Scanning Complete

When the morning came, Eid said goodbye to his family and friends, shocking Ner who didn't have a clue. Her parents just reasoned now that Eid had his Gift, he wanted to go and explore the world.

But they needed to keep it a secret from the others.

This reason made sense for Ner as she herself wanted to do the same. She wanted to go out and see what the world can offer to her. But she knows it's still too dangerous for her.

Though she didn't quite understand the need for keeping it a secret. Nonetheless, she agreed to keep quiet.

Still, Ner threw a tantrum about not being told about this in advance. She was especially angry at Eid who didn't tell her anything.

Duke Rholes and Duchess Judith became emotional seeing their adopted son about to go, especially the latter, who cried with Ner.

Although she already knew about this departure, she couldn't help but feel the desire to stop her son from going. They had already talked about this. Eid's departure would ease up the pressure on the duchy since the King's only target is him.

Furthermore, Eid's plan was immaculate in theory. However, the world is still a chaotic reality. No one knew for sure what was going to happen out there.

"Be careful out there, Eid!" Duchess Judith cried.

"He's no longer a child, dear." Duke Rholes said but even he was having cold feet. Was this the right choice? He knew that Eid is more mature than his actual age but at the end of the day, he is still a teenager. But, at the same time, could he let himself stop his son's decision?

"Did you already read the Vermillion's Justice already?" Duchess Judith nervously asked. She was talking about the Rohde Family scripture they gifted to Eid a year earlier.

"Ah, I didn't have time since I unlocked the connection..." Eid shook his head.

"No worries, no worries! You'll come back and return it eventually. Ner is still three years away from needing it, take your time to memorize it. The important thing is you come back, alright? Alright?"

"Dear, calm down. You're beginning to make me nervous toowith how you act." Duke Rholes said as he caressed the duchess' back.

"But- but!" Duchess Judith clasped her hands and cried again.

'Mother is such a crybaby. Are we sure we aren't blood-related?' Eid internally laughed and picked up his bag. In it were the necessary things he needed for his survival in the wild if he ever got lost, around thirty thousand cennies, various weapons, and valuable mementos to remember his family such as the framed flower necklace Ner gifted to him last year.

So, it is one heck of a traveler's bag.

About the money, even Eid felt it was a bit too much. He could live lavishly with this kind of money for months. However, his foster parents didn't want him to get out with less than fifty thousand cennies! Eid only compromised and got thirty thousand.

"Wait, I'm going to give you something!" the duchess seemed to remember something and went back into their manor in a hurry.

Seeing her frantically run up the stairs, Duke Rholes sighed, "Forgive your mother for being so paranoid. It's only because she cares about you so much."

"I don't mind it at all, Father." Eid tenderly smiled.

The duke looked at him up and down before saying, "Are you sure disguising as a poor exiled child will fool anyone?"

"I think it's logical, Father." Eid confidently said. His clothes right now are not that of a Young Master but more from a middle class. His shoes are no longer shiny black but dirty leather. Still, it's not over the top, he looks like a regular citizen in his clothing.

A boy adopted from the streets kicked out of a noble family after not unlocking his connection to Allknow. That is more logical to the common people than the noble family keeping the boy. Although this would damage the image of the Rohde Family for kicking out someone from their family, should they really care about that now? Due to the King twisting the situation through his tongue, the image of the Rohde Family had long been broken. Furthermore, they don't really care about what others think of them. What matters is that their friends and allies knew their real nature.

That, actually, would be the hard part. However, they had already decided what to say about their friends and allies about this. They had to be careful though. They can't say too much. They don't want the truth spreading into the King's ears or else, Eid would be in deeper danger. They can't say too less as well, or their friends and allies would misunderstand them which would be detrimental to their relationship. In a battle against a king, any friend and ally are essential.

After a while, Duchess Judith returned with a silver ring. She pushed this ring towards Eid's chest as if not accepting no to answer her.

"Take this. This is an Imbued Ring of Protection, Topaz-Rank. It can absorb a full-force attack from a Tier 1 Warrior or an Amethyst-Rank Imbued for five seconds! Use it carefully, but not too much, you may end up not using it because you think it's too precious. Many failed to use it because of that thought." Duchess Judith said, giving out probably their most precious Imbued.

