Chapter 244: The Landlord is Back (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 244: The Landlord is Back (4)
“I need a salary advance.”
“……”
I could tell Boradori’s expression was unusual.
As soon as Princess Ruelle calmed Toha down and stepped outside, she pulled me aside and requested a pay advance.
“Don’t you still have an outstanding advance?”
“I can pay it back with my year-end bonus.”
“Why are you acting like a year-end bonus is a given…?”
“I worked hard! I did a good job! Give me more!”
I was actually planning on giving her more, but hearing her say it like that makes me kind of not want to.
“So, why do you need it?”
“What happened this time was something that wasn't in the original work!”
“Do you realize you say that every single time?”
“I know! But I’m telling you, this time is different! I don’t know the specifics, but there are so many suspicious things related to the gaps mentioned in the original!”
“And?”
“I think I need to do some background checks on Silence.”
“The Empire and Dale should already be doing that, shouldn't they?”
“That’s the past. What I’m looking for is the future.”
“The future?”
According to her explanation, the Silence in the original work would occasionally stop a battle he had already won and simply vanish.
And usually, ancient ruins existed in those locations.
“Of course, it wasn't every single time. But even in the places where there weren't ruins, there was a high probability that something else was there.”
Combining Adella’s explanation with her knowledge of the original work, Violet’s conclusion was that what existed in those places was the power of the gods whose names had been stolen.
“What are you going to do once you get that?”
“Power up?”
“Why?”
“It’s not like it’s a bad thing to have.”
“I suppose so.”
“And it’s not just about me having that power. It’s important that variables like the power of a god don’t fall into the hands of our enemies.”
To achieve this, she planned to go on a journey during the winter break.
Normally, she would have been dragged off to the Holy Kingdom.
“You said you weren't going back to the Kingdom this year and were going to Daisy’s house instead. That means Daisy is staying in the Empire too, right?”
It seemed she intended to take advantage of this opportunity to sweep up all the hidden pieces for herself.
“You’re going to hog them all?”
“Let me have some too! You’ve already become a Sword Master. You even have a Magic Sword! You’re even mass-producing them! What more do you want by getting even stronger?! Let this Useless Boradori finally become useful!”
“Hmm…”
Moved by the heart-tugging phrase 'Useless Boradori,' I granted her permission for the plan.
Well, since the objective was what it was, she could have received funding on a national level if she had requested it.
But since she insisted on going using a salary advance, I had no reason to stop her.
There is a saying that if you keep doing someone a favor, they’ll start treating it like a right.
But that applies to relationships between humans.
“Aha. So, a legendary hero of the Empire existed as a Lich in the library basement. And there was a giant Demon that looked like it came straight out of the mythological era. And someone with enough divine power to be called the second coming of the Goddess obliterated them both… and now, the Dragon who originally lived there has returned!”
Ahaha.
“Why don’t you just have the Evil God pop out while you’re at it?!”
“The Director has lost it again!”
“Aaaagh!”
“Please endure it! You can’t retire anyway!”
“Shut up!”
There was a small commotion involving the half-insane Director claiming he was quitting everything and retiring.
Regardless, the Empire and the Holy Kingdom ceased all activities in the old library that might cause noise.
They successfully avoided the route where a Dragon, enraged by noise between floors, would tear the Academy apart.
And so, as the eventful year drew to a close, the closing ceremony—which had been delayed due to various incidents—finally took place.
And then.
“I have to go home again this year…”
I stood at the familiar teleport gate of the Magic Tower with Prince Ellen, whose face was full of regret.
“The Queen did summon you, after all.”
“That’s exactly why I’m more scared…”
“You seemed fine when you first heard about it.”
Now that the time had actually come, he seemed worried.
“Then, I shall prepare the transport magic. It is dangerous to move, so please stay in your designated positions…”
Watching the mages of the Magic Tower bustle about, Prince Ellen stood there slumped until he noticed something and tilted his head.
“By the way, Adam. Shouldn't you be getting on the magic circle soon?”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why? The magic is about to—”
The moment he spoke, Prince Ellen blinked at the flashing magic circle.
“Huh?”
As he saw me waving my hand, he wore a dazed expression just as the magic circle glowed brightly. Prince Ellen, along with several agents, vanished instantly.
“…It’s going to be a pain when he gets back.”
He’ll be upset enough that I stayed in the Empire without him, but once he finds out I went to Daisy’s house—something none of the other RoFan male leads have done…
“…Well, that’s a problem for future me.”
Future me will handle future problems.
For now, I had to visit two families in the Empire.
“Is it really necessary?”
The person who had asked me to come in the first place was now acting like this.
“No, you’re the one who told me to come.”
At my words, Daisy blinked and replied.
“Well, that’s true… but my parents have already come here now.”
“Ah.”
Unintentionally, my trip to the Imperial provinces had turned into a trip within the capital.
#Violet - Main Story.
I received my salary in advance.
It seemed the talk about looking forward to a year-end bonus wasn't just empty words; my pockets were now very heavy.
On top of that, I unexpectedly received help from the Imperial Intelligence Bureau, allowing me to pinpoint the exact locations of places I previously couldn't find.
Normally, I would have had to solve everything with money.
Thinking it was a relief to have saved so much, Violet packed the necessary tools into her subspace pouch.
However.
