The night passed, and the sun rose, announcing the start of another day.
Inside his room, Fren opened his eyes and sat up on the bed—a habit formed from the rigorous training he had received since childhood.
After bathing, he had just begun dressing when a knock came at the door.
"Third Young Master, Lord Bloodhound has said it is time for you to depart," a slightly aged yet familiar voice sounded from outside. It was Arec, the head butler of the Earldom and also a Tier 5 warrior.
"Understood. Inform Father that I will be there in a few minutes," Fren replied calmly as he finished dressing.
"Yes, Third Young Master."
Arec answered, and the hallway returned to silence.
Fren did not linger for long. He cast one last look around the room he had lived in for sixteen years. A trace of reminiscence flashed through his eyes before he suppressed it entirely.
Turning away, he stepped out of the room. As for luggage, he had nothing he valued enough to bring along.
Leaving the room behind, he made his way toward the main hall of the vast residence.
"You've arrived."
As Fren stepped inside, his father's cold, heavy voice greeted him.
"Yes, Father," Fren replied in the same indifferent tone.
Earl Bloodhound's deep gaze settled on him for a moment, and Fren felt a faint pressure weigh upon his body.
"Hm. Your carriage is ready outside, along with extra carts carrying necessary food, clothes, and other necessities," Earl Bloodhound said as he turned around.
"For your territory, you will be granted Lukenhern Town and the seven surrounding villages as your domain. They are located on the western side of the Earldom."
His final words echoed from a distance. "You may leave now."
"Yes, Father."
With that, Fren took a few steps forward when a middle-aged man wearing traditional butler attire, his hair slightly gray, suddenly appeared in front of him.
Fren halted, his gaze falling on Arec.
"What is the matter, Butler Arec?"
"Third Young Master, these three thousand gold coins were bestowed upon you by Lord Bloodhound," Arec said as he took out a small ring and handed it to Fren. He then continued, "Additionally, the Eldest Young Master has placed several healing potions inside for you."
"…Alright."
Fren paused briefly before accepting the ring and slipping it onto the index finger of his right hand.
A storage ring…
He was momentarily surprised. Storage rings were high-end items used only by powerful individuals. Even the smallest ones cost thousands of gold coins due to the complex process and rare materials required to create them.
They were rare commodities—so rare that even his eldest brother, the heir, did not possess one.
Upon equipping it, Fren sensed a connection to a small spatial area spanning a few cubic meters. Inside were neatly stored gold coins and numerous potion bottles.
The gold coins—three thousand in total—were an enormous sum, enough to sustain his barony for many years on their own.
(1 Rainbow Coin = 10 Gold Coins, 1 Gold Coin = 10 Silver Coins, and 1 Silver Coin = 100 Bronze Coins.)
Next, his gaze shifted to the many potions, each clearly labeled. They ranged from standard healing potions to detoxification brews and other common concoctions, with a few high-quality ones mixed in. Altogether, their value was roughly one hundred gold coins.
"Then I will take my leave, Third Young Master," Butler Arec said before disappearing from his spot the very next moment.
With a slightly complicated gaze, Fren withdrew his attention from the storage ring and walked toward the main door of the residence.
Creak.
With a push, the door opened, and the morning light fell upon his face, causing him to instinctively cover his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, his gaze then shifted to the scene before him—a carriage and several supply carts parked outside, surrounded by dozens of armed soldiers on horseback. At their head stood an armored captain clad in imposing black armor.
As Fren approached, the leader and the soldiers dismounted from their horses and dropped to one knee.
"Julius will serve you from this day onward, Master Fren," the leader declared loudly, the soldiers behind him echoing his words as they bowed their heads.
Their voices drew the attention of nearby servants who were already watching from the sidelines, sparking yet more hushed gossip.
"You may rise," Fren said calmly as he looked at them.
"Yes, Master Fren," Julius replied as he stood up along with the others.
"Did Father send you?" Fren asked evenly.
"Yes, Master Fren. I was sent by Earl Bloodhound, and from now on, I will follow your every command," Julius answered.
"Hm. May I ask about your rank and that of your team?" Fren asked with mild curiosity, glancing at the dozens of soldiers behind him.
"Yes, Master Fren. I am a Tier 3 Steel Knight. Behind me are eight Tier 1 knights and four Tier 2 knights. Together, using our formation, we can even slowly wear down a Tier 4 powerhouse," Julius reported, a hint of pride entering his voice at the end.
"Good. Let's depart," Fren said with a nod as he headed toward the carriage at the front.
"Yes, Master Fren," Julius bowed, then turned and shouted to his men and the drivers of the supply carts, "Prepare to depart!"
"Yes, Captain Julius!" ×12
The others responded in unison as they mounted their horses.
Meanwhile, after settling into his private carriage, Fren calmly ordered the driver, "Let's move."
"Yes, Master Fren," the driver replied, pulling the reins.
Neigh!
With the sound of the horses neighing, the carriage began to move. Julius rode at the front while the rest of his team guarded the flanks of the carriage and the supply carts.
As the carriage swayed forward, they swiftly passed through the main gate of the residence. Fren looked through the open window toward the Earl Bloodhound's mansion.
Many servants were watching his departure, but his gaze passed over them. Instead, it rose to the highest room of the residence.
From there, a blue-haired young man in his early twenties, with crimson eyes, was watching the carriage leave, with Butler Arec standing beside him.
It was his eldest brother—the heir of the Earldom of Bloodhound, Jerg Frost—who had inherited his blue hair from their biological mother.
Their eyes met briefly before Jerg turned his head away and went back inside. Butler Arec bowed slightly to him as he followed behind.
As they moved away, Fren took one final look at the vast estate he had lived in since birth and slowly closed the curtains.