Chapter 157  Seducing Iron (2)

Iron’s neck unconsciously shrank too when he saw Ariel’s fierce eyes.

“Ahem, ahem… First… I think you should have a talk with my daughter.”

A rare embarrassed expression that was uncharacteristic of the Godly Sword Family Head appeared on his face. Terrion Sigurd tried to take a step back when Ariel approached him with her fierce and brutal glare.

“Go.”

“We… Well.”

Terrion Sigurd had no choice but to retreat slightly since he was the one who made a mistake. He was tilting his head down and looking a bit weak in front of Ariel. His appearance looked completely unlike the man who was crazy about swords and swordsmanship.

‘Was he always this kind of noble gentleman?’

Iron felt as if he was completely being seized and held on the palm of his daughter’s hands. He felt flustered seeing the difference between now and the image of the Godly Sword Family Head in his mind. However, he had no choice but to stop thinking useless thoughts when they saw Ariel’s furious approach.

“Oh… So… you are the Sword Saint’s daughter?”

“…That’s right.”

Ariel sighed as she reluctantly replied.

“I’m sorry I did not tell you in advance.”

“You don’t have to apologize… Well, if we’re talking about this, then I’m telling you my own family circumstances too. I’m actually Leonhardt Family’s eldest son.”

“So that was true?”

Only then did Ariel’s expression turn slightly brighter.

The Lion Family’s eldest son and the Godly Sword Family’s daughter. The two members of the Empire’s greatest families laughed at each other.

“But as far as I know, the Sigurd Family has no runaways?”

Iron tilted his head in confusion.

Rumors about the eldest son of the Leonhardt Family running away had spread widely. However, there were no such rumors like that surrounding the Godly Sword Family. All of Terrion’s children were attending academies or working hard in elite courses in the South.

“…I’m an illegitimate child.”

“Huh?”

“I’m telling you that I’m an illegitimate child.”

Iron’s mouth turned shut at his words.

“Oh… Uhm… Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

Iron remained silent after his apology. He looked like he did not know what to say. But he still opened his mouth to change the atmosphere.

“Actually, I was already thinking that you’re related to the Sigurds.”

“…Since when?”

“When we were still in the training camp. Even before we chose our swordsmanship. I was wondering if you are related since you used the Galactic Meteor Swordsmanship.”

“Ah…”

Ariel nodded when she recalled how she used that sword technique back when she confronted Iron in the training camp before.

“Then, your mother…?”

“She passed away.”

“Ah… I see. Sorry…”

Iron hurriedly shut his mouth when the atmosphere that he tried to change quickly fell again. Even the two commanders, who were fighting earlier, approaching them stopped and stepped down telling them that they would see them again next time.

Iron picked up a bottle and poured out its contents on their glasses in cold sweat. Then, he sipped the drink carefully before asking.

“So, the reason why you came to the Northeast… is it because of the Sigurds?”

“Yeah. I wanted to escape the eyes of that goddamn lout.”

Ariel, who told Iron her secret for the first time, was like a faucet that was turned on as she continued her story while sipping the alcohol in her glass. Perhaps it was because she was a bit tipsy that she lost her hesitations in the beginning as she talked about her past.

Technically, Ariel was the eldest daughter of the Sigurd Family. This was because Terrion had initially tried to marry Ariel’s mother first. However, because of countless unfavorable factors, Terrion married another woman. And Ariel’s mother, who was pregnant with his child, felt betrayed and hid his child from him and raised her alone in revenge. Because her mother was a maiden and was not married, she was thrown out of her family for having a child. So, she raised Ariel alone. Although they lived through all kinds of hardships, Ariel felt the happiest during those days.

Terrion accidentally found out that Ariel was his child and tried to bring her back to the Sigurd Family, but it was already too late. Ariel’s mother had died early from an illness and Ariel had already come to the Northeast with her extreme hate towards Terrion.

“It’s just… a common illegitimate child’s story.”

The ugly stories about illegitimate children were widespread in the Empire. Ariel’s past was one of these stories but Iron couldn’t say anything. If it was some sort of drama or soap opera, then it was just a common story. But what if it was a real situation? And if it became one’s own story, then, there would be nothing more unfortunate than that.

“Hoo… Actually, my mom has already passed away too.”

“Ah…”

“You know about our family, right? It’s hard for me to say it myself but it’s a very crazy place. That’s why most of my younger siblings don’t have a mother.”

