Debt

Gawain was unaware of Rebecca's bold and rather audacious idea, but he also knew that Viscount Andrew's protection of the Cecil Territory's people wasn't without cost. The era when lords defended their subjects to the last, where everyone helped each other and selflessly contributed to rebuilding civilization, was long gone. Although the Ansu Kingdom seven hundred years later hadn't recovered to the glory of the Gondor Era, nobles had certainly mastered the art of selfishness to its fullest. Without a doubt, the moment Rebecca brought the refugees from Cecil Territory into Tanzan Town, she had incurred a debt from the heavens.

But carrying this debt was still better than being dead.

"The Cecil Family will be grateful for your help," Gawain said, breaking the silence. "However, the more pressing matter is the disaster itself."

Viscount Andrew had noticed Gawain, sitting between Rebecca and Heti, from the very beginning. He was very curious about this man dressed in ancient noble attire, with a greatsword beside him and a stern, solemn expression. There was no one like him in the noble circles he knew. Yet, judging by the respectful demeanor of Heti and Rebecca towards him, this man was no ordinary person.

So, after Gawain spoke, Andrew seized the opportunity to ask, "Forgive my presumption, but I was wondering just now – Your Excellency?"

"Ancestor of the Cecil Family, pioneer among pioneers, one of the Seven Generals of the Founding of Ansu, Grand Duke of the Southern Territory, Gawain Cecil," Heti, who had been waiting for this question, immediately stood up and introduced him with a serious expression. "You must have grown up hearing this name – he is the Radiance of the Dawn."

Gawain, with a stern face, tried to maintain an imposing and dignified appearance. He nodded slightly in response to Heti's enthusiastic praise, but when he heard the last part, he couldn't help but be taken aback. He quietly asked Rebecca beside him, "What the heck is that last title?"

Rebecca quickly explained, "It's the posthumous title given to you by the founding monarchs after your death..."

Gawain was shocked. "...Couldn't that old chuunibyo have come up with a better name?!"

Meanwhile, Viscount Andrew, a meticulous and orthodox noble, was stunned speechless after hearing Heti's words.

Had this lady gone mad from the immense mental stress of her family's great misfortune and the fright from the monsters?

Just as Gawain had initially thought, unless they saw it with their own eyes, no one would ever believe that the ancestor of the Cecil Family would crawl out of his coffin. Even the well-traveled nobles and learned mages wouldn't believe such a tall tale. It was more likely that illiterate commoners, filled with superstitious thoughts, might actually believe it.

That Viscount Andrew hadn't immediately called for an attendant to give the lady medicine after hearing Heti's words was a testament to his considerable self-control.

"Madam, please allow me... uh... allow me to process that," Andrew tried to adjust his expression, searching for a way to convey his emotions without being too impolite, but ultimately couldn't help but speak his mind. "I know you've endured an unimaginable nightmare, but to use such a fantastical story to... isn't that a bit much?"

Heti's expression remained unchanged. "I expected this reaction. In fact, even we ourselves can hardly believe any of this is real. However, the ancestor of the Cecil Family has indeed awakened from his long slumber. We personally saw him sit up from his coffin, holding the Pioneer's Sword. Furthermore, we have verified that he has truly been resurrected, not some sort of undead revival trick..."

Andrew wore a wry smile. "If you have a request for me, please state it directly. This..."

Gawain waved his hand, gesturing for Heti to sit down. He placed the Pioneer's Sword on the table and turned to Viscount Andrew. "Viscount, what purpose would Heti have in telling such a lie? A viscount's territory destroyed by monsters and elemental tides, with a dragon appearing over our lands – events of this magnitude would directly alert the King himself in the capital. In such dire circumstances, would we arrange for someone to wear ancient costumes, wield a shoddy old sword, and come to your castle to tell you a fairytale just for kicks?"

As he spoke, he channeled his magic power into the Pioneer's Sword. With the infusion of magic, dark red patterns once again appeared on the ancient longsword. This time, the patterns were clearer, forming the emblem of crossed blades and plows near the hilt – the family crest established by the Cecil Family on the day Ansu was founded, representing the years of pioneering.

Knights also possessed magic power; they simply used it in a way fundamentally different from mages.

Although the Pioneer's Sword had lost most of its former power, its most basic identifying features remained. The moment Andrew saw the sword, he was momentarily stunned. He had never seen the true Pioneer's Sword, but a replica of this sword was enshrined in the Royal Sanctuary in the capital. He had the fortune to see that replica several years ago, so he naturally wouldn't mistake it.

