Chapter 66: Courage 7500
Standing before this gate, there was still some fear and anticipation in my heart.
The unique fresh air of the northern frozen tundra in summer swept through the streets with the long wind. The light within the Glowstone Lamps did not tremble in the slightest due to the bustling footsteps of the crowd. The special carriage running directly from the airship landing field to the Lord's Manor disappeared around a street corner in the light of the evening sunset, and I had already arrived at my destination.
The Northern Lands, at the main entrance of the Lord's Mansion of Moldavia. I silently recited that name in my heart: the entrance to the residence of Count Radcliffe.
He should have long noticed my arrival. For a Legendary Expert, this is not difficult.
In fact, I had seen Count Radcliffe a long time ago, on the very day I returned to the Imperial Capital from the battlefield, at the Royal Grand Library. He is not old, but his strength far surpasses mine, and his attitude is more like that of an elder than a peer. He even showed me the source of his power, *potestas of pugna*, the power of battle.
Towards this generous and young Legendary Expert, I always harbor an inexplicable emotion… Fear? Awe? Disgust? None of these. This illusory feeling is hard to describe in words, but it definitely includes respect, because of his moral integrity. Count Radcliffe is a powerful warrior, and his morality is as impeccable as his strength. You must understand, I have seen countless morally bankrupt nobles on the battlefield and in private settings, warriors who took pleasure in slaughtering the women and children of their enemies. Although every Orc deserves death, the evil act of slaughter has nothing to do with who the target is.
"Your Highness Di Mo Er, please come in. The Lord is waiting for you."
The guard bowed and respectfully opened the gate. I followed a maid who had been waiting here and entered the courtyard of the Lord's Manor. Looking around, there were no extravagant plants or decorations here. A small, seemingly deep artificial lake was probably the most labor-intensive facility here. This is too shabby, not just for a Legendary Expert, but even for an ordinary Count with actual territory. Although I knew he was a pure person who cared about nothing but battle, this scene still disappointed me somewhat.
A strong person shouldn't be like this.
Perhaps. I think I have found the truth behind that inexplicable emotion: respect mixed with some disappointment.
Crossing the courtyard, I followed the maid's guidance into the Lord's Manor's main entrance, thinking this. Joshua has not fulfilled his duty.
It is not the responsibility or obligation of a human or a noble. In this regard, Count Radcliffe is flawless. He protects his people, drives back beast tides, slays mad dragons, and travels the entire world. He is willing to guard the weak and slay evil. These are the things only the great heroes in legends and stories do. I have no doubt that centuries later, the story of the hero Joshua will spread across this land.
But it is precisely because of this that I feel an illusion.
In the Lord's Manor, the ancient and solemn designs cast hazy shadows in the dim light of the Fluorite Lamps, but this scene was unexpectedly calming. I tried my best to hide my emotions, but my thoughts continued to spread in the darkness.
Yes, that's it. Too perfect, too illusory. On the battlefield, I have seen how some battle heroes, portrayed as brave and fearless in propaganda, are actually drunken, irritable, wife-beating bastards in private. I also understand how those brilliant generals in battle reports become indecisive and incompetent, unable to accomplish anything, once they lose their advisors. I have long known that behind many moving and heroic stories lie numerous filthy and ugly truths. The greater Count Radcliffe's achievements, the more I can't help but suspect what secrets lie behind him… No one is perfect, this is the truth I believe in.
But the crucial point is here: he indeed has no negative news. This makes me feel incredibly illusory, in addition to respect.
In the dim light, following the maid's guidance through the narrow corridor, I walked towards the reception hall. I could already see that half-closed door and also felt a powerful pressure that made me want to kneel and submit. This pressure did not target the ordinary people serving here, only Transcendent Beings like me. This pressure was the same as when I met my father in the palace, equally powerful and unyielding.
Thinking about meeting a familiar yet strange Legendary Expert, darkness swelled in my heart.
Why? It felt like sharp teeth were biting my heart, an itchy and unbearable sensation spreading from the depths of my soul. I stopped, took a deep breath for a moment. The maid in front of me smiled understandingly. She probably thought I was a bit nervous, which was true, but the details were quite different. I was merely puzzled.
