I Became the Martial God's Youngest Disciple

8:00 p.m. was a bit late for dinner.

Hector Badniker was the first to arrive at the Small Iron Hall, the designated gathering place. He had come an hour early, not only because of his usual punctual and stubborn nature.

There were two reasons. First, his evening training had ended early, leaving him with nothing to do. Second, the person who had organized this meeting was someone that Hector had come to care about deeply of late. That individual was like a storm, sweeping in indiscriminately and causing trouble wherever he went. Hector had often wondered why he stayed so quiet at home.

What is he going to do? Hector wondered.

From the contents of the letter, it seemed that not only Hector but all his siblings had been summoned. Hector couldn't imagine the purpose. He also wondered how many people would come. The Iron-Blooded Lord's offspring weren't close enough to gather around the same table for a meal.

Come to think of it, we have never all been in the same place at once.

Their father's critical condition had brought the scattered children back from across the empire, yet chances for them to be in the same room remained rare. It wasn't that such opportunities never arose. On the day they were meant to meet and exchange opinions, Luan arrived last and claimed he could cure the Iron-Blooded Lord. To be precise, the nun named Razbet, who accompanied him, had made the claim.

Like a true Badniker, Hector had initially felt a strong aversion to an outsider's presence. Still, he had nothing to say after seeing the outcome. The Iron-Blooded Lord had been cured; at least, physically.

Hector's thoughts drifted to his father lying in bed, and he let out a quiet sigh. He tried his best to push the image aside, but he couldn't fully control the direction of his thoughts. He forced himself to focus on something else.

Returning to the matter of his siblings, Hector thought it would be surprising if all of them gathered. For reasons he could not explain, even the more stubborn ones, like Heero and Raizen, who rarely yielded to others, showed considerable respect for Luan's opinion.

Did they get hit? He cut off the words: like me. Even considering it made his facial muscles throb.

As the thought faded, Heero Badniker entered.

The young hero scanned the room with his signature lazy gaze. When his eyes met Hector's, he spoke in a brief tone. "You're early."

Hector hadn't expected him to speak, so his response came a beat late. "Yes."

Heero nodded, took a seat, rested his chin on his hand, and lowered his gaze with a bored expression.

Hector watched him in silence. The atmosphere was no different from their last meeting, but something about Heero's demeanor seemed unfamiliar. Hector had noticed it more than once. Heero had changed. Perhaps he seemed softer now, though he had never been especially sharp or prickly to begin with.

An awkward silence settled between them. They weren't close enough to discuss personal matters, so conversation never came easily. This was even more understandable for Hector, given how unpleasant their last meeting had been. He found himself hoping someone would arrive to break the silence.

At that moment, the door opened again, and Hector looked up with a smile.

Nero entered. Among the siblings, she was the most taciturn. Unlike Heero, Nero didn't greet anyone. She simply sat beside Heero and crossed her arms.

Out of all people... Hector didn't get along well with his older siblings. The personalities played a part, but Hector's past attitude had contributed.

Once a year, the Iron-Blooded Lord set aside a day for a private meal, and only three people received an invitation to that glorious place: Heero, Nero, and Hector. Their positions were equal, but Hector had always carried a deep sense of inferiority toward the two of them. After all, their talent dazzled, and their achievements matched it. They stood closest to becoming the next family head.

Those who didn't know anything simply placed Hector's name alongside theirs. However, that was far from the reality. Hector saw the gap between them. There was a big difference in physical strength. This gap wouldn't narrow, but would only widen with time. That knowledge drove him to train relentlessly and build connections with the noble children of the capital. Even so, he knew better than anyone else that this wasn't enough for a Badniker. His father wouldn't acknowledge him.

Hector sighed again. His thoughts inevitably drifted back to the Iron-Blooded Lord. He meant everything to him, so it was inevitable.

However, he wasn't alone this time. Heero glanced at him and asked, "Why are you sighing?"

Hector hesitated before saying, "Brother Heero, you must've seen Father, right?"

Some of the Iron-Blooded Lord's offspring already knew his current state. Assad had chosen Heero, Nero, and Hector, aside from Luan, who received different treatment. In other words, Heero had met the Iron-Blooded Lord before Hector.

Heero replied, "I saw him."

"You don't seem fazed. You look calm..."

"Do I? I was surprised at first. I am still confused. Even so, Father isn't dead. There's no need to make a fuss," Heero said.

"Even if he stays like that?" Hector pressed.

