Sorcery Monarch

Chapter 7: Child of Destiny?

 

Matthew was slightly startled upon hearing this news, and immediately, information about Bay Village and the various dangerous creatures in the surrounding area flashed through his mind.

 

"Another dragon?"

 

"It shouldn't be; otherwise, the whole village would likely be gone by now..."

 

"Could it be a Shadow Panther or an Earthquake Bear? No, that doesn't seem right... Their habitats are too far from the village, and they're incredibly strong. If they had attacked, dozens or even hundreds would have been dead by now, and the soldiers at the outpost would have rushed back without hesitation..."

 

"It's probably a mid-tier magical beast, and it's likely either alone or with its young..."

 

As Matthew was pondering, a clear and melodious voice suddenly rang in his ears, shocking him:

 

"Ding, Fate's Choice detected. Would you like to spend 100 Fate Coins to activate?"

 

Glancing at the 108 Fate Coins he had left, Matthew didn't hesitate much and decisively chose to activate it.

 

A trump card is meant to be used!

 

"Ding, activating Fate's Choice 3. Will you lead the outpost soldiers back to Bay Village (Misfortune 3), or refuse to lead the outpost soldiers back to Bay Village (Fortune 5)?"

 

To Matthew's surprise, he couldn’t believe that the option to refuse had a terrifying "Fortune 5" value.

 

With the appearance of the first two Fate's Choices, Matthew had come to understand that misfortune or fortune didn't necessarily represent absolute bad luck or good luck.

 

Instead, the higher the value, the deeper the involvement and the greater the danger.

 

Last time, with a value of 5, Matthew encountered an adult black dragon and a legendary Time Dragon.

 

The second time, with Fortune 4, Matthew might have provoked the Red Robe Mage Association and some hidden, enormous danger.

 

If anything had gone wrong, Matthew would likely have ended up like those who perished in Sweetwater Town, eternally resting in the Misty Swamp.

 

Not understanding the dangers of "Fortune 5," Matthew thought it over and chose "Misfortune 3" instead, following his instincts.

 

This was Matthew's first time choosing a misfortune option, and although the value was high, he was ready to give it a try.

 

Sure enough, after choosing Misfortune 3, his Luck on the attribute panel dropped to -3.

 

A faint sense of danger began to linger in his mind.

 

Matthew calmed his mind, setting aside distractions, and carefully started thinking about the practical issues.

 

With the Scarlet Moon approaching, they were sure to encounter aberrant creatures on the way to the territory.

 

Although the soldiers at the outpost weren’t well-equipped, their overall strength was still decent.

 

With their addition, the convoy's combat power would be significantly boosted.

 

Moreover, Matthew had begun to form more theories about Fate's Choice.

 

The decisions of misfortune and fortune would likely provide him with more detailed information after this choice.

 

Still, Matthew displayed the expected reaction of a noble in this world.

 

He showed a slight hint of impatience on his face, glanced indifferently at Captain Sean, nodded casually, and waved his hand:

 

"So, there's trouble in the village too? Got it..."

 

"Take everyone and all weapons, and leave with us soon, but you must follow orders, or else..."

 

He didn’t finish the sentence but instead sneered, closing the door with a wave, putting on a front of annoyance to hide the shock on his face:

 

"Sean, race: Human, age: 31, status: Captain of Outpost 16 in the Misty Swamp, profession: Level 4 Warrior, skills: ???, Luck: -3!"

 

"Leon, race: Human, age: 17, status: Soldier of Outpost 16 in the Misty Swamp, profession: Level 1 Warrior, skills: Slash LV2, Sweep LV2, White Wolf Swordsmanship LV1, Luck: +5!"

 

Matthew didn't care much about Captain Sean's attributes; after all, a low-level warrior at 30 years old wouldn't have much potential or heritage.

 

But Leon was a completely different story!

 

White Wolf Swordsmanship and Luck +5 instantly marked him as extraordinary!

 

The former, in Matthew's memory, was an ancient and precious top-tier swordsmanship technique.

 

Ten years from now, it would be made famous by the demon hunters of the White Wolf lineage, who gained renown for slaying numerous high-level demons—certainly not something a commoner could learn.

 

Luck +5 shocked Matthew even more; he had gained a temporary Luck +4 buff from his encounter with the black dragon and Time Dragon, and from forming a life contract with the little one.

 

Leon's Luck +5 was clearly inherent!

