Take my daughter as your wife and your lover as your concubine. Making that sudden proposal, the count continued: «Limenin was the first abyss seeker to reach the tenth floor. Great Pikma, the explorer who traveled to all the districts of the vast sixth floor and created a map. Juggernaut, the iron hero. Furthermore, there have been countless heroes. Do you know what they all had in common? His travels were always backed by strong sponsors».
In the end, I had no choice but to ask. He understood perfectly what he meant, but still. «What do you gain by sponsoring me?».
«There is always a shortage of talent in this city. I was thinking of sponsoring you, even if this incident had not occurred». They didn't seem like empty words.
«What exactly do you mean by that?»
«It is common for nobles to patronize promising explorers, because it helps their reputation».
I knew about this. Should I say it was an upper class intellectual pastime? Comparing it to modern times, it was like collecting supercars, but I didn't know the next part.
«Sometimes, that becomes the measure of a family's power. If there are no sponsored explorers they are despised, and if they do not have significant achievements, that is also judged as having little discernment.»
Now that I saw it, this had gone beyond the realm of mere hobby. For the nobles, the social world was a political arena and the evaluation of others acted as a substantial force.
«The wealth of the Ferdehilt family is not inferior to that of any great nobility or Order of Knights. But there is something we are missing». I didn't know much about the count, but I knew this. «Despite much effort, there hasn't been a featured explorer for a long time».
«That's why you said you'd call me when I was ready».
«Why would I hide it? At that time, I didn't trust you. If my sponsored scout died soon after, that would also damage my family's reputation». However, not wanting someone else to take me away, he warned me not to accept the invitation of other nobles. An act of claim. «If I had known this would happen, I would have sponsored you without hesitation back then».
I smiled at that voice full of regret. If I had, the count's reputation would have risen as much as the price of my shares, and I would not have had to offer his daughter that way.
«Now I have no doubts. You're going to be an even bigger figure. Since many explorers have died, this will not be the end. As always, time will pass and vacancies will be filled. You will surely become the protagonist who leads the new era».
«...You flatter me».
«Well, we'll find out in time. Anyway, this should explain my benefit enough. Will you give me an answer now?»
I reflected silently for a moment. To be precise, I pretended to do it, as he would get angry if I refused right away. «I'm sorry, but a relationship like this will be difficult». It was a refusal with the smallest possible margin for negotiation.
«Think carefully. Everyone will want to have a friendly relationship with you, but who will want a blood relationship? I can do more for you than you imagine».
The conversation with the count ended there. After briefly saying goodbye to his daughter, I returned abroad. As soon as I came out, Missha found me. «Bjorn! Where have you gone?! I went to look for you because it took you a long time and you were gone».
«Ah, there was a nobleman who wanted to talk».
I didn't have to tell him what had just happened. Making an excuse, I went back to where I was and had another drink. The more he laughed and chatted, the more he remembered what the count had said.
«You will surely become the protagonist who leads the new era».
The banquet ended like this.
***
The performance ended and the noise stopped. The bloody banquet was finally over.
«Bastards.»
At first, I didn't know what kind of banquet this was. Since his only source of information had died, he had been no different from blind. Communicating with the outside world was impossible. However, thanks to the conversation he had with the prime minister a while ago, he came to know about the event that had occurred recently.
«It had been a long time since we had seen each other face to face. Noark's scoundrels made a play. There has been a lot of damage».
«A lot of damage? How much...?» the man asked trying to hide his growing anxiety.
The prime minister responded: «Whatever you imagine, more than that».
Seventy percent of the explorers on the fourth floor and above had died. Of course, the important part for him was another. Most of the scouts on the seventh floor or higher, large clans that could live happily even without climbing for the rest of their lives and yet refined themselves to reach even higher, were also dead. How long would it take to repair this damage?
Ha, I'm going to go crazy, he thought. I should have crushed that skull when I could.
The man gritted his teeth. When he heard the news, the first thing that came to mind was: «They hit me».
«Did you have this as your goal?», he asked, barely suppressing his murderous energy.
The prime minister responded with a smile: «We didn't know either. If you want, you can use that ability to check if it's true».
It was true that he did not know it, but more than once he had been deceived by that cunning language. «Fuck you. It is obvious that it would have ended like this even without that incident».
«Well, what do you think?»
«Shut your mouth. If you had let me kill them all during the conquest, this would never have happened».
It seemed that the issue was finally resolved. At the time of the conquest, Rafdonia had a much greater advantage. The damage was great, but if they had pushed a little harder, it could have ended infallibly. However, Rafdonia did not. They gave him time, and in the end, Noark activated an ancient barrier and closed the Portals of his castle.
«Why aren't you sincere? That you had no intention of keeping our promise from the beginning».
«Don't be disrespectful. His Majesty the King put the honor of the royal family at stake for that promise. Do not doubt that it will be fulfilled».
«Don't hesitate, my ass.»
That's when the man realized, or rather admitted, that those bastards had no intention of letting them go.
He probably acts so arrogant because he thinks we have no way to escape, he thought.
With that as an end, the prime minister left. The reason he didn't crush his skull and let him go instead was simple, because night must fall.
Ha... where should I dig now?
He had thought that the palace would have some clues, but he couldn't find any. Rather, he only realized that there was no answer here. It was safe to say that he lost ten years because of that trial, but the man did not give up.
