The banquet began a little before noon and ended before sunset. All the attendees were the heads of their respective houses, so unlike other nobles who could spend their time fooling around, they had very busy schedules.
People were already beginning to leave just an hour or two after the banquet began.
Most stayed just long enough to be educated and honor tradition before leaving. However, as the banquet was packed with respectable and powerful people, others took the opportunity to actively network. But in the end, everyone was exhausted and left before sunset.
Is this what they mean when they say that you start acting like a child when you get old? i thought. Not even if they were children with curfew.
Rattle, rattle.
As I watched out the carriage window as the royal palace grew smaller in the distance, I let my mind wander, imagining how comfortable it would be to have a house in the capital one day.
In the end, I never had the opportunity to have a proper conversation with the marquis.
Unfortunately, my quest to speak to the marquis during the banquet had failed. I had approached his table to greet him, but there were too many people around and I didn't want to cause any more problems with the witnesses present. It was a shame, but in the end I was forced to return to my table after exchanging brief greetings.
Although, honestly, what the marquis might be thinking right now wasn't that important...
The important thing now was to maintain a certain balance. Whatever his intentions towards me, now he couldn't act against me without a second thought. I had to make sure I couldn't cross the line between us. No matter how much power I had, it no longer seemed to me that I could do whatever I wanted.
In any case, it's great that I was able to join Melbeth.
My entry wouldn't become official for a few days, when everyone could meet, but that wasn't a problem. The biggest problem was what to do with Ragna now that he had contacted me via note. If things went well, he could become the wild card I needed in my confrontation with the marquis.
I sighed.
Having to think about things this way depressed me a little. It would have been better if she remained a normal librarian. This way I would have enjoyed the reunion with her more.
Why does she have to be the marquis' daughter?
On top of that, even Hyeonbyeol was connected to all of this. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like my head was going to explode.
...Yes. I'll have to figure things out after meeting her.
I sighed and shortly after we reached the platform, where I took a teleporter back to Ravigion. After changing cars, I returned home.
«Have you been back soon?»
«It ended sooner than I thought. Where is Erwen?»
«She just came back too. He should be washing now».
Oh, then we could finally meet again after all this time. I went up to the second floor to take a bath and change my clothes. When I returned to the living room, Amelia and Erwen were sitting together on the couch and talking. They had both gotten closer than I expected. Well, I figured after what they went through together at Ice Rock...
«Sir!» As soon as Erwen saw me, she jumped up and ran towards me.
I extended my hand to stop her. «Erwen, I'm not just any gentleman».
«...What?» Erwen gaped at my rejection.
«I am Baron Bjorn Yandel».
In response to my statement, Erwen let out her own awkward exclamation. «Ah...»
It was so damn sad to be a barbarian. I couldn't get used to it. If I were with Ainar, I could have shouted that with a wide smile on my face, and she would have matched my energy perfectly.
«Bjorn, stop the nonsense and sit down».
«...Okay.»
As soon as I took a seat on the couch, our domestic meeting began. There were several topics on the agenda to discuss since it had been a while, but among the topics to be discussed was Erwen.
«Fortunately, everything went well. I returned my bow for now, and as for the money I used to buy the house... I promised to return it within a month». Erwen spoke as if she had committed a grave sin. When I asked him why he was acting like this, he continued to apologize, saying that it was his fault that we couldn't keep this house full of precious memories.
«Nothing happens. Why do you apologize for that?».
To be honest, what he couldn't understand was why the elves were okay with letting Erwen get away with just that. Was it because he was the only pureblood of his generation? I was even worried that his life would be in danger at worst.
I'm not exaggerating if I say it's actually the best possible outcome, but...
Unable to put aside my suspicions about how well things had gone, I asked Erwen to explain to me how things had turned out that way.
«When I was fighting with the elders, my uncle intervened and helped me. I think that was the most important factor».
Thanks to your uncle, huh? Come to think of it, I heard that his uncle was considered a hero by the elves. I also hoped to meet him one day.
«But only one month to return all the money... It is a very tight deadline». Amelia was the first to bring up the logistical problems once Erwen finished explaining it. «Even if we sell the house to pay off the debt, we will still need money to buy a new house in the future».
«...So why don't we buy the house ourselves?», Erwen asked. «What if we sell all the loot we got this time?».
