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[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 34
A new quest window appeared before my eyes.
[Sub Quest – The True Feelings of Cohen Trevis]
[Before solving the side effects of "Master of Frost," Ruben Trevis wishes to hear what Cohen truly thinks as a member of the Trevis family. Listen to his true feelings and satisfy Ruben Trevis.]
[Reward – Stamina +1.2, Energy +0.5, Frost Resistance]
‘Stamina 1.2, energy 0.5, and frost resistance...?’
That's quite a generous reward just with the stamina and energy, but to throw in frost resistance too...
This is a quest I absolutely cannot fail.
‘But how am I supposed to hear his true feelings?’
A wave of uncertainty washed over me.
Even if I asked Cohen directly, how could I be sure it's his true feelings?
‘Now that I think about it…’
Before creating the soulbind, Sir Caleb was in a similar situation.
His master, Carter, wanted to convey his true feelings, and through that, Caleb’s own heart was revealed too.
Cohen and Ruben might not have been as close as Caleb and Carter, but this could still be the simplest method.
“Sir Cohen.”
“Is the conversation over?”
“Not yet. However, Lord Ruben wishes to speak with you.”
“...He wants to talk with me? Is that even possible?”
“Yes. I’ll convey his words to you.”
Cohen looked at me with a doubtful gaze.
He must’ve heard from Layton that I could see spirits, but he still seemed unwilling to believe it.
Well, I suppose that’s understandable.
The existence of spiritual powers like this would be hard for the average person to accept.
“Would you like to speak with him directly?”
— So you're saying you'll speak for me? Hm... will he believe what you say?
“He'll recognize the truth, even if appearances differ.”
Caleb did, after all.
— I don't know what you mean, but fine.
At that, I immediately summoned him into my body.
[Descent – Ruben Trevis]
My soul stepped back, and Ruben took its place.
“Cohen Trevis.”
His voice was low and resonant.
That characteristic tone of Ruben’s—a balance of strength and calm—instantly came through, and Cohen's eye twitched.
“Imitating Ruben Trevis, are you? So you really did speak with him. Impressive—”
“What is it you truly want? You tried to abandon the foundation of our family.”
His tone was stern, almost angry, yet restrained and formal.
Cohen’s expression showed clear shock.
For someone so composed, that reaction meant he was genuinely rattled.
“What are you talking about?”
“You tried to abandon Brillant and have the family defect to the Baran Empire or the Kingdom of Rosaria, didn’t you?”
“...”
He was silent, lips sealed tightly as he glared at Ruben.
“It was a foolish and pathetic idea. Just because other families in Brillant chose to flee to other nations doesn’t mean we should follow.”
Ruben dismissed Cohen’s stance with an unyielding tone, as if it wasn’t worth even considering.
“The ‘Master of Frost’ is a blessing that only a rare few in our family possess. It’s a legacy passed down from our ancestors. For someone like you, who inherited that power, to forsake Brillant would be no different from turning your back on them.”
I was at a loss for words at how fast the conversation had escalated.
I had expected a heartwarming exchange like Caleb and Carter’s, but this... wasn’t it.
Possessed by Ruben, my body poured out a torrent of scolding toward Cohen, as if all the resentment he had bottled up was finally being unleashed.
‘I can’t say I don’t agree with what he’s saying.’
One mustn’t forget their roots.
Brillant cast aside Decaine, and the continent plunged into darkness because people forgot the heroes of the past.
Those who forget history have no future.
— Well said.
‘So you understand.’
Ruben’s inner thoughts came through.
I thought he was too busy venting to be aware of anything else, but apparently not.
“Do you know why I didn’t appoint you as head of the family?”
“...I know.”
Cohen began to speak, unable to hide his turmoil, as if Ruben really were standing before him.
“What is it?”
“You couldn't entrust the role to a child who thought talent was everything. Someone who couldn’t see to the sides or behind him, who only knew how to charge forward. I understand that now.”