If I have nowhere to go, I'll go to Noark.
Although weaker than Rafdonia in terms of power, they would have the will to clear it.
Whatever. I'll think about it outside.
The man closed his eyes, stretched out his hand in the air and began to imagine slowly. Star Dissolution was the Dead Red Dark Lord Skill, the essence he obtained in his last entry into the labyrinth, and without witnesses, one that not even the palace realized he possessed.
Crunch.
A dark sphere spun over the man's hand and absorbed the surrounding mana, including the sealing magic circle located in his room.
Crackkk.
Finally, the magic circle was broken.
Bang!
The dark sphere exploded and dissolved everything within a hundred meters.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Simultaneously with the explosion, he could feel the knights stationed in the area approaching. Wow, how fast.
«E-escape!»
«Stop him!»
The man smiled. «Hey, come now and you're dead».
The knights shuddered at the murderous energy emitted by the man. Although they shouted for the king and loyalty like fanatics every day, they seemed to know that their lives were precious. Seeing that made him feel a little better.
«Stupid bastards». The man sneered and jumped high. Then, as if delighting in freedom, he used Space Interference to step into the air and escaped from the palace too easily. It reached a height of hundreds of meters in less than a minute.
This damn city hasn't changed anything. The castle walls strangle in all four directions like iron bars. Oh wait. But I can't get into Noark right now because of the barrier.
Traveling for a long time, the man belatedly realized this fact and stopped to think about the air.
Should I go to Bifron? It's the best place to hide. Yes, that would be best. But... let's go through the magic tower first.
Before he hid, there was a place he needed to visit. He had to reset the information supply path to at least know how the world worked while he was in hiding.
I'm also curious to know what happened to him... He should be alive, right?
I expected that. With those thoughts about someone for the first time in a long time, Baeko scoured the night sky.
***
Five days had passed since the banquet ended. At that time, I didn't do much. I just stayed home and took some time to get my body back, and when I felt so much better yesterday, I went to find a certain family. That was because I promised him.
«Give the news to my son. If it's you, you're sure to be famous when you go out. The child will like it».
His family was a ten-year-old boy and a young wife. Unlike his words, the boy did not smile when he saw me. Yeah, how was I going to do it?
«I've heard a lot about you. Thanks for coming...» Although I traveled four hours by carriage to get there, I only ended up having a brief conversation with the wife. Apparently, she planned to open a store with compensation money for grieving families. He said it was the couple's lifelong dream.
«If you have any problems raising your child or your finances, feel free to come pick me up whenever you want».
«Why... do you do so much? I heard you met my husband for the first time that day...»
«Because if we had met somewhere else, we would have been friends.»
«Ya... I see...» The determined woman who had recovered in ten days for the son she had left shed silent tears. «Since I was little... I was someone with a childish side. He always admired heroes. Thank you very much. He will be delighted too. If someone like you remembers it...»
What was a person like me? Those words went up my throat, but I suppressed them. Whether true or not, it had to be that way. If they wanted it, it was also something I had to do.
«Bjorn!» As she calmly pondered these thoughts the next day, Missha burst through the door. «Erwen! Errrwen is here!»
So she also ordered his head.
As I walked down the stairs, I saw Erwen standing expressionlessly in the living room. It was our first reunion since that day. I wondered what he should say before finally spitting: «I'm glad you're here». If I had led a better life, I would have been able to give better words of comfort at times like this.
«Yes...»
Seeing Erwen's shadowed face, Missha snuck towards her. «Have you eaten? You're hungry?»
«I'm fine. Thank you, Miss Karlstein».
«Miss! Call me sister-ah!» Missha stepped on a mine. «No no yes! Missha is enough...» Missha quickly corrected her title.
At that, Erwen grimaced in pain. Then he slowly opened his eyes and smiled tensely. «You don't have to be so accommodating. Really. But thanks, little sister...».
«Ah yes... Ah, of course. Come this way. I cleared this room thinking you might come...»
«Excuse me? Clean a room?»
«It's not like you have anywhere else to go. You can stay here as long as you want, so stay until you compose yourself. You'll only have a hard time being alone...».
Erwen's eyes widened at Missha's words, as if she had just heard an offer she didn't expect to hear. «Can I really do that...?». Immediately, Erwen moved to look at me as if asking my opinion and I shrugged.
«I already told you. It was your sister's wish. Now I am your tutor».
Erwen clenched her small fists and spoke almost forcefully. «...Thank you for your consideration. Really... I have nothing left... nothing... so...».
«Of course you have it left. Missha, hurry up and take her to her room. Since you've added the furniture, you'll know her better than I do».
«Ah! Okay!»
Shortly after, Missha took Erwen to show her the structure of the house and things like that. It seemed like Erwen hadn't slept at all lately. Saying he would get some rest, Erwen lay down and fell asleep right away.
«...Ugh, fighting a monster will leave me calmer».
«I agree...»
Afterwards, we both ate the food that Missha had prepared. Ainar was going to spend the night in the holy land. Anyway, after dinner, I spent time talking about this and that with Missha and when it was around midnight, I went to bed.
I felt my heart race. I was wondering how many people had participated.
[Your soul has resonated and is drawn to a specific world.]
Clown, is that son of a bitch there? I hope so.