“C-Could you let go of this?”
“……”
She couldn't help but be flustered by an unexpected obstacle.
“I’m just going out for a bit because I have work! I’ll be back before school starts!”
Looking at Delmoa, who was tightly tugging at her sleeve, Violet was at a loss.
Judging by her expression, it looked as if Violet was abandoning her!
“Really! I’ll be back after just 100 sleeps!”
“……”
That uncharacteristically desperate expression made Violet’s conscience prick painfully.
Knowing Delmoa’s past made it even worse.
But Violet didn't have the confidence to operate with someone else in tow, even if she could manage alone.
Delmoa’s divine power was a talent the Goddess herself would drool over, but her combat abilities were a different story.
As a Useless Boradori who hadn't even completed a full month of training, she didn't feel confident bringing Delmoa along.
Therefore, Violet decided to leave Delmoa with someone she could trust.
“Please look after her as if she were your own granddaughter!”
“…No, I told you to think of us as parents. I didn't mean for you to go this far.”
Lightly ignoring Daisy’s parents and their skeptical expressions, Violet spoke to Delmoa.
“You have to listen to Grandpa and Grandma, okay?”
“…Okay.”
Whether her sincerity had reached her or if Delmoa just didn't want to be alone, she finally let go.
After patting Delmoa’s head, Violet was finally able to leave the Academy.
Traveling through the Empire, Violet unintentionally ended up on a pilgrimage of the original work's holy sites.
“Ah, was this where Daisy was kidnapped for the 12th time?”
She looked around the places where the RoFan heroine had faced crises.
“If Esid had pushed harder here, the world line would have changed.”
She passed by places where the RoFan party had gone on dates.
“The battle should have started around here…”
Following the story as she remembered it and gathering information where her memory was fuzzy, she finally arrived at the first location.
“……It’s a temple.”
After about a week of effort, she discovered a hidden temple that practically screamed that something was inside.
“Ancient language, huh.”
A language that was now completely dead, with almost no one in the Empire knowing it.
However, Violet could interpret the language almost perfectly.
It wasn't a cheat she received as a reincarnation perk…
“I’m getting a free ride thanks to the author being lazy with the setting.”
It was simply because the ancient language was just Korean with the characters twisted around.
“Let’s see. I-got-e-dot-chat-han-nyeo-seok-i-yeo.” (O traveler who has arrived here.)
They really did make this lazily.
Thinking that, Violet spent exactly one month checking every corner of the temple.
‘Holy crap, this is 100% it.’
She could feel her suspicions turning into certainty.
And for good reason.
—I am the Spirit King of Wind. ■□■□■□. I ask of thee, who hath awakened my seal.
Because, by all appearances, she had entered the main story of the sequel.
#Daisy - Why only me…
Daisy inviting Adam Smith had been an impulsive act.
If one were to look for the reason, there would be many, but the most fundamental cause was the subtle jealousy inherent in her character setting.
Originally, as a RoFan heroine, this element was supposed to be used to make her unconsciously aware of the RoFan male leads…
But due to the aftermath of the ruined original plot, that direction had shifted slightly.
And as a result.
‘Why did I make that choice…’
The attribute of 'subtle jealousy' assigned to Daisy was now on the verge of being deleted.
Because the consequences of her impulsive action were unfolding right before her eyes.
“Our dear Delmoa. Do you like cake?”
In Daisy’s view, she saw her mother smiling brightly as she sliced a strawberry cake.
“The aroma of this tea is quite wonderful. I’ve never smelled anything like it. Is the capital truly that different?”
“No, I received it from an acquaintance. It’s likely hard to find even in the Imperial capital.”
“You joke. Is there anything that cannot be found in the capital? What is this, dried World Tree leaves or something?”
“Oh. You recognized it?”
“……?”
On the other side, she saw her father and Adam Smith leisurely drinking tea brewed from the leaves of the World Tree.
“This is my house…”
To be precise, it was a house Esid had lent them, but that wasn't what mattered to Daisy right now.
“Why am I the only one being left out…?”
From a distance, it looked like a very harmonious family.
But the problem was that the people at the center of it were outsiders.
So why were they taking better care of those outsiders than their own daughter!
And even!
“It seems I’ve arrived a bit late.”
“You’ve arrived just in time, Lady Loreliya.”
“I told you that you could just call me Loreliya, Mother.”
“It is difficult to call you that so suddenly, Lady Loreliya.”
“……”
Even Loreliya, who was officially her romantic rival despite them having no personal issues, naturally walked in and took a seat.
Was that all?
“The matter of titles will be resolved with time. First, I brought some strawberries sent from my family as a gift… but it seems they overlap with what you have.”
“Strawberries… the more, the better.”
“Is that so, Delmoa?”
Delmoa, who usually growled at her like a mortal enemy, was now naturally being held in Loreliya’s arms!
“They’re my family… it’s my house…!”
So why am I the only one who can’t be happy!
Daisy watched them with a tearful face as they harmoniously shared cake and tea.
“Here, Daisy.”
Perhaps her mother felt sorry for her, as she brought over a plate with a slice of cake.
“Delmoa doesn't like it, so you should just put up with it.”
“I hate you, Mom…!”
Faced with the still-impenetrable barrier, Daisy had no choice but to chew on her tear-soaked cake.