The Social Circle Emerges
Finally, the social circle had surfaced. Now was the time to play, eat, drink, and talk. The moment Razetta stepped down from the podium, the merchants—who had been sitting with heavy rears—rose first and sought out the king, Pelion. Bagan remained still for the time being. Everyone was moving about with glasses in hand, and he had no desire to insert himself into the complicated situation.
“You’re not going over?” Sally asked. She thought it proper for those of lower status to move first. Though a spirit, she had spent so much time in Pangea reading books that she now knew everything there was to know.
“It’s fine. It’s too complicated, and if there’s no time to spare, we wouldn’t be able to share much anyway.” As he spoke, Bagan’s gaze remained fixed on Pelion’s table. Many people stopped by to pay their respects. There sat Pelion, greeting them with a benevolent smile, and Vidion, maintaining a poker face. The queen, Tiffany, who must have grown tired of hearing how beautiful she was from every visitor, still welcomed each one with a smile as bright as sunlight.
The few distinguished guests invited to this banquet were, aside from the royal family and those who worked for them, all great magnates. Most were merchants in all but name. Some had connections Razetta had forged through her export dealings, while others were merchants already renowned throughout the Seiros Kingdom. They possessed such vast wealth that they could receive invitations to an event like this. Yet they were not lacking in etiquette, so they made for perfectly appropriate guests.
“It is an honor to meet the Sun of the Kingdom. I am Liam Marquez, who operates the Marquez Trading Company across various regions.”
Among them were many merchants Pelion knew well.
“I see. If it’s the Marquez Trading Company, I know of it as well. It was a small caravan that supplied goods all the way to the front lines during the war a few years ago.”
For the king himself to remember such minor details was a tremendous honor for them.
“That is correct. It is an achievement accomplished by my father, the head of the Marquez Trading Company, Rondon Marquez.”
“If it was before, then now……” Pelion’s expression darkened as he looked at Liam, fearing the worst.
“He passed away a few months ago from an illness he contracted during the war.”
“Is that so. I treated the end of a war hero too lightly. Whenever you visit De Seiran, come find me. I shall treat you with the utmost hospitality in honor of Rondon Marquez, who led the Marquez caravan.”
How many people could receive such words from the king? Pelion skillfully steered the moment away from turning somber.
“Thank you. To have my father’s achievements praised so highly is a great honor for me as his son. Then, I shall take my leave.”
Pelion nodded with a benevolent expression. Though he wished to converse more with Liam, there were many others waiting, so he had no choice but to handle things quickly. The position of king was originally a tiring one, and Pelion had long since grown accustomed to it. Thus, he rapidly accepted greetings from merchants whose names he did not even know, emptying and refilling his glass of the finest wine several times. He drank with each visitor, but as Dragonians, they possessed strong tolerance for alcohol. Being of dragon lineage, they had near-immunity to all poisons. Getting drunk was impossible unless one bathed in liquor. Even then, they would sober up within a few hours……
After finally finishing all the greetings while still perfectly sober, Pelion caught his breath and rose from his seat. His reason was to pay his respects to Cyron. Pelion’s family rose together with him.
“I greet the great Blue Dragon, Lord Cyron.”
No matter how much of a king he was in the Seiros Kingdom, he could not compare to a dragon. Knowing this, Pelion bowed his head first as he approached.
“Hmm, so you are Razetta’s older brother.”
“That is correct. Though it is only for De Marinda, I am truly grateful that you have become our guardian dragon. In any case, the Seiros Kingdom can now claim to be a kingdom protected by a dragon.”
Pelion held this fact in extremely high regard. As king, he could not help but think of the kingdom, and whenever he considered this matter, he felt like showering Razetta with praise and granting her anything she desired.
“As you said, I am merely protecting De Marinda, but I am glad you think so. Since it is a rare good day, let us have a drink!”
Cyron, more cheerful than expected, clinked glasses with Pelion. Clink! Watching this scene, Montihall, Razetta, Gruon, and even Vidion could not help but look forward to the future. Only then did Bagan finally leave his table and head toward the one where the royal family had gathered. Sally and Arien came with him.
Bagan approached their table and displayed his usual nonchalance rather than offering formal greetings.
“The atmosphere seems good. Are you not going to let me join?”
All eyes turned to Bagan at his appearance. Some looked flustered, some intrigued, some pleased, and some embarrassed as they greeted him. Seeing the glass in Bagan’s hand, Cyron spoke.
“What are you doing? You have not even filled your glass. Do not tell me you are asking for a pour!”
“The mood is good, so it would be nice for me to get a drink too.”
What Bagan wanted was clear. He was brazenly trying to get alcohol from Cyron.
“Kahaha! As expected of someone bold enough to visit my lair. Here, take this!”
Having successfully received a drink from Cyron, Bagan looked at the others who were staring blankly and said,
“What are you doing? Your glasses are full too.”
Watching this, those who knew Bagan thought the same thing.
‘Has he finally gone mad?’
Even Gion’s jaw nearly hit the floor. After all, this was right in front of Pelion. It was before the king, where one should mind their words and actions.
