Chapter 32: Journey To Save The Hero! (5)
***
"I was right, wasn't I? Tristan's cooking is extraordinary, even better than the meals at royal banquets!" Sheyla exclaimed proudly.
"You're not wrong, but why are you so proud about it?" Gideon retorted, raising an eyebrow.
Sheyla ignored him entirely, continuing to bask in her self-proclaimed pride. Lucien, Gracia, and Tristan exchanged awkward smiles.
"Alright, you two should clean yourselves up. You've both had a long journey," Lucien said, addressing Sheyla and Tristan.
"Understood, Father," Sheyla replied, standing from her seat.
"As you wish, sir," Tristan added politely.
But just as they were about to leave, Lucien spoke again. "Wait, Tristan. Before you go, may I have a word with you?"
"Of course, sir," Tristan replied, tilting his head slightly in curiosity.
"Let's move to the sitting room. Gracia, Gideon, you come too," Lucien instructed.
Gracia and Gideon exchanged confused glances but complied.
"Very well, Father," Gideon replied as the group moved toward the sitting room, Tristan trailing behind.
The moment the doors closed behind them, before anyone could even sit, Lucien's expression turned serious. "Tristan, is your last name Ciyane?"
Gracia and Gideon froze in shock at the question. Tristan, equally stunned, instinctively dropped into a combat stance, his hand subtly reaching behind him to summon his sword from his storage space.
"Calm down, Tristan. No one here will harm you," Lucien said gently, raising his hands in a gesture of peace.
Tristan's eyes darted around the room, scanning every corner for hidden threats. Lucien watched him intently and thought, "What kind of trials has this boy endured to make him so wary of everyone and everything?"
After a tense moment, Tristan slowly lowered his guard but remained cautious. "How do you know my last name?" he asked, his voice edged with suspicion.
Lucien's tone softened, and he asked another question. "What happened to my sister, Alinda Roussanne, your mother?"
Tristan closed his eyes as painful memories of his parents' faces, pierced by cruel spears, flashed through his mind. His voice trembled as he answered, "Both my parents... are gone."
Lucien's expression twisted in sorrow. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and wrapped Tristan in a firm embrace. "You must have endured so much, Tristan," he said, his voice thick with emotion, tears streaming down his face.
For a moment, Tristan stood stiff, unsure of how to respond to the unfamiliar warmth. But then, as if a dam had broken, he burst into tears, sobbing loudly into Lucien's chest.
Moved by the scene, Gracia joined them, gently hugging Tristan from behind as she wept silently. Gideon, though less expressive, stood nearby, tears glistening in his eyes as he watch the situation.
A short while later, Tristan, Lucien, Gracia, and Gideon sat on the sofas in the sitting room.
"Forgive me, sir, for showing such an unsightly side of myself," Tristan said to Lucien, his tone tinged with embarrassment.
"Not at all, and call me 'Uncle' from now on," Lucien replied warmly.
Tristan hesitated before responding, his expression firm. "I want to, but if the world knows I'm still alive, your family could be dragged into a big problem."
Lucien frowned, confused. "What do you mean by that?"
Gracia and Gideon leaned in attentively as Tristan took a deep breath. "It's related to my parents' deaths," he began.
"Please, tell us everything in detail," Lucien urged, his voice heavy with concern.
"Very well," Tristan said, and then he recounted the grim story of the betrayal within the Ciyane family, explaining the events that led to his parents' deaths.
When Tristan finished, Lucien slammed the table in front of him with his palm, his face flushed with fury. "Those bastards! How dare the Lavindra family harm my family!"
Gracia's expression hardened. "And Gerrad... he's truly lost his sanity, aligning himself with the sworn enemies of the Ciyane family," she said, her voice cold.
Tristan nodded solemnly. "Exactly. That's why I've been hiding my surname. I've even used black market to see my status, ensuring no one can trace my identity."
Lucien studied him, his brows furrowed in thought. "I understand, but how long do you plan to stay in hiding?"
"Hmm, maybe until I've avenged my family. Or until I meet someone extraordinary, someone so powerful that they don't care about the Ciyanes and Lavindras family." Tristan chuckled softly, a faint smile breaking his serious expression.
Lucien sighed, leaning back in his seat. "I Believe no one in this continent can match those description."
"You're right," Tristan replied confidently, "which is why I'll become that person myself."
Lucien's eyes lit up, and he stood suddenly. "Good! Let's see what kind of strength that wiped out those orcs. Come, let's head to the training grounds!"