"Yes." Heero's voice was calm. "At least he is alive. It will work out somehow."

The casual reply stirred Hector's long-buried inferiority complex. He envied Heero's strong character and unshakable temperament.

Should I have gone to the Hero Society too? Hector wondered.

There was no better place than the Hero Society to gain practical experience and grow stronger in a short time. Hector was well aware of that. He also knew that he could never surpass Heero if he followed the same path. That was the reason he had chosen to join the imperial family and become an Imperial Knight. He had never doubted his choice, but Heero's attitude now shook that belief.

He couldn't help wondering whether he had just run away again.

After that, the conversation died because Hector closed his mouth with a stiff expression.

In the past, Heero would have spoken up or scolded him regardless of his attitude. Now, he remained silent. Unfortunately, Hector was lost in his own thoughts and didn't notice that.

About thirty minutes later, their other siblings started to gather. Most of the sisters attended, including Lina, Olivia, and Everan. Aquata, the eldest daughter, was the only absentee.

On the other hand, the brothers showed a much lower attendance rate. The eldest and second sons arrived quickly, but the other three showed no signs of appearing.

Only when one minute remained did Raizen Badniker arrive.

"Am I the last?" he asked.

"For now."

"I'm glad." Raizen let out an exaggerated sigh and sat down.

Tick.

The moment the second and minute hands aligned, the door swung open, and today's protagonist entered.

Luan ignored the eyes on him. His casual expression didn't reveal what he was thinking. Instead of sitting properly, he perched diagonally on the armrest of the chair. Strangely, that rebellious posture suited him.

"Why are you so quiet? I thought no one had come. Is everyone here?" Luan asked.

"I don't think so. There are a few faces missing," Heero replied.

Luan let out a soft "Ah."

"Two can't make it. Sister Aquata left for home this morning, and Brother Dolber received an urgent summons from the academy. Both were excused for special reasons. In other words, almost everyone is here," Hector informed.

"Huh? Is someone else still missing?" Raizen asked in a deep voice.

Hector realized who was absent. Compared to his more forceful siblings, that person had a weaker presence, and Hector had forgotten him for a while.

At that moment, the door opened with a rough push, revealing Aerts Badniker. His eyes widened as he looked around, clearly not expecting everyone else to have already gathered.

Hector looked at Luan, a trace of tension on his face. His heart quickened as a quiet anticipation took hold. He wondered if Luan's temper would flare and punish Aerts for arriving late.

Hector failed to notice that Heero and Raizen were watching Aerts with similar expressions.

Under the weight of their gazes, Aerts flushed with embarrassment and hurriedly bowed. "Ah...! I'm sorry I'm late."

Luan had called today's meeting, but Aerts bowed toward Heero.

Heero remained silent without even nodding, leaving Aerts to scratch the back of his head in awkwardness.

Then Luan spoke in an unexpectedly casual tone. "Go to your seat and sit down."

Aerts frowned at the order from his youngest sibling. After glancing at Heero and Hector, he reluctantly made his way to his seat.

"Okay. Now everyone is here, right? The meal will be served shortly, so please wait a bit longer. First of all, I am impressed that everyone has gathered despite the late hour. It feels like I've personally confirmed the affection between siblings. As the youngest, I am overwhelmed with emotion," Luan said.

"Why did you call us?" Aerts asked bluntly.

"It's to hold the first Badniker family meeting."

At Luan's words, everyone blinked.

Badniker and family meeting didn't belong together. The combination felt like water and oil.

"Family meeting? What the hell does that mean?" Hector demanded.

"Don't you know? A family meeting is when family members gather to discuss what to do when something significant happens," Luan answered matter-of-factly.

"I'm not asking about the meaning of the words," Hector said.

Raizen backed him up. "In addition, that definition is wrong. A family meeting isn't such a grand concept."

How did Luan react?

He just tilted his head. "Is that so? Well, that's the general idea, so it doesn't matter. You just need a rough understanding."

"By something significant, do you mean Father's situation?" Hector asked.

Luan nodded. "Yes. Everyone, you must've heard that he opened his eyes. Do you know that Father wasn't in good condition when he woke up?"

Aerts asked, "Is he in bad condition?"

"To be precise, he has memory loss," Luan revealed.

"Luan...!" Hector called out in surprise.

Luan barely reacted. "What? Did Sir Assad tell you to keep it a secret?"

"You knew this and still told us?" Aerts demanded.

"I agree that it should be hidden. However, I think everyone here has the right to know," Luan claimed.

"What?"