A Legendary Expert! Considered a top-tier existence in the entire world, he waved his hand, and a stool appeared behind my Imperial Brother. My Imperial Brother sat down somewhat at a loss, and then the Count continued speaking: "Your father, the Imperial Emperor, Israel, entrusted me to teach you, the two sons he favors. He wants you to become my disciples, and you should understand what this means."
Of course, I understand. I slightly curled my lips. A disciple of a Legendary Expert is completely a trump card in the upcoming struggle for the crown prince position, not to mention it also means rapid strength enhancement and a death exemption certificate. This is also why my Empress Mother insisted that I strive to become his disciple, even though I have no real interest in the throne.
To be honest, the only attraction the throne holds for me is probably the ability to make this world a better place as much as possible. After all, as a mere prince, there are many things I cannot accomplish.
Seeming to sense my distraction, Count Radcliffe glanced at me. I was so startled that I immediately sat up straight and composed myself. His voice continued: "But don't think I will directly accept you as disciples. My requirements are very high, not about talent, but about your mental fortitude. But you don't need to guess about this, because today I will take you out for a trip and teach my first lesson."
But it's already evening now. What can we see outside? I opened my mouth to speak but didn't say it out loud. It wasn't just because of my awe for this man, but also because there was some anticipation in my heart.
He is a completely different person from my Imperial Father.
Thinking this, my heart couldn't help but feel a little excited.
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The sun was setting. The dim orange light faded and disappeared from the crowns of the tall iron pines halfway up the mountain. A winter sparrow was busily going in and out of a tree hole behind the branches, making the gradually falling brown needles part of its warm nest. But soon, the diligent bird stopped its actions, because it keenly noticed that some huge creature was passing by nearby.
Leading the two princes through the mountain forest, Joshua could feel the growing confusion in Di Mo Er and A Er Wa's hearts, but he remained silent, letting this emotion spread.
"Where are we going?"
Walking on the mountain path, Di Mo Er spoke first. He felt a familiar taste to all this, a similar scene seemed to have happened not long ago, which puzzled him: "My Lord, if we need to travel, we could just fly over."
A Er Wa rolled his eyes and sighed: he hadn't reached the Gold Realm yet, flying was still far off for him.
"Actually, we've arrived."
Not paying attention to the silent interaction between the brothers, the warrior stepped over a small hill, and the view suddenly opened up. Standing on the ridge of the Great Aias Mountains, Joshua surveyed a small part of the southern Northern Lands. Night had fallen, and the lights of villages and forests dotted the landscape like stars. He said somewhat casually: "Actually, just as you think, this is not much different from when Israel took you two across the entire empire. My purpose is the same as his. I want you princes to see the true face of this world."
"I have seen it." Di Mo Er frowned. He thought of what he had always experienced and shook his head in dissatisfaction: "I am not one of those born with a silver spoon and raised by noble ladies. Since my childhood, I have followed the military campaigns. Of course, I know the true face of this world."
"Imperial Father has shown us once." A Er Wa also muttered: "I don't think seeing it again will be of any use. We can't do anything about it anyway."
Faced with the complaining words of the two princes, Joshua was not bothered. He looked at those villages, a faint smile on his face, and spoke as if to himself: "In the past, you might have seen quite a bit of the darkness hidden beneath the glamorous surface of this world. Fish bosses exploiting fishermen, landlords annexing land, merchants hoarding grain and goods causing riots, and all sorts of darkness in the human heart. But those are things the Emperor needs to consider and eliminate, and have nothing to do with what I want to talk about today."
His tone was calm as he spoke. Joshua did not deliberately ask Di Mo Er and A Er Wa to listen to him, but both couldn't help but listen intently: "Do you know what courage is?"
Courage? A familiar word. Di Mo Er closed his eyes. Even if he emptied his mind, instinct would allow him to blurt out seven or eight definitions of this word and the inflammatory speeches related to it. It was one of the things most emphasized by the military during wartime, listed alongside discipline, engraved in the first article of the Royal Legion's military training. He was so familiar with it that he was a bit tired of it.
Courage… A Er Wa was thoughtful. He was also very familiar with this word. Whether in myths, legends, or heroic tales, this word was repeatedly emphasized. Although the Second Prince had never had a chance to personally experience courage, he felt an inexplicable familiarity with it.
"My disciple can lack talent, can lack strength. He can desire a peaceful life like a plant, or he can desire power and strive to be above others."