Before Tristan could respond, Gracia grabbed Lucien's ear and twisted it firmly. "Darling, Tristan just arrived, and you're already dragging him into a duel? Give him a chance to rest first. You can continue this tomorrow morning."
Lucien winced but relented, his excitement dampened. "Alright, alright. Rest well tonight, Tristan. We'll continue our duel tomorrow morning."
Lucien turned to Gideon. "Gideon, please escort Tristan to his room. The maids have already prepared it. Oh, and send someone to summon Albert, the head butler."
Gideon nodded obediently. "Understood, Father. Come on, Tristan," he said, gesturing for Tristan to follow.
Tristan and Gideon arrived at the room prepared for him.
"This is your room, Tristan. If you need anything, just let the servants know. We've also prepared a change of clothes for you," Gideon said.
"Got it, Brother Gideon. Thanks," Tristan replied.
"Alright, you should clean up and get some rest," Gideon advised.
"Understood. Goodnight, Brother," Tristan said.
"Goodnight, Tristan," Gideon replied before leaving the room.
Tristan took a bath, changed into the fresh clothes provided, and prepared to sleep. Yet, as he lay down, his thoughts wandered.
"Why did I cry so hard earlier? It's embarrassing. Was it because this body met someone familiar? That's probably it."
He let out a small sigh before another thought crossed his mind. "Oh right, I haven't had the chance to make a crystal ball that can check the status. Let's give it a try."
Sitting cross-legged, Tristan closed his eyes and positioned his hands as if holding an invisible sphere. He began channeling and condensing mana.
But then, mid-process, a new idea popped into his head. He opened his eyes. "What if I use the All-Knowing Sight skill on myself? Let's see if it works."
Tristan searched the room and found a mirror, standing before it to gaze at his reflection.
"Whoa… this body is actually handsome. How have I never noticed this before? Probably because I've never found a single mirror."
He chuckled lightly at himself but quickly refocused. "Alright, enough admiring myself. Time to focus on the skill."
Fixing his gaze on his reflection, Tristan concentrated, visualizing the status screen in his mind. Suddenly, a translucent status window materialized in front of him.
"It worked! So, it's actually possible. Let's take a look."
Name: Tristan Ciyane-Level 58**
Occupation: All-knowing Sage
Attributes:
Strength: B
Vitality: B
Agility: A
Mana: A
Luck: ASkill:
1. Trap Setter-Level 22*
2.Throw-Level 15
3.Observation-Level 20*
4. Thurst-Level 7
5. Pain Resistance-Level 18
6. Cold Blooded-Level 18
7. Strong Will-Level 10
8. Swordplay-Level 20*
9. Crafting-Level 16
10. Cooking-Level 15
11. Meditation-Level 4
12. Tracking-Level 6
13. Stab-Level 9
14. Enhanced Vision-Level 1
15. Mana Control-Level 28*
16. Tamer-Level 1
17. Regeneration-Level 20*
18. Spell Creation-Level 14
19. All-knowing sight-Level 10
Passive Skill:
1. Double-Level Max (You give two times damage)
2. Poison Immunity-Level Max (Immun to all poison)Overall Score: S
Tristan examined his status screen carefully. After a moment of thoughtful consideration, he spoke to himself.
"Alright, I know what I need to focus on. For now, I'll work on raising the skills that are still under level 10 to level 10. The ones that need improvement are Thrust, Meditation, Tracking, Stab, Enhanced Vision, and Tamer."
He paused, mulling over his plan. "Let's set Tamer aside for now. Having my own army would be incredible, but people might start thinking I'm some kind of Demon King. Let's take this one step at a time."
Tristan crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. "At my current strength, I'm likely on par with a Knight Commander. However, I need to confirm whether the Knight Commanders from different noble houses are equally powerful. I'll have to ask Uncle Lucien about this later."
With a determined nod, Tristan relaxed. "Alright, that's enough for today. Time to get some rest."
Tristan lay down on the bed, and he drifted off to sleep.
***
The next morning, Tristan woke up early as usual. However, unlike his previous routine, he wasn't alone. The estate's diligent servants had risen even earlier, and they greeted him warmly as they crossed paths.
"Good morning, Lord Tristan," one of the maids said, offering a polite bow.
"Oh, um, good morning," Tristan replied, slightly taken aback.
"Where are you off to so early, my lord?" she asked curiously.
