I have never once thought that you were not a Palaon.
At those words, I paused and looked back.
What is this?
'Is he serious?'
The thought was fleeting.
I soon shook my head vigorously.
I remember clearly.
Vilheim returning home at dawn, under the cover of darkness.
The sight of him covered in blood from head to toe.
Around that time, missing person cases were frequent within the territory.
'Father said so, so it must be true.'
People kept disappearing, right?
But strangely enough, from the day I witnessed Vilheim, the missing person cases went quiet.
Could this be a coincidence?
Of course, there is a possibility that Vilheim subjugated a murderer.
"Let's go in."
"…Yes."
I put aside my thoughts and moved my feet.
But my mind was still in turmoil.
It was understandable, given that the side of Vilheim I saw today was not the one I knew.
How long did we walk in that confusion?
"We are here."
Vilheim and I stopped walking.
At the end of the cave, a stone chamber that was neither wide nor narrow awaited us.
And situated in the center of that stone chamber was….
'A shield?'
It was a white shield large enough to cover the upper body of an adult male.
As I gazed at the shield, Vilheim stepped forward and spoke.
"Descendant Vilheim offers greetings to the Ancestor."
Vilheim, having paid his respects politely, looked at me.
"You do it too."
"…Yes."
I stood next to Vilheim and bowed respectfully.
"Descendant Ktun offers greetings to the Ancestor."
If I followed my heart, I would have wanted to perform two deep bows according to Confucian etiquette, but I didn't.
After offering my greetings, Vilheim called me.
"Come here."
"Yes."
"This is the Ancestor's equipment, Krasion. It is a peerless artifact that withstood even a dragon's breath. Originally, it was a pair with the Greatsword Cracious, but I have taken that one."
"…Is it okay to just take it like that?"
"If the equipment permits."
"Hmm."
I see.
But did this really block a dragon's breath?
As I examined the shield with suspicion, Vilheim spoke.
"Place your hand on the shield. This is the final ritual for a Palaon blood relative who has undergone the Blood Awakening Ceremony."
"My hand?"
"Yes."
And he explained that, depending on the case, the remnant soul of the Ancestor residing in the equipment might grant a gift.
A typical example is the amplification of talent.
"Since you awakened the Blessing of Death, the case might be slightly different. But this is a sacred ritual that a Palaon must undergo."
Saying so, Vilheim took a step back.
I stood alone in front of the shield and blinked.
'Do I just need to place my hand on it?'
It was the moment I placed my hand on the shield with that thought.
Thump—!
Some strange vibration spread out.
Is it just my imagination? It was then, as I tilted my head.
Whoosh—!
My consciousness was sucked somewhere in an instant.
"Where is this?"
Before I knew it, I was standing in a pitch-black space.
And a voice was heard.
"What a strange thing. To think my descendant awakened the Blessing of Death."
"…?"
Turning my head, there was a knight.
Black hair and blue eyes.
A young knight who somewhat resembled Vilheim, but he threw a question at me with a mischievous smile that Vilheim would never make.
"So, what brings you here? You could have just performed the ritual and left; for what reason did you wake me up?"
There was only one being who could say such things.
The founder of Palaon, Ark Palaon.
Only him.
***
The stone chamber of the mausoleum.
Vilheim waited with a calm heart for Ktun's ritual to end.
But why?
Usually, the ritual ends within five minutes at most.
And that was even when a talented person received a gift.
But Ktun hadn't moved an inch even though it had been quite a while since the ritual started.
Why on earth?
Thinking something might have gone wrong, Vilheim approached Ktun.
It was then.
Stumble.
"Ktun…!"
Vilheim caught Ktun as he stumbled and fell.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes?"
"I asked if you are alright. You did not move for a long time."
"Ah…."
Ktun blinked blankly like someone just waking up from sleep, then nodded.
"Yes, I am fine."
"If there is a problem, you may say it."
"No, I am really fine."
Ktun insisted he was fine, but Vilheim could not be reassured.
He was worried.
Afraid that the Ancestor's remnant soul sleeping in the equipment might have affected Ktun in a bad way.
"Really…."
Thus, just as Vilheim was about to press Ktun again.
Clang—
A clear metallic sound resonated through the stone chamber.
Vilheim's body stiffened instantly.
It was because something he thought impossible unfolded before his eyes.
…The Dragon Slayer Ark's equipment, Krasion, was held in Ktun's hand.
Vilheim could not believe his eyes.
If an unworthy person grasped it, pain like being struck by lightning would strike the whole body, so how did that child?
The bewildered feeling was brief.
Vilheim was soon able to accept reality.
"Your qualifications have been recognized."
"Yes."
Saying so, Ktun cautiously gauged Vilheim's reaction.
However, Vilheim's reaction made Ktun's worry pointless.
"Congratulations. With this, no one can deny that you are a Palaon."
The expression Ktun saw on Vilheim was brighter than ever.
***
After returning from the mausoleum.
Vilheim immediately informed Father of this fact.
"Father—!"
At the sight of Vilheim raising his voice unlike his usual self, the soldiers standing guard froze stiff.
They wondered if something had happened.
However, the soldiers soon had no choice but to be surprised again, precisely because of Vilheim's expression.
'Young Master Vilheim is….'
'Smiling?'
The soldiers doubted their eyes.
And Baron Palaon was the same.
"Vilheim, what is it? Did you perhaps…."
The words asking if he had eaten a poisonous mushroom in the mountains surged to the tip of his throat.
