Episode 23

Upon hearing Zeke’s words, Liam immediately dropped to his knees.

“Master Zeke, please, grant me just one more chance.”

Zeke slowly approached Liam, looking down at him.

“And why should I do that?”

“If it’s your command, I’ll do anything. Just give me one more chance.”

Zeke regarded Liam with a cold gaze.

“Will you really do anything I say?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Fine. Then cut off your right arm.”

Liam looked up at Zeke in shock.

“Didn’t you say you’d do anything?”

Liam glanced down at his right arm. Even if he cut it off, a healer could reattach it quickly, but healing potions weren’t foolproof. Especially with the right arm, a single mistake could mean he’d never wield a sword again.

Trembling, Liam picked up his fallen sword, his hands slick with sweat.

“If I follow your command, will you take me in?”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

Liam’s expression hardened. With a resolute face, he gripped the sword with his left hand and swung it down on his right arm.

Swish!

A sickening sound echoed in the air.

Liam looked at his arm.

“What?”

He had aimed for his arm, but it was intact. He then looked at his sword.

To his astonishment, it was the sword that had been cut, not his arm. The broken blade was in Zeke’s hand.

“You fool. What would you have done if I hadn’t taken you in after you cut your arm off?”

Zeke tossed the broken blade aside, embedding it deep into a stone wall. Such a feat required at least a violet-ranked knight capable of imbuing their weapon with aura.

“Master Zeke has already surpassed the violet wall,” Liam thought.

Zeke spoke in a low voice.

“Do something this foolish again, and there will be no oath of loyalty. Understood?”

Liam, his face flushed, replied, “Then… does that mean you’ll accept me?”

“I’ll be watching.”

“Thank you! Thank you, my lord! I will serve you with all my loyalty!”

Zeke watched Liam bow his head willingly before him, a bitter smile on his face.

After bringing Liam back to the drawing room, Zeke had a servant bring them some warm tea.

Seated on the sofa, Zeke asked, “So, what’s the reason?”

“The reason for what?”

“The reason you’re going to such lengths.”

Zeke’s sharp gaze met Liam’s.

“Is there someone in your family who’s unwell?”

Liam looked at Zeke in surprise.

“How… how did you know?”

Zeke had pieced it together from various clues, but even he was surprised at how accurate his guess was.

He nodded.

“I see. Joining Valhalla comes with many benefits, including medical care.”

Valhalla members received the best treatment on the continent, and their families were included in those benefits. The medical technology of the Draker family, which owned the largest hospital on the continent, was something the proud Rom Empire coveted.

Liam lowered his head.

“I recently received news that my mother collapsed.”

“So you wanted to join Valhalla to get medical benefits.”

“Yes. She raised me alone, enduring hardships. Our finances have dwindled, and we can’t afford proper medicine. I must join Valhalla to get her the treatment she needs.”

Zeke hadn’t realized the future mercenary king was such a devoted son. But he was also quite naive about the world.

“You fool. When do you plan to join Valhalla and treat your mother’s illness?”

As a first-year student, even with early graduation, it would take at least two more years to qualify for Valhalla. And graduation alone didn’t guarantee entry.

Liam clenched his fists at Zeke’s rebuke.

“It’s an illness that doesn’t respond to regular treatment. All the healers I’ve called couldn’t even identify it. Without the Draker family’s medical technology, it’s untouchable. Since it’s not immediately life-threatening, I decided to take this chance.”

Zeke’s expression shifted subtly.

“Does the illness cause red spots on the body and periodic high fevers?”

Liam was taken aback.

“How did you know?”

“Well, this is either a stroke of luck or something else.”

The disease Liam’s mother had contracted would become widespread in the central continent five years from now. Though not highly fatal, its contagious nature would lead to many infections, primarily affecting the elderly and children with weak immune systems.

“It was called Scarlet Fever.”

Named for the red rash that appeared on the face, it was only after many deaths in Zeke’s past life that a cure was developed.

Fortunately, Zeke knew how to make the cure for Scarlet Fever.

“That’s not important. How long has it been since the symptoms appeared?”

“About a week.”

“If we delay any longer, treatment will become difficult.”

Zeke immediately instructed Decker to gather the necessary ingredients and prepare the cure for Scarlet Fever, sending it to the Stone family.

“Have her take the medicine for about two months, and she should recover.”

While other healers had given up, Zeke had not only identified the symptoms from a description but also swiftly prepared the cure.

To Liam, Zeke was nothing short of a miracle worker.

“Thank you! Thank you, my lord! I pledge my unwavering loyalty.”

“That’s expected since you’ve sworn an oath. If you become a burden, I’ll leave you behind, so do your best.”

And so, the future mercenary king, Liam Stone, became Zeke Draker’s first subordinate.

---

“Time’s up. Everyone, hand in your papers.”

The theory exam for the chivalry course had ended.

For Zeke, theory was no problem. The real challenge lay in the practical exams.

The first practical exam was held outside the academy. Both special and regular classes were combined, and students were paired in teams of two to enter a test dungeon and hunt monsters.

Most of the academy cadets gathered in front of the test dungeon looked somewhat tense. In contrast, those backed by their families appeared more relaxed, having already practiced dungeon exploration and monster handling with their family’s help.

Amidst the varied reactions, Zeke and Liam stood waiting for their turn at the dungeon entrance.

Someone approached them from behind.

“Surprising, isn’t it? The combination of Zeke Draker and Liam Stone.”

