Chapter 21: The Appraisal [Part-1]

The next day arrived, and Neo didn’t waste a single second. He shot out of bed, ran straight to the bathroom, and got ready in record time. Stepping out of his room, he quickly tucked a few secret essential items into his inventory before making his way down the corridor and descending the staircase toward the main hallway.

His parents were already there, giving last-minute instructions to the head butler and the rest of the servants on how to handle the mansion in their absence. Neo immediately hurried over to join them.

"Oh, Neo, you’re already up and ready?" Sylvia smiled brightly at his excited expression. "It seems you’re just as eager to visit Grandpa’s home as we are. Come on, let’s go."

Sylvia nodded toward Cassian, and the three of them began walking out of the mansion together.

A luxurious carriage bearing the Draven insignia was already waiting for them out front. Several horses stood stationed around it, with knights positioned on all sides for protection. As a ducal family traveling to another territory, it wasn’t as simple as it looked. There were always hidden eyes from rival families lurking somewhere, waiting for a single moment of weakness. The odds of an actual assassination attempt were slim, but precaution was always better than regret. It was simply better to be prepared.

Neo was the first to climb into the carriage, immediately settling by the window. He felt a small thrill bubbling in his chest at the thought of finally leaving the mansion after so long. This would be his very first time traveling through the outside world in this life, and he had no idea how different it would actually feel compared to his old one.

His parents climbed in shortly after, with Cassian giving one last nod to the guards to confirm everything was in order. Finally, the carriage lurched forward, slowly pulling away from the estate.

Neo leaned back against his seat, glancing out the window as the passing scenery blurred by. Grand noble mansions faded behind them one by one, while the occasional passerby on the street briefly turned their heads to admire the passing carriage. Thanks to the enchanted glass, Neo could see everything happening outside perfectly clear, while no one outside could see a single thing happening within.

Eventually, the carriage merged onto the main route, cutting straight through the bustling local market before finally leaving the city gates behind.

Neo’s attention finally drifted away from the window and landed on his parents seated across from him. They were caught up in their usual playful bickering, Sylvia resting her head comfortably against Cassian’s shoulder as she rambled on about one thing or another, clearly enjoying the long, easy ride.

’Well,’ Neo thought, a mischievous little spark lighting up behind his eyes, ’this is the perfect opportunity. I’ve been waiting for exactly this kind of moment to finally check their status.’

’Alright then. Let’s start with Father first.’

[Ding!]

[Do you want to Appraise Cassian Draven?]

[Y/N]

Neo clicked "Y" without a single moment of hesitation, practically buzzing with anticipation. He’d been dying to know exactly how strong the man was, the same man whose mere name apparently made an entire empire tread carefully.

[Appraising begins...]

[Ding!]

-----

[STATUS WINDOW]

>Name: Cassian Draven

>Titles: Demon of the Battlefield, Great Swordsman

>Talent: Sovereign

>Race: Human

>Core: 7th Circle

>Rank: Saint (II)

>Bloodline: Draven Bloodline

>Affinity: Lightning

[ATTRIBUTES]

[STR: 720/1000] [AGI: 710/1000]

[DEF: 700/1000] [STA: 730/1000]

[INT: 720/1000]

[HP: 2000/2000] [MP: 4000/4000]

[TECHNIQUES]

>Draven Cultivation Scripture

>Draven Dragon Art

>Seven Raging Storm Technique

[SKILLS & ABILITIES]

>Master Swordsman

>Master Spearman

>Aura Manipulation

>Lightning Control

>Master Tactician

>Overloaded Charisma

-----

Neo’s jaw practically dropped down. A small inudivle gasp force out of his mouth.

’H-Holy crap. This is insane! Just how strong is my dad supposed to be?!’

He stared at the stats, running through them over and over in his head just to make sure he wasn’t misreading anything.

’Saint rank, second stage. Only two sub-rank away from Sovereign. In the entire anime, the story only ever mentioned a few side characters who managed to reach the Saint rank in their lifetimes, and they were all elders or aged guys who had cultivated for decades. My father is what, twenty-six? And he’s already this close to the very top!’

’And his talent is listed as Sovereign! That’s a talent lesser than mine, but achieving it at such a young age is no small feat. Does that mean even I can become that strong when I reach his age? Will I even survive until then?’

