Chapter 235 - New Age (5)

Make my daughter your lawful wife, and take your lover as a concubine.

Having made that proposal out of nowhere, the count continued.

“Rimenin the Abyss Seeker, the first to reach the tenth floor. Pikma, the great navigator who explored and mapped every region of the vast sixth floor. Juggernaut, the Hero of Iron.”

“...”

“And countless other heroes besides. Do you know what they had in common? They always had a dependable patron supporting their journeys.”

In the end, I had to ask. I mean, I understood perfectly well what he was getting at, but...

“What do you get out of sponsoring me?”

“This city is always short of talent. Even before this incident, I was making plans to sponsor you.”

He didn't sound as though he was merely being polite.

“What exactly do you mean?”

“Nobles commonly sponsor promising explorers. It helps build their houses' reputations.”

That much I knew. A refined hobby for the upper classes, you could say? The modern equivalent would be collecting supercars.

But I hadn't known this next part.

“Sometimes, it even serves as a measure of a house's power. Sponsor no explorers, and people look down on you. Sponsor explorers who achieve nothing of note, and they judge you for having poor discernment.”

So it went beyond a mere hobby. For nobles, high society was a political arena, and other people's opinions would translate directly into real power.

“The wealth of House Ferdehilt rivals that of any great noble house. The same goes for our order of knights. But there is one thing we lack.”

I didn't know much about his house, but I thought I could guess.

“Despite all our efforts, we haven't produced a single noteworthy explorer in a long time.”

“So that's what you meant when you said you'd send for me once you were ready.”

“Why hide it? I said that because I wasn't certain about you then. If an explorer we sponsor dies soon afterward, it can tarnish our house's reputation.”

Even so, he hadn't wanted anyone else to have me, so he'd warned me not to accept invitations from other nobles. A way of staking his claim.

“Had I known it would turn out like this, I would have sponsored you then without hesitation.”

His voice was so full of regret that I couldn't help chuckling. If he had, his house's reputation would have skyrocketed along with my rising stock. He wouldn't have needed to offer up his daughter like this, either.

“I have no doubts now. You're destined for greater things. Countless explorers have died, but surely this isn't the end? As always, time will pass and others will fill the vacancies. You will surely be a leading figure in the new age.”

“... You think too highly of me.”

“Well, we'll have to wait and see about that. In any case, I believe that explains everything I stand to gain. Will you give me your answer, then?”

I fell silent for a moment to consider it. Or rather, I pretended to. Rejecting him immediately would clearly hurt his feelings.

“I'm sorry, but I don't think that kind of relationship would work.”

I tried to leave as little room for hope as possible.

“Think it over carefully. Everyone will want to be on good terms with you, but how many would be willing to forge family ties? I can do far more for you than you imagine.”

That was where my conversation with the count ended. After exchanging a few more brief words with his daughter, I returned outdoors. No sooner had I stepped outside than Misha spotted me and came over.

“Bjorn! Where did you go, nyah! You were taking so long that I went looking for you, but I couldn't find you anywhere, nyah!”

“Oh, a noble held me up for a bit.”

There was no need to tell her what had just happened. After giving that vague excuse, I returned to my spot and resumed drinking. The more I laughed and chatted, the more I found myself remembering the count's words.

[“You will surely be a leading figure in the new age.”]

And so the banquet came to an end.

* * *

The music ended, and the noisy clamor ceased. That tiresome banquet was finally over.

“Motherfuckers.”

At first, he hadn't known what the banquet was for. Ever since his only source of information had gone silent, he'd been practically blind. He couldn't contact the outside world at all.

But...

[“It's been a long time since we last met face-to-face.”]

Through his conversation with the Chancellor, who had stopped by a short while ago, he'd learned what had happened.

[“Those Noark scoundrels pulled something this time. We suffered heavy losses.”]

Heavy losses. Just how heavy...?

The man had asked, struggling to hide his mounting anxiety, and the Chancellor had answered.

[“Whatever you're imagining, worse.”]

