Chapter 3 – The bloodline of Gnochein, those who bear the crest

A martial academy is a place where children from samurai families or those awakened to their crest receive education, especially aimed at commoner children aspiring to become warriors in the future. Teachers from various positions are appointed as needed according to the subject matter.

Generally, warriors are tasked with teaching basic training and crest handling techniques, but for some reason, I was also assigned to teach general knowledge and education.

Well, I had received advanced education when I used to live in the imperial palace. I don’t particularly like it, but I’m used to classroom learning. They probably also assessed that I had the aptitude for it.

“Now, let’s begin.”

“Oh, it’s the one-eyed warrior!”

“His eyes are really blue.”

People from the imperial nation often have black or brown hair and eyes. Of course, not everyone is like that, but my eye colour does stand out.

Moreover, since I wear an eye patch over my left eye, I’m quite well-known. Well, I’m also my master’s disciple.

“Come on, quiet down.”

I proceed with today’s class. However, even though there’s a requirement to awaken the crest, commoners in this country can receive advanced education like this.

People from the imperial nation are reputed to have serious and strong warriors, but… living here like this, I can somehow understand why. We take a break and continue the class.

“Now, let’s talk about crest from here. Everyone here has already manifested their crest, right?”

“Yes!”

“I have mine on my left chest!”

“Mine is on the back of my neck!”

By the way, I have the crest on my left eye. It’s quite an unusual place, so I usually conceal it with an eye patch.

“Do you know why some people have crest appear while others don’t?”

“Yes. It depends on whether they have the blood of the Phantom Emperor Gnochein and the intensity of the blood’s mystique.”

“That’s correct. You seem well-informed.”

The one who answered was a member of a warrior family. They seemed to have received a proper education.

Originally, it is said that this continent was overrun by magical beasts. Humans had been living quietly, hiding from these magical beasts but a goddess who witnessed this took pity on humanity and shed a few tears.

In the areas where her tears fell, the magical beasts stopped approaching and people began to settle there. However, powerful magical beasts sometimes encroached upon the human settlements.

That’s when Phantom Emperor Gnochein appeared. Gnochein received a divine mandate from the goddess and travelled across the continent, visiting the places where her tears had fallen.

“Do you know who Gnochein was and what he achieved?”

“Yes! Gnochein was the first human to receive a crest from the goddess! He passed on the power of the crest to the nobles of today!”

“You know it well. Shall I provide some additional information?”

The enthusiastic girl who answered was also from a warrior family. Well, commoners in this region, unlike the nobles, don’t learn about these things.

Gnochein received the crest from the goddess and travelled throughout the land, eliminating dangerous magical beasts. According to legend, women who desired Gnochein’s child could become pregnant just by making eye contact with him.

I mean, what kind of ability is that!? However, it is indeed recorded in the creation myth.

Anyway, that’s how Gnochein had many children all over the place. And those born with him also had the power of the crest, just like him.

And so, large countries were established in the places where the goddess shed her tears and those who possessed the crest would come together to lead the nation as nobles.

“The location where the crest is placed and its abilities vary from person to person. However, for over 90% of individuals, it mainly enhances physical abilities. There are some who have the crest appear but possess no special powers and there are nobles who never awaken the crest.”

Gnochein’s blood, in other words, the blood of nobility, would generally awaken the crest when a person is around 8 to 10 years old.

However, the nature and strength of the abilities differ from person to person. Additionally, it’s not uncommon for children born from unions between lower-ranking nobles or commoners to never manifest the crest at all.

As a result, nobles from various countries have carefully managed their marriage partners to preserve the crests until today. Particularly, royal families and high-ranking nobles have been the most scrutinised bloodlines on the continent.

I’m no exception to that…even though my abilities aren’t all that impressive.

“Furthermore, the powers that awaken can vary depending on the country or location. In the Amatsuki Empire, many awaken with exceptional physical enhancement crests.”

This is also why the warriors in this country are known to be strong. Masaomi can grant himself exceptional defence, capable of withstanding impacts, slashes and even extreme heat with his crest on both arms. Kiyoka, on the other hand, can enhance her dynamic vision.

When Kiyoka is in that state, close combat becomes quite challenging. She can anticipate almost all of my attacks.

“I’ll increase my arm strength!”

“I’ll become faster!”

“Sensei, I can imbue flames into my blade.”

“Oh… That’s quite unusual.”

