The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Chapter 6

Raul received simple medical treatment and headed to the waiting room. The tournament award ceremony and adulthood ceremony were scheduled to begin shortly. Since the events would last well into the night, there wouldn’t be any other spare time. Making sure no one was around, he opened the system window to check his quest rewards.

**Quest: Coming-of-Age Tournament**

[Rank]: D+

[Objective]: Finish within the top four in the Count Ashton’s coming-of-age tournament. Additional rewards will be given based on the final ranking.

[Result]: Tournament Victory (Completed)

[Rewards]: Experience points, 300 coins (Player store exclusive), Random skill book (E rank or below).

[Additional Reward]: Extra experience points, 5 D-rank free stat points, Random skill book (D rank or below).

[Do you want to receive your rewards?]

Given his tournament victory, the rewards seemed quite generous. Raul’s expression brightened as he accepted them, and several level-up messages flashed before his eyes.

“Check status.”

[Name]: Raul

[Level]: 25 (Hardcore Mode)

[Occupation]: Trainee Knight (Sword User), Beginner Psychokinetic

[Title]: Winner of the Count Ashton’s Coming-of-Age Tournament.

[Stats]

[Strength 31]

[Agility 36]

[Stamina 29(+1)]

[Intelligence 22]

[Willpower 45]

[Magic Power 41]

[Spiritual Power 44]

[Sense 43]

Remaining Stat Points: 5

“Taking on quests is the answer, after all?” Winning just four matches in the tournament had caused his level to rise by 6. Considering that a month of training had only gained him about 10 levels, this was nothing short of power leveling.

However, he still felt vastly inadequate; his level and stats were hardly beyond that of a 15-year-old. Reflecting on what was yet to come, it felt as if he had only begun to crawl.

“I need to leave the domain soon.” Growing within the confines of the count’s estate might be safe, but it had its limitations. To leverage his ‘unique player’ advantage, venturing into the world was imperative.

He needed to claim the quests, treasures, and fate encounters that lay in the vastness of the Connect world before anyone else. In this context, the biggest reward from this tournament was undoubtedly “admittance to the Kingdom Academy.” Although it required the count’s approval, Raul believed that winning the tournament made it hard for his request to be outright denied.

** **

“No.”

“Pardon?”

“The Kingdom Academy. I cannot permit it!”

“But you said if I made it into the top four of the tournament, I could go to the academy…”

“Ahem, that was said in the spirit of encouraging hard work. Besides, Raul, you have much left to learn within our household. You’ve neglected your swordsmanship training; it’s high time you properly focused on it.”

His trust was shattered. It seemed his father, Count Melvin, had no intention of letting him go. However, Raul couldn’t give up.

“Learning the way of the sword is a lifelong pursuit. Isn’t that what you always say, Father? Just as you’ve said, the family’s swordsmanship is a task I shall devote my life to learning and practicing. But, isn’t there an age limit for entering the Kingdom Academy? If not now, when else would I get the chance?”

Count Melvin was surprised by Raul’s assertive and logical response. Raul was usually taciturn and meek, often mumbling or hesitating in speech. Yet, here he was, making a strong, cogent argument.

“When did he grow to be so resolute?” wondered the count, barely managing to suppress a smile that threatened to break out. He glared down at Raul—his small stature barely reaching the count’s chest, his legs thinner than the count’s arms, and his complexion pale as if he were ill.

For the record, the count was a giant of a man, towering over two meters, with forearms thicker than the waist of an average woman. Contrary to the count’s observation, Raul’s skin was merely fair, not sickly pale.

“Still, it’s not possible. How can I send someone as frail as you to such a far place?”

At that, Raul sprang up from his seat and exclaimed, “But what if I insist on going? Moreover, having won the tournament, I cannot accept being called weak!”

The count and Raul’s gazes clashed fiercely in mid-air, both seemingly unyielding in their stance.

After staring intently into Raul’s eyes for a moment, the count spoke in a calm voice, “Words alone will not settle this. If you really desire it, then convince me with your skill!”

And on that day, Raul found himself knocked down without even grazing the count’s collar.

* * *

Clattering, clattering.

Raul gazed vacantly out of the window from inside the jostling carriage.

In his sight were about forty knights escorting three carriages, all cloaked in ash-gray mantles, their chests emblazoned with the emblem of a bear roaring skywards – the insignia of the Count Ashton’s family.

A month had passed since the duel with the count.

Since that day, akin to a tacit agreement, Raul and Count Melvin engaged in daily sparring sessions. Now, Raul was leaving the domain in a carriage.

‘It was a struggle to the very end to make the escape.’

Truth be told, Count Melvin’s prowess was overwhelming.

It was not for nothing that he was the patriarch of one of the kingdom’s five greatest martial households. His swordsmanship far surpassed Raul’s level.

Moreover, the count’s physique was almost monstrously beyond what could be considered human.

That explained why the Ashton family had held firm their status among the top martial families, even though the count wasn’t a sword master.

Given his relatively young age compared to other family heads, reaching the pinnacle of sword mastery and becoming a true monster seemed not far off for him, Raul felt.

In his past life, Count Melvin’s name hadn’t been well-known. By the time players entered Connect, the count was no longer of this world.

But this time would be different.

‘I need father to face the enemies that will appear from now on! And what a family it is to have gained. I can’t let it go to waste!’

The words ‘family’ and ‘father’ still felt strange to him, hard to get used to.

