Chapter 201

Chapter 201
## Chapter 201: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

“Sparring.”

“Yes. S-sparring. Without holding anything back.”

Barg tightly pressed his knuckles together beneath the wooden table.

*Do not let fear take over.*

Had not this very thought consumed his mind ever since his fateful encounter with the one called Jade?

His instincts whispered the truth with absolute clarity.

That individual, Jade, possessed terrifying strength.

Surpassing even Young Master Rikschel, whom he currently served as protector.

Naturally, heavy bitterness lingered from his days trapped in the dark underbelly of society.

How could it possibly be otherwise?

They had abducted him, a creature who merely wished to blend seamlessly among humanity.

Were it not for the protective architecture of the Asteri Family, a wretched fate of neglect and poor treatment would have awaited him after being sold off.

What might have transpired had the Eclipse Symptom driven him completely mad during that dark period…

*I might have been forced to survive within that wretched pit.*

Such horrors were whispered frequently while he was treated as mere “merchandise.”

A brutal establishment known across the criminal underworld simply as the Arena.

There, desperate souls seeking meager coin or fleeting freedom stepped onto blood-soaked ground.

They fought relentlessly until one conceded defeat or perished.

The regulations permitted any method imaginable, even authorizing the slaughter or crippling of a rival.

Naturally, many participants never volunteered willingly.

Instead, they were procured by wealthy aristocrats hungering for violent entertainment.

A slave merchant functioned merely as a peddler supplying choice “inventory” to these monsters.

“You could have demanded anything else. Why this?”

Jade, fully aware of Barg’s grim past, posed the question without masking his suspicion.

“That…”

It was an undeniable truth.

Barg despised slave traders with every fiber of his being.

The abuse he endured was only part of it.

He felt absolute revulsion toward the vile practice of preying upon the vulnerable and auctioning off lives for spectators’ amusement.

He had even fantasized about sweet vengeance…

Perhaps a lingering worry remained because others still suffered the exact same fate.

Even so.

*My current abilities fall short.*

True, Barg was undergoing a monstrous rate of personal growth right now.

It could easily be deemed explosive compared to the brief time he had spent receiving proper training.

Did that supremacy grant him the might to utterly crush the deeply rooted slave rings of the underworld?

No, absolutely not.

Presently, he held the prestigious status of “Guard of the Asteri Heir,” but strip away that title?

Barg possessed zero capability to challenge an entire criminal syndicate alone.

Undoubtedly, should he appeal to the man seated before him with a plea to “eradicate the slave traders,” compliance might follow.

Yet, that shortcut did not constitute the retribution Barg craved.

Above all else, a far greater duty demanded his attention.

“Safeguarding the Young Master.”

Repaying the debt to the benefactor who snatched him from the jaws of death.

That obligation must supersede any desire for revenge.

He needed to forge formidable strength to honor his savior, not chase hollow vendettas.

Of course, upon hearing this confession, the Young Master would surely wave a dismissive hand, insisting no such sacrifice was required, and that tending to Pus alongside protecting Rikschel was enough. Yet, a beastman’s instincts demanded absolute loyalty to this code.

*In my own distinctive manner.*

To achieve that end, the man sitting right across from him was indispensable.

Within the Knight Order, he already received rigorous instruction resembling actual combat.

Furthermore, the Knight Captain had personally taken charge of his training recently.

It represented an peerless environment for sharpening his physical prowess, but…

*It remains insufficient.*

Guided by the untamed instincts of a beast rather than human logic, he could sense the reality.

A hundred simulated skirmishes could never compare to the raw crucible of genuine combat.

The methodology employed by the Asteri Family contained no flaws.

Barg simply required an infinitely more feral approach.

“I am convinced that exchanging blows with you will yield the greatest advantage.”

“You are going to lose.”

“Even if defeat comes in a single strike.”

“Hmm.”

Jade rested his chin lazily upon his palm, gazing at Barg with renewed intrigue.

