Chapter 80
As summer arrived, the sound of cicadas filled the air outside the carriage, and Kraush opened his eyes to the rattling sounds of the carriage.
Gently turning his head, he found Bianca nestled against his shoulder, buried in a book.
Noticing Kraush’s gaze, Bianca turned to look at him.
“Did you wake up?”
“How long did I sleep?”
“About three hours.”
Kraush stifled a yawn, covering his mouth. Then, glancing back at the engrossed Bianca, he asked, “Isn’t it boring just being in the carriage every day?”
“Well, it’s okay because you’re here, Kraush.”
He felt like he hadn’t exactly been entertaining her. As Kraush absentmindedly stroked his chin, he caught Bianca staring intently at him.
When curiosity took hold and he questioned her gaze, Bianca spoke up.
“Kraush, what must I do to stay by your side all the time?”
“You’re already here, aren’t you?”
“I mean long-term.”
Kraush fell silent for a moment. Back at the Demon Palace, Bianca had spent over a month apart from him.
At that time, she’d fainted and couldn’t properly check on him, but when Kraush regained consciousness, he found Bianca fast asleep beside him, tightly clutching his clothing.
The dark circles under her eyes hinted at the sleepless nights she’d endured.
Bianca felt anxious when separated from Kraush.
‘After all, I practically abandoned my family to be here.’
He was the only one she could rely on. A child who had been abandoned often lived in fear of being cast aside again.
Even though Kraush had no intention of abandoning her, this worry was something Bianca couldn’t shake off.
And it seemed this realization had hit her hard during this opportunity.
“What if you go to a dangerous place again?”
Kraush couldn’t deny it. Given the world was on the verge of collapse, he had to dive into dangers with reckless abandon.
If he didn’t, he wouldn’t even be able to stand next to true geniuses.
“And I would just have to watch from the sidelines.”
An unsettling chill radiated from Bianca’s eyes as she continued to gaze directly at Kraush. While biting her lip, she gently took hold of his hand.
“I don’t want to just watch. If something happens to you, I’d rather face it with you.”
She candidly shared her feelings.
Kraush opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, wrestling with his thoughts.
Deep down, he felt he must train Bianca well enough to protect herself.
He remembered how those who couldn’t even defend themselves all ended up dead.
Fortunately, she had strong potential from her days as a Baekgui, so that was something to work with.
Bianca had forcibly acquired talent when she became a World Eroder.
Thus, her original abilities were more than sufficient.
Kraush had the intention to introduce her to a mentor through Crimson Garden.
But having her stand by his side was another matter entirely.
Standing next to Kraush meant entering the ranks of the elite.
To be honest—
He didn’t want that.
He didn’t want Bianca to be dragged into that ruthless environment, and seeing her being scrutinized by those around him unsettled him.
‘…Is this just my selfish desire?’
Was this what parents meant when they tenderly raised their daughters?
Perhaps because of the bond he had built with Bianca, he might have been overly protective, almost smothering her.
‘This isn’t the right direction, is it?’
For Bianca’s sake, he had to abandon this mindset.
She wouldn’t remain a child forever.
Kraush lifted his hand and gently ruffled Bianca’s hair.
Her still-small head bobbed side to side under his touch.
“Is there even a chance of me going wrong? And even if I do, it doesn’t mean you have to go down with me.”
Bianca looked at him with a slightly pouty expression, which made Kraush chuckle.
“I have my ideas, too. I think you should at least be able to protect yourself.”
“I just want to be by your side, Kraush.”
“In six months, regardless of what happens to me, I have to go to Rahelrn Academy.”
Bianca wiggled her feet and finally looked up at Kraush.
“…Can’t you not go?”
Her request, so unusual for someone who rarely threw tantrums, hit hard.
Kraush, observing Bianca gripping his clothing tightly, withdrew his hand from her hair.
“Sorry, but I have to go for this one.”
Rahelrn Academy was a path that Kraush absolutely needed to walk.
That was something he couldn’t compromise on, so when he made that clear, Bianca released his clothing and leaned back in her chair.
“That doesn’t work.”
