The Shadow Organization Members Raised Through Pay-To-Win Are Too Strong

Until the knights from the Hartwell family arrived at the village, I received lavish treatment.

“I’m thirsty.”

“I-I’ll prepare it right away.”

With just one word from me, the villagers would bring food on their own.

Thanks to this, I was able to rest sufficiently.

My body, which had become emaciated from years of hard labor, was returning to normal.

“I think I’ve even grown taller?”

Is it because I’ve been eating meat well?

With proper nutrition during my growth period, I felt I had grown taller in just a few days.

“Here’s freshly squeezed milk from the sheep. Please drink it quickly.”

How happy I was to have the villagers constantly bringing food, even when I was just sitting still.

I was like a lifeline to them, so they had no choice.

Originally, a noble’s illegitimate child was living in this village, but he died.

But would it end there?

With the illegitimate child dead, the villagers were as good as dead too.

I made a proposal to the desperate village chief.

‘I will become the illegitimate child of the Hartwell family. In return, please provide me with food.’

The village chief was the wisest person in the village.

He couldn’t have misunderstood my intention to volunteer as the illegitimate child.

Of course, the test conducted by the magic tower’s mage would show that I’m not of Hartwell family blood.

The villagers could just pretend they didn’t know I wasn’t a noble, and that would be it.

After all, isn’t that why the magic tower’s mage is accompanying them, to check if Brooks was really of their bloodline?

The chief looked at me pitifully when I said that.

He probably saw me as a poor boy who wanted to eat his fill, even if it meant dying.

But I had no intention of dying.

I had endured for 10 years in the mine.

I intend to keep surviving from now on, too.

Thanks to this, the villagers treated me kindly.

They generously shared food to help me gain some weight.

They knew it too.

That there were no other options in the situation where Brooks had died.

But the chief wasn’t just being kind without any precautions.

Fearing I might run away in the night, he assigned a few young men from the village to stay by my side.

He claimed it was to protect me, but it was obviously a surveillance role.

Of course, I wouldn’t run away even if they laid out a path for me.

‘Why would I run away from such a good opportunity?’

The chief’s efforts were commendable, but I had no intention of running away.

Why?

Why would I run away when this was a golden opportunity to legally become a noble?

I planned to live as a noble of the Hartwell family in place of the dead Brooks.

‘The heavens are helping me.’

I couldn’t help but smile.

I could easily manipulate the mage dispatched from the Fire Magic Tower.

What was there to be afraid of when the tower master was a member of Black Raven?

[Leader, please give your orders.]

With just one message from me, even the tower master would have to tremble.

Above all, I had ordered her to stay in place, so I had set it up so she could carry out my instructions at any time.

I just had to wait comfortably, eating and playing.

“Emilia.”

Emilia popped out at my words.

“Yes.”

Emilia had also gained weight recently.

Since she had been so thin before, she looked much better now.

Above all, the best thing about staying in the village was being able to wash with clean water every day?

Thanks to this, Emilia’s hair color had lightened slightly from dark gray.

Seen differently, it could even look silver.

Her current appearance shone more than when she was in the mine.

“You look very pretty.”

I said without any particular emotion.

“…Yes.”

Emilia blushed and suddenly left her seat.

“?”

Did she catch a cold?

Anyway, things were going in a good direction.

And even if I entered the Hartwell family, I had no intention of abandoning Emilia.

‘It would be difficult to take her to the family, wouldn’t it?’

Would the family even listen to me?

Absolutely not.

And once I entered the family, I would likely receive various types of education.

So I was thinking of sending Emilia to the Fire Magic Tower.

“By the way, I wonder why they suddenly looked for an illegitimate child.”

I can only guess. I don’t know the exact reason.

They’re taking in an illegitimate child now after essentially abandoning them all this time?

Even someone who knows nothing would notice that there’s some scheme behind this.

‘Ah, except for Brooks.’

From now on, I needed to plan for after entering the Hartwell family.

First, why would the family need an illegitimate child?

The highest possibility is.

‘A child to enlist in place of the heir.’

The legitimate heir needs to continue the family line, so they need a sacrificial lamb to enlist – this seemed the most likely possibility for now.

‘It would be within 2 years at the earliest.’

It wouldn’t be more than 3 years at the latest.

Ultimately, this meant that I awaited a future of serving on the front lines adjacent to the demon realm.

Of course, as a noble’s child, I would enlist as an officer, but I didn’t even want that.

‘Enlisting twice would really be the worst.’

Hadn’t I already served in the military in my previous life?

Moreover, this is the continent of Elunsia, not Earth.

Serving as an officer in a world where terrifying monsters exist?

It would probably be extremely tough.

Why would I suffer for someone else’s benefit?

From now on, I will think of ways to avoid enlisting.

‘Let’s see…’

The way to avoid enlisting was simple.

The legitimate children could enlist instead of me, the illegitimate child.

Of course, the probability of that was low, but it wasn’t impossible.

For this, one prerequisite was needed.

‘I need to increase my value.’

Show that my value is higher than anyone else’s.

Then, naturally, someone else would enlist instead of me.

But this was truly a difficult task.

‘If I have no choice but to enlist…’

Another method would be to enlist, achieve merits, and reduce the service period.

The more outstanding achievements you make, the shorter your service period becomes, but this wasn’t easy either.

‘Let’s try to avoid enlisting as much as possible.’

No matter how I thought about it, this was the best option.

*  *  *

Time flew by, and the day arrived when the family’s knights were to arrive.

