Inside my stepmother’s room, the scent of high-quality aromatherapy immediately greeted my senses. I think this was the first time I had ever stepped inside. The room was neatly arranged, with several bookshelves and stacks of documents on a work desk beside the bed.

  For the wife of a Marquess, the chamber felt surprisingly modest—no excessive decorations.

  As I was examining the rows of books on her shelf, Ossana began to speak.

  “Rey, you’ve shown a remarkable change lately. I also heard from Eggar that you saved his life inside the dungeon.”

  “Wait, Mother knows Eggar?”

  “Of course. He used to be a professor at the Academy, but now he serves as a magic instructor at the Imperial Palace,” Ossana explained as she retrieved something from a hidden storage compartment.

  She turned toward me with a gaze that was difficult to interpret.

  “You know, your father has begun placing his full trust in you. Before he left for the border, he told me to give this to you.”

  When I saw the object she offered, I frowned slightly.

  It was a family heirloom traditionally passed down to the next head of the Lucien family—a legendary sword: Kynigos Daimonon.

  The blade didn't just shine; it radiated a predatory chill. This was Kynigos Daimonon—the Demon Hunter. A relic forged in blood and tempered in the soul of the Lucien lineage.

  This sword should have remained in Alric Lucien’s possession as the current head of the family. But by giving it to me, it meant Alric had already made his choice.

  “Eggar also sent a letter stating that you possess a unique physical constitution,” Ossana continued. “He said that even if you pursue the path of a mage, you still have the potential to awaken Aura.”

  She placed the sword in my hands.

  I hesitated for a moment before accepting it.

  Honestly, this blade would be far more deadly in Alex’s hands. But I couldn’t simply give it to him. Doing so would be the same as publicly renouncing my claim as the future head of the Lucien family.

  Many considerations clashed in my mind.

  In this life, I had no intention of returning to the sword. However, my current body was still weak. I couldn’t fully restore the strength I had possessed in my previous life.

  I needed to use every resource available to survive—especially with the incoming monster wave that would soon sweep across this territory.

  —*

  The next morning, as the sun began to rise, I resumed my usual routine.

  Yes—sunbathing near the edge of the training grounds while enjoying a cup of tea.

  Ever since the nickname “Rey the Perverted Bastard” had gradually faded, my reputation had shifted into something new: Rey the Eccentric Noble who enjoyed hosting tea parties in the most inappropriate places.

  But what could I do?

  Just sitting still while sunbathing would be unbearably boring. My body still couldn’t perfectly regulate the absorption of Cosmic Energy, so I couldn’t train physically while absorbing it. Swinging a sword nonstop would interrupt the process.

  So the only thing I could do was sit back and enjoy warm tea under the winter sun.

  Fortunately, this training field was rarely visited by other cadets or knights. The main field was usually used by the Lucien knights training under the deputy commander.

  Here, only Alex and Darius were present, both deeply focused on meditation.

  So far, my experiments had gone fairly well thanks to Apolo.

  [Imagining you having wild thoughts about your stepmother earlier… that was truly terrifying.]

  “Shut up,” I said while sipping my tea.

  “Apolo, how much Cosmic Energy do I have now?”

  [Approximately 7,500 points have been accumulated, Master.]

  “Good…”

  [Master, are you really planning to use those two as experimental subjects?]

  “Apolo, stop talking nonsense. This is a training method taught by my master in my previous life. You know that.”

  [Oh, very well. If something bad happens, don’t blame me.]

  I stood up and approached the two of them.

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  It was time to help them grow stronger before the monster storm arrived.

  “Alex, are you ready? I’m going to help smooth the mana flow throughout your blood vessels. It might feel a little… biting.”

  “Of course. I’ll endure it,” Alex replied firmly.

  I sat cross-legged behind him and placed my hand on his shoulder.

  Aura users are those accustomed to circulating mana through their blood vessels and converting it into combat energy.

  However, everyone’s mana condition differs. Some flow smoothly like water, while others are rigid like stone.

  Alex’s mana currently resembled chaotic electrical currents running in every direction.

  If Alex possessed the Stigma Aura Blessing, his mana flow would naturally stabilize. So to allow it to circulate properly, I simply needed to clear the blocked pathways within his vessels.

  The method was simple: break through the obstructions using my Cosmic Energy.

  I slowly guided Cosmic Energy into Alex’s body.

  The freezing sensation spread through his organs. Unlike mana, which usually felt warm or burning, Cosmic Energy was the opposite—absolute cold.

  Alex clenched his teeth, enduring the unbearable frost.

  I couldn’t force my way through too aggressively; that could damage his nerves. This method was similar to how my master once trained me to control Cosmic Energy—only now the target was mana pathways.

  Alex groaned softly, his body trembling violently.

  “Hold on, Alex. Almost done.”

  With a final push, I completed the cleansing process. The moment my hand left his shoulder, Alex collapsed onto the grass.

  His face was pale, with a bluish tint around his lips.

  [Is he dead?] Apolo’s voice echoed in my head.

  “Not yet. Now I’ll neutralize the cold.”

  I touched Alex’s wrist and sent warm mana flowing through his nearly frozen veins. Fortunately, Rey Lucien possessed perfect mana control, allowing me to perform this energy “transfusion” smoothly.