If the sword on the table wasn't a replica made by the Cecil Family, then it could only be the real thing – the genuine article sealed in the Cecil Family's tomb, something no one dared to covet even when the family declined.

Would this declining family dig up their ancestor's grave, unearth the holy sword, and then use it to spin a colossal lie?

Andrew hesitated. If this was indeed a farce, the cost of this farce was terrifyingly high. But if it wasn't a farce...

The idea of an ancestor suddenly popping out of his grave after centuries of being dead was utterly unbelievable!

"You can have elven craftsmen authenticate this sword. Their kin forged it back then, and they would know how to check the elven runes. You can also compare my likeness with the portraits of the founding kings and dukes. Although I've slept for seven hundred years, my appearance fortunately hasn't changed much," Gawain said, watching Andrew's shifting expression with a slight smile. "If you can manage it, you could also try to find any elven mercenaries who participated in the Second Expansion and are now living in seclusion. Perhaps some of them might even recognize me."

"No, that won't be necessary," Viscount Andrew waved his hand, rubbing his temples. He felt that the events unfolding before him were not matters he was adept at handling. "Since you are a legendary hero like yourself... perhaps reviving after sleeping for seven hundred years is indeed possible."

Even as he said this, it was clear to anyone observant that the Viscount likely still didn't quite believe Gawain's identity. He was merely finding an excuse in his half-belief to temporarily halt the discussion.

He had figured it out. What did it matter to him if the ancestor of the Cecil Family had crawled out of his coffin? Why dwell on the truth of the matter? Since the Cecil Family claimed it was true, then let it be true.

After all, he was just an ancient person who had been dead for seven hundred years.

After coming to this realization, Viscount Andrew seemed to belatedly notice a detail Gawain had mentioned earlier: "Wait a minute, you just said... there was a dragon appearing nearby?!"

"That's right, a Blue Dragon. I don't know where it came from, but it headed northwest..." Gawain nodded, then proceeded to tell the Viscount everything that had happened in Cecil Territory. "...And that's how it happened."

"Aberrations... monsters from the Magic Tide... and a dragon... My goodness..." Viscount Andrew's brow furrowed as if it would knit together. The faint flush on his pale face receded. "What is happening to this world..."

"What happens to the world is for scholars and His Majesty the King to consider. What we need to do is relay what happened here to Saint Suniel City as soon as possible," Heti interrupted Andrew. "Things have become very serious."

"I've already dispatched a messenger to report the attack on Cecil Territory," Viscount Andrew said. "The messenger rode a swift horse and should be halfway there by now."

It seemed Viscount Andrew was quite capable of taking practical action. Not only had he accepted the refugees from the neighboring territory, but he had also immediately sent a messenger to report to the King. This should be considered excellent conduct among border nobles in this era. However, Heti felt the need to make a further request: "Viscount Andrew, this is not enough. The situation has become so severe that Rebecca herself must personally meet His Majesty. Furthermore, Grand Duke Cecil, having awakened from his long slumber, must also travel to the capital. We are very grateful for your help to the Cecil Family, but we still require more assistance."

Upon hearing Heti's words, Andrew slightly lowered his eyes, as if in thought. Then he stood up and walked back and forth in front of the long table with his hands behind his back.

"What do you need? Swift horses? Supplies? Guards?"

"All of it," Rebecca said, gathering her courage. "And we need you to continue looking after the people of Cecil Territory for a while longer – until we return from the capital and have a new territory to resettle them..."

"This is where it gets crucial," Viscount Andrew interrupted Rebecca, raising his hand. "In fact, I was about to bring this up: I have been doing my utmost to help my neighbors, and I am happy to be generous, but I am merely a viscount. How much can I possibly provide to feed all these refugees?"

Gawain picked up the cooling red tea in front of him and took a sip, thinking that the Viscount was finally getting down to "business."

Rebecca said impatiently, "Knight Philip took a batch of gold and silver during the breakout. That gold and silver should be enough..."

"Of course, I know about that gold and silver," Viscount Andrew interrupted Rebecca again. "Please rest assured, I am not one to take advantage of someone's misfortune. But medicine and food both have costs. Didn't I say earlier? That brave knight arrived at Tanzan Town already covered in wounds, and his soldiers and the civilians he brought were almost all injured as well. To treat them, I used the best medicinal herbs in my territory and hired the best clerics. These things are very expensive, and that gold and silver was barely enough."

Rebecca's eyes widened.

"Of course, I must emphasize again that I will not take advantage of your misfortune," Viscount Andrew continued. "Therefore, I will continue to house the refugees and provide as much help as I can. I just want to confirm – after I have done all this, does the Cecil Family still have the capacity to repay this debt?"