Swordmaster's Youngest Son Chapter 4: Stormy Days at the Castle (3)

“I am not certain myself.”

Jin’s reply was delivered with a composed air.

“You are unsure?”

Cyron shifted his gaze upward. This response was unexpected, especially coming from a son whose intellect had provided nothing but flawless answers until now.

“Correct, father. Since this energy is not aura, I have no idea what it should be called.”

Jin had once again steered the conversation exactly where he wanted. He deliberately maintained an air of youthful naivety, mirroring his earlier performance.

Swoosh.

The air hissed as a vortex of dark energy manifested. Jin had summoned a cluster of black power above his palm—the very same force he had used to thrash the Tona twins.

This was Spiritual Power, obtained through his pact with Solderet, the God of Shadows. Though he feigned the ignorance of a child, Jin understood the nature of this power better than anyone alive.

He was also confident that Cyron would recognize its origin.

“Would father be willing to grant this power a name?”

Jin looked up at Cyron, his eyes shimmering with feigned innocence.

For the first time since ascending to the realm of a demigod and becoming a Genesis Knight, Cyron’s composure broke, his jaw dropping slightly.

‘Lord Solderet…’

He eventually regained his focus and closed his mouth. Cyron swallowed hard while staring intently at the energy in his son’s hand.

He wondered if this boy could be the reincarnation of the clan’s founding patriarch. Such wild theories raced through Cyron’s mind as he processed the sight.

Solderet, the God of Shadows. A deity coveted by every magician across the globe.

Yet, Jin and Cyron both held a different piece of the truth.

In reality, Solderet was not primarily a god of magic; he was more akin to a God of Swords. A millennium ago, he had entered a contract with the Runcandel founder, serving as the clan’s protector for generations.

‘I assumed he had forsaken our bloodline after the founder’s passing, but it appears he has taken an interest in my youngest.’

Was this a divine omen that the Runcandels were destined for a new era of glory?

Or perhaps the god who once left them had returned on a whim, only to vanish again soon. Cyron weighed the various outcomes while watching the shadows flicker on Jin’s palm.

‘It seems certain that no formal contract has been signed yet. If he had already finalized the pact, he wouldn't be so clueless about the power's identity.’

Jin easily deduced the thoughts swirling in his father’s head.

He felt a flicker of anxiety because everything was proceeding too perfectly. It was almost too simple. He had expected Cyron to show skepticism at some point, but no such doubt appeared—likely due to Jin's young age and small stature.

Being seven years old provided the perfect cover for deception.

“My son.”

Cyron had finally organized his thoughts.

“Yes, father.”

“That is the authority of a god named Solderet. Because of that, I cannot give it a name. Lord Solderet represents one of the most guarded secrets of our clan.”

“Solderet…”

“He is the entity responsible for the existence of shadows in this world. You are bright, but you are still too young to fully grasp the weight of this.”

“Is he…”

Jin trailed off, and Cyron gave a small nod, encouraging him to finish the thought.

“Is God Solderet more powerful than you, father?”

“Haha…”

Cyron let out a dry, defeated laugh. He hadn't laughed in such a manner since he reached the level of a demigod.

After decades of pouring his soul into Cultivation and training, his spirit felt a rare spark of genuine emotion.

“I wonder… I have never sought to challenge the gods, so I cannot give you an answer.”

It was a response dripping with pride—claiming ignorance only because he had never bothered to fight a deity.

Still, Jin felt a chill run down his spine at the remark. This was Cyron Runcandel speaking.

The most powerful man on the continent.

Even Kelliark Zipfel, the leader of the Zipfel Clan, paled in comparison to him.

Smirk.

Cyron broke into a wide grin.

“Coming to see you today was definitely the right choice. Your innocent question has given me something fascinating to ponder. Thank you, my son. Step forward.”

Could he defeat a god? Cyron viewed that question as a 'topic of interest.'

As Jin approached, his father placed a gentle hand on his head. The shadow energy continued to swirl in Jin’s palm.

“How do you intend to employ this power?”

“I wish to use it for the sake of the clan, father.”

I want to use it for myself.

There was no benefit in being truthful. In his previous life, the clan had offered Jin nothing but hatred and mockery.

He hadn't known the meaning of 'family' since he was seven. Thus, Jin had no desire to dedicate his life to the clan unless he sat upon the patriarch’s throne. To achieve that, however, he would need to surpass his terrifyingly strong siblings.

“Kuhahaha!”

Cyron’s sudden roar of laughter shook the foundations of Storm Castle, echoing through the halls.

Outside the throne room, the siblings jumped in alarm. They hadn't heard their father laugh with such vigor in years.

When the laughter finally died down, Cyron’s face returned to its usual stoic mask. He leaned down until he was eye-level with Jin.

“What a charming lie. You can be more honest with your father, you know?”

Jin was caught off guard by the remark. Nevertheless, he mastered his shock and spoke softly.

“…For me.”

“Hmm?”

“I want to use it for myself.”

“Exactly. A boy who beats his brothers senseless and leaves them in a storm would never use his power for the clan. I shall be watching your progress from now on.”

