The weapons I forge are absolutely flawless.

"Uh..."

Seeing the children's instantly somber expressions, Felix immediately realized that he had touched on a topic that should never be touched.

This is trouble I brought upon myself, and I have to solve it myself.

"What's your name?" Felix asked.

"Konomo".

"Then I declare that you are qualified to become a knight."

Felix grabbed Konomo's left hand, then removed the badge from his chest and placed it solemnly in his palm.

"I can't accept it—"

Konomo knew how much Felix liked the badge, and instinctively tried to pull his hand away, but Felix held it firmly.

"This is just a loan for you, to let you experience what it's like to be a knight. As long as you grow up well and train hard, you will definitely earn your own badge of honor," Felix encouraged.

"Konomo...Konomo Knight."

Konomo repeated the two different names, his dejected expression long gone.

"I am the Knight of Konomos!"

Konomo held up the badge high and ran excitedly into the distance.

"Oh no, this guy is too cunning! We can't let him escape!"

The remaining children also chased after them.

This scene was all too familiar to them; it was simply a "game of heroes" turned into a "game of knights."

Felix was also satisfied with the result of his handling of the situation.

A moment later, Vena came over and called out to the lonely Felix, "It's time to go back, Felix."

"what?"

"We need to return to the academy first thing tomorrow morning, so I should at least say hello to everyone tonight and thank them for taking care of us these past few days." Viner glanced at the children in the distance. "Did you leave something behind?"

“No…” Felix shook his head outwardly, but his heart was bleeding. He forced himself to say, “I just left hope behind.”

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Today's update will be delayed.

As the title says, I just got home from the countryside and haven't had time to write the update yet. Today's update will have to wait until tonight. (Private post by Marseille.)

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Chapter 510 Vena: I want the goods, but I don't want to pay.

Before the morning mist had even dissipated from the mansion's fence, a carriage had already stopped at the mansion's gate.

"Be careful on the road," Xiumeia carefully straightened Lisette's rolled-up collar. "Take good care of yourself while you're out there."

"I'm not a child anymore, you two are. Please take good care of yourselves."

"Really? It's clearly still..." Xiu Meiya lowered her gaze and gave her a meaningful look.

“Mom!” Lisette couldn’t help but stomp her foot.

Although her height is already close to that of her mother, there is still a significant difference in the key areas.

“Hehe,” Xiumeiya didn’t continue teasing her daughter, but turned to Vina and instructed, “I’m entrusting my daughter to you.”

“I will treat her well,” Viner nodded.

"I'm sorry, Felix, I broke my promise this time. I said I'd teach you horseback riding, but I just couldn't find the time." Fadvi looked at Felix apologetically.

“I’ll forgive you this time, but next time, Uncle, you can’t make up any other excuses!” Felix emphasized.

"Next time?" Fadevi was slightly taken aback.

"Uncle, don't you welcome me to come again in the future?"

"No, how could that be? You are an honorary knight of the Cordelia Territory, and the Cordelia family will always welcome you."

"Uh..."

It would have been better if Faldwig hadn't brought it up, because the mention of it reminded Felix of the knight's badge he had inadvertently given away.

As Felix was debating whether to ask if he could get a replacement badge, Faldwig had already left him.

"Many thanks to Manager Simmons for his great help this time."

Fadevi thanked a middle-aged man with a mustache who looked like a businessman.

He was the representative of the Valentinian Chamber of Commerce in Cordilia.

If Simmons hadn't represented the merchant guild and accepted all the monster carcasses at an extremely fair price, the compensation alone for the Knights would have put considerable pressure on the Cordelia family.

After all, the Cordelia family is known for its low taxes on the residents of their territory.

“Your Excellency, there’s no need for such formalities,” Simmons said, glancing at Vina standing behind Fadvi. “If you have any more business to do, you can always come to the Valentin Merchant Guild.”

“It definitely will.” Fadevi nodded.

He understood the profit-driven nature of businessmen and was prepared to have his prices reduced.

However, the Valentin Chamber of Commerce did not make a fuss about this at all, and even settled the payment immediately, which was already a great favor.

"Then, Mom and Dad, let's go!"

Lisette boarded the carriage bearing the emblem of the Valentine Merchant Guild and waved goodbye to the two men.

-----------------

The carriage traveled out of Cordelia and happened to pass by the monastery that was taking in the surviving children.

