Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Three months had passed since he entered Partes.

In three years, he would have to rule Altair, the most troublesome territory in Lucon. To do that, he needed strength, and so Khal continued his relentless training today.

Tighten!

Shirtless and drenched in sweat, Khal stood on his hands, repeating a cycle of lowering and pushing himself back up. At a glance, it seemed like a simple test of strength, but this was a training method devised by the Onyx Square.

Every time he exerted force to move his muscles, he simultaneously compressed and relaxed his mana, synchronizing it with his physical movements. Every single cell screamed as they were torn apart, but the mana coating the wounds boosted his recovery, transforming them into even stronger muscle fibers.

His veins bulged, and his muscles looked as though they might snap at any moment. Four hours had already passed since he began this session. Between his training and his studies, Khal’s total sleep time likely amounted to less than four hours a day.

‘I still can’t believe this is the same Young Master I used to know,’ thought Rain, the maid who had set down a basin for washing and a towel nearby. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.

In the past, he would have been consumed by obsession, despairing over his life-or-death situation. Now, he seemed the type to hurl curses and insults at any enemy without a second thought. Whether or not Partes had noticed this change in his personality, rumors were spreading rapidly that he was the ‘Ruffian of Partes.’ However, those who badmouthed him behind his back didn’t dare make a sound in his presence.

He had already snapped at professors from the eight schools, asking them, “Is your research really that shoddy? What have you been doing for two years?” It was all too obvious that he would use even harsher language with the students.

‘Still, the day will come when the true value of his efforts is recognized,’ Rain thought, suppressing her worry as she spoke to him.

“Young Master, I think you’re overdoing it since the crack of dawn. Why don’t you continue after lunch?”

“Very well.”

Whoosh!

As if waiting for those words, Khal pushed off the floor with his palms, righted himself, and began to wipe his body with the towel she offered. Just then, there was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it,” Rain said.

Creak. She opened the door slightly and looked at the visitors.

“I’m here, Rain!”

“Me too!”

Outside the door, Lily and Eri were waving cheerfully.

“Oh, you’ve arrived!” Rain welcomed them with a bright smile, which quickly turned into an awkward expression. “Could you wait just a moment? The Young Master’s training…”

But before she could finish her sentence, the door was flung wide open.

“Who is it? Why are you just peeking out like that?” Khal demanded.

Creak!

The door swung fully open. Khal stood inside with a towel draped around his neck, looking lethargic. The reactions of the two women upon seeing his well-defined, muscular body were starkly different.

“Oh my!” Eri burst into laughter, covering her eyes with both hands.

“Put some clothes on, you idiot!” Lily shouted, her face turning bright red.

A short while later, unable to host guests in a room thick with sweat and heat, Khal was eating with them in a corner of the dining hall.

“I… am I really allowed to be here too?” Rain asked, looking flustered at having been pulled into the meal.

It was understandable. Even if they hid their status and surnames, most students at Partes were the children of high-ranking nobles and officials. One certain reason for this was that the annual tuition at Partes was astronomical; ordinary nobles couldn’t even dream of affording it. There were even absurd rumors of territories going bankrupt because a lord sent his child to Partes to secure a future.

Naturally, Rain felt burdened sitting and eating alongside such people.

Knowing this all too well, Lily gave a bitter smile and said, “It’s fine. While we’re here, no one can pull rank.”

“Actually, that’s one of Partes’ educational guidelines,” Eri added, taking a sip of tea.

“Don’t stress over something like this. What’s wrong with being comfortable?” Khal said.

“N-no, I… I’m sorry.” Rain flinched at his blunt tone. Despite her trembling, she took a bite of her sandwich. Lily watched this with a sullen expression before turning to Khal.

“Why can’t you try being a little kinder to women?”

“Could I possibly be any kinder than this?”

“…”

It sounded like sarcasm, but since it was technically true from his perspective, Lily was momentarily speechless. Kalliant—this man with nerves of steel—was so aggressive even when showing kindness that he was often misunderstood. Having spent quite a bit of time with him, Lily knew he was being considerate, but it didn’t sit well with her that others might get the wrong idea. Consequently, she spoke up with a slightly grumpy tone.

“…You don’t have any friends, do you?”

“…I don’t see why friends are necessary.” Khal wasn’t being stubborn; he was being sincere. His eyes didn’t waver; he accepted the fact with indifference.

Thinking he was just being obstinate, Eri spoke up quickly. “But isn’t it boring to go all day without talking to anyone? Playing, eating, and drinking with others is really fun. And having someone who truly understands you makes you feel secure.”

“Not particularly.”

In his past life as a demon, there was only struggle and war. In the end, everyone else had been annihilated, and he was the only one left standing. Even now, born into the Stark Family, his life wasn’t much different from his time as a demon. If there was a difference, it was just the annoying need to use his wits. However, Eri took his words differently.

“…You really don’t have any?” she asked, looking at him with genuine pity.

Snap! ‘There’s no one better at getting under my skin than her,’ Khal thought. He considered getting angry at this relaxed type of person he’d never dealt with before, but he quickly regained his composure.