The familiar, irritatingly petty voice belonged to none other than Jaken Valdeck, flanked by his entourage.

Zeke ignored Jaken, focusing on checking his equipment.

Jaken smirked at Zeke’s indifference.

“Zeke Draker, have you ever even seen a monster?”

Zeke looked up, glaring at Jaken.

“Stop annoying me and get lost.”

Jaken’s lips curled into a sneer.

“They say most people wet themselves the first time they see a monster. I’m curious to see how you’ll react, Zeke.”

Just then, the instructor’s voice rang out.

“Zeke Draker! Liam Stone! Enter!”

The two of them stepped into the designated entrance among the many branching paths of the dungeon.

In other families, they wouldn’t subject thirteen-year-olds to such dangerous exercises. But this was Draker, where such madness was routine.

The dungeon exploration exam lasted four days. The goal was not only to hunt monsters but also to navigate the labyrinthine dungeon safely.

Zeke and Liam ventured deeper into the dungeon, with Zeke checking the subtle markers left throughout to guide their path.

Liam watched Zeke in awe.

“Has the master explored dungeons before?”

In the nursery, Zeke had often seemed lacking, so this sudden competence was still something Liam was getting used to.

After hours of traversing the dark tunnels, they reached a vast cavern.

Zeke examined the moss on the walls and the soil on the ground, even sniffing it.

“Let’s rest here for a bit.”

He set up a temporary base camp with the equipment he had taken from the Dragon Slayer’s tomb. He erected a simple tent to block the dampness and strung wire around the perimeter for security.

Watching Zeke skillfully set up camp, Liam awkwardly approached.

“I-I’ll do it.”

“No need. I’ll handle this. Just gather some stones of the right size. We’ll make a fire pit and cook something.”

In dungeon exploration, managing one’s stamina was crucial. Although Zeke had an infinite stamina skill, one could never be too cautious in a dungeon.

When Liam returned with stones, Zeke arranged them and placed a heat-emitting magic tool inside. Being an ancient item, its performance was excellent.

Zeke retrieved some pre-prepared meals from his inventory and heated them over the fire pit.

“Here, try this.”

Liam tasted the soup Zeke handed him. It was unbelievably delicious for something made in a dungeon.

“This is amazing, my lord.”

The soup was a special order from the Platinum Lounge, frozen immediately and stored in the inventory, allowing it to retain its flavor when reheated. The inventory preserved food perfectly, so all they had to do was heat it to enjoy the full taste of the soup.

Zeke and Liam enjoyed a proper meal and took a brief rest at their makeshift base camp.

Taking turns to stand guard and keep watch, they regained their strength before venturing deeper into the dungeon.

Zeke activated his mini-map, checking to see if the markings matched the paths within the cave.

Suddenly, something seemed off, and Zeke tilted his head in confusion.

“The direction we’re heading is completely opposite to where the other cadets are going.”

The mini-map showed the positions of the other cadets, marked by red dots, all clustered on the left path.

Yet, the path Zeke and Liam were on was marked to continue right.

Zeke sensed something was amiss.

“Could they have already started meddling with us?”

Grrrr!

Just then, a strange noise echoed from deeper within the cave.

Sensing it, Zeke turned to Liam.

“Liam, kill the light.”

Despite the darkness of the cave, Liam didn’t question Zeke’s command and immediately extinguished the light.

With the light out, Zeke focused on his sense of smell.

“Is that… sulfur?”

Zeke had encountered enough monster hunts to recognize the scent.

“Why is there a trace of a Hellhound in a test dungeon?”

Hellhounds, known as the hounds of hell, were classified as highly dangerous among adventurers.

They were not only perceptive but also hunted in packs, relentlessly pursuing their prey until successful, making escape nearly impossible.

“Did they really put a Hellhound in here as a test monster?”

Even for the notorious Draker family, that seemed excessive.

At that moment, Zeke’s senses picked up something.

“Liam, stay alert.”

Zeke whispered a warning to Liam.

He gripped his sword and moved forward.

Screech!

A gremlin suddenly leapt out from behind a rock.

Swish!

Zeke swung his sword, slicing the gremlin in half.

Thud!

The gremlin’s severed body hit the ground.

Liam, too, handled the gremlins emerging from other directions with calm precision.

As long as they remained composed, the two of them could handle gremlins with ease.

But then it happened.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Another sound resonated from deeper within the cave.

Zeke realized the gremlins were fleeing from whatever monster was making that noise.

Simultaneously, something dark lunged towards Zeke.

Clang!

As Zeke had anticipated, a Hellhound appeared, charging at them.

Liam, startled, moved to assist Zeke.

But Zeke’s sword came down on the Hellhound’s head with a decisive blow.

Slash!

The Hellhound’s head and body separated instantly.

A message appeared before Zeke’s eyes.

[You have defeated a Hellhound. You gain 15 Karma Points.]

“Liam, turn the light back on.”

At Zeke’s command, Liam quickly relit the magic lamp.

The large Hellhound lay on the ground, its head severed.

Zeke noticed something on the Hellhound.

“Damn…”

“What is it?”

Zeke pointed to the Hellhound’s belly.

There were bite marks.

“No wonder it seemed a bit slow.”

Rumble!

The ground shook again.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Something massive was approaching, shaking the entire cave.

Liam’s eyes widened in shock.

“A t-troll?”

A towering figure with formidable regenerative abilities, the troll was a mid-tier monster known for its resilience.

It was a high-risk creature that could easily make a meal out of a Hellhound, and now it stood before them.