Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 168

168.

I received reports detailing the damage our forces sustained.

Leading a substantial army of over seventy thousand, we suffered nearly ten thousand casualties across several battles.

‘That bastard Dareon,’ I thought, frustration simmering.

The battles under my direct command, such as the capture of Kaila Castle and the breakthrough of the Pireon Kingdom’s southern defense fortress near the capital, didn’t incur as many losses as I anticipated.

However, thousands perished during the recapture operations in the Pireon Kingdom’s guerrilla-held territories, campaigns commanded by Dareon.

“Damn it, we must never again entrust troops to incompetent nobles,” I declared, my voice laced with anger as I reviewed the organized documents. Ken then spoke.

“Are you referring to Dareon?”

“Yes.”

Ken, perceptive as ever, recognized my anger stemmed from Dareon’s failures, understanding it without needing a detailed explanation, especially as I was reviewing the troop damage report and cursing.

“It was unavoidable for the sake of maintaining army unity. Humans are, unfortunately, cunning creatures.”

I turned to Ken, my gaze questioning.

“Cunning?”

“Indeed. It wasn’t just the nobles; even the ordinary soldiers were aware of Hamilton’s past accomplishments. Who hasn’t heard of the Empire’s hero who breached the Wailing Fortress?”

Ken continued calmly, laying out his reasoning.

“Despite Hamilton having already proven his capabilities, the nobles and soldiers alike distrusted and even looked down on him, solely because of his former slave status.”

I listened intently to Ken’s words, absorbing the weight of his observations.

“Even with demonstrated abilities, they disregarded his potential based purely on his background. The reason they’ve come to trust Commander Hamilton and Commander Riodeen isn’t simply because they proved their worth on the battlefield.”

“Then what is it?” I asked, curious.

“It’s because Dareon failed spectacularly.”

Understanding dawned, and I shuddered at the implications of Ken’s words.

“The nobles failed miserably, while Commander Hamilton and Commander Riodeen succeeded, creating a stark comparison. This contrast led the soldiers to finally trust Hamilton and Riodeen.”

“Only after thousands died did they set aside their prejudices and begin to trust them… That’s a truly disheartening realization,” I murmured.

“Humans rarely believe, even when presented with proof of someone’s abilities or potential benefits. However, they vividly remember what harms them. Only after facing the very real danger of dying miserably under the command of nobles like Dareon did they begin to trust the capabilities of Commander Hamilton and Commander Riodeen. It’s a truly calculating mindset.”

“Because following those two is demonstrably more beneficial than following Dareon?”

Ken nodded in agreement.

“Precisely. This Eastern Expedition is your Excellency’s first major campaign. Had we failed to unite the army, the battle would not have been nearly as straightforward.”

I had no choice but to concede to Ken’s assessment.

Ken added further insight.

“Of course, it would have been preferable to unite the army without such significant sacrifices. But as a military strategist, I needed a way to achieve unity as swiftly as possible, and I chose the most effective, albeit brutal, method.”

“Yes, you’re right,” I acknowledged.

“I also feel a need for further study and reflection. A military strategist should execute the commander’s intentions in the most efficient manner. In Dareon’s case, he acted against your Excellency’s intentions, pushing his own agenda instead.”

I sought to reassure Ken, easing his burden.

“It’s alright. It’s in the past now, and ultimately, I approved that operation. You don’t need to feel guilty about the damage caused by Count Dareon’s incompetence.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

I brought the conversation with Ken to a close. As he left the office, my gaze shifted to Olivia.

She had been a constant presence by my side, a shadow since assuming the role of my personal guard during the Eastern Expedition.

“There’s a training ground here as well,” I observed.

“Are you planning to train?” she asked.

I nodded in affirmation.

“I need to further refine my Spirit Swordsmanship.”

“That’s an excellent idea,” Olivia agreed.

Olivia took the initiative, leading me to the training grounds.

The more battles I participated in, the more I felt that if my abilities were just a little stronger, I could significantly reduce the soldiers’ sacrifices.

‘Perhaps Father is someone who cares about the soldiers more than anyone else. He initiates many wars, but he always positions himself at the forefront, overwhelming the enemy with his unmatched skills. That, in turn, minimizes the casualties among his troops.’

I began to envision various scenarios, pushing the boundaries of my imagination.

What if I could conjure a massive water barrier, strong enough to deflect all incoming arrows?

What if Silpenn and Ignis’s red windstorms possessed the power to completely obliterate enemy fortifications?

What if Klaiym’s Roar of the Earth could trigger earthquakes throughout the enemy’s encampment?

If I could bring these ideas to fruition, the soldiers’ sacrifices would naturally diminish.