Kraush froze for a moment.
Not working?
Did that mean her earlier behavior was a deliberate attempt to bait him?
‘Is she getting cleverer?’
If someone asked where she’d learned this, she’d probably say from books.
“Okay, I get it. I don’t want to be a burden to you, Kraush.”
“I never thought of you as a burden.”
“Thank you.”
Every time Krawsh conversed with Bianca, he felt inexplicably entwined in her words.
“I’m looking into something privately, so wait a bit.”
“Understood.”
Bianca naturally leaned back onto Kraush’s shoulder and continued reading her book.
Watching her do so, Kraush wore a wry smile and gazed out the window.
The sight of Green Pine-gwan (청송관) emerging in the distance caught his eye.
‘Well, I never expected to return this way.’
He hadn’t planned on coming back so early, but he had received a summons from Valheim.
The first prince of Staron had requested a meeting with him.
‘The first prince.’
Hildaider Staron.
The only heir to the Staron royal family, one who wanted the house of Staron to unify under a royal banner.
It’s common for princes to seek such a goal, but Staron’s situation was somewhat unique.
The name of the Valheim family held too much weight in Staron.
In fact, when Staron is mentioned, it’s often greeted with the mention of Valheim first rather than the kingdom itself.
This made the royal family naturally foster a relationship with Valheim, avoiding any overt hostilities.
From the royal family’s perspective, they couldn’t simply dismiss Valheim.
At the same time, they had to keep Valheim’s power in check to a degree.
‘But the first prince is different; he wants to align Valheim as his pawn.’
He was quite an ambitious character.
It was no surprise that, after avoiding matchmaking with Valheim to prevent any concentration of power, the royal family proposed union with Charlotte, the greatest genius of this generation.
‘The first prince hopes to strengthen Staron by riding the coattails of Valheim, rather than fearing its power.’
He was that kind of person.
Clack!
Just then, the carriage came to a stop.
As soon as they reached Green Pine-gwan, Bianca closed her book.
“The first prince is coming, right?”
“Yeah, so I’m planning to get down and prepare right away.”
The first prince, of all people.
Kraush made sure to be ready.
As soon as Kraush opened the carriage door and stepped down, he spotted a familiar figure.
“Head Butler!”
“You sure know how to make a stir, don’t you? The First Prince of Staron is here.”
It seemed he had come to greet Hildaider upon hearing the news.
After all, the first prince warranted the Head Butler’s personal welcome.
‘I suspect my mother intended to come, but Kesselin probably held her back.’
At that moment, Bianca followed Kraush out of the carriage and stood beside him. Kesselin gave Bianca a charming smile.
“Welcome, Lady Bianca Hadenharz. I am Kesselin Valheim, the Head Butler of Valheim. I’m Kraush’s great aunt.”
“Nice to meet you, Kesselin Valheim. I’m Bianca Hadenharz.”
As Kesselin greeted her, Bianca gracefully lifted her skirt and returned the courtesy.
Seeing that, Kesselin beamed warmly as if witnessing something adorable.
“Bianca, please head inside first.”
“Yes.”
Bianca entered without another word.
Kesselin, glancing back at Kraush, asked, “It seems the curse around Lady Bianca has been lifted.”
Did she notice?
She clearly wasn’t trivial in the sense that she had survived in Valheim.
“The curse surrounding Lady Bianca must have been one that even renowned priests couldn’t resolve.”
With a smile still on her face, Kesselin turned to Kraush.
“What do you think, Kraush?”
“I find it fascinating.”
Kraush casually bantered, playing it cool.
Seeing this, the Head Butler sighed briefly, opting not to pry further.
“Given that you started late, it’s okay to have some mysteries to conceal. Still, don’t be too trusting of curses. There may be a price to pay.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Though it was not a curse but rather the effect of world erosion, Kraush chose not to elaborate.
Instead, he quickly prepared to welcome the First Prince.
The First Prince had expressed a desire to meet Kraush personally.
So, Kraush tidied himself up, changed his clothes, and even checked with Kesselin for approval.
“How much do you know about the First Prince?”
