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“How’s Kevin’s ambition?” Salvador asked.
“Kevin is certainly ambitious, Your Majesty. He sought out a martial arts mentor to improve his chances for advancement. As far as I know his relationship with his family is far from harmonious. He is driven to make a name for himself,” fan answered respectfully.
Ambition and personal interests-it was exactly what Salvador needed. With those traits, the risks were manageable.
Salvador made his decision. “Kevin it is, then. As for Ivan, promote him to a first-rank Nightsteel Guard and assign him to the Vanguard Unitet
The Vanguard Unit still needs a captain, so Galen will take that post.”
If Kevin had been Sophie’s apprentice, the risk would have been too great. However, Violet was his mentor. As it was someone from the Spencer family, Salvador was more than capable of handling them.
Kevin wanted a martial arts mentor for two reasons. The first was because he genuinely loved martial arts. The second was because it was a means to an end, a stepping stone to his promotion.
But he had plenty of patience. If it didn’t work in three years, he would wait five. If five years passed with no success, he would wait ten. The longer he stayed at Salvador’s side, the more experience he gained. If he didn’t give up, he would eventually succeed. Of course, he had his sights set on specific goals-he aimed to be promoted to deputy captain and then captain within three to five years.
So, when Salvador summoned him and granted him the position of deputy commander of the Nightsteel Guard, Kevin was completely stunned.
He had never been caught off guard in court before this was the first time.
It was lan who kicked him sharply, muttering with a laugh, “What are you daydreaming about? Don’t you know how to thank His Majesty?”
Kevin’s trembling hands pressed against his chest as he bowed deeply and said, “Your Majesty, I thank you for your trust and this promotion. I will surely remain loyal and devoted, giving my all in service.”
Salvador smiled at the words, clearly pleased. “lan, take him out. Have him buy drinks for your men to celebrate.”
Three men had been promoted. Kevin was overjoyed, Galen felt a bit disappointed, and Ivan showed no emotion at all. Having worked as a spy before, Ivan wasn’t one to let anyone read his inner thoughts. Whether he was happy or upset, he kept it all to himself. Of course, Kevin was eager to treat his comrades to drinks. As he walked, he felt like he was floating in the air. He was still unable to fully believe what had just happened.
He had planned to rise through the ranks slowly. Instead, fate had dropped a reward right in his lap, leaving him dazed by it.
But even in his stunned state, he didn’t forget to ask, “Wasn’t Deputy Commander Jaffe the deputy commander? Why would they promote me instead?”
lan chuckled. “He is still a deputy commander. He’s in charge of the Griffinblade Unit, the Shieldbearer Unit, and the Skystriker Unit. You’ll take command of the Vanguard Unit, the Eastguard Unit, and the Westguard Unit. Each of you will oversee three units. I know you’re capable of it. If you have any decisions you’re unsure of, you can come to me or ask your mentor.”
“My mentor?” Kevin had kept his apprenticeship a secret, but he had been spending a lot of time training with Violet recently, so the secret was hard to keep. “I can’t trouble my mentor with my work. If there’s anything I don’t understand, I’ll come to you, Commander lan. I hope you’ll be kind enough to teach me.”
lan laughed and scolded, “You fool. You have good connections and still don’t know how to use them. Your mentor and Commander Devin are close friends. If you go to her and she doesn’t know, she’ll ask Commander Devin. They’ll surely point you in the right direction.
“But remember, the most important thing is to never forget where you started. Always be grateful. It’s His Majesty who promoted you, and that’s how you became deputet commander. Without that, with your qualifications, you could have spent another three, five, or even seven years and still wouldn’t have made it to captain.”
Kevin laughed and said he was naturally very grateful to Salvador, as well as lan, for his support. He smoothly sidestepped the topic they had been discussing.
When Salvador was still the crown prince, Kevin had served him as a low-ranking guard. Although he hadn’t achieved much, he had met many people and experienced a lot, learning how to navigate the intricacies of court life.
This talk about seeking help from Violet and Sophie clearly hinted that his promotion wasn’t just based on merit-it was part of a larger scheme.
Even though Kevin recognized that, he wasn’t bothered by it. Rather, he was pleased because this promotion aligned with his goal. He could prove himself capable of the deputy commander role. As long as he performed well, Salvador would see it and recognize his abilities, not just credit him because of who his mentor was.
