Chapter 342: ???? Years Old (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 342: ???? Years Old (1)
Afterward.
Since the office was too cramped, they first moved to the tea room, where everyone could sit comfortably.
After serving simple tea, Alon scratched his head awkwardly in the still-silent atmosphere.
Right then.
"Marquis."
"What is it, Evan?"
"Regarding the auction house matter you signed off on the other day..."
"Is there a problem?"
"It seems so. The proposal was sent back, and I think you need to check it right now."
"If that's the case—"
Evan had brought a report.
Alon immediately stood up from his seat and said, "I'm sorry, but I'll have to go handle some business for a moment. You've already introduced yourselves, so please, keep talking."
The group nodded in unison.
Alon turned and left the room.
Silence descended upon the tea room once again.
It was a situation where no one was in any danger, yet for some reason, the air was thick with tension.
Even Seolrang, who would usually be laughing and playing around with Line after not seeing her for so long...
Clink—
She sat with a stiff face, holding her teacup with both hands.
And the first one to break the silence was—
"Deus Macallian, was it?"
—Nangwon.
"Yes."
Deus nodded calmly.
A moment later.
"Heh heh heh... To think you'd notice that. You have a discerning eye."
"Is that so? It was so well-made that I couldn't help but admire it."
Unlike the tension-filled atmosphere from a moment ago, Deus and Nangwon were now conversing with smiles on their faces.
The reason was—
"I never imagined such an intaglio could be carved into a statue."
"If you'd like, I can show you how to carve it into a statue next time."
"Ho, I look forward to that."
...It was because of Alon's statue.
The atmosphere cleared instantly as Deus and Nangwon found common ground. Just as their voices began to fill the room...
"Ahem—let me introduce myself again. I am Yutia Bloodia."
"I shall reintroduce myself as well. I am Magrina, the Queen of Phildegrin."
"I'm Ryanga."
"I'm Seolrang!"
"I'm Line."
"Historia."
Those who had kept their mouths shut until now began to give brief introductions one by one, and a natural conversation opened up.
The air became incomparably softer than it had been at first.
However, even so.
Except for Nangwon and Deus, a certain line remained between the others.
For instance.
"As the Queen of the Elves, you must be very busy. You don't need to worry too much about Teacher, as we are supporting him well."
"I couldn't possibly do that. Since everyone from Seolrang over there to Sister Line here is in a foreign land, I have no choice but to lend a bit more of my strength."
"It's quite alright, you know? I've already cleared away everything that could be a nuisance to Teacher."
"Still, Brother often needs information. I believe 'our' side should do our best to provide exactly what he needs."
They were certainly smiling as they spoke.
But they were clearly dividing themselves into groups.
It couldn't be helped.
Yutia, Seolrang, Line, and Deus were the people Alon had saved roughly ten years ago.
While Magrina, Nangwon, Historia, and Ryanga were the ones he had saved when he traveled to the past.
"We are more than capable of supporting Teacher."
"The same goes for us."
Yutia and Magrina exchanged smiles and words that could be interpreted as, 'We can support him well enough on our own, so don't cross the line,' and 'No, thanks.'
Just as the brief warmth was fading and the tension was rising again...
"What a coincidence. To think that everyone connected to the Marquis would gather in one place for such an important matter."
The tea party—
"Even though 'that matter' should have already been settled."
Snap.
—froze instantly at Yutia's single remark.
"Oh my, what do you mean by that?"
Magrina, who had been raising her teacup with a smile, flinched and set it back down before slowly asking back.
However, Yutia's smile didn't waver as she added, "Exactly what you heard. Since the important decision has already been made, I was simply saying it's a bit of a shame for the rest of you."
"...It sounds like you know what 'that matter' is."
Yutia didn't answer Magrina's question.
She simply sipped her tea with a fox-like smile in her white eyes.
"W-What? Is it over already? Wait, hasn't it even started yet???"
Ryanga, who had been awkwardly scratching her head, was momentarily startled and flustered.
"..."
Magrina, who had been staring intently at Yutia, spoke up.
"As far as I know, it's not over yet."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes. We were supposed to discuss it today."
"That conversation won't have much meaning."
"And why is that?"
"Because it's already been decided."
"I heard that this person only selects the candidates, and the one who actually decides is Brother."
Magrina's retort was clear.
Yutia simply tilted her teacup with an unchanging expression.
Slurp—
An incredibly relaxed attitude.
And soon, gracefully setting down her teacup, Yutia...
"Yes. That's why I'm saying this."
...gave a bright smile.
Eyes quickly converged on Yutia.
In the moment everyone stood dazed by her overwhelming confidence...
"Isn't that just what you think, Yutia?"
Line suddenly spoke up.
"T-That's right! Yutia! That's just your opinion! We don't know what Mentor thinks!"
Seolrang chimed in.
The invisible alliance that had been built as a group collapsed in an instant. A situation where an ally from seconds ago became an enemy again in seconds.
"So it seems."
"Ahem, it's definitely the Boss who decides, so it's not over yet."
Magrina added with a smile.
And Ryanga quietly made a fist of determination where no one could see.
But even in the face of their reactions, Yutia remained the same.
"I wonder if that's true?"
She wore the smile of a victor, as if it were a game she had won from the very beginning.
"..."
Everyone fell silent at once.
Even Magrina, who hadn't lost her smile until now, let her face stiffen slightly.
Seeing her that certain...
They couldn't help but think there must be something to it.
In that overwhelming situation, Seolrang gritted her teeth and hesitated for a moment.
Should I use that? But I'm afraid of the consequences— She conflicted, but soon she made her decision.
"But—Yutia, you're not suited to be his partner."
She let it out.