«I'm not sure. Bjorn, what do you think?»
«Um...» I thought about it and then offered my opinion. «I think it would be better for us to stay at an inn for the moment. Or we can rent a place every month, although it will be much smaller than the one we have here.»
«...I see.» Erwen didn't seem willing to sell the house, although she didn't express her opinion.
Still, this was the time and place for a little honesty. «Don't worry too much. The house we live in now, the place we will move to... They are all the same. They are just places we will be temporarily».
When I raised the idea of Melbeth helping us buy land and build a mansion, Erwen's expression lit up noticeably. «Then you will become Baron Bjorn Yandel!».
«Yes, so tell me everything you want added to the mansion in the future. You'll live there too, you know».
Fortunately, judging by Erwen's expression, any remorse she had for selling the house was gone.
«You too, of course, Amelia», I added just in case she felt left out, but, for some reason, she just looked at me and let out a deep sigh.
Then I mentioned something I also wanted for the new house. «...It would be great if we could make the sailor's room a little bigger than it is now. And also, if we could get him a window with some sunlight».
Our navigator seemed quite depressed lately. Maybe some fresh air by the sea would be good for you?
***
«That should solve the issue of our residence... Now, what should we do to explore the maze?»
As soon as we decided what to do with the house, Amelia raised the following problem: our group was incomplete. With Ainar, Erwin, Amelia, me and our navigator, there was a free place in our group of six. The problem was that we didn't have anyone to fill that vacancy. I planned for my entire group to join my clan one day, but I didn't want to take the step ahead of time. Furthermore, he didn't believe that Ravien or the wizard Versyl Gowland would join together yet.
Versyl said it would take at least a month to become independent, and Ravien said he wanted to take a break from adventures for a while.
So, in the meantime, we still had a free place. However, taking a break for an entire month would be too much of a waste, so I made up my mind. «I think it would be better if we go alone this time.»
«The five of us?»
«It's not that strange. A few years ago, five people was normal».
«That's right... true.»
«And we're not going up to the seventh floor. We're only going to explore the sixth one, so it won't be that dangerous.»
«The sixth floor... Okay. I'll tell Rockrobe, then».
Thus ended our conversation about the labyrinth. Afterwards, we had something simple for dinner and chatted with each other before going to bed. The next morning, we all went together to the nearest guild branch to finish registering our clan members.
«Heh... thanks sir».
I felt a pang of guilt as Amelia carefully took care of all the documents in my place. I felt like Erwen should thank her instead.
I still have to fill the position of deputy commander.
When we created the clan, I thought Amelia would fit in perfectly, but when I tried to ask her, she rejected me in no time. Maybe he didn't want to attract attention unnecessarily. That would make sense. After all, the name she used, Emily Raines, was a pseudonym.
So who should be the deputy commander?
I sank into deep contemplation. The position of deputy commander was crucial, so it would be best to register them and grant them powers as soon as possible. That way, they could carry out administrative tasks without the commander's presence.
Ravien would have been the perfect deputy commander. She has always been meticulous in handling annoying administrative things.
When we finished checking everyone in, we went to a nearby restaurant to grab a bite to eat.
«Bjorn, are you going to Kommelby now?»
«No, I'm going to go through the temple first».
«...The temple?» Amelia tilted her head in confusion for a moment, but immediately added two and two. «You want to get rid of the essence of Gachabone».
«I don't have to hide my appearance anymore». However, even then he had been debating whether to do it or not until today. Gachabone's essence was not that bad. I contemplated whether I should keep it until I started looking for my next essence in earnest.
«It seems you have another reason too».
«Ainar and Abman don't have my old team yet? Once it returns to my original size, I will be able to use it. It would be a waste not to do so. Additionally, we may find a better essence on the sixth floor. And when he finally returns to the tribe, it wouldn't be right for him to continue looking like this.»
«Hmph...»
Amelia for some reason let out a mockery at my response while Erwen lamented the change.
«So... does that mean you'll be as big as before?».
«Yeah.»
«But I like your current look...».
I didn't understand his strange preferences at all. Where in the world would a slim build like this be considered good? «So my condolences.»
After heading to the temple, I went in alone and went through the process of extracting an essence.
[The Essence of Gachabone that was absorbed into your soul has been removed.]