Initially dismissed as a mere subordinate guard or a plaything for a beast, the youth proved far shrewder than anticipated.

Had he remained within the underworld, recruitment into Jade’s personal faction would have been immediate.

*Not a disappointing proposal.*

In truth, it was a remarkably lucrative bargain.

Lion Asteri held an immense fondness for this fellow Barg.

According to intelligence reports, he had even cured Lion’s supposedly incurable affliction.

Unless Jack managed to unravel that cursed “anxiety” on his own terms soon, wouldn’t an alternate route become mandatory anyway?

*It even functions as a safety net…*

Jack rapidly tallied the pros and cons before breaking into an amicable grin.

“This strikes me as an overwhelmingly unfavorable bargain for a mere sparring arrangement, but how about modifying the terms?”

“Modifying them?”

“Until my departure, provided you can endure the process, sparring sessions will continue indefinitely.”

“…!”

An extraordinarily generous proposition.

Did not Barg’s physique boast monstrous regenerative capabilities unlike ordinary mortals?

Such traits implied that, provided stamina held out, latching onto Jade at any moment remained entirely feasible.

This outcome benefited not only Barg’s martial progression, but also…

*It prevents anyone from bothering the Young Master…!*

Simultaneously, a nagging doubt surfaced.

Did genuine bargains… truly turn this favorable without hidden catches?

Suppressing an internal whimper, Barg voiced his hesitation carefully.

“Won’t your own rewards diminish significantly under those terms?”

“Naturally, immediate gains decrease. An isolated event transforms into a recurring chore, alongside bearing the constant risk of injury.”

“Then why…”

“It is nothing complicated. I simply wish to extract a favor in return.”

“…”

Unable to decode Jade’s cryptic motivation, Barg tilted his head in confusion.

“Having never lived as a domesticated pet, such logic escapes me.”

Curiously, the phrase had functioned just fine previously.

Without further delay, Jade retrieved a parchment sheet from his coat and jotted down the conditions of the pact.

Jade would engage in continuous combat training until leaving the estate, while Barg would provide verbal insights regarding “anxiety” throughout those grueling sessions.

*Well, since my inquiry touches upon abstract philosophy, tangible results are unlikely anyway.*

Ultimately, the concessions requested were minor compared to the broader contract.

“Examine the terms.”

Barg accepted the document, scanning the lines with difficulty before noticing a peculiar omission.

The agreement lacked any designated space for a signature.

“Ah, awareness of this ritual escapes you as well, correct? Contracts of this nature bypass names entirely, relying instead upon blood.”

Countless individuals wandered this realm entirely devoid of names.

Chuckling cheerfully, Jade drew a dagger from his pocket and carved open his palm without a moment’s hesitation.

As the razor-sharp edge sliced through flesh, crimson droplets fell directly onto the parchment.

Astonishingly, the material absorbed the liquid as though it were thirsty earth.

“Shall I assist you with the blade?”

“T-that is unnecessary.”

Swallowing hard, Barg exposed his sharp canines and bit deeply into his forearm, drawing fresh blood to smear across the document.

The moment the blood of both signatories soaked completely inward, the contract flared with an eerie crimson radiance before vanishing into thin air.

Simultaneously, their minor injuries knit together, leaving behind faint, unique brandings upon their skin.

Casting a casual glance at the bewildered beastman, Jade wiped away residual traces of blood with a nonchalant shrug.

“Calm your nerves. Only our two pairs of eyes will perceive it.”

“Understood… That is a immense relief.”

Discovery by the Young Master must be avoided at all costs.

Unnecessary anxiety for his master was the last thing he desired.

*Though the Young Master might possess the capability to detect it regardless.*

Swallowing that unspoken warning, Jade offered a gentle smile.

“Whenever you feel prepared, seek me out. Today… the morning hours are already slipping away.”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, a vast amount of time had bled away.

Immediate departure and a brisk preparations phase would barely allow him to dodge disciplinary action for tardiness.

