Bronze Bloodline

"So he was behind it. But it wasn't exactly unexpected. After all, he has a grudge against you, and his family holds some standing in the Grain Association, enough to influence certain nobles. Getting a young financial officer dismissed isn't difficult for him." Bill raised a brow and gave a rather feminine shrug.

"Mm." Colin nodded, and the doubts in his heart were finally cleared. Even in a society built on connections, young elites still had certain advantages.

Smith was an outstanding Will University graduate. He worked diligently and conscientiously, yet he had been laid off. That had been suspicious in itself, so it was hardly strange that someone had been pulling strings behind the scenes.

"What do you plan to do?" Bill looked intrigued. He was full of confidence in Colin; after all, his good friend was no longer the same as before.

"For now, nothing. But I hope he doesn't keep pushing his luck. If he does something even more excessive, I don't know what I might do." Thinking of Smith's despondency over the past few days, a chill entered Colin's eyes. He had thought it was a natural disaster, only to discover it was man-made. Given the chance, he definitely would not let Brian off.

"Mm." Bill nodded.

Then Bill and Colin left the classroom together and parted ways at the academy gates. Nothing noteworthy happened from Monday through Friday afterward.

Brian did not make any further moves. Or rather, making Smith lose his job was already the limit of Brian's influence. Though the Russell family was struggling, they were still nobles, not someone Brian could completely manipulate.

Saturday and Sunday were when Colin went to his "teacher's" home to study magic, which gave him quite a headache. To keep up the lie, he had to sort out his own food and lodging for those two days. Fortunately, Colin had found and bought a secluded farmhouse outside Will City, and made do there.

After getting through the two days, Colin returned to Will City on Sunday afternoon and reunited with Linda.

"Welcome back, Colin." When Colin returned, Linda came to the door to greet "Colin, who had spent two days studying magic." After a week to adjust, Linda had recovered from Smith leaving home for Knight Training.

After a round of hugs and kisses, Linda eagerly asked out of curiosity about magic, "Colin, what did your great and wise teacher teach you these past two days? The Fireball Technique?"

How could Colin possibly answer that? He could only stammer, "No, he just taught me meditation."

"Meditation?" Linda nodded as though she understood. Magical knowledge was simply too difficult for a young lady from a declining noble family like hers to comprehend.

With one less person, there was less work to do. Linda quickly prepared dinner, and the siblings sat facing each other. Dinner was the usual fare: steak, bread, and water. Occasionally, Linda bought a large chicken and roasted it to improve their meals.

"I wonder how Smith is doing," Linda said as she skillfully cut her steak with a knife.

"No idea. But I doubt our brother would cry just because the training is hard." Colin shrugged, stuffed a piece of steak into his mouth, and said indistinctly, "I'm planning to visit him next week."

And bring him a Basic Strength Potion, Colin thought.

"I'll go too." Linda looked tempted.

"Sure." Colin readily agreed.

After finishing his steak, Colin picked up the long loaf from the basket and took a big bite. Bread that was only sweet did not taste particularly good, but it filled the stomach.

Knock, knock, knock. Just then, a rapid series of knocks sounded from outside.

"Linda, Colin, it's me." Smith's voice followed.

Colin and Linda exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in the other's eyes before their expressions gradually turned serious. As a Knight Apprentice, Smith should not have returned at this time.

Could Brian have done something again? Colin's expression darkened.

He set down the half-eaten loaf, pushed back his chair, and went to open the door. To his surprise, Smith was not alone outside—Knight Victor was with him.

There was no panic on either man's face. Instead, Colin saw joy and anticipation. He relaxed, then noticed that both were dressed for travel, with two horses standing behind them.

Strange. Suppressing his doubts, Colin bent down and took slippers from the shoe cabinet, placing them by the door. Knight Victor said, "Excuse the intrusion," before entering. Under Colin's guidance, he went into the living room and sat down. Smith tied up the horses before coming inside.

"You must be Lord Victor. I'm Smith's sister, Linda. Thank you for taking Smith as your Knight Apprentice." Linda came from the dining room into the living room. Upon seeing Victor, she gave a slight curtsy, her manners impeccable.

"Greetings, Miss Linda." Victor's attitude was somewhat perfunctory. Then he said excitedly, "I specifically brought Smith back to tell you that although he has only just begun training, he has displayed extraordinary talent. His strength and speed are growing by the day. I suspect he inherited House Russell's Bronze Bloodline, and I'm taking him to Kent City overnight to have his bloodline tested."

Colin and Linda were both stunned. Surprise soon appeared on Colin's face. Bloodline and family name were the foundation of nobility; every noble knew what bloodlines were.

Black Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold.

Ordinary nobles only carried Black Iron Bloodlines, like the Black Bear Bloodline flowing through his own body, which was one kind of Black Iron Bloodline.

The source of House Russell's bloodline was the Gold Bloodline. Even now, this bloodline remained within Duke Russell and his heir.

Only through mysterious magical methods could Duke Russell and his heir retain this Gold Bloodline. The duke's other children would be downgraded to Silver or Bronze Bloodlines, their bloodlines gradually thinning until they became Black Iron Bloodlines.

So a Bronze Bloodline could not be underestimated. Its rank already surpassed that of the vast majority of nobles.

"How is that possible? Our family hasn't produced a transcendent for a very long time. Smith can't possibly have a Bronze Bloodline." Linda covered her mouth with both hands, nearly screaming.

"Ordinarily, it would be impossible, but bloodlines are miraculous things. In some generation, they may trace back to their source and produce a Bronze or even Silver Bloodline. The physical qualities Smith has displayed are extraordinary." An excited smile spread across Knight Victor's face.

A Bronze Bloodline—this was a bloodline rank he had never even dared to dream of before. Yet it had appeared in his apprentice. This was absolutely an honor.

"Enough talk. We'll be leaving now." Victor had only come to inform the Russell family. Once he had said his piece, he impatiently rose to his feet and said farewell.

Although Linda still could not believe it, she hurriedly saw Victor and Smith off with Colin. After closing the door, Linda seemed to lose all strength and collapsed onto the floor by the entrance. Colin hurried over to support her.

"Our family actually still has a Bronze Bloodline?" Linda was still incredulous. She was practically going mad. Colin had just become the apprentice of an old mage, and now Smith was suspected of possessing a Bronze Bloodline. To a young lady from a declining noble family like her, these events were simply too shocking.

Colin was quite happy, though amid his happiness, he also wanted to complain.

So I was the clown all along. Why would Smith need me looking after him? Without the system, he would be the true protagonist.