After the Coma

The commotion Adam caused was far too great, instantly drawing every eye in the place. The attendants and Servants saw fallen leaves dancing around Adam, while Knight Wright sensed that astonishing energy.

Such Mental Power! It's definitely stronger than Miss Ophelia's—unbelievable! Knight Wright was shaken, but his feet did not slow in the slightest. Red ripples appeared again. With an explosive boom from the ground, a shallow crater formed where he had been, while the knight himself had already reached a tree over a hundred meters away.

"Unbelievable! Unbelievable!" Knight Wright scooped Adam up, sensing the extraordinary energy still lingering around his body, and could not stop exclaiming.

Adam's condition was dreadful. The energy had been forced into him too violently, leaving his skin covered in dense wounds like those from blades and whips. His pores had widened, his capillaries had ruptured, and fine threads of blood continuously seeped out. Wright hurriedly carried Adam away from the training grounds and raced toward the manor doctor's room. To a knight loyal to the Earl, everything in the manor was the Earl's property. He could not watch Adam die here, or it would be a dereliction of duty.

Yet some people did not see it that way. Bearded Man Joe, for instance. Having come to the manor at the age of ten, he immediately recognized that Adam had been injured because his body could not withstand the energy. After learning that he lacked the aptitude to practice the Breathing Technique and become a knight, Joe had grown jealous of everyone with aptitude—let alone when that person was a fool who had always been beneath him.

"Die! Die!" Joe cursed venomously.

The backward science of this world had not developed any effective means of dealing with such external injuries. The doctor merely washed Adam's body with salt water. As for whether he would develop tetanus, or whether there were internal problems, the doctor's skills could not even determine that. Naturally, he was helpless and could only leave it to fate.

"For now, he is fine. His breathing is weak, but relatively steady. The wounds show no signs of infection for the moment. Take him back to rest." The doctor announced the result blandly. He had done all he could; whether Adam would survive depended only on luck.

Knight Wright understood what the doctor meant. He nodded and was about to take Adam away when the door opened and two young men entered one after another. Both had golden hair, azure eyes, luxurious garments woven from costly fabric, and belts at their waists that made their figures appear even more upright. A burly man followed each of them, dressed in a manner that indicated status equal to Knight Wright's.

Upon seeing them, Knight Wright slammed his right fist heavily against his left chest, while the doctor gave a slight bow. "Young Master Marshall, Young Master Dennis."

These two were the Earl's eldest and second sons. Marshall stepped forward first, nodded to them, then asked, "This is the one whose energy ran wild while practicing the Breathing Technique... Hmm, what was his name?"

The second son, Dennis, had also intended to step forward, but seeing Marshall get there first, he did not fight for it. His eyes merely flickered behind him.

Marshall's question caused an awkward silence. Adam's name was probably known only to a few Servants around the old groom's age who had been on good terms with him. Everyone else had always called him Fool.

Knight Wright answered, "He is Miss Ophelia's groom. His name... everyone calls him Fool."

The name Ophelia seemed to possess some magical power. Marshall stiffened when he heard it. After recovering, he sat down in a chair and stared at Adam. "Oh? My Younger Sister's groom? Then she was the one who taught him the Breathing Technique?"

Dennis wore a smile, his eyes narrowing, but he still said nothing.

Again, Knight Wright answered. This time, he hesitated before saying uncertainly, "I do not believe so. His mind is impaired, and he never speaks. His body has always been weak, and he has never shown any talent. He has never participated in training, either. This is only his second time at the training grounds in six years."

Knight Wright sighed inwardly. He did not understand why the Earl was still in his prime, yet his children were already so impatient.

Agitated, Marshall released a flash of red ripples around his body. The chair beneath him shattered. He stared at Adam with blazing eyes, as though he had found a priceless treasure, and muttered, "The second time... so he has never cultivated before?"

Dennis's smile faded. Without drawing attention to himself, he glanced at the knight who had followed him. The knight understood and silently left the room.

Marshall knew perfectly well what his brother was doing. Malice flashed through his eyes, but this was not the time to settle scores. Such a genius had to be brought under his control. If Wright was telling the truth, then this Fool would become an important bargaining chip in his bid to inherit the title.

"Hehe, my Younger Sister has been too careless. How can such a genius be left as nothing more than a groom? If he becomes a knight, Father will surely be delighted. But I cannot blame my Younger Sister. She is occupied with cultivation every day and has no time for anything else, so..." Marshall beckoned, and the knight behind him stepped forward to pick Adam up.

