The rainy season was over.

Clear sunlight poured down.

It was a perfect day to look at houses.

Upper levels of the Astreios Stronghold.

“Is that your house now? Or—sir, is that Master’s house?”

“It feels strange. When we’re alone, just call me like before.”

“Okay. Thanks. So that is your house, then?”

“Yes. That is my house.”

“Oooo! Cool, cool! What’s the palace called?”

“Twin Lightning Palace. Sister—no. Her Grace said it’s a palace originally used by siblings born in consecutive years or by twins.”

A palace notable for its two towers.

Kyrie stood before it with Frey.

To have a house before I’m even twenty, a successful life. I thought saving Blue Knight wages to buy a mansion in the capital would take ten years. Maybe the Oath wasn’t such a bad result after all.

He almost burst out laughing, but held it down.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah!”

Kyrie passed through the main gate and crossed the lawn.

“Greetings. Lord Kyrie. I am Chen, steward of Twin Lightning Palace.”

A man with neatly combed hair and a formal uniform stepped out and bowed.

“I prioritized a tidy garden. The previous owners liked red roses, so I installed roses and arches as a fence; if you wish, I can change it immediately.”

“There are no significant secret passages in the Twin Lightning Palace basement. The right cellar stores wine and cheese, and the left cellar is a prison. The previous owners used that place for somewhat… refined amusements, but they told us they did not wish for those matters to remain, so all related facilities were removed.”

“These two towers are the palace’s landmark. On a clear day, if you climb up, you can see the whole of Astreios.”

Chen explained the palace politely and fluently.

“Now I will explain the budget allocated to this palace. If it’s all right, shall we continue in the study?”

He then tried to lead Kyrie and Frey to the palace lord’s study.

An unspoken question: do you intend to keep me on as the palace steward?

Kyrie understood that bringing a servant into the study implied hiring him.

The previous owners are the previous owners. It’s a little unpleasant to keep the steward who served them. But there’s no one else to use right away. The fact he asked first means he intends to switch sides.

He did not ponder long.

“If there’s good tea, have a cup brought.”

“I will do my best.”

Kyrie decided to keep Chen.

Blue Knights treat servants as palace appendages or functions. Not as people. We pursue a life where we can speak freely without worrying about keeping face; imagine how much worse it is for them. That’s how men like Trisan can build tight information networks. I must be different now that I’m an adopted son.

Frey watched this and was inwardly surprised.

You’re keeping the previous steward? That means you’re taking everything the previous owner owned. You’re thorough, Kyrie.

Kyrie and Chen entered the study.

His long strides were brisk and elegant.

“…Take care of what’s necessary for managing and running the palace. Don’t indulge in luxury; make it austere.”

Kyrie delegated most of the budget work.

Generous. Yes. That’s right. There’s nothing more petty than a Blue Knight fretting over every coin after he got the rank.

Frey thought that looked splendid.

I don’t really know these matters. If Chen were to cheat me, he could do it. Just skim what he needs. What I need now isn’t flashy furniture or jewels, it’s cash! Gather as much cash as possible.

Kyrie smiled inwardly, already thinking how to squeeze out another coin.

“…So, adding the remaining budget and the dignity allowance given as the House Lord’s son, you’ll get about 500 gold nips per month. In addition, you’ll receive three bottles of the Elixir of Thundercloud each month, and once a year you’ll receive the Elixir of White Thunder.”

Chen finished his explanation.

Five hundred gold nips a month!? I sweated through trials in the south and scraped together a thousand nips with my soul; and now I get 500 every month without doing anything? Ridiculous.

Kyrie stifled a manic laugh.

And elixirs, too — Elixir of Thundercloud and even Elixir of White Thunder. Nereus, stay still. I’ll surpass you in mana soon enough.

It looked like he could eat three meals a day and live comfortably.

“Ah, but there is one remaining payment this month.”

Chen unfolded another document.

“A remaining payment?”

Please don’t tell me those bastards left a debt of ten thousand gold nips…

Kyrie felt a cold flutter of anxiety.

“Yes. The previous owners commissioned an artisan workshop for a magic item; the final installment is due this month. Three hundred gold nips.”

“Then charge them for it. Why are we paying?”

Fortunately, it was not that bad.

“It’s a magic item purchased with palace funds and therefore belongs to the palace. Of course, if you wish, we can bill the previous owners. Or you may pay the final installment personally and have it transferred under your name.”

“What kind of magic item is it?”

“A gauntlet. It should arrive today; would you like to see it?”

“All right.”

Kyrie nodded coolly.

“…The palace has changed hands. It doesn’t matter to us as long as the installment is paid.”

That afternoon.

An artisan from the engraving workshop ascended to the palace in a brown suit, brass-rimmed glasses, and a brass watch.

“This is the ‘Coward’s Grasp.’ It’s a metal gauntlet with four engravings: ‘Durability,’ ‘Corrosion Resistance,’ ‘Conductor,’ and ‘Amplification.’ It’s set up specialized for the Intimidation power, but it will also be useful for lifeform radar or simple hand-to-hand fighting.”

He opened two ornately decorated wooden boxes.

“Oh.”

Kyrie couldn’t help but exclaim.

Inside the box lay a left-hand gauntlet.

The refined metal plate, both graceful and strong, glittered; engraved sigils between the knuckles and fingers held a muted glow and shone mysteriously.