And even if Salvador still doubted his skills, there was nothing to be done. Kevin would just continue following the principles he believed in, living without regret and disappointment in his life.
That evening, Kevin treated his fellow guardsmen to drinks, inviting Blake, Galen, and Ivan along. Blake didn’t refuse and went with them back to Kevin’s estate.
Blake was too busy drinking to engage much in conversation, preferring to remain silent as the others joked around.
However, Galen suddenly remarked with a touch of bitterness, “Tonight, we’re still brothers-in-arms. But tomorrow, we’ll have to call you Deputy Commander Ziegler.”
Galen felt a pang of disappointment.
He and Kevin had always been close, and he had often worried about Kevin’s future. But now, Kevin had been promoted straight to deputy commander, and it felt like things were going too well for him.
It left a sour taste in Galen’s mouth.
Kevin raised his cup solemnly, offering a toast. “Thank you for looking out for me all this time. I wouldn’t be where I am today without your guidance and care.” Seeing Kevin respect him even after his promotion made the bitterness in Galen’s heart fade.
He smiled and raised his cup. “Don’t say that. Come, let’s drink to it. Congratulations, my friend.”
As the two of them drank heartily, Galen glanced at Blake. Though Blake was also a deputy commander, Galen looked down on him and secretly coveted his position.
The next day, Kevin brought his parents, wife, and children to visit Violet. He also brought along a generous selection of gifts.
Violet had already heard about Kevin’s promotion the night before-Sophie had been the one to tell her. At first, it didn’t make much of an impression. After all, it was just a promotion.
When she saw Kevin arrive with his whole family in tow to express their thanks, however, her mood changed. Everyone’s faces were beaming with joy, as if they had stumbled upon a chest of gold. It was clear they were thrilled.
Violet felt the joy of his promotion firsthand. When she learned more about it, she understood how rare it was. In the king’s service, promotions didn’t come easily. Unless someone accomplished a great feat, like saving the king, it could take years-one long year after another-to climb the ranks.
However, faced with Kevin’s family’s deep gratitude, Violet felt undeserving. She hadn’t contributed to his rise. This was all due to Kevin’s hard work and determination.
Later, Kevin asked his family to return home first, leaving him alone at Hell Monarch Estate. There were a few things he felt needed to be said in advance to avoid any misunderstandings or awkwardness down the line.
After explaining, he said, “This is just my guess, of course. We can’t know for certain what His Majesty is thinking. Regardless, I’ll focus only on doing my duty with sincerity. If there’s any shortcut that goes against my conscience, I won’t take it. I won’t worry you or my martial aunt in any way, Sage Violet.”
Sophie raised an eyebrow, about to say something. When she saw the look of approval in Violet’s eyes, though, she decided against it.
It looked like she was now the martial aunt of Violet’s apprentices.
The king’s sudden promotion of Kevin was a clear sign that he was giving up on Blake, who had truly disappointed him. Time and time again, Salvador had protected Blake, but the latter’s sudden move to resign was like pulling the rug out from under him. Salvador was probably furious.
After Kevin left, Violet couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. “I didn’t choose the wrong one, after all. That kid truly has potential.”
Sophie laughed. “Kid? He’s actually older than you.”
Violet leaned back in her chair, smiling as she crossed her arms. She adopted a relaxed, nostalgic expression.
“Age doesn’t matter. Seniority does. In the Spencer family, I’m already an old aunt. I have grandnieces and nephews who are older than me now-some are even married. Also, I’ve got a whole bunch of nephews. Every time I go back to my family, I’m surrounded by a dozen kids, all calling me ‘Aunt Violet’. It’s noisy as hell.”
Sophie lifted her gaze toward the hazy lights outside. Her mind wandered to a similar memory. After returning from Meadow Ridge, her younger, more naive nieces and nephews would excitedly gather around her. As they grew older, they stayed close to her quietly and offered her their company in silence.
As Sophie turned around, she saw Violet squatting on the ground, her hands resting on her knees. The emotions in her eyes hadn’t yet settled, and Sophie could see the guilt in them and a hint of tears Violet’s expression was one of innocence and sorrow, like a dog that had done something wrong and was now pitifully seeking forgiveness.
Unable to help herself, Sophie burst out laughing.
“What are you doing down there? Sage Violet, you’ll lose all your dignity if you squat like that.”