Seventy percent of the explorers on the fourth floor and above had died. Of course, what mattered to him was something else.

The explorers on the seventh floor and above. The major clans that had been honing themselves to venture into the depths, even though they could have stopped climbing and lived in luxury.

Most of them had died as well.

How long would it take to recover from these losses?

“Ha, this is so fucking infuriating. I should've just blown his fucking head off back then.”

The man ground his teeth.

When he'd heard the news, his first thought had been, 'They got me.'

[“Was this... what you were aiming for?”]

He'd asked, barely suppressing his bloodlust, and the Chancellor had answered with a smile.

[“We knew nothing about this incident either. You're welcome to use that ability of yours to verify the truth of that.”]

It was true that they hadn't known, but... There was a limit to how many times he'd fall for that slippery wording.

[“Bullshit. Even without this incident, it would've ended up this way eventually.”]

[“Well, how do you suppose it would have gone?”]

[“Cut the crap. If you'd let me kill them all during the last subjugation campaign, this never would've happened.”]

He felt as though his questions were finally being answered. During the campaign, Raphdonia had held a far greater advantage. Their losses had been heavy, but a little more pressure would have finished things for good.

Yet the royal family hadn't done that. They'd given Noark time, and in the end, Noark had activated its ancient barrier and shut its gates.

[“Why not be honest? Say you never intended to keep your promise to me in the first place.”]

[“How insolent. His Majesty the King personally made that promise on the honor of the royal family. It will be kept without fail. Do not doubt it.”]

[“Don't doubt it, my fucking ass.”]

The man finally realized. No, it would be more accurate to say he'd finally admitted it.

These bastards had no intention of letting them go.

'They're probably acting so arrogant because they think I have no way to escape.'

The Chancellor had left after that exchange. The reason he'd let him leave without blowing his head off was simple.

He needed to wait until night.

'Ha, where am I supposed to dig next?'

He'd thought the royal family would have a clue, but he'd found none. No, all he'd learned was that there were no answers here. It was fair to say that decision had cost him at least ten years.

But he didn't give up.

'... If there's really nowhere else to go, I can always try Noark.'

They might be weaker than the royal family, but at least they would be willing to pursue a clear.

'Ah, whatever. Let's get out first and think afterward.'

The man closed his eyes and extended a hand into empty air. Then he slowly began to visualize.

'Star Annihilation.'

A skill of Deadred, the Lord of Darkness. The Essence he'd obtained on his last trip into the Labyrinth—one that not even the royal family knew he possessed, since there had been no witnesses.

CRACKLE.

A sphere of darkness spun above his hand, absorbing all the mana around it. That included the mana in the sealing magic circle inscribed in his room.

CRACKLE.

At last, the magic circle broke.

And then...

BOOOOOOOM!

The dark sphere exploded, annihilating everything within a hundred-meter radius.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Bells rang out the moment of the explosion, and he sensed the knights stationed nearby approaching.

Well, they certainly were quick to react.

“H-he's escaping!”

“Stop him!!”

The man grinned.

“Hey, come any closer and you're gonna die, you know?”

The knights flinched and froze at the bloodlust pouring out of him. They might rant like fanatics about their king and loyalty every day, but apparently they still valued their own lives. Seeing that made him feel a little better.

“Fucking morons.”

With a sneer, the man leaped high into the air. Then, as though reveling in his freedom, he used Spatial Interference to step on empty air and left the palace with ridiculous ease.

In less than a minute, he was hundreds of meters above the ground.

This goddamn city was much the same as ever. North, south, east, or west, towering walls hemmed it in like the bars of a cage.

'Oh, wait. I can't get into Noark right now because of the barrier, can I?'

Only after traveling for some time did he realize this. He stopped in midair to think.

'... Should I go to Bifron? It's the perfect place to hide.'

Yes, that seemed like the best option.

But...

'Let's stop by the Magic Tower first.'

There was somewhere he had to go before going into hiding. He needed to restore his information channel if he wanted to know what was happening in the world while he lay low.

'And I wonder how that guy's doing.'

... He was still alive, right?

