Chapter 3: Loyal Servant
An excited voice rang inside Brian's head and yet his face cannot help but show on his face the opposite when reading what is supposed to be his first quest. The eerie feeling earlier came back when he read the details.
'There is something really wrong here.' Brian thought to himself as he is already convinced that the liquid that he supposedly drank is poison.
If he was the previous Bryan, he will freeze in place when he realized that someone is coming for his life. However, as a man filled with countless experiences on the battlefield as Brian, he forced himself to move and find a blind spot before the man behind the door enters.
Despite having all memories intact, he cannot help but question the person who has the motive and capabilities to successfully poison him to death in his own Manor.
Moving towards the intricate longsword that was hanging on the wall, he prepared to welcome the uninvited guest. When grabbing the hilt of the sword, he cannot help but feel a little bit relaxed when holding his partner since the time he started creating a name for himself in the army.
'Heavy!' Brian cannot help but shout in his thoughts when he tried to raise the sword above his shoulder.
'Why can't I carry it? I never recalled Balmun would be this heavy. I have swung this sword for as long as I remember, and there was never a day where I cannot even raise it up.'
Cold sweat started appearing from his forehead. Despite how hard Brian tried, he can only drag the sword across the ground. Thankfully, the sword was not so high up the wall and the floor has a good carpet that it erased all commotion that supposed to happen when he accidentally was not able to carry it fully.
'No, it's not Balmun's fault but… I'm so weak?'
Brian Laurefort, a man born as a noble who became one of the pillars for the Empire of Auzeweth not because of his status but because of his strength to be able to defend against enemies and lead the army for the glory of the empire. This is the summarization of what he can understand from skimming through his memories and that is why it was strange for the supposedly strongest man in the empire to not be able to hold his own sword.
However, Brian did not have any time to comprehend what was happening in his body further because the footsteps that were gradually getting closer has already stopped outside the door. With no other choice, he grabbed the closest shard that came from the broken bottle that he threw a while ago.
'I can't even carry my own sword and I expect I would be able to turn this shard into a deadly weapon… This quest is more difficult than I expected.' Brian has prepared his mind and body to meet up the guest.
There was no knock at all when the guest pushed the door slowly. Brian furrowed his eyebrows because he expected everyone in his manor to knock first and gain his recognition to enter the room before the other party even has permission to hold the handle of the door.
Steadying his breath, he pushed forward with all his might and aimed the sharp red shard towards the guest's head.
"Who?!" The man in question easily deflected the incoming attack with a slap of his hand.
"Your Highness… You're alive…?"
He suddenly dropped down kneeling even though Brian failed his ambush. The man dressed as a servant for the family Laurefort. However, that is not the reason why Brian became more relaxed when he saw the opposing party.
"Asti… I have many questions but first, we need to stop creating more commotion." Brian dropped his guard down including his DIY weapon.
A gentleman who carried a mysterious feeling did not say anything else but instead just followed his master after making sure no one was present within the vicinity besides them.
Asti, as to how Brian's memories depict him, is a servant of his that has been serving him for his entire life. Serving his parents before he was born, it was always his duty to make sure his Highness, Brian, would grow up to be a proper noble which was assigned by his Majesty.
It was difficult to discern his age just based on his appearance. Along with his gentleman's face, he always wears his well-maintained and orderly black suit that was tailored to be one of its kind. Although, despite all of that, Brian has noticed his awful complexion after helping him stand up.
"I have never seen you this bad." Brian commented as he placed himself on the sofa.
His gray hair on his head and beard were always there ever since Brian gained the ability to think. This characteristic of his only showed his wisdom and experience gained from his many years. It was always the case but today was an exception. Maybe a big part of it was due to stress, but this time he looks older than what he always looked like.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness…" Asti started to sob and kneel once again just after he positioned himself on the corner of the room.
Glancing over his sobbing servant, Brian immediately understood that Asti knows the reason for his supposed death although he is not a complete part of it. Rather, from what he sees, regret is the emotion that best describes his state.
Asti is known to be a reserved man who barely shows any emotion on his face. He is considered to be the Cold-blooded Servant for two reasons, and his emotions were one of them. Seeing this scene, Brian cannot help but give pity to the man who let out all of his emotions through his tears.
This is the reason Brian easily accepted his presence considering the circumstance. Asti was his most loyal servant who only acts for his good sake.
Brian recognized that it would be a bad manner to disturb the release of his long loyal servant, but it was not the time for it. The death flag that was already set up since he woke up as a new man is still going off. This is probably the instinct he had for walking on the borderline of death many times.
"How was I poisoned? This perpetrator should be someone close to me since he or she was able to succeed making my body like this."
Brian's words have returned some sense back to Asti to which he replied by glancing over his body like there was something wrong with it.
"It's true. You have really drunk the wine containing the Blood of Death…" The look of amazement was the first positive emotion that showed on Asti.
"Blood of Death! It should be impossible for someone to have that forbidden ancient artifact! And you're telling me someone which I considered ally has it!"
Anger and astonishment could be discerned from the low yet harsh voice of Brian. To understand where it was coming from, the records in the memories of Brian contained an incident where a Duke under the empire has created a massive stir because of it.
To be able to create just a single droplet of this blood, one should offer tens of thousands of souls that need to be sacrificed for the Death God. That Duke which name is already taboo, conducted the ceremony with the whole population of his territory as the catalyst.
Brian has not read any record concerning the reason why he did it, but it was already a disaster of an incident that any reason will be invalid.
Brian stared at the painting stained with the Blood of Death with distinct fear. It is known that a single drop would be able to kill the strongest creature in the world without caring for any of their characteristics.
'That bottle contained the Blood of Death. I'm surprised I am still standing today… Never mind, Brian did actually die.'
Asti noticed that how shocked Brian was, so he continued "For the person who instructed and dared to poison His Highness… It is her Highness Sofia."
The one who answered also cannot believe what he just said. Asti was not as close towards Her Highness as he is towards Brian, but it was still impossible to think that person would be able to commit such a thing. If not being instructed and pressured by Her Highness herself yesterday to clean up the dead body of Brian, he will probably think it was all a nightmare.
"I cannot forgive myself for betraying His Highness. I deserve nothing but death for breaking my promise with your grandfather."
"Stand up. You did nothing wrong, and my words are always right." Brian himself forced the man kneeling to look at him in the face. Weak as he may be because of the repercussion of having the Blood of Death, his dignified aura still convinced Asti to follow his instructions.
"It is in my knight code to give people a second chance who has a proper reason. I knew you enough to recognize the reason why you have turned against me. So instead of dwelling in the past, help me for the future."
Brian may look to be dignified outside, but he was trying his best to contain his rampaging emotions. Especially after knowing that his own wife was the reason why he met Death in person.
"I can't believe my very own wife will become my enemy one day. Have I not loved her enough?"
"Your Highness, it's not only Her Highness has turned their back against you… Everyone who bears the name Laurefort has become one."
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
stone