Chapter 009: Adapting 1

* * *

In fact, for Matthew, who was in charge of the knights, this was the most important thing. No matter what, if one was weak, it was meaningless.

Perhaps reading the doubt in Matthew's expression, Lafman pressed his forehead and growled, starting to feel annoyed.

"Is this a child I brought. Do you have any complaints?"

"I don't want to voice any complaints. However, becoming the heir of the house requires a significant resolve and commitment. It's not something that can be done just because one wants to."

Considering Lafman's reputation as the master of Schvalchevein and one of the Ten Seats, the answer was clear.

This was not a matter that could afford failure. The disciples of the Ten Seats had to aim for the Ten Seats themselves. The ideal flow was for the power of the previous generation to be passed down to the next.

"Even the past is uncertain. Moreover, an orphan... I can guess how they lived all this time."

Logan tried to interject at this point, but received only a scolding in return.

"What past can an 11-year-old child have? Even if there is one, it can be reprogrammed. Is what I say wrong?"

"But..."

Bang, marking the end of the faltering argument, Lafman slammed the table roughly.

"If he has the ability, he will stay; if not, he will be expelled. Are you that worried?"

"That's not it."

"I don't know when you started to contradict me. Or is it because it's been a while since we last met? Have you found me suddenly amusing after all these years?"

"How could that be? I only have the house lord."

"Then shut up."

With the sharp words, Logan and Matthew fell silent.

"It's been 6 years since we last met, hasn't it? I'm sure you're all speaking out of concern for the house lord. Wouldn't it be better to laugh and catch up rather than argue over this?"

With Rozan's mediation, Lafman snorted and turned his head. Only then did Logan and Matthew relax and sit down.

"Melissa."

"Yes, house lord."

Melissa, the housekeeper, who had been silent, stepped forward at her master's call. The heated debate that had just taken place was like a fairy tale to her.

"Assign a maid to the child."

"Which child would be suitable?"

"The one you cherish the most."

"Yes, I understand."

She followed her master's words without hesitation. While others were in turmoil, she maintained her center, having vaguely sensed that this day would come.

The bomb dropped by the long-absent master was unexpectedly grand, but that was unexpected.

Exiting the office, Melissa sighed.

She only hoped to avoid being the eye of the storm.

* * *

He organized his thoughts about the future. Strictly speaking, he didn't have much information.

It was all the information that people at that time might have known. Some things he learned accidentally while handling the organization's affairs, but those were all classified.

In the first place, the knowledge he had was of no immediate use. It could only be used if the situation and conditions aligned perfectly, and even then, very precisely.

After all, he had completed nine years of basic education in the past. He wouldn't know what was happening in this era.

'I need to focus all my energy on building my strength.'

What was starting now was not a sprint but a marathon, one with an unknown end.

A strong root is necessary for a straight stem. If he could succeed Lafman, finishing the race would not be a dream.

What would he be like nine years from now? With a mix of excitement and uncertainty, Cain stood up, exhaled, and relaxed his muscles. One good thing about coming back to the past was that he could skip the trivial processes.

How much time had passed?

Knock, knock.

A gentle sound broke his reverie.

At the knock on the door, Cain went out and peeked outside. There stood a young girl. Upon seeing Cain, the girl carefully lifted the hem of her dress.

"Nice to meet you. I am Pia Levicia, who will be serving you from now on. Please call me Pia."

Perhaps because she was from the northern region with little sunlight, her pale hair and eyes contrasted with her strikingly white skin. Her cheeks, which flushed easily, were particularly noticeable.

"My name is Cain."

Despite her noble appearance, Cain reacted indifferently. After all, the world of Hevnia was full of beauties.

More striking was the surname Levicia.

"You have a surname?"

"My father is a knight."

A baron or a viscount, perhaps. Either way, it was surprising.

"If it's an inherited title, it's quite remarkable. It means he must have achieved significant military feats."

"Not really. He served in the Hasha Kingdom."

The Hasha Kingdom.

It was a small kingdom adjacent to the Lesser Kingdom, gradually declining. Many nobles were falling, and as the kingdom lost its power, the names within it also lost their luster. There were many internal conflicts, as he remembered.

In such a chaotic situation, it was natural for people to scatter in search of a way to survive. Pia must have settled in such a way.

What particularly appealed to him was her place of origin.

"If you're from the Hasha Kingdom, you're a fellow countryman."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm from there."

Pia clapped her hands in surprise.

"How old are you?"

"I'm fourteen this year."

An older sister, perhaps. It was a talent to not look her age. Her youthful face and clumsy smile contributed to the impression.

After scrutinizing Pia, Cain gestured.

"Come in."

Having a personal maid was unexpected, but there was no need to be surprised. Cain sat down and immediately started asking questions. The more information, the better, even if it was something that could only be learned over time.