"I'm just used to waking up early," Tristan answered with a modest shrug.
"Wow, that's impressive, Lord Tristan," the maid said with an admiring smile.
"Haha, thank you," Tristan replied, chuckling lightly.
Tristan then asked, "By the way, could you tell me where the training grounds are?"
"Oh, you're looking for the training grounds? Allow me to show you the way," the maid offered.
"Alright, thank you," Tristan said, following her lead.
They soon arrived at the knights' training area.
"Here we are, Lord Tristan," the maid announced.
"Thank you very much," Tristan replied with a small nod.
"You're welcome, Lord Tristan. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to call for me. I'll take my leave now," she said before departing.
Tristan let out a sigh as he watched her go. "I'm not used to being greeted by every servant I encounter. This noble lifestyle might be more exhausting than it seems," he thought to himself.
"Alright, time to start my morning routine," he declared, shaking off the thought. He began his training, focusing on honing his skills.
A while into his exercises, a burly knight accompanied by several others approached the field. The leader of the group spotted Tristan and chuckled.
"Looks like someone beat us to it this morning," he remarked to his comrades as they walked over.
"Hello there, lad. Sorry to interrupt your practice. Mind if we share the field?" the knight asked.
"Of course not, sir. This is your training ground, after all. I'm the one intruding," Tristan replied courteously.
"Great, thanks. Alright, team, let's start our morning session!" the knight called out.
"Yes, sir!" the other knights replied in unison.
The knights began their exercises while Tristan resumed his own practice. He decided to focus on improving his Thrust and Stab skills.
"Alright, let's work on raising these skills. But before that... How exactly does Enhanced Vision work?" Tristan pondered. "If I channel mana into my eyes, it might enhance my sight. Let's give it a try."
Tristan concentrated, directing his mana into his eyes. He turned his gaze toward a gardener trimming the hedges in the distance.
"Whoa!" Tristan exclaimed in his mind. "It's like the zoom function on a smartphone camera. I can see everything so close and in such detail!"
He grinned as a new idea struck him. "This could pair perfectly with Throw skill or even better, I should train with a bow later."
Excited by his discovery, Tristan returned to practicing with renewed vigor.
Tristan resumed his sword training, sticking to his original plan of improving his Thrust and Stab skills. Over and over, he executed precise thrusts, each one followed by equally deliberate stabs. After several dozen repetitions, the burly knight who had spoken earlier began watching him intently.
"Why is this kid only repeating thrusts and stabs?" the knight wondered, narrowing his eyes. "Does he think training is some kind of game?"
Unable to contain his skepticism, the knight approached Tristan and called out, "Hey, kid! Why are you just doing those two moves over and over? Do you think training is a joke?"
His sharp tone caught the attention of the other knights, who stopped their drills to glance over. They exchanged curious looks as their commander confronted what appeared to be a mere boy.
"Of course not, sir," Tristan replied, trying to stay calm. "This is my training."
The knight frowned. "If you're not serious about training, you'd better leave. We don't have room for slackers here."
Tristan's patience started to wear thin. Turning toward the knight, he activated his observation skill, scanning the man's status.
"Hmm, overall grade A," Tristan noted silently, his irritation giving way to analysis. "Vitality is the only impressive stat at A. Strength is B, and the rest are just C. This guy's barking up the wrong tree."
Taking a breath to steady himself, Tristan met the knight's gaze. "Listen, sir," he said curtly. "Why don't you focus on your own training with your squad and stop worrying about mine?"
He turned away and resumed his drills, ignoring the growing tension.
The knight clenched his fists, his face red with anger. "You insolent brat! Leave this field now!" he bellowed, his voice echoing across the grounds.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the training grounds, Lucien, Rowen—the commander of the Roussanne knights, and Brady observed the unfolding scene.
Rowen's brow furrowed as his anger simmered. "I won't stand for this. A knight under my command should know better than to disrespect a child like that!" he growled, preparing to intervene.
Brady stepped in front of him, placing a hand on his chest. "Relax, big brother. That 'child' is the one I told you about. Trust me, a knight like that is no match for him. Just watch and enjoy the show," Brady said with a smirk.
"But..." Rowen began, only for Lucien to cut him off.
"Let's wait and see how things unfold, Rowen. That's an order," Lucien said firmly.
Rowen hesitated but eventually nodded. "Understood, my lord," he said, though his clenched jaw betrayed his frustration.
The three men turned their attention back to Tristan, curious to see how he would handle the situation.
***