"... a Topaz-Rank?" Eid was baffled. Although he suspected it, he was never told they had a Topaz-Rank Imbued and they're giving it to him!?

A Topaz-Rank is two ranks higher than Jade-Rank and the duchess said it can even stop an Amethyst-Rank which is even a rank higher. Even the King probably has only two or three of these. But, thinking about it, it's not that surprising. His foster mother was the princess of the Iron Kingdom not too long ago. Of course, she's going to have some treasures.

"Father..." However, Eid was still hesitant in accepting this, so he looked at the duke.

"Hmm, I definitely think it's worth giving it to you. What's more precious than your life?" although Duke Rholes didn't have the same enthusiasm in giving away a Topaz-Rank Imbued which could cost six figures which is money they definitely need in these heavy times, he didn't have a problem in giving it to Eid.

This is not only the perspective of a father but if Eid could be successful, the pressure would end altogether, and the duke can finally go back to gaining tons of money for the family.

Since they had decided, Eid grasped the ring tight and nodded, "Thank you, Mother, Father, I'll use the most of it."

With that, Eid entered the carriage which would be coached by his grandfather. Seeing that the goodbyes were done, Grandpa Frodo stepped up and said, "You all are treating my grandson a baby, he can take care of himself!"

Before he closed the door, Eid took a glance at Toko. She didn't say anything. Her head hung low as she stood there alone in the shadows within the manor.

Without showing a sad expression, Eid waved before closing the door. Grandpa Frodo then spurred the horse to trot away.

Eid looked out the window as the house he grew up in, together with his foster family, becomes smaller and smaller. When they were out of sight, he looked forward and pondered.

'I didn't think I would actually separate from them. What a strange feeling.'

He was both sad and excited, mixed with other emotions such as anxiety. Eid cleared his head before looking ahead.

"Are you sure you're fine being the coachman, Grandpa?"

"You're underestimating your grandpa too much, kid. I can still move and fight!" Grandpa Frodo flexed his biceps although it was no longer as prominent as before.

"Not that, I mean didn't you want to hide your identity from the others?"

"Ah... we are going to the White Steel City, don't we? It's in the opposite direction of the capital city which is where I want to avoid! We'll be fine!"

"Alright," Eid nodded.

"Stop talking now, kid, focus on studying the Vermillion's Justice. You'll need every additional strength you can have." Grandpa Frodo advised.

"Oh yeah, umm, before I can start. Do you have any advice, Grandpa? This is my first time consuming a Prayer-Type Scripture- or actually, any type of scripture."

Grandpa Frodo thought for a while before answering, "Well, it's different for each person. However, you know the process, right? You always skip the scholar's tutoring by lazing around in the elven woods- wait, don't tell me you're secretly meeting with a beautiful elf girl there!?"

"No..." Eid just shook his head. Their conversation is like that between close friends because that's what their relationship actually is. Grandpa Frodo is someone who anyone can talk to and didn't care about respect and all those things. Of course, it would be a different matter when you disrespect him, but other than that, he is a pretty chill old man.

"Are you gay?" Grandpa Frodo raised an eyebrow towards Eid with a judging look.

"What? No!" Eid vehemently replied.

"Why are you too defensive!?"

"It's because you're saying something ridiculous! Why are you, Mother, and Father like this? Always expecting me to have a relationship already?"

"You're already sixteen, what are you talking about!? Your Gardener Henry had already impregnated a woman when he was just fourteen! Your friend, Greg, is already planning to marry his fiance and he's older than you by just a month! If I'm not in a tight spot, I could've found you your fiance a long time ago! Damn, I want to have a great-grandchild before I go out!"

"I think your real thoughts came out at the end there, Grandpa. Also, I think you'll live to see your great-great-grandchild." Eid laughed.

"Hahaha, you overestimate your grandpa too much." hearing about a great-great-grandchild made the old man smile wide.

'Make up your mind, Grandpa, am I underestimating or overestimating you?' Eid thought.

"Well, I'm not forcing you. Ner is still small. Although she's about to reach her puberty..." Grandpa Frodo sighed.

