Chapter 461: Have You Been Working Out Lately? (2)
At Ghislain's question, Elena responded in surprise.
“N-No, I don’t do anything like working out.”
Elena was a noble lady. Unless a noble family had completely fallen into ruin, there wasn’t much need for a typical noblewoman to use physical strength in her daily life.
Even though Ferdium was a poor territory, it had once been supported by the kingdom as a Margraviate. Employing servants was within its means.
Thus, Elena had no reason to engage in physically demanding tasks. She also didn’t practice any training.
Her education solely revolved around cultivating the grace befitting a noble lady. The most physical effort she ever exerted was what related to those lessons.
This was truly her first time in life exerting her full strength.
“Ugh, ugh…”
Feeling uncomfortable under the gazes of others, Elena began to glance around nervously.
She had never even considered how strong she was. She had lived without knowing her limits because she’d never been in a situation where she needed to use her strength.
Ghislain stroked his chin with a serious expression.
‘Right… now that I think about it, back then….’
― "Oh, big brother! Let’s run away!"
― "It’s okay, let go. You’re surprisingly strong, you know?"
― "I said, let’s get out of here, quickly!"
When three assassins came to Ferdium to kill Elena, she had grabbed Ghislain’s arm, urging him to flee.
At that moment, Ghislain couldn’t easily pull his arm free.
― "Why are you so strong? Do you work out or something?"
Even as he said that, he only thought she was slightly stronger than a typical girl.
At the time, he’d been too preoccupied dealing with the assassins to dwell on it, and later, he had dismissed it, assuming his own strength had been unstable after his regression.
‘And there was that time too….’
After winning against Kane and securing their prize, Elena had linked her arm with Ghislain’s, acting close and trying to wheedle something out of him.
Even then, Ghislain had casually tried to pull his arm away, but failed.
― "Seriously, do you work out or something? Why are you so strong?"
One odd moment after another flooded Ghislain’s mind, moments he had brushed off as insignificant.
Belinda was just as taken aback. She had raised Elena, thinking she was a perfectly normal, albeit unusually healthy, young girl.
‘Now that I think about it, she’s never been sick. Not even with something as common as a cold. Compared to the young master, who constantly had a runny nose and cough….’
Back then, Belinda had been too preoccupied caring for the frail Ghislain to pay much attention to the comparatively robust Elena.
‘But she wasn’t this strong when she was younger, was she?’
She had been above average for her age, sure, but not at a level that surpassed adults. This led Belinda to quickly dismiss the fleeting notion she had about Annette.
‘Wait a minute. Speaking of which, there was also that time….’
When Alfoi and the mages first arrived in the territory, they had been chastised by Ghislain for making Vanessa do menial labor.
They had been told to carry their own belongings, but Alfoi and the mages couldn’t even lift the load properly. It was so bad that the coachman they had brought along had to offer assistance.
Then Elena had appeared with the servants and casually carried their baggage, both hands full, without issue.
Belinda had even clapped her hands and gushed at the sight.
― "Oh my, isn’t that heavy? Have you been working out lately?"
― "Oh, stop it. It’s not even that heavy."
At the time, they had simply thought Alfoi and the mages were far too weak. Looking back, although they were healthier now, they had indeed been quite feeble then.
Ghislain and Belinda both placed a hand on their foreheads. The same thought struck them simultaneously.
‘Divine power. She must have been born with divine power.’
‘To think that Lady Annette’s divine power had passed on to her.’
Why hadn’t they investigated it more thoroughly back then? Why had they dismissed her as merely a strong girl?
The truth was, divine power wasn’t something just anyone could possess. It was no wonder the thought hadn’t even crossed their minds.
‘Confirming divine power takes time.’
‘And after her childhood, she never really displayed her strength, so it was easy to overlook.’
Those with divine power have a different muscle density and structure than ordinary people, enabling them to exert great strength. However, that strength isn’t something they can manifest from birth.
Typically, their strength develops gradually as their muscles grow with age. Regular attention is needed to determine if someone is born with divine power.
But in Ferdium, there wasn’t the luxury to pay attention to Elena. Over time, as her strength gradually increased, those around her simply grew accustomed to it, brushing off any anomalies.
Elena herself didn’t notice because she rarely had to use her strength. This recent crisis, where she had to exert herself fully, was likely her first, leading to her awakening.
Ghislain’s eyes gleamed.
‘To think such a gem existed in our family. I can’t let this go to waste.’
Honestly, the assassin’s broken arm was largely due to luck. The assassin had been caught off guard and couldn’t react to the sudden attack.
Even if Elena had divine power, she wouldn’t stand a chance against even a novice knight in a real fight. Without training in mana or combat techniques, raw strength alone has its limits.
‘In my past life, I never realized this because of the assassination incident….’
Perhaps even in his past life, the assassins had suffered at least a fractured wrist while dealing with a desperate Elena.