Barg bolted hurriedly from the quarters.

“Utilizing this arrangement as a pretext ensures my extended stay here becomes much simpler.”

Although the Asteri Family had extended an open-ended invitation to remain, Kyle’s ever-watchful gaze was beginning to feel oppressive.

Regarding matters concerning Lion Asteri, suspicion invariably served as that man’s default reaction.

It felt genuinely disheartening.

“Even though every action serves your ultimate well-being.”

Muttering with a soft chuckle, Jack pushed himself up from the chair.

With a fresh lead regarding his mental puzzle secured, wandering near that fellow’s vicinity once more seemed like a productive endeavor.

*I wonder if presence in the labyrinth will manifest today as well.*

Lately, the frequency of those underground excursions had spiked noticeably.

Avoidance of Jack was hardly the motive; distinct objectives clearly occupied his time deep within those corridors.

Servants and Rikschel merely wore expressions of familiar resignation, muttering “he is at it again” without showing genuine alarm.

“Well, such details hold little importance.”

Absence for the entire day was unlikely anyway, meaning an interception near the library levels should prove effortless.

Or at the very least, encountering those orbiting his social sphere.

—

Throughout the several days Jack vanished from sight following his crushing defeat.

Lion had immersed himself in a project of utmost gravity.

Namely.

“Hoo hoo hoo…”

Naturally, as universal knowledge dictated, the fermentation of traditional sauces was underway.

“Progression proceeds magnificently.”

Lifting the ceramic lid of the fermentation vessel, Lion inspected the contents, a sinister grin stretching across his features to express profound satisfaction.

The immense physical labor invested during Jack’s absence proved entirely justified.

The initial day of Jack’s disappearance demanded the most grueling schedule.

Thoroughly washed meju blocks were dried to perfection, adjusted for salinity using Mimr hot spring water and the Asteri Family’s most exorbitant salt until an intact egg floated proudly, before a personal trip to Mudu’s forge yielded hand-crafted charcoal pieces paired with dried chili pods.

For the gochujang batch, chili seeds were laboriously extracted, sun-dried, pulverized, and blended meticulously with malt and meju without skipping a single procedural step.

*Simultaneously, entertainment toys and ingredients for Pus required preparation.*

Sourcing materials directly from the labyrinth felt optimal, prompting excursions deep into the surrounding woodlands while the sauces matured.

Consequently, Pus experienced an absolute paradise.

Frolicking wildly through fields of evening primrose that had sparked his curiosity, the creature frequently poked its head in to supervise Lion’s culinary chemistry.

“Kiying.”

“Negative.”

“Kkyang!”

Naturally, hasty eviction followed to prevent stray fur from contaminating the expensive brew.

Applying accelerated maturation cycles periodically served as a delightful shortcut.

*Reflecting upon the schedule, exhaustion was genuine.*

Even so, carving out uninterrupted time to pursue personal passions free from Jack’s harassment brought immense psychological comfort.

Physical exertion peaked, yet the mind remained wonderfully tranquil.

Today proved no exception to this routine.

In fact, heightened vigilance marked the current date.

Because today was…

*The crucial day for separating the liquid from the solids.*

Standard doenjang creation typically demanded roughly two months of undisturbed fermentation, yet tactical application of accelerated maturation compressed that timeline drastically.

Mercifully, spoilage had bypassed the ingredients entirely.

Furthermore…

*Endurance has reached its absolute limit.*

Inhaling the savory, pungent aroma continuously rendered further restraint impossible.

Decision time had arrived.

Today marked the separation of the mash and the creation of bubbling doenjang stew.

*Jack will likely be forced to endure confusion for a few more days.*

Lion felt absolute certainty that Jack would fail to deduce the solution rapidly.

Even upon realization, admission of the truth might remain withheld.

After all… Jack’s pride towered at stratospheric heights.

How could such a proud soul ever acknowledge experiencing “panic at the prospect of a younger sibling packing up and walking away”?