“This item is already on an installment plan. If you pay the final installment, we can hand it over immediately.”

“You said it’s three hundred nips. How much was the total?”

“Three thousand three hundred nips. We arranged it over eleven monthly installments.”

“I will pay.”

“An excellent choice.”

It was plainly a superb magic item.

To think an item worth over three thousand nips could be had for three hundred. I feel grateful and almost embarrassed. So don’t attack me at night.

Hearing the price made him feel even more that way.

The artisan adjusted the gauntlet delicately to fit Kyrie’s hand.

Though it looked crude on the outside, it was fine enough to alter the finger length down to the joints.

“Isn’t something this complex prone to break when struck hard?”

“That’s why we engraved ‘Durability’ and ‘Corrosion Resistance.’ It gives both internal durability and the toughness required of a combat magic item. Corrosion resistance is essential. Artifacts for Blue Knights must include the ‘Conductor’ engraving, after all.”

“I understand. With Lightning-Art, you don’t want engravings to wear out. Glad there’s no problem.”

Kyrie slipped on the ‘Coward’s Grasp.’

Hum.

When he summoned a little mana, the amplification sigil on the gauntlet’s back dimly lit and hummed.

So this is the feel of it.

The bio-radar extended farther.

With this gauntlet I can buy enough casting time for Guided Strike.

The bio-radar is a continuous-range activation, so the gauntlet’s power wasn’t strictly necessary, but using it would make wielding Intimidation far easier.

“There are things whose value is more than the price. In that sense, I’m lucky. To gain such a treasure for only three hundred nips.”

Kyrie nodded to Chen.

Chen, alert, already had a money pouch in hand.

“Have a good day. I hope my gauntlet helps the Blue Knight.”

The artisan took the money and left.

“One for you, Master, and what shall we do with the other?”

Chen asked.

A second wooden box sat in the middle of the parlor.

“I can’t wear both.”

“No. Because the form and angle of the engraving are important, you can’t solve it by attaching the thumb to the opposite side. If you keep it as a spare, we’ll store it in the vault.”

Both gauntlets were left-hand items.

Prochus and Epichus had each planned to wear them on their left hands.

Kyrie looked back at Frey.

He’s my guard now. Him fighting well means my life increases, too.

Frey’s face showed a flustered sort of expectation.

He glanced away, embarrassed at possibly imagining things.

Maybe he’s been instructed by Trisan, but that’s only if Trisan treats him well.

Kyrie ran rapid calculations.

As far as I know, there wasn’t a patronage relationship since training days. He’s a Blue Knight, so threats won’t work. If there’s any relationship, it’s at most exchanging a bottle or two of Elixir of Thundercloud. They wouldn’t have given him a magic item.

He reached a conclusion.

I’ll make him completely my ally.

As if he’d planned it from the start, he naturally picked up a box and handed it to Frey.

“Here.”

At that instant, Frey’s expression was a sight to behold.

A magic item? Worth over a thousand nips? Are you serious?

Frey was born to a minor noble family in the capital.

He wasn’t a penniless orphan like Kyrie, but he wasn’t a great aristocrat like Nereus.

This magic item was an eye-opening price even for him.

“Kyrie!”

Frey dropped to one knee before Kyrie, regardless of Chen’s presence, and bowed his head.

“Thank you. Truly, thank you! I’ll work so hard. I won’t leave your side all day; I’ll stay alert. I’m not a powerful Lightning-Art user, so I can’t strike down your enemies from afar, but I will make sure no swordsman ever attacks you.”

Frey was an excellent swordsman.

He knew that the best skill wasn’t an ancient, mystical technique but basics practiced a hundred thousand times.

I thought he might do something for me. But this—this is different. A magic item! Worth thousands of nips. Why would he give this to me?

From that viewpoint, Kyrie’s gift was like a thrust honed to blinding speed.

One’s worth cannot be measured by money, but money shows how much someone values you.

This attack was obvious and therefore fatal.

You don’t want to dodge it, and you can’t.

Now I understand why he goes this far.

Frey thought anew.

You’re going farther. Right? You pursue your dream so it won’t collapse. You pursue extreme personal safety to keep your dream intact.

Indeed, Kyrie was ambitious.

He plucked out an eye before the House Lord, volunteered for the Border Patrol Corps, gained merits beyond the border, and became an adopted son in a matter of months.

And that ambitious man had now decided to go with him.

Handing over a magic item worth thousands of nips.

As a Blue Knight, Frey’s chest could not help but race.

Why such a reaction? Could it be he really received something from Trisan?

At that moment, Kyrie thought his prediction had come true.

“Master. Lord Prochus and Lord Epichus will visit this evening. Shall I prepare a meal?”

“Yes. It was their house originally; we should serve them. Prepare field rations. You’ll have to get used to that.”

For Frey’s good fortune, Kyrie no longer dwelled on that matter.

Today I achieve one more specific goal.

The most important schedule approached.

They must never be able to interfere again. Killing or punishing them clumsily is meaningless. It only gives other adopted sons a pretext to intervene. Make them help me on their own. Desperately.

Kyrie glanced at the wall clock.

“Frey. There’s time until then; want to warm up and spar to test the gauntlet?”

He wanted to loosen up and prepare for contingencies.

Chapter 48

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