As a result, the Blood Awakening Ceremony itself ended well without any particular incidents or accidents.
"…."
Vilheim was glaring at me until the very last moment, but I avoided his gaze with all my might.
So, what talent did I awaken?
"Wait a moment. Just in case, I prepared a bloodline dictionary."
According to what my father looked up, the talent I awakened was as follows:
"Hmm, it's called the Blessing of Death."
"Blessing of Death?"
"Yes, it is a talent for necromancy. It seems you inherited it from your mother's bloodline."
This was news to me.
A talent from my mother's side?
"Does that mean…."
"Hmm, did you not hear? Your mother, Viola, was a necromancer. But to think she was a bloodline possessor. This is… well, let us talk about it again when we have a chance later."
It was a shock.
To think my mother was a necromancer.
'She never mentioned anything like that?'
Anyway, back in my room after the gathering dispersed.
I immediately started packing.
"Let's run. I have to run to survive."
What? A brilliant talent?
I don't need any of that.
While living in the Palaon household, I had seen Vilheim training a few times in passing, and that guy was not human.
One time, he lifted a log as big as a human torso….
—Crack, snap!
He grabbed it with his bare hands and tore it apart.
He didn't split it.
Literally, he grabbed a freshly cut, moisture-filled log with his hands and tore it.
Then, here is the question.
'Which is harder: my body or the log?'
There is no need to even say the answer.
"Still… the situation isn't completely hopeless."
Why are nobles considered nobles?
Simply because they met good parents?
That is true.
But what I mean is, how do 'nobles' endure without becoming targets of revolution in this world of swords and magic?
The reason was, as expected, 'Bloodline Talent.'
The moment a bloodline talent is awakened, a noble literally becomes a 'noble.'
So-called….
'Body Modification.'
Regardless of the type of talent, modification occurs across all areas, including bones, muscles, and the nervous system.
Muscles become tougher, and bones become harder.
Reaction speed is the same.
And the degree of this body modification depends on the 'magnitude of the talent'….
"…."
I pulled out a decorative sword hanging on the wall of my room.
I don't know why such a thing is needed in a room, but anyway.
Since it was basically for decoration, the blade was dull. I grabbed the blade with one hand and the handle with the other.
And then.
Creaaak…!
The sword began to bend slowly as I applied force.
"Huff, huff."
It bent only a little, a very small amount, but it was something I couldn't do until yesterday. It was not a strength a fifteen-year-old who had never exercised once could produce.
'With this much, I won't get beaten to death anywhere.'
Of course, I had absolutely no intention of fighting bravely against bandits or monsters.
I have to run.
My two legs must have become that much faster too.
After packing the silver candlesticks in the room and other items that could be sold for money, I waited until nightfall with a trembling heart.
I even skipped dinner.
By the time the sun had set and it was past midnight.
"Father, your unfilial son is leaving now."
I left the room.
Around the time I reached the side door leading out of the lord's castle.
I ran into someone.
"…."
"…."
What is this?
A man froze upon seeing me.
For a moment, I thought it was Vilheim, but it wasn't.
If it were Vilheim, there would be no reason to wear a mask.
'Then a petty thief?'
It was when I thought that far.
"No hard feelings."
"What?"
The man suddenly lunged at me.
In his hand was a gleaming dagger.
This guy, he's an assassin sent by Vilheim!
I rolled on the ground and shouted bravely.
"Intrudeeeeer—!"
"…!"
It was at that moment.
BOOM!
The castle wall exploded outward.
Immediately after, something leaped out like a thunderbolt from the debris and grasped the assassin's neck.
"Gack…!"
The struggling assassin, and the one clutching his neck, was a familiar face.
"Vil, heim?"
"…."
That is right.
The one who descended like a cannonball to save me was none other than Vilheim.
***
How did this happen?
Just as I was about to leave the estate with the heart of Hong Gil-dong, an assassin appeared.
I thought for sure he was sent by Vilheim, but what is this?
What is in front of Ktun's eyes right now is Vilheim.
On a dark night where even the moonlight was hidden by clouds, Vilheim lifted the assassin high while gripping his neck.
"Who do you dare."
Clang, clang, clang, clang—!
The alarm bell rang, and torches were lit all over the lord's castle.
"This way!"
"Over here!"
Knights and soldiers realized there was an intruder and swarmed in.
The knights who arrived at the scene froze.
"Young Master Vilheim…?"
"What is this?"
Ktun sprawled on the ground, and Vilheim gripping the intruder's neck.
They couldn't tell how to interpret this situation.
However, there was one thing they could know.
What was it?
That Vilheim was enraged like never before.
The knights dared not step forward at that burning rage and silently observed the scene.
The miserable future of the intruder seemed to be drawn before their eyes.
Why wouldn't it be?
He was caught in hands that tore even iron plates apart.
It was then.
"What is going on—! Wait, Young Master Vilheim?"
"…Sir Balt."
"How did this situation come to be?"
With the appearance of Palaon's First Knight, Balt, Vilheim's killing intent subsided slightly.
His eyes were still blazing with anger, but some reason had returned.
Vilheim, having cooled his head a little.
THUD!
"…!"
"…!"
Slammed the intruder into the ground and dusted off his hands.
"He isn't dead. Take him and interrogate him."
"May I ask about the detailed situation?"
"This bastard…."
Vilheim stopped there and glanced at Ktun.
Then he spoke quietly.
"He tried to kill Ktun."
"What?!"
Balt was startled by those words.
Tried to kill Young Master Ktun?
