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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Return
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"I think I understand a few things now."
This being my second time in the white room, there were a few things I'd figured out.
"First, the woman who spoke to me isn't human."
Her tone here was as steady as a machine, and she didn't answer questions. She just gave a reward after finding an aptitude. No different from an automated answering machine.
"Second, no one else can see the orb."
I'm the only one who can see the orb, and the moment I pick it up, I'm summoned to the white room.
"Agnes."
Third, my connection with Agnes is severed in this room.
Agnes and I had a contract, so we should have been able to communicate no matter where I was, but she didn't respond at all.
My guess was that only my mind or soul was summoned here.
Finally, I used to think the rewards given here were calculated based on my aptitude and future needs, but this time changed my mind.
The reward I got for catching the Sharkrai King and the one I got for catching the Sea Serpent today were vastly different.
To be honest, the difference was like night and day.
The previous reward, which showed me my own death and gave me a chance to avoid it, was a legendary-grade reward that couldn't be obtained no matter what the world offered.
"A Swordsman..."
Compared to that, the 'Swordsman' trait I got today, as the name suggested, wasn't a very good one.
It didn't grant incredible bonuses to swordsmanship like 'Sword Emperor' or 'Sword Saint,' so I couldn't understand why I was given such a basic sword trait.
*Fwoosh!*
"Ah."
The moment I came to my senses, I was instantly back on the ship. It was as if time had stopped and then resumed, returning me to the moment Peru was looking for the orb.
"Grand Prince, did you find the orb?"
"The orb? Ah, I must have seen wrong."
"Is that so?"
I gave Peru a vague answer about the orb and stepped back.
"Agnes."
[What is it?]
"Did you happen to hear me call you?"
[Hmm? You haven't called me since that butterfly thing earlier.]
"Really?"
It seemed my connection with Agnes really was severed in the white room. There was something in that room that transcended time and space.
"Let's take a look."
While everyone was focused on the Sea Serpent, I decided it was a good time to check my information. I went to the starboard deck and pulled up my status window.
[Name: Yuren Lox]
[Traits: Creator's Eye, Sichuan Tang Clan (四川唐家), Immunity to a Hundred Poisons (百毒不侵), Heavenly Martial Body (天武肢體), Swordsman (劍人) - 0%]
[Peculiarities: ?]
[Synchronization Rate: 78.16%]
"Just as I thought, it wasn't a dream. Huh? Wait. On 'Swordsman'..."
'Swordsman' was a common trait that many knights and soldiers had. But I had never seen one with a percentage attached to it like that.
"Does this mean it's not an ordinary 'Swordsman' trait...?"
But something else caught my eye even more than the 'Swordsman' trait.
"What's with that question mark?"
A question mark had appeared in the 'Peculiarities' section, which had been empty the last time I looked.
"This world is truly full of mysteries."
"Grand Prince."
Peru approached, apparently done looking at the serpent.
"The Marquis has ordered an immediate return to port."
"Of course he would."
I expected as much, since we didn't know what else might happen.
On the way back to the island, I felt many eyes on me. I could feel the subtle gazes of the knights, including Rackerd, the sailors, Collin, and even the Marquis.
But those gazes held distinctly different emotions than before.
Whether it was due to the terror of the serpent, we returned to Haiwa Island much faster than when we set out.
"Oh, you're back sooner than I expected. Did anything happen?"
"Something did."
As soon as we disembarked, Klyde, who had been waiting on the island, approached with a smile.
"What? Something happened?"
"A Sea Serpent appeared and we almost all died, but the Grand Prince saved everyone and even caught the serpent."
Peru recounted the events on the ship to Klyde with great exaggeration. To an outsider, it would have sounded like I'd fought a dragon.
"As expected of the Grand Prince! A Sea Serpent, right after the Sharkrai King!"
Klyde wasn't surprised; he looked at me with eyes full of trust, as if it were only natural.
*Splash!*
While I was talking with Klyde, I heard a sound like a cannonball hitting the sea. It seemed the Sea Serpent's corpse was too heavy, so they pushed it off the ship into the water.
