Ch.9898. Edenhar

“How did you do that?”

Charlotte widened her eyes and let out a hollow laugh. It was hard to believe even though she had seen it with her own eyes.

One month. It had been a month since they left Lindvale, and they would arrive at the Edenhar Marquis estate before evening. After finishing their meal, just as they were about to depart—she went looking for Rex when she couldn’t find him.

Just as Rex had observed Charlotte during their time together, Charlotte had also come to know Rex in more detail. She thought he would predictably be holed up somewhere swinging his sword. With that in mind, she made her way through the bushes where she sensed movement.

“That just now was the Heavenly Thunder Soul Blade.”

Though the movement was fast, Charlotte didn’t miss a single motion of the blade. A dazzling light formed on the sword as it cut through the air. Lightning, the symbol of the Heavenly Thunder Soul Blade. Though still faint, it was clearly formed from mental imagery.

“In just a month…”

It wasn’t just the Heavenly Thunder Soul Blade. He also executed the other three forms of the Kaiserion style quite admirably. Before, he had merely been imitating the forms. While traveling to Edenhar, Charlotte occasionally guided Rex’s training. She pointed out his shortcomings and offered various advice.

Still, this was truly an insane rate of growth. It was incomprehensible even by Charlotte’s standards, who thought differently from ordinary people.

“It’s still lacking.”

Rex shook his head with a calm expression. He had succeeded in manifesting the mental imagery. However, compared to Charlotte’s forms that he had seen before, it was disappointingly inadequate.

To someone unaware of the circumstances, such words would seem beyond humility and border on deception, but Charlotte realized Rex was being sincere.

“Your ambition is excessive.”

“Didn’t you say that mental imagery is desire itself?”

Rex retorted with a raised corner of his mouth. He wasn’t unaware of Charlotte’s feelings. He had managed to handle mental imagery in just a month. That’s how it must have appeared to Charlotte.

‘In reality, it took much longer.’

Rex’s time flowed differently from ordinary people.

It was thanks to the Mind Training Battle. Reality and the mental world. Rex devoted himself to training while moving between the two. In reality, he received guidance from Charlotte, and in the mental world, he reviewed her teachings. Occasionally, he gained insights while facing the illusions summoned by the Mind Training Battle.

The warriors that Kaordix remembered were all exceptionally skilled, so he couldn’t always win.

Though defeats were frustrating.

The insights that came from defeat were valuable.

Over the past month.

Though others wouldn’t know, Rex had fought countless battles. An incomparable number of fights compared to all his previous battles. Everything was a hardship, a trial too difficult to overcome.

He still couldn’t defeat the Apostle that Kaordix had wagered as a condition. Even without using Divine Release, his chances of winning weren’t even one in ten.

But he had gotten a little closer than before.

That was enough.

“That smirk of yours is somehow unsettling.”

“…What are you saying?”

“Stop your training there. Chloe and Elin are still packing. Instead of helping them.”

Charlotte grumbled in a blunt tone as she turned her back. Rex awkwardly scratched his cheek. He had deliberately woken up early in the morning, but as he immersed himself in mental imagery, the day had already dawned.

Suddenly, he thought of teasing her by asking why Charlotte wasn’t helping the two. He considered saying it but… decided against it. Until now, Charlotte had often threatened to spank him if he irritated her, but she had never actually done it. However, if he made a joke now, he might really get spanked.

“I’m sorry. I should have helped.”

“Huh? No, it’s fine. We don’t have much stuff anyway. I chose to come along, so I should handle this much myself.”

Chloe answered as she loaded her belongings onto the horse. Elin waved her wand, and a thin string floated up and secured the load to the horse’s body.

“Preparations complete.”

“Thank you.”

“…Yeah.”

Elin stared at Rex for a moment before mounting her horse.

“Let’s go.”

Charlotte pulled the reins.

***

The only noble territory Rex knew was Lindvale. A massive city surrounded by high walls on all sides, with a population exceeding a thousand. To be considered a true noble, one needed a territory, and nobles with territories were distinguished from ordinary nobles by their titles.

Lindvale was a barony, while Edenhar was a marquisate, governed by a marquis who ranked above a baron.

Though the size of cities varied due to geography, specialties, and location, a marquisate typically excelled over a barony in military power, population, economy, and various other aspects.

