Starting With an SSS-Rank Swordsmanship Talent

“My lord, I know you have many questions, but the time is not ripe yet. The truth will eventually be revealed.” The restaurant manager said, her face looking serious.

Alaric was so confused by her cryptic words that he didn’t know how to respond.

“If you encounter a problem that you can’t solve, please find me here. I will do my best to help you.” The restaurant manager didn’t wait for his response and stood up. She then excused herself and left without turning back.

After she left, Galanar immediately came to his side and whispered. “My lord, that woman is a Transcendent Knight!”

“I know,” Alaric replied with an absentminded look. He was still processing everything that had happened.

“She also disguised herself so that was definitely not her real face,” Galanar added with certainty in his tone.

Alaric nodded. He saw Linda’s traits so he also believed that the face she showed earlier was only a disguise.

“Do you want me to investigate her background?” Galanar asked.

Alaric hesitated for a moment before he shook his head. “Whoever she is working for, I do not think they have bad intentions so let us just leave them be. However, I want you to send a few warriors to watch the restaurant and they must report to me if they discover anything significant.”

Galanar acknowledged his command with a nod. “Yes, my lord.”

The food was great, but Alaric wasn’t able to enjoy the taste because his mind was occupied with different things.

As they headed back to the inn, Hershey held his hand and asked. “Is there anything wrong? You look like you have a lot on your mind.”

Alaric glanced at her and smiled faintly. “It is nothing serious. I am just wondering who sent me this bracelet.” He showed her the bracelet he got from the restaurant manager.

Hershey looked at the bracelet and replied. “You mentioned earlier that this is a relic. Why would someone who hasn’t met you give you something that valuable?”

This was also bugging her and she felt that everything was suspicious.

Alaric shook his head. “I have no idea.”

The group arrived at the inn a moment later. The ladies were tired from the trip so they rested early after a short conversation.

Meanwhile, Alaric couldn’t sleep because of what had happened.

He paced around his room, thinking of all the people he had met in his past life. However, no one seemed to match the person who had sent him the bracelet.

Just who could it be?

The next morning, Alaric was awoken by the knocking on his door. He opened his tired eyes and realized that it was already morning.

When he gathered his senses, he found out that he had slept on the chair.

Alaric stood up and cracked his muscles which had turned stiff from the bad sleeping posture.

“Wait a moment.” He said as he headed to the door.

Creak.

Standing behind the door was Elena.

“My lord, it’s almost time for breakfast. Lady Hershey didn’t want me to disturb your sleep so I didn’t come to wake you up.”

Alaric was surprised.

“So it is already that late? You guys must have waited for me. I am sorry.” He gently brushed Elena’s hair with an apologetic smile on his face.

I slept late last night because of what happened at the restaurant.

Alaric sighed as he followed Elena downstairs.

The group ate breakfast together.

After eating, they left the inn and headed to Argus’ estate to bid him farewell. This was his territory after all so it wouldn’t be good to leave right away without informing him.

The old baron welcomed them with open arms and he invited him to visit his mansion. Alaric wasn’t in a hurry to leave so he accepted his invitation.

“How was your trip to Garden of Roses, my lord?” Argus asked as he brought them to his study room.

“It was great! It truly deserves to be one of the best tourist spots in the empire!” Alaric exclaimed.

“Haha! That is good! This is my study.” Argus led them inside his study.

He proudly introduced the paintings he had pasted on the wall. Alaric wasn’t an expert on this so he only gave the old baron some praise. Luckily, Hershey was there to save him.

She eagerly discussed with the old baron regarding the paintings. She was very well-read about their history and she could even tell who had painted them without Argus having to say anything.

The old baron was full of praise for her knowledge.

They talked about this for a good thirty minutes before Alaric found the right time to ask him something. “Lord Argus, do you know anything about the restaurant, Mystic Cloud?”

Argus’ face turned serious when he mentioned this name. He told his servants to leave before he replied. “They have not been here for long, my lord.”