“A family head must cherish the family more than anyone.”
Crack—
The sound of gritting teeth could be heard.
Cohen’s jaw trembled.
“Do I! Do I look like someone who doesn’t care for the family?!”
— Sigh...
It was the first time Cohen had truly raised his voice.
His emotion was undeniable.
“I have always acted for the sake of the family! Yes, I was arrogant, but never once! Never once did I hate or ignore the family!”
“But you hated Abel when you weren’t chosen as head.”
“You call that hatred?”
His hair, now speckled white with snow, whipped around as he grabbed Ruben by the collar, eyes flaring.
“Everyone believed I’d be the next head! My mother! The elders! My siblings! Even Abel didn’t expect it to be him. Do you know what it felt like? To become a fool in an instant, in front of the family I cherished! To hang my head and walk away in shame! Do you know what that felt like?!”
His eyes reddened, tears threatening to spill.
His emotion poured out palpably.
Who wouldn’t hold resentment after something like that?
“I see.”
Despite being grabbed by the collar, Ruben’s gaze remained cold.
Perhaps it was that calm demeanor that made Cohen’s storm of emotions start to settle.
“...You’re still as cold as ever, even in death.”
He let go.
Maybe speaking his mind had brought some relief.
His face relaxed, the fury gone.
“I suppose I still haven’t let go. Even if I can’t break this cursed affliction, I could still be of use to the family... Hmph. What an embarrassing display for a grown man...”
He was blaming himself.
His guilt and self-reproach had extinguished even the anger he’d felt moments ago.
“I know.”
Ruben’s sudden remark made Cohen’s brow twitch.
“You know what...?”
“That you care for the family.”
His tone remained emotionless, but Cohen’s eyes wavered violently.
“I know you did your best. That your hatred for Abel was momentary. That the pain and struggles you went through were real. I know all of it.”
“You know...?”
“Yes. Even I don’t claim I never regretted not choosing you as head. I pondered it, agonized over it. And even if I went back, I wouldn’t change my choice.”
“Are you joking with me?”
“The family head isn’t everything. They merely stand at the front to guide the way. You didn’t need to be the head to do great things.”
“Then why didn’t you teach me how to control the Master of Frost? Or at least warn me about the side effects?”
“I’m sorry.”
Ruben bowed his head.
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[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Cohen froze in place, speechless.
“I didn’t realize it while I was alive. I doubted you and never fully trusted you. But in death, I finally saw it—your true feelings. The current head of the family and even Abel, now a spirit, still believe in you. That’s all the proof you need.”
Cohen’s expression twisted in a complex manner.
His facial muscles kept twitching, as if he didn’t know what kind of expression to make.
“…I never thought I’d see the day you’d bow your head.”
"I wanted to apologize to you. I’m glad I can still do so, even now."
What seemed like a conversation heading toward disaster had turned into a moment of understanding and emotional release.
Ruben’s apology was brief, but Cohen understood just how much courage it must have taken for the usually stoic Ruben to say even that.
Cohen bit down hard on his lip.
“……”
“I will teach you the Cold Energy Method that allows one to control the Master of Cold.”
[「Sub-Quest – Cohen Trevis’s True Feelings」 has been completed.]
[「Reward – Stamina +1.2, Energy +0.5, Frost Resistance」 has been obtained.]
‘Nice.’
[Frost Resistance]
You now possess strong resistance to cold.
As soon as I acquired Frost Resistance, the chill that had wrapped around my entire body vanished instantly.
Even if Ruben was only present as a spirit, the physical sensations remained—so I could immediately tell the difference.
"I will now recite the Cold Energy Method’s mnemonic. Listen carefully. Until you master it to a certain extent, you will not be allowed to leave this place."
"…Understood."
—Wait, does that mean I can’t leave either?
Startled, I asked him.
How much longer are we supposed to stay here?
‘No need. Once I tell him the mnemonic, he’ll take care of it. He’s a smart one.’
