Chapter 108
Chapter 108
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Rose-Colored Glasses
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"You're such an absurd guy after all."
"Out of nowhere?"
The blonde, tanned saint suddenly spoke up with a weary expression.
"To be honest, I was pretty confident in myself."
"Whatever it is, you can keep that confidence. I saw the young ladies in the garden—they were all swooning over you, totally losing their heads. That girl earlier too."
Lona thought for a moment, then flashed a pleased smile.
"Cute girls, right?"
Whoa.
Rishir was inwardly impressed by the sight.
It was a look that could pull off saying 'cute baby puppies' without missing a beat.
What do you call that?
Prince charming?
No wonder women fall for him.
I wonder if I'd get the same reaction if I tried it?
Yeah, they'd go crazy, but in a different way.
A former incubus and golden sun indeed.
A couple of dots and a line couldn't erase that caliber.
Feeling a strange sense of defeat before the overwhelming masculinity of the golden child, Rishir continued the conversation.
The two shared stories of what had happened in the meantime.
The tale of how training his healing powers had unexpectedly led to showcasing his specialty(?), building a faction in the process.
...And Rishir's story.
"Fine, fine. You win. I was a fool for even trying to beat you for a moment. Happy now?"
"...I didn't say anything?"
Just as they were amicably exchanging unintended senses of defeat,
"Eron!"
"See? I told you! He's this way!"
A group of young ladies appeared, spotting Lona and lighting up with joy.
Their gazes then turned to Rishir.
"Oh? Who's that?"
Lona didn't miss it.
The way some of the women looked at Rishir with sparkling curiosity.
The fresh, shy smile she'd worn throughout their conversation changed.
"Ah, I'm Rishir."
"Rishir, is it? Hmm... That name rings a bell. Have we met before, by any chance?"
"Who knows. I'm not really the type who frequents these kinds of events."
"What's your relationship with Eron?"
Lord and vassal.
Knowing that would cause an uproar, Rishir glanced at Lona before answering.
"Friends. Wandering around looking for this guy ended up disturbing the venue. I feel responsible, so I'll finish my business and slip away quick."
"Oh my."
"What an interesting person."
Rishir had no idea.
How alluring the title of 'Eron's friend' was to them.
As their gazes toward him grew ever more intense,
"What's going on?"
Lona wedged herself between them.
She approached the group of women, creating her signature aura.
"You girls interested in my friend?"
"Pardon? Ah..."
"N-No, that's not it...!"
As Lona drew close with her suave vibe and voice, their guards crumbled instantly.
Before long, Rishir was completely ousted from their attention.
Their fervent gazes fixed solely on the young lord before them.
"..."
Lona inwardly smiled in relief and said to Rishir,
"Well then, I'll be off. Let's talk more later. If you need any help from me, just call. Fienne said she'd summon you once her business is sorted, so stay at the mansion until then. I'll let Karia know."
"Ah, Eron!"
"Come with us!"
Having rapid-fired her message, Lona led the group away from the venue at once.
"This is the golden sun?"
Not understanding Lona's motives, Rishir found himself gripped by another odd sense of defeat.
After catching up with Lona,
I returned to my room to rest.
This doesn't feel right.
Lying still on the bed, my recent days of intense training during every spare moment came to mind, making my body itch.
I tried to ignore the blue lotus flower flickering at the edge of my vision and sank into thought.
Come to think of it, what happens once this business is resolved?
What started as just scoring points with a councilor had snowballed into something ridiculously huge.
In the process, I'd unintentionally racked up a bunch of achievements.
According to Lona's offhand mentions during our chat, the city council was currently keeping a close eye on me.
In a good way, though complicated.
They were scratching their heads over how to reward me for all this.
No way, is something big coming?
My modest goal of establishing a foothold in Bondales might be achieved far faster and more grandly than I'd imagined.
A bastard from a decent but not high-noble house, scraping by on side-eyes, now buddying up with councilors in a metropolis like Bondales.
Actively normalizing everywhere I go, and power and status just roll in on their own.
Live righteously, and rewards follow.
Is there a more fulfilling life than this?
Tracing back the start of this dreamlike situation brought that face to mind.
Damn, the master again. Once I think of her, I have to worship.
I recalled Master's signature fluttering smile and voice, spending time in worship.
My disciple~
Come to think of it, how are Master and Duran doing these days?
If I get the chance, I'd love to show them this splendidly grown bastard.
And if I have the leeway, give Master a taste of abandonment's despair.
Maybe with my current power, I could match her on equal footing?
"Power... sword aura..."
Ignoring the blue lotus through gritted teeth suddenly felt pointless.
My heart raced, my whole body surging with elation.
That sensation when I unleashed sword aura.
Temporarily transcending my limits, touching the superhuman realm.
Until now, I'd seen power merely as a means to success and fame.
I couldn't fully grasp the mindset of those obsessed with strength itself.
But now, I get it a little.
That realm I'd briefly touched was utterly captivating.
Sword aura.
And the power to unleash it.
I felt a greed to make it all truly mine.
"Klana, couldn't I just try using sword aura once?"
Good idea.
The sulky murder spirit replied instantly.
I nodded.
Do it and I'd die.
No rushing.
No need to risk my life now; once recovered, I can train freely.
A sudden curiosity struck.
What level is my current realm?
