your identity well, Urich.”

With that, Louyan walked ahead of Urich.

“Good grief.”

Urich scratched his head and watched Louyan’s retreating figure.

‘Pathetic, Urich.’

Throughout his life, he had survived countless hellish battles. However, despite his numerous heroic achievements, in front of Louyan, he was nothing more than a lousy father who couldn’t fulfill his role.

* * *

Urich sat in front of a basin filled with water, took out an axe, and checked the condition of the blade with his fingers.

‘Louyan resembles me.’

Urich trimmed his beard and hair, which he had grown to hide his face, while looking at his reflection in the water. Even though he grew it to cover his face, it needed trimming from time to time.

As Louyan grew, he increasingly resembled Urich to the point where anyone close to Urich could guess his lineage just by looking at his face.

‘They probably know it already but are just keeping quiet. Especially Duke Lungell, he must know by now that Louyan is my son.’

Duke Lungell and Urich frequently faced each other in the past. Given the circumstances, it was highly likely that the duke was aware of Louyan’s lineage.

‘Pahell evaluated Duke Lungell as loyal, but people don’t change that easily. With the king having only daughters, it’s enough to rekindle Duke Lungell’s last ambitions.’

Urich had once stood at the pinnacle of power. To survive, he had to constantly suspect those around him and always assume the worst.

‘The atmosphere in Porcana is chaotic due to the Eastern Continent expedition fleet.’

Various thoughts crossed his mind, and he was worried about Louyan’s safety.

“Am I overthinking this?”

Urich looked at his reflection in the water. He felt contemptuous of himself for trying to act like a father now.

Urich trimmed his beard and hair just enough to obscure his facial features. Once he was ready, he turned to watch the nobles entering the palace.

As one would expect from a banquet that was honoring the Eastern Continent exploration, many guests came from foreign countries, and with the proportionally increased security, the once quiet palace had become quite lively.

“Is that a barbarian lord? Well, Porcana does have its relations with barbarians...”

Despite some foreign nobles passing by with uncomfortable glances at Urich, it had become quite common for barbarians to blend into noble society.

Chiefs from the Alliance Army settled in civilized lands and ruled over civilized people with their armies. The kingdoms, valuing their abilities, often granted titles and lands to the western chiefs to strengthen their military.

In this new era, no one found it strange for a burly barbarian like Urich to be in the palace. There were even other guests entering the banquet hall who were also of barbarian origin.

‘As time passes and eras change, people’s perceptions change as well.’

Urich experienced the change in the values of the civilized world firsthand. He hovered around the banquet hall, observing the situation.

Gottval noticed Urich and approached him. He asked, “Ah, here you are, Urich. Are you planning to join the banquet?”

“I’m just watching. There’s something that’s bothering me... though it seems like I might be overthinking.”

“Are you worried about Louyan?” Gottval asked.

Urich, with his face reddened, answered, “A while ago, I left Louyan with you and Pahell. You see, I wasn’t really attached to him back then.”

“As people age, they naturally become more attached to their descendants. They seek a child to carry on their legacy.”

“You speak as if you have children.”

“Oh, you think I don’t?”

Gottval looked at Urich with a grin. Urich, startled, stammered, “Y-you have a kid?”

“No, I don’t. It was just a joke. If anything, Louyan would be my son,” Gottval said calmly.

“Yes, Louyan is indeed your son. I have no right or reason to take that from you.”

Urich looked at Louyan greeting guests from a distance. Among the noble guests, servants moved around carrying food.

“Duke Lungell will also be here,” Gottval said as if he read Urich’s mind.

“Is he really a loyal liege now?”

“Only Lou knows a person’s true nature, but if it helps you put your mind at ease, King Varca is excellent at judging people.”

“He is?”

“It’s hard for anyone not to gain any insight while sitting on the throne. A king without it doesn’t stay king for long.”

“Lungell is no easy opponent.”

The Duke Lungell Urich remembered was a cunning and ambitious man, like a snake.

Urich and Gottval exchanged drinks in a corner of the banquet hall, surveying their surroundings, though it was difficult to stay too quiet due to the nobles constantly approaching Gottval.

“Priest Gottval, my son was born recently. I’d appreciate it if you could bless him. I will offer ample compensation...”

Nobles clamored to receive his blessings. Gottval was a highly respected priest, and even the bishops who governed the dioceses did not treat him lightly.

“I’ll let you be.”

Urich stepped away from the bustling crowd around Gottval and wandered around the banquet hall with a drink in his hand. As the night deepened, the band’s music grew louder, and the laughter and chatter made his ears ring.

“Ah, Duke Lungell. I was thinking you might not make it this time, but you did!”

