Kayden and Grant (father and son), along with Mitchell, were seated in the office.
Grant explained everything that had happened one by one, and only after ten minutes did the rather lengthy story come to an end.
“And that is how we managed to escape safely.”
“…….”
Silent rage filled the office.
As an enormous force swept through the room in every direction, the furnishings went flying everywhere.
‘What the hell?!’
Mitchell instinctively began filling his Aura Hole.
He had been holding back because he was worried they might notice him tearing apart souls, but now was not the time to worry about that.
AAAAAAH—!
Along with the soul’s scream, his Aura Hole filled.
Mitchell immediately opened his Aura Hole and drew out energy without restraint.
Even though the pressure was not directed at him, only then could he barely remain standing.
But that was only Mitchell.
“Ugh! Father!”
Grant was already pale because he had yet to recover, and an urgent cry burst from his mouth.
Hearing his son’s voice, Kayden struggled to suppress his anger and finally reined in the unstable energy surging around him.
The surroundings soon grew still.
Kayden stared for a moment at Mitchell, who remained tense and continued emitting energy, then lowered his head.
“My apologies. My training is lacking, and I failed to control my energy.”
“…….”
“Chief Steward Hail was an old friend of mine. We grew up here together from childhood. And yet, how could he…….”
Betrayed by someone who was like a brother…….
Mitchell had never experienced such a thing, but he could at least vaguely imagine how Kayden felt.
Hadn’t the people he once thought of as family let go of his hand in an instant?
Mitchell looked at Kayden’s bitter smile and slowly withdrew his energy.
“I apologize for showing you such an unsightly side of myself, and I thank you for saving my son. As I said earlier, the Runei Family will do anything within our power for you. So could you leave us for a while?”
Kayden seemed to want Mitchell to leave so he could have a serious discussion with Grant.
Grant, however, objected.
“No. Our benefactor should be included in this matter as well. We do not know what other spies may be lurking inside or outside the family estate, and he may prove necessary when we have to move without drawing the Rapel Family’s attention.”
You called me your benefactor, you know…….
Grant bowed his head deeply as though asking permission.
Mitchell’s eyebrow twitched as he glared at the back of Grant’s head.
From the way he was talking, wasn’t he treating Mitchell more like a mercenary or subordinate than a benefactor?
Just then, Grant urgently spoke to him through voice transmission.
[The secret technique! Do not forget! The secret technique!]
‘Ugh, I’m the one who needs something, so I’ll put up with it.’
Mitchell clicked his tongue inwardly and turned his gaze forward again.
Kayden was simply staring at Mitchell.
Grant had raised his head at some point and continued while looking at his father.
“There is no doubt that our benefactor is from the west. Loren also confirmed it from his clothing and belongings.”
“I was not thinking that. They had an opportunity to capture you, the Eldest Young Master. They would hardly throw that chance away with their own hands merely to send us some spy.”
Grant’s face brightened upon hearing the answer he wanted.
Kayden looked away from his son and turned to Mitchell.
“An exchange should be clear-cut. That son of mine kept sending you voice transmissions. What did he promise you?”
“F-Father, that was…….”
Grant stammered in embarrassment.
He had done his best to send the voice transmissions secretly, but there was no fooling Kayden, who was approaching the peak of Grade 6.
Mitchell cursed Grant inwardly, thinking it served him right for treating him like a subordinate, then proudly straightened himself.
If he could not obtain the secret technique, he intended to get something equivalent in return.
Grant had made him a separate promise in addition to the matter of saving his life, so Mitchell had more than enough justification.
Without avoiding Kayden’s eyes, Mitchell spoke.
“He said he would teach me the Runei Family’s secret technique, the Heaven-Breaking Sword.”
“I was going to explain that gradually…….”
“Very well. If the Eldest Young Master of Runei made a promise, then it must be kept.”
Both Grant and Mitchell were startled by how quickly the answer came.
Kayden clicked his tongue while looking at his son.
“Saving your life alone would have been enough reason to teach him the secret technique. Besides, is it not an incomplete secret technique to begin with?”
This time, he turned to Mitchell.
“As you have already seen, using that secret technique leaves him in that state. Do you still wish to learn it?”
“Yes.”
“Then that settles it. That boy can teach you the Heaven-Breaking Sword in detail. And that boy is a fool who thinks he is being thoughtfu. Do not take his earlier rudeness too much to heart.”
Mitchell did not understand what he meant, but a smile appeared on his lips at the promise that he would be taught the secret technique.
“Grant, you will have some suffering ahead of you.”
“What?”
“It is punishment for trying to deceive your father, so you can find out what I mean in due time. More importantly, since you were the one who recommended our benefactor, you must have something in mind. I will leave this matter to you to resolve.”
“If I am taking charge, how far am I permitted to go?”
“Capture him alive. If that is impossible, learn the reason for his betrayal, obtain whatever information you can, and then eliminate him.”
Kayden’s eyes, directed out the window, were filled with an emotion that Mitchell could not tell was anger or sorrow.
***
Mitchell went to sleep in the room a servant had shown him to and woke some time later.
He looked out the window and saw that it was still broad daylight.
