After scolding Pesus, I surveyed the mansion under construction.
Though I had cursed the Dwarves, objectively speaking, the construction was progressing at an astonishingly rapid pace.
I can't wait to see the mansion completed.
I designed the mansion myself. More precisely, I commissioned an architect to create blueprints for a mansion exactly as I envisioned it.
The Dwarves, after studying the unfamiliar modern blueprints for just a few hours, immediately grasped the design and began laying the foundation.
I need to build a prison away from the mansion, and a guest annex too... There's still so much to do.
I had plenty of money. Most of the construction materials were obtained through the Korea Merchant Guild.
For the truly hard-to-find items, I brought them from the modern world.
Heh heh... I'll fill this vast mansion with women.
I had no intention of allowing any men other than myself into my mansion.
Knights or soldiers? I didn't need them for now.
Tevra City's security was quite good. Apart from the occasional marine monsters that surfaced from the sea, there were no significant threats.
The city guards can handle those. If Tevra City develops further, I'll hire them then.
I couldn't bring the Plum Knights from Count Prucus's Household. They belonged to the Prucus Household and were tasked with protecting their estate.
If I start building up military forces here, others will think I'm preparing for war.
Gent would likely react sensitively, so it was better to build up the military force slowly later.
If only women lived in the mansion, the rumors wouldn't be good... But I can just have them dress as men. Heh heh.
I grinned, imagining the completed mansion.
A group of three adventurers visited Count Prucus's Household. Two were men, and one was a woman.
Surprisingly, they were greeted by Hent, the commander of the Plum Knights.
"This way, this way. The Plum Knights' quarters are over here," Hent guided the adventurers.
"Hent... I never imagined you'd become the Knight Commander," a man with a sword at his waist muttered in disbelief.
His brown beard reached his chest as he repeatedly scanned Hent's impressive knightly uniform from head to toe.
"That's rude, Noph. Hent has more than enough skill to be a knight," Pneurin said, the only woman in the group. Cloaked and staff in hand, she was the quintessential mage.
Though her face was still beautiful, the wrinkles peeking through the robe's opening betrayed her middle age.
"I always thought Hent would succeed, though I never imagined he'd rise to become the Knight Commander of the Great Lord."
The other member was an elf with long, golden hair, pale skin, and pointed ears.
Over 150 years old, he looked remarkably young, save for a few fine lines on his face. His name was Beder, the Spirit Archer.
"Ha ha. You two haven't changed a bit."
Hent chuckled warmly.
Mercenaries and adventurers their work was essentially the same. Once, they had banded together to conquer dungeons and travel across the continent. That was fifteen years ago.
"But... is it really okay for us to be here at Count Prucus's estate?" Pneurin asked cautiously, glancing around. Even though she knew no one was nearby, the thought of being in the Great Lord's residence made her feel self-conscious.
"It's fine. I've already obtained permission from the Countess for you to enter. Besides, the estate has been rather relaxed lately... things have been quite lax in various ways."
"Lax? Shouldn't the residence of a Great Lord be incredibly busy?" Noph countered.
Hent shrugged.
"Count Prucus's household is a bit unusual. Currently, only the Countess resides in this mansion. Lord Ention, the head of the family, and his eldest son, Prince Gent, live at Utrecht Castle."
"Huh? I thought Count Prucus had three sons?"
"The third son, Prince Sung Yujin, received the Baron title about two months ago and became the lord of Tebra. As for the second son, Prince Kyle..."
Hent let out a hollow laugh. Even now, the situation seemed absurd.
"It's a publicly acknowledged secret that everyone pretends not to know, but Prince Kyle ran away from home a month ago."
"Ran away?! Why would a prince do that? What could he possibly lack?"
"That's beyond me. I wasn't particularly close to Prince Kyle. We went on a trip to Hugh Snow Mountain recently, so maybe he was inspired by something there."
Beder, taken aback by Hent's casual tone, asked incredulously, "Is that how a knight is supposed to speak?"
"Prince Kyle isn't here, so what does it matter? More importantly, let's go inside. This is the Plum Knights' training ground and barracks our private military camp, you could say."
The three followed Hent inside.
At the entrance stood a knight squire, unusually clad in full armor and armed with a spear and sword, guarding the gate. Despite his rigid posture, the squire's face betrayed an unmistakable tension.
"You've arrived, Commander!" the squire shouted loudly.
Hent nodded.
"Yes, you've worked hard today."
After a brief greeting, Hent led his old friends into the building.
"...They're really on edge," Noph observed, his keen eyes missing nothing. "Did they put on this show just because we're here?"
Hent smiled, as if he'd heard a particularly amusing joke.
That sharp bastard, Noph. He caught on right away.
In truth, Hent had issued strict orders to the entire Plum Knights. He couldn't afford to let his old friends see a lax and undisciplined unit it would ruin his image.
Hent wanted to impress them with his authority.
"What kind of insult is that? The Plum Knights are always on high alert. You never know when a crisis might erupt and we'll need to deploy. Keeping our bodies tense and ready is essential for wielding our swords effectively in a pinch."
"Ah... sorry. You just reminded me of your old self, and it seemed so out of character for the Knight Commander you are now."
"I understand. Even I'm sometimes surprised when I think back to my old self and realize I'm now the Knight Commander. Come in. This is my office."
Hent showed his old friends around his gleaming office. He had summoned the squires the previous day to scrub every corner until it was spotless. Not a speck of dust could be found anywhere.