"That sounded wrong... but you shouldn't spoil her too much or else, she will not mature."

"No one can stop me from spoiling my granddaughter! In just a few years, she will stop clinging to me like a baby and calling me 'Grandpa, grandpa!' wanting to be carried!"

"Ah..."

Their conversation went on like this before their topic curved and went back to the topic of Vermillion's Justice.

"To consume a Prayer-Type Scripture is to understand its message and reply with a complete prayer. The prayer will show how much the follower understands the message. Once the formal prayer is done, power will be granted depending on how accurate that prayer is. 70% or lower understanding will destroy the scripture since the Saints don't want anyone receiving power from a source that they don't understand. Scoring within the 71-75% range will give you an 'Acceptable' grade and 50% of the scriptures power, 76-80% is a 'Good' grade which will get you 60% of power, 81-85% is a 'Great' grade giving 70% of power, 86-90% is an 'Excellent' grade giving 80% of power, 91-95% is an ''Extraordinary grade giving 90% of power, and finally, 96-99% is a 'Fated' grade giving all of the scripture's power. 100% of understanding is impossible."

Eid explained while Grandpa Frodo was nodding in agreement all the way.

"I'm surprised that you know the basics while lazing around all the time."

"Well, I was always reading at the household library back then when I was just a servant." Eid proudly said, "That's why I scarcely attend Teacher Erles' lectures or the local school because I already know the topics."

"Ohh, what an arrogant kid!" Grandpa Frodo laughed, "Then, I have nothing to say more. Every experience is different. My advice might just derail you from your path. That's why there are different grades given to different people. Some are just not fit for certain scriptures. However, I can say that, in general, you should be careful. Understand every word of the scripture and be fully prepared before you give your prayer to Demigod Astra."

Grandpa Frodo then continued to explain about the family's scripture itself since it's the same scripture he read when he turned sixteen decades ago.

"The Vermillion's Justice Scripture is three layers deep starting with Tier 1 up to Tier 3. Finishing it will make you a Tier 1 Warrior like me. It took me two months to memorize the first layer and another five months of understanding it before I decided to give my formal prayer. Meanwhile, it took me um... two years to memorize the second layer and another three years to give my prayer. For the third layer, it took me five years to memorize it and a decade to give my formal prayer. My success rates are 91%, 87%, and 72%. Just barely reached the 'Acceptable' range for the last tier! Hahaha, but each success made me jump another tier."

"It's this powerful?" Eid was surprised by the power of Vermillion's Justice Scripture.

"Oh, no, no... It's not that powerful. Although it's the most powerful scripture I've consumed in my life, I had other scriptures to boost my strength. It's just that the family scripture aligned with my affinity or something, that it was the catalyst that made me jump tiers. However, without the other hundreds of scriptures I consumed, I would only reach maybe Tier 2 Fighter. You still need other scriptures to strengthen your foundation!"

"I see... I get the gist of it now. I'm excited to try it." Eid gulped.

"Alright. I'll shut up now. I'm the one who ended up being talkative in the end. Better start now while you still feel excited!"

"Hahaha, don't say it like that, Grandpa, I love the part of you that's talkative!"

Grandpa Frodo laughed before shrugging it off, "Alright, alright, stop the flattery."

Eid got back to his seat and then took out the scripture from his bag. It's a scroll that's encased by a jade-like material. Not being fooled by its seemingly small size, Eid opened it, and the moment his eyes focused on its contents, countless words entered his head. This is like the time the Path of Advancement Manual entered his head. A sharp pain penetrated his head, making him frown.

"Ah...!"

However, this is much more bearable than the first time he experienced this. The pain suddenly dissipated as fast as it appeared.

Then, Arin's voice sounded in his head.

[Scanning Vermillion's Justice Scripture complete.]

'Eh?' Eid's jaw slightly dropped when he realized what happened.

Hearing Eid in pain for a brief moment, Grandpa Frodo turned towards him.

"What happened, kid?" he asked because reading scripture shouldn't cause any sort of pain.

"Umm..." Eid didn't know how to say it... he didn't know how to say that he just memorized the first layer of the scripture.