Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Not long after I left my fathers study, a face I did not particularly wish to encounter appeared from the opposite end of the hallway. It seemed the feeling was mutual; as soon as our eyes met, she grimaced and made no effort to conceal her displeasure. With a soft sigh, I bowed my head as respectfully as I could manage.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n)) It has been a while, Mother. At my words, the approaching ladys footsteps halted abruptly. Mother, you say. It sounds quite awkward coming from you, your grace. The cold gaze of the lady, with her long black hair accentuating her cynical demeanor, fixed upon me. This was Merian Kairosmy stepmother, the biological mother of Lonin, and the current lady of the Maclaine household. She was no mere step parent. Thanks to her efforts, more than half of the Maclaine familys finances were sustained by the Kairos family. Thus, she wielded enormous influence within the entire Maclaine lineage. Moreover, she was the individual who, in my previous life, would play a major role in opposing me, advocating most fiercely for my exile in the event that would unfold shortly thereafter. However. Its merely a greeting, Mother. If I show a changed demeanor from now on, perhaps this relationship could gradually improve. With that hope, I bowed once more. Of course, it wouldnt be resolved overnight. Whats this sudden change of heart? Are you preparing for yet another pitiful debacle? Her response remained frosty as ever. Even as my lack of reaction to her sharp provocation caused her to snort dismissively and walk past, Steward Vector, her loyal subordinate, passed by without even acknowledging my presence, only offering the most perfunctory of bows due to the demands of courtesy towards the familys heir. Its all my own doing. All of this was the natural consequence of my own past incompetence. As I watched my stepmothers figure recede, I let out another small sigh and turned away. * * * Word quickly spread within Maclaine Castle that the Grand Duke had lost a duel to the young lord. Such news would have been a matter of great discussion in any noble or martial house, but it was even more significant within the Maclaine household. The Maclaine family had nearly lost their lands and title due to the atrocities committed by an ancestor four generations ago and the incompetence of former lords. It was only thanks to the current head, Patrick Maclaine, becoming a senior knight that the family barely managed to maintain its lineage. Thus, the martial prowess of the heirs attracted considerable attention. Moreover, the fact that the second son, who had bested the Grand Duke, was only fourteen years old added fuel to the rumors from Lonins prodigious talent to accusations of Logans incompetence. Logans scandal spread quickly, disproportionately to his actual failures. However, the man himself was too busy packing up his quarters to care about the gossip. Instead, what concerned him more was the person who was fretting much more than Logan himself. Oh dear! Your grace, whatever are we to do for you! Stop the fuss. Its true that Lonin is a genius. Its not the young lord whos the problem its that rumors are flying around painting you as the worlds biggest fool Ah! I mean, I didnt mean to say my tongue slipped I couldnt help but let out a laugh. Dont worry about it. If we pay attention to every little thing, we wont get anything done. Is secluded training really what we should do? Yes. It looks like youre running away. Rick spoke up until the very end. Ah, this was the kind of kid he was. Rick, my most faithful servant whod been with me since childhood, was excessively talkative and meddling though most of what he said stemmed from concern for me. In my previous life, the broken Logan dismissed all those worries. But now, the meaning was different though I still had no intention of heeding Ricks words. Huh, I owe this kid a lot too. With a sigh, Logan stopped his packing and patted Ricks shoulder. Im not running away. Just trust me. From now on, itll be a path of roses. In my previous life, during the next official duel, I had Rick lace Lonins meal with hallucinogens and then with paralytic poison. As a result, I was stripped of my right to succession and received a punishment akin to house arrest for an extended period. Despite being the mastermind behind the incident, unlike Rick who was executed for poisoning a direct family member, my punishment was relatively lenient. Even the completely shattered Logan of that time had many sleepless nights due to his conscience. It was fortunate that I had returned to a time before committing these worst of sins. Now, I just have to avoid making such foolish mistakes again. However The simultaneous formation of the core and the denser energy that emanated seemed to spur a transformation throughout his body. It was an ecstatic moment for Logan, saturated with transformational energy, and he was completely unaware that his body was shining a golden hue, radiating light in all directions. * * * When Logan came to, it was evening, though he had started his training in the morning sunlight. The sudden disconnect from the passing hours vanished his euphoria, and he felt a draining sensation that made him collapse unwittingly. However, that feeling was fleeting. A tremendous strength could be felt in his clenched fist, and a spry vitality coursed throughout his body, signaling a profound transformation. Its much more than I expected Yet, it was a positive change, and there was no reason to dislike having become stronger. Especially if the manuals contents were true. With a forceful swing of his sword, a smile spread across Logans face. The sensation and power from a seemingly light stroke were entirely different than before. Yes! His fist clenit involuntarily. It was not merely a matter of strength; his physique and senses had fundamentally changed to better suit the art of swordsmanship. The training that changes a man, Hwanin Gong it was all true. He was confident. The inferiority and self-loathing that had haunted the untalented fell away. Logans laughter echoed with the disappearance of all the roots of his inferiority and self-condemnation from his past life. From that day on, Logan practiced his swordsmanship with fervor, nearly forgetting to eat or sleep. * * * Three months later. This time, without fail As prescribed by the manual, Logan squeezed the core in his heart, amplifying the energy. Creating a core and changing ones constitution was already remarkable, but those were only the basics of the Divine Blades manual. The crux of the manual resided in the ten forms of the Sword that Cuts through Time and Space, grandiosely dubbed the Time-Space Slash. And now, Logan was attempting the sole technique, the 1-star core form, that could be executed as part of the 1st forma slicing wave, Pa-rang-cham. It will be successful! The feeling of building successes from months of failures seemed to be coalescing. Now! In a moment, amplified power surged through his body and a gold light burst from his crimson eyes. Taah! Light surged from Logans sword like a wave, and as it struck, thick trees were shattered into fragments with a thunderous crash. Thump. Hah Hah Heh, heh heh Pale and exhausted, Logan sat down, unable to hide his astonishment at the success. The power was beyond imagination. Purely a strike extending only a meter from the blade and consisting of mere two waves of force. It was a technique not meant for novice force users but one that even the most senior knights, on the cusp of becoming aura users, could barely achieve. Even if it left him drained from a single use, it was an overkill as a trump card. Hahaha! Logan had exceeded his targets for the three-month training.