Chapter 195
Count Berkel didn’t show much reaction to Christian’s declaration.
He simply maintained a cold and expressionless demeanor, as if wearing a mask.
Christian didn’t try to speak to him any further either.
‘I'll take my time with him. Still, it's certain Count Berkel isn't on Marquis Langham’s side.’
As he stepped forward, an unexpected person approached Christian.
“Christian.”
“Father.”
It was Count Khazar—a middle-aged man with a strong, handsome face.
Worried for his son heading straight into enemy territory, Count Khazar had decided to join as an escort.
‘Not bad, actually.’
Christian spoke with a bit of awkwardness in his voice.
“Why did you come all this way? You didn’t need to follow me personally, Father. Even if the Venomous Demonic House is full of sinister bastards, they wouldn’t dare touch an official envoy.”
“That’s not the reason I’m here.”
Count Khazar frowned slightly, as if displeased.
“I came because I’m worried about what kind of reckless, outrageous trouble you might stir up again.”
“……”
“You’re not planning something crazy again, are you?”
Christian froze for a moment, speechless.
Count Khazar let out a heavy sigh at his son’s guilty expression that clearly said, ‘How did he know?’
“When I heard you went alone into the Venomous Demonic House not long ago, do you have any idea how terrified I was? Just how much more do you plan to shock your own father?”
Christian scratched his head.
‘Yeah, from his point of view, it must’ve been pretty worrying.’
A twinge of guilt passed through him.
Especially since this sort of dangerous situation would keep happening in the future.
‘I wasn’t thinking about those around me. In my previous life, there was no one who ever worried about me like this.’
Lacking the emotional experience, Christian found himself unsure how to console his father in such a situation—something very unlike him.
Count Khazar sighed again and placed a hand on Christian’s head.
“Of course, I understand it can’t be helped. I’m proud of you too, in a way. But promise me just one thing—don’t push yourself too far.”
“I understand. I promise.”
“You sure know how to say the right things. Though I doubt you actually intend to keep that promise.”
Christian responded with an awkward grin.
Given the enemies he would be facing from now on, not pushing himself was practically impossible.
Count Khazar let out another long sigh, then looked Christian straight in the eyes.
“Just don’t lose. No matter who your opponent is. If you get hurt or die, I swear I’ll summon your soul and make sure you regret it.”
That wasn’t encouragement.
It was desperate, bone-deep concern.
Count Khazar was already beginning to sense what kind of overwhelming enemies his son would be up against.
And the only way for Christian to survive…
…was to crush every one of them.
‘This kind of worry… feels unfamiliar.’
Even though Christian had decided to acknowledge Count Khazar as his father, the deep paternal concern he now faced was something he still couldn’t get used to.
To hide the warmth stirring in his chest, Christian lifted the corners of his lips in a smile.
“Don’t worry. If anything, I pity my enemies. No matter who they are, I’ll crush them and claim victory.”
“…Alright. I’ll trust you.”
Count Khazar nodded, no longer showing signs of concern.
Meanwhile, Christian gave him a curious look.
‘It’s about time I raise Father’s level to 7-star.’
Count Khazar was currently at 6-star Upper Rank.
And he was at the peak of that stage.
It was a situation similar to that of Marquis Shupen—he was stuck just short of a breakthrough. But with the right opportunity, he had the potential to surpass it at any moment.
‘It’s not just Father. That knight commander from earlier—Sir Berkel of the Black Lion Knights—he’s another one. There are quite a few with hidden potential.’
The reason the Dark Demonic House lacked top-tier practitioners above 7-star was due to the complexity of Dark Magic Energy.
The higher one climbed with Dark Magic Energy, the more absurdly difficult it became to make any progress.
Especially the leap from 6-star to 7-star.
And even more so, from 7-star to 8-star—an overwhelming wall stood in the way. With average enlightenment, that wall couldn’t be breached.
But if Christian, using his power as a master, could forcibly induce that enlightenment in others?
