The skin of a Saber Tiger lay stretched across the floor of the manor's reception room.
Petrick spoke up.
"So, how much do you think this is worth?"
The man he addressed was Lawrence, the butler who had managed the Schneider family's finances for years.
Lawrence stared at the Saber Tiger pelt filling the room, his face a mask of pure shock.
"This… Did you really hunt this yourself, Young Master?"
"Obviously."
"Is this not a Saber Tiger?"
"I know. It's expensive, right?"
"I can't believe it… Ha, haha…"
Lawrence knew Petrick was an extraordinary genius. He was well aware that the boy had crushed Brian and beaten two hundred of the estate's soldiers like rented mules.
But this was on an entirely different level.
To actually bring down a Saber Tiger…
He finally managed to compose himself and spoke.
"The condition of the hide is top-tier. I don't know how you killed it, but there isn't a single hole or tear."
"I beat it to death with my fists."
"Hahaha. You certainly have a delightful sense of humor."
'Fine. Don't believe me. See if I care.'
Regardless, the important things were the condition and the price.
"So, how much can I get for it?"
At Petrick's question, Lawrence looked troubled.
"There are merchants who visit our territory periodically to purchase monster byproducts. However…"
"However?"
"We have never sold an item of such high value before. Usually, it's just Kobold hides or the crude iron weapons Goblins carry."
"Hmm…"
"I won't know the exact price until I negotiate with the merchants. This isn't an item I can personally appraise."
"Can't you give me a rough estimate?"
"No. Items like this don't exactly circulate freely on the market."
"Right. I see how it is."
The Saber Tiger's hide and fangs were even more precious than Petrick had anticipated. In that case, it would be a waste to just dump them.
'To sell an expensive item for its true value, you have to create the right circumstances.'
Just as Petrick was lost in thought, the door swung open and someone burst in.
"Petrick! You… you brat!"
"Fath…er? And Mother?"
Petrick flinched the moment he saw the two people entering. He had expected Baron Schneider to show up, but he hadn't expected his mother to come along.
Baron Schneider's face was flushed with rage.
"You scoundrel!"
"Ugh, what? Why are you getting angry right off the bat?"
"Do you really not know what you've done wrong?"
"Nope."
As Petrick maintained a perfectly nonchalant expression that screamed, 'I really have no idea,' Baron Schneider ground his teeth. He pointed at the Saber Tiger pelt lying before the butler.
"That! I'm talking about that!"
"What about it?"
"Are you really asking because you don't know?"
"I told you, I don't know. Just spit it out already. Dragging things out and playing the 'you should know your own sins' game is the twenty-fifth thing I hate most in this world."
My kid sure hates a lot of things, the Baron thought, before gritting his teeth and shouting.
"Unless you've lost your mind, how could you even think of fighting a Saber Tiger? As the heir to this house, how can you be so reckless with your own life and go off on dangerous monster hunts?!"
"Oh! That? That's what you were worried about?"
Petrick dug into one ear with his pinky and replied with a bored look.
"You don't have to worry about that at all, Father."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Think about it. Why is monster hunting dangerous?"
"You're asking because you don't know? It's obviously because—"
"It's because people are weaker than monsters, right?"
"…Well, yes."
"Exactly. But I'm strong, aren't I?"
"Uhh…"
"I'm stronger than the monster, so I caught the monster. What's the problem?"
For a split second, Baron Schneider found himself thinking, 'Wait, does he have a point?' but he quickly snapped out of it.
"No. No, no. That's not it."
"What now?"
"You are still young."
"But I'm strong."
"Even an experienced knight can die against a monster!"
"That's because those guys are total scrubs."
"Guh…!"
Faced with a son who wouldn't yield a single inch in an argument, Baron Schneider clutched the back of his neck.
How could the sole heir of the territory speak and act like a common street thug? He could swear he had never taught the boy such language—where on earth did he pick it up?
As a parent, he couldn't help but feel a sense of self-loathing, wondering, 'Did I really raise my child this way?'
Petrick spoke to the reeling Baron with utter composure.
"So don't worry. I've got everything under control."
"Petrick Schneideeeeer!!!"
"What is it, Fatheeeeer!!!"
The son who refused to lose was right here.
Just then, a slender, elegant noblewoman stepped between the shouting father and son.
"Now, both of you, please calm down. Just calm down."
She was a woman of such radiant beauty that one might mistake her for a goddess. She had porcelain skin, luscious brown hair, and even though she wasn't wearing an expensive dress, she emitted a jewel-like brilliance.
Who would ever think she was the mother of a child and the wife of a rural Baron?
Ava Schneider, Petrick's mother, was breathtakingly beautiful. And above all…
'She's healthy now.'
Thanks to her consistent practice of the Aura Blessing Petrick had taught her, she had made a full recovery. Her beauty had blossomed even further as a result.
She stepped between her husband and son.
"Dear."