Spirit Swordsmanship offered me a path to becoming a Supreme Spirit Master [a master swordsman who has contracted with multiple spirits to enhance their abilities].

I am different from Father in one crucial aspect.

‘Father is also a Supreme Spirit Master, but he hasn’t formed contracts with Supreme Spirits of all attributes. I, on the other hand, have the potential to contract with Supreme Spirits of every attribute.’

This thought remained unconfirmed, but I held unwavering confidence in its truth.

Couldn’t you tell just by looking at the talent levels?

The level of Wind’s Companion is higher than other talent levels, but it’s not a significant difference.

The fact that talent levels are evenly distributed across all attributes suggests that I possess an exceptional affinity with spirits of all elements.

It wasn’t just the system window that validated my affinity; the spirits I contracted with also affirmed it.

‘When I initially contracted with spirits of various attributes, Supreme Spirits invariably appeared. They addressed me as the Master of the Oath and offered invaluable guidance.’

I arrived at the training ground before I realized it, and promptly summoned Silpenn, requesting a favor from Olivia.

“Would you mind sparring with me?”

“Of course, I’d be happy to,” she replied.

The essence of wind began to infuse the Sword of Destruction.

* * *

As soon as Jane received news of Gordon’s death, she immediately departed from Kaila Castle.

Jane harbored no concern for the deaths of the soldiers.

Normally, Jane was highly regarded by the soldiers. She wasn’t arrogant like Gordon, nor was she as strict about the class system as Eric.

She consistently treated the soldiers with a warm smile and listened attentively to their grievances.

But that was all a carefully constructed facade to enhance her own reputation.

In reality, Jane was far more arrogant than Gordon and adhered to social class distinctions even more rigidly than Eric. She considered anyone who wasn’t a noble to be little more than an animal.

The sole reason she remained in Kaila Castle was to maintain the reputation she had painstakingly cultivated.

A noble who fulfills her duties even in the face of her own family’s crisis!

Jane remained in Kaila Castle solely for the sake of that reputation.

But now, the opportunity to uphold that reputation had vanished.

All that remained for Jane was the looming crisis facing her family.

Jane’s family estate was situated a bit farther from the Kingdom Alliance border than those of the Eric and Gordon families.

Now that she only needed to cross a single mountain range to reach her main family, Jane quickened her pace even further.

‘The Emperor and the Imperial Army haven’t arrived yet,’ she thought, anxiety gnawing at her.

Jane’s hands trembled as she thought of Ron.

‘Damn it, my main family is in danger because of that lowly bloodline,’ she fumed inwardly.

To Jane, Ron, hailing from a small, insignificant northern kingdom she had never even heard of, was neither an emperor nor a noble in any meaningful sense.

Swish-!

Jane frowned, disturbed by the sound emanating from the distance.

‘Could it be the Imperial Army?’ she wondered.

Jane quickly dismissed the thought.

It was highly unlikely that the Imperial Army had arrived so soon. She was currently traversing a mountain range that bypassed the direct route to her main family, and there was no logical reason for the Imperial Army to have ventured this far.

The mountain Jane was crossing was not a strategic location, nor was it a route that Ron, who was advancing from the west of the Kingdom Alliance border, would likely choose.

‘Who could it be then?’ she pondered.

Swish-!

Jane swiftly leaped into the branches of a nearby tree, seeking concealment.

Jane had no desire for the source of the sound to detect her presence.

Regardless of the opponent, Jane was confident in her ability to prevail, as long as it wasn’t Ron. However, she saw no need to draw her sword unnecessarily.

At this moment, her priority was to return to her family as quickly as possible, and she was also intensely curious about any news regarding Eric.

Since the direction of the sound coincided with the path to her main family, Jane moved swiftly through the trees, her movements fluid and agile.

Jane moved smoothly, like a monkey crossing between trees.

The sound grew closer and closer, becoming more distinct.

Soon, Jane identified the source of the sound and halted her progress, carefully positioning herself among the trees.

Swish-!

“Ah, there are quite a few of them?” a voice remarked.

This mountain near Jane’s main family was a place where monsters lived, so people rarely visited, but the young man with black hair seemed unaware of this fact as he cut down the swarming monsters.

Swish-!

The reason Jane stopped was revealed once again.

‘Aura Blade?’ she thought, her eyes widening in surprise.

The Aura Blade [a technique where a swordsman channels their inner energy to create a blade of pure energy] being manifested from the old, worn-out longsword made Jane’s mouth drop open in astonishment.

‘Good heavens, he’s drawing out an Aura Blade from that kind of sword?’ she marveled.

Why do Sword Masters [highly skilled swordsmen] prefer mithril swords?

