LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 19
Chapter 19: How to Take the Initiative (1)
Two days had passed since Martin mastered the spatial sword.
During that time, he had secluded himself in his room, not showing himself to anyone.
Outwardly, he claimed to be resting, but in truth, he was working to fully internalize the insights he had gained in the Overlord’s chamber.
He also needed to keep his new strength hidden from the elders.
For that reason, no one, not even the elders, had seen Martin in the past two days.
Officially, Martin was still a patient suffering from the Dragon’s Curse.
Given that, if he claimed he needed rest, even the elders couldn’t force him to come out.
‘They were laughing at me.’
The elders had subtly mocked Martin in the past.
Elder Aren, at least, hadn’t shown it outwardly, but both Martin and Aren knew that Aren’s polite demeanor wasn’t genuine.
Watching the elders squirm had brought Martin some amusement, but the satisfaction didn’t last long.
“Sien! My beloved daughter!”
A booming voice rang out, shaking the entire Adalbert estate.
“Haa…”
Standing at the main estate’s portal, Sien Igreet sighed softly.
Her face flushed bright red with embarrassment.
No matter how many times it happened, she couldn’t help but feel mortified.
“Please, maintain your dignity, Head!”
“Oh, come now. Isn’t it a bit too harsh to speak like that to your father after not seeing him for six months? Just call me ‘father’ comfortably.”
“No, I won’t, Head!”
Sien glared at the man.
He was nearly 2 meters tall, with broad shoulders as vast as the sea.
He wore armor made of metal, but the exposed parts of his arms and legs revealed muscles as hard as steel.
Despite his large frame, his physique gave an impression of agility.
This man was Vincent von Igreet, the head of the Igreet family, one of the five branch families of the Adalbert family, and a baron of the Altaria Empire.
Though his title was impressive, his true fame came from something else: his moniker.
The Sword Breaker.
From a young age, Vincent had enjoyed dueling with others across the continent.
Throughout his journeys, he had defeated many opponents, and upon his return to the Empire, he had achieved a streak of 100 consecutive victories.
The Emperor of the Altaria Empire, pleased with his success, had personally granted him the title of Sword Breaker.
Vincent was a master of both swordsmanship and his unique ability, having reached the 4th circle in each, making him an 8th circle powerhouse.
“If you don’t call me ‘father,’ I won’t take a single step forward.”
“Ugh. Don’t you see how embarrassed everyone is?”
“What embarrassment? I’m just happy to see my daughter after so long. Who could be feeling embarrassed, you or them?”
Whoosh!
Vincent turned and glared at the knights who had accompanied him.
They flinched, hastily forcing smiles.
“No, no! Of course not!”
“We’re just delighted to witness such a heartwarming reunion between father and daughter!”
Only then did Vincent turn back to Sien, smiling once more.
“See? Everyone’s fine with it. Like I said, I’m not moving until you call me ‘father.’ Honestly, standing here awkwardly seems even more embarrassing to me.”
“…Can you even say that with a straight face?”
“I’m just following what my heart tells me.”
“Fine, fine! I’ll call you ‘father,’ okay?”
Sien sighed again.
It was mortifying to think that a man recognized as one of the Empire’s strongest could also be such a doting father.
“Ahh, that’s better. So much more familiar.”
“Enough with the nonsense. Come on, Martin’s waiting for you.”
“Huh? What’s that about? I rushed here just to see you, my dear daughter.”
“I told you two days ago. Martin wants to talk with you one-on-one.”
“I must have only half-listened in my sleep… But wait, are you sure it’s me that Martin wants to speak with, not Mateus?”
Vincent looked genuinely puzzled.
Sien was certainly close with Martin, but lately, Martin had been relying heavily on Kalain.
It was well-known that, among the branch families, the Gustin family was the strongest.
Even though three other branch families had openly expressed their intent to betray the main family, the Gustin family had maintained a degree of distance from them.
So it would’ve made sense for Martin to approach the Gustin family first. Yet, he had chosen Vincent instead, which was unexpected.
“Yes, Father, it’s you.”
“Well, this is intriguing. I’ll have to hear more.”
“I’ll lead the way.”
Sien began to move, but Vincent quickly fell into step beside her.
The Igreet family knights followed them quietly, and for a while, the group walked in silence.
“Aren’t you curious?”
“About what?”
“About Martin. Everyone’s been asking what happened to him in the dungeon.”
“What does the process matter? The important thing is that the young master has finally manifested spatial domination. Or is there something I should know?”
“Well, rather than me explaining, it’s probably better for you to see for yourself.”
“So, there is something.”
“You’ll figure it out soon enough, Father.”
With that, Sien fell silent.
Vincent’s eyes grew sharp.
‘She’s not the type to speak carelessly.’
Sien was always serious, never one to say something strange without reason.
There was definitely something about Martin that others hadn’t yet seen.
But Vincent chose not to dwell on it for now.
He’d find out soon enough.
Knock, knock.
Before they knew it, they had arrived at Martin’s office, and Sien knocked on the door.
“Martin, Father’s here.”
“Come right in, Sien.”
Hearing Martin’s voice from the other side, Sien opened the door.
—
“…This can’t be!”
As soon as Vincent entered the room and saw Martin, he couldn’t contain his shock.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
He hadn’t expected to be surprised again after the sudden death of the previous head of the family, yet here he was, utterly astonished.
