Chapter 7: Your Legs Are Weak (2)
Anis’ senior personal guardsman couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed.
Lord Anis… lost?
Although he had allowed Keter to enter easily, it wasn’t just out of fear of Keter; it was because Anis was strong. Keter was freakishly strong as well, but the guardsman thought no one could surpass Anis. He also expected that Anis would teach Keter a lesson. But the results of the match were surprising.
Keter and Anis began fighting fiercely in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, the match was decided with Anis’ defeat. Their movements were so fast that the guardsman couldn’t see everything clearly, but he could see that Keter beat Anis purely with skill.
His subordinate, Alex, had been sent to the main mansion to report the situation. This was more disappointing, as he was the only one who had witnessed their brief but intense battle. Even if he told the other soldiers, they probably wouldn’t believe him that Keter subdued Anis so quickly.
How could Lord Anis…
Anis often sparred with the soldiers as part of his training, and he had never lost. He usually went against three people simultaneously, and on good days, he had a record of defeating nine at once. If anyone asked which member of the Sefira family the young soldiers admired most, it was undoubtedly Anis. It was hard for the guardsman to accept his defeat, as Anis was universally admired.
This was an ambush. Lord Anis had been undergoing intense training for several consecutive days and was even injured. Lord Keter attacked first, which was unfair.
Having watched from behind Keter, the senior guard didn’t realize that Anis had attacked first.
It’s true that Lord Keter is strong… but I can’t leave Lord Anis like that either. What should I do?
While the guardsman was contemplating what to do, he watched as Anis, who had fallen, tried to get up.
“Why is a corpse getting up?” Keter said.
He’s saying that I would be dead if this was real combat.
Anis, understanding what Keter was saying, replied, “This was not a fair fight.”
“Oh, in what way?”
“I haven’t slept for three days due to training. Plus, for an archer, distance is life. If you were an actual enemy, I wouldn’t have let you get this close in the first place.”
“Ah, so you’re saying this: an enemy trying to kill you would ensure you’re in peak condition and aware of their presence before attacking. That’s what you consider a ‘fair fight,’ right?”
“Do not mock me. You’ve lived your whole life as a commoner, so you wouldn’t understand, but dignity is as vital as life to a noble.”
“Whatever the reason, you lost. Right now, you can make excuses because you’re alive, but once you’re dead, you can’t do that. You’ll just be a fool who died stupidly.”
“What makes you think you know enough to teach me?”
“And what makes you think you know so much? You’re just a kid who knows nothing.”
“You…!”
As Anis, overcome with anger, tried to stand up again, Keter pushed him down with his bow, forcing him back to the ground.
“A victor can’t take everything from the defeated, but they can certainly take their life.”
“So, are you saying you’ll kill me?”
The situation was tense. They were talking about killing each other on their first encounter. The senior guard who was watching them was so tense that he forgot to breathe. He readied himself to rush in if Keter decided to kill Anis.
However, Keter grinned cheekily and replied, “Why would I kill a valuable client?”
Anis blinked in confusion as he saw Keter pull a business card from his chest pocket, which he held out to Anis between his fingers. The card was made of stiff paper with a coat of magic.
“What is…”
A business card in this situation?
Anis was puzzled, but following the noble customs, Anis couldn’t refuse to accept the business card handed to him.
—Problem Solver, Keter. I resolve issues at an unreasonable price.
Anis turned over the card as he felt an unusual texture on the back. There was an inscription of a contact rune of Archacic Code, a long-distance communication spell used by mages.
“So, you’re a mage from the lawless city of Absinthe?” Anis asked.
To use the Archacic Code, mana and knowledge about magic were essential.
Keter just shrugged at Anis’ question.
“I’m a Solver, not a mage. It seems like you finally want to talk, and I can’t have my client sitting on a cold floor.”
Keter extended his hand to Anis, but he stood up on his own.
“A problem solver? Ridiculous. I know my problems well and already know how to solve them. I don’t need anyone’s help. Enough with the chatter, let’s fight again. This time, I’ll fight seriously.”
“If you want to fight me, there’s quite a long waiting list. Do you have the money to get a ticket? I’m willing to offer a family discount.”
“Talking about money first; how typical of someone from Absinthe.”
“So, how much do you have? You have more than me?”
Anis became speechless again. He had never thought about his wealth before.
How much money do I have?
He then shook his head, trying to clear his mind of distracting thoughts. Talking with Keter made him feel distracted for some reason.
“Enough! I don’t care if you’re from Absinthe or you’re a problem solver. Just get out. I don’t have time to waste like this,” Anis shouted angrily.
Keter then held up two fingers.
“I don’t take verbal requests. Two hundred gold to leave.”
“That’s absurd. I don’t have that kind of money.”
“Don’t worry. I accept promissory notes, too.”
As Keter took out a pen and paper from his pocket, Anis frowned.
“You carry that around with you? You’re crazy.”
Then, Keter smiled and said, “Looks like you’re starting to understand me a little.”