They had arrived here in the morning, so he must have slept for three or four hours.
“I feel a little more alive now.”
Mitchell stretched his stiff body and locked the door.
This might be a safe place, but it was still better to be careful whenever he converted souls into energy.
Mitchell sat down again and looked at the remaining souls.
Four and a half souls remained.
They were what remained after he had used some to withstand Kayden’s anger.
SCREEEEEE—!
Mitchell began tearing apart the souls and filling his Aura Hole.
As he continued doing it, he grew accustomed to the process, and the speed at which he absorbed them gradually increased.
Thanks to that, he converted them a little faster than usual.
‘Hmm…….’
Energy continued entering his Aura Hole even after it had filled to the brim.
Only after he used up the remaining half of a soul did it finally run out of space.
‘Looks like the Aura Hole grows if I use enough Aura to empty it completely. I should try it again if I get the chance.’
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as Mitchell finished settling his fully replenished Aura Hole, a knock came from outside.
He rose and opened the door to find Grant standing in front of him.
“It seems you have finished. I could sense energy from your room and thought you were circulating your Aura, so I waited.”
Grant, who had wronged Mitchell only a few hours earlier, spoke with extreme politeness.
But Mitchell was still annoyed, and a curt reply came from his mouth.
“Why are you here? Ah, are you planning to put me to work right away?”
“……I came to keep my promise.”
“You haven’t even caught Chief Steward Hail yet.”
“You need not worry about that. I will handle finding and capturing the Chief Steward myself.”
“That’s different from what you said in front of the Family Head.”
Mitchell narrowed his eyes and stared suspiciously at the evasive Grant, wondering what he meant now.
Grant awkwardly scratched the back of his head before speaking.
“Some thirty years ago, during the war with the Holy Empire, most of our family’s secret techniques were lost while we were evacuating. The Family Head of that time and the experts who had completely mastered the secret techniques all lost their lives in the war.”
After that incident, the Runei Family, which had once produced two or so Aura Masters every generation, gradually declined in power.
Even Kayden, currently the strongest member of the family, was only a Grade 6 Aura User.
Of course, even someone at that level would be counted among the finest experts wherever he went, but compared to the family’s past, it was still far from enough.
In the past, they had wielded influence throughout the entire north. Now, they could not even completely control Ranga, their own base.
“But the family never gave up and continued working to restore the secret techniques. Father seems to have given up completely, but regardless, there is no denying that the Heaven-Breaking Sword is a secret technique carrying two hundred years of our family’s joys and sorrows. That is why I thought Father would not give permission so easily.”
Come to think of it, what had the Family Head said?
That boy is a fool who thinks himself shrewd. Do not take his earlier rudeness too much to heart.
Only now did Mitchell understand what he had meant.
“So you said all that to create a stronger reason for him to agree?”
“That’s right! Though I didn’t expect Father to agree so easily.”
Well, aren’t you thoughtful.
Mitchell straightened from his crooked posture and smiled. Seeing that, Grant finally smiled as well.
“So all you need to do is learn the Heaven-Breaking Sword from me.”
“Understood. But just as the Family Head said, a deal is a deal. If I can help, I’d like to.”
“If you insist, I will ask for your help later when we capture the Chief Steward.”
Only after hearing that did Mitchell extend one hand, and Grant took it.
“Then I look forward to your instruction.”
“Ha ha, instruction? With your level of skill, I would say it will be closer to an exchange between us.”
Mitchell tilted his head at Grant’s laughing words.
What could he possibly exchange with Grant when he was still only a Grade 2 Aura User?
***
Sure enough.
Grant’s pupils trembled when he saw Mitchell hold a sword at the family training ground.
“Th-That is…….”
Grant could barely continue speaking, as though he were struggling to figure out how to explain it.
‘I must be pretty bad.’
Mitchell thought he had been practicing diligently according to what was written in the books, but apparently, his skills looked lacking to Grant, who had trained both professionally and properly.
Grant fell into thought for a moment, then cautiously spoke.
“Are your injuries perhaps serious?”
“No. I’m completely healed now. My Aura Hole is full as well.”
“Hmm…… Back then, you clearly seemed like a seasoned Grade 4, perhaps even close to Grade 5…….”
Hearing Grant mutter, Mitchell finally understood why he had called this an exchange earlier.
Mitchell appreciated being held in such high regard, but he wanted to learn properly, even if only a little more, so he did not lie and explained as clearly as he could.
“I’m a Grade 2 Aura User. What you saw last time was…… my family’s secret technique. You’re a Grade 5 Aura User yourself, Mr. Grant, yet you used something like Sword Force, didn’t you?”
Grant nodded at Mitchell’s words.
The Empire was vast, and countless martial clans, martial schools, and knightly families existed within it. If the Holy Empire and the other nations were included, there would be even more.
Thinking of it that way, it made sense.
At least, until Mitchell spoke again.
“The cultivation method I learned is unusual, so even though I’m only Grade 2, I can project Aura. But I’ve only been holding a sword for two months. So I’d like to learn the fundamentals as well.”
“Two months……?”
“Yes. Two months.”
Grant’s mouth fell wide open.