One reason is that they can draw out the efficiency of the Aura Blade much better than swords made of other minerals, but more than anything, it’s because of the hardness of the mithril mineral itself.

Mithril is hard enough to easily withstand aura, yet it is light in weight. It also had the property of readily accepting mana itself.

That’s why mithril swords are the best swords for Sword Masters.

To draw out an Aura Blade with a shabby longsword like the man’s, one’s level of mana control must be incredibly high.

If one doesn’t control the mana delicately, the sword itself will not be able to withstand the power of the mana and will break.

‘Who is that guy? He’s a face I’ve never seen before,’ Jane wondered.

Jane belatedly focused on the man’s face, having been momentarily distracted by the Aura Blade.

A face she had never encountered before.

Jane knew all the Sword Masters on the continent, but the man’s face was not among them.

‘A wandering knight?’ she speculated.

Jane remained perched in the tree, observing the man’s actions.

She gradually became engrossed in the man’s movements as he effortlessly dispatched the monsters.

‘Extremely efficient,’ she noted, impressed.

Jane’s heart pounded fiercely with excitement at the existence of the incredibly strong person she had accidentally discovered.

Jane was able to confirm several facts while observing the man.

‘He’s stronger than Gordon. He might even be stronger than Eric or me. I can’t do those kinds of movements either. And drawing out an Aura Blade from a trashy longsword like that…’ she mused.

Of course, a match is not absolute and can be swayed by even small variables.

‘Ron, that lowly bastard, is a monster,’ she thought, a shiver running down her spine.

On the other hand, Ron feels overwhelming, unlike the man.

Jane shuddered.

It was because she was already comparing Ron and the man.

Comparing an unknown wandering knight with the Emperor? That meant she was admitting that she was somewhat inferior to the man.

‘Me, to a knight of lowly birth whose name I don’t even know?’ she thought, her pride stung.

Jane knew nothing about the man, but she was certain that he was not of noble birth, judging by the fact that he was holding such a longsword and wearing the attire of a wandering knight.

Swish-!

The man, having cut down the last monster, pretended to wipe the non-existent sweat from his forehead and said.

“Hey, you over there, peeking.”

Jane was not surprised and jumped down from the tree.

Jane had already sensed to some extent that the man had noticed her presence.

From a certain point, Jane had not bothered to hide her presence, and the man had focused on fighting the monsters even though he felt Jane’s presence.

“Who are you?” she asked abruptly.

The man frowned slightly at Jane’s blunt inquiry about his identity.

“Aren’t you the one who was peeking?” he retorted.

Jane felt insulted by the implication that he was the one who should reveal his identity first.

‘How dare a wandering knight,’ she thought, her anger simmering.

But wasn’t Jane the kind of person who wore a fake smile to maintain her reputation even with the soldiers?

Jane, whose face had already transformed into a friendly one, smiled faintly.

“I’m Jane, living in that house over there,” she said, gesturing vaguely.

“Jane?” the man repeated.

“You don’t know me?” she asked, feigning surprise.

The man shook his head.

“No. I know. The house at the foot of the mountain is the main family of Sword Master Jane, and since you said you’re Jane, you must be Sword Master Jane of the Kingdom Alliance.”

Jane was secretly annoyed at the man for not showing proper respect even after she revealed her identity, but she maintained her facade.

“What’s your name? I know all the Sword Masters on the continent, but I’ve never seen your face before,” she inquired.

Jane had already begun calculating her next move in her mind.

‘If I can bring this guy in, I can face Ron. Gordon was definitely lacking in skill, and even if Eric and I joined forces, it was difficult to face Ron. But this guy is different,’ she reasoned.

“It’s a good thing. I was on my way to your house too. I’m Karen, a wandering knight,” the man replied.

‘A Sword Master wandering knight,’ Jane thought, her mind racing.

Jane composed herself and responded.

“You were going to my house?”

“Yes. I got caught up with monsters, so it took a little longer, but it’s fortunate that I met the owner of the house. I didn’t know what to say to get in,” Karen explained.

Jane pressed further.

“Really? Karen, what business do you have at my house? Are you hoping for a knighthood? It’s hard to believe that someone who is a Sword Master is a wandering knight.”

Karen shrugged nonchalantly.

“I don’t know much about knighthoods. I heard a rumor that the Emperor is coming. I heard a rumor that he’s not leading a large army into war, but rather leading a small elite force to the main family of the Kingdom Alliance Sword Master.”

“The Emperor… are you talking about Ron Carl Leord?” Jane asked, her eyes narrowing.

Karen nodded.

“Yes. I want to see the Emperor once. If I wait at your house, can I see the Emperor?”

Fate was swirling, the threads of destiny intertwining in unexpected ways.