Keter handed back the bow and arrows he had taken from Anis. Anis accepted them, but he still looked uneasy.
“You’re not going to ask me for money, right?”
“Let’s call it a day. Eat well, get plenty of rest, and come find me when you’re feeling better,” Keter said.
It wasn’t a request, but an order to come find him. Anis scowled again.
“Why should I?”
Ignoring him, Keter had already turned his back and was walking toward the entrance.
“Because you lost,” he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Anis took that as Keter accepting a rematch on his terms.
“Fine! I’ll come find you. I’ll prove that your victory was just a fluke.”
For Keter, creating a client where none existed before was just part of his method. This was the moment he secured his first client in the Sefira family.
* * *
This was Keter’s first fight after he returned to life. He wasn’t satisfied; after all, no adult felt joy in defeating a child.
He could clearly feel what the problem was: his body couldn’t keep up with the techniques he knew. It was only natural, as the techniques were from his previous life, but his body was from the present.
How much aura and mana did I have at this point in my life?
Keter focused and assessed the amount of accumulated aura and mana in his body. He saw that he had seven years’ worth of aura and two years’ worth of mana. For an eighteen-year-old, that was enough to make him stand tall anywhere, but by ordinary standards. By his standards, it was a minuscule amount.
Ein, the power he used to confront one of the Four Lords, was a fusion of aura and mana, and achieving that fusion required at least a hundred years’ worth of both aura and mana. It took about thirty years to achieve in Keter’s previous life, and even that was expedited at the cost of his lifespan. It wasn’t complete Ein either.
With incomplete Ein, Keter couldn’t defeat the Four Lords, let alone the queen. As such, he needed to achieve complete Ein and acquire an even greater power.
The next stage beyond Ein was Ein Sof. This was the power used by those revered as gods. Keter also needed this power to confront the queen. However, while he knew that Ein Sof existed, he didn’t know how to obtain it.
First, Keter needed to recover the level he reached in his previous life: surpassing the six-star Grandmaster to the final level allowed to humans, seven-star Prime. It took him thirty years in his previous life, but—
Maybe I can shorten it to five years this time.
He was going to try to attain the power of Prime, the highest and ultimate realm achievable by humans, within five years. Then, he was going to obtain a complete Ein instead of the incomplete Ein he used in his previous life.
People who knew about the power of Ein would laugh at him, but if Keter couldn’t accomplish this after his regression, he might as well die of embarrassment.
However, now was the time to praise himself for his accomplishments and enjoy the rewards. He confirmed that there were no differences between his past and present lives and succeeded in making Anis his first client.
This is killing three birds with one stone.
After getting such a pleasant gain, he suddenly began to feel the hunger he had forgotten about.
Saving the family and killing the queen is all to live a happy, fulfilled life, isn’t it?
As Keter headed toward the restaurant, which he already knew the location of, he met eyes with Jacques, who had been looking for him. He rushed over, huffing in anger.
“Lord Keter! Why did you go to the west mansion alone? If you got lost, you could die from a heart attack caused by acute panic disorder!”
Jacque’s overreaction that never made sense was just as dramatic as ever, both in his previous and present life.
“Wait, my lord. Blood on your shoulder…? W-Wait…”
“It’s not mine,” Keter replied.
It seemed like some of Anis’ blood got on his clothes during their scuffle.
“Excuse me? What did you say? That’s even worse! W-Who did you kill? Who?!”
“I don’t just kill anybody.”
“A-Anybody? What are you talking about? Please, I’m begging you, my lord. Could you at least stay out of trouble on the first day? You don’t even know anything about the Sefira family yet.”
“Hm…”
Jacques was right to some extent. Keter knew almost everything about the Sefira family on the outside—he didn’t spend the whole year doing nothing. However, he didn’t know the finer details. In his previous life, he wasn’t interested in the internal affairs of the family. He definitely needed to get information from someone who knew the family’s inner workings well, and conveniently, that person was right in front of him.
Jacques was born on the estate of Sefira, educated as a butler, and had been loyal to this day. In other words, he was a living witness to the family’s history.
Keter put his arm around Jacques and said, “Gramps, let’s get something to eat.”
“All of a sudden?”
“Of course. Do we have to make plans to eat?”
“Oh, yes, well, it is lunchtime. I can guide you to the dining room… but please, for heaven’s sake, at least change your clothes, my lord. There’s blood on them, and the attendants are getting frightened.”
Looking around, Keter noticed the helping hands scattering like rabbits in front of a hunting dog when they made eye contact with him.
“Hmm. I’ll do it for free this time because it’s you saying it.”
Keter stopped by the dressing room and, ignoring the refined clothes Jacques recommended, picked out something he liked. It was dark blue mixed with black, like the darkness of the night sky, with touches of crimson here and there. It was perfect for him. He also didn’t button it up as it felt too constricting. However, Jacques didn’t say anything more, as if he knew that Keter had conceded as much as he could.
In the dining room, a bald-headed chef was waiting for him.
“Nice to meet you, my lord. I’m Altin, assigned as your personal chef from today.”