 

Matthew was so sure because he recognized Leon.

 

In the future, Leon would become a legendary demon hunter, showcasing formidable combat prowess by single-handedly defeating a Balrog during a ruin exploration!

 

This incredible feat was even captured by players, earning him countless fans, both male and female.

 

Though Leon was not yet as hardened as he would be 20 years later, Matthew could see a striking resemblance, confirming his identity.

 

"It seems that Luck is likely tied to the achievements and strength the person will attain in the future."

 

"Just like in many heroic biographies, where the protagonists continuously encounter fortunate events, rapidly gaining strength, and always escaping danger—this must be related to their Luck value."

 

"So, if I had chosen to refuse, I might have triggered a plot involving Leon."

 

"In some ways, Leon could also be considered a 'Child of Destiny.'"

 

"If I tried to kill him now, I’d probably fail due to some unforeseen event, and instead, I’d become one of those unlucky villain templates..."

 

Pondering this familiar name, Matthew couldn’t help but compare him to the protagonist of a certain game called "Three Light," and a faint smile tugged at his lips:

 

"Well then, let’s see what surprises meeting a Child of Destiny brings me!"

 

The crackling fire burned the slightly damp wood, producing a "sizzle hiss" sound.

 

The sticky porridge kept bubbling, its sweet aroma making the exhausted group constantly swallow.

 

"The Lord has ordered—add half a pound of dried meat to each pot, finely chop it, and cook it together."

 

Old John worked quickly, slicing the reddish-brown jerky into small cubes with his sharp knife and evenly sprinkling them into the pot, stirring it skillfully.

 

Sitting beside him, Leon twitched his nose slightly, his eyes full of surprise, and asked curiously:

 

"Is the Lord always this generous? Do we get meat with every meal? Will we get enough to eat?"

 

Thick smoke, tinged with a pungent smell, kept rising from the sides of the iron pot. Everyone skillfully avoided this area, placing the prepared black bread into the pot.

 

The black bread, hard enough to break teeth, was something Old John liked to cook until it was soft, mixing it with the porridge so that it remained slightly chewy with a faint malt flavor. Carefully chewing it, one could even taste a hint of sweetness.

 

Of course, given the rush today, with meat added to the mix, Old John ate heartily, smiling as he nodded in response to Leon's question:

 

"Our Lord is a good man, not one for many words or much fuss—a top-notch noble, really."

 

"Though the steward can be a bit harsh sometimes, he's incredibly capable. Nearly everyone follows his orders."

 

"I see you’ve got some skill; talk to the steward later, and you might get a new weapon. You’ll need to protect everyone tonight."

 

The young and somewhat naive Leon grinned and scratched his head, his gaze frequently drifting to the side of the carriage, where he happened to see Matthew feeding the little one some eggs. His eyes widened in disbelief as he asked:

 

"Oh my God! Is the Lord raising a dragon?"

 

Old John lightly smacked him on the head, scolding him for his rashness, and then gave him a sharp look:

 

"The Lord hails from the Serre family!"

 

"You know about the Karl Plains, right? Our Netheril Empire’s granary? The Serre family owns nearly a quarter of the land, second only to the Karl family!"

 

"The current head of the Serre family, Count André, is the Lord's biological father!"

 

"Not to mention our Lord is a knowledgeable Arcanist who will surely develop our territory and might even build his own Mage Tower someday..."

 

"How many people live in Bay Village? What do they usually do for a living?"

 

Leon, fascinated by Old John's tales, felt as if the old man had opened up a wider, more exciting world, far beyond the small area around Bay Village that had defined his life until now.

 

Without much caution, Leon began to share details about Bay Village with Old John.

 

Captain Sean, standing nearby, twitched his lips, wanting to say something several times, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

 

Finding the scene amusing, Matthew watched Old John with great interest.

 

As expected, Old John would soon know everything about Leon’s family history and then report it all to Steward Ralph.

 

 

 

It wasn’t long before Matthew, in a calm tone, heard these details from the unperturbed steward.

 

"Heh, there’s a saying: as long as you're not the protagonist’s enemy, you'll generally be fine!"

 

"Kid, let me give you a lesson!"

 

Steward Ralph saw the smile on his Lord's face and wisely kept silent, pretending nothing had happened, while carefully noting down the information about Leon.

 

Whatever concerns the Lord is the most important thing!