Episode 47

I was utterly exhausted and collapsed on the spot, a clear sign that the tension had finally eased. As I did, I noticed the two people nearby stiffen.

Time to get revenge against these guys.

Those who hadn't flinched when their companion was killed now froze at the appearance of the Iron-Blooded Lord. It was understandable. Even I felt a chill from the aura he exuded.

"Damn it...!"

The mysterious man was the first to act. Perhaps realizing he stood no chance if caught, he turned and fled without hesitation.

Before he could even take three steps, he collapsed, and blood pooled beneath him.

I blinked. Though I prided myself on having pretty good night vision, I couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

The Iron-Blooded Lord spoke to me without even glancing at the fallen man. "I wanted you to choose."

I wasn't sure what he meant, but it seemed he was responding to my earlier bluff—the claim that I'd spare one of the three.

I burst out laughing, having no time to answer. Still, I'd thought from the start that if I were to capture anyone, it should be the mysterious man, not the woman.

"

Kyaaah!

"

The woman made an unexpected move. She was drenched in sweat, but the moment she broke free from the Iron-Blooded Lord's oppressive presence, she acted.

A surge of power erupted as her robe fluttered wildly, and green tentacles appeared from under its hem.

A curse?

How had she hidden it all this time?

It wasn't just their size. The energy within the tentacles was extraordinary. I doubted I could face their power head-on even if I were in perfect condition. In other words, these tentacles carried a demon king's power.

Just as expected, the secret weapon remained hidden.

Even so, I wasn't particularly worried. The Iron-Blooded Lord's expression remained indifferent as if confirming my thoughts.

He glanced at the woman and drew his sword. The eerie blade slid silently from its sheath, plunging the forest into a brief, soundless void.

Yet the echo of the sword returning to its sheath broke the silence—the Iron-Blooded Lord had already sheathed it, as if his attack were complete.

Amazingly, he can do something like this without looking like he is bluffing.

I burst out laughing again. I hadn't even fully seen the attack, and perhaps neither had the woman. Blood spurted from her body before she collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

All those people who had troubled me were gone, but I didn't relax. Not because I feared more enemies lurked nearby, but because of the man standing before me.

"There is nothing to be nervous about. No more enemies remain," the Iron-Blooded Lord said.

"How do you know?"

"I feel it," he replied simply.

His vague answer intrigued me.

I hesitated to ask but thought I wouldn't have another chance. Thus, I asked, "Were you aware of their presence the whole time?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you intervene earlier?" I pressed.

The Iron-Blooded Lord's unreadable gaze met mine.

At this moment, I realized why I could hardly sense his emotions. They weren't hidden—they simply didn't exist.

It is strange.

At first glance, his obsession with blood ties might seem deeply emotional. Yet, the saying "no blood or tears" existed for a reason. The contradiction in the Iron-Blooded Lord was baffling.

"What about mosquitoes?" he asked abruptly, his tone as flat as ever.

"Come again?" I blurted out, caught off guard.

"Sometimes, I feel mosquitoes in my room at night but struggle to catch them," he explained. "It's similar. I can sense them, but they're hard to catch until they reveal themselves."

Was this the right analogy?

It felt a bit confusing, but I couldn't immediately refute it. Even if I argued, "People aren't mosquitoes," I doubted he would be convinced.

In the end, I changed the subject. "Can you please unbind me—"

Before I could finish, the Iron-Blooded Lord released the chain.

"Ah... Thank you."

He had merely stretched out his hand, yet the chain broke free on its own, as if it had a will of its own.

Freed from its constriction, I let out a breath of relief. "Did you kill them all?"

"Why do you ask?" he replied, his tone indifferent.

"That guy," I said, pointing at the mysterious man. "He seemed to know me. It would be a shame if he is dead."

A brief silence ensued.

"Do you happen to know who that person is?" I asked.

"That is not something you need to know."

His response confirmed he did.

Thus, I pressed, "Does that mean you won't show me?"

"Not necessarily," he said. "But it might distract you while you're still growing."

"

Um

. Excuse me, but that is a needless worry," I countered.

The Iron-Blooded Lord nodded calmly and stepped aside. "See for yourself."

I approached the corpse and pulled back the hood. My expression hardened. The face wasn't entirely familiar, but I recognized it—Ludwig Badniker. The Iron-Blooded Lord's missing son lay before me.

***

"He is alive," I said after checking Ludwig's condition.

The mysterious man, who had collapsed in an instant, was surprisingly still breathing. The Iron-Blooded Lord would never make such a mistake. It was more accurate to say that he had chosen to spare him.

"You don't seem that surprised," the Iron-Blooded Lord remarked calmly.

I had the distinct impression he had been scrutinizing my expression until the moment I saw Ludwig's face.

What was the reason?

It's because he doubts me.

A chill ran down my spine when I finally realized that the Iron-Blooded Lord—a man with a heart of iron—trusted no one and suspected everything, even his own child. Even someone like me, a failure in the world's eyes.

"I expected it to some extent," I replied.

"Are you referring to Ludwig?" he asked.

"No. I thought it might be someone connected to the family."

"On what basis?" he pressed.

"He knew a lot about the Badniker family. About you, the family head."

The Iron-Blooded Lord looked at me. For a moment, a flicker of interest seemed to pass through his otherwise indifferent eyes.

"What did he say?" he asked.

"He claimed that once someone falls out of your favor, you won't hesitate to kick them out, even if they're your own blood," I replied.

"

Hmm

," the Iron-Blooded Lord murmured, neither confirming nor denying it. Instead, he said calmly, "Cover his face again. It wouldn't be good for other people to see it for no reason."

"Didn't you say no one else is here?" I asked.

"I did."