Well, he certainly hoped so.

For the first time in a very long while, the man—Lee Baekho—entertained such a thought about someone else as he crossed the night sky.

* * *

Five days had passed since the banquet. I hadn't done much in that time. I'd simply stayed home and let my body recover. Yesterday, feeling a little more human, I'd gone out alone to visit a family.

I'd made a promise, after all.

[“Tell my son what happened. I have a feeling you'll be famous by the time you get out. He'll be thrilled.”]

A family with a ten-year-old boy and a young wife. Contrary to what he'd said, the boy hadn't smiled when he saw me.

Of course. How could he?

[“I've heard a lot about you. Thank you for coming...”]

I'd spent more than four hours getting there by carriage, but in the end, I'd only spoken briefly with his wife. She said she'd received the bereavement compensation and planned to use it to open a shop. Apparently, it had been a longtime dream of theirs.

[“If you ever have trouble raising your son or making ends meet, don't hesitate to come to me.”]

[“Why... would you do so much for us? I heard you and my husband only met that day...”]

[“Because if we'd met somewhere else, we would've been friends.”]

[“I... see...”]

The tenacious woman, who had pulled herself together in little more than ten days for the sake of the child left behind, quietly shed tears.

[“Ever since he was young... there was something childlike about him. He always admired heroes. Thank you, truly, truly. He would be happy too. To have someone like you remember him...”]

What was so special about someone like me?

The words rose to my throat, but I held them back. Whatever the truth was, I had to become that person. If that was what they wanted, then that, too, was something I had to do.

“Bjorn!”

As I quietly reflected on all this, Misha burst through my bedroom door.

“Erwin! Erwin's here, nyah!”

So she'd finally sorted things out too.

I hurried downstairs and found Erwin standing blankly in the living room. It was our first meeting since that day. I wondered what to say, then finally blurted out:

“I'm glad you came.”

If I'd led a better life, I might have had some finer words of comfort for a moment like this.

“Yes...”

Seeing Erwin's gloomy expression, Misha hurried over in a fluster.

“H-have you eaten? Are you hungry, nyah?”

“I'm all right. Thank you, Miss Karlstein.”

“Miss? Just call me your big sister... Oh!”

Ah...

Misha had stepped on a land mine.

“No, no, right! Just Misha is fine...”

She quickly corrected herself.

Erwin squeezed her eyes shut. Then she slowly opened them and managed a strained smile.

“You don't have to be so careful around me. Really. Thank you for caring, big sister...”

“Oh, um, okay... Right. Come this way, nyah. I kept a room empty over here in case you came...”

“What? You kept a room empty?”

“You don't have anywhere else to go, do you, nyah? You can stay as long as you like, so stay here until you're feeling better, nyah. Being alone will only make it harder...”

Erwin's eyes widened at Misha's words, as though she'd heard an offer she'd never expected.

“I-is that really all right...?”

She turned her gaze to me, as if asking for my approval, and I shrugged.

“Didn't I tell you? Your sister asked me to look after you. I'm your guardian now.”

Erwin clenched her small fists. Then, as though forcibly dragging the words out, she barely managed to speak.

“... Then I'll gratefully accept your kindness. Really, now... I don't have... anything left...”

“Of course you do. Misha, take her up and show her the room. You're the one who furnished it, so you'd know it better than me.”

“Oh! All right, nyah!”

Misha took Erwin away to show her the layout of the house and such. Had she not been sleeping properly all this time? Erwin lay down on the bed, saying she'd rest for a moment, and fell straight asleep.

“... Whew. I think fighting monsters would be easier, nyah.”

“Agreed...”

Afterward, the two of us ate the meal Misha prepared. Aynar had said she'd be spending the night at the sanctuary.

Anyway, after dinner, I passed the time chatting with Misha about this and that. Around midnight, I went upstairs to my room and lay down on the bed.

[23 : 59]

My heart pounded. How many people would be attending?

No...

「Your character's soul resonates, drawing you into a particular world.」

Would that motherfucker, the Clown, be there?

I really hoped he would.