Blood God Reborn as the Mudblood Heir

Chapter 142: 142: Saying Goodbye

Silver Ash House slowly woke up around that news.

Jake was the first person to repeat it to anyone who would listen. He told a servant that Peter had a red aura. Then he told one of the Ash Wolf men that Peter had become Rank Four because he ordered him to live. Then he told Jenny that this proved his orders were very powerful and should be used carefully. Jenny told him that if his next powerful order was not to eat breakfast properly, she would use sister authority on him.

For a short while, the house felt almost warm.

Peter’s breakthrough had given them something rare. Hope.

But Lucard did not allow hope to become sleep.

By late noon, he called Jenny, Jake, Peter, and Brant into the smaller study on the first floor. Peter came despite his body still hurting. He sat in a chair with a blanket over his shoulders, pale but awake. Brant stood near the wall with his arms behind his back, now fully settled into the role of elder retainer. Jenny sat behind the desk with papers and name lists beside her. Jake sat near her, trying to appear serious, though his eyes kept moving toward Peter with pride.

Lucard stood near the window.

Outside, the guards moved along the wall. Some were Marovain guards. Some were Ash Wolf men. The house had more strength than before, but to Lucard, it was still fragile. A young house with thirty rough men, one recovering Rank Four knight, one Rank Four elder, two children at the center, and a name that enemies had started poisoning through the city was not safe. It was only safer than yesterday.

Jenny noticed his silence first.

"What are you planning?" she asked.

Lucard turned from the window. "I am leaving Gravehold."

The room changed at once.

Jake stood up so quickly his chair almost fell. "Leaving?"

Peter’s hand tightened on the blanket. "Young Master."

Brant looked at Lucard quietly, but even his face became serious.

Jenny did not rise. She only looked at Lucard for a long moment. Her voice was calm, but her fingers pressed against the desk. "Why?"

Lucard answered, "Because I need to get stronger."

"You just made Peter stronger," Jake said. "You can train here."

"No," Lucard said. "I can practice here. That is not the same as growing fast."

Jenny’s eyes narrowed. "And the other reason?"

Lucard looked at her with slight approval. "I need people for House Vardros."

Brant frowned. "We have thirty Ash Wolf members."

"You have thirty useful beginnings," Lucard said. "That is not enough. House Vardros cannot rise with one wounded knight, one recovered mercenary leader, and thirty men who still need to be tested again and again."

Brant did not argue. He knew it was true.

Lucard continued, "The emperor has given us time, not strength. Ten years of forbidden fighting inside Gravehold sounds long to weak people. To strong houses, it is only a season. Velkhur will use that time. Ravencroft will hide during that time. Karswell will whisper during that time. Marovain will profit during that time. If House Vardros sits still because the decree feels comfortable, we will become a protected corpse."

Jenny lowered her eyes for a moment. Then she said, "Where will you go?"

"Outside the city first. Then farther if needed."

"To hunt?" Peter asked.

"To grow," Lucard said. "Hunting is only one part. I need blood, resources, information, and people who can be shaped before old nobles buy them or break them."

Jake looked worried. "How long will you be gone?"

"As short as possible."

"That is not an answer."

Lucard looked at him. "It is the only answer I can give without lying."

Jake sat down slowly, but his face remained unhappy.

Jenny folded her hands. "You said the decree gives us ten years. If we are protected, why must you rush?"

"Because protection can teach laziness," Lucard replied. "Under no circumstances should you mistake imperial protection for true safety. The decree stops open fights inside the city. It does not stop poison outside a cup if no one sees the hand. It does not stop spies from entering as servants. It does not stop merchants from cheating us. It does not stop nobles from spreading names like Mudblood Heir until children repeat it in the street. It does not stop enemies from waiting beyond the city gate."

Jenny listened without interrupting.

Lucard’s voice became colder. "That is why you and Jake must not leave Gravehold under any circumstances."

Jake looked up. "Not even if someone important calls us?"

