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Chapter 24 - Charlotte the Dark Knight

"No!!!! My Holy Sword! That little devil turned it into a cursed sword! Ahh! Ahhh!"

"Ghost grandpa… is disappearing…"

Supported by Aslan, Julia\'s gaze slowly lifted.

Master Artisan Jane\'s spirit, which had emerged from Jacob\'s body, was enveloped in light and ascending to the sky.

Is that really passing on?

He sounds like he has a lot of unresolved issues, given how he\'s screaming...

"It\'s over. Good job. As your grandfather said, we\'ll take this Holy Sword. You don\'t have any objections, right?"

"Of course not! But isn\'t the sword turning black a problem...?"

"Don\'t worry about it."

In Charlotte\'s hands was Master Jane\'s seventh Holy Sword.

Its name...

"Super Strong Sword!"

"..."

...was that.

The once radiant Holy Sword had turned black the moment it touched Charlotte\'s hands.

Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t just a surface change—the very material of the sword had darkened.

Aslan felt a headache coming on.

\'Now it really looks like a cursed sword.\'

The Holy Sword had turned black just because it touched Charlotte?

It was an inexplicable phenomenon.

Charlotte wasn\'t some embodiment of evil or anything.

Aslan kept asking himself, \'Why?\' until he arrived at a possible answer.

\'Is this my fault again?\'

Julia\'s talent for spirit summoning had turned into necromancy due to my influence.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Charlotte’s talent also changed.

\'No, it is strange. It\'s definitely strange.\'

Summarizing the clear facts:

Master Jane\'s seventh Holy Sword changed when it touched Charlotte.

It had no effect when touched by Jacob, Sylvia, or me.

This meant only one thing.

\'Charlotte\'s aptitude as a magic knight reacted with the Holy Sword.\'

There was no other way to see it.

Charlotte was a magic knight.

A magic knight who turns Holy Swords black...

So, is she becoming a Dark Knight?

Aslan was a bit confused about whether this was something to be happy about.

"The appearance of Super Strong Sword changed!"

"...You already decided on that name?"

"Yes! It fits perfectly in my hand! This is my favorite sword ever!"

Charlotte\'s eyes sparkled with excitement, and she looked at Aslan with pleading eyes.

Even when she had tried other swords in the forge, she hadn\'t been this thrilled.

It seemed she had already forgotten about the other swords.

And how could he refuse her a sword that responded to her unique aptitude and could be her lifelong weapon?

The sword was already essentially hers, but Aslan decided to maintain a stern facade.

"Charlotte. You saw what happened. This is no ordinary sword, and your abilities are not ordinary either. Do you understand?"

"I understand! Sort of? Mostly?"

"Sylvia must have told you this a hundred times, but a sword is a tool for harming people. No matter how much you dress it up as art or sport, its fundamental purpose is to hurt and kill. You are walking a dangerous path."

"..."

"Understand the dangerous power you possess and the responsibility that comes with wielding such a powerful weapon. Swear that you will take on this responsibility, and I\'ll give you this sword."

Charlotte\'s eyes, which had seemed indifferent, now shone with determination and enthusiasm.

Sylvia coughed and looked away.

She had just taught her how to stab and slice, not this profound stuff about swordsmanship...

"I will! I swear! I\'ll be responsible! Super Strong Sword is super strong, so I\'ll handle it carefully to not hurt anyone!"

"Also, it\'s important that you don\'t get hurt. Swear that as well."

"Yes! I\'ll be careful not to get hurt too!"

"Good. It\'s yours."

"Young master, are you sure about this? Giving such a powerful sword to a child..."

"It\'s inevitable. This sword was destined to be hers from the start. Whether it’s sooner or later, it was always going to be Charlotte\'s. Isn’t it better for her to get used to it early on?"

Sylvia nodded in agreement.

No matter how powerful a force is, it’s useless if you can’t control it.

Since Charlotte\'s abilities had awakened early, she needed to learn how to handle them safely.

