Chapter 634: The Founder’s Secret

We all moved to the salon and discussed many subjects with the Green Spirit. Long ago, monster territory had apparently extended across this entire region. The Heine family had struggled to transform it into land free of monsters.

Naturally, human power alone couldn’t purify monster territory. The founder and their companions, who possessed the Green Spirit’s blessing, had used its power to open up the land we inhabited today.

“This is the first time I’ve heard that our family reclaimed monster territory,” Father said. “The history I know begins after we were already ruling this land as margraves.”

“That may be unavoidable,” Mother replied. “At the time, they surely never imagined they would one day become margraves.”

Father’s brows lowered. Mother continued, apparently trying to comfort him.

She was right. The people of that era must have devoted all their strength to reclaiming the land and surviving each day. They probably had no leisure to keep journals.

“Even so, the day has come when we can meet again,” the Green Spirit said. “We must thank the Goddess for guiding us.”

The spirit laughed softly. Did that mean my birth into House Heine wasn’t a coincidence? Could the Goddess have calculated everything and deliberately sent me here?

No, surely not.

Receiving my first spirit blessing had been a coincidence, and the way they continued multiplying had merely been chance. Even the Goddess could hardly have anticipated the countless disasters I would cause.

Ha, ha, ha… How sad. I had wanted to remain an inconspicuous child.

It was far too late now.

“Green Spirit, were the pictures on the memorial monument written in Spirit Script?” I asked.

“Yes. It contains a song praising me. How embarrassing. You all read it, did you not?”

“Actually…” Brother Alex began.

His gaze shifted towards me. I hadn’t given everyone a detailed account of the inscription. So it was a song. Its phrasing had been rather difficult to understand, so I had only summarised the essential points.

Should I tell them the entire song now?

As everyone’s attention turned towards me, the Green Spirit seemed to notice something. Both hands rose to cover the spirit’s mouth.

“Goodness! You look remarkably like that person.”

“That person?”

“Yes. The first member of the Heine family to whom I granted my blessing. They were exceptionally strong, you know. They swung their sword and mowed down monster after monster. They called the technique ‘Sword Typhoon’, if I remember correctly. How nostalgic. Can you use it too?”

What was this atmosphere, like someone remembering a first love? More importantly, I could use Sword Typhoon as well.

It was a sword technique from the game.

That confirmed it. The founder had been reincarnated just like me—and had played the same game.

Nevertheless, I had no intention of saying, “Of course I can.” My mission wasn’t to reclaim monster territory.

“No. I know only the rudiments of swordsmanship. I’m far better at making magic potions.”

“Oh, is that so? You should train. You have talent.”

What could the Green Spirit see? I was intensely curious, but pursuing the subject would undoubtedly stir up trouble. For the moment, I laughed and insisted that I had no such talent.

I felt Lady Fabienne and Nero staring suspiciously at me, but I dealt with that by refusing to turn around. Looking back would mean defeat. I had to keep my eyes ahead.

“Perhaps Cain possesses such talent with the sword because that blood flows in him,” Father said. “He’ll be delighted when he hears this story.”

“Yes, I’m certain he’ll,” Mother replied. “I shall write to him later.”

“In that case, he may envy the fact that only we received the blessing.”

Father laughed as though joking, and everyone joined him. The Green Spirit, however, tilted their head with an entirely serious air.

“I don’t believe that will be a problem. My blessing should have reached dear Cain and dear Mica as well.”

Father’s face practically shouted, What did you say?! Mother covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes widening. Naturally, I was shocked too.

That meant flower patterns had suddenly appeared on the backs of Brother Cain and Sister-in-law Mica’s hands.

They must be thoroughly confused, wondering what on earth had happened.

“Mother, perhaps you should send that letter immediately.”

“Yes, I believe I should.”

As Father and Mother entered a hurried private discussion, the Green Spirit stared fixedly at me. Did I resemble the founder that closely? But the founder had been a mighty warrior capable of reclaiming monster territory. Surely they had been built like a muscular bear, not a bean sprout like me.

“Looking closely, dear Julius, you appear to possess a great many blessings. Even that person had only three.”

“Erm, there are complicated circumstances behind that…”

Apparently, the number of spirit blessings I possessed was far beyond normal. Naturally, there was a reason, so I explained it carefully. Once the Green Spirit heard everything, the spirit would surely understand.

I described how faith in spirits had weakened throughout the world. The Green Spirit’s atmosphere seemed to darken.

“So that was why something felt wrong when I returned to this world. I sense people living in many places, yet their connection to nature feels faint.”