A blue radiance enveloped Lloyd’s sword, taking on the complete form of a blade.
It was unmistakably Aura.
“That is Aura!?”
“Did they not say he did not have the slightest mana?”
The knights began murmuring, their eyes wide at the unbelievable sight.
Count Bled also seemed greatly shocked. Unable to say anything, he merely stared at Lloyd.
It was only natural for them to be surprised.
Mana was something one was born with. No amount of effort could change that.
“How can you, who had no mana, use Aura…… No, that is not important right now.”
He had never heard of someone gaining mana after having none before, but what did it matter?
At this moment, nothing was more important than the fact that Lloyd, once the unwanted burden of the family, had produced Aura.
With an unusually broad smile on his lips, Count Bled spoke.
“Excellent work. You did very well.”
“Thank you.”
Count Bled nodded and stroked his beard. Then, after briefly glancing at Vector, he asked Lloyd,
“Is that man called Vector also a Sword Expert?”
It was only natural for him to ask.
If Vector were not a Sword Expert, Lloyd and Martin alone could never have defeated the Chimera.
“Vector.”
At Lloyd’s signal, Vector understood his intention and cast [Fist Aura], a skill similar to [Aura].
A bluish Aura began gathering around Vector’s fists.
Count Bled, who watched this, let out a low exclamation of admiration.
“Oh-ho, a pugilist? Impressive.”
Lloyd had been waiting for a chance to ask that Vector be granted a knighthood as well. Deciding this was the moment, he cautiously brought it up.
“Since Vector is also a Sword Expert, how about granting him a knighthood as well?”
“Of course. Once this matter is settled, I will grant knighthoods to both of you.”
“Thank you.”
“Then, let us head back…… Ah, before that, keep quiet about the Chimera for the time being. If word of it spreads, the residents of the territory will grow anxious.”
“Understood. But…… I have been wondering since earlier. Who is that man tied up over there?”
At the end of Lloyd’s pointing finger was the man in black robes, tightly bound with rope and lashed to a horse.
“I believe he may be connected to this incident. On our way here, he tried to flee from us. I plan to interrogate him after we return.”
“Is that so?”
“I will handle this matter myself, so you need not concern yourself with it any further.”
After saying that, Count Bled turned toward the knights.
Lloyd remained standing where he was, looking back and forth between the Chimera’s corpse and the man in black robes, who lay unmoving as though unconscious.
‘Could that man have made the Chimera?’
If so, what purpose had he had in creating such a dangerous Chimera?
And why had he released it into a forest like this?
There were many questions, but……
‘There is no need for me to get involved.’
House Bled was a renowned house of swords, famous even throughout the Karolos Empire.
There was no need for an illegitimate child like him to step in. They would take care of it themselves.
Count Bled could not be called a good father, but people said he was a perfect lord.
Having thought that far, Lloyd decided to put everything concerning the Chimera out of his mind.
***
The next day, summoned by Count Bled, Lloyd headed to the Count’s private study with Vector.
Perhaps tense because of the sudden summons, Vector spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
“D-Do you think Count Bled summoned us to grant us knighthoods as he promised?”
“If that were the reason, he would not have summoned us to his private study.”
“N-Now that I think about it, you are right.”
As they spoke, they arrived at Count Bled’s private study.
When they opened the door and entered, Count Bled, Countess Bled, and the elders of the house were waiting inside.
Lloyd approached them, offered a brief greeting, and asked Count Bled,
“Why have you summoned me?”
Count Bled pointed to a transparent crystal orb on the desk and replied.
“I summoned you today to measure your mana.”
“Mana measurement…….”
At that moment, a memory suddenly flashed through Lloyd’s mind.
The day he had received his first mana measurement. The day he had been judged to possess no mana, and his hellish days had begun.
The crystal orb that showed no reaction, the twisted expressions of those watching him, and the cruel remarks that treated him as useless.
Though they were not his own memories, Lloyd’s face still tightened.
For some reason, he did not like feeling as though he had become a spectacle.
‘Still, I cannot avoid this.’
Lloyd recalled the method for measuring Mana from the memories remaining in his mind.
The method was simpler than he had expected.
‘Do I place my hand on the crystal orb and pour Mana into it? Then its color changes according to the amount of Mana?’
At that moment, the conversation of the elders nearby reached Lloyd’s ears.
“They say that mana he did not have suddenly appeared. Is such a thing even possible?”
“I have never heard of it either.”
“But we have no choice but to believe it. More than one or two people witnessed him produce Aura.”
The Mana measurement began under the suspicious gazes of the elders.
‘I do not know how my current Mana compares to the levels in this world, but…….’
One thing was certain: his Mana was by no means a small amount.
There was no need to reveal all of it.
Doing so would only attract unnecessary attention and lead to uncomfortable suspicion.
‘For now, I will put in only about half. What matters is that I can use Aura.’
With that in mind, Lloyd placed his hand on the crystal orb.
Unlike when he was young, when it had shown no reaction at all, the crystal orb began to emit a soft green light.
The elders watching this began murmuring in shock.
“Good heavens, it was true. This is unbelievable…….”
“I had my doubts, but it really was true.”
“And if it is green, that is not such a small amount either, is it?”
Green was the third of seven stages.
The amount of Mana was neither great nor small.
Lloyd smiled inwardly in satisfaction.
‘Green…… A little below average. That seems just right.’
It was enough to receive a favorable evaluation without drawing excessive attention.