This was no ordinary matter.
Even if he was an illegitimate son, a noble was a noble, and the Baron held significant affection for him.
Balt, whose face hardened instantly, ordered the soldiers.
"Transport the intruder to the dungeon, and all forces assume alert status."
"Yes, sir!"
"Yes, sir!"
While the soldiers of Palaon moved in perfect order.
Vilheim looked at his half-brother, Ktun, who was looking up at him.
And at that moment, his brow furrowed.
"Where were you going at this hour?"
"J-Just for a night walk…."
"A night walk? Packing your bags like that?"
"…."
At the sight of Ktun falling silent, Vilheim let out a deep sigh.
But that was only for a moment.
He extended his hand.
"Stand up."
"…."
"I said stand up."
Ktun eventually stood up without taking that hand.
Vilheim's face crumpled slightly at that sight, but it was so fleeting that no one saw it.
It was then that Baron Palaon appeared at the scene.
"What is happening? What is all this commotion?"
The Baron, who had evacuated his wife Hella and rushed over after looking for Ktun, frowned at the sight of his gathered sons.
"Vilheim, you explain. What is all this? You said you were going out for a bit? And why is Ktun here?"
"There was an intruder."
"An intruder?"
"Yes, it seems he encountered him while out for a brief night walk, and fortunately, I had just returned."
"Then was that shout from Ktun?"
"Yes."
The Baron felt dizzy.
To think he didn't recognize his own son's voice!
He felt incredibly ashamed of his actions, looking for his son in the wrong place.
Had he not almost lost his son!
"Ktun, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Yes, thanks to brother Vilheim…."
"That is a relief. Truly a relief."
The Baron swept his startled heart and embraced his son.
That too was brief; soon he looked at Balt with eyes full of anger.
"Look here, Sir Balt. Where is the intruder?"
"I ordered him to be moved to the dungeon."
"…Lead the way. I will interrogate him myself. Ktun, go rest. Let us talk after that."
It was the moment the Baron was about to move his steps.
"Father."
"What is it?"
At Vilheim's call, the Baron stopped.
To him, Vilheim cautiously requested.
"I would like to take Ktun to the mausoleum."
"…To the mausoleum?"
"Yes, I know it was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but I intend to go now."
The Baron quietly looked at his eldest son.
A son with whom he couldn't spend much time because he was out on the battlefield during his childhood.
So there was still a sense of distance, but his trust in his son was no less than any parent.
Therefore, the Baron nodded without thinking for long.
"Alright, go ahead."
"Thank you. Let us go."
Vilheim moved his steps after those words.
"What are you doing? Not coming?"
"Yes…."
Ktun hesitated and followed behind him.
***
The mountain behind Palaon Castle.
A young man and a boy were walking on a dark night path.
The young man walking ahead was Vilheim, the firstborn of Palaon, the legitimate eldest son of the current Baron Palaon, and the designated heir.
And the boy following behind him was the illegitimate son, Ktun.
Ktun followed Vilheim, rolling his eyes around.
'Tsk, what is this?'
Suddenly the mausoleum?
I did hear about it.
There is a tomb of the Palaon founder in the mountain behind the lord's castle, right?
Why, that person.
The one mentioned during the Blood Awakening Ceremony, 'one of the founding heroes of the Kingdom of Heorn and the Dragon Slayer who killed a dragon.'
While harboring doubts and following behind, Vilheim's voice was heard.
"Originally, the nobles of Palaon visit the mausoleum after the Blood Awakening Ceremony to have their qualifications tested."
"Qualifications… you say?"
"Yes. It is a sacred ritual that only a Palaon can undergo."
While tilting my head at the story I was hearing for the first time.
A question popped out inadvertently.
"Why do I have to…."
"Why? What do you mean why?"
It was then that Vilheim stopped walking.
"Are you asking because you truly do not know?"
Vilheim, who turned around, looked quite angry.
His expression was blunt as usual, but his eyes were like blazing flames.
As Ktun flinched at that momentum, Vilheim let out a deep sigh.
Then, he was about to say something but stopped, turned his body again, and continued walking.
"…."
"…."
After that, no one opened their mouth.
The hike began in silence.
Vilheim strode as if the path were clearly visible even in the dark, and Ktun almost tripped and fell several times.
Each time, Vilheim silently caught Ktun, which was incomprehensible to Ktun.
Why on earth is he doing this?
This was something neither fifteen-year-old Ktun nor thirty-three-year-old Kim Kang-min could understand.
Around the time his whole body was soaked in sweat.
Vilheim stopped walking.
"It is here."
"This place is…."
"Yes, the place where the founder, Lord Ark, rests. Although his body melted within the breath of the Mad Dragon, the equipment he cherished remained intact. Thus, the descendants of that time enshrined the equipment in the mausoleum."
Honestly, it didn't feel real.
A Mad Dragon?
It is a story like a legend, encompassing both my current and past lives.
It was then, as I blinked my eyes at the fading sense of reality.
"Did you ask why?"
"Yes?"
"Did you not ask the reason why I brought you here?"
"…Yes."
"Place your hand on that stone slab."
Ktun obediently placed his hand on the stone slab blocking the mausoleum as told.
It was at that moment.
Prick!
Something popped out from the stone slab and made a small cut on Ktun's finger.
Immediately after, a magic circle spread out from his hand.
It was a magic circle that reacted only to the blood of Palaon.
Rumble—!
As the stone slab opened with a roar.
"I have never once thought that you were not a Palaon."
Vilheim's voice dug into Ktun's ears.