‘Once I wrap up this matter with the Venomous Demonic House, I’ll get started in earnest. I need to elevate the power of the Dark Demonic House before it’s too late.’
The reason he demanded the title of “Grand Instructor” as compensation for resolving this crisis…
…was precisely for this plan.
No one had any idea.
But very soon, through Christian’s hands, a miracle would unfold in the Dark Demonic House—one that no one would believe unless they saw it.
And no one would ever dare to look down on the Dark Demonic House again.
“Brother, I’ve come too!”
“……”
Christian didn’t answer right away but looked silently at Tern. Teren quickly realized and corrected himself with a flustered look.
“…Ahem. I mean—O most glorious King Emperor Majesty, I have also come!”
“Right.”
Christian nodded.
“But why did you come?”
“T-To be of help to you, Brother!!”
“…You? Help me?”
Tern’s face flushed red.
To be honest, at Tern’s current level, he wasn’t even close to being helpful to Christian.
“N-No! I mean—I will be of help!”
“Really?”
“Yes! I’ve been training really hard! I promise I can help now!”
Christian chuckled quietly.
‘He’s changed a lot, too.’
It had already been two years since he’d met Tern.
Christian was now seventeen, and Teren had passed fifteen.
And it wasn’t just their age that had changed.
The way Teren looked at Christian…
He tried to act indifferent, but his eyes were filled with deep admiration for Christian.
‘Well, with a big brother as amazing as me, it’s only natural he can’t help but admire me. I get it.’
Christian, finding his younger brother more endearing than ever, decided to show him some special kindness.
“Want me to help you get stronger?”
“…How?”
“Sparring is the best way to improve quickly. Let’s have a match.”
“…Th-That’s…”
Tern’s face turned pale.
“Why not? Aren’t you a 3-star now? When I was at your level, I was already dueling 5-star High-Rank practitioners. And besides, how often do you get the chance to duel a genius like me?”
“W-Well, that’s true, but…”
Teren stepped back, panicking, then blurted out,
“I-I’ll train with Lord Alros first to build up my skills before challenging you, Brother!”
Alros, who had been silently sulking nearby, suddenly found himself thrown into the spotlight and scowled fiercely.
‘Seriously? Even this brat is looking down on me now?’
For the record, Alros was older than Christian.
He was already fuming after nearly dying from one of Christian’s “miracle elixirs” that had turned out to be more like deadly poison, and now this pushed him over the edge. He growled darkly.
“Fine then, Tern. Why don’t we spar? But I’ll warn you now, I’ve been powered up recently thanks to some potent elixirs. Don’t come crying if it hurts.”
“…Why are you calling yourself my elder?”
“Well, we’re distantly related, but we share the same bloodline, don’t we?”
“Nope. I was taught by Christian that in terms of seniority, age doesn’t matter. The stronger one is always the elder. Which means you’re the little brother. So don’t cry when I beat you. I hate whiners.”
“…You little—!!”
Like brother, like brother. Just as infuriating!
Alros, determined to take out his accumulated frustration from Christian on Tern, charged in with everything he had.
Flash! Thwack!
But Teren countered with a devastating combination of cursed black magic and swordsmanship, knocking Alros to the ground with a single blow.
“W-What the—?! Even if he’s the brother of a monster, this is ridiculous!”
He tried again—but the result was the same.
Melin stepped up beside Christian and commented,
“Teren has grown tremendously. Even though Lord Alros has improved a lot lately, he’s no match at all. Is this perhaps thanks to your guidance, my lord?”
“Well… half of it.”
Half of Tern’s growth was due to Christian’s help. The other half came from Tern’s own talent.
Christian had occasionally sent him letters to guide his growth and training.
But that alone wasn’t enough to explain such rapid progress.
‘Teren is a gifted one when it comes to curses.’
A Gifted One isn’t quite the same as a genius.
Their overall talent might seem average.
They don’t necessarily have exceptional enlightenment, nor do they possess brilliant intuition.
