Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Leaving Tomorrow
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“Acting as the family head means overseeing all major and minor family affairs. Are you saying you’ll be leaving your post? That’s absurd.”
I lay sideways on the long couch, tossing a grape into my mouth before shrugging my shoulders.
“Why’s it absurd? I don’t have anything to do anyway. Hallon’s handling everything diligently in my place.”
“Absolutely not.”
“If I spot someone who can help Hallon out there, I’ll send them over. It’s not like I’m just going out to play.”
“I cannot permit it, young master.”
I let out a light laugh at Alkaido’s vehement opposition.
“Is there anything I want to do that isn’t allowed?”
Watching him press his fingers to his temples as if nursing a headache, I calmly plucked a few grapes and popped them into my mouth, chewing away.
“The family head won’t allow it.”
“You really think so?”
Somehow, I doubted my father would care in the slightest.
And Alkaido probably had a good idea of that too.
“At the very least, take at least three elite knights with you.”
At his words, I openly grimaced and shook my head.
“What? You gonna have them babysit me? Where’s the fun in that?”
I shoved the grapes aside like they bored me, stretching out long and pulling a cushion over to hug.
“I’m bored. This place is just too damn boring. If anyone knew me, they’d have seen this coming, right, Alkaido?”
Not to mention, he knew exactly why I wanted to leave.
I mouthed the words at him, and Alkaido sighed, his brow furrowed.
“The wide world. Sounds great, doesn’t it? I just wanna travel the continent a bit. I’ll keep in touch and send souvenirs now and then.”
“If three is too many, then take at least one.”
“You’re all the same. That’s just putting a leash on me. And I was planning to ditch even my shadow.”
Alkaido stared at me as if to ask why.
“Because Father dotes on me too much. At least outwardly.”
I sat up from where I’d been sprawled on the chair, combing my tousled hair back with my fingers, then fixed him with a piercing glare using just my eyes.
“You never know. Someone might just slit my throat and use me as an excuse to grab whatever they want.”
I mimed slicing my neck with a grin, and Alkaido couldn’t muster a rebuttal.
“For example, the archduke’s heir of the Kruger family, assassinated in the imperial capital. Work the public opinion a bit, and Father could openly start recruiting private soldiers, no?”
“That’s overly paranoid thinking.”
I shook my head with a vague hum, then brushed it off like it was no big deal.
“What do I know about the ways of the world? I’ve just written a few novels. But stuff like that happens, doesn’t it?”
He called it paranoid, but Alkaido knew enough to know better.
He knew that to Kaiman, only this family and Gadia mattered.
‘That’s why in the late game, even with his immense power, you couldn’t use it properly unless Gadia was in the party.’
Alkaido let out a faint sigh and opened his mouth to persuade me, his tone subdued.
“You’ve only ever stayed in Rabes, the family’s estate, young master, so you might not realize—but the world outside isn’t as safe as this city.”
“Even if something happened to me, Father would love it. And Alkaido, you’re misunderstanding something.”
I sat up arrogantly, leaning my head back against the chair and smiling.
“Do I look like I’m trying to convince you?”
“…….”
“This is an announcement, Alkaido.”
* * *
Suddenly incomprehensible actions.
Why had Adelrian bought that boy at the auction house and all sorts of items?
The things he’d told him to procure were mostly common herbs—why buy and store them regardless of cost?
If judging by past memories alone, Alkaido would have thought Adelrian’s orders were mostly jokes.
‘So that was the reason.’
Today’s events only solidified Alkaido’s resolve.
No matter what he called it—an announcement—if he couldn’t properly convince him, he’d ensure the young master never left the city.
No matter how the world saw him as incompetent and useless, he was still Kruger blood.
That alone made him invaluable, so he had no intention of entertaining this nonsense about travel.
“What are you talking about? You don’t trust me? I’m Adelrian. What, scared the Adelrian coin’s gonna crash? Ha. You don’t get diamond hands…….”
The words came out a bit flippant, perhaps.
But the meaning behind them was far from light.
Alkaido stroked his beard with his fingertips and chuckled silently.
To think he couldn’t fathom the depths after watching him so long—had his own eyes been this dull?
He’d asked what basis gave him such confidence.
What should he trust to let him venture out?
Give him a clue to erase the past ten years of misdeeds. Give him proof of certainty.
When he’d pleaded thus, what had Alkaido’s other master said?
‘Alkaido, then you keep it to yourself. The truth is, I…….’
Alkaido recalled how he’d beckoned him closer and whispered softly in his ear.
‘My trait. It’s Foresight, Alkaido.’
* * *
Lying outright felt a bit prickly on the conscience……
Nah, doesn’t hurt much.
“Technically, it’s not even a big lie, right?”
What’s Foresight anyway?
Doesn’t it mean seeing the future?
I finished the novel and saved the continent multiple times in the game—hell, that’s basically creating the future, isn’t it?
With one word—Foresight—I brushed off Alkaido and opened the large sub-space ring that had an empty slot.
“Anything else I should pack?”
I casually tossed in books from the study, the blanket I slept under, even candleholders, with an air of cool indifference.
At some point, Luna had returned, and our eyes met.
“Why’re you staring like that? So weird.”
“What… are you… doing right now…?”
“Oh, just grabbing some essentials for the trip.”
“Uh… why… are you packing… that……?”
“You never know what’ll happen out there. Plus, the bag’s weightless and huge—perfect, right?”
My lady friend from back home said the same.
She called herself a peddler.