He took a short pause and leaned forward, closer to Alaric.

“They constructed the restaurant a few years ago. Their business was very successful and they managed to get many people to try their food. We lost a lot of profit from the restaurant business because of them so I sent my people to investigate them. However…”

His expression suddenly turned cold.

“The people I sent returned with injuries. I did not give up on the investigation so I sent stronger warriors, but the same thing happened to them. That time, the people at the restaurant sent me a letter telling me not to investigate them again.”

Alaric wasn’t surprised by this. They had a Transcendent Knight as a restaurant manager so it wasn’t surprising for a group of Knights to be beaten up.

“I was furious when I received that letter so I sent two of my Elite Knights together with twenty warriors to cause trouble, but you know what happened?” The old baron revealed a look of helplessness when he mentioned this.

“The two Elite Knights I sent were beaten up, while the warriors who had followed them were thrown out of the restaurant naked.”

Alaric almost laughed when he heard this. Knowing the old baron, he must have been worked up at that time.

“Since then, I no longer sent my people to investigate the restaurant, but I did something to make them lose a lot of customers.” This time, the old baron chuckled with a victorious look.

Alaric finally understood why Mystic Cloud had few customers despite their food being so good. It turned out that it was actually the handiwork of the old baron.

“So you do not know anything about the owner.” Alaric was a bit disappointed, but he didn’t show it to his face.

Argus shook his head helplessly. “I gave up on knowing who the owner is after I failed to investigate them three times.”

Alaric no longer asked him anything about the restaurant.

They talked for another hour about random topics before Alaric bid him farewell.

The group didn’t leave Vale immediately. It has been a long time since Alaric last visited the orphanage so he decided to give them a visit.

***

Meanwhile, in the capital city, Codera stood a glorious castle that towered over all the other buildings. It was sitting on top of a hill, surrounded by tall walls that served as shields to prevent unwanted people from entering.

The castle was protected by powerful warriors so even if there were intruders, they would be dealt with immediately.

At this moment, a black falcon descended on the castle, somehow evading the perception of the guards.

However, this was no ordinary bird, but a Disaster-grade monster!

The black falcon gracefully landed on an opened window of one of the over a hundred rooms in the castle.

“Nighty, you are back!” A charming and melodious voice echoed from inside the room.

The black falcon revealed a tamed look upon hearing this voice. It made a soft chirping sound as it flew in.

A blonde-haired woman dressed in a red dress with gold highlights raised her fragile left arm for the bird to land on.

“Be careful! You might leave a scratch on me again.” She told the bird as she imbued mana into her arm.

The falcon made a sound of protest, making the woman chuckle in amusement.

She noticed that there was a letter attached to the falcon’s leg.

“It seems like Linda has fulfilled her mission.” She smiled as she took the letter and unrolled it.

The blonde-haired woman read the contents of the letter and was relieved upon reading what was written. “I am sure Her Highness will be happy to see this.”

She rolled the letter and put it inside her pocket. “Nighty, how about you follow me somewhere? I need to send this letter to someone.”

The black falcon tilted its head with a look of confusion.

The blond-haired woman chuckled. “You cannot disobey me anyway.”

She stepped out of her room and headed to the topmost floor of the castle.

More warriors were patrolling this floor and their auras made the blonde-haired woman feel nervous.

She stopped in front of the last door where two warriors were standing guard. The pressure they exuded was so intense that even the Disaster-grade black falcon revealed a look of fear.

“What business do you have here, Your Highness?” One of the warriors spoke.

The blonde-haired woman furrowed her eyebrows and replied with an annoyed tone. “I just came here to visit my Aunt. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“You have thirty minutes, Your Highness.” The two warriors stared at each other before they allowed her to enter.

The blonde-haired woman snorted as she entered the room.

Upon stepping in, she saw a woman with long white hair standing by the window with a melancholic face.

“Aunt…” She called out.