The Hero Becomes the Duke’s Eldest Son

Chapter 104

Aden reviewed the information on the new ability he had learned.

[Wraith’s Flashback]

At the moment of death, a person sees their life flash before their eyes in just a few seconds.

They look back on their life, feel regret, sorrow, and anger, and eventually let go of their attachments and depart.

However, those who cannot let go of their memories become trapped within them, wandering endlessly.

These are wraiths, entities bound by their memories from when they were alive.

You can peek into their memories.

This ability can only be used on wraiths.

Wraith’s Flashback.

Through this ability, Aden had glimpsed the memories held by the wraith of the Black Knight.

‘To be able to peek into memories…’

The utility of this ability was limitless.

It was clear that this would be a valuable skill in the future.

Thanks to it, Aden had been able to read the memories of Dares Clayman, the Black Knight and close aide to the Storm Knight, and learn a great deal.

For instance, he found out that Sylbeta had suffered significant damage to his mana engine a long time ago.

‘Sylbeta has been anxious because of that.’

When a wealthy person suddenly becomes poor, they tend to long for and obsess over the time when they were rich.

Likewise, Sylbeta had become obsessed with his position and power, which he had taken for granted, and was on the brink of losing.

In the end, he had gone so far as to align himself with Chaos’s warlocks.

‘The gem I absorbed was a substitute for the mana engine.’

Its true name was the Blood Jewel.

It was something Sylbeta had collaborated with Chaos to create, intended to replace the damaged mana engine.

If things had gone according to plan, Sylbeta, who implanted this gem, would have been reborn as the strongest knight of Syres, the Storm Knight.

-That means you ruined it and even stole it completely, Dragon Slayer.

“Something like that.”

It wasn’t intentional, but it was a blessing in disguise.

For a warrior whose mana engine was damaged, it was no less than a living hell.

‘He allied with Chaos to escape that hell.’

Knowing this, Aden decided to slightly adjust his plans.

‘He doesn’t have much time left.’

Although he was staving off the deterioration of his mana engine by taking elixirs provided by Chaos’s warlocks, he didn’t have much time left.

‘He’ll definitely try to create a new Blood Jewel.’

However, he wouldn’t randomly capture people and use them. There wasn’t time for that, and there was a far better alternative.

‘The Essence of the Winter Queen.’

The essence held by the Winter Queen contained a vitality that was incomparable to any other elixir.

It was said that the first Grand Duke, Zeca Syres, had defeated the Winter Queen and drank her essence, and this was the reason why his descendants had inherited strong bodies.

‘The Storm Knight, Sylbeta, will definitely be aiming for that essence.’

Soon, the Syres Grand Duke’s family would gather all their forces at Frost Fortress to eliminate the Winter Queen’s army.

‘No chance.’

Aden decided to thwart his plans.

* * *

The day after the Winter Queen’s territory emerged, High Priest Barcus came to visit Aden.

“Aden Remes Apostle, there are guests at the temple.”

Since Aden had ascended to the position of Apostle of the Sacred Fire, the high priest’s attitude had become even more respectful.

The priests of the temple all called him ‘Apostle of the Sacred Fire,’ but since he found it uncomfortable, they compromised and called him Apostle.

“Guests?”

Aden soon met the guests.

The man, who had hair as silvery blue as the one Aden hated, smiled with his characteristic benevolent expression.

“Lord Remes, it’s been a while.”

“Lord Dayer.”

Dayer Sias, the younger brother and rival of Storm Knight Sylbeta, the second son of the Syres Grand Duke family, and a spearman knight.

“It’s the first time we’ve met since the Imperial Banquet. It’s good to see you again, Lord Remes.”

“You don’t seem surprised to see me here?”

Seeing Dayer’s calm expression, it seemed he had expected to meet Aden.

He nodded willingly.

“It’s already a hot topic among the nobility that your family became the patron of the saintess. And that you are accompanying her on her pilgrimage.”

No matter how much you tried to hide it, some stories couldn’t be completely concealed.

The rumor going around was this:

A noble who single-handedly slew a troll, the Troll Slayer.

A nobleman who defeated a monstrous beast rampaging at the Imperial Banquet.

The savior of the Sacred Fire Order who rescued the hidden saintess from the evil guild (Cerberus Guild) and defeated Talos summoned by the wicked warlocks.

Aden was already famous across the continent.

-Hoo, those titles are quite impressive, Dragon Slayer.

‘…Shut up.’

Aden, hiding his embarrassment, changed the subject.

“It doesn’t seem like a situation to be particularly happy about.”

At Aden’s words, Dayer’s smile became somewhat awkward.

“I wanted to meet and talk in a better situation… but here we are.”

The entire Grand Duchy was in turmoil due to the appearance of the Winter Queen.

Given that they had sent someone to the temple in this situation, the reason was obvious.

“The Sacred Fire Order wants a representative to attend the meeting.”

“That’s right.”

Dayer had personally come as a messenger because his maternal family was closely associated with the Sacred Fire Order.

Dayer spoke earnestly.

“I heard that the saintess of the Sacred Fire Order is here on a pilgrimage. I hope she can visit the Grand Duke’s family…”

“Aden oppa!”

As Dayer was speaking, Elise’s voice was heard from afar… accompanied by the heavy footsteps of Choco, who had returned to his original size.

Elise was riding on top of him.

“Elise, why is he big again?”

“After hearing loud noises last night, Choco is anxious! He even lost his appetite for his favorite steak. What should I do?”

-Kiiing.

