I Became the Martial God's Youngest Disciple

As my breathing gradually became rougher, Assad approached before I knew it, looking unusually flustered. What he said next cooled my excitement. "I didn't think you would defeat Delac, even if it was his twelve year old self. If that is the case, it means the rumors are real."

I figured the rumors were referring to all my achievements while traveling around the empire. I answered, "Did you think they were exaggerated?"

"How could I believe such rumors? Think about what you were like around this time last year."

If I were to talk about that time in my past, I wouldn't have anything to say either. At times like this, I felt grateful that I was young. That was because people faced the biggest changes physically and mentally between the ages of fifteen and twenty. It was a time when one grew taller and their muscles became particularly strong. It was rare for someone to change as much as I had in half a year, but it wasn't impossible.

At this moment, Delac asked gloomily, "Can't we have a rematch?"

"A rematch? Why?" I asked.

"If I lose..." he trailed off.

"Ah." I finally realized my mistake and said, "I'm sorry, Father. That was a lie."

"What?"

"I thought that was the only way you would use all your strength. Hehe."

There was a saying that one couldn't spit at a smiling face, but I wondered if one could glare at it. For a moment, Delac glared at me with such a cold expression that he seemed to have returned to being the Iron-Blooded Lord.

So scary, I thought.

"It looks like this guy has been talking nonsense again. Delac, take his words with a grain of salt. He is the type who will keep talking even when falling into the water," Assad said.

My first instinct was to protest, but I decided to just shut up this time. It was best to keep my mouth shut when I did something wrong.

Assad asked, "So Luan, where did you say your next destination is?"

"The south."

"Be more precise."

"I'm thinking of going to the Rahild Labor Camp in the south."

"Ra-Hildaras..." Assad was old, so he spoke Rahild's old name. There was a strange flash of emotion in his eyes, making me wonder if he had actually been alive back when the kingdom of Ra-Hildaras still existed. He continued, "The south is a region where there are many church bastards. Of course, there are also other dangers there."

"I know. It is also where the most monsters appear. There is no shortage of people trying to rip you off if you let your guard down for even a moment. The trustworthy mercenaries can be counted on one hand." I let out a short laugh and said, "There is nothing to worry about."

I didn't know about other places, but I was a bit confident about the south. So far, I hadn't benefited much from my memories before my regression, but it would be different in the south. Perhaps in that place, I would be able to act like a regressor for the first time.

***

The departure would be three days from now. As Delac had said earlier, it seemed there was still paperwork to be done. I also had a few things to do, so it wasn't bad.

The next day, I called Ludwig early in the morning and said, "Hello, Brother. Have you eaten breakfast?"

"No. In the first place, it is better for maintaining fitness to not eat breakfast."

"Really?" I asked in surprise. I'd just learned something new.

He continued, "Of course, someone as active as you is better off eating three meals. In any case, enough with the small talk. Why did you call me here?"

I told him, "Well, I've been thinking about it. I think it is better for me to join Rahild as a laborer."

"Hmm." Ludwig nodded and said, "There is nothing more reliable than going there and searching personally. Still, will you be okay?

"What?"

He explained, "The Rahild Labor Camp is a closed-off place. In such a place, there are criminals, debtors, slaves, orphans, and even lesser races. Basically, all the worst people are thrown together. How can things run normally? I've heard that the labor camp has its own laws. It is said that the forces are divided according to race, origin, and ideology. Well, there is no need for me to talk about how filthy and hard it must be, right?"

"In the south, places like that are more common than not. I have to adapt," I said simply.

Back when I was living like a loser, before Bai Luguang took me in, the place that kept Luan Badniker in check was the south. I hadn't been obsessed with being clean, but I still had a fairly neat nature. Yet after spending time as a mercenary in the south, I stopped being surprised even if a scorpion crawled on my stomach while I was sleeping.

Ludwig asked, "Should I go in with you?"

I replied, "There is no need. Brother, please collect information on the outside. Rahild itself is intertwined with the Dark Church. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to infiltrate the church forces in the south?"

"Aren't you talking too casually? If I don't know which faction of the church is in the south, just making contact could cost me my life." Ludwig grumbled. Then he added as if he suddenly remembered, "Ah, right. I heard that Father is going on this mission with us."

"Things just turned out that way. Have you ever acted alongside Father?" I asked.

"We have carried out missions together. We didn't move together, since we operated in different locations, but..." Ludwig trailed off.

