Chapter 162: ……Huh? (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162: ……Huh? (1)
Alon arrived at the Zenonia Ducal House, located within the Inner Castle, just as the sun was beginning to set.
“It has been a long time, Marquis Palatio.”
“It has.”
“Have you been well?”
“I have.”
“Let us have dinner first.”
Alon finally met Duke Zenonia in person after over a year of communicating only through a crystal ball, and he joined her for dinner.
It’s massive.
Alon looked around as he followed Duke Zenonia.
He had felt it since entering the Inner Castle, but once inside the mansion, the scale was even more palpable. The Zenonia estate was so vast it was practically a castle in its own right.
The Zenonia estate was huge in the game, too.
He briefly recalled getting lost in these halls several times before he grew accustomed to the game, but they soon arrived at the dining hall.
“Oh.”
An exclamation escaped Alon’s lips involuntarily.
The massive dining table was packed with an array of dishes so lavish it made his jaw drop.
“This is—”
“I had it prepared since I heard you were coming.”
“……Thank you.”
“Fufu—please, let’s eat.”
Seated by Duke Zenonia’s grace, Alon began his meal. As they neared the end of the feast, he slowly spoke up.
“By the way, there is something I wanted to ask.”
“What might that be?”
“Do you happen to know anything about the ‘Chosen One’?”
Alon pictured Elivan’s beautiful face. Duke Zenonia nodded in response.
“Yes, I know of him. I’ve even conducted a personal investigation.”
“A personal investigation?”
“I heard news that he was coming to close the Strange Gates near the territory, but I also wanted to see if he was someone who could bring meaningful change to the current political system.”
“And? What is your assessment?”
“There didn’t seem to be anything of that sort. If I had to name one thing, though…” Duke Zenonia paused to think before answering. “It would be that he might be an acquaintance of Cardinal Yutia?”
“……With Yutia?”
“Yes. I heard that during the process of his appointment as the Chosen One, he acted as if he knew Yutia. No—to be precise, he tried not to show it, but he made a slip-up.”
“Hmm.”
Alon tilted his head inwardly as he thought of Elivan and Yutia. Based on what he knew, it was strange for the two of them to be acquainted.
……Of course, they could have formed a connection without my knowledge.
Alon knew that Yutia often went out to perform volunteer work. He wondered for a moment where their paths might have crossed.
“Did something happen? If so, I can try to sound out the Chosen One tomorrow.”
“……Are you meeting him tomorrow?”
“Yes. Since he cleared the Strange Gate in front of the territory, I must offer him my commendations.”
Alon shook his head at the Duke’s suggestion. If there were a clear reason, it would be one thing, but right now, there wasn’t.
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
“Understood.”
He then moved on to other topics—mostly discussing Kalpa—until she asked another question.
“By the way, do you plan on attending the upcoming ball, Marquis?”
“Mmm, I likely will.”
“That is a relief.”
“Why do you say that?”
“It seems kings and nobles from other kingdoms will be attending this ball as well.”
“……Kings and nobles from other kingdoms?”
“Yes. I asked because I judged that a certain level of socializing with foreign nobility is necessary.”
“Though you already seem to have many connections, Marquis,” Duke Zenonia added with a smile before continuing. “Furthermore, the Grand Duchy of Luxible will also be participating this time.”
“The Grand Duchy of Luxible… if I recall…”
“It is the place where the royal family recently seized power after purging corrupt factions.”
“……I have heard some rumors. I heard they changed their state religion.”
“Yes, that’s right—” Duke Zenonia placed her index finger to her lips for a moment as if trying to remember. “I believe it was… Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver.”
“I heard the same. Is their attendance particularly significant?”
“Mmm—it’s not that important. However, if the talks go well… as you might guess, Marquis, our faction stands to gain quite a lot.”
Of course, Alon was completely in the dark.
The Kingdom of Luxible was strictly a foreign nation, separate from the Asteria Kingdom, and the distance between them was quite far. In other words, he had no idea how they could possibly profit from the Grand Duchy of Luxible.
However, it would be awkward to ask so bluntly.
“……I see.”
He could only reply while feigning indifference.
* * *
The following day.
“I’ll be going now.”
“I shall see you at the ball.”
“Indeed.”
After a brief farewell to Duke Zenonia, Alon left the territory. His destination was not the Marquis’s estate, but the North.
[I thought we were going home?]
Basiliora, who had rarely emerged from the ring and was currently engaged in a bizarre staring contest with Blackie, asked.
“I have a place to stop by.”
[A place to stop by?]
“Yes. But—why do you suddenly care?”
[Ahem—it is nothing.]
At Alon’s question, Basiliora coiled his body unnecessarily and looked away, feigning ignorance.
“This snake-head, isn’t he hiding something?”
[What!? I am hiding nothing!]
“Nothing, my foot. The way you’re shifting your head is exactly like a squirrel that’s stashed something away.”
[Don’t give me that crap, human! I am better than you, who was fooling around with a maid yesterday!!]
“What!? Who was fooling around with a maid!?”
[Hmph—did you think no one would know? I saw everything yesterday! You lowly human!]