"Klana."
What.
"What's my current realm like?"
Didn't I tell you during training? You've just reached mid-6th realm.
"Could you check again?"
Sheesh. You think realms grow like a kid's body? At your level, think in years. Climbing to this realm at your age is already near-miraculous.
"My constitution's a bit unique."
Nonsense.
Even as she grumbled, Klana manifested as a spirit before me.
The pint-sized murder spirit placed her arms on my body, gauging my power.
Her face soured, as if forced into a pointless task.
"?"
A question mark rose on her face.
"How is it?"
"Wait, hold on—"
"It's my constitution, so calm down and just tell me the result."
"Mana starting to merge with will... You're definitely on the cusp of 7th realm..."
7th realm.
A realm that once felt unreal to the old me.
"No..."
Even back in Bendel, the family head—who'd seemed like the sky— was only 6th realm, and Sir Meltas too.
So, I'm about to surpass the Bendel family head and Sir Meltas—?
It didn't feel real.
"No..."
A mood similar to Klana's dazed mutterings.
I'd taken solo growth in stride, but comparing to those towering walls made it hit different.
Curiosity struck again.
What does reaching 7th realm feel like?
The superhuman realm.
Another term for 7th realm.
From 7th onward, one transcends humanity into a higher being—that's where the name came from, apparently.
Naturally, Gaderok—the most recent 7th realm I'd met—came to mind.
My head tilted involuntarily.
Not that I should talk, having won only through his repeated carelessness, but I hadn't felt that level of presence from Gaderok.
Because it was temporary power from a cheat?
"Klana, remember Gaderok?"
The mage from Bendel's Blue Tower? How could I forget.
"Pardon? A Blue Tower mage?"
Yes, the magic he used was definitely Blue Tower lineage.
"Er... anyway, not the point. Klana, how does that Gaderok stack up against other 7th realms?"
A pathetic defective product.
"...That bad?"
Gaining confidence from that? You've got some wild delusions. Remember, most who die like dogs are in your current state.
"Oh..."
Klana's curt, resounding warning only fueled my curiosity.
7th realm.
If I get the chance, I'd love to witness that presence and power firsthand.
But—
Where the hell do I find a proper 7th realm expert?
Councilors. Tower masters.
I'm playing in what I consider big waters in a major city like Bondales.
Yet I've never properly met a true 7th realm.
Maybe I've crossed paths without knowing—
"Ah."
A sudden thought hit me.
I pulled out a certain parchment from deep in my luggage.
The one-time-use death note I'd received as payment from helping the assassin guild master.
"Klana, what realm do you think the assassin guild master is?"
I can't even guess what insane idea you're cooking up.
"If I use the kill list he gave me to summon him, would that be a huge faux pas?"
...
"Ah, yeah. I thought so too. This won't do."
Thus, my wish to witness 7th realm crumbled—
But opportunity knocked unexpectedly.
That night.
After settling dinner in bed courtesy of the maid(?), as I prepared for sound sleep, Lona visited my room.
"Did I interrupt?"
"No. Just about to exercise my patient's privilege."
"Patient's privilege?"
"Eating in bed."
"Ah..."
"Anyway, what's up? This late at night?"
"D-Don't get the wrong idea...! It's not something weird!"
"?"
"...Never mind."
Lona seemed oddly deflated as she stated her business.
"The mansion owner here is hosting a banquet. Wanted to ask if you're interested in attending."
"The mansion owner—Golden Barley Trading Company head?"
If I'm playing in big waters,
The Golden Barley head was swimming in massively huge waters, openly.
His business spanned not just Bondales but countless cities across the continent.
Probably connected to the continent's rulers, the great nobles?
"Yeah. Some important guests are visiting the mansion, so to celebrate a big deal closing, he's throwing a grand banquet."
"And I'm invited?"
"What do you think you're lacking?"
"Hmm... parental love from childhood?"
"...Too deep."
"Shallower? Let's see—what else."
"Whatever. Listen. You're basically a city heavyweight now. Your current position—or what you'll reach soon—is one outsiders take years, decades to achieve. Meeting people from the ground up, building connections steadily. But you shot straight there. Without even stamping your name in people's eyes. Look at this morning."
"This morning?"
"All those people in the garden, and not one recognized you. You, who handled socialites and criminals, who's a person of interest in the council."
"Oh..."
"So, use this chance to properly stamp your name with the city folk. And network with the big shots from outside attending the banquet."
A true prince of high society.
I couldn't help but admire the golden child's expert poise as he spoke fluidly.
"Makes sense... but can I just waltz into a spot like that?"
"Don't worry. I'll talk to Karia."
"Damn, pretty boys. Life's too easy for them."
"Pretty..."
I'd chosen words reflecting the golden child's wish to be seen as male, but the reaction was odd.
Lona mulled it over with a strangely displeased expression.
"Or beauty?"
"...You think I'm a beauty too?"
"If you're not, who is?"
"..."
Was it my imagination?
The golden child's tightly pressed lips seemed to twitch upward for a moment.
"Whatever. Doesn't matter. I'm neither woman nor man anyway."
I nodded along with Lona's setting.
"Ah, Lona. Who are these important guests coming to the banquet?"
Sure enough, an unexpected heavyweight slipped from the golden child's lips.
"The Tower Master."