Genius Gamer Reborn into a Family of Heroes

Chapter 67

A Harmonious Family Meal

While Harang acquired a holy prayer-type skill, the entire palace was thrown into chaos.

“What are you saying?! A ‘divine descent’ occurred right in the middle of Kalambren Palace?!”

“It’s unmistakable! Our priests clearly sensed it!”

“Good grief… What in the world…?”

Edmund Aiden, a knight belonging to the Kaladan Defense Command’s Intelligence Division, was bewildered as the priests who had been praying in the church suddenly came running, causing an uproar.

For a divine descent to occur, a barrier must be established outside to ensure a seamless connection with the divine and completely sever the individual from the outside world.

Only then would a human’s prayer be heard by the gods beyond the heavens.

Moreover, receiving a divine descent required the status of a saint, a holy person, or at least the Pope.

Considering that only a few dozen people in the world had ever received a divine descent, it was utterly unbelievable that such a pillar of light had descended in the very heart of Kalambren Palace.

Due to the priests’ clamor, the incident was quickly reported to the higher authorities, and knights were dispatched to track the source of the divine power, just in case an external intruder had infiltrated.

“Are you saying the pillar of light was witnessed in the Inner Palace, specifically in the Green White Palace?”

It wasn’t difficult to pinpoint where the pillar of light had fallen.

There were so many witnesses, and most of the knights stationed in the Inner Palace to protect the direct bloodline had felt that intense holy power.

‘Divine descent? That’s nonsense. How could one receive a divine descent without the help of the Church or the Pope? That must have been holy power used for another purpose.’

As Edmund thought this far, a sudden possibility struck him.

“Could it be… that the Holy Knights attempted an ambush on the direct bloodline…?!”

Cold sweat ran down Edmund’s back.

Though it was unimaginable for such a thing to happen, as it could lead to a holy war and it was unthinkable that a holy knight who believed in the divine would carry out an ambush, no possibility could be entirely dismissed.

No matter what, there was nothing more disgraceful than a member of the bloodline being killed within Kalambren Palace.

As dozens of knights hurried toward the Green White Palace, the front gate opened, and Harang calmly walked out, seemingly having heard their shouts and footsteps.

“What’s going on with all these people gathered here?”

Harang asked, pushing his sweat-soaked hair back over his shoulder, and the knights facing him involuntarily flinched.

Though he was drenched in sweat, far from being described as ‘clean,’ they couldn’t shake the strange impression of purity and cleanliness when they met his gaze.

Edmund, who had been staring blankly at Harang, quickly stepped forward and saluted with his sword.

“Your Highness, we detected a powerful holy presence within the Green White Palace and urgently summoned the knights. Is everything alright?”

“Hmm…”

When Harang didn’t respond and simply stared at them, the knights turned pale, suspecting that something might have indeed happened.

Could it be that the security of Kalambren Palace, which the Kaladan Knights so rigorously guarded, had been breached?

“Could something have happened to you, Your Highness?!”

“No, no. It’s just that… I’m feeling a bit sentimental.”

“You’re feeling nostalgic…?”

“There were many situations like this in the past.”

Contrary to Edmund’s misconception, Harang was simply recalling his past life. Whenever he opened the door and stepped out, dozens of people would rush at him, bombarding him with questions.

‘Back then, instead of swords, they pointed microphones at me.’

He calmly walked through the knights.

“You don’t need to worry about the divine power, so just return without concern.”

“…Your Highness, are you planning to keep this a secret? This incident will surely reach the Duke’s ears. It would be far better for us to handle and report it rather than having you be directly reprimanded by him.”

Though the tone was as if offering sincere advice, Harang easily understood it, as he was no child.

‘A threat.’

If you don’t tell us, you’ll face a direct rebuke from the Duke. So, it’s safer to tell us instead.

In a way, it was advice, but ultimately, it was a threat to get him to confess what had happened.

“…”

Harang stopped walking and turned his head to stare directly at him.

Though he was much taller, larger in build, and undoubtedly skilled in swordsmanship, Edmund was still just a knight under the command of Kaladan.

“Scary. Are you threatening me?”

When Harang bluntly shot back, Edmund visibly flustered and waved his hands in denial.

“It’s not a threat, just stating a fact. If the truth is going to come out anyway, wouldn’t it be better to reveal it safely through us?”

Edmund’s anxiety was palpable.

