Chapter 5

Chapter 2: Days at Storm Castle (4)

Jin's third elder sister, Mary Lunacandell.

Now 19 years old, people in the world called her 'Mary of the Gale.'

In the Lunacandell family, which has a history of over a thousand years, no one has failed to become a 1-star knight before the age of 13. By 16, they reach 3-star, and by 20, they become 5-star, which is the average for pure-blooded Lunacandells.

Mary was a very different case from Jin in his previous life.

She slightly surpassed the Lunacandell average. She achieved the 1-star knight level at 12, which Jin only reached at 25, and by 16, she had already reached 5-star.

Currently, she is 6-star.

She had reached a level that most people admired even before reaching adulthood. Surpassing the Lunacandell average meant she was superior even to those called 'geniuses' in the world.

After all, in the Lunacandell family, geniuses were the norm.

And she was one of the few who had shown Jin favor for a long time in his previous life.

'No matter what, my sister is definitely a bit crazy, but it's a good gift. I was already getting frustrated with how slow my growth was.'

A month after Siron left.

During that period, the smell of the phoenix heart being boiled spread throughout Storm Castle. The unique heat emitted by the phoenix heart made one side of the castle corridor warm.

Mary seemed to have left it as if it were a trivial gift and left.

Generally, a phoenix heart... it is an incredible elixir or medicinal herb, so rare that even the kings of a country find it hard to obtain.

It is softer than veal.

It has a richer aroma than matsutake mushrooms.

Its efficacy is far beyond that of ordinary tonics.

"Master, in a couple of hours, you will finally be able to taste Miss Mary's gift. You've waited a long time, congratulations."

Jin nodded with shining eyes.

He had waited a whole month for Mary's gift to be cooked. Gilli had hardly slept for a month while cooking it.

Still, he was only happy. Good things for Jin were good things for Gilli. The life of a nanny depended on how well the Lunacandell child she was responsible for grew.

In that sense, Jin felt a bit guilty towards Gilli. After Jin was exiled in his previous life, Gilli's life had fallen apart to a point that was hard to describe.

"Master, you may not know, but the phoenix heart is especially good for children. It must be eaten when young to increase fire resistance. Miss Mary gave something very precious."

"Really?"

It was a fact that Jin knew much better than Gilli, but he asked in a tone of wonder.

He had studied the phoenix heart countless times during his days of learning magic.

'Back then, I studied it not to obtain and eat it, but to understand the characteristics of the phoenix as a mage.'

Summoning a phoenix was one of the dreams of all mages, so it was natural. He died just before becoming a 6-star mage capable of summoning a phoenix.

"Of course! At first, the blood was so thick it covered your eyes, but even the royal family of the Viment Empire couldn't get it..."

While Gilli was explaining, Jin thought about the phoenix.

It was because of the expectation of being able to summon it in this life. Although learning magic was strictly forbidden in the Lunacandell family, Jin had no intention of giving it up.

Because if he didn't get caught, it would be fine.

And if he did get caught, he could either become strong enough not to be killed, gain influence, or have a legitimate reason.

Martial arts and magic.

There was a path called a magus that encompassed both. He was willing to endure any hardship for that.

'I would never let my phoenix be devoured by enemies.'

Of course, the phoenix, like its name suggests, is a summon that never truly dies. Even if it loses its heart and dies, it will naturally resurrect after a hundred years.

But what good is that? In a hundred years, the phoenix's owner would already be dead.

"Make sure to thank Miss Mary next time."

"Sure, I will."

The phoenix heart was finally cooked. A rich, savory smell filled the castle.

"I'll prepare the meal, so come down in a bit, Master!"

Gilli hummed a tune and left the room briskly. As soon as she left, Jin sighed softly.

"Stop lurking, it's annoying."

"Uh, uh-huh."

"Uh-huh..."

The Tona brothers had been lurking nearby. They were peeking at Jin's door, waiting for Gilli to leave.

Seeing their drooling faces, Jin chuckled.

'Ha, look at these cute kids...'

When Jin wiggled his finger, the Tona brothers rushed into the room.

"Why are you sneaking around?"

Although he knew it was because of the phoenix heart, Jin asked in a teasing tone. The Tona brothers were wriggling like anxious puppies.

They wanted to ask for a share of the phoenix heart but were afraid. The trauma of being scolded by their father after being beaten by Jin a month ago would stay with them.

This situation was amusing. In his previous life, the Tona brothers would often take Jin's things. It was unimaginable that they would be so cautious now.

'Emma must have told them to persuade me to get a share of the phoenix heart.'

Emma Niltro.

She was a Lunacandell nanny who, like Gilli, took care of the Tona brothers at Storm Castle. Unlike Gilli, who met a tragic end in his previous life, Emma lived a comfortable life thanks to the successful Tona brothers.