They both comforted and told each other that they shouldn’t be too disappointed because they both did not have mothers but Ariel’s expression still turned darker.

Cold sweat poured down Iron’s back once again when he saw her like that.

‘I’m really not good at consoling people…’

Iron did not know how to console Ariel. All he could do was pat her shoulder as he spoke consciously.

“But you went and saw Terrion?”

“…No. He recognized me.”

“He recognized you?”

Iron looked at Ariel in surprise.

“How?”

“…Mana. I think he felt my light mana. That, and I look a lot like my mother.”

“Ah…”

Each family has a unique mana wavelength. Ariel’s case was a prime example of this. Besides, since her and her mother’s face was similar, there was no choice for Terrion but to recognize her. And recognizing the mana wavelength was easy for someone like Terrion Sigurd, so he would definitely recognize her quickly.

“Anyway, I’m sorry. I’m trying to do that lout a favor but it ended up like this.”

“We’re comrades… It’s good for us to tell each other if we’re having a hard time. After all, what are comrades for, right?”

“Thanks.”

Ariel tried so hard to smile.

Iron tilted his glass and walked with her to where their other comrades were.

They heard Cardro and Carl arguing when they went there. But they immediately stopped and welcomed them warmly as they started a drinking party together after a long time. Perhaps, it was also because of the atmosphere that Ariel confessed her secrets to Cardro and Carl with a more comfortable expression on her face.

That was the only time that Iron left the banquet hall and ran for a second round in a quieter place. But before he could do so, Cardro carefully called out for him.

“What’s going on?”

“That… I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

Iron titled his head at Cardro’s words.

“Can you please go see the Central Commander?”

Iron’s eyes widened when he heard Cardro’s request. He felt like he had experienced it somewhere before. Iron’s expression was uncomfortable as he tried to ask him just in case.

“You… You’re not the commander’s illegitimate son, right?”

“Hey! Not at all.”

“Really? What a relief.”

Iron nodded at Cardro. He looked like he was extremely glad to hear those words.

“I’m the third child born from the lawful wife.”

Iron’s expression crumpled as he rubbed his chest after hearing Cardro’s words.

“So… You’re the Central Commander’s… son?”

“Yeah. Cardro Leopold, the third son of the Leopold Family. That’s my real name.”

Iron sighed deeply at Cardro’s words.

“No… why do all of my comrades… do this?”

“Uhm… You don’t think it’s understandable?”

“…Why?”

“Your pedigree is high. You’re from the Leonhardt Family and Ariel is from the Sigurd Family… that’s the main reason why I ran here!”

Iron mumbled to himself… ‘So it wasn’t because of my skills.’ after hearing Cardro’s words. In fact, Cardro blamed the Leopold Family for lacking pedigree saying that it was all about pedigree these days.

Perhaps it was because he was drunk that Cardro was running his mouth off more than usual. Thankfully, Iron was able to calm him down before going to see the Central Commander.

“This… how humiliating.”

The Central Commander couldn’t help but frown when he heard Cardro complain why he gave birth to them with this pedigree.

“Sorry.”

“No. I’m sorry for everything.”

Iron immediately called for Baepsae to remove some of Cardro’s drunkenness. He couldn’t help but shake his head at the disgrace and humiliation that Cardro was getting. After all, he was his comrade and subordinate officer. Cardro came back to his senses. He coughed in embarrassment before quickly disappearing to where Ariel and Carl were.

“It seems like a lot of people have sent their proposals to you already.”

“Haha…”

The Central Commander smiled broadly when he saw the awkwardness in Iron’s face.

“Don’t worry, I won’t make any unreasonable proposals.”

“Then…?”

“But I am asking you for a favor for a period of time.”

Iron tilted his head after hearing the Central Commander’s words.

“A period of time?”

“Don’t leave the Northeast right away and help the Central Army for a while.”

“…Yes?”

The Central Commander laughed loudly when he saw Iron’s reaction.

“If you will accept, I would like to leave the Central Army’s training entirely to you.”

“Huh… I’m sorry but I need the Northeastern Commander’s permission…”

“I already got the permission for that part. Commander Crimson told me that he can L. E. N. D. you to me for as long as I want as long as you agree.”

Iron hemmed and hawed after hearing the Central Army Commander’s words.