"Ktun lifted the shield."
"What? The shield?"
"Yes, I mean he lifted the Ancestor's equipment, Krasion."
"…!"
The Baron was greatly surprised.
To think that child lifted the shield!
It was not just Vilheim saying it because he lifted the sword; being chosen by the equipment was an extremely rare case.
Throughout the long history of Palaon, how many had been chosen by the equipment?
'Excluding Vilheim, there were three.'
It is not something one can lift just because their innate bloodline talent is brilliant, nor is it something one cannot lift because it is weak.
No, rather, the three before Vilheim belonged to the side with weak bloodline talents.
But those three had a commonality.
'They all… became heroes.'
Although their lives were exceptionally short and did not lead to the revival of the family, it is an undeniable fact that they were heroes.
Then let's see.
Vilheim and Ktun.
"Two in one generation…."
Has there ever been such a time?
No, definitely not.
The first in Palaon history!
At the fact that he was part of that historical moment, and that the timber for those heroes were his sons, the Baron's heart beat wildly.
Was that why?
"Where is Ktun? Where is Ktun?"
"Father, before that, please tidy your attire."
"Attire? …Ah."
Only then did the Baron realize there was blood on his body.
He had rushed out at Vilheim's call while interrogating the intruder just a moment ago.
"I will come soon. Tell Ktun that as well."
"Yes, take your time coming."
Thus, the Baron left to change his clothes, and Vilheim headed toward Ktun, who would be in his room.
And a short while later.
"Son, I heard the story. You were chosen by Krasion!"
"Yes, yes."
"Well done. Truly well done. You grew up really well. I didn't raise you, but you grew up really well!"
The Baron rejoiced greatly and lifted Ktun high.
And….
"Well done! Well done!"
Even throwing him high like a celebration toss and catching him.
"Fa, ther."
"Yes, son!"
"I, vom… Blergh—!"
"You have a strong voice!"
The Baron, avoiding the disaster with quick reflexes, laughed heartily.
A time when only Ktun suffered and everyone else was happy.
Regrettably(?), that time did not last very long.
"You were here."
A voice coming from the doorway of Ktun's room.
The Baron stiffened with a start.
"…Wife."
"What is all this commotion at this dawn?"
"That is…."
The excitement was brief.
The Baron was rendered speechless by his wife Hella's cool expression.
Only then did the forgotten reality come to mind.
It is definitely good news. It is certainly good news, but how can he tell this story to Hella?
An illegitimate child created on the battlefield he went to, claiming he would raise the family.
'Thinking of Hella's suffering, guarding the estate alone without me, I have nothing to say even if I had a hundred mouths.'
It was his mistake.
While the Baron was unable to open his mouth.
Vilheim stepped forward.
"Mother, Ktun was chosen by the equipment."
"Equipment…?"
"Yes, the shield Krasion."
"…."
At those words, Hella's gaze reached Ktun.
Ktun was sprawled out after having emptied his stomach, and Hella's eyes trembled slightly as she watched him.
That too was brief.
"Vilheim, go call the servants. We need to clean this up."
"Yes."
"And you, let's talk later."
Having issued an expulsion order to the Baron, Hella wiped Ktun herself and even helped him to bed.
And patted him.
Until Ktun fell asleep.
That day, Ktun was able to sleep soundly.
It was the first time since coming to Palaon.
***
The next morning.
I blinked my eyes with a light heart.
What is this? This refreshing feeling?
I feel like I've been born again.
'Is this the power of bloodline awakening?'
I thought that for a moment, but I soon shook my head.
Body modification due to bloodline awakening—that influence must be there too, but the psychological influence is greater.
The reason is, as expected….
—I have never once thought that you were not a Palaon.
—Rest assured and sleep comfortably.
It must be Vilheim and Lady Hella.
I thought otherwise, but I had been quite wary of those two for the past year.
Of course, it is unknown if Lady Hella has completely accepted me, but still, yesterday's warmth melted my worries.
Was that why?
"Hmm, I feel my heart warming up."
[…My thoughts are a bit different from yours. My insides are burning up and boiling over.]
Hearing the Ancestor's voice from beside me, I could realize once again that everything that happened last night was not a dream.
Ah, for reference, the Ancestor came out for a brief outing.
Since he woke up, he said he wanted to see how his descendants were living.
But he's burning up inside?
[That damn Bastil! Son of a bitch! Does this state make sense?! Huh?! Do you know how much I did for that guy, yet he makes my descendants live in this state?]
'Uhm, excuse me, but who is Bastil….'
[That nobody founding king!]
Ah, he is talking about the Founding King Bastil.
He called him so insignificantly that I wondered if it was really the Founding King.
But right now, the Ancestor's anger was a bit hard for me to accept.
"I heard even this much was raised because Father achieved merit in the war…."
[What?!]
Oops, was that a mistake?
I said it to calm his anger a little, but the Ancestor huffed and puffed as if he would stop breathing any moment.
But it was then.
[I cannot let this be. How can I see this state and just lie still in the mausoleum?]
"Yes? If you don't lie still, what will you do…."
The Ancestor spoke with a determined expression, as if he had made a big decision.
[Let us make a contract. I will personally become your undead and raise this Palaon.]
Huh? This goes against Confucian ideology?
…The thought was brief.
I soon realized the fact that I was an ignorant resident of Medieval Land.
However, there was a problem.
How do I make a contract?