He had put in about half of his Mana, so if he used all of it, the result would be one or two stages higher.
As he had expected, his amount of Mana was quite high even in this world.
“His amount of Mana still cannot compare to Young Master Hailed’s, can it?”
“Hmm, I look forward to seeing what Young Master Hailed will be like once he learns to wield Aura.”
“Recently, he has become much more mature and is putting even greater effort into his swordsmanship training. I have high expectations. Ho ho.”
As Countess Bled listened to the elders, the corner of her mouth rose on its own.
‘Only green? There is no need to worry any longer.’
She had been worried lately because Hailed hardly left his room except for swordsmanship training, and could not even focus on his training.
Then she had heard that Lloyd had gained mana and reached the realm of a Sword Expert at the same time, so she could not help but be wary.
But when she saw Lloyd’s amount of Mana, she felt no small amount of relief.
‘Even if Lloyd is a little faster for now, Hailed, with his greater Mana, will surpass him in the end.’
Feeling as though a thorn lodged in her throat had been pulled free, Countess Bled was in a good mood as she smiled at Lloyd and spoke.
“It is good that you have gained mana. From now on, devote yourself so that you do not tarnish the name of the house.”
“……Yes. Thank you.”
“Then I shall take my leave first.”
Having said what she wanted to say, Countess Bled left the private study with light steps.
Lloyd absentmindedly watched the direction she had left for a moment when Count Bled approached him.
“With this, it has been proven that you have gained mana.”
“Yes.”
“Then I should grant you the knighthood you wanted. Let me ask one more thing. Has your intention to become a Free Knight remained unchanged?”
It seemed that Count Bled now regretted Lloyd, who had become a Sword Expert at such a young age, refusing to become a knight of the house.
Moreover, two Expert-rank knights, Martin and Vector, followed Lloyd.
‘Naturally, he would find it regrettable.’
But Lloyd’s thoughts had not changed.
A Free Knight was a noble rank in name only, without the duties and responsibilities of a noble.
What an excellent status!
Still aiming to become a Free Knight, Lloyd answered firmly.
“My thoughts will not change, either now or in the future. Then, I will take my leave…….”
Lloyd bowed once, then turned sharply without hesitation.
It was as though his body itself was making it clear that he had no desire to continue the conversation.
Count Bled could only let out a low groan as he watched Lloyd’s retreating figure.
***
A few days after the Mana measurement was completed, an unexpected guest arrived at Castle Bled.
“It has been a long time, Young Master Lloyd.”
The man who bowed deeply to Lloyd was none other than Verdinan Roul.
It was not a trading day, and Verdinan always sent his subordinates for their transactions. Lloyd asked in surprise,
“This is unexpected. You have come yourself…… I heard that you have become even busier lately while expanding your business.”
“How could I remain idle after hearing that you had gained mana, Young Master?”
After saying that, Verdinan took something from one of the bundles carried by the workers and held it out to Lloyd.
It was wrapped in luxurious-looking cloth, so its contents could not be seen, but its long shape and weight made the answer obvious.
“This is…… a sword?”
“What gift could be more fitting to congratulate you on becoming a Sword Expert than a sword?”
The blade revealed when it was drawn from its sheath had a suitable weight, and its well-forged edge exuded sharp keenness.
“It is a fairly good sword.”
When Lloyd’s reaction proved lukewarm, Verdinan grumbled with a disappointed expression.
“All you have to say is that it is fairly good? That sword was made by the finest blacksmith in this country!”
“This sword was made by the finest blacksmith…….”
It was not bad, but that was all.
A reasonably usable sword.
If he had to assign it a grade, it was about B-Grade.
Thinking that it would be best to acquire equipment from a dungeon whenever possible, Lloyd returned the sword to its sheath.
“I will gratefully accept the gift. More importantly, what is the real reason you came to see me?”
Verdinan looked at Lloyd with a somewhat surprised expression, then soon gave a small laugh.
“Ha ha, I intended to bring it up naturally…… How did you know?”
“Anyone who is not a fool should notice that much.”
Reaching the Beginner Sword Expert realm was not especially remarkable in the Karolos Empire, particularly in House Bled, which was known as a house of swords.
In other words, it was not such a grand event that Verdinan, who was exceptionally busy establishing a merchant company, would personally come to offer his congratulations.
“As expected, you are no ordinary man.”
“Get to the point.”
“Do you perhaps know of the Hertina Guild, Young Master Lloyd?”
“The Hertina Guild…….”
Of course he knew it.
It was the most famous Information Guild in the Karolos Empire, and Lloyd had been saving money to place a request with them.
“Why bring up the Hertina Guild all of a sudden?”
“Actually, I received a letter from the Hertina Guild Master some time ago.”
At Verdinan’s words, Lloyd’s eyes widened in surprise.
The Hertina Guild Master was a figure shrouded in mystery, as he met with no one.
Lloyd asked with surprise and interest in his voice.
“I heard the Hertina Guild Master has never met with anyone…… Why did he send a letter?”
At Lloyd’s question, Verdinan instead looked puzzled and asked in return.
“That is what I would like to ask. What relationship do you have with the Hertina Guild Master, Young Master?”
“What relationship…….”
“The letter sent by the Hertina Guild Master stated this: that I should arrange a meeting with Young Master Lloyd.”
As he spoke, Verdinan took the letter from his clothes and handed it to Lloyd.
The sender of the letter was the Hertina Guild Master.