In a spacious room within the guest wing.
Dax was still discussing matters with his subordinates and had asked Lin Nuo to wait for a moment.
Lin Nuo did not stay idle during this time.
He approached the two armored gatekeeper knights and asked if there were any common combat techniques or magic used by most knights—specifically something simple and easy to learn, like Heavy Slash.
The two knights indeed had suggestions for him.
They handed him a Holy Knight training manual.
It contained basic magic like Double-Handed Wild Cleave, Fire Magic Sweep, and Meditative Inquiry.
However, there was one particular spell with a note that said “Do Not Practice,” which left Lin Nuo somewhat puzzled.
“The Holy Knight Conceals His Vessel? What kind of skill is this?”
“Reporting to Master Lin Nuo, it is a technique where one uses magic to retract their ‘great vessel’ into their abdomen. Until the moment of death, it will not suffer any damage from external forces!”
“…”
‘Are you freaking kidding me?’
‘Keep your voice down, at least! And what kind of bizarre skill is that anyway?’
‘Magic really can do anything…’
Recalling his experience using magic to heal the wounded knights, Lin Nuo picked up a knight’s longsword and began to toy with it casually.
After a few attempts, he quickly confirmed his theory.
The Healing Spell indeed possessed the unique ability to gain experience points for one of the target’s skills while healing them.
However, it was not as fast as the rapid replication he experienced when learning a Magic Array.
The reason he could learn Heavy Slash instantly was partly because the War Technique was simple, and partly because he had already practiced swordsmanship for some time, allowing him to master it rapidly.
If it were that weird spell used to tuck away one’s “little buffalo,” he wouldn’t have understood it immediately even with the experience bonus from another user, as he had absolutely no prior foundation for it.
“There are limits, but not many.”
“This kind of buff-type ability that can seize the experience of others is quite friendly to someone like me, who is slow at learning Magic Techniques…”
After practicing for just a short while, he could feel [Heavy Slash] soaring from [Lv 1] to [Lv 3].
Compared to the high-level techniques he possessed, like Falling Petals to Dust, this basic War Technique was in a completely different league.
It was much easier to level up.
However, even if Falling Petals to Dust remained at level 0, its utility in a life-or-death situation would likely be far greater than a [Lv 10] Heavy Slash.
Thinking of this, Lin Nuo felt quite satisfied.
“Lin Nuo, your father and I have been discussing things for a long time using the Resonance Letter Talisman.”
Dax walked through the door and pulled him over to sit down.
Setting his cane aside, Dax patted Lin Nuo on the shoulder and said, “I have always known your father’s intentions. That is why, regarding the battle on the Shilang Bay where we won despite being outnumbered, I ordered my men to swear upon the Statue of the Shield of Covenant that they would not leak a single word of the news.”
“Your father told me that in the Clemence family, if you reveal true talent before you are strong enough, the unexpected disadvantages will far outweigh the visible benefits.”
“But Kuxiu also said that you’ve grown up.” Dax sighed with emotion and patted Lin Nuo’s shoulder again.
“He wanted me to ask for your opinion. Would you be willing to remain anonymous for the time being?”
“It is not rare for a Mage to win against superior numbers, but with the presence of Ankalamuheng and the Bloodpact Servants, this victory has become massive and nearly unbelievable.”
“It will definitely catch the attention of every noble house in the Divine Empire.”
“What he and I discussed was giving you a title. We would attribute the credit for this victory to that title and wait for you to inherit it in the future.”
“There is no need for such trouble,” Lin Nuo said, “The victory belongs to everyone. There is no need to push all the credit onto me.”
“Haha, I knew you weren’t like those short-sighted sons of viscounts or barons who want the whole world to know after killing a few dozen magical creatures!”
Dax’s gaze toward Lin Nuo became even more appreciative, “This response is exactly what I expected.”
“Master Lin Nuo, we won a great victory this time. We must have a representative.” Seemingly touched by Lin Nuo’s words once more, Angellei could not help but speak up, “You are the one recognized by our entire Treading Wave Sea Guard Knights.”
“Then let the primary credit for the victory attributed to me be placed upon the Princess of Shilang Bay.”
“… You want to give it to someone else? Master, will you not reconsider?”
Standing guard at the door, this was the first time Angellei had seen a noble as young as Lin Nuo do something so inconceivable.
Just as Dax had guessed, the boy directly discarded a fruit of victory that others would die for—a feat that could have made his name famous across half the Sallydor Continent.
“The Granny Whale has departed, and that Juvenile Magic Whale still needs time to grow. You have seen the seclusion of Shilang Bay; that place needs protection.”
Lin Nuo thought for a moment and quickly made his decision, “If you feel my proposal lacks merit, you can publicly announce that Shilang Bay and the Clemence family have formed a friendly alliance. This will benefit that place, the Clemence family, and me.”
“I believe XÄ«, as the Princess, will not refuse.”
“Hahaha! Such magnanimity is truly worthy of you!”
“Good!”
Dax laughed heartily, “My nephew Lin Nuo truly has the potential to be a leader among the magical elements!”