“I don’t know what it means to be lonely, but based on what you’ve said, then this person here would be my friend.” Khal’s finger pointed naturally toward Liliana.

“…Eh?” Lily’s face flushed crimson at the unexpected gesture.

“W-what are you talking about?” she stuttered, frantically fanning her face to cool down. Eri looked back and forth between Khal and Lily with a mischievous grin.

“You’re smoother than I thought, Kalliant.”

Khal stared at her for a moment, took a sip of tea, and spoke. “Sometimes your words and your intentions are so different. What is it you actually want to say?”

“…” Crack. Eri’s face froze. It seemed he had hit the nail on the head, leaving her unable to react.

“E-Eri?” Lily looked confused by Eri’s unprecedented reaction. Eri forced a laugh and spoke.

“Hohoho, Khal. Sometimes you should just close your eyes and let a lady keep her secrets.”

“I’ll take that into consideration.” Khal took another sip of tea, barely listening.

“Seriously, I’m going to get mad!” Eri puffed out her cheeks in a pout and handed an envelope to Khal.

“What’s this?”

“An invitation to my birthday. It’s going to be a very lavish party, so you’d better dress up. And since many people will be gathering, you might find some good friends to make.”

Khal looked thoughtful. Wouldn’t it be better to spend that time training instead of going to a birthday party? While he was weighing his options, Lily spoke up with a cold expression.

“If you refuse, I’m not coming over to visit anymore.”

He could have easily told her not to come, but for some reason, Khal genuinely agonized over it for a moment.

“Refusing a lady’s request without a good reason goes against chivalry,” Rain added. With her joining in, Khal nodded with a reluctant expression.

“…Fine. I’ll go.”

* * *

Night fell. Usually, he would be training in the dormitory, but since today was the bi-weekly grocery run, he was walking through the night market with his maid, Rain.

“I could have come alone. I’m sorry,” she said.

“Don’t worry about it.”

As he carried the groceries, Khal thought back to the previous owner of this body with a complicated expression. In the past, the original Kalliant had faced death dozens of times. One of those methods was poisoning. From the moment he realized his food was poisoned, he had refused to eat or drink, nearly starving to death. Though he didn’t know the full details, it was Rain who had saved Kalliant back then. While it was technically her duty as a maid, she had looked after his meals with utmost devotion, and from then on, he always had to have Rain present when he ate. Now, he was perfectly capable of feeding himself, but whenever he said he’d eat alone, she looked so disappointed she seemed on the verge of tears. He could only sigh and eat the food she prepared.

‘Well, the food is actually good, so it’s fine.’

“I don’t want to interfere with your training, Young Master. Next time, I’m really coming alone,” Rain insisted. As she continued to pester him, they stepped into a dark alley.

Shhhhh.

A strange sensation prickled his five senses, and Khal sharpened his awareness. His pupils narrowed as he quickly scanned the surroundings before speaking.

“For just a brief moment, a thought occurred to me.”

“What thought?”

“That if the world were peaceful, a naive person like you could walk around without a care in the world.”

“What does that mean?!”

“It means the world is full of malice.”

The moment the words left his lips—

Flash! Khal’s hand shot out, grabbed the head of an assassin lurking in the shadows, and slammed it into the wall in one motion.

Crash! Thud!

“Aaaaagh!” The man let out a horrific scream before collapsing, blood pooling from his head.

“W-what is going on?!”

“I don’t want you having nightmares, so just sleep.” Using the acupuncture techniques he’d learned from McCally, Khal pressed his thumb into a pressure point on Rain’s neck, putting her to sleep.

“…”

After gently laying her down, Khal narrowed his eyes sharply and whispered a warning into the darkness.

“Why don’t you all just come out?”

Realizing they could no longer hide their presence, a group of masked figures emerged before him. Despite the risk of having to protect Rain, Khal gave a predatory smirk.

“You’re a bit too skilled to be mere thieves.”

“Kalliant. You’ve been making too much noise.”

“That arrogant personality of yours has invited your death.”

Khal burst into laughter at the assassins’ pompous words. “Hahahaha! You really think you can kill me? There are only about twenty of you.”

“?!”

Their eyes widened in shock that their numbers had been accurately gauged. In that instant, Khal kicked a pebble lying on the street with all his might. The stone, infused with a faint red mana—

Crack! Thud!

In one stroke, it tore through the abdomens of two men standing in line. The fellow assassins seemed unable to process the sight of the bursting organs and the spraying blood.

Khal shoved his hands into his pockets and spoke to them. “Do you really think you can take me with those numbers? Ah, that’s a pointless question. Scratch that.”

‘What is this guy talking about all of a sudden?’

Gulp. The assassins, tensed by his unexpected words, subconsciously swallowed hard. What was happening? It was twenty against one. The one who should be terrified was the lone boy, Khal. Instead, he seemed to welcome the situation, twisting one corner of his mouth into an ominous grin as he left them with a chilling remark.

“Because it’s a bother to count how many ants it takes to bring down a predator.”