Without looking back at the expressions of the two princes, Joshua knew their different attitudes. His tone remained calm and without fluctuation, but every word was very clear: "But he absolutely cannot lack courage."
"You missed the Divine Calamity Mist. That was the best way to test courage. Several of my nominal students passed that test, but it doesn't matter. We have plenty of opportunities."
Withdrawing his gaze from the distant mountain village, as if he had found his target, the warrior finally turned his head to look at Di Mo Er and A Er Wa: "Israel assured me that you are both good lads with courage. But in my opinion, that is not the case."
"Why do you say that?" Faced with Joshua's almost belittling remark, Di Mo Er did not get agitated as before. He calmed down and asked back: "You should know that I once fought against Orcs and faced the charge of Stone Rhino Cavalry head-on. I don't think that is something a coward without courage could do."
A Er Wa shrugged. He indeed had no examples to prove himself, but he didn't think he was a weakling either.
To this, Joshua smiled. He waved his hand, and a light screen reflecting a distant mountain village appeared before everyone.
This was an ordinary village located on the edge of a forest. Probably because it was close to a small river, three waterwheel mills were built near the village. A stone road led from afar straight to the center of the village. In the light screen, the gray sky above the village reflected an orange-red firelight. The damp night mist was pushed back by this light, retreating to the corners of a few abandoned houses.
Clearly, this was a common hunter's village in the Northern Lands, surviving by hunting forest game and cultivating winter wheat. Such villages rarely changed in a decade or two. Hunters hardly ever left their homeland except to sell furs. They were even extremely repulsed by outsiders, unless those outsiders could bring them benefits.
Neither Di Mo Er nor A Er Wa were unfamiliar with such villages. Not long ago, they had traveled across half the empire with Israel in three days and nights, seeing over a dozen similar villages. They were about to ask Joshua in confusion why he was showing them this ordinary scene, but the change that followed made them hold their breath and watch.
In the center of the light screen, in a half-abandoned house, a seemingly ordinary hunter boy tossed and turned, holding his bow. Dried salted fish and rabbit meat hung by the broken window. His eyes reflected the firelight outside the house, staring blankly at the empty room. Clearly, his parents must have left him forever due to some accident. Such things were not uncommon, especially in recent years with the Black Tide and Dragon Calamity. Many villages far from the main cities, where reinforcements arrived late, had lost many adult laborers. Many underage children could only struggle to survive alone, because the other villagers were also living hard lives and couldn't help them. Some malicious people even made a living by exploiting these children.
This situation had lasted for a long time, evident from the boy's thin arms and deeply sunken cheeks. Anyone could see that such a poor life was a slow suicide for an adolescent boy. If he couldn't get enough food to develop, he wouldn't be able to hunt alone even as an adult, eventually becoming a useless person.
Di Mo Er watched this scene coldly, his thoughts unreadable. A Er Wa frowned. For a moment, he wanted to speak but then closed his mouth.
—I can't go on like this.
Unable to sleep peacefully due to hunger, this unknown hunter boy suddenly sat up from his wooden bed covered only with straw. His lip movements were clear under the light screen, and the light in his eyes made everyone understand his intention. The next moment, he decisively grabbed the meat jerky and salted fish by the window, his remaining food supplies, and then, taking advantage of the night, he lurked and walked away along the stone road towards the distance.
"Since these stone roads were built, almost every day, dozens of these mountain villagers originally living in the mountains head towards the main city of Moldavia. He is not the first, nor the last."
Joshua narrated calmly at this moment: "I must tell you that mountain villagers are extremely attached to their homeland. They are foolishly lovable and almost never leave their hometown. For this village alone, almost thirty years have passed without anyone leaving. He is the first."
"What's the point of this?" Di Mo Er found it hard to understand: "Even if he leaves the village and comes to the main city, he may not live comfortably, not to mention the dangers he might encounter on the road."
"And that is precisely the point." The warrior replied: "This is courage."
"He knows what he is facing. An unfamiliar environment, a dangerous journey, and all kinds of accidents. But even so, he still wants to go out and see. He is willing to bear the consequences of these risks. Just this point alone makes him different from those hunters who have always stayed in the mountain village."
