Chapter 16: An Excellent reason
The fork hit the wall about four inches to the left of Corden’s ear.
There was a sound - a bright, brief clang of a metal hitting against stone and then nothing.
The room was very quiet.
Jin set his hands flat on the table.
He hadn’t thrown the fork very precisely. Whatever physical capabilities and instincts Encrid’s body had was not much to begin with - so he had very little to work with.
But it had got the job done.
He looked at Corden.
Corden had not moved, his face however had changed significantly. The broad, comfortable and irritable satisfaction on his face was gone, replaced by something more raw - not fear exactly, but it was an expression very similar.
"Now," Jin said pleasantly, "was there something else you wanted to ask me?"
Carden’s jaw tightened.
However, he did not say anything.
Lord Ferris had not moved either. His cup was still in his hand from the moment before, and he set it down now with a very controlled motion. His grey eyes had moved between his eldest son and their guest twice, and whatever conclusion he had reached, he had filled it away behind an expression that gave nothing back.
The youngest son was now looking up from his book at Jin.
Jin picked up his wine glass.
"But Corden, I must say - it is very respectable that you have unsealed two stars and cultivated the Ascendant realm at your age."
Corden didn’t speak and just swallowed, he couldn’t tell whether Jin was being sarcastic or sincere anymore.
"It is a compliment, really." Jin continued. "I’m just a one star-Initiate realm. I can barely feel the star energy I have." He turned his glass once. "Which is why I threw the fork instead of something worse."
The servant near the wall made a sound that converted very quickly into a cough.
When Lord Fressis looked at the servant, he found something fascinating to study about the floor.
"Young master Encrid." Lord Ferris’s voice was measured. "My Eldest is a bit impulsive, hope you can forgive him on my behalf."
’What a sly old man.’
Jin thought looking at Lord Ferris. He had just thrown a fork at his son and the man was asking for his forgiveness instead of being enraged.
"There is nothing to forgive, Lord Ferris. We are just getting to know each other."
Lord Ferris smiled brightly - Jin had no idea what the man was thinking but he wasn’t about to give away anything to the old man either.
"Corden, the chamberlain was looking for you to log the recent mine transaction. Would you assist him?"
The old man said looking at his son. While his face still had the same smile - something about him had changed and no one in the room was dumb enough to not notice it.
"But father...!"
"Corden, don’t make me repeat myself."
Corden shut his mouth.
He turned to Jin. If looks could kill then Jin would have died hundreds time over- that was how hard the bastard was staring at him.
The he stood.
The chair scraped against the floor. For a moment, Jin thought Corden might actually try something, Lord Ferris seemed to have the same thought.
However, the old baron didn’t speak, he didn’t even look at his son.
Coden’s jaw tightened, then he bowed stiffly.
"Excuse me." And left.
The moment doors closed behind him, a strange silence settled over the dining hall.
Jin took another sip of wine. It was exquisite!
The food was excellent - the roast was perfectly seasoned, the bread was still warm.
Jin never had the chance to taste expensive wines or gourmet delicacies in his past life. All he could afford was cheap alcohol and street food. So, he found himself rather fond of the way things were now.
"Do not mind my eldest, young master. He has always been somewhat rebellious."
Lord Ferris cut another piece of meat as he spoke.
"You don’t have to worry, Lord Ferris. I am not immature enough to hold a grudge against someone who is treating me so well."
Jin replied before taking another bite.
"I’m glad to hear it. Please don’t hesitate and let me know if there is anything you would like during your stay."
Jin paused, his fork halfway to the plate, and looked at Lord Ferris.
There was actually something he had been meaning to do ever since he left the Gannon estate. However, between the journey and his exhaustion, he hadn’t had the chance.
Now that he had properly rested, it seemed like the perfect time.
"In that case, may I use the training grounds for a few hours?"
"Oh?" The old man’s tone was casual. "You want to train?"
"I want to try, actually."
Lord Ferris chewed thoughtfully.
"Forgive this old man for saying so, but I’d heard that the young master hasn’t held a sword in the last few years. Why now? "
The younger son, who had been focused on his book, finally looked up at Jin. For the first time all evening, he seemed interested in the conversation.
Jin considered the question.
There were many answers he could give.
The truth was, he wanted to try the Six-Star skills Encrid possessed. He wanted to see those techniques in action. Of course, Lord Ferris won’t understand that.
But he could say it was for self-improvement. He could speak of responsibility, duty, or restoring honor. But those all felt like convenient excuses.
Why did he really want to train?
He decided to tell the truth.
"Because I don’t want to die."
A deep silence settled over the room.
Then Lord Ferris burst out laughing.
It wasn’t the polite chuckle of a nobleman. It was a genuine laugh.
The younger son looked mildly shocked. Jin suspected it wasn’t something that happened often.
"An Excellent reason."
Lord Ferris wiped his mouth.
"Most people train because they wish to become stronger."
His eyes settled on Jin.
"But it takes them a long time to realize something important. "
The old man leaned back slightly.
"The strongest man is not the most powerful."
For a moment, he looked as though he were remembering something from long ago.
"The strongest is the one who survives."
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