"So I will be the one to train him."

A smile returned to Dennis's face. He took a stride forward, blocking the knight, then said to Marshall, "Brother, he is still our Younger Sister's Servant. Is it really appropriate for you to take him away directly? I fear she will be angry if she finds out."

Behind Dennis's smiling face lay deep resentment. Why had good fortune never come to me? Father supports my elder brother, my younger sister possesses terrifying talent, and I alone have nothing. But why? My elder brother is clearly mediocre, and my younger sister knows nothing but cultivation all day. I am the only one with the ability to inherit the title. Why is such a genius not one of my men?

Marshall bared his teeth as he glared viciously at Dennis, yet his voice remained gentle. "My dear brother Dennis, what are you doing? Are you trying to stop me?"

Dennis replied calmly, though his feet did not retreat half a step. "No, no, Brother. How could I stop you? It is simply that, no matter what, we should wait until our Younger Sister is here before deciding. Otherwise, if siblings come into conflict over a Servant, Father will not be pleased, will he?"

Marshall was frantic. If he took Fool away now and later made a token request to Father, Father would surely soothe Ophelia. But by the same logic, if Ophelia arrived shortly and took Fool away, he would never have another chance.

"Dennis, move aside!" Marshall's voice turned cold, and his eyes fixed viciously on his brother.

Dennis remained unmoved. "Why are you in such a hurry, Brother? Why not wait a little longer and decide when our Younger Sister arrives? You know Father, he..."

Red ripples appeared around Marshall again. He growled in a low voice, "I'll say it one more time, Dennis. Move aside, or else..."

Dennis's expression changed. The corner of his mouth lifted in mockery. "Or else what? My dear brother, are you going to attack me?" At the same time, red ripples even more intense than Marshall's rose around him, openly setting themselves against Marshall.

Dennis had nothing to fear. Though his guardian knight had left the room, Wright remained. Wright was wholly loyal to the Earl and would never stand by and watch Marshall harm him. As long as he stalled a little longer, until Ophelia arrived, he could withdraw from the struggle and watch Marshall and Ophelia tear into one another. As for tearing all pretense of harmony apart with his brother—heh.

Marshall sprang up and reached for Adam, roaring, "Quinn, attack!" He knew he was no match for Dennis.

Quinn faithfully carried out the order. Crimson light flashed sharply as he spread his arms and lunged to seize Dennis. Even as he attacked, he did not dare truly injure Dennis. Otherwise, the Earl would never spare him. Fortunately, this was not a Life and Death Battle. He only needed to hold Dennis back for a few seconds.

The doctor was merely an Ordinary Person. He could not possibly remain standing amid a battle between monsters of knightly rank, and he scrambled out of the room on hands and knees.

Knight Wright sighed once more. His breath echoed back and forth through the enclosed room as he stepped between Dennis and Quinn, blocking Quinn. Dennis, meanwhile, threw a punch at Marshall. "Brother, you will hurt him like this. If you crush him to death in one grab, do you think our Younger Sister will attack you? Just as you would attack me?"

"Dennis, you are courting death! I am the heir to the title! Everything within the Earl's domain will be mine! No matter whose man he is now, he should be loyal to me!" As he spoke, he exchanged a punch with Dennis. After each took a step back, Marshall shouted angrily.

Dennis had not yet had time to sneer when a female voice, accompanied by footsteps, came from outside the door. "Marshall, I do not know who gave you the courage to say such things. Who do you think you are? Do you think we are your slaves?"

"Ophelia." Dennis greeted her.

"Ophelia, damn it!" Marshall raised his head and roared soundlessly.

In appearance, Ophelia was a perfect woman: skin as fair as cream, a proud figure like that of a devil, long golden hair cascading to her waist in waves, and eyes as azure as the sky. Under the sweep of those eyes, no one dared meet her gaze.

Ophelia walked up to Marshall and said coldly, "Move."

Marshall said, "Ophelia, you..."

"I said move. Do you wish to fight me? You and your guardian knight together?" Ophelia's tone was calm. Her gaze did not even linger on Marshall, instead resting on Adam, who lay quietly on the bed. She did not know how the fool who had fed her horses for seven years had suddenly become a genius.

"We're leaving!"

For self-important fools, being ignored was more infuriating than being mocked to their faces. Yet faced with this woman like a Goddess of War, Marshall had no way to deal with her.

Thus, he and Quinn could only leave the room in a furious huff like defeated dogs.

Ophelia paid them no attention. She turned her gaze to Knight Wright and asked, "Tell me what happened?"