Nightfall.
The main hall of Ice Wolf Castle.
Roy and Tony, dressed in white Noble Robes, greeted the guests attending the banquet.
"It’s been a few years. You’ve grown into a man, Roy."
"Tony told me you started practicing the Ice Wolf Breathing Technique a while ago and formed your Ice Wolf Seed in just one week."
"If Charlie were still here, he would be so proud of you!"
Baron Giant Monster Charles looked at Roy, his face filled with gratification as he spoke.
He and the Old Baron had met during the Laine Kingdom’s Tulip War over a decade ago, forging a deep friendship on the battlefield.
Even before the war ended, they had come up with the idea of a marriage alliance between the Wesley Clan and the Adams Clan.
Although Tony and Erin were just little kids at the time, that didn’t stop them from having such a thought.
"Lord Charles, you praise me too much. I was just lucky to have successfully formed the Ice Wolf Seed."
Roy replied humbly.
He had just finished speaking when Baron Giant Monster’s eldest son, Kidd, spoke up. "Starting your Cultivation only a month before your coming-of-age ceremony... isn’t that a bit late?"
"Even if you’ve formed a Life Seed, you’ll have little chance of breaking through to become a Peak Knight in this lifetime."
The once-harmonious atmosphere instantly turned awkward.
Kidd’s words were harsh, but he was telling the truth.
Starting to practice a Breathing Technique when one was nearly eighteen was indeed a little late.
The prime age for practicing a Breathing Technique was between twelve and thirty.
The Old Baron, Baron Giant Monster, Tony, and Kidd had all begun their Breathing Technique Cultivation as soon as they turned twelve.
Baron Giant Monster shot Kidd a displeased glare and said to Roy, "Don’t take Kidd’s words to heart. His talent isn’t even as high as yours."
"It took him almost a month to form his Life Seed. He’s a far cry from you."
"As long as you cultivate diligently, it doesn’t matter if you start at eighteen. Even if you start at thirty, you still have a chance to become a Legendary Knight."
"The Sun Flame Knight is a perfect example!"
The Sun Flame Knight that Baron Giant Monster mentioned was a Legendary Knight from over four hundred years ago, and the only one of the twelve Legendary Knights to come from a commoner background.
Hearing Baron Giant Monster’s words, Kidd immediately retorted, "Father, have you forgotten that the Giant Monster Breathing Technique is an Excellent Level Breathing Technique? Forming a Giant Monster Seed is much more difficult than an Ice Wolf Seed."
"As for the Sun Flame Knight, he did start practicing his Breathing Technique at thirty, but the one he started with was the Perfect Level Universal Breathing Technique, the Red Dragon Breathing Technique."
"Of all the countless Knights this continent has seen, he is the only one who started his Cultivation at thirty and still broke through to the Legendary Realm."
Kidd held no personal grudge against Roy; they had only met once at Tony and Erin’s wedding.
His repeated attempts to put Roy down were purely because he was annoyed that Baron Giant Monster was praising him.
’He’s just an Initial Tier Knight who formed his Life Seed less than a month ago. What’s there to praise!’
’The Adams Clan has more than ten Initial Tier Knights just like him!’
Furthermore, he was also very displeased about Erin marrying Tony.
This wasn’t because he had any feelings for his half-sister, Erin, but simply because he looked down on the Wesley Clan.
Although both were Baron Clans, the Adams Clan was far stronger than the Wesley Clan.
The Wesley Clan now had only two descendants left: Roy and Tony.
More importantly, the clan didn’t even have a single High Tier Knight.
To put it bluntly, the sparsely populated Wesley Clan could be wiped out at any moment.
For one, their neighbors, Baron Red Eagle and Baron Giant Dog, were already plotting to carve up the Ice Wolf Domain together.
In Kidd’s view, Erin never should have married Tony. Instead, she should have represented the Adams Clan in a marriage alliance with another Baron Clan of similar strength, or even married the son of a Count.
"Shut your mouth!"
"If you spout any more nonsense, you can get the hell back to the Giant Monster Domain!"
Baron Giant Monster turned to Kidd and reprimanded him in a stern tone.
He knew Kidd looked down on the Wesley Clan, but he hadn’t expected him to be so unwilling to even feign politeness.
If he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have brought Kidd along at all.
Kidd just shrugged nonchalantly and fell silent, his gaze sweeping across the hall.
’Truly a small clan from the backwaters!’
’They can’t even invite a single decent-looking noble lady!’
After discovering that none of the other noble ladies in the hall were even half as beautiful as Erin, Kidd began to complain inwardly.
After reprimanding Kidd, Baron Giant Monster offered Roy a few more words of encouragement, easing the earlier awkwardness.
For the rest of the evening, nothing else unpleasant occurred, and the banquet proceeded as planned.
After greeting all the banquet guests one by one, Roy took his wine glass and went out to the corridor alone. He looked up at the night sky and sighed helplessly.
Just as he’d suspected, the seemingly lively coming-of-age banquet was still incredibly dull.
Just as he was wondering whether to find an excuse to leave early, a man in his early twenties with short golden hair, handsome features, and magnificent clothes approached him and said, "You don’t look very happy."
This man was none other than Allen, Erin’s full-blooded younger brother.
"You’re mistaken. I just came out for some fresh air."
Roy replied.
"You don’t need to sigh just to get some fresh air."
Allen continued.
"If you have something to say, just say it. I don’t really like beating around the bush."
Roy took a sip of his wine and said to Allen.
Allen didn’t answer right away. Instead, he studied Roy with a serious expression.
After a few seconds, he finally spoke. "Very well, I’ll be direct. I don’t think you’re an Initial Tier Knight who just recently formed a Life Seed."
"If I’m not mistaken, you’re a Middle Tier Knight at the very least, and your strength is no less than Tony’s."
"In fact, I think you’ll most likely break through to become a High Tier Knight before Tony does."
’How did this guy figure it out?’
Though a little surprised, Roy didn’t let it show. He smiled and said, "I must say, you have a rather unique way of complimenting people."
"I’m not complimenting you. I’m just stating facts."
Allen said slowly.
"The fact is, everyone knows I only just formed my Life Seed a short while ago."
Roy continued.
"That’s because none of them have seen through your disguise."
"I can understand why you’re hiding your strength. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. I’m the same kind of person as you."
Allen looked at Roy with a knowing expression.
’Is this guy drunk?’
Roy first thought to himself, then began to seriously consider what Allen meant by "the same kind of person."
’Could it be... that?’
Soon, a guess popped into his mind.
"You want to replace Kidd and inherit the title of Baron Giant Monster?"
Roy asked Allen.
Hearing his question, Allen neither confirmed nor denied it. He said unhurriedly, "I have a bad feeling about your family’s Sir Adam. If you get the chance, have Tony replace him as Guard Captain."
With that, without waiting for Roy’s reply, Allen turned and walked back toward the hall.
He took only a few steps before stopping, pulling a Copper Coin from his clothes, and tossing it to Roy.
"If you can advance to High Tier Knight before you turn twenty-two, go to the ’Red Salmon and Cherry Pie’ tavern in Redwood City. Find a man named Sandru and give this Copper Coin to him."
...