Ianus Ares's office.
Over the years, the Great Flame Cult had sent countless assassins after him, but not a single one had ever managed to reach this place.
And now I had stepped into that secluded space.
“Raise your head.”
After finishing my greeting, I carefully lifted my head and saw the face of a stern-looking old man.
‘Does that man not age?’
Ianus was eighty-six years old now.
But he looked to be only in his early sixties.
‘He hardly looks any different from before.’
What in the world did he eat to keep his skin so firm?
Grand Patriarch Aquilast of the Great Flame Cult, whose face had been covered in wrinkles, would probably have developed an inferiority complex if he saw him.
“So you are Sion.”
“Yes, Lord Ianus.”
“You may call me Grandfather.”
Ianus's voice carried authority, but it was gentler than I had expected.
Perhaps even Ianus, known as the ‘Iron-Blooded Holy Knight’ because of his ruthless nature, found his youngest grandson adorable.
“It seems you had a quarrel with your cousins.”
“I made a mistake and angered them.”
“Children grow up fighting.”
Ianus did not press me for details.
It seemed he had already received a report from one of his subordinates.
“But Sion.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“A fight between children can be dismissed as horseplay. But it is different once you are an adult.”
“Is that so?”
“Most fights between adults cannot simply be laughed off. That is why House Ares forbids private fights without the family head's permission.”
“The family head…… so I would need your permission, Grandfather.”
Ianus's authority as family head was absolute.
If Ianus had lacked power, his children would probably already be locked in a bloody struggle over the position of next Knight Commander.
“Sion, do you know that an internal conflict broke out in the Great Flame Cult more than ten years ago?”
“I do not know much about it.”
“It happened long ago, so naturally you would not.”
While I feigned ignorance, Ianus began to speak about the Great Flame Cult.
“There was once a man in the Great Flame Cult named Archbishop Hauzel. He was a terrifying villain.”
“He must have been a frightening man.”
“Our Holy Knight Order fought Archbishop Hauzel many times. We suffered heavy losses.”
“Did you defeat him, Grandfather?”
“I wish I could say I had.”
Ianus gave a bitter smile.
“Archbishop Hauzel was killed in an internal dispute within the Great Flame Cult. The exact reason is unknown, but there are rumors that Grand Patriarch Aquilast and Archbishop Hauzel had fallen out.”
“…….”
That was not exactly correct.
Aquilast had simply grown wary of Hauzel on his own and purged him.
“The Great Flame Cult weakened after losing Archbishop Hauzel. Internal disputes continued…… and many talented people left, leaving it weaker than before.”
“…….”
It had been a long time since I had heard any information about the Great Flame Cult.
I wanted to know which talented people had left, but I could not exactly ask that here.
“As you can see, infighting weakens the group itself. That is why members of a family must not fight among themselves.”
“I understand.”
“Of course, as I said earlier, it does not matter if children fight. I would not reprimand them over something like that. However…….”
At that moment.
The softness vanished from Ianus's voice.
“I hear you can use Sword Aura, Sion.”
His voice was no longer that of a grandfather doting on his grandson.
It had become the voice of a ruthless knight.
“A swordsman who can use Sword Aura cannot be treated as a child. Even at twelve years old, he is a ‘knight’ capable of fulfilling a knight's role.”
“…….”
Every syllable carried pressure.
Ianus was seriously intimidating his twelve-year-old grandson.
“Do you understand what I mean, Sion?”
“…….”
“You caused a fight with your cousins the moment you appeared at the Family Council. Cain and Robel may have provoked you first, but you were the one who overreacted and turned it into a fight.”
“…….”
“It was fortunate Sena stepped in. If a real fight had broken out there, blood would have been spilled. How did you intend to take responsibility for the consequences?”
“Grandfather, may I give you my opinion?”
“Speak.”
“I am not sure whether I should be treated as an adult. But…….”
I let my words trail off.
I was acting as though I were cautiously voicing my thoughts in front of a frightening grandfather.
“Grandfather, Brother Cain and Brother Robel are not adults.”
“What?”
“They are seventeen and sixteen…… and although I heard Brother Cain will enter the Holy Knight Order soon, he is not a knight yet. Brother Robel goes without saying.”
I did my best to speak like a child.
While presenting an argument no ordinary child would make.
“If I am a knight who should be treated as an ‘adult,’ then Brother Cain and Brother Robel are weaklings who should be treated as ‘children.’”
“…….”
“I think it should be regarded not as a fight between adults, but as an adult disciplining children who recklessly picked a fight with him.”
A twelve-year-old ‘adult’ disciplining seventeen- and sixteen-year-old ‘children.’
At first glance, it was absurd sophistry.
But within House Ares, I was certain this sophistry would work.
At the very least, I was confident Ianus would find it appealing.
“…….”
Ianus stared intently at my face with his lips pressed tightly together.
“So you mean that you punished Cain and Robel for their insolence?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting logic.”
Just as I had expected, Ianus's reaction was not bad.
