The Lord: In Another World, I Have a Summoning Card !-Chapter 53 : "Seram" Fruit

While the orc hordes clashed against the walls of the human knights over the bloody plains—where the cries of men mingled with the roars of beasts and the clash of steel—Arthur was far from this chaos, immersed in a different kind of battle.

In the heart of his silent castle, where only the sound of the wind striking the high windows could be heard, Arthur sat behind his massive desk in his private study.

The flickering torchlights cast shifting shadows on the room’s walls, painting ever-changing scenes of stillness and mystery.

A large book lay open before him, its ancient pages exuding the scent of time, as he ran his hand calmly over the faded letters, carefully and attentively reading through the texts.

Beside him, an oddly shaped fruit rested on a small metal plate. Its color was a deep purple, and its shiny surface suggested it still retained some of its natural energy.

The book in his hands contained detailed information about magical plants, rare trees, and precious fruits.

It had arrived yesterday from the Werner family after his request, along with an additional collection of documents.

His request for the book was not questioned; he was the son of a viscount, and it was natural for him to seek to expand his knowledge to improve his ability to assess spoils and understand the battlefield environment.

For a middle-ranking noble family, using their connections to acquire such resources was a common practice.

Since Arthur’s first victory, positive reports of his smaller battles had continued to arrive, improving his relationship with his family, especially with his father.

His father had even begun sending him weekly letters containing inquiries about his condition and useful information.

The viscount had also rallied the support of his relatives and contacts in the capital to ensure Arthur’s swift elevation to the rank of baron, which would help solidify his position during the war.

Without such efforts, Arthur’s receipt of the title might have been delayed due to the slow bureaucratic procedures in the capital.

Arthur moved between the pages of the book and the fruit placed beside him, carefully verifying the details, comparing the written description to the fruit before him.

Moments of silent concentration passed before he suddenly stopped, his fingers halting on one particular page. His eyes widened slightly, and a faint inner spark flared with a muted excitement.

He whispered, as if confirming his discovery to himself:

"So... this is it."

He then began to read the page with utmost care, as if every word carried the weight of a hidden treasure:

[The Purple "Seram" Fruit:]

[...This rare fruit grows in exceptional environments—places saturated with the hidden forces of the world, at the intersections of magical and bloodlines’ ley lines.

It only appears in extremely specific locations, often where great battles or major historical shifts have taken place, where the earth became soaked with the blood of heroes and kings, and the soil transformed into a natural cradle for miracles.

This fruit is distinguished by an extraordinary ability: when consumed, it triggers benign mutations within the body, opening closed pathways in the blood tissues, thereby allowing the awakening of dormant powers—whether they stem from the blood of great ancestors or abilities buried for generations.

Certain races, especially those whose power is built upon blood purity and lineage, use it as a means to revive dormant powers and achieve breakthroughs in their life stages, allowing advancement into higher tiers within bloodline- and lineage-based professions.

Moreover, the fruit’s success in stimulating a complete transformation is closely tied to its growth duration: the longer the fruit has matured, the more potent and impactful it becomes.

A rare fruit that has matured for hundreds of years possesses an extraordinary ability to accelerate advancement to higher tiers, potentially pushing the user to limits unattainable through conventional means, while a fruit that has grown for only a few years may not be sufficient to support a complete and stable transformation....]

[Important Note:]

[Despite its great benefits, using this fruit is fraught with risks. If the user’s blood is not strong enough, or if their lineage is unstable, the resulting mutation could lead to dire consequences, such as madness, death, or grotesque physical deformities.

As for humans, the "Seram" does not trigger the same bloodline transformation it does with certain other races, but it still holds immense value.

When consumed, this fruit can enhance an individual’s talent in mastering Qi breathing techniques and improve overall physical fitness and endurance—although the degree of enhancement varies depending on each person’s individual nature.]

Arthur finished reading and closed his eyes for a moment, sinking into a stream of thoughts.

His gaze drifted once more toward the fruit beside him.

For the first time, he noticed that its skin seemed to breathe slowly, a living breath pulsing with hidden existence.

He slowly reached out toward it, without touching it yet. There was a certain awe—a deep, instinctive respect for what it carried within its fibers.

