Chapter 6

Chapter 6: I Won’t Be Fooled Twice (2)H

Thanks to Ghislain’s quick response when performing chest compressions, Fergus barely managed to start breathing again.

“Where did you learn something like this?”

“That’s not what’s important. You almost had your body and soul split just now. Do you think coming back to life is easy?”

“Urgh, my heart’s gotten weaker with age... It sometimes acts up when I’m startled.”

Ghislain had wished him a long life, but they had almost parted ways right after meeting today. Clicking his tongue, Ghislain massaged Fergus’s hand.

“Later, I’ll brew some mandrake root tea for you. For now, go get some rest.”

“But I still need to escort you, Young Master...”

“No, please, just go rest. You’re driving me crazy with worry. At this rate, I’ll have to be the one escorting you.”

“Then, at least let me stay by your side while you train.”

Unable to win against Fergus’s stubbornness, Ghislain reluctantly nodded.

Even if Fergus was called a bodyguard, it was only in name. In reality, he was more like a nanny who followed Ghislain around the castle. Due to his age, there wasn’t much Fergus could do. If Ghislain had taken this away from him, Fergus would have lost the little joy he had left in life.

After briefly looking around the castle to get his bearings, Ghislain headed straight to the private training grounds.

The place was filthy and abandoned, with no one guarding it or keeping it clean. Looking at the neglected training ground, Ghislain became lost in thought.

‘Why was I like that back then?’

An environment where he could entirely focus on mana cultivation and training was something he couldn’t have even dreamed of during his mercenary days.

Indeed, leaving home leads to a life of hardship.

As he reflected on this newfound realization, Ghislain called a servant to clean the training grounds.

“Are you really planning to train?” Fergus asked.

“Yeah. I need to work hard now.”

“You’ve made a wise decision. Absolutely.”

Fergus was genuinely happy. Others would mock whatever Ghislain did, thinking he was just all talk. But Fergus was always the only one who believed in him, saying the young master was just temporarily lost.

While Fergus guarded the entrance to the training grounds, Ghislain entered and began his mana cultivation.

‘I don’t have much time left, but I need to push myself as far as possible.’

He had the knowledge and experience accumulated from his previous life. If he used it well, he was confident he could grow stronger faster than anyone else. But there wasn’t enough time.

“A week... It’s tight, but it’s not impossible.”

Compared to his past life, his current body was in such terrible shape that it made him sigh.

To turn such a weak body into one of steel in just a week? That would be impossible, even if he were reborn several times over.

However, if he could just manage to control mana, his physical abilities would improve drastically.

“At the very least, I need to get to the point where I can handle mana.”

If he combined it with the experience from his past life, even with this wretched body, he could handle most knights.

Sssss...

Under Ghislain’s will, the surrounding mana began to move, flowing into his body and gathering once again in the core below his navel. He had swiftly reached the stage of absorbing and converting mana into his body—a remarkable feat considering he had previously been unable to sense mana at all.

If others saw this, they would have been startled. However, for Ghislain, who had practiced mana cultivation even on the battlefield, this was as easy as breathing.

The excess mana that couldn’t be stored within his body scattered outward, becoming a reddish haze.

‘What a waste.’

Ghislain’s method of mana cultivation was still incomplete. It was a technique he had recklessly modified from his family’s original method, adjusting it to suit his own body.

Because it had been refined through actual combat, the technique carried a dense aura of killing intent and lacked stability, but it was fast and effective. Even in his previous life, this modified cultivation technique allowed him to rise to the ranks of the powerful.

‘I had a stroke of luck, too.’

His position as one of the Continent’s Seven Strongest was thanks to a grimoire he had accidentally discovered in an ancient ruin.

An incomplete grimoire with no name, old and tattered, with only half of it remaining. Yet, it was from that grimoire that Ghislain drew inspiration to recreate his mana cultivation technique.

Wuuung!

Mana gathered in Ghislain’s right chest, forming a new core. Unlike others who only used the core naturally present in their bodies, he had artificially created one in an entirely different location.

Wuuung!

Another core soon formed in his left chest.

Guuuung!

The cores, arranged in a reverse triangle, including the one below his navel that he had from birth, quickly interconnected and circulated mana. This was the advantage of Ghislain’s unique cultivation method, which only he could use.

The explosive power produced by these multiple cores working together was extraordinary.