Vincent’s certainty was shattered in an instant.
After a long silence, Vincent finally spoke.
“…What in the world happened, young master?”
His gaze was intense, but Martin met it without wavering.
Seeing Martin’s calm, unshaken demeanor, Vincent gave a slight nod before continuing.
“No matter how I think about it, I can’t understand it. How is it possible that a young master who should be at the fifth circle has reached the seventh? Even if you learned Adalbert swordsmanship in the Overlord’s chamber and took elixirs, it’s hard to believe.”
“I gained enlightenment. The swordsmanship that utilizes spatial domination is completely different from the techniques I previously knew. It sparked a flood of inspiration, and I succeeded in making it my own.”
“With your body, shouldn’t it be difficult to handle such power?”
“I chose the Dragon’s Blood as my elixir in the Overlord’s chamber.”
“…Dragon’s Blood? So, you were prepared to die.”
Vincent looked at him in disbelief.
Martin, however, was unfazed by Vincent’s reaction. In fact, he seemed more concerned about how Sien was taking the news.
Sien, standing beside them, was trembling with fury.
Although Martin had already confessed to her that he’d faced death several times, she had thought he was speaking metaphorically. But Dragon’s Blood? It was closer to poison than medicine.
Not to mention, Dragon’s Blood was far more dangerous than the Drake’s Blood he had used before.
Grit.
Sien clenched her teeth, suppressing her anger.
This wasn’t the time or place for her to speak—this was a conversation between the sole direct heir of the main family and the head of a branch family.
‘I’m in trouble later,’ Martin thought, smiling bitterly to himself.
“I’m alive, aren’t I? In return, my body has been strengthened, and my lifespan extended. I think that’s more than enough.”
“…It’s not my place to criticize your actions, young master. So, why did you call me here? To be honest, I expected you to summon Mateus first.”
“I’d like to hear why you thought that, Vincent.”
A smile played on Martin’s lips.
Vincent chuckled at the unexpected question.
‘Interesting.’
Martin had been respectful, but it was clear he was treating Vincent as a subordinate.
It was as if Martin already considered himself the head of the family.
‘He didn’t sit in the White Dragon Seat without reason. His confidence has grown.’
Despite this, Vincent didn’t find Martin’s attitude arrogant. In fact, he saw it as a positive change.
The Adalbert family, one of the three great houses of the Altaria Empire, commanded respect on par with that of other kingdoms.
To lead such a family, one needed to project strength. Even if it came across as pride, it wasn’t a problem.
It was certainly better than the timid, indecisive young man Martin had once been.
“The Rustal, Fezek, and Bitenfeld families are practically opposing your ascension as head of the family. Their eagerness to call for a grand assembly is proof enough.”
“That’s true.”
“On the other hand, the Igreet family supports you. The only one left is Mateus of the Gustin family, but he’s maintained a neutral stance. In other words, the Gustin family is the only branch you can attempt to win over. Don’t you agree?”
“You’re right. The Gustin family is the strongest among the branches. If they formally back me, my influence will increase significantly.”
“Exactly. And yet, you came to me first. I’d like to know why.”
“It’s simple. I don’t want to associate with people who are blatantly trying to increase their own worth.”
Despite Martin’s continued smile, his tone was cold.
Sien flinched.
Though Martin was close to Kalain, she hadn’t expected him to show such a cold attitude toward the Gustin family.
Vincent, on the other hand, found Martin’s response amusing and smiled.
“Though it took time, I’ve finally manifested spatial domination. I now have the legitimacy to become the head of the family. And I’ve gained strength as well. While I may not yet be worthy of leading one of the three great families, I’m strong enough to establish my authority as head.”
“So, now that you’ve proven yourself as the rightful successor, you no longer see the need to cater to neutral factions?”
“Yes. I have no use for those who remain ambiguous.”
“Are you sure? If the Gustin family turns against you, they could cause trouble.”
“They’d just be additional trash to clean up. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Hahahahaha!”
Vincent burst out laughing, nodding vigorously.
“Bold and refreshing. I understand why you want to distance yourself from the Gustin family. But that still doesn’t explain why you called me here first. I’ve already sworn my loyalty to you, but I can’t prevent the grand assembly from being held on my own.”
“Oh, come on. Your loyalty lies with my late father, doesn’t it? You’re supporting me out of respect for him.”
When Martin hit the mark, Vincent’s expression turned serious.
But Martin continued speaking, undeterred.
“I said I had no need for half-hearted attitudes or unclear stances. That applies to you as well.”
“Go on.”
“I will become the head of the Adalbert family. And I want you to swear your true loyalty to me, Vincent.”
Vincent stared at Martin with a curious expression before responding.
“No matter what, the Igreet family will never betray the Adalbert family. Isn’t that enough?”
“It’s not enough.”
“Then let me ask you this: What will you offer me in exchange for my loyalty?”
“I can offer you something far more enjoyable.”
“Huh?”
Martin shrugged nonchalantly.
Both Vincent and Sien were taken aback by the unexpected answer.
“Enjoyable? What exactly do you mean?”
“I’ll give you the opportunity to spar freely with the strongest swordsman in the history of the Altaria Empire within five years.”
Martin’s smile deepened as he spoke.