Chapter 2:
A Gambling Father, A Sick Mother, A Brother in School, and Her Broken Self—If I Don’t Help Her, Who Will!
The flickering lamplight danced across both their faces.
Henry didn’t avoid Lore’s gaze, staring directly back at him with unwavering eyes.
After Lore remained silent for a moment, he then spoke.
“Then pack your belongings and leave this place now. You should know that you are the family’s disgrace. This is the only chance I’m giving you, merely because you are my son.”
“Thank you for the opportunity, but for me, being your son is also a disgrace.”
What a joke—had he ever lost in a verbal sparring match?
His teacher was a man who could bend steel pipes with his words!
Without bothering with the other’s reaction, Henry turned and walked away.
He returned to his room, packed a few clothes, then walked to the door.
Luning was waiting at the doorway, seemingly having waited for him for quite some time.
Obviously, he knew about Henry being expelled from the family.
His face bore a cold smile, full of mockery toward Henry.
“I told you, you would definitely regret it.”
“Do you think that after I’m kicked out of the house, the future position of head of the Rumelter family will be yours?”
Henry suddenly asked this question.
This left Luning momentarily stunned, but he quickly recovered.
“I’m different from trash like you. I was born with talent, and the family head will value me for it.”
“Then just crawl obediently and be his good dog. Maybe when he’s happy, he’ll throw you a few dog bones to gnaw on.”
Luning’s pupils suddenly contracted.
Henry’s words triggered unpleasant memories from his past.
He suddenly drew his sword and swung it toward Henry’s head. Even if Henry died from this, since he was no longer part of the Rumelter family, killing someone who insulted the family head would just be a normal thing!
Madness flashed in his eyes as his raised blade cut through the night sky.
The next moment, the iron sword HUMMED!
Sparks flew from both sword blades and fell onto the stone steps.
Luning didn’t even see how Henry drew his sword.
He froze for an instant, his body unconsciously stopping in place.
But Henry seized this opportunity and kicked him down to the ground.
When Luning tried to get up, Henry’s iron sword was already at his throat!
The sharp blade cut into Luning’s neck, blood continuously flowing down from the wound.
A sense of death rose from within Luning’s heart.
He was defeated by this trash? Now he was going to be killed by this trash?
Luning’s mind went blank as he stared at the person before him with a mix of terror and rage.
But Henry’s calm gaze deeply wounded his pride.
“Luning Rumelter, someday I will return here, and you will personally invite me back.”
Henry smoothly sheathed his sword and disappeared into the black night.
After who knows how long, Luning finally struggled to his feet in embarrassment.
He looked at Henry’s retreating figure and ROARED unwillingly!
A maid who had just poked her head out to see what was happening was killed by his angry sword thrust!
The maid didn’t even know what had happened before she died.
“Henry, I will definitely kill you!!”
****
Henry planned to stay at some inn in town, but the innkeeper didn’t immediately agree.
It wasn’t surprising that the innkeeper stared at Henry with strange eyes—who told Henry to wrap himself up like a dumpling in the middle of the night?
At first, the boss wasn’t too willing to let Henry stay.
But as more and more gold coins appeared on the table,
Henry could clearly feel the boss’s moral baseline getting lower and lower, even about to break through the bottom line.
“It seems the boss doesn’t welcome me very much. Can you tell me why?”
“It’s not safe outside recently—there’s a murderer! Even Her Royal Highness the Princess has started patrolling at night.”
The boss’s hands weren’t very honest, somewhat like an old rogue taking advantage of a beautiful girl, caressing the gold coins back and forth.
“So you mean there’s nothing to discuss?”
“You know, normally I have to ensure the safety of the inn’s customers…”
“Five gold coins. If there’s nothing to discuss, I’ll leave.”
Henry was about to take back the gold coins, but the boss was faster in collecting them and threw out a key.
“Ah, only children talk about justice—adults all work for money! Guest, your room is on the second floor. If you need anything, just call me.”
Look at that—where are all these principles among adults? As long as the money is right, they’ll smash your bottom line to pieces!
The boss wasn’t without a bottom line; it was just invisible to people.
Henry took the key back to his room, then sat on the bed to examine his skills.
【Sword Control Technique】
【Greatly increases the host’s understanding of swords and learns to control swords with qi】
No wonder he could draw his sword so quickly when facing Luning earlier.
At that time, he had silently wished to quickly draw his sword to block that strike, but unexpectedly the sword flew into his hand by itself and blocked that attack so smoothly.
Although this system seemed out of place in this world, the skill strength didn’t seem too weak.
Looking at it this way, tomorrow’s Assessment Exam might have a different outcome.
He nodded with satisfaction and continued searching through the system’s contents.
【You have completed the novice mission and are about to unlock the next task】
【Mission: Try to defeat or kill a boss】
【Reward: Body Tempering Technique】
【As the World’s Strongest Sword Immortal, how can you not have a good body?】
What the fuck???
A newbie who just learned to swing a sword encounters a regional boss right after leaving home?
This will be a win.JPG.
As the night deepened, Henry took off his shirt, planning to take a bath before sleeping.
However, there was suddenly a knocking sound at the door.
“Hello, big brother, do you need service?” It was a girl’s soft, sweet voice with a coquettish tone.
Henry severely condemned this behavior!
How cold the world had become—what kind of oppression could force a girl with such a tender voice to come knocking on doors in the middle of the night?
Was it the distortion of human nature or the sinister nature of morality?
If possible, he really wanted to open the door and let her in.
But tomorrow he had to pass the Assessment Exam, and if he was delayed, his future fate would be uncertain. Business came first!
“No need, you can go.”
Henry steeled his heart and refused, but she didn’t leave and instead started playing the sympathy card.
“Good big brother, please, I really need this money. The food at home is almost gone. If there’s no more business, we’ll starve to death.”
The girl’s crying could be heard behind the door, making Henry’s heart almost soften.
For Henry, it was service, but for her, it might be a piece of bread to fill her stomach, a piece of clothing to keep warm in the harsh winter.
A gambling father, a sick mother, a brother in school, and her broken self. If I don’t help her, who will!
This was how Henry convinced himself.
He unlocked the door’s inner lock and was about to open it, but the next moment, the door was suddenly kicked open!
The impact sent Henry tumbling to the ground, but quickly, a slender long leg stepped on his back.
Holy shit? I’ve been set up in a honey trap!
Henry was about to use Sword Control Technique, but when he saw clearly who was stepping on him, he stopped his actions.
That expressionless, ice-cold face stared at him coldly.
“Henry Rumelter? What are you doing here?”
“Your Royal Highness, you like cosplay! Don’t step there, it feels a bit good…”