“….”

Dayer was momentarily stunned by the sight of the giant dog and the cute girl riding it, which seemed otherworldly.

Aden, seeing Dayer’s expression, said, “Oh,” and then introduced them.

“Let me introduce her. This is Elise, the saintess of the Sacred Fire Order. Elise, this is Dayer Sias, the second son of the Grand Duke’s family. Say hello.”

“Hello!”

“Oh… yes, yes. Nice to meet you too. Is that a pet…?”

“Yes! This is our puppy, Choco! Isn’t he cute?”

-Woof.

“….”

Dayer thought to himself, ‘The saintess is on a completely different level.’

‘This is a good opportunity.’

Aden saw Dayer’s visit as a good chance.

“Lord Dayer, you said the Order needs a representative?”

“Yes? Yes, that’s right.”

“Then let’s go.”

“…What?”

“I’m the highest-ranking person here right now.”

Although it was an honorary title that no one had heard of before, he was still a chosen one of the gods.

Aden was a representative as much as, or even more so than, Elise or the High Priest.

Aden grinned.

“Let’s meet your father.”

Aden was already planning to visit the current Grand Duke of Syres.

* * *

Frost Fortress, the northernmost stronghold of Syres.

The place dividing the Frozen Land from Syres was an impregnable fortress that had never fallen.

“The Winter Queen has finally revived.”

The master of Frost Fortress, Storm Knight Sylbeta, murmured softly as he looked at his kneeling knights, the Red Knight and the White Knight.

Their heads bowed even lower at his words.

“We apologize, Your Highness.”

“We are ashamed, my lord.”

They could not help but feel devastated.

In fact, they had already foreseen the revival of the Winter Queen.

“A long time ago, the first Grand Duke defeated the Winter Queen and founded the current grand duchy.”

But there was a secret unknown to the grand duke’s family.

The first Grand Duke, Zeca Syres, had indeed defeated the Winter Queen after many sacrifices and fierce battles.

However, he had not completely destroyed her.

When he shattered her essence, its fragments scattered across the northern lands.

The power of these fragments turned the entire north into an eternal winter and strengthened the monsters inhabiting the region.

At the same time, a fragment also lodged itself in Zeca Syres’s body.

This power had been passed down through the Syres bloodline for generations, and it was the true source of the blessed physiques of the Syres family.

‘The Frost Ogre Lord that appeared seven years ago also contained one of those fragments.’

When he defeated the Frost Ogre Lord, the fragment within it resonated with the one he possessed, allowing him to read the thoughts embedded in the fragment and uncover the truth.

‘The Winter Queen’s existence was merely dispersed, not destroyed.’

Through the thoughts in the fragment, he realized that the Winter Queen would revive within ten years.

Hence, he had prepared to defeat her.

He had tried to repair his damaged mana engine and build a formidable army to pierce through the Winter Queen’s forces.

“But it was all in vain.”

The effort to create a substitute for the mana engine failed, and the Blood Knights project also fell apart.

Years of effort had gone up in smoke.

Now, there was only one way left.

‘To repair my mana engine, there is only one method remaining.’

The essence of the Winter Queen.

He needed to create a new gem using that essence.

If he could defeat the Winter Queen and obtain her essence, it would be possible.

Originally, he had intended to repair his mana engine to defeat the Winter Queen, but now he needed to defeat her to repair his mana engine.

It was ironic but unavoidable.

“Benige, inform the grand duke’s family to prepare for the subjugation.”

“At once!”

He had resolved to defeat the Winter Queen and seize her power.

‘I will become the strongest knight.’

He believed firmly that it was his destiny to become the hero who slayed the Winter Queen and saved the grand duchy.

And the next day, an unexpected piece of news spread throughout the grand duchy.

The Sacred Fire Order declares a campaign to conquer the Winter Queen’s territory!

The leader of the campaign is Aden Remes, the eldest son of the Remes Ducal Family!

According to a priest, he is the prophesied Apostle of the Sacred Fire…

Indeed, it was news about Aden Remes and the Sacred Fire Order.

* * *

The ruler and king of the Syres Grand Duchy, Grand Duke Syres.

His aide, Yan Carlos, asked his lord, the Grand Duke.

“Why did you do that, Your Grace?”

“What do you mean?”

The Grand Duke of Syres, Vernon Syres, was a white-haired old man over fifty years old.

However, his body was muscular and imposing, with an inherent sense of majesty and a commanding presence in every syllable of his voice.

Even though Yan had served him for decades, he still occasionally felt intimidated by his lord’s aura.

It was common for members of the Syres bloodline to reach the level of Sword Master before turning thirty.

And the current Grand Duke Vernon was a warrior who had stopped just short of the Grand Master’s barrier.

In other words, he was a high-level Sword Master.

Once a formidable knight who dominated the battlefield, he had stepped down due to the passage of time, now handling state affairs with a pen.

But even though he had aged, a tiger did not become a cat.

He remained a powerful figure in the grand duchy.

“I mean, why did you agree to that greenhorn’s request?”

Yan frowned as he recalled the earlier event.

Aden Remes.

The eldest son of the Remes Ducal Family, whom the Sacred Fire Order claimed was the prophesied Apostle of the Sacred Fire.

That young brat, that scoundrel, had come to the Grand Duke and abruptly said,

“Let’s make a deal, Your Grace.”

“A deal? What do you mean?”

“I will defeat the Winter Queen for you.”

“….”

To defeat the Winter Queen.

Everyone in the council chamber had fallen silent at those words.