EP.71
Fortunately, Count Seryas was a remarkably sensible individual who understood communication and was also a civilized person.
He hoped to have a conversation with Jin rather than immediately drawing his sword and beheading the bastard who had been fooling around with his daughter.
However, regrettably, the reason Count Seryas didn’t create a pretty hole in Jin’s body with his sword wasn’t solely because he was a tolerant and merciful man.
“Father!”
Having eavesdropped on the conversation between Jin and the Count from outside the visiting room, Altina, with a face flushed red, was trembling all over as she looked at Count Seryas.
“You told me not to act like this with Jin! I’m pretty sure I mentioned it when I called you. Jin and I are not… not in a romantic relationship! I’ve emphasized multiple times that we are just a teacher-student relationship!”
“Altina… I know that too, but how about you listen to your father’s words first…?”
“I don’t want to hear it! Don’t make excuses! Now, how am I supposed to face Jin starting tomorrow!”
With her face turning bright red, Altina shouted at Count Seryas, causing Jin to unknowingly wear a blank expression.
The Altina Jin knew was never the type to act like that. Rather, she was always mature and exceedingly grown-up.
This wasn’t merely a story about the Altina from ten years in the future.
Even at the present time, Altina von Rudel Seryas exhibited a mindset and depth of thought that made it hard to believe she was a teenage girl. There were times when she acted more maturely than Jin, who was twice her age.
But at this moment, even with Jin, an outsider, present, Altina looked like a girl her age as she raised her voice toward her father.
Honestly speaking, Jin found himself preferring the current Altina, who seemed so cute over her usual stiffness and tendency to keep a distance from others.
“…W-why are you smiling?”
“Oh, it’s just.”
He couldn’t just say it was because she looked cute today, so he stammered in response to her question.
Crucially, he had just firmly stated to Count Seryas that he and Altina were not in a romantic relationship, so if he were to say something flirtatious now, the Count might genuinely go berserk…
“Does my daughter seem like a joke to you? Or do we appear ridiculous enough for you to make that face?”
“Father!”
“…Ugh, I understand, Altina.”
On the other hand, while Count Seryas was trying to find fault with Jin again, he took a step back as Altina yelled once more, visibly intimidated.
Good grief… that daughter of mine…
Watching Count Seryas shrink back, unable to utter a single harsh word toward Altina, Jin couldn’t help but sense how upright and just she had grown.
That man appeared to be the type who would boast about his daughter being the best and would go to great lengths to accommodate her wishes, an extreme doting father.
Despite growing up under such an overindulgent figure, Altina had managed to grow into a remarkably admirable person, instead of becoming spoiled and self-centered, which made Jin feel proud.
“So, to summarize, you two are merely in a teacher-student relationship, and there’s no romantic relationship, right?”
“Yes.”
When Count Seryas uttered the term ‘romantic relationship,’ his face contorted as if he had bitten into something bitter, but when Altina glared at him again, he relaxed his expression.
Now that I think about it, that man just doesn’t like me.
No, to be precise, he seems to hate every black-haired young man getting close to his cute and lovely daughter.
Jin had managed to endure the Count’s likely disdain because he was Altina’s friend, had spent a lot of time with her, and, crucially, was the one who had helped her reach the level of Master. However, now that the claim of him and Altina not being in a romantic relationship had been stated, the restraints had clearly been released.
“Jin and I… we have no relationship. No, if there’s any relationship between us, it would be that I’m receiving help from Jin unilaterally. The idea of a romantic relationship is absurd… Jin probably doesn’t have any special feelings for me.”
Altina spoke with a pitiful and seemingly weak demeanor.
“…..”
Count Seryas simply gazed at Altina in silence, before suddenly turning to me with a frown.
What now? What is it this time that he finds unsatisfactory?
“Jin, I have one thing I want to ask you.”
“Father, please don’t ask Jin anything strange like before…”
Perhaps now she was just suspicious of her father’s intentions, for Altina looked at the Count warily, but she soon realized that he wore a rather serious expression and fell silent.
“Why have you been teaching Altina up until now?”
“…Excuse me?”
I was pretty sure I had explained this painfully earlier. We merely crossed swords at the training ground and had some insignificant discussions about swords; it was nothing special—just mundane conversations.
However, it seemed that Count Seryas wanted to talk about something slightly different.
“Do you know why the Empire and other countries treat Masters with such great respect and go out of their way to be subservient to them?”
“Because Masters are beings known as superhumans, and they are extremely rare?”
My answer appeared to be correct, as the Count nodded and continued.
“Exactly. Although Masters are human, they also transcend the limits of humanity. They possess the form of a human on the outside, but the power latent within their bodies is so formidable that it would suffice to call it a weapon.”