“Shut up! We just walked through the garden for a bit!”
[Hmph! Weren’t you bragging and subtly making up things that never happened at the Strange Gate!]
“You bastard, are you a stalker!?”
Evan gasped in shock, his face turning red, while Basiliora laughed mockingly at the sight.
……To be honest, in Alon’s eyes, there wasn’t much difference between Evan, who had been boasting to a maid, and Basiliora, who had been secretly stalking him.
[Sigh, now that I look at you, you’re no different from a monkey, let alone a human—]
“Shut up, you snake-head! We just went for a walk!”
[Hmph—]
Basiliora snorted at Evan’s protest as if it were pathetic. Then, he suddenly wore a strangely wicked grin and began—
[Orle, your eyes are as clear as the violet skies I saw at the Strange Gate.]
[Oh—Sir Evan!]
He began to act, shifting his voice between a low baritone and a high-pitched tone. Evan’s face instantly turned crimson, and he let out a strangled scream.
“Blackie! Make that, that snake-head shut up!! Please!”
He hurriedly sought help, but…
[Kyu—]
Even Blackie was looking at Evan with a look of utter pity. Finally, after being bombarded with all sorts of humiliating reenactments.
“Pant… pant…”
Evan looked completely exhausted. He wore a miserable expression as he turned his head toward Alon.
“……So, Marquis. You told me to head North, so I’m going, but where exactly are we headed?”
“We’ll probably have to travel for about two more days.”
“Two days? If we go up that far—” Evan thought for a moment before asking. “I know there’s a village called Parsley up there. Are we going there?”
“To be precise, I plan to go to the ruins near Parsley.”
Only then did Evan nod in realization.
“I see. You must be looking for something in the ruins.”
“You catch on quick.”
“I haven’t been traveling with you for a year or two for nothing, Marquis. I can figure this much out easily.”
“Then shouldn’t you have known even without asking when I said we were going North?”
“Well, I just asked for the sake of formality.”
The corners of Evan’s mouth curled up playfully. Alon gave a slight smile in return and looked out at the passing scenery.
But then.
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
“Marquis, you just smiled.”
Evan’s eyes went wide.
“Did I?”
“You’ve gone back to your expressionless face now, but you definitely smiled just a moment ago.”
Alon lightly touched the corner of his mouth.
Hmm. Perhaps my emotions are showing a bit more than before.
He recalled something Seolrang had once said, but he soon shrugged his shoulders. In truth, showing emotion on his face wasn't that big of a concern.
“Anyway, Marquis, are we heading back to the estate after visiting the ruins?”
“Unless something unexpected happens, that should be the case.”
“Understood.”
Whether it was just his imagination or not, Evan seemed to drive the carriage with a bit more excitement. Alon wore a strange expression. It seemed that Evan, like Basiliora, was eager to return to the estate as soon as possible.
Alon considered asking why for a moment but decided against it and looked out the window. It was an afternoon where the sun was beginning to beat down with increasing heat.
* * *
Three days later.
After arriving in Parsley and wandering for about a day, Alon finally reached his desired location.
“……Is this the ruin?”
Evan looked at the ruin in front of Alon with a puzzled expression. It was understandable. The 'ruin' before them was just a single small door—hardly enough to be called a ruin site.
“Yes.”
“……It’s so small. It looks like it would be hard for even one person to fit through.”
It was as he said. The door was so narrow it looked difficult for a single person to enter, but Alon simply shrugged and pulled out ‘Rumielle’s Oath.’
“……Isn’t that the item you received from the Elves last time?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t tell me you use that to open it?”
“That’s right.”
Alon immediately held up ‘Rumielle’s Oath’ and began inspecting the ruin. Before long…
Found it.
He discovered a groove at the bottom right of the ruin where ‘Rumielle’s Oath’ could be inserted and fitted the ring into it.
Then—
Rumble, rumble, rumble—!!!
A massive sound erupted from the entire ruin, and the small door in front of him began to slowly slide open.
“……How on earth do you know these things so well?”
Evan asked, his face filled with admiration and curiosity. Naturally, it was only because Alon had obtained relics through Rumielle’s Oath several times in the game; he didn't know much beyond that.
The only additional thing Alon knew about this ruin was one detail.
Was this the place where the staff used by the Primordial Elf was kept?
Alon had no idea who the Primordial Elf was or what kind of status they held. The game had never mentioned the Primordial Elf in detail.
……I think there was one more ruin.
Aside from that, Alon knew nothing about the Primordial Elf. The most he could deduce was that they must have been an incredible Mage—no, a Magus.
The relic itself is top-tier, after all.
The slowly opening door was now fully retracted. And then.
Found it.
Inside the door that had opened with such a thunderous noise, Alon found the relic left behind by the Primordial Elf—
‘Staff of the Holy One’
Looking at the gauntlet-shaped staff, Alon allowed a smile to form behind his expressionless mask.
At that same moment.
“……Let us depart.”
“Do you truly intend to go yourself, Your Majesty?”
“Yes. I will see it with my own two eyes.”
In Greinif,
“Whether that person truly is… the Primordial Elf.”
The Queen began to move.