[Your Sixth Sense has decreased by -40. Your Physical Resistance has decreased by -15. Your Darkness Resistance has decreased by -30. Your Accuracy has decreased by -45.]
My stats have decreased.
[Your Bone Density has decreased by -110.]
My height has increased.
[Your Control has increased by +30.]
My mind has cleared.
[Your Luck has increased by +50.]
And, most important of all, my luck improved a little.
Stretching.
It took me a while to stretch out and get used to my new height. I quickly put on some clothes and look in the mirror.
Ugh. I have finally returned to my normal body.
I already knew it, but at that moment I realized how big it was. For some reason, I wanted to shout out the names of my ancestors, but I managed to contain the urge with superhuman self-control. After all, he was in a temple.
***
[Bjorn Yandel
Level: 7
Physical: 1390.55 (New -54.5)
Spirit: 521.3
Special ability: 2197.65
Item level: 6285 (New -2020)
Overall combat power: 5680.75 (New -575.58)
Acquired Essences: Orc Hero – Rank 5 / Ogre – Rank 3 / Bayon – Rank 3 / Storm Jet – Rank 3 / Vol-Herchan – Rank 3 / Deep Sea Giant – Rank 3].
***
The reactions of the two people waiting for me outside the temple were like night and day.
«Hey, sir! This side of you is cool too! It's like the first day we met». Erwen flattered my new look despite her open disappointment from before.
«...You definitely looked better before». Amelia, for her part, didn't say much but still managed to stab me in the heart with every word. But then, in a strangely calm murmur, he said: «But... in a way, this could be better».
«What do you mean? What do you mean?»
«I say it could be better now that you're ugly».
«I'm not ugly. Don't you think I look more manly now?»
«Pfft...»
«...Are you laughing at me?»
When I realized he was laughing at me, I immediately remembered the importance of disciplining children. However, she was my precious colleague, not a girl I was raising. As head of our clan, it was probably something I had to overlook.
...Thank goodness my Control stat went up. Otherwise, things could have taken a turn for the worse.
In any case, we headed to Kommelby as planned. Not all of our squad members lived in District Seven, but we decided to meet there since it was the center of the city.
«Here we are».
We entered the building that Versyl had rented for that day and were greeted by friendly faces.
«Ohhh, it's finally here. Our Baronet... No, I guess I should call him Baron Yandel now», said Melend Kaislan.
«...Oh, you look different.»
Lilith Marrone, James Calla, Sven Parav and the entire crew - everyone who managed to survive the famine and frostbite on the Ice Rock - watched in amazement as I changed my appearance.
«Versyl, where are Akurava and Ravien?».
«They said they couldn't come».
«But everyone else managed to come».
«Well, I'm sure it's because we've all been curious».
That made sense. I was curious myself, so they must have had it even worse than me.
«What about the perimeter?»
«Don't worry about being spied on. I purposely chose a windowless spot, and made sure to activate a Voice Control spell. Just in case, I'm also actively scanning for any use of magic».
As expected of a magician, she was good at her job. I should ask her if she had any opinion on being the deputy commander when she joined my clan later.
«Baron Yandel!»
«Why do you call me Baron? Just call me Captain».
It had been a while since we last met, so we had a good time catching up on how we were all doing.
«So... when do we plan to do it?»
Finally it was time to talk about the ceremonial inauguration of the subspaces that we stole from the Order of the Rose.
«When I first opened it to store our suitcases, I thought there was nothing inside».
Actually, I had thought the same thing, but not long ago I discovered the truth: to remove a hidden object, you had to adjust the magic formula of subspace accordingly. Well, at least according to what the wizard Versyl had discovered and told me.
«Alright, now let's open them one by one. I've already prepared a bunch of neutralizing spells, just in case».
Even I was a little nervous about opening them.
«Okay then... let's see what's inside.»
«I was disappointed at first, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they hide».
«Ugh... I guess all of you have been waiting to open yours too? I didn't even think about opening mine yet because I was afraid someone might be watching».
What the hell was the Order of the Rose trying to hide by doing so much for their safety? There was no way to know what it could be. So, to be sure, I had decided to erase the essence of the Gachabone today, although I could have postponed it.
«So... are you all ready?»
«Yes, let's open it!»
Let's hope we have luck today.