Pia, who had just turned fourteen, trembled with her arms, but soon calmed down and answered steadily.

"Then, the last question. Why has Lord Lafman remained alone all this time? As a member of the Ten Seats, he must have received many proposals. Is there some hidden reason?"

Pia, understanding the intent of the question, took a deep breath. Her gaze, lost in the air, eventually returned as she answered naturally.

"Do you want to know about the house lord?"

"Reasons for not marrying, not taking on disciples until now, anything that can resolve my doubts."

"I'm not sure."

She murmured, trying to hide her flushed cheeks. In fact, she had only been in the Schvalchevein castle for three years, and all she knew about Lafman were the public rumors.

Cain, who had expected this, did not push.

"I don't need detailed information. I just want to know the rumors that others know."

Pia, feeling less guarded, fidgeted with her fingers. After all, it wasn't something that needed to be hidden. As Cain said, it was something that would inevitably come to light.

But the words came out with a moment of hesitation.

"Still..."

"In short, I want to reduce mistakes. I don't want to be misunderstood. I don't want to make mistakes because I'm the only one who doesn't know what others know. Don't you agree?"

Ah, a sigh escaped her. When she first set foot in the Schvalchevein barony, it was like that. She made mistakes without knowing what was front or back.

Seeing Cain's situation, Pia's mouth became a bit lighter.

"I only know what I've heard, so I'm not sure of the details. It might not be accurate."

"It doesn't matter. Even rumors that float around are fine. Lord Lafman is bound to stand out. I'm not saying I'll believe it completely. I just want to know. As you can see, this is my first time here."

"Alright, but you should pretend you don't know even if you do."

"Understood, go on."

With a gentle encouragement, Pia scratched her head and began.

"The reason the house lord hasn't married yet..."

Before the sentence could trail off, Cain quickly followed up.

"Hasn't married?"

He looked at Pia with expectant eyes. Soon, a small voice echoed from her lips.

"I heard it's because he can't forget his old fiancée."

"Is she dead?"

He thought of Lafman. The haggard eyes, the nervous expression, the frail limbs. The word "pure love" didn't fit. Perhaps if he had obsessive-compulsive disorder.

But what came out of Pia's mouth was even more shocking.

"No, she became the queen of this country."

He slapped his knee and laughed loudly. The picture was clear, and it made sense why he still couldn't forget his old fiancée.

"Interesting."

Unable to forget his old lover, who was taken by the king. It was a truly cliché story.

Despite being the teacher of the White Knight Aphen, there was a reason Lafman's story wasn't widely known.

"Still, it's not a common occurrence, but it's not rare either."

"It seems the house lord was deeply hurt. After all, his old fiancée left during the continental war."

"Left during the war?"

"Yes, she got married before the house lord returned."

"That's..."

It was a huge event.

Twelve years ago, the Third Continental War, initiated by the Berita Empire, was a nightmare. The empire triumphed wherever it went, leaving a trail of victories.

Losing self-restraint, the empire continued its advance even after expanding its territory by 30%.

If the aging emperor hadn't died suddenly, it might have achieved the unprecedented feat of unifying the continent.

The Lesser Kingdom was no different. In fact, being adjacent to the Berita Empire made it even more dangerous.

To have the king marry during a period of national turmoil, where the fate of the country was at stake, would have been dismissed as a joke by anyone, but it actually happened.

'Well, that guy could do it.'

Cain nodded, sneering. He had only seen the king of the Lesser Kingdom once, but he could say with certainty that there was no worse ruler.

'Come to think of it, I have seen the queen's face.'

He couldn't recall her specific features, but the frustration and fear etched on her face were still vivid.

At the time, he had many things to deal with and didn't think much of it, but hearing the hidden story, it made sense.

The fiancé, carrying the fate of the country, went to war. The hasty wedding that took place in his absence. It couldn't have been a good situation.

Still, when one mystery is solved, another remains. Pia's answer left an unpleasant aftertaste.

"I don't understand why Lord Lafman stopped there."

Each member of the Ten Seats was on par with a nation. Taking the king's life wouldn't have been difficult. But Lafman chose silence.

"I'm not sure. I haven't heard anything about the house lord's decision."

It was an event from her childhood, so she couldn't have known. If Lafman wasn't her employer, she wouldn't have known such details.

"Is it related to his old fiancée?"

Pia, as if something had occurred to her, leaned forward with wide eyes.

"Perhaps..."

"Perhaps?"

"Ah, nothing. I just remembered a rumor that the house lord and the king had a deal. But that can't be true, can it?"

"Probably not."

A deal. It was more plausible to think that Lafman had endured everything.

Thus, the uncomfortable question ended, unresolved.

It was a bland conclusion, but Cain was satisfied. This alone would help him plan for the future.