"Let me formally introduce myself"

At the center of an open space just outside of the estate, a large gray haired man stood with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"I'm Marquis Vilka of House Denver, the former Wall of the North as well as the newly appointed headmaster of the Academy, pleased to make your acquaintance, sir....?"

He tilted his head in an innocent manner that looked so wrong with his large frame.

Seeing this old geezer act like this just moments after he beat me senseless greatly irritated me, but there was no way a mere servant such as myself would be allowed to openly berate a high noble.

"Apologies for raising my hand against you earlier, Lord Vilka."

With a heavy heart, I swallowed my vexation and apologized to him while bowing my head.

"This one is named Larc, I am the personal butler of lord Jorgé's sister, Lady Juliette."

"Hooooh?? A butler, you say?" He said with great interest while holding his chin.

"Then, mind telling me how you learned the stances you used just now? A mere butler wouldn't have known those things, you know?"

Hearing that raised my already high irritation. How dare this old geezer question my integrity as a butler, the sole purpose of my life.

With a twitch of my face I smiled and answered him.

"I was personally trained by sir Alford, my lord. My duties as a butler include the protection of my lady, so I was trained in the martial arts by him."

Upon hearing this, the old man's face lit up.

"HA! So you're Alford-dono's apprentice, eh? That brat learned everything he knows right now from myself, you know? Guahahahhaha!"

"..eh?"

Did I mishear?

"That explains why you're so good at partial body strengthening Guahahahha, you were especially taught by my most talented apprentice."

I didn't mishear.

Seeing the confused state of my face, lord Vilka tilted his head to the side and raised his brow.

"Has Alford never mentioned me? I was the one who developed that technique after all, for people like us who were not gifted with affinities."

The common practice for people who had body strengthening as their affinities was to use their mana to strengthen their entire bodies to boost their physical strength. However, the way sir Alford taught me was vastly different. Focusing our mana to one point would leave the rest of our body unprotected but in return, greatly enhance a specific part.

A better example would be how a normal body strengthening user would strengthen his body to increase his strength, whereas sir Alford and I, and apparently this old geezer as well, would focus our mana on our feet to produce blitzing speed.

"I apologize, my lord. But sir Alford has never mentioned you before." I said while showing a slight bow.

"Geh! That brat, is he taking credit for that technique??"

[... Calling sir Alford a brat.. just how old is this old geezer?!]

From one of my past lives in Japan, I couldn't recall anyone I knew that passed the age of 60 that looked as good as this old geezer. His body was far leaner and toner for his age, which should be at the very least 65 or 70.

"Well, it has been years since I last travelled down south to meet him, so he must have thought that I forgot and that he could take credit, Guahahahha! I'll be sure to beat him up when I see him again to remind him."

[I don't think that's what he was doing]

"You're in the west, Vilka-dono." Lord Jorgé interjected as he watched us in amusement.

He was right actually. We were currently in Sundgard, which was west of the capital Belmont.

Here in the kingdom, the title of "wall" is given to a Duke or a high ranking noble that governs a territory that borders another country.

There are currently three people that hold the title "Wall."

One is Duke Carmine who governs the Carmine territories which bordered the Great Allesian Plains, hence the title "Wall of the West." Then there's House Rossi who bordered the Holy Kingdom of Vanahan, hence the title "Wall of the East." At the South is House Sylvan who has the Great Dragon Sea as their border, they're called as the "Wall of the South."

From what I just heard, this Old geezer's territory bordered the Kingdom's sworn enemy, Ferahim, that's why was called the "Wall of the North." Unfortunately, after losing some of his territories to the enemy, his title was stripped.

"Bah! You're all southerners to me, you know? Guahahahha."

Seeing his actions right now, I can imagine how he'd lose to the enemy.

"With that said, I think it's time that we talk about the thing I called you for, Vilka-dono."

"Ah, yes! I had so much fun with this Brat I almost forgot about that! Guahahahha!"

The old man grabbed his belly as he laughed heartily.

"Well then, Larc-dono!" He bellowed as he looked at me with bright eyes. "Let's fight again sometime! Get stronger by then, Guahaha!"

After that lord Jorgé led the old man inside the castle, but not before looking back at me with apologetic eyes and slightly bowing.

[I'm sorry for this fool's behaviour, the fault is mine!] His eyes seemed to say.

After they disappeared into the castle, I looked up to the sky and sighed.

[I'm surrounded by outrageous people.] I thought to myself as I picked my self up and proceeded to get cleaned.

Upon entering, what welcomed them was the figure of Jorgé's personal Butler, Grun.

"Welcome back, Master, Lord Vilka."

"Umu, Glad to see you in good health, Grun."

"Would you like tea, lord Vilka?" He asked as he crossed his fingers.

"Ahh, no. I'd like your finest wine, if you will."

"Very well then. Grun, please fetch my personal wine."

"By your will, my lord."

As the servant walked out of the room, Vilka then turned a sharp eye towards Jorgé.

"Well? What did you mean when you said you haven't told me the best part?"

Seeing the old man's interested look, Jorgé smiled and leaned back on his chair.

He hesitated for a while before speaking.

"That boy can use frost magic."

"?!!"

Upon hearing this Vilka unconsciously stood up.

"Impossible!" He exclaimed with great vigour as he slammed his hands on the table. "I would've felt it, boy! If you're playing me for a fool, I swear--"

"I'm not."

Wondering how that table was able to take the old man's hands bearing down on them, Jorgé interrupted Vilka's angry remarks.

"His mana is being suppressed by a strong sealing magic. Strong enough to resist my eye."

"Guh.."

Upon hearing this, Vilka begrudgingly sat back down and crossed his large burly arms.

".... I'm not saying I believe you, but if it's true, then.. this boy might just be---."

"Indeed, that is why I told you that this boy is incredibly valuable."

Before Vilka could finish his statement, Jorgé cut him off and stood up. He approached the window and gazed out into the outside.

"He might very well shake the entire continent to it's core."

"Umu..."

Vilka leaned forward and linked his fingers together.

"This game you're playing, boy." He said in a low and serious voice. "It's very dangerous, you know?"

He looked at the back of Jorgé who was overlooking the people below.

"I know." Jorgé answered as he turned around and faced the old man.

With his silver blonde hair being illuminated by the sun, Jorgé looked directly at the old man with sharp eyes and smiled.

"Don't you think that's what makes it so interesting, Vilka-dono? The fate of the continent in our hands, one wrong move and we could plunge the world into a grand war. Ahh, the excitement is driving me insane."

Seeing this sent a cold shiver down Vilka's spine. In all his years as both a warrior and a noble, never has he met a man remotely close to the thing standing before him. It made him reaffirm his desire to not make the future Duke of the Carmine territories into his enemy.

*Knock knock knock*

As if on que, the knock on the door suddenly pulled Vilka from his thoughts.

"I've brought the wine, my lord." Said Grun as he entered carrying a tray with wine and glasses on top.

"Ah, just in time. Well, Vilka-dono please help yourself, and please take it easy in the couch, It's pretty expensive, you know?"

Confused by the young lord's words, Vilka looked to his side and saw that he unconsciously gripped the side of the couch, almost tearing it completely.

"Ah, apologies Jorgé-dono, I'll pay for it"

"Oh don't worry about it, you are our guest. Please enjoy the wine."

He said that but Vilka had just lost his taste for wine.

After a while, Jorgé sent a glance towards Grun and spoke.

"With that said, are you ready to talk about the main reason I called for you today, Vilka-dono?"

"Ah, yes. I almost forgot about that."

Upon hearing this, the butler quickly fixed up the almost untouched wine and glasses and curtly exited the room.