But within a specific domain, they’re blessed with something extraordinary—a divine “blessing.”
Even without being particularly intelligent or sharp, that blessing allows them to master their field faster and more thoroughly than anyone else.
Perfectly. Excellently.
It’s much like how a child naturally learns to crawl and walk as they grow.
That’s why, once a Gifted One properly matures, they can become a true master—unrivaled in their field.
‘Of course, not every Gifted One grows that way. Many with the blessing never blossom and simply fade away.’
The role of a mentor was absolutely crucial in helping a Gifted One grow.
Their process of learning and development was fundamentally different from ordinary people.
Not to mention the average, even those called geniuses were unlike them.
As mentioned earlier, for a Gifted One, acquiring mastery wasn’t a matter of study or training—it was something more like natural growth.
But most people couldn’t grasp this distinction. They pressured or forced growth out of impatience, and in doing so, often hindered development—or worse, trampled the very talent that should have bloomed.
‘If their gift doesn’t unfold smoothly, a Gifted One will, at some point, lose their blessing.’
In that regard, Christian was the perfect teacher.
He had encountered many Gifted Ones in his previous life and understood their nature better than anyone.
‘I need to raise Teren properly too. At this rate, he’s developing fast enough that I’ll be able to use him like a handy pawn soon.’
“I won, Brother!!”
Teren struck down Alros and turned to Christian with the proud gleam of a little brother desperate for recognition. Christian, pleased by the thought of making good use of him, nodded with satisfaction.
“Let’s have a match too.”
“Right now?”
“Well, you’re resting, aren’t you?”
Melin flashed a smile like a wild beast and drew her sword.
Christian smirked and drew his as well.
“Try to last a little longer this time.”
Flash!
Their swords clashed.
And after that brief interlude, Christian’s group finally arrived at their destination:
Jinrok Castle.
The ancestral seat of the Venomous Demonic House.
* * *
Unlike most noble houses, Jinrok Castle—the Venomous Demonic House’s main estate—wasn’t attached to a residential domain. Instead, it was located deep within a secluded forest.
That separation was to ensure ordinary citizens wouldn’t suffer from exposure to toxins and venom.
Despite being called a “castle,” it had no walls. Instead, it was surrounded by towering green trees, each carrying a thick, poisonous hue, forming a natural barricade.
‘No need for walls when the estate itself is covered in deadly poison and traps.’
The entire area could be considered one giant field of toxins and traps.
One wrong step, and you’d lose your life instantly.
At that moment, the gates of the Venomous Demonic House opened, and a figure stepped out.
“Welcome to the Venomous Demonic House, Lord Christian.”
Christian’s eyes widened.
The man was handsome, with a gentle scholarly aura.
He was a 8-star Demon Lord—Duke Huam, the head of the Venomous Demonic House.
The Patriarch himself had come to greet them!
“Your Grace.”
“You must be tired after such a long journey.”
His tone was friendly—understandably so.
Right now, Christian was essentially on the same side as Duke Huam.
“I heard what you did. Never thought you’d strike the main house so decisively.”
“My apologies for the bloodshed.”
“No need to apologize. They acted in ways unbefitting of those who call themselves poisoners. Punishment was only just. If it hadn’t been you, I would have delivered judgment myself.”
Duke Huam continued with a faint, bitter smile.
“Though I doubt I have the strength for that.”
Christian said nothing, and Duke Huam shook his head.
“Forgive me. I shouldn’t have said that. Still… are you sure you’re ready? You know what it means for the Demon King to mediate this negotiation, don’t you?”
Christian nodded.
“Yes. I’ve already guessed that Marquis Goras has a special relationship with the Demon King of Azure Flow.”
“Exactly. The Demon King will undoubtedly side with Marquis Goras, the acting vice-lord. Not only that—he’s already made all the preparations to frame both you and Marisa.”
But Christian showed no sign of worry. On the contrary, he answered with calm resolve:
“It’s fine. In fact, it’s better this way.”