"Ah."

"So you are going to infiltrate the labor camp while I make contact with the church. So what is Father's role? Have you thought about it? By the way, don't even think about bringing him to the labor camp with you."

"Of course. I'm not unfilial enough to throw my own father into a labor camp," I said.

I ignored Ludwig's skeptical expression and paused to think for a moment. No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't come up with a concrete idea for Delac's role. The fact that he was the Iron-Blooded Lord had to be kept secret, so the current Delac was no different from a rookie with tremendous potential and skills.

"I think he must always have been good at gathering information, infiltrating, and moving stealthily," I muttered.

"I think his ability to mask his presence is still intact, but moving covertly relies more on experience than skill. There is still a risk," Ludwig told me.

"Hmm," I muttered. Delac wasn't the type to be put in serious danger if left alone, but looking at it like this, he was an indispensable yet also useless presence. I said, "Well, if we can't decide, he can move with you, Brother. At that time, you can teach Father a few things."

"That is a bit..." Ludwig muttered with a hint of rare disgust.

"Why? You know Father's talent. He is the kind of genius who learns ten things every time you teach him only one thing. There would be no need to teach him for a long time," I said.

"I'm not saying this because teaching him is hard work. It is more a matter of mindset."

"Mindset?"

"The very idea of teaching him makes me uneasy," Ludwig said. I looked puzzled, and Ludwig stared at me with narrowed eyes. He wondered, "You aren't bothered at all?"

"Not really."

"You are so weird. Ah, right. Start thinking about how to disguise him. Just so you know, people like Father can't be easily disguised."

"Huh? Why?"

"It is a matter of constitution. Still, you can at least change his hair and eye color."

"A nobleman with dozens of fake identities has a constitution that makes disguises ineffective? Does that make sense?"

Ludwig let out a deep sigh and said in a voice full of disdain, "You know nothing about disguises. Hiding just your appearance is only a third-rate skill. A true disguise combines expressions, gestures, speech, demeanor, and even makeup, clothing, and social status to create an entirely new person. That is what a real disguise is."

"A-ahh..." I murmured.

"Are you listening? In that sense, your personality also isn't suited for disguises. Your personality is too unique and your manner of speaking too distinctive."

I let Ludwig's sudden lecture on disguises enter one ear and go out the other, but I had to admit that he was right about one thing. I really wasn't suited to it. However, I said, "It's okay. I have a trick."

"A trick?" Ludwig asked.

"Yes." I couldn't help laughing as I said, "Look forward to the day after tomorrow."

***

The next day, a welcome face returned to the Badnikers' main house. It was Kayan. His stern face didn't show any softness, but it was obvious that the journey to the main house hadn't been easy.

I told him, "You've worked hard."

"Not at all." Kayan shook his head in a composed manner. Then he continued, "I heard about the family head. Fortunately, the treatment was successful."

"Well, I guess so," I said.

To be honest, I'd figured that someone as capable as Kayan could be told about the Iron-Blooded Lord's memory loss. Still, the Council of Elders had made the decision to hide the matter, so it wasn't a big deal. I was quite stubborn myself, so I figured I had to respect the old people's wishes to some extent.

"So are you going back to the north now?" Kayan asked.

"No, I think I'm going to the south," I answered.

"The south!" Kayan exclaimed brightly. I looked at him while wondering why. Then the old man asked with a cheerful expression, "So are you finally going to fulfill my request?"

"Huh?" I stared blankly.

The brightness in Kayan's expression gradually started to disappear. He asked, "Have you forgotten?"

"No? I didn't forget." I instinctively evaded the question. Then I muttered again, "It is just that I don't remember well..."

"The world calls that forgetting."

"I'm sorry." I felt like a grandson being scolded by my grandfather, so I lowered my head.

Kayan sighed. For some reason, I felt like more and more people were sighing at me recently. Maybe it was just my own perception.

He said, "My adopted daughter."

"Ah!" I exclaimed. Those words stirred up memories I had buried.

"You have a daughter?"

"She is an adopted daughter. Her name is Kaela.Young Master, you might've heard the name."

"What do you want me to do when I meet your daughter?"

"I would like you to fight with her and defeat her if possible."

We'd definitely had a conversation like that. Mercenary King Kaela was Kayan's adopted daughter, and he wanted me to spar with her. I remembered, but was still a bit flustered.

I said, "Um. I will try. However, I am going to the south for work. I might not get a chance to meet her at all."