Carried everything from nail clippers to colored paper to fireworks you got with cake purchases.
At first I was like, why? But then I’d borrow stuff……
Every time, she’d beam with pride at her peddler’s spirit.
She lugged around a bag half her size, but mine’s weightless and doesn’t get in the way—what’s not to love?
Now it’s my turn to feel that pride.
“Why the books……?”
“Bored? Read ’em. Or kindling?”
“And the blanket……?”
“Wanted to take the whole bed but held back. Gotta have a good blanket even for camping.”
“Then this…….”
I cut off her nagging by changing the subject quick.
“So, what’s that in your hand?”
I spotted the letter in Luna’s hand and tensed slightly as I asked. She tilted her head and spoke.
“A servant… gave it to me… saying it’s for… young master’s room…….”
…Not from Gadia, I hope?
I took it casually and checked the seal’s wax emblem. Hmm, don’t recognize the family crest.
I wiggled it between my fingers and asked Luna,
“Know whose family this is?”
“Um… that’s… the Chester family crest… right?”
Chester?
Doesn’t ring a bell right away. A friend of the original Adelrian’s, maybe.
I touched my family ring and rummaged through the junk I’d tossed in, pulling out a letter knife.
“Oh, it’s from Debutona.”
Dearest this, sunshine that, floral scents. Skipped all the flowery crap.
I skimmed the three-page letter and curled my lips into a smile.
“Young master… what’s it say……?”
“Guess some Debutona crew was at the temple last time. Wants to borrow Kane.”
What a waste of reading.
I crumpled it up and turned to Luna, who was looking up at me with her pink eyes.
“Luna, if you’ve got anything heavy to carry, hand it over now. I’ll store it for you.”
She pondered my casual offer.
Makes sense—she’s a girl, probably wants to lug around all sorts of stuff. My lady friends’ bags were always stuffed.
After a while, Luna sidled closer and spoke.
“…Young master.”
“Yeah? What?”
“Can… the field… fit too?”
Field? Like, carrot patch?
I blinked at her words and gave an awkward smile.
“Should I just buy a ton of carrots?”
The big Kruger ring’s sub-space didn’t seem to alter matter, unlike the small one.
“Even… that’s okay?”
I’d planned to stock up on food anyway, for encounters with other races.
What’s a few carrots more?
I nodded, and Luna beamed.
“But… when are you leaving…? You’re prepping… already?”
“Oh, didn’t I say? Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow…? Tomorrow?!”
I glanced at my now-spacious room, wondering if I should scour the castle for more stuff, then looked at Luna.
“Isn’t that… too soon?”
“Why? Got more to prep? Anyway, we’re leaving tomorrow, so get ready.”
Trips never go according to plan anyway, Luna.
“Then… I’ll write a letter… to my family…….”
“While you’re at it, tell Kane I’m heading out tomorrow.”
“Okay…….”
After Luna left, I saw nothing else worth packing, so I flopped onto the bare bed minus its blanket.
Alkaido said he could arrange shadows by tomorrow, so it was tight, but no choice.
Dragging them around, I might get tangled in Kaiman’s schemes anytime.
‘Truth is, I can’t trust anyone but Kane and Luna.’
Alkaido wasn’t an enemy now, but who knows later.
That’s why I stocked teleport scrolls with erased fixed coordinates.
‘Worst case, rip one and obscure the route.’
Kane couldn’t beat the shadows yet anyway.
Dragging them meant our intel leaking, and my life becoming Kaiman’s pawn.
“You said tomorrow?”
Lost in thought on the bed, Kane showed up—probably heard from Luna.
I didn’t sit up, just nodded from where I lay, eyes flicking to him.
“Too soon? No helping it.”
“No, it’s not too soon or anything.”
Kane sat in a chair a bit away, tapping the table lightly with his fingers.
“But don’t you have no reason to go? Our deal’s goal is first, me getting stronger, and second, my loyalty to you after.”
“What, so send you alone?”
“If you don’t trust me, attach someone else.”
I snorted at Kane’s words.
“What’re you saying? No one trusts you more than I do.”
You don’t know the sacrifices you made or what you achieved.
I know it all.
I sat up and met the eyes of the 18-year-old protagonist, still clueless about his potential.
[Author, why keep feeding us sweet potatoes? You got a sweet potato kink?]
[It’s historical accuracy.]
[What? Why’s accuracy even relevant?!]
I recalled the fan uproar over the author’s comment.
Accuracy… Later, as the continent fell into chaos and security worsened, folks grew wary of outsiders. Even politely asking for food got you refused or sold rotten grub.
Life got harsh.
Yet the clueless main party ate fine.
Eventually, they couldn’t buy anything unless they hunted it themselves—like barbarians.
Why?
Couldn’t talk!
Sweet-talk with “Aigo, ma’am, let me chop some firewood?” and who wouldn’t toss you a potato?
Even wiping out that evil cult group mid-game—no chit-chat.
Just decapitate, burn bodies, blow up the mansion to take out the underground sacrifice chamber……
But he had a rep in town, so wanted posters went up—no escape. They moved only at night for a while.
If he’d just spat out “evil cult worshiper,” it’d been different!
I recalled the future I knew, my eyes turning icy.
Thinking it over, I trusted Kane’s combat skills but not his social game.
No, couldn’t trust any of that party on that front.
“So just trust your big bro here.”
I gave up explaining, summed it up vaguely, and thumbs-upped. Kane’s eyes turned icy too.