Those who awaken the crest can enhance their physical abilities to varying degrees by activating crest techniques. In the case of people from the Empire, many of them focus on further improving specific physical attributes.

By the way, my crest technique, when activated, covers both of my arms in black gauntlets. In that state, my strength increases and my defensive capabilities are decent…but it’s a bit plain, honestly.

Honestly, there are plenty of people with that level of power. The advantage is that I don’t feel any weight, though.

“Sensei, where is your crest?”

“Mine usually manifests in a place that can’t be seen. I can’t really show it to others in public.”

“Oh, I get it! It’s on your butt, right?”

“No, it’s on your penis…right! Down there!”

“Come on, guys! What are you saying? Stop it!”

“Hmph… Such vulgarity. You’re nothing more than commoners, after all.”

…Well, there have been nobles in history who had their crest manifest in such places.

By the way, when the power of the crest is manifested, it continues to emit a faint light. In my case, my left eye shines during such times, so I conceal it.

After all, there should be records in the Empire about what pattern and where Crown Prince Vilgard’s crest manifested.

Thanks to this, I really struggled with training for combat with one eye… It did sharpen my ability to sense the presence of attacks, though.

But if it were to manifest on the male organ… it seems like you wouldn’t need any extra light during nighttime activities.

“The patterns and abilities that appear with the crest vary from person to person. However, everyone can develop and grow the awakened power. So, make sure not to neglect training in crest techniques alongside swordsmanship.”

“Okaay!”

I think I’ve covered most of the information about the crest. It’s about time, so I’ll conclude the lesson here.

■

And so, my life as a warrior continues. Whenever I hear about bandits, I, along with Masaomi and Kiyoka, as well as soldiers from the Imperial Army, go on missions to defeat them. Sometimes, I also take on the task of guarding important officials like the civil servants when they travel to towns outside the capital. In any case, I have very little time for rest.

But being busy isn’t a bad thing. While I’m caught up in work, I don’t have to think about the past or the current affairs of the empire.

So, when I have free time like now, I practise my swordsmanship like this in the dojo. There’s a decent amount of sweat accumulating on the floor.

“Fuu…”

“You’ve been training your skills again, I see.”

“!?”

It’s late, and there shouldn’t be anyone else in the dojo. I turn around in surprise, and there I see my master, whom I haven’t seen in a long time.

“Master…!”

“I saw a light on at this hour, so I thought I’d check it out. When I saw who it was… heh heh. Vyril, you seem lively.”

Wiping away sweat with a towel, I move over to my master. His hair may have turned white over the years, but his vitality hasn’t diminished.

“Why are you here…?”

“I had a chat with the Head of the Warriors.”

The one who oversees non-military warriors and the leader of the Imperial Guards who protect the royal family. 

Along with the head of the army and the commander of the First Imperial Army, they make up the four top swordsmen in the empire.

In his younger days, my master defeated these four in a royal competition, earning him the nickname 【Four Sword Breaker】

The Head of the Warriors lives at Rishinkan, so it seems my master dropped by here.

“It’s been a while since we talked like this… about three months, right?”

“About that, yes. Where have you been all this time?”

“Well, I’ve been out of the empire for a little while. Even though I’m retired, the country keeps trying to put me to work. Oh well…I miss the days of wandering through different lands.”

I’m just an orphan my master picked up during his travels, and I became his disciple. To protect my origins and background from being known, we’ve both changed our way of speaking considerably.

“I heard from the Head of the Warriors. They said you’ve been quite active compared to others of your age. They praised you as my last disciple.”

“That’s…”

After my master returned to the empire, no one else took me as their disciple. By the way, the current Head of the Warriors also became my master’s disciple, making him my senior disciple.

The Imperial Guards are made up of only the best warriors recognized for their skills and I’ve heard that many of them are my master’s disciples. So, Master Kirimune is quite well-connected among warriors.

“Perfect timing. Let’s go to the bathhouse to wash off that sweat. After that, we’ll have a drink together.”

“Haha, I’d love to.”

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・Crest

A power that manifests in some individuals, mainly among the nobility. More than 90% of individuals experience a slight increase in physical abilities, but it is said that those with a higher concentration of Gnocaine blood are more likely to manifest unique abilities.

There is individual variation in the patterns and manifestation locations.

Vilgard’s manifestation occurs in the left eye, and to conceal his origin, he usually hides it with an eyepatch.