If a divine power of a magnitude comparable to a divine revelation had occurred within the inner palace, it was certain that it would reach Duke Kalel’s ears. If the Defense Command had no information on it, their competence would surely be questioned.

Moreover, if he managed to obtain information that other intelligence units couldn’t, that would be quite advantageous for him.

Whatever the case, he needed to build a record of accomplishments to move closer to promotion, even if it meant irritating this young lord a little by half-threatening him into giving up some information…

“Strange. Isn’t it your job to be the first to find out if something unusual happens in the inner palace? Why are you asking me?”

“…!!”

At Harang’s casually thrown remark, the knights’ expressions hardened.

Not only had this young lord realized that Edmund was clumsily trying to threaten him, but he was also turning it back on them, attempting to use it as a threat.

He took a step closer to Edmund.

“Ugh…”

Edmund gulped. The small and youthful-looking lord who barely reached his chest was looking up at him with cold eyes, and he couldn’t bear to meet that gaze.

If he did… it felt as though his very soul would submit.

Harang casually observed the insignia on his shoulder and chest.

Nobles of aristocratic origin would often attach their family crest in a small size beneath the Kaladan emblem, and as he gazed at it with his Eyes of Truth, the information was displayed as a message.

[Affiliated with the Defense Command of the Inner Palace]

[Origin: House Aiden]

[Would you like to open and check the publicly available list of blood relatives of House Aiden?]

Even the most seasoned knights rarely memorize all the unit insignias and noble house crests. The better one’s lineage and status, the less need or reason there was to do so.

However, Harang thought it necessary to be familiar with this information, so he had studied it moderately. The Eyes of Truth had memorized everything and now displayed it like this.

‘Wow, this is really convenient.’

When Harang reached out and touched the crest of his house, Edmund flinched.

“You’re from the Defense Command’s Military Intelligence Unit of House Aiden… Edmund, right?”

“…!”

Edmund’s eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t expected Harang to know his family name and personal name. House Aiden wasn’t famous enough to be recognized by a member of the Kaladan bloodline!

“No answer?”

“Y-yes! I am Edmund Aiden, squad leader of the Security Unit under the Military Intelligence Division.”

“Is that so?”

When Harang smiled faintly, Edmund nearly let his guard down. The smile was so pure and cute that he almost seemed like an ordinary boy of that age.

‘…I really messed up.’

Edmund felt a chill in his chest. A bloodline member, threatened by a lower-ranked knight, casually mentioning their name and house was akin to a death sentence—an indication that they intended to dispose of them.

Harang reached out and adjusted the crooked unit insignia on Edmund’s arm, straightening it and tidying his uniform.

In the tense, cold atmosphere where all the knights were frozen with rigid expressions, Harang slowly began to speak.

“This is the last time I’ll tolerate such rudeness, Edmund.”

“…!”

Was this a test?

Edmund looked into Harang’s silver eyes, which gazed up at him. There was a strange sense of enjoyment in that slightly smiling face.

“Of course, you couldn’t possibly know what happened here. I made sure of that.”

“T-that…”

“I’m letting it go because I understand the powerlessness… and the desperation that comes with realizing there’s nothing you can do on your own. Here.”

“…Pardon?”

“You should wipe that sweat off. You’re starting to look like you’re sick.”

Edmund blinked as he accepted the handkerchief Harang offered. He hurriedly used it to wipe his forehead, surprised at how much sweat had soaked into it.

‘I was this nervous?’

It meant that he had been extremely tense while facing the young lord.

‘…So the rumors were true.’

If it had been any other bloodline member, even one from a collateral branch rather than the main line, they wouldn’t have hesitated to execute Edmund on the spot for his insolence.

‘No, any noble would have been unlikely to forgive a subordinate knight for such impertinence.’

Most noble children of fourteen probably wouldn’t have even fully grasped Edmund’s threat. They might have taken it as mere advice from a vassal, warning them that if they didn’t act, they would face severe punishment from the Duke, and they might have been terrified by that alone.

It wasn’t because they were stupid. The very notion that a subordinate knight would dare to threaten them was something they couldn’t even conceive, and they hadn’t yet developed the ability to understand complex situations from multiple angles.

Unless they were children of political families, it was extremely rare for the offspring of knightly families to possess the ability to grasp the hidden meanings within conversations at such a young age.

The fact that Harang could do so without formal training was likely the result of combining his natural talent with the experiences of growing up as an illegitimate child, constantly attuned to the perceptions of others.