With a bright smile, Ghislain approached Elena, pretending to be friendly.
“Elena, you must have been so scared. You did well.”
“Huh? Uh…”
“Ah, I feel a bit guilty since this all happened because of me. How about I buy you some clothes and jewelry as a reward?”
Elena took a step back, eyeing him with suspicion.
Ghislain was now famously wealthy, a fact known throughout the kingdom. However, he was equally well-known for his frugality, having poured all his earnings into developing the territory and preparing for battles. Even the bribes he received were funneled into those efforts.
‘He’s rich, but he’s never bought me a proper gift!’
Elena had complained about this countless times, frustrated that despite Ferdium’s growing wealth, she remained a poor noblewoman.
Now, out of nowhere, he was acting chummy and offering gifts? He was definitely up to something.
“W-What? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”
“Ah, I just feel bad. I think I’ve been neglecting my little sister too much.”
“Ha, as if! You’re not the type. Oh, oh! Don’t come any closer. You’re acting really suspicious right now.”
Ghislain stopped in his tracks at Elena’s warning, but he spoke with genuine sincerity.
“I mean it. This time, I’ll buy you whatever you want. Just name it.”
“R-Really?”
“Of course! Really! Whatever you want, I’ll get it. I’m going all out this time.”
“Really, really?”
“Yes, really. But… can you do me a small favor?”
There it was. Of course, he wouldn’t just give without strings attached. Elena pouted, her face showing clear displeasure.
“What is it? What’s the favor?”
Ghislain let out a deep sigh. This was the decisive moment. He needed to persuade her now.
With utmost seriousness, he spoke, his expression more sincere than ever.
“Join the Northern Army.”
* * *
“Phew, it’s finally over,” Ghislain said.
“Yeah, good work, everyone,” Belinda replied.
Ghislain slumped into his chair opposite Belinda, his face showing signs of exhaustion.
They had been incredibly busy for the past few days. The Ducal Family seemed determined to succeed this time, even going so far as to use some very expensive bait.
Now that the problem was resolved, fatigue hit them hard.
Belinda looked at him with a slightly conflicted expression and asked, “Are you really planning to take Lady Elena with you?”
“I have to. Letting a talent like hers go to waste would be a crime, a crime.”
“But she really doesn’t want to go.”
“Hmm…”
A red handprint was visible on one side of Ghislain’s face. It was the result of hours spent trying to convince the reluctant Elena, only to end up being slapped.
Although Ghislain had allowed her to hit him in an attempt to persuade her, the force of the slap nearly snapped his neck.
After some thought, he shook his head.
“No. If you’re a noble, you have a duty to fulfill. Someone with a talent like hers avoiding combat is just wrong. I’ll take her with me, no matter what.”
“Sigh…”
Belinda merely shrugged her shoulders. She had tried to warn him multiple times about the dangers, but Ghislain was unwavering.
“This isn’t just about her divine power,” Ghislain added. “After what happened, I realized Elena needs to at least learn how to protect herself. Rachel too. I won’t throw them into battle right away, but I’ll take them with me for training.”
Belinda couldn't oppose it entirely since it wasn't an entirely incorrect argument. Perhaps staying by Ghislain's side and hers would be the safest option.
Teaching Elena martial arts and mana training? There was no better choice than to ensure her protection herself, staying close by.
Worried that Belinda might protest again, Ghislain quickly changed the subject.
"Let’s leave Elena’s matter as it is for now. Let’s talk about my mother. What’s the story? Something doesn’t add up. Twenty years ago? That doesn’t match the timeline of my birth.”
"It’s just an estimate. It hasn’t been more than thirty years, so I said roughly twenty years. It’s actually been longer than that.”
"…So, Belinda, what’s your real age?”
"What have I always taught you?"
"…Never ask a woman’s real age."
"Exactly."
"…."
Ghislain shook his head, left speechless by her cheeky response.
"Ugh… So, what’s the truth about my mother? How did she end up in Ferdium? What kind of story led to that bastard Melchior searching for her?”
"Haah…."
Belinda sighed deeply and placed an old box on the table. She had brought it along, knowing this conversation would arise when Ghislain called her.
"What’s this?"
"It’s something I hid in Ferdium all this time. I think you should first learn about the organization Annette and I were part of."
Belinda had hidden most of her personal belongings in Ferdium before following Ghislain. With him moving constantly from Fenris to Cabaldi and then Desmond it was the safest place to store essential items until things settled down.
"So… my mother’s secret is inside here…."
Ghislain swallowed nervously and opened the box.
Click.
Inside were three books: two relatively clean ones and one that looked significantly old and worn.
The stark difference in appearance made Ghislain focus first on the two cleaner books with trembling eyes.
Even the titles on their covers were extraordinary.
"This… is my mother’s secret?"
"Yes."
Blinking multiple times, Ghislain reread the titles of the books to confirm what he saw.
