Genius Gamer Reborn into a Family of Heroes

Chapter 73

The Emperor’s Talent

After sending Harang back, Duke Kalel summoned Arihil Paul Kaladan next.

She was his third granddaughter, whom Kalel cherished deeply. Since childhood, she had shown exceptional talent and a keen sense for the sword, making her more attentive to his words compared to others in the family.

Thus, when Arihil mentioned she had something important to share regarding her mission, Kalel was more than willing to make time for her.

“Hmm, where did you find this?”

His third granddaughter did not betray his trust. The item she brought back from her mission was a mask imbued with a special magic.

The mask, etched with a red magic circle resembling a spider’s web with cracks running through it, was a symbol that the Kaladan family could not ignore.

“At the Harana Canal… While the youngest was fighting off the dark sorcerers, I suspected that there must be a group backing both the sorcerers and the archbishop. So, I searched the area thoroughly and found it.”

Kalel stroked his beard thoughtfully and then turned to Taran, the head butler standing behind him.

“What do you think?”

“It seems like ‘that group,’ which we thought had been completely eradicated, is squirming back to life like vermin.”

Taran looked at the mask with genuine disgust.

“Eliminating the seed of trash requires as much effort as exterminating insects. My ancestors likely made the mistake of deciding that it wasn’t worth investing more time into dealing with such worthless beings.”

Taran despised that group so much that he even blamed his own father for not finishing them off completely.

How many children’s dreams, opportunities, and talents had been stolen because this group targeted and hunted down the descendants of noble families?

Among those children, there could have been future swords that would protect the world, heroes who would realize justice, or guardians who would restore order.

This group, driven by envy, had attacked the noble bloodlines, those born to run toward the light from the very beginning… That group was known as Del Pael.

In ancient language, it meant “The Ones Who Bring Down Stars.” They had made the world tremble with their bold mission fifty years ago, but once Kalel Paul Kaladan—who was then growing into a hero—stepped forward, their influence was swiftly crushed.

Realizing that his own young relatives, who had spent their lives secluded in the duchy honing their swordsmanship, had shed blood, Kalel rose up alone with a single sword and set out to face the world. Within a few short years, he completely destroyed Del Pael.

Duke Kalel had invested several more years to ensure that not a single member of Del Pael remained.

At that time, Taran’s father, who was the Kaladan family’s head butler, had said…

“Young Master Kalel, you already lack time to chase the grand dreams that await you. Do not waste your valuable time on trivial matters.”

Thus, it was known that Duke Kalel entrusted the handling of the remnants of Del Pael to another family and returned promptly to devote his strength to his own household.

Looking back now, it was thanks to that decision that Duke Kalel became who he is today. However, Taran thought that if he could go back in time, he would have rooted out the Del Pael group entirely.

“The past is just the past. We must think of the present now.”

“Of course.”

Taran closed his eyes.

It had been 50 years since the annihilation of Del Pael.

The remnants had slowly grown in power, expanding to the point where they now not only dealt with black magic but had also made contracts with Guardians.

For now, they remained hidden in the shadows, but Taran was certain that a moment would come soon when they could no longer be ignored.

‘…If they, like before, target the young bloodlines?’

Although it wasn’t yet widely known, Taran believed that there was one person who would soon rise as the brightest star of the future.

And that person, he thought, could only be Young Master Harang of the Kaladan family.

‘If they were to discover the young master’s existence…’

Someday.

When Harang ascends as a star shining brightly in the world.

When he becomes a symbol of that star.

Wouldn’t that make him the perfect target for Del Pael?

“Your Highness, I have something important to discuss.”

“I think I know what’s on your mind. Granddaughter, you may leave.”

Arihil respectfully bowed and left. Taran then explained his thoughts to Kalel at length.

Taran’s conclusion was simple.

“We must protect the young master.”

But Kalel shook his head.

Even if they were to discover Harang’s existence and target his life one day, Kalel believed that having the family protect him was not the best option, but merely a lesser evil.

“If you hide a shining star in fear of those who wish to bring it down, you’ll end up missing the chance for it to rise.”

That was Duke Kalel’s conclusion.

Though Taran worried for Harang, he had to take a step back.

‘When they finally notice the young master, he should have already soared too high for them to bring him down, shining brighter and more dazzling than anyone…’

* * *

Meanwhile, after finishing all his business with Duke Kalel, Harang left the Grand Hall.

He was suffering from a severe bout of dizziness.

“…Ugh.”

As soon as he stepped out of the front gate, unable to withstand the dizziness, Harang leaned against a pillar with his arm, only then realizing that cold sweat was pouring down his face.