“Honestly, there are at least one or two places aiming for you, right? The Central Army cannot offer you something as attractive as what the other countries and the Center is offering you but… that’s why we’re using our heads.”

“Ha… Haha…”

“You know that the Central Army is in a mess right now, right? It’s like we almost have to rebuild everything from scratch… But we need a great instructor to lay the foundation for us. It just so happens that your troops are very good.”

Iron smiled at the words of the Central Army Commander.

“I worked hard to raise them.”

“So let me borrow some of that.”

“Hoo… Fine. I’ll get busy once I go back up but… I’ll just think that going to the Central Army is taking a break.”

“I’d appreciate it if you could move personally…”

Iron smiled after hearing Commander Leopold’s words.

“We’ll see.”

“Haha! Alright. I’ll prepare well so I can satisfy you.”

“I look forward to it.”

Iron returned to where his comrades were after seeing Commander Leopold laugh loudly. One was the daughter of the Sigurd Family and the other was the son of the Leopold Family. These two people were drinking straight from the bottle. Carl, on the other hand, was clicking his tongue as he looked at these two people, who were drinking frantically, with an expression that screamed that he was sick and tired of their antics.

“What’s wrong with them?”

“I don’t know. They suddenly revealed their family before cursing them.”

Iron sighed and stared at Carl when he shook his head at their comrades.

“You, do you have anything?”

“Huh? What?”

“Did you also run away because you don’t like your family? Like them?”

Carl looked at Iron incredulously when he heard his question.

“Is it something that you can’t say?”

“Yes, but… anyway… My family… it’s a merchant family. You punk.”

“Well, is it like one of the top ten merchant families in the Empire?”

Iron looked at him suspiciously as he asked once again.

Carl looked at him heartlessly as he replied.

“No. We’re just normal.”

Iron immediately slumped in relief as he lifted the bottle of alcohol after hearing Carl’s words.

“But, can I also ask you for a favor?”

“No way.”

“Ah. Why?! Why can they do it but I can’t?”

Iron sighed when Carl began to whine and tell him that he was discriminating against him.

“So, what is it?”

“I was going to ask you to meet the Western Commander.”

“What? Hey!”

Carl giggled. It seemed like he found Iron’s reaction to be fun. Iron frowned as he looked at him.

“Are you kidding me?”

“No? It’s real.”

“Ha… So, what about you? Are you also related to the Western Commander’s family?”

“No. My second cousin twice removed is probably in-laws with one of the family’s descendants?”

Iron titled his head for a moment when he heard Carl’s words.

“The in-laws of your second cousin twice removed… Then, aren’t they just strangers?”

“I think so?”

“So, why…?”

“Wouldn’t it be sad if the Western Commander doesn’t have any connections? I heard that the Southern Commander used his connection with Ariel to call out to you. So, I’m going to create a connection that I don’t have and let the two of you meet.”

Iron looked at Carl when he heard his absurd and silly words.

“Then, wouldn’t the Center be better?”

“Hey, that’s not true.”

“Why?”

“It’s trashy here.”

Iron smiled and nodded when he heard Carl’s words.

“That, I agree with.”

Iron and Carl giggled as they talked trash about the Center. They chewed them out for a long time as they talked about what they had experienced in the Center and the capital as well as the things that they had found in the laboratories. They both drank until midnight as they talked shit about them.

The next day, he went to the Southern Commander to hear out his proposal before going straight to where the Western Commander was. He told him that he came here through Carl’s recommendation to hear his proposal.

“The in-laws… of his second cousin twice removed?”

“Yes.”

“That connection is not… much, right?”

The Western Commander titled his head as he thought about the connection that he had with Carl.

“That’s right. Actually, he asked me to come here because he felt sorry for you, commander.”

“Ha… Hahaha… Wait. This is quite ridiculous.”

Iron grinned at the Western Commander’s reaction.

“Well… Even if I can’t guarantee that I will come your way, I will think of ways to help you as much as I can.”

“Thank you. Please think of us and our urgent situation.”

Iron smiled silently after hearing the Western Commander’s request.

The commander looked at his cheeky appearance as he stood up and invited him out to a meal.

Of course, it became one of the armies’ secrets when the trivial and comfortable meal turned into a situation where everyone trembled when the Southern Commander, Eastern Commander and Northern Commander rushed to join and keep each other in check.