"That's true. The south is big. If you meet by the guidance of fate, it is enough to remember this old man's request."

"Okay, I will accept it."

I owed Kayan a lot in many ways, and expected that to continue in the future. This request was almost the only request that Kayan had for me, so as his master, I had to grant it. Thus, I nodded. It was only then that Kayan looked satisfied.

After having a short conversation with Kayan, I visited Lise Ladygoth and told her about a very important matter. At first, Lise listened with indifference. Then as my words went on, her dark eyes started to shine like the night sky.

She said, "Hoh... Luan. You know a thing or two."

"Of course."

"I never would've guessed you have such an elegant aesthetic sense."

"It is the same for you, Lise."

For the first time, I had a warm and pleasant conversation with Lise. Our reliable black mage seemed to be very satisfied with my request.

She said, "Black scales. Very good. Then it would be nice to add a few more attributes to it."

"Attributes?"

"Yes. Things like being a one-armed swordsman and an outcast, or having tattoos, bandages, an eye patch, and so on."

"Oh..." I nodded. "Most of that sounds good, but the one arm and eye patch are a bit much. I think it would be uncomfortable when fighting."

"That's true. What about the other little things?"

"Please do as you please. I'll leave it to Lise's aesthetic sense."

"Mm." Lise nodded in satisfaction before suddenly clearing her throat. Then she asked in a seemingly casual tone, "When can I go out?"

I wondered what to say after hearing that. It reminded me of a child who clearly knew that her parents had prepared a birthday present, but who pretended not to know. Her face that was full of expectations, but she was acting like she wasn't expecting anything at all. Honestly, this kind of reaction was natural considering how long she had been confined underground.

"Wouldn't it be disappointing to just stay at the Badniker estate the first time you came out? It is your monumental first outing, after all," I said.

"That's true."

"Let's see. I'll take you out when I arrive at a big city in the south."

"Take me out... This Lise Ladygoth isn't an object," Lise grumbled in a dissatisfied voice. Then she coughed again and agreed.

In any case, my errands at home were over after I finished talking to Lise. It would soon be time to leave. That night, I finished my internal energy circulation and went to sleep relatively early.

Then finally, on the day of departure, Ludwig, Delac, and I gathered in front of the carriage.

Ludwig asked in a playful tone, "Have you forgotten something?"

"We aren't going on a picnic," I replied.

"Kukuk. Honestly, the three of us are present, so couldn't even a fairly dangerous mission feel like a picnic?" Ludwig remarked.

"Ludwig," Delac interrupted calmly. "It is good to have confidence, but make sure to distinguish it from arrogance."

"Mm, I guess I got too excited. I will refrain from doing so again." Ludwig awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.

Then I said, "By the way, Brother Ludwig. There is something I want my brother, a genius of disguise, stealth, and acting, to see."

"What is it?"

"It is the disguise identity I will use in the south this time."

"I don't mind, but here?"

"I'm going to use a magic tool, so I'll just show it to you right away."

"Aha. Let me take a look."

Ludwig and Delac seemed intrigued and looked my way. I grinned as I took out the Linchal mask and put it on my face. Then I said, "Doralizard."

The moment I recited the spell, the appearance of my entire body changed. I became a lizardman. It wasn't just any lizardman, but a black-scaled lizardman warrior. The appearance had been carefully honed all day by exchanging opinions with Lise.

I adjusted to my taller field of view and looked down at the father and son duo, saying, "Brother, didn't you tell me? The perfect disguise is to create an entirely new person. Ah. My voice is also cool."

"T-that's right."

"This is what I created. I have meticulously planned the settings. Would you like to listen to them?"

Ludwig replied reluctantly, "Tell me."

"A lone lizardman warrior. An outcast of his clan, yet carrying a ray of pride in his heart. A mercenary who is harsh to the enemy but extremely warm to his comrades," I explained. "I am Luzard the outcast."

There was no response from either of the two.

A few moments later, Delac began, "Ludwig."

"Yes?"

"What was my educational policy before I lost my memory? Was it ordinary?"

"No. Father, it isn't your fault." Ludwig shook his head. "He is sixteen years old, so let's understand him with a generous heart."

I let out a deep sigh of genuine regret. Maybe we shared the same blood, but it seemed we didn't share the same sense of aesthetics. It was a tragedy, really. Those who weren't talented didn't even realize they were lacking talent. There was nothing sadder in the world.

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