Early in the morning, the Huphester Alliance’s transfer gate lacked people.
Yet, as soon as Jin, Luna, and Gilly arrived, they attracted the attention of the few people who were there.
Mainly because of Luna.
Jin’s face had not been widely known yet. But when it came to Luna, people would notice her anywhere she went. And being the Runcandel Clan’s military ally, the people of the Huphester Alliance especially paid more attention to her.
However, nobody spoke to her nor mentioned her name. Instead, that night, there would be bustling talk about her visit to the city.
“This is why I don’t like moving around. I usually enjoy a small rural area where nobody knows me. How could you say that the outdoors are more comfortable?”
While Luna complained, Jin pulled down his hood to partially cover his face.
The transfer gate’s security ran towards them.
““All hail!””
“I am honored to escort the first flag-bearer of Runcandel!”
“Since we’re going to the Garden of Swords, please call a carriage for us.”
Luna received the salutes and responded.
““Yes, ma’am!””
The security officers ran off. Although they were not directly affiliated with the Garden of Swords, they received financial compensation from the Runcandels for their work. It was the same for all knights in the Huphester Alliance.
After ten minutes, a steel carriage belonging to the Runcandel Clan arrived at the VIP waiting hall.
The person who brought the vehicle was the clan’s second butler, Petro. Conveniently, he had come to the transfer gate to deliver some important documents.
“Lady Luna! The main house was petrified because of your sudden disappearance. Where have you been? …Huh? And Young Master Jin…? Gilly?! Why are you with the eldest daughter?”
Petro’s eyes widened.
To his knowledge, these three people shouldn’t be together. A provisional flag-bearer acting with the first flag-bearer was unacceptable.
“…It seems there is some backstory to this nonsense. Well, let’s go, Lady. There are too many eyes here. You guys go to the main house first and tell them the news.”
Petro looked around and told the guardian knights to go ahead. He was worried that there would be rumors of Luna being together with Jin.
Clop, clop.
The carriage began to move, and Petro still couldn’t suppress his discomfort.
‘What the hell is going on? At this rate, if Young Master Jin arrives at the house…’
Then the Garden of Swords would definitely turn upside down. .
Luna’s sudden disappearance was dismissable because it often happened.
But a provisional flag-bearer returning without permission when it hadn’t even been a month since they left?
At that point, if blood dropped from the sky, nobody would be surprised.
“Uh, Lady Luna, Young Master Jin! It may seem a little tactless, but I have something to ask.”
“You’re already making it awkward, so shut up. I’m also very concerned.”
“Understood…”
Unaware of the embarrassment burning Petro from the inside, the carriage and its passengers departed for the Garden of Swords.
‘We came here, but what should we do if Father gets furious? Do I have to pray that Gilly takes Jin and escapes while I block Father’s attacks?’
There were too many stationed guardian knights to do that. Even without them, running away from the other Runcandel children was impossible for Gilly alone. Additionally, the nanny’s power was currently being suppressed.
As they got closer to the Garden of Swords, Luna got more and more uncomfortable.
‘Whatever. Whatever happens, happens. There’s no way Father will try to kill him, right? I mean… No, he definitely has the drive to do so.’
Luna gave up on thinking through the situation and stared at Jin.
‘Even I’m sweating from anxiety, but this kid is annoyingly straight-faced.’
In fact, Jin was leaning on a window, lost in thought. Of the things he planned to request from Cyron, he was deciding which would be more strategically advantageous for him.
“Youngest Brother.”
“Yes, Eldest Sister?”
“You better be really nice to me.”
“Of course.”
The carriage stopped.
In the courtyard, there were countless swords with the hilt sticking out of the ground. A few servants were working about. The guardian knights on standby raised their swords in salute at the sight of the carriage’s arrival.
Petro opened the carriage door, and Luna stepped out.
Subsequently, Gilly and Jin disembarked the carriage, startling the servants. Even the lowest-class servants expected something bad to happen in the near future.
Receiving the reports from the guardian knights who left earlier on Petro’s orders, Jin’s siblings emerged from the residence.
“This crazy bastard! Youngest Brother! Do you not have any respect or responsibility after leaving the house? How dare you enter the Garden of Swords as a provisional flag-bearer?!”
The first one to exclaim was the fourth son, Vigo Runcandel. Next to him were the fourth and fifth daughters, Myu and Anne.
“Probably the result of Eldest Sister’s kindness.”
“I don’t think Eldest Sister Luna can help you this time. This is really not okay.”
Luna, Jin, and Gilly stood still and remained silent.
On the other hand, as the man who brought them here, Petro felt like he was sitting on thorns.
‘Ha, they’re getting scolded as expected!’
The servants couldn’t even murmur. After some time, they stopped their work in the courtyard and frantically fled to safety.
Jin’s disobedience of the rules was that severe.
From the residence, the second daughter Luntia, third daughter Mary, and second son Dipus emerged.
“Wow… It’s more shocking in person. What is it, youngest idiot? Are you forfeiting your chance of becoming a flag-bearer? Or is your puberty compelling you to commit suicide?”
