The Hero Becomes the Duke’s Eldest Son

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 30

Joseph, who had been anxiously waiting in front of his shop, was overcome with emotion when Aden brought Elise.

“Elliiiiise!”

Calling out his daughter’s nickname, he hugged the sleeping Elise and cried.

It was noisy and chaotic.

As a result, when Elise woke up and asked, “Dad?”, his crying intensified.

It was only after a considerable time that the family reunion ended.

Inside the shop, Joseph and Aden sat across a table from each other.

Joseph’s eyes were swollen from crying so much.

He bowed his head repeatedly to Aden.

“Really… thank you so much.”

Joseph expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

His tone was very polite.

A mana warrior at the level of Sword Aura was treated like nobility.

Moreover, since he was the benefactor who saved his daughter, he couldn’t help but be respectful.

However, Aden’s response was indifferent.

“I only carried out a request for which I was promised a reward. There’s no need to thank me.”

Joseph nodded at this.

“Yes, that’s right. A reward, what do you want?”

“Before I tell you what I want, I have a question for you.”

Aden asked, looking directly at Joseph.

“How skilled do you think you are?”

“In terms of skill…”

“I mean your skill as a craftsman. It’s important.”

Seeing Aden’s gaze become infinitely serious, Joseph unconsciously tensed up.

He intuitively felt that Aden had come to him because of his skills as a craftsman.

Then, what would be the most definitive way to show his skills?

Joseph pondered for a while before finally coming up with an idea.

There was a way to both repay Aden and demonstrate his skills.

With a determined expression, he spoke to Aden.

“Please wait a moment.”

With that, Joseph went to the shop’s storage room.

A little later, he returned with a small wooden box in his arms.

“This is a personal gift from me. Please accept it.”

Aden, curious, opened the box.

And he was startled by the mana aura that emanated from it.

“This is…!”

Inside was a single round pill.

A clear and dense mana could be felt from it.

“A pill of refinement.”

“To be precise, it’s a top-grade refined pill I made when I was with the Order.”

“A top-grade refined pill…”

Aden stared at the pill in awe.

He hadn’t received anything like this during his mission to eradicate Cerberus in the past.

‘Did he hide it? No, maybe it was taken by them.’

It was a plausible possibility.

Joseph explained to Aden.

“Normally, it’s important to understand one’s constitution before taking a refined pill, but since you are a mana warrior at the level of Sword Aura, there shouldn’t be any problem. Please accept it.”

The dense aura of the top-grade refined pill made Aden covet it just by looking at it.

However, he didn’t immediately take it but asked a question instead.

“Why didn’t you take it yourself when you had something like this?”

Even just consuming this one pill could have prevented Cerberus from oppressing him one-sidedly.

Joseph laughed bitterly at this.

“As I mentioned earlier, a refined pill’s effect depends greatly on the user’s constitution.”

Some constitutions benefit greatly from it, others less so, and some rare constitutions do not gain any benefit from the elixir at all.

And there are even constitutions that are completely incompatible with the refined pill, where it can become a poison instead.

Joseph was one such case.

“If I had taken this, the energy would have rampaged and I would have exploded.”

However, he couldn’t waste the refined pills he had, so he made his daughter consume a few to protect herself.

Her constitution was also well-suited to the refined pill.

“In the end, it was all for nothing.”

Even with the enhanced strength, a child was still a child.

When the guild targeted her, there was nothing she could do.

“I see.”

With his curiosity satisfied, Aden picked up the refined pill.

Then he promptly put it in his mouth and chewed it.

A refreshing sensation, similar to the scent of mint, passed down his throat and into his esophagus.

——-

< The mana of the pill resonates with your body’s mana and begins to change its nature>
< Digest the mana.>

——-

Immediately, Aden sat down on the floor of the shop without caring if it was dirty, and started operating his mana.

Aden smiled slightly to himself.

The mana was dense.

It was richly concentrated, refined mana that had been made easy for the human body to assimilate.

Of course, since it wasn’t a perfectly matched elixir for his constitution, the mana rebelled and surged a bit.