Yet, living with the Ashtons, a warm sentiment began to take root in Raul’s heart, an intense emotion he hadn’t felt with anyone else.

In the end, it wasn’t his swordsmanship that won the count’s permission.

After days of duels, Raul admitted that he couldn’t find the answer with swordsmanship alone and revealed his psychokinesis in front of the count.

Whoosh!

For the first time, Raul’s longsword grazed Count Melvin’s cheek.

The split second the count thought he had evaded the sword, its trajectory subtly shifted with psychokinesis.

“…!!”

Count Melvin’s expression hardened.

‘What was that change at the last moment?’

Wiping the blood trickling down his cheek, the count looked at Raul.

The young man who had seemed merely a boy until moments ago now felt like a formidable swordsman, stirring something in the count’s heart.

“Alright! Let’s truly test your mettle!”

For the first time, the count attacked Raul, who reciprocated with equal fervor.

That day, Raul was acknowledged by the count as both a man and a swordsman.

After the duel, explaining his sudden increase in skill and psychokinesis, Raul resorted to the cliched plot of divine revelation through awakening. Naturally, the count was skeptical.

But when Raul mentioned specific information and geopolitical details he shouldn’t be privy to, the count couldn’t ignore his words any longer, especially since the count too had felt that the regional tensions were unusual.

Thus, over the month, through their sparrings, Raul and the count had many discussions.

While the count was half-doubtful, he fulfilled Raul’s requests to the best he could.

And so, Raul set off on his journey away from the count’s domain towards the kingdom’s capital.

Thud.

The carriage came to a halt, and a man approached the window.

“Young master Raul, we shall take a brief meal here before continuing.”

The man was Philip.

He was responsible for the escort, and also a top-level knight of the ‘Golden Bear Knights’, the First Knights of the Count Ashton’s family. Among the knights with a capacity of 100 members, he ranked among the top ten for his incredible prowess.

“I understand. I’ll be heading down,” Raul nodded before stepping out of the carriage. Then, focusing mana into his eyes, he examined Philip’s information.

[Name]: Philip (42 years old)

[Level]: 92

[Occupation]: Senior Knight (Advanced Sword Expert)

[Affiliation]: Count of Ashton, Golden Bear Knight Order

[Title]: Sword Breaker

[Stats]: Potential (S-Grade)

[Strength 82]

[Agility 76]

[Stamina 81]

[Intelligence 68]

[Willpower 77]

[Magic Power 76]

[Senses 73]

*Unique Traits

Ogre’s Strength (A+), Natural Commander (A), Obsession with Swordsmanship (A-)

‘Impressive indeed.’ His stats and traits were more commendable than known capabilities suggested.

Typically, the stats for sword expert-level knights were in the 70s. However, his strength and stamina had already crossed into the 80s. Given his high S-Grade potential, it was only a matter of time before he could break through the barrier to Sword Master.

Turning his gaze away from Philip, Raul soon found himself seated at a makeshift table that had been prepared, with knights lining up to take their places beside him. A total of 50 individuals had joined Raul on his journey.

Among them were three full-fledged knights including Philip, six squires, fifteen trainees receiving knight training, twenty cavalrymen, and the last five were servants and workers attending to Raul.

Selecting these attendants required Raul to navigate a hectic month-long schedule. With the count’s permission, he visited the knight order and training grounds to personally persuade knights, and had to sift through countless soldiers at the barracks himself. Fortunately, selecting the servants and workers was less labor-intensive thanks to the house steward Ivan’s recommendations, but ultimately, each selection necessitated conducting interviews.

Some might question why he went to such lengths. But Raul’s goal was clear. He sought young, talented individuals who could pledge loyalty to him. Without that, inclusion in the party held no meaning.

‘Gathering them all like this is quite satisfying.’ Philip was the eldest at 42, while the other two knights were in their 30s, and the remaining were either in their 20s or teens. Each of them had a prepared talent of at least B-Grade potential. Even without prompt action, they had the potential to flourish in any field, but time was of the essence.

To confront the threats looming over the Count’s household, it was necessary for them to grow rapidly. Hence, bringing along such a substantial number may seem excessive to some, but if the objective was merely reaching the capital, a company of about ten knights would have sufficed.

“How much longer until we reach our destination, Sir Philip?” Raul inquired.

“If we continue as planned, we’ll arrive in five days. Should we speed up?”

“No, there’s no need to hurry. The soldiers need their training, so let’s keep to our current pace.” At these words, a sigh of relief escaped from a few young soldiers who were dining a bit away.

These soldiers had never ridden horses before their inclusion in this journey. However, following the strict order to learn riding, they had been alternating between carriages and horses for training.

“Why exactly are we heading to the [Free City of Mira] with such a large party?” one of the knights, Jake, seated next to Raul, asked. Though the recruitment had mentioned a journey and training, curiosity still lingered.

“The reason will become clear once we arrive. And don’t forget, you swore to follow my commands as if they were the Count’s,” Raul responded.

Jake shrugged his shoulders and replied, “Of course. A promise from me, Jake, is not to be taken lightly. But really, what will we be doing there for more than a month?”

“Ah, Jake!” Philip interjected, prompting Jake to raise his hands in submission and mutter, “So serious, all of you. I was just curious…”

Jake’s reputation as the most talkative among the knights was clearly no joke.

Raul simply chuckled and thought, ‘Might as well go with a lighter heart if hardship awaits anyway.’

(To be continued)