Volume 6 Chapter 90 Everyone Has a History
Alan appeared so suddenly, Lucian just froze in shock, while Cedric frowned and mumbled, "Lord Victor?"
Maybe they'd worked together on some projects before, but meeting Alan face-to-face like this? This was a first.
"So, you're Cedric. My son's been in your care, I hear."
Alan smiled, but then──as if suddenly remembering something──he turned and told the Knights to stand down and relax.
The tension in the air loosened just a little, enough for Lucian to blurt out, half under his breath, "Wait, why's that...?"
"Why? Ah, right──I didn't mention it, did I? As a matter of fact, I'm the Captain of the Victor Knight Brigade."
Alan flicked a little Perry coin with a grin, explaining that since their domain was so small, the lord had always doubled as the captain of the Knights.
That's exactly why Volcan ended up with those grand titles, like 'Army Crusher' and the like.
For the record, there are other lands where the lord takes command of the Knights──this isn't just a Victor thing.
Take Waldner, for example.
In the martial tradition of Waldner, the lord not only leads the order──they're expected to be the strongest, no questions asked.
Hartfield, too, runs things the same way.
They're not a warrior clan, but their sprawling territory was forged by uniting countless old clans under one banner.
This custom goes way back, to before the kingdom itself.
The top dog always led the corps──nowadays, it's the Knight Brigade, but the tradition hasn't changed.
Victor House is another one that's kept that custom alive.
Their lands border the wild, unpredictable Beast Forest.
So yeah──the lord always had to be right there on the front lines. That's just how it was.
Alan picked up that mantle, too.
The moment he became lord, he also put on the mantle of Knight Captain.
Of course, most of the day-to-day stuff gets dumped on his deputy, Harrison...
"Lord Victor is the captain..."
Cedric echoed. But the idea just wouldn't click; he wasn't processing any of it.
Harrison, Luke, people like Randy──who even got called a 'monster'──and even the legendary Lionel right here... when Cedric faced them, he could sense it.
Even if he couldn't measure their strength exactly, he could *feel* it: That guy's out of my league. No mistake.
But when it came to Alan, there wasn't a hint.
Nothing at all.
Cedric just couldn't read him──no tells, no presence.
Like a void. A letdown. What a complete anticlimax. That was the vibe──so much that Cedric could barely process it. The sounds of battle faded into a distant blur in his ears.
Honestly, Cedric's reaction was fair. Even now, Alan seemed so casual, you'd think he'd just bumped into them on the street.
"Well, I do have a couple reasons for showing up... but, like I said, I wanted to thank you for the gift."
Alan rested his left hand on the sword's hilt again, gazing at it like he was savoring every detail. "Fascinating blade you've got here."
"It's completely different from any sword I've used before, but with those books you sent──and, apparently, my idiot son's weirdly good at handling it... or, wait, is it called a katana? Anyway, thanks to him, I'm finally getting the hang of this thing."
Still laughing at his own son's odd talents, Alan thumped his chest, wearing his pride like a badge.
"Guess my lonely hip finally looks respectable again."
Alan grinned, practically glowing with foreign flair and confidence. The whole place just gaped, stunned speechless.
Who wouldn't be thrown off? The guy barges in, drops a "Thanks for the present! Got a little better with it. Looks cool, so I thought I'd show off"──and expects everyone to be chill about it.
Thanks to Alan, the tension in the air unraveled.
But just past everyone's notice, a lone figure began to move──slow, deliberate.
Right here, right now──the leader of Victor, the singularity, was in the room.
Nobody knew what his game was, but with a target like that, why hold back?
Sword drawn, watching from the edge, someone aimed straight for Alan.
By the time everyone registered it was Kyle, it was already too late.
The blade's tip was already inside striking distance, aimed right at Alan's heart.
Alan didn't flinch. Not even a twitch.
And just as it looked like Kyle would skewer him──From the side, a Knight crashed in, grabbed Kyle's head, and slammed him into the ground.
The force split the earth into a spiderweb of cracks.
Blood seeped out, thick and dark.
"Don't get cocky. Scum like you doesn't get an audience with my boss."
The Knight tossed those words out, shot one glance at the now-unmoving Kyle, and strolled right back to his spot.
"Sorry. That was close."
Alan said so, and the Knight shot him a glare. "Look who's talking..."
Way too informal for a subordinate──but Alan didn't seem to mind at all.
They're the Knight Brigade from the generation before, you see.
Many of the Knights who once charged through their youth alongside Alan have now retired early, passing on their status to their sons and daughters.
They're like a reserve team on the verge of retirement, but to Alan, they're trusted comrades.
The current Knight Brigade has seen a change in command in the past year or 2, adapting to Randy, the next captain. But it seems they have an extraordinary fondness for Alan, the captain, over Randy.
So, naturally, he's brought along a bunch of these familiar faces...
"Hurry up. I've been waiting for you."
Maybe being too forward isn't the worst idea.
But it's not their relationship that concerns those around them.
Lucian's gaze, along with the others, is fixed on Kyle, who was silenced with a single strike.
True, a shadow could never outshine the original, but even then, a single strike against a formidable foe...
And to grab and slam someone charging at that speed...
The way Alan, followed by such a group, caused even Cedric, not just Lucian, to stare in astonishment at the fleeting scene.
With the focus on him, Alan let out a slightly awkward chuckle and took a step forward.
"Well then, might as well get to work since I was called."
Just one step forward.
As always, Alan's strength was veiled, but only Lionel looked at him with a hint of joy in his eyes.
Meeting those eyes, Alan's cheeks relaxed into a pleased smile.
"It's been a while, Lionel. I heard you were coming, so I dropped by to show my face with some souvenirs."
Lionel scowled at the smiling Alan.
"Don't make me repeat my name, Lionel."
Lionel snorted in discontent, but then his expression shifted, and his cheeks bloomed. "But of course, it had to be you."
"Well, GREY. I believed you were alive."
Lionel laughed heartily, to which Alan retorted with a sharp, "Don't go killing people on a whim."
"You'd think I was dead. A man with your sword appeared. If something so precious ended up in someone else's hands, anyone would assume the worst."
Lionel raised an eyebrow, and Alan scrubbed his cheek with a wry smile. "Ah, I see."
"A lot's happened since then."
"Looks like it. Never thought you'd change your name."
Lionel walked over, unhurried. Alan scratched his cheek, a little self-conscious. "Guess you could say I married in."
"And all that really changed was Alan Grey became Alan Victor, that's all."
Lionel nodded, looking satisfied, eyes on Alan, whose hand still rested on his sword. "I see. So it was the family name."
"Um, Lord Victor, apologies for interrupting, but... do you two know each other?"
Cedric asked, timid but earnest. Alan and Lionel both glanced his way──then shared a look, and both broke into faint smiles.
"You could say we go way back."
"Yeah. Back when he was still just an adventurer."
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