Chapter 4: Sharpening My Fangs
“I’m back…!”
“Neigh!”
As Rest returned to the stable after finishing up at the Training Ground, two horses greeted him with cheerful whinnies. He affectionately stroked the heads of the horses while glancing around the stable.
“Oh… Is there a delivery again today? I always feel so guilty about this.”
In a corner of the stable, a cloth-wrapped bundle was discreetly placed. As he unwrapped it to check the contents, he found bread, cheese, dried meat, and a Healing Ointment. This was a thoughtful gift from one of the servants working in the mansion, who had secretly sent it to Rest.
Rest’s mother had once been a maid in this mansion. After being taken advantage of by her master, Lucas Eberrn, she was cast out of the estate while pregnant. However, among the long-serving staff, there were those who were familiar with her. The servants who had been close to his mother sympathized with Rest’s situation and looked out for him in various ways. Though they couldn’t openly defend him against the abuse in front of their master, they still managed to provide him with food in secret.
“My mother was fortunate to have such colleagues… Well, it seems she wasn’t so lucky with her employer.”
“Delicious…”
He took a bite of the bread and nibbled on the cheese. Each item had a simple taste, but it was a world apart from the scraps served at the breakfast table. While eating, he gazed out the stable window toward the mansion. The warm glow of lamps spilled from the windows, creating a stark contrast to the cold, drafty stable.
(Those people probably don’t care if I freeze to death…)
Setting aside thoughts of his unfaithful stepmother and half-brother Cedric, Rest couldn’t help but wonder how his father, Lucas, could treat him so poorly. Despite being his own flesh and blood, a child conceived through force, Lucas showed no signs of taking responsibility.
(What makes that upstart noble so important? He’s just an “Honorary” Viscount without any territory to his name. He’s hardly different from a commoner.)
Rest grumbled inwardly, but he knew that if he ever voiced such thoughts to his father, he would be met with a furious wrath and punishment.
Though the Eberrn Honorary Viscount House was indeed noble, their title could not be inherited. An honorary title was a temporary rank tied to specific positions, and once the position was relinquished, the title would be stripped away, returning the holder to commoner status. Lucas was the court magician, a wizard directly serving the king, and it was through this position that he had been granted the title of “Honorary Viscount.” Despite their claims of nobility, they were not much different from commoners.
(But if Cedric were to receive the title of Honorary Viscount, he would be recognized as a legitimate noble…)
While honorary titles were temporary, if the same title was held for three consecutive generations, the family would be recognized as a legitimate hereditary noble. The Eberrn Honorary Viscount House had already produced two consecutive court magicians, thus holding the title of Honorary Viscount. If Cedric, the third generation, were to become a court magician and receive the same title, they would be granted the hereditary title of “Viscount,” solidifying their status as true nobles.
(That’s why they indulge Cedric, showering him with praise for his magical talent while allowing him to act spoiled… It’s utterly ridiculous.)
If they truly believed him to be an important heir, they should be educating him to be more virtuous. Becoming a proper viscount would increase his opportunities to enter high society, and if he lacked proper etiquette, he would only embarrass himself.
(…But I couldn’t care less about that. I have no interest in where Cedric embarrasses himself. I’ll focus on honing my magical skills.)
Once he turned fifteen, the age of adulthood, he planned to leave this mansion and strive for success on his own. Until then, he would continue to sharpen his magical abilities and grow stronger.
“…Maybe I should head to the Forest tonight.”
With the last piece of cheese tossed into his mouth, Rest murmured to himself.
Rest lived in the mansion of the Eberrn Honorary Viscount House, located on the outskirts of the royal capital. Nearby lay a Forest inhabited by Monsters, and Rest frequently ventured there. His purpose, of course, was to hunt Monsters and train his magic.
One day, he would leave home and establish himself through his own strength. Until then, he would continue to secretly sharpen his fangs, waiting for the right moment.