But for Aden, who had tamed the regenerative mana of a troll, this level of rebellion was like a puppy’s antics.

He shackled the beast.

Muzzled it.

Thoroughly subjugated it to himself.

Aden’s delicate body control, developed through reconstructing his body, supported the mana.

Soon, the energy of the refined pill lost its momentum and settled down.

The mana of the pill and Aden’s mana mixed and spread throughout his body.

“Hooo…”

As Aden exhaled, a bluish smoke escaped from his mouth.

——-

< You have fully digested the mana.>
< Your mana has greatly increased.>

——-

A system message appeared in his mind.

Aden’s eyes widened.

Feeling the power flowing through his body, he got goosebumps.

‘My mana has nearly doubled in an instant.’

No matter how effective the refined pill was, this was not normal.

Although his original mana amount was small, doubling it was unprecedented.

It was akin to a 2-star mage instantly becoming a 3-star mage.

‘This top-grade refined pill is more amazing than I thought.’

Generally, natural elixirs lose a lot during absorption.

But the refined elixir was fully converted into Aden’s power.

Joseph had said he made this refined pill himself.

Creating such a refined pill meant he had the corresponding knowledge and skill.

It was something only a master craftsman, who thoroughly understood the human body, like Cassie wanted, could create.

‘Perfect.’

There was no more doubt.

A man of great skill, not affiliated with any order, with a clear weakness—his daughter.

Joseph was exactly the person both Cassie and he needed.

“Are you done?”

Joseph cautiously asked, having remained quiet so as not to disturb Aden while he gathered his energy.

“It’s perfect. Excellent.”

“Haha! I may not look it, but I have some expertise in this area.”

Joseph smiled proudly at Aden’s praise.

Aden asked Joseph.

“Do you plan to stay here from now on?”

“No. I’m thinking of leaving far away.”

“Have you decided where to go?”

At this, Joseph’s face darkened.

“…No. But I must leave, nonetheless.”

With Aden here, there was no need to fear Cerberus.

But he knew Aden wouldn’t stay in this black market forever.

When Aden left, Cerberus’s wolves would surely target him sooner or later.

So he had no choice but to leave, no matter how aimlessly.

At that moment.

“Then come with me.”

Aden said to Joseph.

“If you come with me, I will protect you and your daughter.”

“W-what do you mean…?”

Aden took out his identity token.

It bore the black bison emblem symbolizing the House of Duke Remes.

Aden smiled broadly.

“I promise you in the name of the House of Duke Remes.”

“D-Duke’s house? Are you saying you’re a noble?”

Joseph was genuinely astonished.

* * *

Aden, along with Joseph and Elise, returned to Marillen in the Remes territory.

“No, what in the world…”

However, when they arrived at the territory, Aden couldn’t help but be taken aback.

The streets were bustling with a festival.

Gypsies had come to the territory, selling goods and food, and people were walking around eating and enjoying themselves.

In the square, a theater troupe was performing, and people were watching clowns doing tricks.

However, the festival had a strangely eerie atmosphere.

People were watching a play.

“Evil troll! As long as I, Aden Remes, am here, you shall not set your filthy foot on our land!”

An actor from the troupe, dressed in imitation noble attire, defeated a troll covered in gray paint and stood over it, laughing heartily.

“Oh, my lord! I’m so scared of your might! Please lead us!”

A group of actors painted green and playing the roles of trolls knelt and bowed to the actor playing Aden.

Curse’s delighted voice echoed.

– Hoho, that black-haired human looks a lot like someone I know.

It was clear who they were mimicking without needing to be said.

“Hiya! Hiya! Take this, you ugly trolls, from the sword of Lord Aden!”

“Ahh! Spare me! Kyaah!”

At that moment, children engrossed in role-playing games passed by Aden.

In the central square of the city, there was a large full-body taxidermy figure standing like a statue.

It was none other than the High Troll Shaman Aden had captured.

With a detailed ferocious expression and a massive staff in its hand, it looked imposing.

At the base of the lifelike taxidermy was a large, shining gold plaque with an inscription.

**The High Troll Shaman captured by Aden Remes, the proud eldest son of the House of Duke Remes, who saved the territory**

“…”

Aden was speechless.