Wait a minute.

Then who’s going to teach her how to handle this power?

Realizing the implication, Sylvia suddenly panicked.

This would mean more work for her.

"Do you expect me to train a magic knight...!"

"Shh. Keep quiet. There can\'t be a magic knight in the Vermont family."

"...!"

Aslan smirked and covered Sylvia\'s mouth.

Magic knights belong to the state and are considered royal property.

Regardless of their social status, once identified as a magic knight, they belong to the royal family.

That’s the law of the empire.

"I was careless..."

Was he really going to hand Charlotte over to the royal family for free?

No way.

He couldn\'t give up the immense potential of a magic knight.

Besides, the Holy Sword had turned black, making it look like a cursed sword.

What royal family would want a magic knight wielding a cursed-looking sword?

Especially one originating from the notorious Vermont family?

Aslan was thankful for Vermont\'s infamous reputation for the first time.

"Is my grandfather really at peace now...?"

Jacob, who had briefly fainted, looked around as he regained consciousness.

He could feel that the spirit that had possessed him was gone.

Julia answered.

"He passed on completely. Peacefully."

"I see... I always thought I was alone. With my father and grandfather gone, I believed I had no one. But it turns out my grandfather was watching over me all along."

"..."

He had always thought of his grandfather, who died when he was a baby, as a stranger.

But the moment his grandfather\'s spirit entered his body, Jacob felt a strange warmth and a sense of peace.

Despite his gruff manner and indifferent personality, Master Jane had cared deeply.

Jacob realized the nature of his grandfather’s lingering attachment.

"My grandfather\'s regret was probably me. Seeing me wasting away and drinking all the time, he couldn’t find peace. Now I understand. Thanks to all of you, especially the little lady, I realized my lineage and abilities. I am truly grateful."

Jacob bowed deeply.

He had been lost for so long.

But thanks to meeting these benefactors and confronting his grandfather’s spirit, he had learned mana cultivation and the mana forge technique.

If he couldn\'t make use of this, he wouldn’t be human.

Jacob chuckled, looking at his hands, scarred from the unfamiliar hammering.

This was the state his hands would be in from now on.

"I owe you a great debt. In any way possible, I wish to repay you, young master."

"Do you really want to repay me? In any way possible. You said that yourself. Did you hear that, Sylvia?"

"Yes, I heard it clearly."

"What...?"

"Here, take this. It\'s not something I give out lightly."

"What is this?"

"A lifetime contract. From now on, you\'ll work for the Vermont family for the rest of your life. Excited? Looking forward to it?"

"...!"

A lifetime contract?

Jacob\'s hands started to shake as he met Sylvia\'s eyes.

Sylvia, once a promising warrior candidate, was now bound to the Vermont family.

Sylvia handed him a pen with a faint smile, but her eyes were lifeless.

"Well, I... A nobody like me signing a lifetime contract with the Vermont family is a bit..."

"Hah. Is this how you repay the kindness of being saved from drowning in alcohol? After being granted one of the rarest abilities in the empire, you repay me like this? You\'re even going to demand the return of the Holy Sword we got from your grandfather?"

"No! Never!"

"Fine, I understand your feelings about the Vermont family. Now you’ll hear our answer..."

"I\'ll do it! I\'ll sign the contract! I\'ll work hard for the benevolent Vermont family for the rest of my life!!!"

"Hehehe."

See? This is how it should be from the start.

Aslan smiled contentedly as Jacob hastily signed the contract.

A blacksmith capable of handling the mana forge technique, and a direct descendant of Master Jane at that.

Losing such a valuable person would be a significant blow.

\'Five days a week, seven hours a day. Twelve paid vacation days per year. With more vacation and benefits accumulating over time.\'

He couldn’t repeat the Dwarf King\'s mistake.

By providing excellent treatment, he would ensure Jacob’s loyalty to the Vermont family.

Aslan laughed with satisfaction.

Not knowing why, Kali also laughed along.