Edenhar was particularly known for its military strength.

“I hold both the titles of Marquis and Border Count. Edenhar is my main house, and I own other territories as well. Where we’re going now is not the city of Edenhar, but a separate mansion I had built.”

Charlotte raised her finger to point at a distant location. The city walls rising from the vast plain came into view. Her finger slowly moved to the side. Right in front of a wide lake stood an elegant mansion that was no less impressive than a fortress.

Rex had already heard that Charlotte’s mansion was outside the city. She had built a separate residence because she disliked crowds. It was closer in size to a small village than a mansion. In the center stood the main building, larger than any structure he had seen before, with slightly smaller annexes lined up on either side.

A pole at the entrance gate. A white flag fluttering on it. The sharp longsword engraved on the flag was the symbol of the Edenhar Marquis family, which had protected the empire’s borders for generations.

“Open the gates.”

Charlotte called out with an expressionless face. Even before she finished speaking, the gates opened. Soldiers immediately emerged and lined up in perfect formation. All were equipped with high-quality gear and maintained strict discipline.

Rex and Chloe, who were looking around with bewildered faces, blinked in surprise. The mansion’s scale had been impressive from the outside, but the scene that unfolded upon entering was even more astonishing.

The number of soldiers lined up alone exceeded a hundred. How many more were there beyond those present? There would naturally be knights and servants to attend to them. Just how many people lived within this mansion? It felt like being country bumpkins who had just left their rural homes. Strictly speaking, they were indeed country folk… but still, it was a sight difficult to readily accept.

“Elin, aren’t you surprised?”

Rex whispered in a hushed voice. Elin replied in an indifferent tone.

“Not really. The place I lived was much bigger than this.”

“…I see.”

Charlotte dismounted and leisurely walked along the path leading to the main building. The soldiers did not stop Rex and the others as they followed her.

“Don’t just stand there dazed, come along.”

Charlotte gestured with a smirk.

Creak.

This time, the door opened on its own before she could speak. The light from the sparkling chandelier illuminated the figure of a man standing below.

“Allen.”

“You’ve returned sooner than expected. I thought you wouldn’t be back for at least half a year.”

“I hurried back fearing you might collapse from overwork. Were there any problems while I was away?”

“As it happens, there’s a mountain of work that requires your attention.”

“I left you as my proxy, so you could have handled most matters.”

“I resolved all issues that could be addressed at my level. However, the remaining documents absolutely require your review, my lord.”

Charlotte frowned and let out a deep sigh.

“This is why I didn’t want to come back.”

“Though you must be tired from your long journey, please resume your duties as soon as possible.”

The elderly man called Allen tilted his head with a puzzled expression.

“But… who are these guests behind you?”

“Berger’s disciple. The others are friends who came with him.”

Rex awkwardly bowed his head under the staring gaze.

“Greetings. I’m Rex. Somehow, I ended up receiving guidance from Lady Charlotte for a while… I look forward to your kind consideration.”

“I see.”

Allen’s eyes narrowed. For a moment so brief it might have been an illusion, something swept over Rex’s entire body. As Rex widened his eyes, Allen nodded with a kindly smile.

“I’ve heard much about you, Rex. As I was told, you possess remarkable skills despite your young age. The Edenhar Marquis family always welcomes talent. I am the head butler; please don’t hesitate to let me know if you encounter any difficulties during your stay.”

“You don’t need to speak so formally to me.”

“While I appreciate your consideration, I must decline. Attending to guests is a butler’s natural duty. Please don’t feel burdened and make yourself comfortable.”

Allen smiled brightly and shifted his gaze.

“The lovely young ladies behind you are equally as impressive as they are beautiful. Your names are?”

“Elin.”

“C-Chloe! I’ll try not to be a burden!”

“As guests invited by Lady Charlotte, you are all honored guests of our marquisate. Please let me know if you need anything.”

Allen stroked his beard and turned his head.

“Lady Charlotte. I will guide the guests.”

“Very well. Give them good rooms, but don’t place them too close together. They’re at an age full of vigor, so we should prevent incidents in advance.”

As Charlotte snickered with a mischievous expression, Chloe’s cheeks turned red.

“I wouldn’t do such things!”

“Such things? I merely mentioned incidents, but what were you imagining? How scandalous.”

Chloe closed her mouth.