During the brief silence, Yutia looked at Seolrang leisurely.
Seolrang, feeling unnecessarily provoked, glanced around and then...
"Yutia, you're—at least several hundred times older than Mentor, aren't you...?"
...she went for it.
While subtly averting her eyes.
Yutia's body froze instantly.
The strategic weapon that burst from Seolrang's mouth dropped fearlessly onto Yutia's head.
And then.
"Oh my—is that so?"
In a split second that didn't even last a few moments, Magrina formed a new alliance with Seolrang.
"Hmph—"
"That's certainly true."
Then, as if they had been waiting, Ryanga and Line landed additional blows.
Historia's emotionless eyes turned toward Yutia.
A perfect counter.
However.
Yutia, who had been frozen for a moment...
"Hehe—"
...laughed softly and looked around once.
A faint grind of teeth was heard for a brief moment.
"I'm sorry, Seolrang, but that's not true."
"Huh? What do you—"
"I am twenty-two this year."
"?"
"?"
"?"
"Eh? No way. Surely—"
"I am twenty-two."
"...Isn't that just being stubborn?"
"What can I do when it's a fact that I'm twenty-two, Line? It's not nice to slander me like that, you know?"
Yutia tilted her head as if she had no memory of her own past.
Just as everyone was beginning to look fed up with her, she continued.
"More importantly, if we're talking about age, I believe everyone here is at a difficult age. Am I wrong?"
"!"
"!"
Everyone fell silent again at Yutia's attack...
Actually, it was true.
Magrina and Ryanga, as well as Historia, had lived for 600 years.
Furthermore, since Line had also been sealed for 600 years, she couldn't escape this attack either.
"Ahem—did you know? High Elves live for a very long time. So, this age is roughly around 20 in Elf years."
Magrina, being the first to regain her senses, used a miraculous bit of calculation.
"M-Me too! We live a long time too! If we put our minds to it, thousands of years... Uh, then, wait. How old am I in human years...?"
Ryanga, who tried to follow Magrina's logic, ended up with her eyes spinning as she broke down.
"Same for me."
Historia affirmed simply.
But Line countered.
"I'm still twenty, Yutia."
"And why is that?"
"Because I was sealed. I didn't age."
"But you were awake for 600 years."
"Still, my physical age didn't increase. If you mean we aged together, then your logic is strange too, Yutia."
Yutia fell silent once more at her words.
And Line looked at her with an expressionless, yet strangely triumphant face.
"Ahem—then am I the one suited for Mentor!"
Soon after, Seolrang joined the fray late with a confident tone.
Just then.
"What—"
Nangwon, who had heard the entire conversation while talking passionately about the statue, spoke up without thinking.
"600 years or even longer... Coldly speaking, isn't it all the same age in the end?"
"I think so too."
"Right? In the end, by human standards, you're all middle-aged wom—"
He couldn't finish his last word.
The moment Nangwon tried to throw that word out.
Kicks from Magrina and Yutia flew toward him and Deus, respectively.
And then.
BOOOOOOM—!!!!
[Kyu-kyu-kyut—?!!]
"D-Defying Heaven—!?"
Alon, who had been checking the returned proposal...
Suddenly felt an ominous, violent mana erupt with a loud explosion.
At the same time, he found Deus and Nangwon crashed into a bookshelf, battered and broken after smashing through the mansion walls.
"...!"
Terrified, he tried to use the Art of Defying Heaven, but...
"I'm sorry, Teacher."
"We caused a bit of a stir."
"Yutia... Magrina?"
He stopped his movements at the sight of Yutia and Magrina emerging from the smoke-filled wall.
Ryanga, Historia, and Line followed.
The three of them silently grabbed Nangwon and Deus by the ankles and dragged them back into the room they had come from.
Alon simply stared at the scene, dazed.
"Don't worry about it, Teacher. We just made a little mistake while talking."
"We'll be going back now."
"Work hard, Boss!"
"Good luck, God."
"See you in a bit, Godfather."
The girls exited, waving brightly while dragging two grown men by their legs.
Alon stared at them with a blank mind for a moment before collapsing into his seat.
[Kyuuu—]
And as he stroked Blackie, who had jumped into his arms as if startled...
"Are Deus and Nangwon... going to be okay?"
He stared hollowly at the hole in the wall.
* * *
The night after the great commotion at the Marquis Palatio's mansion.
Alexion began the interviews.
"Hello."
"...Hello."
"I am Line Grof."
"Ah, yes, but by any chance... where did you get the letter?"
"It came to me."
"Ah, a letter came to you...?"
"Yes."
"...Um, I'm sorry, but we didn't send a letter to Lady Line Grof."
"Pardon?"
"Well, I didn't write a letter to Lady Line Grof—"
"Pardon?"
"I, to Lady Line Grof—"
"Pardon?"
"...Now that I think about it, I believe I did send a letter."
"Right?"
"Yes."
...The interviews for the thieves.
"Ah, come to think of it, I heard the interview is based on a point system."
"That's correct."
"...I hope I get a good score."
"Well, the score is based on various evaluation criteria—"
"Is that so?"
"Yes, yes, that's right."
Line agreed easily.
Just as Alexion's evaluation of Line in his heart was about to be revised to 'a person who lacks a conscience but has at least some manners'...
Zap—!
Alexion saw it. The Golden Tube that emerged from behind Line.
In an instant, it punched a clean, cylindrical hole through the desk between them.
"Ah, I'm sorry. It seems I made a mistake since I'm not used to this body yet. Even though it's a body that can't even use its strength properly, I'm sorry."
Line muttered in a soulless voice.
At that sight.
"W-We shall begin..."
Alexion squeezed his eyes shut...