Emilia and I had lived leisurely in the village for the past few days.

All we did was eat delicious food and enjoy nature while walking through the fields.

It might seem boring compared to my previous life, but it was nothing short of heaven compared to what we experienced in the mine.

The village chief made thorough preparations.

He prepared simple alcohol and snacks to welcome the knights.

Flags and emblems bearing the crest of the Hailstone Duchy were hung around the village.

The entire village was bustling with excitement.

I watched the scene from a distance.

“Are you nervous?”

Emilia, who was watching beside me, asked worriedly.

I shook my head with an awkward smile.

Nervous?

No, this was like a drama that would unfold according to a script.

I had already thought about how to respond to the mage.

After this was over, my name would become Ethan Hartwell.

Today was the day I would be reborn as a noble backed by a family.

I wasn’t nervous on such an auspicious day.

“No, I’m fine. I’m just hesitating about the future.”

I was pondering how to devour the Hartwell family.

Misunderstanding my intentions, Emilia held my hand tightly.

“Cheer up. Everything will be fine.”

Emilia said just that and left.

At that moment, the sound of hoofbeats was heard from afar.

Turning my gaze, I saw a procession of knights waving red flags.

The crest of the Hartwell family shone clearly on the large flag.

It was a scene that exuded the dignity of the family.

“We welcome the knights of the Hartwell family!”

The village chief took the lead in greeting them.

The villagers, enveloped in tension, all bowed their heads in unison.

They looked infinitely small before the knights clad in fierce swords and armor.

The knights nimbly dismounted from their horses and stood majestically.

They responded to the chief’s greeting with a curt nod.

“Where is Young Master Brooks?”

The knight at the front asked briefly.

His sharp gaze swept the surroundings.

The chief, momentarily overwhelmed by this aura, hesitated before speaking.

“The young master is well. Please come this way.”

The chief gestured towards me.

The knights’ gazes all fixed on me at once.

I moved calmly.

As I approached the knights, I bowed my head politely in greeting.

“Hello.”

I only knew how to play games. I didn’t know the exact etiquette.

I greeted them in the most polite way I could manage.

But the knights’ expressions were as hard as could be.

I heard whispering from behind.

“Huh… This is the young master? Judging by his lack of etiquette, it seems he hasn’t received proper education.”

“Tsk, he looks quite lacking. Seems weak too.”

Hey, are they deliberately speaking loudly for me to hear?

‘Is this discrimination?’

Even if half his blood was lowly, he was still the count’s child.

Yet this treatment?

“Sigh…”

This family seemed to be in the wrong.

Their gazes were full of contempt and suspicion, but I met their eyes straight on, unfazed.

At that moment, the knight at the front, who had received the chief’s greeting earlier, stepped forward.

His impressive physique and upright posture were striking.

He spoke to me in a firm voice.

“Young master, my name is Cael. I have come here as the sword and shield of the Hartwell family and as the senior knight dispatched to protect you.”

Cael placed his right hand on his chest and knelt down.

It was a solemn and formal posture as if swearing allegiance.

“I will risk my life to safely escort you to the family!”

Cael’s voice was powerful yet reverent.

His sincerity was palpable.

Until a moment ago, I thought the level of the knight order was low.

However, with Cael’s appearance, I came to view the knight order differently.

More precisely, it was correct to say that I viewed Cael the knight favorably.

‘Not bad?’

The first impression was a pass.

As soon as Cael’s solemn declaration ended, a figure emerged among the knights.

An overwhelming presence emanated from her as she approached with big strides, her red robe fluttering.

An intense gaze was felt from her long hair that seemed to burn red and her red eyes.

“You’re the illegitimate young master, right? I’ve come from the Fire Magic Tower.”

Her voice was tinged with arrogance.

Not only did she not introduce herself, but she even called me the illegitimate young master.

‘This is quite fresh?’

She approached me and continued speaking boldly.

“At the request of the Hartwell family, I’m going to test if you’re really of their bloodline. It’s a simple procedure, so please cooperate.”

Her tone was closer to a command.

She seemed to be pressuring me by asserting her authority as a mage.

“Lady Bella, just a moment.”

At this point, Cael intervened, blocking the mage’s path.

‘So her name is Bella.’

Saying that, Cael bowed his head towards me.

“I apologize on behalf of the mage. This is just a routine verification procedure. It’s a formal process to confirm that you are of the great bloodline, young master, so please don’t worry too much.”

Cael showed a reassuring smile.

He was trying to put me at ease.

“……”

In the tense atmosphere, I looked back and forth between Bella and Cael.

Then, I spoke briefly.

“It’s not a difficult task.”

At my words, Cael nodded and stepped back.

At the same time, the mage Bella approached me.

“Please drop your blood here.”

She then handed over something shaped like a square box.

But I couldn’t submit to the test here and now.

Because I’m not Brooks.

From now on, I had to make things flow according to my plan.

I whispered in a small voice that only Bella could hear.

“I’d like to contact the tower master.”

At my words about wanting to contact the tower master, Bella frowned.

Her eyes seemed to say, “How dare a half-noble mention the tower master?”

I couldn’t back down here either.

I needed to bluff.

Changing my expression to be slightly arrogant, I spoke again.

“Didn’t the tower master say anything?”

At my words, Bella’s expression changed.

A cuckoo’s egg is a metaphor for a bird laying its eggs in another bird’s nest. The owner of the nest takes care of the chick, sometimes at the expense of its own children.