His back was already soaked, the cool air chilling him, and his head felt as heavy as if a stone had settled in it.

“Is this a side effect of forcing myself to use a 4-star spell…?”

He hadn’t yet fully grasped the structure of 4-star magic, nor had his body grown enough to withstand the burden of four magic circles.

Nevertheless, he had used a 4-star spell, even casting Mythic Descent, which inevitably put an enormous strain on him.

While speaking with Duke Kalel, he had forced himself to hold on, not wanting to show any weakness, but now that the mental concentration had dissipated, his limits were quickly catching up to him.

‘…Maybe a shower and some rest will help.’

Wiping away the cold sweat, he staggered forward when—

Suddenly!

An unsettling sensation, as if the air had been split, sent chills down his spine. Harang swiftly raised his left arm.

Clang!

“Ugh…!”

Barely managing to block the blow, he stumbled back, and a voice followed.

It was Kyle.

“Hah, little brother… You sure spoke well earlier, didn’t you?”

“…Brother Kyle.”

Kyle adjusted his clothes and cracked his neck from side to side.

“That’s right, it’s your older brother. The one you so arrogantly ignored. You seemed pretty confident with all that talk, huh?”

“So, you waited until I finished my conversation with Grandfather just to ambush me? Hmm…”

As Harang stood up and spoke, Kyle felt a sting to his pride, but he maintained a composed front.

After all, his punch just now should have inflicted significant damage, leaving Harang with nothing but bravado.

‘…Wait.’

Something was wrong. Harang was standing up far more steadily than expected.

“Brother, you really hit me with all you had. But…”

Harang flashed a subtle smile.

“How’s your right arm holding up?”

“…! Argh!”

Only now realizing the pain, Kyle clutched his right arm. Seeing the swelling and the deep red bruise, it was clear his bone had fractured.

“H-How…?”

He had punched so swiftly that Harang shouldn’t have been able to react. Without any weapons or magic, it should have dealt a critical blow.

But why was Harang perfectly fine, and why had Kyle’s arm broken instead?

“Hoo.”

Harang lightly brushed the bracelet on his left wrist.

‘Arihil’s gifts always come in handy.’

Orlang’s Touch. A rare artifact capable of casting a 6-star shield once a month. It was especially useful in unexpected situations like this.

Realizing why he had suffered the greater damage, Kyle grit his teeth.

“…Hah, using a tool for protection… can you still call yourself a swordsman?”

“Compared to an older brother who ambushes his younger sibling, I’d say I can.”

“You… If my right arm’s broken, I’ll just fight with my left! Didn’t you say earlier that I was weaker than you? Prove it now, you arrogant brat!”

As expected, Kyle’s pride had been deeply scratched by those words. But what could Harang do? He had only spoken the truth.

Sigh…

Harang let out a quiet breath. He genuinely wanted to correct Kyle’s bad habits, but he was too drained to do so right now. He slightly regretted forcing himself to use a 4-star spell earlier, but it was worth it to have shown a strong front in front of Kalel.

“Brother, I’m giving you some sincere advice.”

“…What?”

As Harang pushed his hair back over his shoulder, his gaze became cold and calm. Kyle, caught off guard, felt a twinge of nervousness, his eyebrows twitching involuntarily.

‘W-What the hell? Why is this brat… why does he feel so different?’

A sharp and chilling sense of menace filled the air.

Kyle, suddenly realizing that he was swallowing dryly, became aware of his own rising tension. His face flushed with heat.

“Stop this now. Quietly accept your situation and live your life.”

Harang didn’t want to hurt Kyle any further—either physically or mentally. He felt sorry for his proud brother, but he believed that staying alive was more important than preserving pride.

“What did you just say…?”

“Besides, Brother Kyle, you have Sister Naridel.”

Harang stepped closer to Kyle. Though Harang was small and slight, Kyle, unable to meet his gaze, unconsciously took a step back.

“You can always hide in Sister Naridel’s embrace. I have nowhere to run, so I envy you. Having the luxury of hiding behind a stronger sibling is quite a fortune.”

Locking eyes with Kyle, Harang brought his face close to his brother’s ear and whispered softly.

“If you don’t want to die, hide in our sister’s shadow and live quietly, like a mouse. That’s the best advice I can give you.”

Whhhoooosh…

A cold wind swept through the air.

Kyle suddenly realized that the weight of Harang’s hand, which had been resting on his shoulder, was gone. He turned around to look behind him.

The small boy, who moments ago had loomed over him like a giant, was already long gone.