"Whoa! Is that it? It's huge!"
As I was about to enter the water to help move the serpent's corpse, something unexpected happened.
"Grand Prince."
The knights who hadn't even glanced at me when we boarded the ship now bowed their heads and greeted me as they disembarked.
"Grand Prince. Thank you."
"Grand Prince. Well done."
The look in the knights' eyes was a completely different color than before.
It was hardly a formal greeting, but seeing people who disliked me offer their thanks felt strange and new.
"Hmm."
I thought they would change, but I didn't expect the reaction to be this quick.
"Hehe. This is nice."
Peru seemed even more excited than I was, pleased that I was being treated well.
"Urgh."
"Aargh!"
"Put your backs into it!"
The Sea Serpent's weight was truly immense, and it took everyone's effort to finally drag it onto the beach.
"Your Lordship. How about selling the serpent's corpse to the Mage Tower? It has many wounds, but it's freshly caught and whole, so you should be able to get a tremendous price for it."
"Yuren."
"Yes."
The Marquis, who had been discussing the serpent's corpse with a mage, suddenly called my name.
"What do you think? We caught it thanks to you, so I'll do as you wish."
"I think it would be best to sell it to the Mage Tower and use the money for a good cause. We should first compensate the casualties from this expedition, and then use the rest for the soldiers and knights who worked hard upon our return to the marquisate."
When I finished speaking, everyone there was staring at me with stunned expressions.
"A-Are you serious?"
"Of course."
The Marquis's voice trembled as he asked again, checking if I was truly sincere.
Of course I was serious.
Rather than taking the money from selling the serpent, using it to raise the favorability of the Marquis, knights, and soldiers here was a much better choice. In fact, I could see their favorability rising in real-time.
"Hahaha! Truly remarkable. I hadn't even thought of that. Yes. Let's do that. You handle the sale to the Mage Tower."
"Of course. To fulfill the Grand Prince's noble intentions, I will take responsibility and get a proper price!"
The mage I had detoxified pounded his chest as if to say, 'Leave it to me.'
"Captain."
"Yes."
"We don't know if another Sea Serpent will appear, so be cautious for a while. Inform the other fishermen and residents as well."
"Understood."
While the Marquis was warning the captain about the Sea Serpent, we formed a long, single-file line.
"Then let's return!"
"Yes!"
I was tired and wanted to use magic to get back, but there was a reason we were returning on foot in formation.
"The Marquis has returned!"
"Waaaaaah!"
"Long live Lox!"
"Grand Prince Yuren!"
"Everyone, well done!"
As soon as we left Haiwa Island and entered the town, a huge crowd gathered to cheer for us. A thunderous roar erupted, loud enough to deafen the ears.
"Your Lordship!"
"Grand Prince! Look this way!"
"Waaaaaah!"
Men and women, young and old, everyone in the town had gathered, waving their hands and shouting frantically.
Seeing so many people cheering like this made my heart beat faster and a warmth spread through my chest.
The Marquis and the knights waved lightly, as if enjoying the cheers, and the soldiers' faces were blooming with smiles.
"Yuren."
"Yes."
The Marquis slowed his pace slightly to come alongside me.
"It feels fulfilling and good, doesn't it?"
"I never knew people's cheers could feel this good."
"I have fought all this time to protect their smiles, their lives. From now on, you will be the one to protect their lives and their smiles."
After saying that, the Marquis moved forward again, showing the people a bright smile.
"Grand Prince!"
"What?"
"For the Marquis to say something like that... doesn't it mean he's thinking of making you his successor?"
"We've only finished one test, you fool."
That's what I said, but I could feel a deep trust for me in the Marquis's words and gaze.
"Waaaaaah!"
"Sharkrai King Slayer! Yuren!"
"The Steel Mage!"
"Grand Prince Yuren!"
Perhaps because they had heard about the Sharkrai King, my name was being called out more than any other. I responded to their enthusiastic cheers with a wave.
It wasn't just this town; every town we passed through in the marquisate, people poured out to cheer for us.
