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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Let's Meet Again (3)
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5.
Far beyond the window, the capital receded quickly.
Karron watched the capital's nightscape blur and fade from view.
The sun was slowly setting.
Bathed in the twilight glow, the capital was truly beautiful.
What are you thinking about, Karron?
Leo asked casually.
That it was fun.
...You do know you almost died back there, right?
I know. Almost died again.
Again?
Never mind. It's nothing.
He had thought of it only as a tomb.
It seemed like a place with no good memories left, but now that he looked back, that wasn't entirely true.
It had been a journey where he had gained much.
Separate from reaching the fifth star of the Sea-Conquering Art, he was taking away so much more.
Hope.
The hope that his former comrades might still be alive.
And a goal.
He now understood who his enemies were, and at whom he should point his sword.
All of it coalesced to form a burning desire.
I have to get stronger.
As I am now, it's not enough.
I have to become so much stronger, strong enough for others to look up to me in awe.
The path of revenge would not be easy.
If the succubus he'd faced in the Imperial Palace had tried to kill him on the spot, she could have easily done so.
The tomb of his distant past could have become his tomb in the present.
There were countless strong enemies in this world.
Karron instinctively realized that the age of peace was over and that chaos was coming.
In such a world, what was he to do?
The answer, once again, came down to one thing.
Leo. Let's train as soon as we get back. We're still too weak. We have to get stronger. Only then can we protect the things we hold dear.
Unlike his past life, in this one, there were so many things to protect.
So many precious people.
From his parents and maternal grandparents to Leo, and extending to all the people he had formed bonds with.
To protect them all, he ultimately needed power.
It wasn't a burden.
On the contrary, he was glad.
It meant that, at least in this life, he was not alone.
Karron smiled faintly and looked at Jeras.
Sir Jeras, can we stop by my father's estate on the way back?
The plan is to rest briefly in Tebe, then board a train in the Belrus Barony. The family head has already ordered us to stop by Lord Peil's domain.
Jeras continued, looking at Karron.
If you wish, you may rest at home for a while before coming. The head of the family has granted you two weeks of free time.
Then I'll do that. It's about time I played the part of a dutiful son.
Yes, understood.
Once he returned to Azurecastle, he would be training like hell for four years.
So it seemed best to spend some time with his parents beforehand.
His father didn't show it much, but his mother often sent letters saying she missed him.
How long will we be staying in Tebe?
We'll sleep and leave immediately. If you're thinking of acting alone, you can forget it. You, Lord Karron, are sleeping with me.
I'm not a child.
Yes, you are. Not just a child left by the water, but one thrown into a fire.
Tsk.
Since he was traveling with Jeras, there would likely be no trouble.
After all, no one would dare challenge the Sea Wolf Knights led by Sir Jeras himself.
Haaah. I really don't want to go back.
Karron muttered, sinking deep into the cushion.
Leo followed his lead, lying back comfortably. Then he spoke to Karron in a suggestive tone.
You're going to put in a good word for me with my father again, right?
Of couuurse. I'll tell him you even saved my life.
Thank
Oh, and I should also mention how you disguised yourself as a commoner in Tebe for the mission. He needs to know how dedicated his son was to the task, right?
As the conversation reached that point, Karron turned his gaze to Jeras.
Sir Jeras, are you tracking the real culprits who attacked us in Tebe?
Jeras nodded.
That's why the family head remained in the capital. He said he would track down the masterminds behind the attack there.
Did you get any useful information from the guys I caught?
Nothing has been confirmed, but we've gathered that there's a clandestine organization involving several nobles in the capital. Ah, and a connection to the group of deserters that appeared in the Belrus Barony has also been discovered.
A connection? What kind?
The drugs they distributed in the Belrus Barony were reportedly procured from the black market in Tebe. It's certainly information worth investigating.
...Hmmmm.
Aside from the damn demons he wanted to chew up and spit out, there was definitely some kind of subversive movement within the Empire.
But Karron didn't dwell on it for long.
It's already out of my hands anyway.
The entire family was on it, so things will progress just fine without my direct involvement.
With Halo himself searching for the masterminds, a meaningful result should come soon.
And in truth, that wasn't the most important issue at hand.
Things are about to get annoying at Azurecastle.
So much had changed between now and when he'd left for the capital.
First, his own reputation.
Until now, he had been just one of Halo's grandsons, but the events of this journey had raised his profile immensely.
Azurecastle was already complicated, with no successor having been named.
In this situation, with his reputation soaring, his uncles would undoubtedly begin to openly check his rise.
Even if I can manage the second son through Leo... his wife is a pain. She's going to start clinging to me again.
Leo's mother, who had constantly engaged him in a war of nerves.
The thought of facing her again was tiring, but the first son was actually the more troublesome one.
A man even more ambitious than the second.
Plus, he was cautious and deeply suspicious, so he was sure to cause some trouble.
Halo will offer some protection, but given his personality and the situation, he won't be able to look after me from start to finish.
To be honest, he had little interest in the position of Young Duke. But there was no way the first or second son would believe that.
Upon arriving at Azurecastle, he would naturally become entangled in the family's internal politics.