Yet his presence was so overpowering that Kyle couldn’t move for a while, frozen in place.

Cold sweat trickling down his face, Kyle leaned against a nearby pillar, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

His mind couldn’t fully comprehend the situation, but the fear had been imprinted clearly in his chest.

Though he couldn’t explain it, the defeat he had suffered in their previous duel had completely marked him as prey, branding the fear deep within his heart like a scar.

“I… I am…”

“Little brother? What are you doing here?”

“…!!”

A sweet, melodious voice, yet one more terrifying than anything else, reached Kyle’s ears, making him turn his head slowly.

Standing there, with her dark blue hair neatly braided to one side, was a woman smiling down at him.

The person Kyle feared most in the world, and the very one Harang had said he would have no choice but to rely on.

Naridel Paul Kaladan.

They were siblings who shared the same mother.

“Haa, really… This sister of yours trusted you until the very end. I never thought you’d stoop so low and do something like this behind my back.”

As Naridel took a step forward, Kyle flinched, his shoulders trembling.

“S-Sister… that’s not…”

“Hmm. Go ahead, make an excuse.”

Naridel spoke with a kind smile, but Kyle couldn’t come up with a reply.

“Do you have nothing to say?”

“…”

When Kyle remained silent, his head hung low, Naridel’s smile disappeared, and she muttered ominously.

“So that’s really all?”

“…What?”

“Did you really do nothing?”

In that moment, the emotion Kyle felt was—

Shame.

Disgrace.

Humiliation.

And an overwhelming sense of… utter defeat.

His sister pointed it out clearly to him.

She accused him of cowardly trying to stab his younger sibling in the back.

Then she asked the question.

How did it turn out?

‘The result is…’

He hadn’t been able to do anything because he was too afraid of his brother. How could he possibly say that? However, even without Kyle saying a word, Naridel seemed to already know the answer. A mocking smile formed on her lips.

‘Ah…’

Kyle’s eyes shook as he dropped his head even lower, his gaze filled with shame.

Watching him, Naridel simply smiled.

As Kyle grew more flustered by her cryptic expression, Naridel placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke.

“Do you feel defeated?”

“…!!”

When Kyle bit down hard on his lip, Naridel’s voice softened slightly.

“It’s okay. You haven’t been completely beaten by him yet. One defeat? That happens. Even I, your sister, don’t win all the time, do I? Just turn that sense of defeat… into the driving force to take down that adopted brat.”

Naridel’s sudden shift to a gentle tone took Kyle by surprise, but he hurriedly nodded in agreement.

“Brother, do you want to defeat him?”

“I-I want to win.”

“If you want to win, then make sure you win for real. Even though you’re my pathetic little brother, it still hurts me to see you losing.”

What is she saying now? Kyle thought, finding her sudden kindness out of character. However, there was nothing more tempting at this moment than her words.

“So… I’ll make an exception and lend you the ‘Summon Mail’ that I seized from the battlefield.”

“…S-Summon Mail, you say?”

The Summon Mail was an exceptionally rare item, so rare that most wearers and owners were registered in a catalog and known by name.

It could only be worn by those with formidable aura, and it resided in a subspace, appearing when summoned by the user. Because of its portability and the special abilities that came with each Summon Mail, it was an object of desire for every knight.

Even as a member of the Kaladan bloodline, obtaining a Summon Mail wasn’t easy.

Unless someone made significant achievements on the battlefield or found one for themselves, even direct descendants couldn’t wear one easily.

Kyle had just graduated from White Night Castle and entered the world, so naturally, he didn’t own a Summon Mail.

“That’s right. So wear this Summon Mail and formally challenge him to a life-or-death duel. I’ll probably be scolded for lending you equipment for a duel between blood relatives, but… Can’t your sister at least do that much for you?”

“S-Sister!”

As long as he could put a dent in the rising image of Harang, that arrogant adopted brat, it didn’t matter.

‘Right now, he’s growing at an alarming rate, dangerously so.’

If he wasn’t tripped up at least once, his growth would accelerate to a point where it would be impossible to stop him.

‘If this idiot brother of mine can give him the disgrace of being defeated, it’ll be a highly effective blow.’

The Summon Mail’s effect varied depending on the wearer’s ability, but it greatly amplified the user’s strength, so there was no way Kyle could lose.

Of course, Kyle’s reputation would take a hit for relying on equipment to win…

‘But that’s not my concern.’

Naridel smiled brightly and pulled Kyle, who looked deeply moved, into a hug, patting his back.

‘Hehe, dear brother. You’ll have to make a little sacrifice for me.’