"No matter how long he has been in the family, this is still a matter between Father and us. The one who should step aside is actually that old man," Luan said.

How many people in this family could treat Archmage Assad as an outsider? Hector knew there wasn't a single one. Well, except for this troublesome youngest child before us.

The silent Olivia finally spoke. "So? What do you want to say?"

Luan was surprised that Olivia had attended. She gave an impression of indifference toward everyone, though in a manner different from Nero. Strangely, he sensed goodwill in her expression and tone as she addressed him.

Luan scratched his head and slowly began, "I've been considering this. I think our family is a bit crazy."

His unexpected remark silenced the surroundings. It wasn't something one could say, even by accident.

T-this crazy guy... The fierce youngest sibling has finally crossed the line, Aerts thought. The time has finally come for the eldest, who values the family's reputation above all else, to correct this brat's behavior.

Yet no one moved. Most of those present were waiting for Luan to continue.

Should I be the one to express our anger? Aerts wondered.

Unfortunately, he lost his chance as Luan continued, "Our father... The Iron-Blooded Lord, Delac C. Badniker. As a human being, I pay tribute to his achievements. I used to think of our father as a natural monster. In the first place, people said that he was born that way. Well, that isn't completely wrong. But recently, I've realized that it isn't that simple. It's much more complex than I thought."

"What?"

"Should I say it out loud? A deformed family that relies entirely on one person. That's the current Badniker family," Luan stated plainly.

"How rude!" In the end, Aerts couldn't stand it any longer and jumped to his feet. He could no longer watch the youngest sibling insult the Badnikers. "You're crossing the line, Luan Badniker. You were once cast out of this family. Do you think that you have the right to insult it?"

In truth, Aerts showed as much restraint as possible. His words were relatively polite, considering that he didn't blurt out incompetent or inferior, both of which were stuck in his throat. He forced himself to hold them back.

Aerts continued, "I heard from Brother Hector that you have become the future family head. It's hard to believe, but it must be true if you're using the Small Iron Hall. I don't know how you got this position. Still, your position doesn't matter. I can't just sit by and let you insult the Badnikers and the elders who run this family."

"It isn't an insult. I am stating the truth," Luan replied. "If you feel that way, it only means that the elders' policies are flawed."

Aerts was rendered speechless.

Luan went on, "It isn't surprising that Father ended up like this, nor is it bad luck. It was only a matter of time before things exploded. This time, it finally happened. Still, I'm glad that he was saved."

"I hope you can get to the main point soon," Heero stated.

Luan nodded. "Okay. The key issue starts now. As I mentioned earlier, Father has lost his memory. He may be fine physically, but his mind isn't. He can't even exert half of his full strength. However, the elders who lead the family plan to send him back on missions after their meeting. Does everyone here accept that decision?"

This time, Hector spoke. "If that's the decision of the Council of Elders, we should respect it. They led the family even before we were born. Luan, I have a fairly good idea of your personality now, so I can make a rough guess. You don't like their decision. But even if you tell us this, the outcome won't change.

"You've handled most unfair situations using brute force, but that won't work this time. Whether it's even possible or not, the family's internal dynamics won't change, even if you miraculously beat all the elders."

Heero understood Hector's reaction. His maternal grandfather belonged to the council, so rebelling against their decision would be difficult.

Hector stood and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I have nothing more to say if this meeting goes against the elders' will. I am leaving."

"Well spoken!" Aerts said with great enthusiasm and stood as well.

However, Luan shook his head. "What going against their will? That isn't what I mean. It isn't like that at all. Brother Hector, I understand what you're saying. I do, so sit down for now."

Hector said, "As I said, I have nothing more to—"

"Sit down while I still have something nice to say," Luan interjected.

Aerts' eyes widened. "Brat, do you still not know your place? Y-you incompetent bastard. Who exactly are you ordering to sit down?"

"We aren't done yet," Luan said firmly. "What kind of etiquette allows someone to jump up and leave in the middle of a conversation?"

"Hah! There's nothing more to hear! Let's go, Hector—" Aerts shouted confidently, only to pause as he felt something strange. He looked back, and before he realized it, Hector was sitting in his seat again.

For some reason, his serious expression seemed to be trying to claim that he had never left his seat.

"Brother Hector?"

Aerts finished speaking awkwardly, and Luan snapped his fingers. "Brother Aerts, over here."

"Uh...?"

"Come here." The youngest son of the Badnikers smiled widely, showing his teeth. "Come here, you brat!"

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