At this point, Lin Nuo asked the question weighing on his heart: “When I was 10 years old, the three months of memory I lost… they were erased by my father using magic, weren’t they?”
“Oh, that…” Dax’s eyes reflected a sense of nostalgia for the past.
“The one who erased your memory wasn’t just your father. And you weren’t the only one who had their memories erased.”
“Eight years ago, the number of knights who fled that battle was far greater than this time…” He sighed, “It was all done to prevent those deserters—who knew that a 10-year-old boy possessed courage and wisdom not inferior to Kuxiu in his youth—from leaking the fact that the overall direction of the Battle of the Abandoned Shield was actually decided by you to the Demon Army and the Archsinners…”
“You must have guessed it by now.”
“Yes.” Lin Nuo said, “It sounds like my father sought out many of the best mages in the magical world to help him fold the memories of all the Holy Knights who participated in that battle, specifically concerning the Battle of the Abandoned Shield.”
“Correct.”
“So even if the Battle of the Abandoned Shield is mentioned, even the Holy Knights who were present won’t remember what actually happened.”
“Just like how you can’t remember anything.”
“When you were injured, Kuxiu really humbled himself and pleaded with many High Mages everywhere…” Dax laughed openly.
“Of course, that is what a father should do. For you, it was worth it.”
“It’s hard to say if it was worth it or not,” Lin Nuo said with a smile, “But perhaps it wasn’t a loss.”
‘When he puts it that way… The bonds of hot-blooded youth really shouldn’t be underestimated!’
“Uncle Dax, there is actually something I’ve always wanted to know,” Lin Nuo asked, “If I hadn’t followed you when I was 10 years old, what would have happened on the Shilang Bay?”
“The 900 of us would have still been surrounded by the Cultists and then wiped out completely. That would have been the end,” Dax admitted quite frankly.
“You know I was just a minor centurion back then. To be precise, I was a centurion under your father’s command. Our group only set out for the Shilang Bay to support the knights who were originally being besieged by Cultists because we were following your father’s orders.”
“It was just that the battle reports sent back were incorrect. Neither your father nor we knew that the High Priest had brought out as many as 50,000 Cultists.”
“If you hadn’t been there, we would have landed at Shilang Bay on the second night… and perhaps we would have provoked the Granny Whale of Shilang Bay, creating a new enemy for the Clemence family.”
“…”
‘I see. Then everything makes sense now!’
Lin Nuo suddenly realized something and said, “Uncle Dax, I remember that if the bloodline of the Clemence family acts as a Lord, they must bear all the consequences of their decisions.”
“That’s right. That is the mission of the Lord of the Clemence family. That is why this land can produce such loyal guards.”
Dax finished speaking familiarly, but his tone turned slightly bitter, “If you hadn’t been there and we had attacked Shilang Bay… to outsiders, it would have been seen as your father’s failure in judgment.”
“As the Duke of Clemence, losing a few Holy Knights might not have meant much.”
“But without your life-or-death gamble that earned the respect of the Princess of Shilang Bay, we would likely have only disturbed Shilang Bay.”
“Now that I think about it, I really don’t know… if that Granny Whale, who surpassed the demigod level, would have traced the roots back to find trouble with your father…”
“Granny Whale is unpredictable.”
Magical creatures who have lived from ancient times have experienced the passage of ages.
Since she understood that she shouldn’t have interfered in the catastrophe of Shilang Bay, perhaps she would have let it go…
“But after her death, the living beings in Shilang Bay might not have let it go.”
This time, Lin Nuo responded very quickly, “And I believe my father would have chosen to bear that responsibility.”
“But as the high-ranking Duke of Clemence who guards the entire border of Sallydor, he couldn’t exactly offer a life for a life… even if he wanted to spend time using magic to perform a Purification on the resentment of those Ling Yao undead, he might not have gained their forgiveness…”
“So, assuming our family was viewed as an enemy, there would be a probability that I, as his son, would have been targeted by people from Shilang Bay.”
“… Or even kidnapped.”
Hearing Lin Nuo deduce so many cause-and-effect relationships for things that hadn’t even happened, Dax was somewhat surprised by his logic.
Before Dax could offer any comfort, he heard Lin Nuo continue with a serious expression: “Uncle Dax, if I hadn’t followed you eight years ago, and you all chose to attack Shilang Bay in my absence, resulting in irreparable losses…”
“While the Granny Whale was there, no one dared to act recklessly. But eight years later, when her life reached its end, Shilang Bay would have demanded the Clemence family pay the price… The price the Sea Demons likely wanted was for me to be offered as a sacrifice to the former undead.”
“I would be imprisoned by Shilang Bay…”
“What would happen after that?”
“It’s obvious,” Lin Nuo said, frowning as he answered his own question.
“Shilang Bay would have been attacked by the magical guards belonging to the Clemence family by any means necessary until it fell once again.”
“Cough… It would be like that,” Dax said, “You are the only child of the Clemence family. Anyone who makes things difficult for you is the enemy of the entire Clemence family! Even if your father forbade the Clemence family’s magical guards from doing so, they would have done it anyway.”
“So…”