Cyron walked past Jin and exited the chamber. Only after the sound of his father's footsteps faded did Jin realize he was drenched in cold sweat.

His face was a mask of shock and relief.

“Phew!”

He exhaled deeply, wiping his brow with his sleeve. In all his twenty-eight years of his past life, he had never stood so boldly before his father.

‘I pulled it off. I actually did it!’

As the tension left his body, he could feel his heart hammering against his ribs.

Through this meeting, Jin had gained Cyron’s permission to use Solderet’s power openly, and he had secured his father’s high expectations.

‘In my previous life, I died before I could even utilize Solderet’s strength, and father never looked at me with expectation back then.’

Even after his exile, Jin hadn't been able to use Solderet’s power freely.

The clan would never permit a discarded Runcandel to cultivate power that might eventually be turned against them.

Because of this, Jin had been forced to train in the shadows within the Akin Kingdom. That land was part of the Lutero Magic Federation, a territory controlled by the Zipfel Clan. It was the ideal hiding spot for Jin, who was effectively a magician at the time.

The Runcandel Clan’s ancient secret: the founder’s pact with Solderet.

Jin had known about this long before his regression. While Cyron called it a long-hidden secret, Jin actually knew more about the specifics of the deity's relationship with the clan than his father did.

Solderet himself had recounted the history of the Runcandel Clan to Jin after their contract was formed. Back then, the god and Jin had spoken as casually as old friends.

‘But he never explained why he abandoned the Runcandels to become a god of magic instead of swords. And he didn't lift a finger when I was dying.’

Furthermore, Solderet hadn't uttered a single word to him since his rebirth.

Jin suspected his reincarnation was a result of Solderet’s divine authority, but it remained a mere theory.

***

At the age of one, Jin realized the power from his contract had followed him back in time.

‘It became accessible the moment I ‘selected’ Barisada.’

On the night of the Selection ritual, the 9-star curse ‘Bladed Illusion’ was placed upon him, just as it had been in his past life. History was repeating itself.

[Contractor, it seems someone has held a grudge against you since your infancy. You’ve been held back from your potential by a petty curse. Perhaps that is why I found you so intriguing.]

Those were the words Solderet spoke right after their pact was made.

Recalling that conversation, Jin watched the spectral chains of the curse slither toward his cradle. Though his mind was sharp, his one-year-old body was unable to move or defend itself.

He cursed his infant form’s helplessness. He couldn't fight the advancing curse, nor could he scream for assistance.

Suddenly, Solderet’s influence surged.

The chains failed to reach Jin, dissolving into his shadow instead.

Curses of that caliber were useless against Solderet’s contractor. To use the words of his former magic teacher, it was an ‘utterly broken’ ability.

‘Just wait. I don’t know who targeted me with this curse, but I will find you when I grow up. And I will end you.’

The authority over shadows, the magical knowledge from his previous life, and his latent talent for the sword—Jin had kept everything through his reincarnation.

He would not suffer the same end. This time, the clan would not exile him for being talentless. A completely new destiny was unfolding.

“Young Master.”

“Yes, Nanny Gilly?”

He turned to see Gilly waiting at the doorway.

“The patriarch has announced he is leaving. You must go to see him off.”

“Understood.”

“But… are you truly alright?”

Gilly asked, her voice laced with anxiety.

She had seen the Tona twins retreating to their quarters with ghostly pale faces and eyes full of dread, making her fear for Jin’s well-being.

“I’m fine. Are my older siblings departing as well?”

“Yes. They only visited to pay respects to the patriarch. Oh! But Lady Mary has left a gift for you, Young Master.”

“I’ll check the gift later. I need to see father off first.”

More than two hundred guardian knights had gathered at Storm Castle, accompanying the various Runcandel flag-bearers.

With Cyron’s departure, there was no reason for the others to remain. Once they were gone, Jin could ignore the Tona twins and focus on his Cultivation in peace at the castle.

He would spend his days quietly amassing power while no one was looking.

“All hail!”

“All hail!”

The knights raised their blades as Cyron passed through the gates. Jin and the Tona twins stood nearby, bowing their heads in respect.

‘The next time I see father, it will be at the main estate, not here.’

Cyron began his journey back toward the Black Sea.

Those who had hoped Cyron would lead a campaign against the Zipfel clan suppressed their disappointment. The Runcandel flag-bearers and their knights all departed for their respective territories.

Cyron did not return to Storm Castle until Jin turned ten and finally left the fortress. However, the guardian knight Khan would periodically travel to the Black Sea to update the patriarch on Jin’s development.

‘Sister Mary is definitely unusual. I’m only seven… Hahaha. I can’t believe she gave me something this incredible!’

Jin cheered internally as he unwrapped the gift in his room. Gilly’s eyes widened as she saw the item left by Jin’s third sister, Mary.

Lying before them was the heart of a beast summoned by a Zipfel magician. Mary had personally hunted the creature in the south.

A Phoenix Heart.

It was a priceless treasure Jin had never seen in his first life.

Mary clearly wished for her youngest brother to grow up powerful and healthy.

Now, Jin could refine the heart and consume it.