"Ooh, ooh, ooh!"
Hent's nose lifted at his old friends' exclamations of admiration. The swords he had displayed on the wall were particularly popular.
"Wait a moment. I'll personally serve you tea."
"You're serving tea? You?"
"I've been enjoying tea frequently lately. I'll bring out a special blend just for you."
Hent retrieved a pre-prepared magical kettle and teacups. As he activated the kettle, the water inside began to boil vigorously.
Pneurin tilted her head, watching Hent grasp something in his hand and begin adding it to the teacups.
"Hmm? What's that?"
"Ah, this? It's instant coffee. With just hot water and a teacup, anyone can easily make coffee."
"Coffee?"
As a mage who prided herself on her tea expertise, she had never heard of coffee.
"It just looks like black powder and white powder... Is this really tea?"
"It's a type of tea invented by Prince Sung Yujin. It's quite popular in the Purcus Territory these days. Even the Countess enjoys it frequently."
Hent picked up the magical kettle and began pouring hot water into the teacups.
"...The aroma is quite pleasant."
"This is the trendy tea everyone's talking about?"
"Coffee, was it? The color is rather unappealing it looks like muddy water."
The coffee's appearance was far from appealing. Its dark brown hue resembled muddy water. Yet its enticing aroma piqued their curiosity enough to make them want to try it.
"Just take a sip. You'll understand once you taste it."
Hent spoke confidently. He hadn't liked coffee much at first either, being the type who never really enjoyed tea. But strangely, this instant coffee had become strangely appealing whenever he worked. Lately, he found himself drinking at least one cup every day.
Slurp.
As Hent took the first sip, his old friends cautiously lifted their teacups and began to drink.
Their eyes widened.
"This is..."
"Delicious! Even better than black tea!"
"Despite its muddy appearance, it's surprisingly good. The aroma is excellent too. Is there sugar in it?"
Pneurin glanced at the box on the corner of the desk. Instant coffee, he'd called it. Just tear open the packet, pour it into a teacup, and add hot water. It seemed incredibly easy to prepare, and the individual packets made it convenient to carry around.
"You said it's instant coffee, right? Where did you get it? I'd like to buy some separately if possible."
"This... isn't commercially available yet. Prince Sung Yujin mentioned it will be officially sold through the Korea Merchant Guild in a few months. I have a few boxes, so I'll make sure to give you one later."
"Really? Thank you! Hent! No, Sir Hent!"
"Just call me Hent. More importantly, try this too. It's a snack invented by Prince Sung Yujin that the knights absolutely love."
"It looks so unique. A snack?"
"Ah, yes. This is called a Choco Pie."
Hent led his old friends into the training grounds.
The knights were sweating profusely as they trained.
"You've arrived, Commander!"
"Hmm. Sir Maretin. You're training diligently as always. Any issues?"
"None!"
The old friends held their breath as they watched the knights train. Opportunities to witness the knights' training firsthand were rare, even if it was just a performance.
"Hent, what are those contraptions the knights are using?" the elf Beder asked.
"Those are exercise machines created by Prince Sung Yujin," Hent replied. "Using these devices makes it easier to build muscle compared to traditional training."
"...Prince Sung Yujin again. He must be an extraordinary man."
"Indeed. He is an extraordinary man."
Hent's voice carried a hint of melancholy.
Since Sung Yujin had left the estate, Hent no longer received the gifts he had grown accustomed to.
He desperately hoped the Korea Merchant Guild would start operating properly soon, so he could finally purchase beer cans, cigarettes, and other goods.
"What are those shoes? Everyone's wearing the same ones."
"Ah, those are combat boots invented by Prince Sung Yujin. They're easy to wear, incredibly durable, and waterproof, so we wear them when we're not in armor. If they were officially sold, they'd probably fly off the shelves."
"Hoh. Is that so?"
His old friends showed deep interest. As adventurers, they'd all suffered through shoes falling apart during their travels. If these boots were truly as durable as claimed, they'd be eager to buy them.
Later that evening, Hent brought out the canned beer and instant ramen he'd been saving for his old friends.
"Kreeee! This canned beer is amazing!"
"Ha ha ha! Noph, I knew you'd say that. Here, try this too. It's ramen. This is incredibly rare. I'm only treating you guys because it's you. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't even show it to them."
The old friends tilted their heads, staring at the ramen simmering in the pot.
"Is this really that rare?"
"The cooking method is so simple just boiling the ingredients in hot water. And it doesn't even look that special."
"Heh heh. Just try it. It'll be a whole new world for you."
Hent skillfully picked up the ramen with chopsticks, while his friends awkwardly began eating with forks.
"Mmm!?"
Their eyes widened. Salty and spicy a stimulating flavor they'd never tasted before. But it wasn't bad. In fact, it was strangely addictive.
"Try this too. It's a drink you won't find anywhere else."
"Black water? Is this ink? It's even bubbling. Is it poison?"
"Poison? That's a lame joke, Beder."
Beder cautiously lifted the cola-filled cup to his lips. His handsome face instantly contorted in a grimace. Yet he didn't pull away, gulping down the drink.
"Hoo... This is... incredible. Did Prince Sung Yujin make this too?"
"Exactly. Prince Sung Yujin is a true genius."
After the meal, Hent casually pulled out a cigarette, lit it with a lighter, and put it in his mouth.
His old friends stared at him intently.
Hent grinned and offered them cigarettes.
"Heh heh. Why don't you guys try one?"