Neo shook his head, deciding to let go of any nonsensical thoughts. ’No wonder he became a duke so young and crushed every single greedy noble who tried to step on him.’

Neo glanced up at Cassian, who was currently in the middle of defending himself from an accusation Sylvia had just thrown at him about forgetting their wedding anniversary two years ago. The man looked relaxed, laughing it off with an easy, boyish grin, looking nothing at all like someone who could apparently punch through mountains.

’This is exactly the gap between strong as comic and strong in the anime adaptation. I always thought the anime exaggerated things for dramatic effect, but seeing his actual stats laid out like this... yeah. No wonder the entire Empire tiptoes around him. If I compare myself to him, my stats are barely even in the two-digit numbers.’

His eyes drifted down toward the Titles section again.

’I already knew about the first one, but Great Swordsman is a title I’ve never heard before. Must be something he earned outside of what got shown in the anime.’

Then his gaze landed on the skills list, and he nearly choked on his own spit.

’Master Swordsman. Master Spearman. Aura Manipulation. Lightning Control. Master Tactician.’

’Wait. Master Spearman? Since when does my father use a spear? I’ve only ever seen him wear that huge sword strapped to his back.’

Neo’s mind wandered back through scattered memories, little details he’d overheard from servants gossiping in the hallways. Apparently, before Cassian had ever picked up his sword, he trained under one of the old Draven spear masters as a child, only switching to swordsmanship later after a falling-out with his own father. Neo had never actually seen him touch a spear in this life. Maybe it was a skill he simply never bothered using anymore.

But it was the very last skill on the list that made Neo want to slam his forehead against the carriage window.

’...Overloaded Charisma? What in the world kind of skill is that supposed to be?’

He glanced back over at his father, who was currently pressing an exaggerated, wounded expression against Sylvia’s shoulder, whining like an overgrown puppy about how she never appreciated his romantic gestures. Sylvia, despite clearly trying to stay annoyed, was fighting a losing battle against the small smile tugging at her own lips.

’...Oh. Oh, I see it now.’

’That explains literally everything. How he convinced half the border lords to fall in line without lifting a single sword. How he somehow got Mother to fall for him despite apparently being an idiot by her own words. How every single maid in this mansion swoons whenever he walks past, myself included on some unfortunate days.’

’This man has been running on pure unfiltered charm this entire time, backed by monstrous strength whenever charm alone doesn’t cut it. What a broken combination.’

Neo let out a long, slow breath, shaking his head in quiet disbelief.

’Honestly, if this guy ever decided to switch sides and become a villain instead of a duke, the entire Empire would be doomed within a week. Thank the heavens he loves this family more than power.’

His gaze softened slightly as he watched his parents continue their playful bickering, unaware of the appraisal that had just taken place right under their noses. Cassian reached over and flicked Sylvia’s forehead gently, earning himself a light smack on the arm in return. Both of them laughed like a couple of teenagers instead of the two most powerful figures in the entire dukedom.

’He might be terrifying enough to make entire nations shudder at the mention of his name, but at the end of the day, he’s still just a big, love-struck dork.’

’I guess that’s exactly why the original Neo from the anime turned out the way he did, though. Growing up under someone this strong, this doted upon by both parents, must have made him feel untouchable. Like nothing in the world could ever actually hurt him.’

Neo’s fingers curled slightly against his lap, his earlier amusement fading into something more thoughtful.

’I can’t end up like that. No matter how strong Father is, no matter how much wealth and protection I get handed on a silver platter, I have to build my own strength with my own hands. Otherwise, I really will just become another spoiled, arrogant brat waiting to get squashed by the plot.’

He glanced back down at the status window hovering faintly in the corner of his vision, one final thought crossing his mind before he finally dismissed it.

’Saint rank, second stage, huh. That’s the wall I have to eventually climb over myself someday. No shortcuts, no relying on Dad’s name forever.’

’My aim is to achieve even beyond what Father is capable of. I have to reach the Ascendant rank anyhow so I can protect my people from the impending danger that will soon fall on the world.’

Satisfied with his little peek into his father’s monstrous strength, Neo settled back comfortably into his seat. A small, secretive smile tugged at his lips as the carriage continued rattling steadily down the long road, carrying the Draven family further and further away from the estate.