The knights and soldiers drew their swords in unison, welcoming Ian with the highest honor.
Ian dismounted and walked up to Hugo.
“I’m back.”
“Yes, you fought well. I’m truly proud of you, my son.”
Hugo stepped forward and embraced Ian tightly.
“Father, as the lord, shedding tears in front of everyone like this… what will people think?”
Hugo, overwhelmed with emotion, was indeed shedding tears. Relief that the family’s crisis had been averted, and pride in his eldest son, whom he had once doubted, now accomplishing such a remarkable feat, moved him deeply.
Of course, Ian couldn’t possibly understand Hugo’s feelings.
While being hugged by Hugo, Ian glanced to the side.
There stood Hubert and Jurdan.
Their expressions were a mix of emotions—utterly complex.
‘He actually pulled it off.’
It was astonishing.
His own brother, whom he had always seen as foolish and riddled with insecurities.
That troublemaker who had nothing but the family’s reputation to lean on.
No one, not even Hubert, had imagined that Ian could achieve something so monumental.
This was likely a sentiment shared by everyone.
Jurdan, too, must have been equally shocked upon hearing the news.
‘If it were me… could I have done it?’
Hubert coldly speculated whether he could have succeeded in the same way Ian had.
No matter how many times he imagined it, the result was negative.
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t see himself pulling it off.
‘Will they see me differently now?’
Ian inwardly smiled, relishing their gazes more than anyone else’s.
Yet, at the same time, he felt uneasy.
‘I wonder if they feel threatened by me now, thinking I might challenge the heir position.’
What he had accomplished was no ordinary feat.
Not even he had imagined he could resolve things so perfectly, and it was an achievement significant enough to potentially threaten the heir’s position.
‘For now, I’ll set that aside and focus on the present.’
Ian whispered quietly to Hugo, who was still unable to stop his tears.
“I’m tired. Let’s go inside.”
Ian felt oddly self-conscious under the weight of so many eyes.
Hugo wiped his tears and smiled.
“Yes, you’ve worked hard. Let’s go inside.”
Finally, Ian was able to enter the lord’s castle.
Inside the castle, Ian stood in the grand hall.
Before him sat Hugo, the lord, flanked by numerous retainers who watched him intently.
“You are not just a hero of our family, but of this entire territory. No one will point fingers at you anymore.”
Hugo, who always seemed like a doting father in front of Ian, now exuded a seriousness side that commanded the room.
It was a side of him Ian had never seen before, and it felt somewhat unfamiliar.
“To the retainers gathered here, I declare this. There may have been those who thought it was a mistake for him to leave alone. I know there were even those who tried to evacuate their families.”
Everyone bowed their heads in shame.
Even if they hadn’t planned to flee, everyone present had doubted Ian’s decision.
“Is there anyone here who still believes Ian was wrong? Does anyone think they could have handled this situation better than my son? If so, step forward now!”
“There is no one.”
“Who could possibly say Young Master Ian was wrong?”
All eyes turned back to Ian.
They were looking at him with newfound respect.
They had been outmatched in equipment and numbers.
This wasn’t a leisurely monster hunt—he had staked the family’s survival and risked his life in battle.
And in the end, he had fought and won. No one could say he was wrong.
Ian glanced at Hubert and Jurdan.
They avoided his gaze, either looking away or bowing their heads.
Even Jurdan, who had always been the most skeptical of Ian, now seemed to acknowledge that he had been wrong and Ian had been right.
“Good. I take it there are no objections.”
Hugo rose from his seat and approached Ian.
“Ian, kneel.”
Suddenly, why?
‘Is he going to commend me?’
He usually didn’t go this far.
With so many people watching, it seemed he wanted to make a grand gesture, given the magnitude of Ian’s achievement.
“By the authority vested in me, I hereby recognize Ian von Schranz as a formal member of the family. Ian will carry on the glory of the Schrantz family and shall have the right to lead our territory’s prosperity. May the gods grant him their blessing.”
“……”
‘……What?’
Ian, with a confused expression, bowed his head and glanced around.
The retainers began to murmur.
“So it has come to this.”
“There’s no reason to oppose him now. Young Master Ian’s achievements are extraordinary.”
“Lately, Young Master Ian seems to have changed. Let’s believe he will continue to improve.”
Even after hearing their words, Ian still couldn’t comprehend the situation.
Taking advantage of the commotion, he quietly asked Hugo.
“What is happening? Wasn’t I already a member of the family?”
“Hmm? Didn’t you know? The opposition from the retainers was so strong that we never formally recognized you as a member. This is the perfect opportunity to acknowledge you as a rightful member.”
“……”
Now he understood why there had been so much opposition.
‘If they recognized me as a family member, my troublemaking would only damage the family’s reputation.’
From the family’s perspective, Ian was a liability.
And it was likely a measure to make it easier to disown him if Hubert ever became lord.
That was probably the scenario the retainers had hoped for.
And at that moment.
[Calculating contribution rewards…]
[You have been formally recognized as a member of the family, and your great achievements are acknowledged.]
[The title ‘Troublemaker Tyrant’ has been removed. The loyalty penalty associated with using other titles has also been removed.]
[You have acquired the title ‘Member of the Schrantz Family.’]
[Permanently increases Command by 10.]
[You have acquired the title ‘Hero of Schrantz.’]
[Permanently increases all stats by 5.]
‘What the hell?!’
Suddenly, a flurry of message windows appeared before his eyes.
This was the reward for his contribution.
‘I must have achieved something truly monumental.’
For two years, Ian had worked tirelessly, breaking his back just to rid himself of the ‘Rampaging Tyrant’ title. This news was a godsend.
‘But what are these new titles?’
The newly acquired titles were names he had never seen before, not even in gameplay videos.
[Member of the Schrantz Family]
―A title granted only to those of the Schrantz bloodline, recognized as a formal member of the family.
[Effects]
―Permanently increases Command by 10.
―Increases the success rate of recruiting retainers by 10%.
―Increases the loyalty of recruited retainers by 5.