Now that the truth was finally clear to him, Arthur fully understood why this fruit was important enough for the orc leader Jerome, who was almost foolish, to take such a reckless risk.

In a world collapsing under the weight of wars and conspiracies, where every bit of extra strength could mean the difference between life and death, it seemed to him that this fruit could very well be that difference.

Even within human society, this fruit was worth many times its weight in gold... and royal families and secret organizations would be willing to fight over it in auctions.

It is true that the Qi Knight profession, unlike other professions, does not have strict talent barriers and requires only simple initial conditions to begin, making it a fundamental and preferred path among humans — a race that, apart from its great reproductive ability, possesses no innate advantages compared to other intelligent races.

However, this does not mean that the path is easily open to everyone.

Ascending from a mere novice knight to a Silver or Gold Knight requires much more than just practicing Qi breathing regularly.

The most crucial factors for advancing in this path include rare resources like specialized training potions, high-level Qi breathing techniques, and a tremendous amount of time and arduous effort.

Sometimes, having an experienced mentor becomes an indispensable necessity to avoid dead ends and life-wasting deviations.

Arthur was well aware... that in this world, even the paths "open to all" do not offer equal chances for everyone.

Status, resources, and talent — all of them determine the true road a person can walk.

Arthur lowered his gaze back to the page, studying the detailed notes and illustrations attached to the book.

"According to what’s written here..." he muttered to himself, frowning slightly. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"This sample of the fruit has matured for thirty years... and it seems to be enough to push an orc warrior to a level equivalent to a Bronze Knight in their unusual professional system."

He fell silent for a moment, his eyes sinking into deep contemplation.

"As for me...Now, I must devise a plan to maximize this opportunity. I’ve reached the peak of Apprentice Knight, and advancing to the Iron Knight stage is a critical and dangerous step."

After making up his mind, he raised his voice and called out to the guard standing outside the room....Later that evening, in his bedroom, Arthur sat cross-legged inside a large barrel filled with cold water.

He was bare-chested, holding the purple Ceram Fruit firmly with both hands, fully prepared for the next step.

Standing directly behind him, beside the barrel, was the Silver Knight Jonathan de Caster, silently observing the situation, ready to intervene if necessary.

The moment Arthur took his first bite of the Ceram Fruit, its sharp, energy-filled flavor spread rapidly through his body.Jonathan de Caster did not hesitate; he firmly placed his hand on the edge of the barrel and released his own Qi.

Steady waves of Qi flowed through the water, wrapping around Arthur’s body, organizing and assisting the absorption of the energy radiating from the fruit.

Arthur felt a fierce heat spreading from his stomach to his limbs, surging with a force he could not control on his own.

Jonathan’s Qi acted like an invisible hand, enveloping the chaotic currents and reshaping them, preventing the energy from exploding or causing internal damage.

With every breath Arthur took, the energy penetrated deeper, seeping into his very cells, and the transformation process began — slowly but steadily.

The moment Arthur took his first bite of the Ceram Fruit, its sharp, energy-filled flavor spread rapidly through his body.

Jonathan de Caster did not hesitate; he firmly placed his hand on the edge of the barrel and released his own Qi.

Steady waves of Qi flowed through the water, wrapping around Arthur’s body, organizing and assisting the absorption of the energy radiating from the fruit.

Arthur felt a fierce heat spreading from his stomach to his limbs, surging with a force he could not control on his own.

Jonathan’s Qi acted like an invisible hand, enveloping the chaotic currents and reshaping them, preventing the energy from exploding or causing internal damage.With every breath Arthur took, the energy penetrated deeper, seeping into his very cells, and the transformation process began — slowly but steadily.

He started devoured it in large, hurried bites before immediately activating the "Forest Breathing Technique."

Sweat poured from every part of his body, and his bones emitted cracking sounds whenever he moved, yet he remained firmly in position.

Until...Suddenly, a powerful heartbeat echoed through the once-quiet training room.From blurry to clear, from faint to sharp, from slow to intense.

Arthur’s sweat stopped abruptly, and the color drained from his face, turning deathly pale.

His figure began to shrink and contract, as if gripped by an enormous, invisible hand.

The heartbeat pounded like war drums, growing stronger and faster, quickly reaching a critical point — nearly merging into a continuous, straight line.