Finally, after a long and exhausting day, the remaining caravans that Edgar had preceded on his way to the palace arrived. Each caravan carried massive amounts of goods, gold, and even monster hides.
Valerian froze in place, his eyes widening as he tried to grasp the scene before him. His hands trembled as he slowly extended them, as if doubting the reality of what he was seeing. True, he had obtained the memories of this body, but he was not Valerian... he was Ethan.
Claire, who had taken a short leave from the academy to welcome her father, who had returned earlier, watched him closely. Every time she saw his reaction, her suspicions about him grew due to his noticeable change. Valerian noticed this, so he quickly adjusted his behavior to appear more natural, ensuring he did not attract everyone's attention as if he were a vagrant witnessing such a scene for the first time.
"Strange..." Claire murmured, but she quickly shifted her gaze to the main figures who appeared in the courtyard.
They were from various parts of the world, places where they had disappeared after that day… the day the power struggle erupted.
A struggle that tore everyone apart, where blood was shed, bonds were shattered, and the only motive was the greed for ruling the family. In the end, they separated, but Edgar returned to reorganize matters and place each of them in their rightful place.
Neither Ryan nor Alexis were among the attendees; they had no interest in such matters, which held no significance for them.
The newcomers varied in appearance—short men, muscular warriors, as well as a group of female fighters and witches. No one dared to utter a word, fearing they might provoke Edgar's wrath. They were well aware of the vast difference in power between them and him after his last battle.
Edgar, who had traveled to gather them once more, did not care about them as individuals but rather about how he could benefit from them.
The gazes among the crowd varied between forced firmness and hidden anxiety. Among them stood a man with a sharp look and a chest puffed with pride.
"It seems we will finally return to our former glory…" he spoke in a deep voice, standing with unwavering confidence.
Despite everyone's nostalgia for this place, they knew life would not be as it was before under this man's rule.
Suddenly… the air around them changed.
An invisible weight pressed down on their shoulders, making their breaths heavier.
Soft footsteps broke the silence.
They weren't loud, yet they froze souls, silenced tongues, and forced gazes to retreat.
Everyone who had been speaking found their voice fading as if it had never existed. Everyone who had been confident took a step back, fearing being noticed.
Edgar did not need to say a word or even cast a glance; his mere presence was enough to announce his arrival.
In the next moment, everyone bowed before him, as if standing had been nothing more than a temporary mistake that needed correction.
He looked at them coldly, then spoke in a monotone voice:
"You two, you may stand."
Despite his disdainful look at Valerian, he ordered him to stand so that he would not later be crushed under the mocking gazes of others.
Valerian and Claire rose in obedience to their father's command, while the rest of the family members remained bowing, their heads touching the ground.
"You may enter the feast."
Edgar was not one to speak much; he believed in actions rather than words. With these few words, he turned and disappeared from sight.
Everyone stood up, the oppressive feeling dissipating from their chests, and they rushed toward the grand hall.
Meanwhile, the servants began unloading the caravans, moving their contents to the storage rooms.
Valerian's heart skipped a beat as he observed these people.
How many of them were stronger than him?
How many were better than him?
He felt the fire within him burn more and more.
"I will go to continue my training."
He informed his sister of the place he was heading to.
Claire did not care, and the blankness on her face did not change.
"Do as you wish."
She left as well, preoccupied with her own affairs.
While everyone else headed to the grand hall, Valerian took a different path.
He felt it…
He felt that he could defeat Zeke.
Every battle he had fought against him was a lesson learned. Every blow he had taken was an improvement.
He kept walking, his gaze fixed on the blue screen he had grown used to seeing:
[Name: Valerian Lucard]
[Rank: Human (Intermediate)]
[Talent: Low]
[Skill: Fate Theft - Level 1 (Allows the user to steal a skill, a future opportunity, or a talent from a person)]
[Number of theft attempts: 1]
He knew he had to use this single chance wisely.
He looked at the portraits of the old warriors who had died.
Every day he looked at them, he felt something stir inside him.
He had to surpass them…
He could no longer live as trash.
He didn't know if he would get another chance, but what he did know was that he had to make the most of this one.
