Chapter 11 (1/2)
Ch. 11 Bad News
The rest of the road offered no troubles. Benjamin had brought along twenty soldiers, relieving Luke and Kurotan from having to be on guard.
“Have there been any events in the territory?”
“I am sure you have heard through our messenger, but the Lord has retired due to his health and Sir Reynold has become the new Lord.”
“It looks like my big brother has finally inherited the territory.”
Benjamin looked at Luke with pity.
“You would become a big strength if you stayed with the House… How wonderful would it be if you used the experiences you have built up during your service for the territory?”
“It can’t be helped.”
Luke smiled bitterly and shook his head. He had already decided his future would be outside of Esteban Earldom five years ago.
Luke’s plan was to enter Lea Marquisate after retirement. He would have started a second life as a Knight of the Lea Marquisate.
Benjamin couldn’t hide his disappointment, but said.
“You have a calm composure and think things through thoroughly before you act. You will become a respected figure even at Lea Marquisate.”
“No one can know for sure, Benjamin.”
“I wish to plead for you to reconsider, but I will respect the decision you have made out of love.”
“Thank you, Sir Benjamin.”
Lea Marquisate was the House of Luke’s fiancée, Isabelle. His becoming a Knight of the Lea Marquisate was the prerequisite for his marriage to Isabelle. Benjamin knew this and therefore held his tongue.
After a while, the familiar castle of the Esteban Earldom came into view. Luke’s face filled with nostalgia.
“It’s been exactly five years since I’ve seen that castle.”
He couldn’t help but feel relaxed in the place he had run around as a child. As they approached, the soldiers guarding the castle door by the moat smiled brightly and greeted Luke.
“Congratulations on your retirement and return, Young Master Luke.”
“Thank you all.”
The inside of the castle had barely changed since he had left. Luke gazed over the sights with a look of reluctance. Luke did not find it easy to leave the castle he had visited for five years for a new life as a Knight of the Lea Marquisate.
Kurotan had been walking silently with the reins of Luke’s horse in his hands. Luke dismounted from the horse when they reached the Lord’s residence.
“Kurotan.”
Kurotan bowed silently, and Luke pointed to the training field that stretched in front of the Lord’s residence.
“I will go and meet with the Lord. You can train in the basics of the sword in the meantime…”
Kurotan saluted and ran towards the training field, sword in hand. Benjamin’s eyes shone at the sight.
“Then, Sir Benjamin, I am off to see the Lord.”
“Yes. I shall have a stable hand take your horse.”
The Lord’s residence remained the same as it had from Luke’s childhood. Benjamin guided Luke towards the office of the Lord.
Knock. Knock.
A low voice vibrated out of the office at the knock.
“Come in.”
Luke opened the door and walked into the office. A middle aged man with sharp eyes looked up from his desk. It was Luke’s older brother, Reynold.
Reynold stood up with a bright smile when he saw Luke.
“Luke. You have finally returned.”
“Yes, Lord.”
“We are not in a formal setting, call me big brother. So, the past five years must have been rough for you? You have had a hard time, my brother, in faraway territories.”
Luke scratched the back of his head as an awkward expression crawled onto his face.
“It was not too difficult. It seems you have grown more white hairs?”
“There are a lot of things to worry about after becoming the Lord. Sit.”
Luke sat on the sofa while Reynold called a chambermaid to prepare tea. Luke met eyes with his brother, older than him by more than twenty years.
They came from different mothers. Earl Esteban, their father, had lost his first wife to illness and remarried.
Reynold was the son of the first wife and Luke the second. That was why Luke and Reynold were born with twenty plus years between them.
However, the four sons and three daughters did not cause any chaos within the family and were close with each other. Reynold handed Luke a cup of tea as he asked.
“I have heard you took in an apprentice knight?”
“It’s true.”
“I am curious as to why you would take in an old commoner without even a payment from him, but I won’t push. I believe that it was a well thought out decision, considering your disposition.”
“Thank you for believing in me, big brother.”
“That aside, let us talk about the sacrifices you have made for this House. Do you wish for anything from the House?”
Luke swallowed.
“I have something to report to you first.”
“What is it?”
“I have pa.s.sed down the House’s sword art to my new apprentice knight, Kurotan.”
“You have probably pa.s.sed down the basics, once again considering you don’t make irrational decisions.”
“Yes.”
“Good. I won’t make this issue a problem as you have reported it honestly.”
Luke continued on carefully.
“I ask this very reluctantly, but I do so anyways.”
“What is it? Speak.”
“I wish to pa.s.s down an Aura flow method to my apprentice knight Kurotan. Would it be possible?”
“What?”
Reynold’s eyes widened. From his perspective, Luke was asking something completely ridiculous.
An Aura cultivation technique did not get pa.s.sed down to even the branch families of a House. How could it be pa.s.sed down to a mere apprentice knight?
“I don’t understand what you see in a mere apprentice knight.”
“….”
“I trust you are not asking this without reason. Explain your reasoning to me.”
Luke opened his mouth immediately.
“I am not asking in regards to the Aura cultivation method of the Esteban House.”
“Of course.”
“It is to my understanding, however, that the House is in possession of other Aura cultivation technique. Those are the methods I was referring to.”
“Heum.”
Just as Luke had said, the Esteban Earldom possessed multiple Aura cultivation techniques that were not the unique Esteban Aura cultivation technique. There were techniques that had been spoils of territorial wars that they had won, or techniques bought off of fallen n.o.ble Houses.