"Especially then," Lucard said. "If an imperial messenger comes, confirm the seal through Marovain and the city office before moving. If Marovain calls, send Peter or Brant first. If Robi himself calls, still send word back before leaving. If Celia comes, receive her inside the house or go only with guards. If any noble invites you outside the city for apology, business, family matter, witness, grave visit, or old Vardros information, refuse."

Jenny nodded slowly. "You think they may use our curiosity."

"Yes."

Peter’s face darkened. "That is possible."

Lucard looked at him. "Not possible. Likely."

Jake swallowed. "What if they say they know about Father?"

Jenny’s face tightened.

Lucard’s eyes rested on Jake. "Then you say nothing. You bring the message to Jenny. Jenny brings it to Peter and Brant. Then you wait for me."

"But what if it is real?"

"If it is real, it will still be real after waiting," Lucard said. "If it is a trap, waiting may save your life."

Jake’s hands curled on his knees, but he nodded. "I understand."

Lucard looked at Jenny. "You must never go alone outside the house. Not for temple visits. Not for markets. Not for contracts. Not for pity. Not for pride. If you leave this house, Peter and Brant go with you. If one of them is unavailable, you take the other and ten men. If both are unavailable, you do not leave."

Jenny gave him a tired look. "You speak as if I am a child."

"No," Lucard said. "I speak as if everyone around you is a possible knife."

Peter lowered his head. "Young Master, I will protect them."

Lucard turned to him. "You will recover first."

Peter’s face showed frustration. "I can still stand."

"You can stand. You cannot fight properly yet. For seven days, you focus on breathing and red aura control. After that, you practice Crimson Guardian Sword. You do not chase enemies. You do not use your new aura to prove yourself. If you damage the path I opened, I will make you suffer again to fix it, and this time I will be less patient."

Jake whispered, "That means obey."

Peter nodded. "I will obey."

Lucard looked at Brant next. "You are the elder retainer now. Until Peter fully stabilizes, you are the strongest arm inside this house. Your first duty is Jenny and Jake. Your second duty is the house. Your third duty is Ash Wolf. Do not reverse that order."

Brant placed one fist against his chest. "I understand."

"You will also keep checking the thirty who remained," Lucard said. "Separate them into watchmen, scouts, and training candidates. No one guards Jenny or Jake alone. No one enters the inner house without being known by Peter, you, or Jenny. If any man drinks too much, speaks too much, or asks too many questions about royal matters, remove him from sensitive duty."

Brant nodded. "It will be done."

Lucard then looked back at Peter. "You have another task."

Peter straightened despite the pain. "Please command me."

"Gather orphans."

The room became quiet.

Jenny looked surprised. "Orphans?"

Lucard nodded. "Age fifteen and above. Boys and girls who are old enough to understand hunger and young enough to be shaped. No babies. No small children for now. We are not opening a charity house. We need future bones for House Vardros."

Jake looked confused. "Bones?"

"Backbone," Lucard said. "A noble house cannot depend only on hired men. Hired men remember coins before blood. Old retainers remember old pride before new orders. Orphans who have nothing can become loyal if we give them food, shelter, training, law, and a name."

Jenny’s expression changed as she understood. "You want to raise our own people."

"Yes," Lucard said. "The ten founding duke families have their old bloodlines, old knights, old servants, old training yards, old schools, and old debts. House Vardros has almost nothing. So we will begin with people no one wants."

Brant looked thoughtful. "Street orphans can be hard to control."

"Good," Lucard said. "Soft children break faster."

Jenny gave him a look. "Lucard."

He continued as if he had not heard her tone. "Peter will teach them basic swordsmanship. Not noble forms. Not pretty steps. Footwork, guard, distance, discipline, and how not to panic when someone stronger moves toward them. Brant will teach survival, scouting, camp rules, and how to obey orders in groups. Jenny will arrange food, sleeping space, records, and simple contracts. Jake will learn their names."

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