"Hmph. What is it, my lady?"
"I know you're worried about him, but please don't be so angry. We already know that Petrick is a special child, don't we?"
"Well, that's…"
He knew. A ten-year-old kid had thrashed a 2-Star Knight; of course he was special. He just hadn't realized his personality would be this 'special' too.
As Baron Schneider pouted, she spoke in a soothing voice.
"Petrick must have his reasons. Let's trust him for a moment and listen to what he has to say."
At his wife's calm and logical words, Baron Schneider's anger began to subside. She then turned to her son with a gentle smile.
"Petrick."
"…Yes, Mother."
Unlike his father, whom he had grown accustomed to because he reminded him of his master from his previous life, Petrick still found his mother difficult. She showered him with unconditional love and devotion.
As Petrick answered cautiously, she continued.
"I'm sure you have your reasons for what you do."
"I do."
"But don't you think it was wrong to handle things unilaterally, without even telling your father, who is the Lord and the one responsible for this territory?"
"That's because Father is…"
"Because Father is?"
"…Well… because he's Father."
He wanted to say, 'Because he's a pushover,' but he couldn't bring himself to say that while looking at his mother's loving face.
And even without Petrick saying it, Baroness Schneider already knew what he meant. She gave a soft laugh.
"I'm sorry we are such unreliable parents."
"Ah… No. Not at all, Mother."
If you apologize like that, it makes me look like the bad guy, Petrick thought. Then, the Baroness delivered a follow-up blow to his tiny conscience.
"But son, can't you trust us just a little? We are your parents."
"Yes… I know."
"No matter how amazing you are, you're still only ten years old, aren't you?"
"Well, technically…"
"Are we so untrustworthy that our young son can't even confide in us, let alone act like a child?"
"No, it's not that…"
"Then can you tell me honestly what you're thinking?"
Petrick bit his lip.
This was why the Blocked Meridian Constitution was a cheat. Once cured, the person's appearance became beautiful, their potential matured significantly, and they became incredibly sharp.
Since she was pointing things out logically from a parental standpoint, even Petrick found her difficult to handle.
'Sigh. It can't be helped. I was going to do this behind Father's back.'
He had no choice but to come clean.
"Alright, here's the deal. First, the primary reason I'm hunting monsters is for the safety of the territory."
"The safety of the territory?"
"Yes. The biggest headache for our land is the monsters that attack the residents. I figured if I patrol the surrounding areas and take them out in advance, I can reduce the damage to the people."
"Hmm… But isn't that what the soldiers are for? It's not something you should be doing alone."
At Baron Schneider's words, Petrick let out a sigh.
"Father, do you honestly think the soldiers can handle it? They can't even kill a Troll, the weakest of the large-class monsters; the best they can do is chase it away."
"That's…"
"If the Saber Tiger I just caught had entered a village, what could the soldiers have done?"
"..."
Baron Schneider fell silent. It was a Saber Tiger. Even if he mobilized every single soldier, including the demoted Brian, he wasn't confident they could stop it.
Petrick looked at the Baron.
"As you know, Father, I am currently training the soldiers. And once they finish my training, they will undoubtedly become strong."
"I know that."
It was Baron Schneider, the Lord, who had given Petrick permission to train the soldiers. It might have been strange for a ten-year-old to train grown men, but after he had pulverized Brian, such concerns became meaningless.
Petrick continued.
"The soldiers will get stronger, but they need time. And during that time, there's a high chance they won't be able to guard the territory properly. Therefore, it's most efficient for me to patrol and hunt monsters alone."
"If that's the case… wouldn't it be better to take at least a few soldiers with you? They'd be more help than nothing."
"No. By our current soldiers' standards, having them there would just be a hindrance."
Baron Schneider felt a bit hurt by Petrick's blunt rejection. What Lord would enjoy hearing that his own soldiers were useless?
Then, the Baroness, who had been listening, spoke up.
"But son, the fact that you skinned that Saber Tiger and brought it back suggests that safety isn't your only motive, is it?"
"Yes. As you suspected, Mother, I intend to make some money using the byproducts from the monsters I hunt."
"I see. I thought as much."
The Baroness spoke as if she had expected this. Baron Schneider, standing beside her, chimed in.
"Son, our territory isn't so poor that you need to worry about money."
"No, Father. You need to assess the situation calmly and accurately."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you need to look at reality. To put it bluntly, our territory is filthy poor."
"I wouldn't say 'filthy'…"
"Then shall I say 'dirt poor'?"
"..."
Aren't those the same thing? the Baron thought, while the Baroness beside him chuckled.
"Well, he's not wrong."
"As expected of Mother. You have a very accurate grasp of the situation."
Unlike my pushover father, he wanted to add, but he held back, fearing he'd be scolded for being disrespectful.
'Man, I'm way too nice.'
It was a delusional thought that would have made anyone who heard it cough up blood.