Chapter 162 - ...Huh? (1)

Around sunset, Alon arrived at House Xenonia's residence within the inner walls.

"It's been a long time, Marquis Pallatio."

"Indeed it has."

"Have you been well?"

"Yes."

"Let's have dinner first."

He had finally met Duchess Xenonia in person after more than a year of seeing her only through a crystal ball, and they agreed to dine together.

'It's huge.'

Following Duchess Xenonia, Alon looked around. He had felt it upon entering the inner walls, but stepping inside the mansion made its scale all the more apparent. House Xenonia's residence was enormous, almost a castle in its own right.

'House Xenonia's residence was vast in the game, too.'

He briefly recalled how often he had gotten lost there before becoming familiar with the game. Soon, they reached the dining room.

"Oh."

An exclamation escaped Alon unbidden. The large table was packed with a jaw-dropping array of dishes.

"This is—"

"I had it prepared when you said you were coming."

"... Thank you."

"Hehe. Let's eat first."

With Duchess Xenonia's considerate assistance, Alon took his seat and began eating. As he neared the end of his meal, he spoke at last.

"Come to think of it, there's something I'd like to ask."

"What is it?"

"Do you know anything about the Chosen One?"

Alon pictured Elivan's handsome face. Duchess Xenonia nodded.

"Yes, I do. I've investigated him personally, too."

"Personally?"

"I had heard he was coming to close the Monster Gate near my domain, but I also wondered whether he might bring meaningful change to the current political system."

"And what did you find?"

"There doesn't seem to be much potential for that. If I had to mention one thing—"

Duchess Xenonia considered briefly before answering.

"He might be acquainted with Cardinal Yutia... That's about it, I suppose."

"... With Yutia?"

"Yes. From what I hear, he acted as though he knew Yutia during his appointment as a Chosen One. No, to be precise, he tried not to show it, but apparently he slipped up."

"Hmm."

Alon inwardly puzzled over this, thinking of Elivan and Yutia. Based on what he knew, it was strange for the two to be acquainted.

'... Of course, they might have met without my knowing.'

He knew Yutia traveled to various places to do charitable work. He briefly wondered where their paths could have crossed.

"Has something happened? If so, I could sound out the Chosen One tomorrow."

"... You're meeting him tomorrow?"

"Yes. He removed the Monster Gate outside my domain, so I ought to commend him."

Alon shook his head at her offer. Things might have been different if he had a clear justification, but he had none at present.

"No, I don't think that will be necessary."

"Understood."

They moved on to other subjects—mostly the Sword Faction—before she asked,

"By the way, do you intend to attend the upcoming ball, my lord?"

"Hmm, I probably will."

"That's a relief."

"Why is that?"

"It seems kings and nobles from other kingdoms will be attending this ball as well."

"... Kings and nobles from other kingdoms?"

"Yes. I asked because I thought it would be worthwhile to cultivate friendships with foreign nobles."

"Though you already seem to have plenty of connections, my lord," Duchess Xenonia added before continuing.

"Besides, the Principality of Luxible will be attending this time."

"The Principality of Luxible—"

"It's where the royal family recently took power after ousting the corrupt forces."

"... I've heard something about that myself. I hear they've changed their state religion."

"Yes, to..."

Duchess Xenonia touched her index finger to her lips for a moment, then answered as though the name had come back to her.

"Kalanon, the Receiver of Lightning... I believe."

"That's what I heard, too. But is their attendance important?"

"Hmm, not particularly. Still, if the talks go well... As you've no doubt surmised, my lord, our faction stands to gain quite a bit in several respects."

Of course, Alon was utterly lost. The Kingdom of Luxible was a foreign country entirely separate from the Kingdom of Asteria, and it was quite far away, too. In short, he had no idea how they could benefit from relations with the Principality of Luxible.

But asking outright would have been awkward.

"... I see."

All he could do was pretend to answer indifferently.

####

The next day.

"I'll be going now."

"I'll see you at the ball."

"Indeed."

After exchanging brief farewells with Duchess Xenonia, Alon left her domain. Rather than returning to his estate, he headed north.

["Weren't we going home?"]

Basiliora, who had made a rare appearance outside the ring and was engaged in a peculiar staring contest with Blackie, asked the question.

"There's somewhere I need to stop."

["Somewhere to stop?"]

"Yes. But why do you suddenly care?"

["Ahem. It's nothing."]

At Alon's question, Basiliora needlessly coiled up and feigned indifference.

"Isn't this snakehead hiding something?"

["What!? I'm hiding nothing!"]

"Nothing, my ass. The way you're turning your head away, you look just like a squirrel that's stashed something."

["Cut the bullshit, human! I'm better than you, fooling around with a maid yesterday!!"]

"What!? What maid did I fool around with!?"