This very strength allowed Ghislain to carve his name among the Continent’s Seven Strongest and earn the title of King of Mercenaries.

However, where there are strengths, there are also weaknesses. Ghislain’s cultivation technique was problematic because of the extreme instability of the energy.

“As expected, it’s difficult to manage.”

The mana stored in the three cores began to struggle, trying to burst out of his body. Ghislain focused his mind, suppressing the resistance and forcing the mana to obey his control.

‘I’ll have to fix this slowly as well.’

While he could release immense power explosively, it consumed an enormous amount of mana in a short time.

“Yeah! Dad said it was annoying, too. He mentioned how it’d be nice if you’d hurry up and take over as lord so he could retreat to the countryside.”

“...Well, I guess I was a pretty terrible son.”

It was a line that clearly drove home how much of a mess he’d been in his past life.

“If you work hard, maybe Dad will return and be happy?”

“Who knows.”

Ghislain’s father, the Count of Ferdium, was currently on an expedition in the northern region.

Only the troops meant to maintain public order were left in the territory.

If the main force was away and a chaotic festival was approaching, it would be the perfect time for external forces to cause trouble and flee.

This was something Ghislain had never realized in his previous life.

Now that he was aware of it, he became even more convinced that Elena’s death back then hadn’t been a mere coincidence.

“Alright, I’m off to train.”

“Since when did you start working so hard? I wonder how long it’ll last this time.”

Leaving Elena, who was muttering to herself, behind, Ghislain headed back to the training grounds.

* * *

Time passed, and the day of the festival finally arrived.

‘It’s today.’

After strapping his sword to his waist and finishing his preparations, Ghislain headed to Elena’s room.

Elena, who was about to enjoy the festival, looked puzzled when she ran into him.

“Aren’t you training today? Are you going to the festival too, brother?”

“Yeah, let’s go together.”

“Wow, this is a surprise. You’re actually coming to the festival with me?”

“Well, it’s only right to enjoy a festival.”

“Hmm, you’ve really changed.”

Elena turned to her maids and told them to take the day off.

They were still either afraid or uncomfortable around Ghislain, so she had dismissed them.

As Ghislain escorted her, he fell deep into thought.

‘It’s different from before.’

In his previous life, Elena had always been the one to ask him to go out with her because he was constantly in a foul mood.

Her suggestion had been a gesture of consideration, hoping that the festival might cheer him up, even just a little.

But now, since Ghislain had changed his behavior in this life, Elena no longer felt the need to ask first.

How he acted affected how those around him responded, and even his future was shifting subtly.

‘Even if the major events remain the same, I can’t calculate every small change. I have to adapt to the situation.’

He knew those were targeting the Ferdium family, but the more he interfered with their plans, the more their methods would evolve.

Even if he knew the future, it was up to him to use that knowledge appropriately based on the current circumstances.

‘There can be no mistakes.’

As he reminded himself of this, Ghislain wandered through the festival with Elena.

While Elena seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself in the bustling crowd, Ghislain’s mind remained clouded, unable to immerse himself fully in the festival atmosphere.

‘This is strange. How did we end up near the slums?’

Elena had been enjoying the festival in the crowded central area and showed no signs of wanting to go to the slums. No one had called her there either.

Perhaps the future had shifted slightly just because he had decided to accompany her this time.

After wandering around for a while longer, Elena stretched and muttered with a hint of boredom.

“It’s fun, but since it’s the same every year, it gets a little dull.”

Festivals were typically repetitive, and given that their impoverished territory had limited resources for preparations, it was no wonder she found it monotonous.

“Isn’t there anything more exciting?”

As she aimlessly glanced around in mild disappointment, one of her escort knights approached and whispered something.

“My Lady, shall we go somewhere else then?”

“Hmm? Where?”

The escort knight, who smiled warmly, was named Jamal. He had been one of Elena’s personal guards for a long time and had a good reputation within the castle.

“I heard that something special is happening a bit further out, near the outskirts.”

“Really? What is it?”

“Well, that’s just what my friend told me. I don’t know the details, but they said it’s supposed to be quite... stimulating.”

“Really? Let’s go! I want to see it!”

Elena’s eyes sparkled as she excitedly exclaimed, eager to go and check it out.

Ghislain quietly observed Jamal’s face.

‘So, it was you.’