[My Ex-Husband with Amnesia Turned Out to Be the Imperial Crown Prince?]
[Hit by a Carriage, Then Reborn as a Princess of the Kingdom.]
No matter how he looked at them, these were novels commonly sold in stores. They were just like the one Gordon had written before, The Invisible Swordmaster, a simple fiction book.
But since his mother’s secret was supposedly hidden here, he couldn’t ignore them without checking.
With care, he asked cautiously.
"Um… Could it be… a remarriage?"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Actually, was she a secret princess of the kingdom?"
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Ghislain picked up the two books with a bemused expression.
"Then what’s this?"
"Oh, my! What’s that doing there?"
Belinda, who had just noticed the books, gasped in shock and quickly snatched them away.
They were novels she had read occasionally to relieve stress back when raising Ghislain and Elena had drained her energy. She had meant to store them away safely but must have accidentally left them in the box.
Looking a bit embarrassed, Belinda chuckled sheepishly and said, "Ah, those are just books I read for fun. Don’t mind them. Check the other one instead."
"…Sure."
Regaining his composure, Ghislain picked up the remaining book. This one was old and heavily worn.
The contents detailed information about an organization and the techniques Belinda had learned.
"The Shadow Knights…."
He had never heard of it in his past life. Even in the records, all that remained was a brief note stating that their mission was to protect the Ritania royal family from the shadows.
A secret organization tasked with eliminating threats to the royal family. The leader of this group was none other than his mother.
The Shadow Knights were a formidable organization, holding all the kingdom's information and maintaining a blacklist of nobles.
However, there was no mention of their origins, when they were established, or how. It felt as though some records had been intentionally erased.
The only peculiar detail was…
“A single family monopolized the position of commander and passed it down? In this kingdom?”
“Yes, it was a legacy passed down through generations. Only someone from Lady Annette’s family could master their secret techniques and take on the role of commander of the Shadow Knights.”
“Huh? But that knowledge was passed down to Belinda, wasn’t it?”
“Lady Annette wanted to end it with her generation. That’s why she entrusted it to me. I don’t know why she made that decision, though.”
“Did Mother have no other family?”
“None, as far as I know. She always had so many secrets… and said that was what made her so alluring.”
He realized that everything Belinda had taught him came from what she had learned from his mother. His mother’s teachings were continuing through him.
“...I see. But there’s still no record of when this organization was formed or for what purpose.”
It was unlikely for such a powerful organization to exist without reason. Moreover, there were already traces of their clashes with the Salvation Church from long ago. This wasn’t something to be taken lightly.
As he finished reading, Belinda offered additional context.
“I believe the organization might have existed since the time of the founding king. It would make sense that they were established to protect the Ritania royal family. Of course, there’s no way to confirm it without records.”
“So, do the Shadow Knights still exist within the royal family?”
“No, as far as I know, the organization was destroyed because of Melchior. There were no survivors. I’m not sure if it was rebuilt afterward.”
“Was he a traitor?”
“Yes. Melchior was the vice commander.”
Belinda calmly recounted the past. She explained how Melchior, as vice commander, had ambushed Lady Annette and inflicted grave injuries.
Most of the members were killed, and the Shadow Knights disbanded.
At the time, Belinda, who was still a trainee, only thought that Melchior and other traitors had conspired together.
“But now that I look back, I don’t think that’s all there was to it. It seems he collaborated with external forces to strike Lady Annette the ducal family and the Salvation Church.”
“Did you hear anything about the opposition during the fight?”
“I was only a trainee back then, and Lady Annette never spoke about it, so I don’t know the details.”
“I see... Still, I feel like I’ve grasped something.”
While the ducal family had only started showing their ambitions about a decade ago, their collusion with the Salvation Church and their preparations to overthrow the kingdom had been ongoing for more than twenty years.
The Salvation Church, which had shown no signs of movement until then, must have had a reason for their actions when the Shadow Knights fell.
He narrowed my eyes and fell into deep thought.
“They’re too secretive to discern anything. They don’t even feel like a typical cult.”
The black energy they wielded was entirely different from any known mana or divine power. Such a force had suddenly appeared in the world.
It could be assumed that the Salvation Church had discovered a new power. However, judging by Ereneth’s reaction, it seemed to have existed for a very long time.
Even so, there were no records or oral histories about them. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
‘It feels like some massive cover-up occurred…’
That would be the only explanation.
‘I should seize an opportunity to question Ereneth about this.’
Ereneth wouldn’t reveal information easily, so I’d have to pry bit by bit.
And… there was someone else I wanted to meet. It wasn’t a logical decision but more of an instinctive one.
‘I’m sure they know something.’
The Salvation Church helping Melchior appeared to be a move to dismantle the Shadow Knights and strike the royal family.
So, he decided that he needed to meet the King of Ritania.
My mother’s family, the Salvation Church, and the royal family these three were undoubtedly connected by something that he didn’t yet understand.