Well, if Cohen Trevis regains even a fraction of his physical abilities, he’ll once again be among the top five strongest in Brillant.
A man with that kind of talent will figure things out himself.
Even if he has aged a bit.
—But is it really okay for me to hear the mnemonic?
‘It doesn’t matter. Without the Frost Master’s constitution, it’s meaningless anyway.’
I nodded.
I briefly wondered if I could somehow acquire that power too, but—guess that was just wishful thinking.
Ruben immediately began to teach the mnemonic to Cohen, who closed his eyes as he nodded and appeared to sink into deep thought.
As I stood there, unsure of what to do, he opened his eyes and looked at me.
"Who are you now? Still… my father?"
The word “father” seemed unfamiliar on his tongue; he hesitated as he said it.
"I’m Ren."
"Is that so. So it really was my father I spoke to?"
"Yes. Sometimes, when the spirits’ will becomes strong, they enter my body. That’s what just happened."
"…I see."
He looked at me with a complicated gaze, then bowed his head.
"Thank you, Ren Arzen."
"It’s alright. Please, raise your head."
When I awkwardly grabbed his shoulder to lift him up, he held my hand.
"What I’m most thankful for isn’t just learning how to control the Master of Cold—it’s that you’ve released the weight that’s burdened me for so many years."
His trembling voice conveyed the depth of his sincerity.
"What are you going to do from now on?"
It was an utterly out-of-the-blue question.
But his eyes were too serious for it to be a casual remark.
"I have a good eye for people. You are not someone destined to live an ordinary life."
"Is that so?"
"Then tell me. What path will you walk?"
His eyes, shining sharply, and his low, steady voice were as serious as they had been when he’d spoken with Ruben.
"I… will reclaim the past."
"Reclaim the past? What do you mean?"
"The continent is slowly losing its past. Brillant as well. That’s why I became the caretaker of Dekaine’s grave—it’s all connected."
For the first time in a while, I shared my thoughts with some sincerity.
"I say I’ll reclaim the past, but I’ll also dream of the future. And to do that, this continent, which is heading in the wrong direction, must be changed."
Words so bold, anyone overhearing them might gasp.
To change the continent—that's no small ambition.
"…I think I asked the wrong question. That’s too outrageous a story for me to have heard."
"I don’t mean to burden you, Sir Cohen. But—"
"A burden, you say. Hahahahaha!!"
He let out a booming laugh that didn’t suit him at all.
"Just one more question. If the Trevis family were to stand in the way of your goal, would you fight them?"
Judging from his attitude, he seemed inclined to support me, but as someone who loves his family, he probably needed to ask—just in case I ended up opposing them.
Understandable.
But I couldn’t lie for his sake.
"Yes. I don’t believe that will happen, but if it does, then the Trevis family will be a wall I must bring down."
"I see…"
His brow twitched slightly.
‘If Cohen Trevis were on my side, he’d be a tremendous asset—but if not, so be it.’
Just the fact that he wasn’t trying to kill me now was enough.
"Hahaha! You say that so boldly, even with me right in front of you."
"Forgive me."
"No need."
He shook his head.
Then, drawing the sword from his waist with a smooth motion, he plunged it into the ground and knelt on one knee, placing both hands atop the hilt.
"I, Cohen Trevis, hereby swear my loyalty to Ren Arzen from this moment forward."
My eyes widened in shock.
A knight’s vow, out of nowhere.
This was the kind of pledge knights made only when choosing their liege.
And now he was making it to me?
"Sir Cohen?"
"I understand it’s sudden. But will you accept my pledge of loyalty?"
I hesitated briefly before quickly taking his hands.
"Please, stand up first."
"Thank you. From now on, I shall call you my lord."
Once he masters the Cold Energy Method and can control the Master of Cold, it’s hard to even imagine how powerful he’ll become.
And now Cohen Trevis wants to be my knight?
“…Huh.”
I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.
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[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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