“Wow…”

Elise, clinging to Joseph’s leg, looked at the festival scene with shining eyes and gasped in amazement.

“Sir, you are more impressive than I thought.”

Joseph marveled as he looked around.

He felt the weight of Aden’s influence.

“…”

Aden avoided their awestruck gazes and thought to himself.

‘What in the world is going on?’

He only understood the full story after arriving at the Duke’s mansion.

While Aden was away, Duke Fried and Carl Remes had planned the festival to coincide with his return.

To ensure they didn’t miss each other, they had arranged an extended festival lasting a week.

Aden pressed his temples as his head throbbed.

‘I thought they let me go easily…’

He never imagined they would prepare such an absurd “son bragging” festival.

Fortunately, his appearance in his shabby mercenary clothes and hood had gone unnoticed.

Who knows what would have happened if someone had recognized him.

But the most absurd part was yet to come.

The younger brother, who had always tried to undermine him, had helped prepare this festival with the Duke.

Carl explained to Aden nonchalantly.

“There have been two monster incidents in the territory in the past few decades. Therefore, it was necessary to alleviate the people’s anxiety.”

The solution was to hold a festival.

Moreover, by highlighting Aden’s achievements during the festival, they aimed to instill a sense of security among the people.

Even after hearing this explanation, Aden’s expression did not soften.

“Hey, Carl. What are you thinking?”

“What do you mean, brother?”

What do you mean, what? Didn’t he realize?

Highlighting him like this would surely become an obstacle to Carl’s succession as the head of the House of Duke Remes.

The public opinion would lean toward him, after all.

At this, Carl turned his head and walked away.

“That’s for you to think about, brother.”

“Hey, wait.”

Despite Aden calling him, Carl didn’t look back and left.

Meanwhile, Carl thought to himself.

‘I’m just doing what I can.’

He realized he wasn’t a perfect fit to be the head of the house.

But, neither was Aden.

‘Brother lacks many things as a noble.’

Aden had personal prowess, leadership, and bold decisiveness.

But he lacked administrative ability, knowledge, and noble etiquette.

However, these were things Carl could compensate for.

‘I will make up for what he lacks.’

A mysterious smile spread across Carl’s face.

He had set a goal for his life.

* * *

At Cassie’s workshop, Aden, Joseph, Lowe, and Cassie gathered together.

“Hmm…”

Joseph closed his eyes and took Cassie’s pulse.

After a while, he let go of her wrist with a serious expression.

“The condition is quite severe.”

There are nine mana points in the human body.

Cassie had issues with all nine.

“If you weren’t a strong beastkin, you wouldn’t have survived until now.”

“So, can you treat it?”

At Aden’s question, Joseph answered.

“In fact, according to tradition, there is a method to treat Mana Blockage Syndrome in the Holy Order.”

It involved feeding the patient a top-grade elixir and having a master of mana control manage the energy to prevent a rampage.

In theory, this could cure Mana Blockage Syndrome.

Cassie’s eyes widened at his words.

“I didn’t know there was such a method.”

Joseph gave a bitter smile.

“It’s only theoretical and has no successful cases.”

The initial conditions were already harsh.

Obtaining a top-grade elixir itself was difficult.

It was something rare that could bankrupt a noble family.

And then there had to be a master of mana control, an expert of extraordinary level.

Such individuals wouldn’t move for any amount of money.

However, throughout history, there had been attempts.

There had been several occasions where they had met the two conditions and tried the treatment.

“The results were disastrous.”

Both the patient and the mana master had exploded due to a mana rampage.

The building they were in had been completely destroyed, and many people had died.

After that, the Holy Order had covered up this treatment method to prevent further tragedies.

“So, under normal circumstances, treatment is impossible…”

Joseph said it was impossible.

But there was a smile on his face.

He looked at the table.

On it were the documents detailing the theoretical treatment method for Mana Blockage Syndrome that Cassie had completed.

And the Phoenix Feather that Aden had brought.

Joseph spoke with confidence.

“I believe it’s fully possible with this treatment method.”