"It's definitely different from that time."
I received cheers in Asse Castle when I helped Ilia kill the Orc Champion, but protecting my own land and receiving the cheers of my own people brought a much greater sense of pride and emotion.
"The Marquis has returned!"
"Everyone, form up!"
After several days of parading through the towns of the marquisate, we returned to the Lox estate to find all the servants, soldiers, and knights lined up and waiting for us at the entrance.
"You've worked hard!"
"Yes. We're back."
Kaina, who was standing in the center as if she were the main character, ran to the Marquis and embraced him.
"Sob, I was so worried."
"Hahaha! It's an annual event, what's there to be so worried about?"
"There was nothing I could do to help..."
"It's because you're here that I can go out and fight without worry."
"My lord..."
Kaina cried as she hugged not only the Marquis, but Collin and Raon as well.
"Sigh, what a drama."
I shook my head and was about to head to my room when the Marquis put a hand on my shoulder.
"Yuren."
"Yes."
"Come to my office tomorrow."
"Understood."
Seeing the Marquis's serious expression, I knew he had something important to say.
"Everyone worked hard. All personnel who returned from the expedition will be given a week's leave."
"Uwaaaaah!"
"Long live the Marquis!"
"Long live Lox!"
At the word 'leave,' everyone, knights and soldiers alike, roared.
"Tomorrow, we will hold a festival where you can all eat and drink to your heart's content, so everyone is to participate."
"Uwoaaaaaaah!"
"Long live Lox!"
The people here seemed to drink alcohol like water, so they appeared to love the festival even more than the leave.
When I entered the mansion, a bath had been prepared. Soaking my body in the hot water of the tub felt like it melted away all my accumulated fatigue.
I fell asleep right away that night, and after breakfast the next morning, I went to see the Marquis.
Whatever the Marquis had been doing since his return, he looked even more tired than yesterday.
"That red butterfly you sent flying from the ship possessed a shocking beauty and power."
"Thank you."
The Marquis still couldn't forget the power and beauty of the Blood Flower Butterfly.
"With an ability like that, it's understandable that you would give up the sword. I thought I did well to listen to you before."
"Yes."
"And so..."
The Marquis took a book from his desk and walked over to me.
"I want you to understand the sword."
"Pardon?"
"In my opinion, it seems you'll be fighting against knights often in the future."
This was a fantasy world where magic and swords reigned supreme. Naturally, I would have to fight countless opponents who wielded them.
"Even if you don't learn it, I want you to understand it. This swordsmanship manual contains the fundamentals of the sword. Read this, then go to the training grounds and watch the knights. It will help you when you face swordsmen in the future."
"..."
"This is merely a suggestion. It's not an order, so don't worry about it too much. If you don't want to, you don't have to. Just think of it as an old man's concern."
"Understood."
Believing he had given me this book out of genuine concern, I gave the Marquis a polite bow and left with it.
"I'm grateful for the thought, but can you really understand the sword from a book?"
I had no particular intention of learning the sword, but since he gave it with such sincerity, I opened the swordsmanship manual on my way back to my room.
"Huh?"
*Thud.*
I was so surprised I dropped the book.
"What is this now...?"
**
"He probably won't even open it."
Marquis Lox thought his eldest son, who had grown so much, wouldn't accept his opinion. But as a father, he felt he had to give advice that would help Yuren in his life, which is why he gave him the swordsmanship manual.
"Well then, I should get to the backlogged work before the festival..."
*Bang!*
Without a word, the office door flew open. Standing in the doorway was Yuren, who had just left, clutching the book tightly.
"W-What is it?"
"My lord!"
"Huh?"
Yuren's face looked more urgent than when he was fighting the Sea Serpent, making the Marquis worry that something terrible had happened.
But the words that came out of Yuren's mouth were completely different from what the Marquis had imagined.
"Do you have any more books? Martial arts, swordsmanship, anything!"
"Huh?"
Yuren glanced at the Marquis's bookshelf, thinking about the unbelievable thing that had just happened.
*The contents of the swordsmanship manual are being imprinted on me!*