Dipus clicked his tongue and looked towards Mary. However, Mary did not respond and instead continued to glare at Jin.
‘You dumbass… You can’t come back yet. You have to get stronger and fight me someday.’
From the moment she gifted him the Phoenix Heart, she was awaiting a great battle with Jin. But now, with Jin standing before them, she could only be confused and disappointed.
As the culprits stood like statues, Luntia sighed and walked towards them.
“Eldest Sister Luna… for what reason did you bring him back?”
Luntia spoke with a soft tone, but her eyes held a cold, violent glare.
“I didn’t bring him here. He brought himself.”
“Then you should’ve stopped him. Just because his head is empty doesn’t mean you can just allow this!”
Even though Luntia shouted at her, Luna didn’t really have anything to say.
After all, she was more or less correct.
“Whatever. So, where’s Father?”
Annoyed, Luna turned her head away from all of the insults. Ever since she was young, Luna had a hard time dealing with Luntia, which explained why the second daughter was the only sibling who could talk to her in this manner.
“Oh my. Did you really return to see Father?”
“Indeed, Sister.”
Luntia facepalmed and spat some curses.
If Luna wasn’t there, the Runcandel siblings would’ve ripped Jin to shreds.
‘What a wonderful family.’
Jin sarcastically praised his family. Luntia shook her head and sighed.
“I don’t know what he’ll do, big sister. You, youngest. I don’t know why you even came to see Father, but brace yourself. Go ahead. He’s in his study.”
Jin moved his feet and Luna began to follow him.
Shing!
Along with the siblings, all of the guardian knights unsheathed their swords.
“…As of now, please surrender your weapon and wait, first flag-bearer. There was a strict order from the patriarch that we must send Jin Runcandel alone.”
Their father, the patriarch; the eldest daughter, the first flag-bearer.
Luntia stopped screaming at Luna because she wanted to deal with this problem professionally. Additionally, it was on Cyron’s orders.
‘Ah, this isn’t how I expected it to turn out.’
Luna thought. At this rate, if their father decides to kill Jin, she won’t be there to become Jin’s shield.
“And if I decline?”
As Luna slowly reached for Crantel, a guardian knight stood behind Gilly and put a sword to her throat. Since her powers were still suppressed, she couldn’t even react.
“Please halt, first flag-bearer. It is the patriarch’s orders.”
“You little—! Put that sword away!”
“You’ve crossed the line. If you don’t offer a satisfactory discussion to Father, then you will not return alive. As for the first flag-bearer, you can’t evade banishment.”
“Please surrender your weapon. If you resist, I will kill her.”
Luna gritted her teeth.
‘We’re doomed… Should I just escape with Jin? Damn it. I knew I didn’t think this through. I didn’t think anything would happen since I thought Father favored Jin…!’
If she fought them and escaped, they were likely to succeed.
However, she probably couldn’t save Gilly and would live the rest of her life being chased by the Runcandel Clan.
Of course, losing Luna—who had become a 5-star knight at the age of 15, the genius among geniuses, and the strongest knight after Cyron—would be a great loss for the clan.
However, the Runcandel Clan wasn’t a rational clan. Even though they would lose a significant amount of power as a consequence, the orders of the patriarch were absolute.
At this point, Jin had no choice but to satisfy Cyron’s will.
Still, Jin was expressionless the entire time.
“…Brothers, Sisters. It seems that you are all worked up. As a son—as a member of the Runcandel Clan, I only came to report something to Father. Please calm yourselves.”
His siblings held back their glares and lowered their voices.
They were all just keeping an eye on Luna with a ‘professional’ attitude.
“Eldest Sister Luna and Gilly, I apologize for putting you in such a situation.”
Jin began to walk towards the residence.
He did expect such a reaction from their family, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous.
‘My siblings don’t know Father that well. It’s against the rules for a provisional flag-bearer to return to the main house. But surprisingly, Father isn’t that strict with rules.’
Either way, getting something from Cyron without any fear of danger was impossible. He couldn’t evade the gamble.
On top of that, after his regression, Jin thought that it was much easier to understand his Father.
Usually, he couldn’t even look his father in the eye. Now, however, Jin found it most comfortable when confronting him.
‘If I just stay alert, then I can succeed. If he just gives me a chance to talk, I must.’
Phew.
Jin took a deep breath as he arrived at the study’s door and carefully knocked.
Knock. Knock.
Swoooooosh.
Simultaneously, a blade beam flew past Jin’s head—undetectable to Jin at the moment.
“I guess I thought of you too highly. I’m sure I gave you five years.”
Cyron’s booming voice followed soon after. The blade beam disintegrated the door to the study into dust.
As he looked at his father, Jin felt himself smile internally.
For some reason, his mind became calm the moment he saw Cyron. And the things he wanted to discuss constantly popped up in his mind.
‘I can’t say that I’m sorry. I must maintain a confident attitude, but not to a point where it comes off as disrespectful.’
He immediately chose his response.
“I came because I wanted to see you again, Father.”
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