Facing Di Mo Er's still somewhat disapproving gaze, Joshua chuckled softly. He lowered his head, watching the boy moving along the stone road towards the main city of Moldavia: "You might only see the ignorant and reckless actions of a boy, but I see a man making the most important choice of his life. Di Mo Er, you think too much. Anyone can become anyone, it's just a matter of probability. With courage, an orphan can become a true warrior, and an unknown nobody can become the Emperor of the empire."
"I want to help him."
On the side, A Er Wa, who had hesitated for a long time, suddenly spoke. His tone was a bit hesitant, but he still said it: "I think…"
"Go ahead. Your choice is your freedom."
Without waiting for an explanation, Joshua waved his hand, signaling A Er Wa to act freely. Upon receiving permission, the Seventh Prince happily ran towards the direction of the hunter boy, following the instructions of the light screen.
Afterwards, the warrior turned his head to look at Di Mo Er, who was still frowning and unable to understand. He looked at this former Emperor of the previous life: "I can see you are puzzled… You say you have courage, but in reality, you just follow the rules. The general orders you forward, you go forward. Israel tells you to come back, you come back. Di Mo Er, this is not courage. This is just going with the flow. You haven't made any choices concerning your own life at all."
"Israel told me that he has already taught you the Way of the King. He wants me to teach you the Way of the Strong. This is actually very simple. It is to make the choice you want, and then bear all the consequences that follow from it."
Faced with such serious words from a Legendary Expert, even Di Mo Er couldn't help but take a step back, but he soon stopped. The Second Prince was silent for a moment, his eyes flickering as he spoke: "But some choices bring consequences that are unbearable… Many wars are like this, and many killings are the same."
His words had a deeper meaning, but the warrior understood him.
"It's just that they were unwilling to think about it beforehand."
Without replying to Di Mo Er, Joshua withdrew his gaze. He turned his head to look at the twinkling lights of the Northern Lands, his heart very calm.
The Great Magic Tide is descending, the world is changing. In such an environment, many stubborn people and groups are making changes. Countless heroes emerge from the ordinary. Most of those future strong and heroes start with nothing, but the difference between them and other ordinary people is that they believe they can do more, they dare to make choices.
Recalling the names that surged during the Abyss invasion era, Joshua was a bit dazed. But then, he pulled his thoughts back. He noticed A Er Wa bringing back the bewildered hunter boy from the foot of the mountain. The warrior said softly: "Wanting to help, go help. Although A Er Wa knows nothing about this, he knows what he wants to do. He sees someone in trouble and wants to help, and he knows he must take responsibility for the consequences. This is also a form of courage."
"I won't teach you how to become a ruler. I will only make you understand what courage is, what choice is. A strong person doesn't need majesty, nor does he need kindness or cruelty. He only needs to be firm in his goal and just keep walking down that path. I hope you can become such strong people, and one day stand shoulder to shoulder with me and your father, to face the disasters of the future."
Di Mo Er met Joshua's gaze. He stared into the warrior's red pupils, but could only see indifference. There was no lust for power, no majesty, no desire for domination in those eyes. He could only see the reflected starlight, which was the entire world.
I understand. He suddenly thought this in his heart. This man has never cared about those things. Power, majesty, the right to speak. He, and his Imperial Father the Emperor, these two men have never cared about these things. What they care about is something higher, concerning the future and safety of this world. They don't fight each other because they disdain to contend for meaningless things. They selflessly teach me and others because, as pioneers, they hold expectations for everyone.
But those are my everything.
Di Mo Er suddenly laughed. He also turned his head to look at the scattered villages of the Northern Lands. A flame that seemed capable of melting steel burned in the Second Prince's eyes. He understood the difference between himself and his father, but he was not ashamed of it, because this was his choice.
My life is destined not to be so noble, to fight for order, the world, and all things. Even when that fated day comes, my reason will inevitably be more realistic: to fight for my authority and desires.
No matter who the opponent is, be it corrupt nobles, those alien races, other countries, or even demons from another world, it is all the same.
"I think I understand what my choice is."
He said this, then bowed slightly to Joshua: "Thank you for your teachings." Behind Di Mo Er, A Er Wa, who didn't quite understand what was happening, brought the already panting hunter boy before the warrior.
A few days later.
The news that the Seventh Prince A Er Wa had become a nominal disciple of the Northern Count spread throughout the entire Imperial Capital.
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