There was no way Keter would forget Altin. In his previous life, he was the kind-hearted uncle who looked like an octopus and made him anything he wanted to eat.
“Nice to meet you, Uncle Octopus.”
“Octopus…? Ahem, yes, pleased to serve you. Shall I prepare your meal right away?”
“Four servings: two part vegetables, eight parts meat. I can eat anything, so use the freshest seasonal ingredients and make whatever you’re best at.”
“Th-That’s quite specific. Understood, my lord.”
As Altin went into the kitchen, the sounds of bustling preparations soon followed.
“I will be waiting outside, my lord, so please enjoy your meal.”
Keter slipped his hand under Jacques’ armpit as he was about to leave and placed him on the chair.
“Why wait outside? We’re not strangers. Let’s eat together.”
“... That is not proper conduct, my lord.”
Though Jacques was easily flustered in front of Keter, he was a loyalist who served the Sefira family with his life until their downfall, and he was trustworthy. No matter how friendly he was, Jacques would never answer questions that crossed the line.
But Keter knew Jacques’ weakness. He grabbed the wine on the table, popped the cork, and poured a full glass.
“Screw proper conduct. Here, my word is law. Now, take a glass, Gramps.”
Keter then filled Jacques’ glass to the brim and raised his.
“Cheers. We should celebrate our meeting.”
“Oh… Uh…”
Clang!
Clinking his glass against Jacques’, Keter drank the wine. He could clearly see Jacques’ gulping, staring at Keter’s throat as he downed his drink.
“Gramps?”
When Keter lightly shook his empty glass, Jacques gulped once more.
“T-Then, I’ll just have a little bit.”
He took a small sip reluctantly and set the glass down on the table.
Why is this guy so reluctant?
A slight frown from Keter was all it took. Seeing that, Jacques emptied his glass entirely with a sad look.
People are going to think I’m forcing him to drink.
Jacques was a man who couldn’t resist alcohol, though he strictly abstained from it while on duty. Even now, he was glancing at the empty wine glass in disappointment.
Glug, glug, glug.
Keter wasn’t about to just watch. He filled Jacques’ glass to the brim again, watching his expression shift from joy to worry and back to joy. As Keter went to pour into his own glass, Jacques snatched the bottle away.
“It is customary to return the favor when offered a drink. Allow me to pour it for you.”
Splash.
Jacques elegantly filled Keter’s wine glass a little and then tried to put the bottle away. However, Keter shook his wine glass to express his displeasure.
“You poured me so little, Gramps. Are you not happy to see me? ”
“N-no, my lord, it’s not that. I just thought it wouldn’t be good for you to drink too much on your first day.”
“Are you implying that I can’t handle my liquor?” Keter asked.
“That is not what I…”
“That hurts my pride. Why don’t we play a game? Let’s see who gets drunk first, and the loser grants the winner a wish.”
“How could I possibly play a game against you, my lord?”
Jacques declined firmly, but Keter had anticipated this reaction.
“Oh dear, my apologies, Jacques. You’re older, so your tolerance for alcohol must be low. It was unfair of me to suggest a game. Forget about it. Let’s pretend it never happened.”
As Keter reached for the wine bottle to put it away, he saw Jacques’ eyebrow twitch. Being called a lightweight was something that the booze-loving Jacques couldn’t stand.
Clang.
Jacques grabbed the wine bottle.
With a serious face, he asked, “My lord, are you serious about what you just said? About the bet where the loser grants the winner a wish?”
Keter had him hooked.
“...”
“I swear on my honor… Hey, what’s with that disappointed look?” Keter asked. “Fine. I swear on my blood of the Sefira family that if I lose, I will grant you any wish.”
“... I also swear.”
Unlike Keter’s casual oath, Jacques performed a ritual and made a vow quite solemnly, closing his eyes and praying devoutly.
“I swear on my soul to Her Majesty the Queen Lillian that if I lose this bet, I will grant Lord Keter one wish, provided it does not harm the Sefira family.”
“...”
“My lord?”
“Hmm? Ah, yes, I heard you.”
Hearing Queen Lillian’s name instantly soured Keter’s mood. Of course, to Jacques and everyone else, she was nothing short of a deity; even the very name of this country was Lillian Kingdom.
Queen Lillian had maintained her youth for nearly eight hundred years since the kingdom’s founding, and even for thousands of years before that, proving her divinity. But Keter knew that she wasn’t a god. Other monarchs in different kingdoms also claimed divinity, but they were all killable.
In any case, the Sefira family mattered more right now. Kings and gods came after that.
“Meals are served!”
The real feast began with Altin walking out of the kitchen, carrying a large dish. Simultaneously, so did Keter’s drinking contest with Jacques.
“Cheers.”
Jacques confidently started drinking first, but to Keter, it looked adorable. He wondered if Jacques knew that whenever there was a drinking contest in Liqueur, they always called for him to judge or mediate. Why? Well, because Keter was a god—a god of alcohol.
Since he started drinking at the age of seven until now, Keter had never lost a drinking contest.
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