Life is such a hard thing.
Karron said to Leo, clicking his tongue.
Leo shrugged in response.
I agree.
...What's so hard for you?
You. You're what's hard, you bastard.
Amid the sounds of the two boys bickering.
Vrooooom.
The carriage they rode in sped diligently down the road.
6.
As Karron had expected, the journey back to Azurecastle was perfectly peaceful.
The same was true when they arrived at Tebe, their midway resting point.
Since it was an unofficial visit, no one came to see them except for the mayor of Tebe.
Instead, someone had left a gift with a note in front of their carriage.
The note read:
-A gift for helping my little brother. I heard you liked the apple wine. So I made sure to pack plenty for you. Let's see each other next time. I'll be waiting, my cute little wolf.
The gift was a box filled to the brim with apple wine brewed by elves.
It was a gift from Poina, the elven mage and leader of Kalligo whom he had met in Tebe.
Karron didn't bother refusing the gift.
They were an organization he would continue to have ties with in the future, after all.
Having thrown his lot in with Rebellio, the same was true for Kalligo.
After their short rest in Tebe, Karron's party set off again, arriving in the Belrus Barony half a day later.
The Belrus Barony was far more vibrant than when he had first visited.
Foundation work for new buildings was underway, and personnel from the Leston ducal family, including the Sea Wolf Knights, had been dispatched to develop the territory.
Development teams for the mana stone mine could be seen everywhere, as could laborers who had come seeking work.
The once-quiet Belrus Barony was nowhere to be seen, and the shadows were gone from the faces of its people.
Don't you think this is too much for a gift?
They were on the train heading to Azurecastle.
Leo fiddled with the mana stone given to him as a gift by Rohan, the heir to the Belrus Barony.
It was a mana stone mined for research purposes after the full-scale exploration had begun.
Rohan had given the mana stones, more precious than gold, to Leo and Karron as gifts.
Karron, also toying with his mana stone, replied.
Think of it as a dividend of sorts.
A dividend?
We have a stake in the joint venture, don't we? Let's just say we got an advance.
Earlier, Rohan had told them something.
Apparently, procuring manpower had been difficult due to the unstable political climate, but a certain organization in Tebe had willingly cooperated.
Thanks to them, recruiting experienced workers had been very easy.
Mana stone mine developers were typically high-end personnel, but they had easily secured them thanks to brokers arranged by that organization.
That organization was, of course, Kalligo, led by Poina.
They had managed to get information on the Leston ducal family's unofficial visit to Tebe instantly; connecting them with developers would have been no difficult task.
They're a capable bunch.
They were far too competent to be dismissed as a mere criminal organization.
They scratched an itch you didn't know you had and even gave a satisfying gift of apple wine.
Of course, it was all for mutual benefit, but he couldn't deny that he liked them.
Karron tucked the mana stone into his pocket.
I should give this to my mother as a gift.
He had no use for it for the next four years anyway.
Having seen the state of the Belrus Barony, he was certain it would be developed beyond recognition in four years.
From then on, he would likely have a great deal of personal funds to manage.
Money doesn't solve everything, but it solves most things.
The money from the Belrus Barony would surely broaden his options in the future.
Karron smiled in satisfaction and gazed out the window.
They had already passed through the Belrus Barony, and a familiar landscape began to come into view.
Just then, an announcement echoed through the train.
-We will be arriving shortly at Abris, in the Leston County.
The Leston County, situated on the border of the Leston Duchy, which was ruled by the ducal family.
Leston County was the name of the territory ruled by Karron's father, Peil.
A kind of autonomous domain nestled within the duchy.
Abris was an ancient word meaning 'sanctuary'.
It was the capital of the county and the place Karron called home.
Screeeech.
Not long after the announcement, the train came to a stop.
Feels like it's been a while.
Karron smiled warmly as he stepped off the train.
The tidy scenery of the train station came into view.
A pleasant and clean station that offered a glimpse into his father's meticulous personality.
His parents and the estate's butlers were already at the station, waiting for him.
Karron!
Our son!
Peil and Sara embraced Karron, their faces beaming.
Feeling the warmth of his father and mother, Karron spoke quietly.
I'm home.
Parent and child held each other in a silent embrace for a long moment.
How much time passed like that?
Karron's mother, Sara, wiped away her tears and stroked his hair.
Do you have any idea how worried I was? Your injuries, are your injuries okay?
Yes! I received good treatment, so please don't worry!
In truth, the side that had been pierced during his duel with Ryuk still itched. But he hid it, not wanting to worry her.
You've been through so much.
Peil smiled, gently stroking Karron's back.
It was hard to believe that this small boy had shaken the capital to its core.
He had worried so much and had so many regrets about sending Karron to the capital.
From the news that the train had been attacked to the report that he had faced a demon in the Imperial Palace.
There had been more than one occasion when he felt his heart would break.
But his son had overcome all that adversity and returned home.
How could he not be proud of such a son?
I'm so glad you're back safely. So, so glad.
Of course. Whose son do you think I am?
Karron nodded, smiling more brightly than ever.
The eventful journey was now over.
And so, the thirteen-year-old boy returned home.
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