His response was cryptic, but I obeyed, silently lowering the hood over Ludwig's face. It felt like covering a coffin, though the man beneath was still alive.

"Were you close with Ludwig?" he asked.

"Not really," I admitted. "Our relationship wasn't as bad as with my other siblings, but..."

Ludwig had disappeared before my blessing ceremony. Had he witnessed my failure to receive any blessings, he likely would've mocked me like the others.

"Why did Ludwig attack our family?" I wondered aloud.

"I suppose you'd want to know," he said.

"I think I've earned the right," I replied. "I risked my life."

"A valid argument," he conceded.

The Iron-Blooded Lord extended his hand, not to attack but to gather the dry branches and fallen leaves scattered on the ground. A faint flame rose from the pile.

He sat down, his gaze fixed on me, silently urging me to do the same.

I sat across from him, and he asked, "How much do you know about Ludwig?"

"Not much," I said. "All I know is that he went missing from the main house two years ago."

"That is the public story," he commented.

The public story?

"Ludwig left the family willingly. Then he joined the Dark Church and became a demon king's servant," the Iron-Blooded Lord revealed.

I was slightly shocked.

The Iron-Blooded Lord studied me and asked, "Do you know why I hid the truth?"

"It's disgraceful for someone with Badniker blood to serve a demon king..." I let my words hang, watching his expression closely. Then I changed my tone. "But I guess that's not it."

He remained silent.

"Isn't there another reason?" I asked.

"What makes you think that?" he countered.

"Otherwise, you wouldn't have kept Ludwig alive."

"I kept him alive to extract information," he replied.

"Then you should've spared Ludwig's companion just now as well," I pointed out.

"Why?"

Was he genuinely unaware? Impossible. He was testing me again.

I felt my temper rise. Being unilaterally tested was always unpleasant, yet inevitable. Such was the privilege of the strong.

"Cross-checking is essential for reliable information," I explained. "With only one source, your knowledge is limited. Besides, capturing one or two more wouldn't have been difficult for you."

Of course, this was just a guess. I couldn't fathom why Ludwig was spared beyond interrogation.

Was it because Ludwig was his child or tied by blood? That possibility wasn't even worth considering.

Suddenly, laughter broke the silence—not from the Iron-Blooded Lord.

I turned to Ludwig, surprised. The madman was laughing. Then he stood abruptly, saying, "Lord, this guy's amusing."

The Iron-Blooded Lord didn't respond but had no intention of attacking.

Then Ludwig casually sat beside the Iron-Blooded Lord.

I glanced between the two and a realization struck. "Don't tell me that Ludwig..."

"He is the spy I planted," the Iron-Blooded Lord confirmed.

As I suspected.

"Lord, was this your order?" I asked.

Ludwig chuckled and answered, "No, it was my own decision. I was curious to see what the church was like."

His demeanor mirrored the person I remembered. Was this his true nature?

"I can't believe you infiltrated the church," I muttered.

"I just thought I should learn more about such a terrifying place," Ludwig explained. "As you said, it is a disgraceful thing. So, after consulting the family head, we decided I should disappear."

It had been a long time since I had met someone so unhinged. He'd destroyed his own identity for the sake of curiosity.

"Does anyone else know?" I asked.

"Me and the family head," Ludwig replied. "Now you too. And maybe Assad."

"I see."

So, the Iron-Blooded Lord's order to cover Ludwig's face earlier wasn't due to another enemy but to hide him from the Badniker family.

"Ludwig, what happened to the priest?" the Iron-Blooded Lord asked.

Ludwig's smile faded and was replaced by a serious expression.

"He left right after the blessing ceremony," he said. "I'm sorry. He remained hidden until the end..."

"If they were that easy to catch, they would've died by my hands long ago," the Iron-Blooded Lord said calmly before looking at me. "Luan Badniker."

"Yes."

"Why do you think I told you about Ludwig?" he asked, his tone probing.

I had no idea.

"It was necessary. I think that to share secrets, I need to be honest with you first. What does that—"

The Iron-Blooded Lord interrupted, "Kayan said that you created a martial art. It isn't entirely wrong. But if what I saw is correct, you must've received help from someone along the way."

I stayed silent, my mind racing.

The Iron-Blooded Lord met my gaze and asked, "Who taught you martial arts?"

I couldn't afford to think for a long time. At this point, hesitation would only deepen his suspicion. I hadn't escaped the crisis yet.

Should I claim it was a fortuitous encounter? I had the perfect excuse, after all.

"It is a forgotten god."

"A forgotten god?" he echoed, his tone skeptical.

"Yes. In fact, there's more to the Jewel Mountains incident I mentioned earlier."

I brought up the altar and the forgotten god I encountered there.

"I see. A forgotten god..." Ludwig murmured, his expression intrigued. "If true, you've done something remarkable. Securing the forgotten gods is one of the church's highest priorities. Now, that plan has been disrupted."

I knew that lying was wrong, but I had no choice right now.

The Iron-Blooded Lord stared at me. "It is true that you met a forgotten god."

Somehow, his eyes gleamed more ominously than usual.

"But not everything you said is true," he added, his tone cutting.

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't learn that martial art from a forgotten god," the Iron-Blooded Lord clarified.

"Why are you saying that—"

"I can discern the truth," the Iron-Blooded Lord interjected. "Many people believe that this is a unique ability of the Trial Room, but it is a misconception. It is a false rumor because I often conduct trials and judgments there."

"You mean...?" I trailed off, my voice faltering.

"The Blessing of Truth and Falsehood is one of the blessings I have received," the Iron-Blooded Lord revealed.

I fell silent, my mind reeling.

Was he bluffing? No, he wasn't the type to rely on such foolish tricks.

This was bad—an unexpected crisis.

Deep in the forest at midnight, I stifled a worried groan.