The Tona brothers, who became serial killers, never forgot to take care of Emma, thanks to her cunning.

While Gilli was the type who cared for children with love and affection, Emma was the type who raised them with only carrots and sticks. She didn't teach the children about morality or altruism.

Perhaps such things weren't necessary in the Lunacandell family.

Emma was the person who had the most influence on the Tona brothers' character formation.

"That's... the phoenix..."

"That... isn't it too much for you to eat alone?"

"What? I can't hear you."

"It's the phoenix heart soup. Can you give me one bowl? I'll get scolded by Nanny Emma."

"Please, little brother."

These guys are still more afraid of Emma than me.

Jin thought and snickered.

"No."

"Please, please."

The Tona brothers, with their faces twisted in disappointment. Jin felt no sympathy.

Jin had already thought about how the Tona brothers, who were used to carrots and sticks, could be manipulated. He planned to use the phoenix heart to make them do some exhausting work.

"If you say so, I can't help it. But there's a condition."

"Ooh, what is it? What is it?"

"Remember the grave I made?"

The mention of the grave made the Tona brothers' faces pale instantly. They remembered being beaten and left in front of that stormy grave.

"Behind that grave, if you look closely, there's a small cave."

"A cave?"

"Yes. A shallow cave. Dig it deeper. By tonight. Without stopping."

What Jin was asking of his nine-year-old brothers was to dig.

"Why are you digging it?"

"To bury the birds you killed in a deeper place."

The Tona brothers' legs went weak.

But if they could get a share of the phoenix heart from this terrifying younger brother with just this much work, it was more than worth it.

"How deep should we dig?"

"I said, without stopping until tonight."

"Got it. If we dig it all, you'll share the phoenix heart?"

"Of course. But you have to dig hard. If I'm not satisfied with the depth, it's off. By the way, there are plenty of shovels in the basement, so take them from there."

"Okay!"

"Make sure you do it yourselves, not by making someone else do it, right?"

The Tona brothers nodded and immediately left to start digging.

* * *

While the Tona brothers were digging, Jin sat at the table and ate the soup made from the phoenix heart.

"Master, is it that delicious?"

Gilli asked, seeing Jin smiling happily. She thought his mood had improved because of the cooking.

"Yes, it's really delicious."

"You can eat it for at least four days, so let me know if you need more."

Each spoonful made him feel his bones and muscles getting stronger. Eating it for four days would also increase his fire resistance and affinity.

But Jin's smile wasn't just because of that.

'In a few days, I'll be able to see the secret scrolls...'

The cave behind the bird grave where the Tona brothers were digging.

At just nine years old, they had far more stamina than the average person, thanks to being pure-blooded Lunacandells.

Thanks to the unique blessed bodies of the Lunacandells.

If they dug hard until night with that stamina, the 'underground wall' connected to the cave would be exposed.

'They won't be able to tell if it's a wall or just a rock.'

In the secret underground space of Storm Castle, part of the 'vices' accumulated by the Lunacandells was hidden.

The secret scrolls of other families.

These were the secret scrolls that the Lunacandells had taken from the families they had subdued or destroyed.

Of course, even if the Tona brothers dug until the wall appeared, they wouldn't be able to enter easily. Two secret mechanisms had to be solved to open the basement.

Naturally, Jin knew the method. Even though he was treated like a servant, he had survived 25 years in the Lunacandells, enduring all kinds of hardships.

'I'll have to study those scrolls until I leave Storm Castle.'

Jin finished the two bowls of soup.

"Nanny Gilli."

"Yes, Master."

"Can you share some phoenix soup with the Tona brothers when it's night?"

"Ah, how much should I share?"

"One spoonful each."

"One... spoonful? Then it's better if you eat it all yourself."

"I have to keep my promise. If the brothers ask for more, tell them I'll show them who is more terrifying, Emma or me."

Gilli bowed with an awkward smile.

'Master Jin... has he already been tainted by this cruel family? He's too young for that.'

Just as a bitter expression was about to spread on her awkward smile, Jin snuggled into her arms.

"Mary gave it to me because she thought of me, and Nanny cooked it for a month for me. I don't want to share it with those fools."

"Master..."

Plop, plop.

The Tona brothers' shovels were digging into the storm-soaked cave.

Their shovels hit the wall around midnight.

"One spoonful!?"

"One spoonful! That's too much, we dug all day!"

The Tona brothers, who belatedly realized that the 'amount' was not included in the promise, were furious but had no choice.

Because Jin glared at them, telling them to be grateful for even that.

'If digging for half a day can get you one spoonful of phoenix heart soup, anyone would jump at the chance. Kids.'

Therefore, it was a hundred times right for the Tona brothers to be grateful for even one spoonful.

That's what Jin thought.