  Slowly, the bluish color faded from Alex’s skin.

  “That should do it. From now on, you’ll be able to control your Aura far better, Alex.”

  No response.

  Alex had already passed out from the shock of pain.

  I then turned toward Darius, who was still meditating beside him.

  Sweat drenched his forehead.

  “Well then, Darius… if you want instant power, you’ll have to accept the consequences.”

  “O-okay!” Darius nodded, though his voice trembled.

  Darius’s case was different. He had no natural talent for sensing mana. To awaken his senses, I needed to inject mana into his body in high doses.

  This wouldn’t freeze him like Alex—but the pain… was another matter.

  “ARGHHH!” Darius screamed as the mana surged through his veins.

  [He looks like he’s being burned alive,] Apolo commented.

  “Quiet. I’m concentrating.”

  After several agonizing minutes, the training method was finally complete.

  Darius collapsed onto the training field floor, joining Alex in unconsciousness.

  —*

  When they woke up, we continued training until the sun began to set.

  That afternoon, the mercenary group I had hired finally arrived at the Lucien estate.

  There were around fifty of them, consisting of various races and specialties.

  Some had animal ears—clearly Beastmen. Others carried Familiars flying low around them, while several wore the robes of mages. However, most of them were hardened warriors equipped with well-maintained close-combat weapons.

  A middle-aged man with a sharp face and piercing eyes stepped forward.

  “Allow me to introduce myself, sir. My name is Jack, Vice-Captain of the mercenary company Red Bulls Familia.”

  His greeting felt somewhat stiff, as though he was more accustomed to holding a sword than performing noble etiquette.

  Jack, huh?

  In the future, that name would become legendary as a commander who had never tasted defeat in major wars.

  “There’s no need to be so formal, Jack. You can relax around me,” I said calmly.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You’ve traveled far from the cold Northern Territories. Please rest at the inn that has been prepared for you.”

  After receiving the instruction, the mercenaries began heading toward their lodgings.

  The presence of the Red Bulls Familia would be a crucial trump card on the front lines.

  “Young Master, it’s quite surprising that you have connections strong enough to hire a unit like the Red Bulls Familia,” Darius said as he approached me.

  “Why? Have you heard of them?”

  “Of course. They’re a mercenary company renowned across the entire Northern region. They come from the harsh North, where people gamble their lives against monsters and barbarians every single day,” Darius explained, stroking his chin in admiration. “The cost of hiring them is said to equal the yearly operational budget of a Baron’s household.”

  I smirked slightly.

  “As you can see, I happen to have plenty of gold—and the right connections.”

  —*

  After leaving the Lucien estate, the mercenaries headed to the nearby inn reserved for them.

  “Uncle Jack, why did you accept a contract from someone like him?” asked a dark-haired young man with a dismissive tone.

  “Well, he didn’t look that bad, did he? Besides, he has a direct connection with the Eagles group. But relax—if he asks us to do something ridiculous like kidnapping noblewomen, I’ll refuse,” Jack replied casually.

  “Still, he’s just a useless kid who’s a disgrace to his own family. At the Academy he’s constantly chasing women. It’s embarrassing,” the young man muttered.

  In the harsh Northern Territories, there existed an unspoken rule: if a man couldn’t wield a sword properly, he didn’t deserve a woman.

  To them, a man obsessed with women but lacking strength was the lowest form of trash.

  “You shouldn’t say that, Marc. At least he didn’t seem like the loser described in the rumors,” Jack tried to mediate.

  “I think it’s the same. The only one who looked strong was his brother, Alex. If I get the chance, I might challenge him to a duel,” Marc said confidently.

  “Do whatever you want—as long as you don’t cause too much trouble,” Jack replied, taking a swig of alcohol.

  “Remember, according to the contract, our job is to guard the border. They’ll start moving in about a week, so enjoy this downtime while you can.”

  “You’re right, Boss!”

  “Cheers!”

  The mercenaries began celebrating, enjoying their leisure time in Lucien territory.

  What they didn’t realize was that the war to come would be far more terrifying—and arrive far sooner—than they imagined.

  —*

  Several days passed since the arrival of the Red Bulls Familia mercenaries.

  My days were filled with a tight routine: sunbathing in the morning to harvest energy, sword training during the day, continuing alchemy experiments while studying magic theory with Apolo, and spending the evenings playing with Chorma and Alyra.

  But this morning felt very different.

  As I enjoyed tea under the warm sunlight, I was no longer alone.

  Two beautiful girls now sat directly across from me, creating a rather suffocating atmosphere.

  “I didn’t expect you to have such a relaxed hobby,” Selena said as she elegantly sipped the expensive tea served by the attendants.

  Beside her, Elaine sat very quietly—too quietly—as if gathering the courage to say something extremely important.

  “So… why are the two of you here?” I asked casually, trying my best to keep my composure.

  My mind raced. To have the Saintess-in-the-making and the cold-blooded Villainess share my tea table... it wasn't just a surprise. It was a diplomatic landmine. One wrong word, and I’d be caught in a crossfire far deadlier than any monster wave.