“I’m off now; I have training,” Harang said as he lightly patted Edmund’s shoulder and moved to walk past him with a cool demeanor. In that instant, a wave of shame washed over Edmund, making him want to scream in agony.

‘I can’t let this drag on any longer!’

Casting aside all his pride, Edmund rushed ahead of Harang, knelt, and bowed his head low.

“As a knight, I am deeply ashamed and sincerely apologize for my great disrespect!! Blinded by my desire for advancement, I dared to issue a baseless threat to you, young master! I feel as though I should crack my head open and die to rid myself of this shame!!”

“Uh, no…”

Why is he acting like this now?

‘Does he think I’m going to kill him?’

Harang hadn’t intended anything of the sort. He wasn’t the type to kill or punish someone over something this trivial. He only used his noble status to the extent that it ensured he wasn’t disrespected.

‘I thought I handled it well without being overly threatening.’

But from the perspective of a subordinate, even that might have felt intimidating. Having been born into the highest social rank in this hierarchical society, Harang found its social dynamics rather complicated.

“I said it’s fine.”

“Even if you’ve forgiven me, this heavy burden on my heart won’t be lifted without punishment…”

‘So, it’s a burden on his conscience.’

Indeed, the concept of “honor” that the knights of this world pursued seemed to act as a kind of shackle.

‘But handing out punishment would just be unnecessarily troublesome and cause a lot of noise.’

News that the youngest grandson had punished knights of the Military Intelligence Division for disrespect would only damage his reputation.

Harang patted Edmund’s shoulder again and said with a cheerful smile, “Do you think my dignity will be diminished just because you disrespected me?”

“…”

“No, not at all. My worth isn’t so easily damaged. So, there’s no reason to punish you. Just set your mind at ease and go back to your duties. After all, you have the crucial mission of defending the inner palace, right?”

With that, Harang quickly headed off to the training ground.

‘He shouldn’t follow me now…’

As he predicted, Edmund simply stared blankly at Harang’s departing figure, not following him.

“Captain, what should we do?”

When the knights under his command asked, Edmund shook his head and replied, “Write up the report stating that an unidentified divine power was detected in the Green White Palace, but we were ultimately unable to determine its cause.”

“If we do that, the unit commander will go berserk, accusing us of not doing our job properly…”

“Ugh…”

The squad members made faces as if they were dying. The unit commander, known for his harsh demeanor, regularly tormented them, leaving the lower-ranking members with no choice but to endure it.

“Sigh, I hate it too, but what can we do? We’ll just have to tough it out.”

Though the commander’s punishment was certainly something to fear, it was only physically exhausting. But receiving that icy stare from Harang… that was a primal fear Edmund never wanted to experience again.

More than anything else, he couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing the young master, who, despite his youth, had the noble spirit to forgive the mistakes of a lower-ranked knight.

‘Our first meeting was the worst, but at least I got to see the true measure of the youngest master’s character. That’s enough for me.’

Edmund continued to wipe away the cold sweat that still hadn’t dried as he spoke, “Let’s head back while warming up a bit. The commander’s punishment will definitely involve some running on the drill field.”

“Ugh…”

Hearing the groans of the knights, Edmund immediately gave the order to return. He then glanced back at the Green White Palace one more time.

‘…Cold and empty.’

While the inner palaces of other direct bloodline members were thoroughly guarded by countless knights and soldiers, the Green White Palace was not.

The deployment of soldiers within one’s inner palace was entirely the responsibility of the bloodline member, and the Kaladan family did not, as a rule, provide additional support.

Edmund found it odd to realize that the entire defense of the Green White Palace was handled by just a few patrol guards who were there out of obligation.

Such nobles were not uncommon.

It wasn’t rare to see noble children who, born as illegitimate offspring or second sons, were deprived of most of the power and treated poorly for various reasons.

Edmund had heard many stories about those who, despite having little to their name, clung only to their noble status, wasting away their lives in arrogance, only to eventually be cast out.

So, Harang was a curious figure to Edmund.

There was no need to look far; even Edmund’s own younger siblings had been ruthlessly cast aside by their father for having nothing to inherit. They caused trouble everywhere and were now imprisoned.

‘The young master is different. With such character, he will one day ascend to even greater heights, and the empty Green White Palace will surely be filled with countless followers…’

As Edmund thought this, another idea briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it with a shake of his head.

‘…As if someone like me, a failed knight, would ever be accepted.’

With a bitter expression, he walked away.