The music paused for a moment and nobles gathered at the entrance as Duke Lungell, a powerful figure in the kingdom, arrived.

Step, click. Step, click.

Duke Lungell entered the banquet hall, leaning on a cane.

‘That’s Duke Lungell?’

Urich stared at Duke Lungell. The sharp middle-aged man he remembered was gone. His back was hunched, and his hair was white. The man who was being called Duke Lungell looked like any other old man.

‘It really is him.’

Upon closer inspection, Urich noticed that the traces of his past appearance remained.

King Varca, noticing Urich’s expression, chuckled and whispered to him, “Surprised? His illness has softened him a lot.”

Urich chuckled bitterly. Duke Lungell was already an old, weakened man waiting for his death after exhausting his vitality. He felt foolish for having been on guard against such a man.

“Your Highness.”

Duke Lungell showed respect to Varca despite his difficulty in mobility. Things were completely different from what Urich had imagined.

‘Much time has passed. It’s obvious that things are different from what I knew.’

Urich drank his wine without worry. Occasionally, some people showed interest in him, but since he disguised himself as a knight of insignificant barbarian origin, their interest quickly faded.

However, after glancing around, Duke Lungell walked over to Urich, leaning on his cane.

“So, you’re alive after all,” Duke Lungell said, raising his white eyebrows.

Urich, who had his arms crossed, laughed and replied, “You recognized me.”

“You’ve been looking at Louyan all this time. The age fits, and that build is not common even among barbarians.”

Duke Lungell let out a laugh that sounded more like a wheeze. When Urich handed him a full glass of wine, he turned it down, saying, “The doctor advised me to avoid alcohol.”

After politely declining the glass, Duke Lungell sat beside Urich seemingly needing to catch his breath.

“I thought you’d come if you were alive. Anyone can see that Louyan is....”

“You already knew.”

“Everyone who knows, knows. They just choose not to speak up, fearing it would cause another conflict and war.”

Urich and Duke Lungell started talking. Even though they weren’t particularly close back in their younger days, they shared many memories and their conversation flowed as if they were old friends reunited.

“To be honest, I didn’t think you’d succeed. My plan was to just hit the empire hard enough, persuade His Highness to make a treaty with the empire, and then retreat.”

“Good thing you didn’t. If you had betrayed me, I’d have chased you down and smashed your skull.”

“Hoho, that temper hasn’t gone anywhere.”

“I’m going to go get some more meat. You want some?”

Urich picked up a plate and stood up.

“My body needs porridge more than meat.”

“Aging is a sad thing.”

“You’re not far off either.”

“Then I’d better die before I get that old.”

Duke Lungell laughed heartily at those words.

Urich took his plate and went to the roast pig. There was a young man already in line who glanced at Urich.

“You can go ahead,” the sharp-looking young man offered to let Urich go first. Somehow, the young man’s face seemed familiar to Urich.

“Why are you letting me go first?”

Urich asked, looking at the young man.

“You have a western accent. ‘We must yield and help each other.’ It’s something my mother always emphasized.”

The young man spoke in a language that Urich missed. Urich smiled and patted the young man’s shoulder.

“You have a wonderful mother. It would be rude to refuse, so I’ll gratefully accept your offer.”

Urich cut the meat first and put it on his plate.

‘The fact that he looks familiar means I’ve seen him somewhere...’

Urich prided himself on having a good memory, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen the young man.

Urich looked back. The young man cut a large piece of meat and stabbed a dagger into it, seemingly taking the food somewhere.

‘My eyes are getting worse with my age.’

Urich blinked. His right eye’s vision had deteriorated significantly from the lightning strike. It wouldn’t be surprising if he woke up one day to find himself blind.

“H-huh?”

He realized that it wasn’t the young man’s face that was familiar, but the dagger stabbed into the meat on the plate.

‘Meteorite dagger.’

The unique pattern indicated it was indeed the meteorite dagger that should have been in Belrua’s hands.

‘Tell him to come find me with this when he’s ready to kill me. That way, it’ll be easier for me to recognize him.’

That was what Urich said to Belrua as he handed her the meteorite dagger.

He then realized the identity of the familiar face.

‘Samikan’s son.’

Samikan’s son was holding the dagger stuck in the meat and was approaching Louyan.

With Urich gone, Samikan’s son had lost his target for revenge. If he knew there was someone certain to be Urich’s bloodline, what would he do? A warrior’s course of action in this situation could not be more obvious.

“Oooooh! Stop right there!”

Urich threw his plate down and dashed forward, pushing aside those in his way with his arms, and broke through the tables and chairs that tripped him.

“S-st... stop, argh!”

The startled guards tried to stop Urich in his path but were knocked down by his fists. A charging Urich was essentially a boar in human form.