In the training arena, everyone turned when Valerian entered, his eyes glowing more intensely than usual.
His gaze locked onto one person… Zeke.
Zeke had begun regaining his former strength, the power that Valerian had unknowingly stolen from him.
And though he would never return to his previous peak, he remained a formidable opponent.
Zeke knew why Valerian had come.
This battle had become a routine between them.
The fighting… the beatings… and the losses.
And though he considered Valerian nothing but a loser, this time, he felt something different.
Would he never give up?
Was this the same person who had always been bullied?
Zeke quickly dismissed such trivial thoughts. Any distraction in battle meant defeat.
"Let's begin again."
The arena was prepared, and the knights gathered to watch the duel.
They didn't know why, but they felt that something was different this time.
From a distance, a handsome young man stood watching the scene without much interest.
He was one of those who had been summoned. Though he appeared to be a teenager, his true age was forty.
"What's happening?" He felt slightly bored, but the sight of the gathering piqued his curiosity.
"Oh… just a fight between two people? …Wait, isn't that Edgar's son?"
He knew Valerian was incredibly weak, so he paid no further attention to the battle and left in search of something more interesting.
That person, named Kyle, was one of the family members who had to exist to ensure its stability.
Valerian stood firm, his eyes shining with newfound determination. He knew he had to defeat Zeke this time, or nothing would change.
On the other side, Zeke smirked mockingly, then spoke in a calm voice:
"You come back every time, but you never win… do you really think this time will be different?"
Valerian did not respond, but he raised his fists. He did not need words.
A mocking clap echoed from the audience: "Does he think he can win?"
Another laughed and added, "No harm in dreaming!"
But at that moment, everyone felt a slight change in the air. It wasn't obvious, but it was there… a subtle feeling that something might be different this time.
"Begin!"
A loud voice declared the start of the fight.
Valerian moved first, unlike before. He had always been on the defensive, but this time… he charged straight at Zeke!
A moment of silence hung over the crowd.
This was not the Valerian they knew.
Even Zeke, who expected another predictable battle, was caught off guard. But he did not hesitate..he threw a direct punch at Valerian's face, and..
He dodged it!
Zeke's eyes widened. He had expected Valerian to take the hit as usual, but Valerian shifted his body skillfully, letting the fist pass just beside him.
And before Zeke could retrea…
Valerian's fist struck his stomach!
Zeke's body slammed into the ground, dust flying around him.
Silence reigned for a moment before someone shouted:
"Impossible!"
Valerian had won.
But this… was just the beginning.
He breathed slowly, trying to regain his breath, but then he looked at his hand, which was filled with a strange heat in his right hand.
That golden glow appeared—the one that always showed up whenever he intended to steal.
[A low-grade talent has been successfully stolen.]
[The user and the stolen talent are at the same level, so the user's talent will not be upgraded.]
[The user's rank has slightly increased.]
[Preparing the penalty…]
His heartbeat quickened.
[Penalty: Temporary paralysis in the arm.]
In the next moment, he felt intense numbness, then completely lost sensation in his arm.
"Damn it…"
He frowned slightly as he lowered his hand, silently accepting the penalty.
In the end, this was the nature of his ability… the price of power was always present.
On the contrary… This was merely the beginning of his path to the top.
Inside the Main Hall
Far from the training ground, Edgar sat on his grand throne, looking down at the kneeling family members before him. In truth, he cared for none of them, but he decided to speak at last.
"The ceremony for selecting my son's skill will begin soon, so I don't want any problems."
His words were sharp, but they were not a request… they were an absolute command that allowed no discussion.
No one dared to respond.
Edgar observed them for a few more moments before waving his hand dismissively.
"Now, leave my sight."
Without hesitation, everyone began to leave, each carrying their own thoughts about what would happen next.
As for Edgar, he remained seated alone, his eyes narrowing in deep thought.
"I must reach that place… and there, I will find the cure."
A cold smile formed on his face.
"And then, the family will return to its former glory."
But the real question was…
Would he succeed?
For him, there was no other choice.
Because in this world, weakness was nothing but an unforgivable sin.