After Lerana va Raonelet stormed out of the room, I looked at Von na Raonelet.
He didn't react at all.
He simply continued sipping his tea as if nothing had happened.
I cleared my throat.
"My lord… may I ask the real reason you called me here?"
He slowly lowered the cup and looked at me.
"Your affinity is dark, isn't it?"
For a moment I hesitated.
Then I nodded.
"Yes."
The duke leaned back slightly.
"Normally, people with dark affinity become magicians. In groups, they focus mainly on debuffs and curses. They weaken enemies while others attack."
His eyes studied me carefully.
"But you are walking the path of a swordsman."
"Not only that—according to the reports, you are also skilled with the bow and the spear."
I shrugged slightly.
"For survival, my lord. When you are alone, you cannot afford to be picky about weapons."
He nodded slowly.
"That is reasonable."
Then he asked another question.
"What aura breathing technique are you using?"
I immediately shook my head.
"My lord… that is a lifeline in battle. I cannot reveal it."
I lowered my head slightly.
"Please do not force me to."
The duke watched me for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"I understand."
He lifted the teacup again.
"But there is something else I want to know."
"In the garden you said you 'showed her death.'"
He set the cup down.
"After waking up, the girl you affected is still trembling. She claims she saw her own head fall from her body while she remained conscious."
He looked directly into my eyes.
"How is that possible?"
"That technique was taught to me by one of my mentors," I replied carefully.
The duke leaned forward slightly.
"Could you teach that technique to my daughter?"
I shook my head.
"I'm sorry, my lord. I am not skilled enough to teach it properly."
"The one who created that technique is my mentor."
"If you wish, I could try to introduce you to him."
"If he agrees, he may teach your daughter himself."
The duke thought for a moment.
Then he crossed one leg over the other and rested his hands on his knee.
"Do you intend to join the upcoming battle?" he asked.
I blinked in surprise.
"My lord?"
"The war with bandits final clash is about to happen ," he explained calmly.
He looked at my injuries.
"Of course, your body is currently in poor condition."
"That is exactly why I asked," I replied.
"Right now I would be more of a burden than help."
The duke shook his head.
"If you agree to join, I will assign my personal healer to treat you."
"You could recover much faster."
Then he added something surprising.
"Why do you think the other mercenaries are not here?"
"They came for gold."
"I offered them a large reward, and they agreed. Rode to the battle area "
He studied my face.
"So what about you?"
I thought for a moment.
Then I answered honestly.
"My lord… battles against monsters and bandits are one thing."
"But war..."
I shook my head.
"I have no interest in those."
The duke remained silent for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"Very well."
"Rest and recover."
He raised his hand slightly.
Ranile immediately stepped forward.
"Escort him back to his room."
Outside the room, Vanire was already waiting.
She silently took the chair and pushed me back toward the guest quarters.
Inside the duke's office, silence returned.
"So," the duke said calmly, looking at Ranile.
"What do you think of him?"
Ranile smiled faintly.
"He doesn't appear extraordinary, my lord. Just another mercenary."
"But his weapons are made of high-grade materials."
"And his mount seems to have hatched from a monster egg."
"That suggests he has money."
"So why is he still working as a mercenary?"
The duke leaned back.
"He answered that himself."
"For survival."
Ranile nodded.
"But there is something else."
The duke narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I feel like I have seen his face somewhere before."
"In the capital."
"But I cannot remember where."
He tapped the table lightly.
"Send word to our informants in the capital."
"I want information about him."
Ranile bowed.
"Understood."
The duke continued.
"And call my daughter."
A few minutes later Lerana va Raonelet entered the room.
"Why did you call me, father?"
Ranile gently interrupted.
"My lady, please remember you are speaking in the presence of the duke."
She frowned.
"I'm speaking to my father, not the duke."
Von na Raonelet raised an eyebrow.
"So you are still angry?"
"Yes," she replied immediately.
"Why reveal our family history to a random mercenary?"
The duke's voice turned colder.
"You failed to kill his mount."
"And he knocked one of your companions unconscious without lifting a finger."
She clenched her fists but remained silent.
The duke continued.
"Do you know what his attendant told me?"
"That man's body is covered in scars."
"Every one of them is a mark of survival."
"When I asked him why he fights…"
"He didn't say fame."
"He didn't say glory."
"He said survival."
The duke leaned forward slightly.
"That is the difference between you and him."
Lerana looked away.
The duke sighed.
"We are nobles, yes."
"But do you think mercenaries forget humiliation easily?"
"If rumors spread about what happened in the garden…"
"Our house's reputation would suffer."
"You already know what the southern nobles call us."
"The barbaric nobles."
Silence filled the room.