“I know he’s the First Prince of Staron. And he’s quite an ambitious individual.”
“That’s about right. Then keep this in mind: the First Prince seeks the power of Valheim.”
So, they were aware of Hildaider’s intentions from Valheim.
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Ah, here he comes.”
At that moment, the sounds of a carriage echoed outside.
Peeking out the window, Kraush spotted the First Prince, flanked by numerous knights.
“I’ll go welcome him.”
“Shouldn’t I go with you?”
Kraush’s question drew a proud smile from Kesselin.
“Kraush, we are Valheim.”
That arrogance could only belong to Valheim.
“It’s not like the king himself is arriving; you expect the master to greet a mere prince personally?”
Kraush suddenly realized what kind of place Valheim was.
He found himself agreeing with Kesselin’s perspective.
The meeting between Hildaider and Kraush was a negotiation.
Valheim was the only family that could engage in a power struggle with the royal family of Staron.
They had no reason to forfeit that advantage.
“Well then, I’ll be off to greet him.”
“Please take care.”
Kraush knew he would struggle to match Kesselin’s commanding presence in this area.
He had never been one to engage in power struggles.
As he settled comfortably in the designated room, Kraush thought about being in the presence of the First Prince, who had never even crossed paths with him before his regression.
This time, however, he had somehow attracted the attention of a First Prince at just 14.
‘Alright!’
He was determined to pull some clever tricks with his shoulders back.
*
As the Head Butler, Kesselin guided Hildaider through the corridors of Green Pine-gwan.
The beautifully maintained corridors, as if recently cleaned by the attendants, seemed clean but also carried an air of coldness.
‘It could merely be my prejudice.’
Their perceptions of Valheim were molded by images formed in their minds.
Hildaider often reflected on the unique nature of Valheim.
In particular, the remarkable strength of Valheim’s direct descendants was astonishing.
Each one of them had grown to be formidable champions known throughout the world.
Currently, Valheim’s main figures were either along the lines of Cheonsang’s champions or those under Vahlok Balrog at the Heavenly Nine.
Yet, there were periods in the past when the Great Heavenly Champions numbered two from Valheim and three among the Earthly Champions, a truly unbelievable era.
‘Hence, Valheim remains a family of great interest.’
Even the royal family of Staron couldn’t easily provoke them.
“Lord Hildaider Staron, you have arrived.”
At that moment, Kesselin halted before the door and knocked before pushing it open.
After stepping aside to let Hildaider enter comfortably, she gracefully stepped back.
“Thank you for your guidance.”
After offering a brief expression of gratitude, Hildaider walked into the room.
Inside, he found a boy seated in a chair.
Perhaps still too young to be regarded as an adult, he bore a youthful air and stood up to bow when Hildaider entered.
“Pleasure to meet you. I am Kraush Valheim.”
Hildaider eyed the boy who introduced himself.
‘Somehow, he seems a bit older than expected.’
Though he had heard Kraush was only 14, in just a year, this boy had built quite an impressive reputation.
The rumors may not have spread across the world yet, but in just a year, they would.
And that meant Kraush would soon shed the title of being a half-wit.
‘From the perspective of Staron, his reputation has undoubtedly shifted completely.’
While he might not resonate with the common folk, all nobility of Staron would surely have recognized Kraush’s emergence.
The news from Valheim was something they couldn’t afford to overlook.
‘It’s likely the Imperial spies have caught wind of this as well, and others from the various kingdoms’ intelligence networks are no different.’
Hildaider understood.
It wasn’t just him—others would also gradually extend their hands toward Kraush.
‘Having been treated harshly because of being a fool, they’re likely to use that against him.’
If they could recruit Kraush before he grew any wiser, they might be able to turn him into a valuable asset.
If they could coax out the latent abilities within him before he truly matured, he could serve as a vital pawn for Staron.
‘After all, they tend to seize opportunities when they feel they have nothing to lose.’
‘If I can back him from the shadows, nurture his ambition, and help him rise to become head of Valheim…’
From that point onward, Valheim could very well become a loyal sword to Staron.