He then addressed Sena, who was standing behind me.
“Sena.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
Sena, who had been waiting silently after bringing me here, bowed her head and answered.
“Are you a child or an adult?”
“I am twenty-one years old…… and I serve as a holy knight in the Holy Knight Order, so I believe I should be treated as an adult.”
“Correct. You are past the age when being a child can excuse your actions. Viewed from that perspective, what about Cain and Robel?”
“Those two…… are children.”
“Then what about Sion?”
“Sion is…….”
“Answer me, Sena.”
“If it is true that Sion can use Sword Aura as you said, Grandfather, then I believe he is at least closer to being an adult than Cain and Robel are.”
“Then do you believe Sion's argument just now is correct?”
“I believe it has merit.”
Even Sena agreed with my reasoning.
[What a ridiculous family.]
Igzad chattered inside my head.
[No matter how capable he is of using Sword Aura, does it make any sense for a twelve-year-old child to discipline his sixteen- and seventeen-year-old older cousins? This family really is completely unhinged.]
To be honest, I agreed with Igzad.
But this was the true nature of House Ares.
‘The Church of the Holy Spirit preaches strict idealism, but House Ares, which leads the Holy Knight Order, is thoroughly meritocratic.’
Ianus was originally said to have been the youngest of eight brothers.
As the son of a concubine, he had little backing, but through sheer ability he had defied the established order and eventually seized the position of family head.
The capable stood above the incapable.
That was an iron rule that had never changed since House Ares was founded.
“Hmm. If even Sena says so, I suppose there is no helping it.”
Ianus slowly nodded.
“Very well, Sion. I will no longer reprimand you over this matter.”
“Thank you, Grandfather.”
“However.”
“Yes?”
“Cain and Robel did not know that you were an ‘adult.’ So the fact that they treated you as their younger cousin was not, in itself, a serious fault.”
“…….”
“Of course, you could say they were at fault for picking a fight without understanding your abilities. But until now, they had never been given an opportunity to learn what you were capable of, had they?”
“That is correct, Grandfather.”
“So do not hate or look down on your cousins. They may be behind you now, but they are family who will help lead House Ares with you in the future.”
“I will remember that.”
“Good.”
“However, Grandfather.”
“What is it?”
“What should I do if my cousins pick a fight with me again?”
“Haha.”
Ianus burst out laughing.
“If that happens, you may put them in their place without hesitation. You have my permission.”
“Understood.”
I had even received the family head's permission.
If they caused trouble again, I could now beat them down fair and square without breaking any rules.
“I would like to speak with you at leisure, but there is not much time left. I also have to prepare for the Family Council.”
“Then I will take my leave, Grandfather.”
“Hmm. But Sion.”
“Yes?”
“This is something I ask each of my grandchildren…… what is your dream?”
“My dream?”
“You are twelve years old now. You should be starting to have one.”
Ianus asked in a gentle voice.
“What do you want to do in the future?”
“Become a holy knight.”
“That goes without saying.”
Did no one in this family have freedom of career choice?
“I am asking what you specifically want to do after becoming a holy knight.”
“I want to lead a Knight Unit.”
“A Knight Unit?”
Ianus tilted his head.
“Do you mean an Independent Knight Unit?”
“Yes.”
Ordinary holy knights generally carried out only the duties assigned to them.
For example, regional knights stationed throughout the continent remained in their assigned territories and maintained public order there.
Independent Knight Units were different.
Whenever a request came in, they had to go wherever they were needed and handle the job.
Whether it was subjugating the Great Flame Cult, exterminating monsters, exploring dungeons, or anything else, they had to do it.
“Independent Knight Units may have ‘independent’ in their name, but they possess no real independent authority. They receive little support and have to wander all over the continent.”
“I know.”
“That is unusual. Most people dream of remaining in the central command and following an elite path by joining a unit such as the Assault Knight Regiment.”
“I think joining a place like that later would be fine too. But first, I want to travel through many different regions and gain a wide variety of experience.”
“And what do you intend to do with all that experience?”
“Use it to make up for what House Ares and the Holy Knight Order are lacking.”
“…….”
Ianus seemed to understand immediately what I meant.
At present, the Holy Knight Order was run primarily by people who had followed the elite path Ianus had just mentioned.
Because of that, they were often outmaneuvered by the Great Flame Cult's subtle tactics among the common people.
“I see. So that is what you mean.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“When do you think that dream will come true?”
“I am not sure. I think the sooner, the better.”
“What if I placed a Knight Unit under your command right now?”
“If you entrusted one to me, I would do my best.”
“Haha. I was joking. No matter what, I cannot place a Knight Unit under the command of a twelve-year-old.”
I could sense Sena letting out a sigh of relief behind me.
Apparently, she had been worried that Grandfather might suddenly hand a Knight Unit over to her youngest cousin.
“However, I can shorten the time you need as much as possible.”
“Grandfather…….”
Ianus smiled as he rose from his seat.
“I will arrange an opportunity for you. Wait in the banquet hall.”