["Hmph. Did you think nobody would know? I saw everything yesterday, you lowly human!"]

"Bullshit! We just took a short walk in the garden!"

["Hmph! Didn't you cle-ver-ly invent things that never happened in the Monster Gate to boast about them?"]

"Are you a fucking stalker!?"

Evan recoiled in guilty shock while Basiliora mocked him to its heart's content.

... Honestly, to Alon, there wasn't much difference between Evan, who had apparently spun tall tales for a maid, and Basiliora, who had secretly stalked him.

["Ah, now I see. You're no human—you're practically a monkey."]

"Shut up, you snakeheaded bastard! We only went for a walk!"

["Hmph."]

Basiliora snorted dismissively at Evan's protest. Then a strangely wicked grin appeared on its face, and it began.

["Orle, your eyes are as clear as the violet sky I saw within the Monster Gate."]

["Ah, Sir Evan!"]

It acted out the exchange, alternately lowering and raising its voice.

Evan's face instantly flushed, and he let out a cry of "Aaaaargh!!!"

"Blackie, please make th-that snakehead shut up!! Please!"

He hastily appealed for help, but even Blackie was looking at him as though he were pathetic.

["Kyuu."]

After enduring a relentless bombardment of humiliations, Evan finally turned toward Alon, looking utterly exhausted and miserable.

"Hah... Hah..."

"... So, my lord. We're heading north as you instructed, but where exactly are we going?"

"We'll probably have to travel another two days or so."

"Two whole days? If we go that far north—"

Evan thought carefully before asking,

"I believe there's a village called Parsley there. Is that where we're headed?"

"More precisely, I intend to visit some ruins near Parsley."

Only then did Evan nod in understanding with an "Ah."

"You must be looking for something in those ruins."

"You know me well."

"I've traveled with you for more than just a year or two, my lord. It's easy enough to figure out that much."

"Then shouldn't you have known without asking when I said we were heading north?"

"Well, I only asked as a formality."

Evan's lips curled into a playful smile. Alon smiled faintly in return, then looked out at the surrounding scenery.

But then—

"Huh?"

"What is it?"

"My lord, you smiled."

Evan's eyes widened.

"Did I?"

"You've gone back to being expressionless now, but you definitely smiled a moment ago."

Alon lightly touched the corner of his mouth.

'Hmm. Unlike before, perhaps my emotions have been showing a little lately.'

He recalled something Seollang had once said, but soon shrugged. Having his emotions show on his face wasn't really anything to worry about.

"By the way, my lord, will we return to your estate after visiting the ruins?"

"Probably, unless something unusual comes up."

"Understood."

Alon wore a curious expression as he watched Evan drive the carriage with what seemed to be a little more enthusiasm, though he might have been imagining it. Like Basiliora, Evan also appeared eager to return to the estate.

Alon briefly considered asking why, then decided against it and looked out the window.

The afternoon sun shone down, its heat beginning to intensify.

####

Three days later.

Even after reaching Parsley, Alon spent another day or so wandering before finally arriving at his destination.

"... These are the ruins?"

With a puzzled expression, Evan looked alongside Alon at the ruins before them. His reaction was understandable. All that stood before them was a single small door—so little that calling it a ruin felt almost embarrassing.

"Yes."

"... But it's so small. It looks as though even one person would struggle to fit inside."

He was right. The door was so narrow that even a single person would have great difficulty squeezing through. Alon merely shrugged and took out Rumiel's Oath.

"... Isn't that the item you received from the elf before?"

"Yes."

"Don't tell me you're opening it with that?"

"That's right."

Alon immediately raised Rumiel's Oath and began examining the ruins. Before long—

'Found it.'

He discovered a recess at the lower right where Rumiel's Oath could be inserted, and fitted the ring into it.

Then—

RRRRUMBLE!!!

An enormous noise rang out throughout the ruins, and the small door before him slowly began to open.

"... How on earth do you know so much about this?"

Evan asked with an expression full of admiration and curiosity.

Naturally, it was only because Alon had obtained artifacts using Rumiel's Oath countless times in the game. Beyond that, he knew nothing in particular. There was just one additional thing he knew about these ruins.

'Was this where the staff used by the primordial elf was kept?'

Alon had no idea who the primordial elf was or how important he had been. After all, the game had never said anything about the primordial elf.

'... I think there was one more set of ruins, though.'

Aside from that, Alon knew nothing about the primordial elf. At most, he could guess that the elf had been an extraordinary mage—no, a Magus.

'The artifact itself is excellent, after all.'

The slowly opening door was now fully open.

And—

'Found it.'

Beyond the door that had opened with a tremendous noise, Alon discovered the artifact left behind by the primordial elf:

The Staff of the Holy One.

Spotting the staff, which took the form of a glove, he smiled behind his expressionless face.

At that same moment, in Greinif—