Felix gazed absently at the monastery through the car window.

"This is the first time I've ever seen Felix like this."

Lisette whispered something in Vina's ear.

"It's okay, it'll be back to normal soon."

As she spoke, Vena reached out and pulled hard on Felix's hair.

"Hiss—what are you doing?!"

Felix slapped Venus's hand away.

"Aren't you going down to say goodbye?"

Wiener witnessed Felix's affection for the children.

"...Let's forget about it. I've never been good at saying goodbye. Besides, saying goodbye to everyone one by one would take a long time."

Felix was somewhat tempted, but after some consideration, he decided against getting off the bus.

They were hitching a ride back to the college with the Valentine Chamber of Commerce, so they didn't want to cause any more trouble.

"Anyway, I'll see them next time I come, hmm..."

He still couldn't forget his knight's badge.

"Ah."

Viner couldn't help but chuckle softly, then pulled out a piece of fine driftwood from the ring.

He stretched out his left hand, and the fragments of the Demon Blade Thousand Blades hidden in Felix's hair flew out in a flurry, quickly carving the piece of driftwood into the shape of a knight's emblem.

"Yes, if you send it out again, I won't be responsible."

Wiener tossed the carved badge into Felix's arms.

"So you knew all along..." Felix chuckled sheepishly.

"After all, you haven't shown off this knight's badge to anyone for half a day."

"I'm not exaggerating that much!"

Felix carefully kept the badge close to his body, showing no disdain for it because it was a replica.

"Vina, do you think they'll really become knights when they grow up?"

"It should be possible."

How could a drug that can awaken a person's emblem be a simple poison?

The subjects' bodies could not withstand the combined use of multiple drugs and the unrestrained dosage.

The experimental drugs injected into those children, while unable to awaken dual emblems, greatly increased their chances of becoming emblem users in the future.

In a sense, it was a blessing in disguise.

As they talked, the carriage the three of them were riding in caught up with the main caravan.

"Knock, knock knock—"

Suddenly, a knocking sound came from outside the car door.

"I wonder if Mr. Wiener is available now?"

Wiener replied as if he had expected it, "It's alright, please come in."

After receiving permission, Simmons opened the car door and then carried an ebony box into the carriage.

"All the materials Mr. Wiener requested are here. Would you like to take a count?"

Simmons bowed with one hand on his chest, showing extreme respect to Venus.

“I have complete confidence in Mr. Simmons’s work. I, Wiener, will take note of this matter.”

The smooth transaction between Fadevi and the Valentin Chamber of Commerce was clearly facilitated by Wiener's involvement.

Long before Vena arrived in Cordelia, Anna had already sent a letter instructing Simmons to treat Vena as if he were herself and to do his best to comply with all of his requests.

"Then I won't disturb you any longer," Simmons said tactfully, taking his leave.

No sooner had Simmons left than Felix impatiently opened the wooden crate.

After examining the contents of the box, his expression became somewhat complicated: "Aren't these all materials that the uncle sold to the merchant guild?"

“Yes,” Viner readily admitted.

"You wouldn't choose when I let you pick, but after all this trouble, you still don't want it..."

"If I had made all the selections back then, how could my father-in-law have done business with the Chamber of Commerce?"

Although the Knights fought many magical beasts, the most valuable ones were the high-level magical beasts that Felix killed.

Wiener was clearly not going to let these rare materials slip through his fingers, so he contacted the local chamber of commerce representative and bought all the remains.

Once it falls into the hands of the Valentin Merchant Guild, it's no different from it falling into the pocket of Vina.

"You just take advantage of Anna without any qualms."

Venus's actions of wanting the materials but not wanting to pay for them were something even Lisette couldn't stand.

“Absolutely not,” Wiener immediately denied. “These materials were originally intended to be sent to the academy.”

"so what?"

"So what they're actually profiting from is the Black Eagles' class discount."

Chapter 511 Jessica's Approach of First Courtesy, Then Force

The caravan headed toward St. Freya Academy, with wagons constantly joining and leaving along the way.

Compared to this overly busy winter break, the journey home was a rare period of peace and tranquility.

"Finally it's almost here!"

As soon as he could see the spire of St. Freya Academy in the distance, Felix excitedly leaned half his body out of the car window.

Wiener, however, was thinking about other things.