“But being born as a human and surpassing humanity isn’t an easy or simple task. Despite the many humans present on this continent, the reality is that there are only about twenty Masters existing in the current era.”
Having said that, Count Seryas quietly alternated his gaze between Altina and me.
“That’s precisely why Masters do not hastily share their teachings with others. Masters are transcendent beings. They are the absolute entities of the human realm. Simply existing can disrupt the political situation and balance of the continent, and they are acutely aware of the immense responsibilities that come with their position.”
Well, it’s not like Masters can be artificially mass-produced, he added with a wry smile.
“But you didn’t do that. No matter how much you are a classmate and friend of someone like Altina, you have bestowed kindness that is utterly incomprehensible. You have enlightened Altina to her shortcomings, provided her with advice, and ultimately guided her to reach the level of Master.”
“What I’ve said to Altina is merely some trivial nonsense.”
“Then that’s even more impressive. It means you possess the insight and strength to elevate another to the level of Master with just that trivial bit of advice.”
Count Seryas’s gaze toward me sharpened slightly more than before.
“I thought you two were in a romantic relationship. That’s why I believed you imparted teachings to her, which are more precious than life itself to a Warlord. But if you are not in a relationship, then the Seryas family owes you a debt. And we are in a position where we must repay you in some manner.”
“I didn’t do it with any expectations.”
“You can speak freely. The Seryas family is a great house. Whatever you wish for, whatever you want to achieve, we have the means to make it happen. On the contrary, it would be rude for you to say such things to us.”
“No.”
I shook my head while staring directly into his eyes.
“I don’t expect anything, truly.”
Honestly, I wasn’t entirely uninterested in the ‘compensation’ I could potentially receive from Count Seryas.
After all, he was one of the major nobles of the Empire and the commander of the army controlling the eastern part of the Empire.
If the Count supports me from behind and becomes my strength, it would undoubtedly be a great help in confronting the End in the future.
However, I had no desire to receive any form of compensation for teaching Altina.
What I did was merely a trivial act of conveying the enlightenment of future Altina to the present Altina.
When you think about it, I was simply returning what belonged to Altina back to her—an entirely natural act.
Crucially, future Altina was my romantic partner, and we were certainly not in a relationship where we considered such trivial matters as a debt.
Rather, if I were to consider the advice I gave Altina as a “debt”… it would turn into a profound insult towards my vanished beloved.
Thus, that was something I couldn’t concede to anyone in the world.
“…..”
And as Count Seryas realized the firmness in my words, he scrutinized my face once more.
To the casual observer, I appeared to be an ordinary young man, someone you could find anywhere in the world.
But within me resided beliefs that could not be traded for anything in the world and a noble ideal.
It was evident without words. The subtle aura emanating from me vaguely conveyed what kind of person I was and what thoughts I held.
Above all, being able to express everything, whether applicable or not, in front of a Count of the Empire and a being who has achieved the level of Master greatly pleased him.
He felt a certain envy. And he genuinely found me admirable.
Indeed, she was his daughter. She seemed to have inherited his discerning nature.
From the way Altina acted and spoke, it didn’t seem like she had no feelings for Jin.
The only troubling point was that the damn fool didn’t realize Altina’s affections directed toward him…
“I understand. Indeed, a debt of gratitude is not something that can be imposed on others. If that’s the case, then this matter shall be put aside.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Jin nodded toward the Count as a gesture of gratitude, but the Count’s business was not yet concluded.
“However, it is essential to address the fact that Altina and you have formed a teacher-student relationship.”
“What?”
Jin tilted his head, unable to comprehend what the Count was trying to imply.
“Altina is no longer a child. She is on the brink of becoming an adult, and even though I am her father, I cannot dictate her life. But I believe I do have the right as her father to impose one condition.”
“What is that?”
“I wish to judge whether you, Jin, have the qualifications to be Altina’s teacher.”
The Count believed that Jin’s obliviousness to the circumstances was due to the teacher-student relationship he had with Altina.
Though they might have been able to accelerate their relationship during times when they knew nothing about each other, their current situation served only as an impediment.
In that case, the only thing he could do as Altina’s father at this moment was one thing.
“How do you intend to make that judgment?”
“Through a duel.”
Count Seryas quietly proclaimed, his eyes gleaming with intensity as they turned toward Jin.
“In the realm of Warlords, is there any greater symbol to test each other’s qualifications than a sword?”
With the intent to beat the arrogant brat in front of him to the brink of death for the sake of his daughter’s romantic pursuit.
Of course, he also carried a slight grudge against the fool who had snagged his daughter’s heart.
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