“B-Bagan……”
Vidion, who knew Bagan well, tried to step in and stop him, but—
“Right. Hurry and clink glasses hard enough to break them! Do not make this joyful day one you will regret!”
Cyron’s words added fuel to the fire. At this point, even Pelion could not back down. He clinked his glass against the others, forming a triangle. Clink!
***
The atmosphere had ripened along with the alcohol, but no one at the table was drunk.
‘Of course, they are Dragonians. They drink so well.’
It was only natural—half the people at the table were Dragonians. Bagan was not particularly weak to alcohol either, and Cyron, being a dragon to begin with, had even greater tolerance than the Dragonians.
‘Lilia still seems unable to drink, and Tiffany is surprising.’
Tiffany was also drinking at the same table, yet showed no signs of intoxication.
‘Selena and Daphne are probably not drinking because they are on guard duty.’
Selena was one thing, but Bagan had never dreamed he would see Daphne here. She was the silver-haired woman standing firmly behind Gruon de Kairos’s shoulder insignia. If Bagan remembered correctly, she was Daphne, the legion commander of De Pruna, known as the Human Fortress. Though not large in build and possessing a girlish face, she was an opponent one could never underestimate. There was a reason her character description called her the Human Fortress.
‘Trait: Iron Wall. It is a shame she is human, but her skill is the real deal.’
Her trait was ‘Iron Wall.’ Iron Wall was a trait that exponentially increased defense while holding a shield, and it was one that any player raising a ‘Sword and Shield’ character would want. Moreover, its grade was B, so there was no need to worry about penalties—it was essential. She made full use of this trait, wielding a kite shield and boasting peerless defensive power.
‘Anyway, it is good to see her.’
Bagan could not help but feel an inner sense of familiarity. It was at that moment, perhaps because he had not joined the atmosphere and was lost in thought—
“Cough! Cough! What the—suddenly……”
Bagan hurriedly wiped the spilled alcohol. Before he knew it, everyone had fallen silent and was staring at him. It was true he had not been paying attention to their conversation, and he had also stayed quiet because he had no intention of butting in. But the moment all eyes turned to him, he became flustered.
Bagan, now clear-headed, wondered why, and he soon found out. It was Pelion who spoke.
“You stirred up the mood yet have not said a single word. What is this nonsense?”
“Huh?”
“We were sharing stories about our family, but in truth, we have been quite concerned about you. Go ahead and introduce yourself at least.”
Only then did Bagan understand why everyone’s attention was focused on him. Because he was someone who could not ride the flow of such atmospheres, his quiet listening had backfired. Thus, Bagan mustered his courage and continued.
“As you know, I am the adventurer Bagan. Um, and……”
When Bagan hesitated, unsure of what to say, Pelion spoke.
“Looking at your achievements, I thought you would have a straightforward personality, but that does not seem to be the case. Why can you not say that you are the very person who ended the winter of the Zairan Forest, dealt with the underworld of De Meca, eliminated the dungeon in the waters off De Marinda, and persuaded Lord Cyron!”
Bagan was surprised by how strongly Pelion reacted. But Bagan was someone who said what needed to be said.
“It feels like I am bragging. I did it because I wanted to……”
“Is that so? I misunderstood. I despise people who put on such pointless humility.”
Pelion, whom Bagan had seen since the game days, was truly a great man. He had a bold personality, strove to the end when he had a goal, detested lies to the extreme, and would take anything that benefited him. That was why he liked that Bagan had not put on pointless humility.
“In any case, an outstanding talent like you appeared in the De Meca Adventurers’ Guild, so I could not help but be curious. I had already heard many stories from Montihall, but after hearing from Razetta, even more was added.”
“Was that so? I did a few things here too, but it was all to fulfill a long-cherished wish……”
Bagan thought that now that things had come to this, he could not back down. It was a story he would have to tell someday. He subtly brought it up.
“A long-cherished wish. You are the one who resolved our long-cherished wish, so let us hear what it is.”
Pelion, who had inwardly been curious about what Bagan desired, asked. Since the others had never heard of it either, everyone perked up their ears and focused. It was a situation where, now that the stage was set, he could not back out. Bagan opened his mouth.
“I mentioned it roughly to Montihall, but…… I will liberate all the slaves in this world and punish the forces of evil.”
The second goal was also Sally’s role, but Bagan did not dislike it either. Rather, he wanted to do it. Punishing Lucifer, the root of all evil, was originally the goal Bagan should have in this world—in other words, it was the ‘main quest.’
At that, Montihall said,
“I had heard about liberating the slaves, but punishing the forces of evil is the first I am hearing of it.”
“Because the immediate goal is liberating the slaves.”
While Bagan was speaking with Montihall, the others who had heard his ambition were deep in thought. Some quietly cheered him on in their hearts, while others actively offered their help.
“Whenever you say the word, I will lend my aid.”
It was Vidion. He seemed to have gained much inspiration from their previous duel. Then—
Pelion, who had been quietly thinking, spoke.
“I have heard your thoughts clearly. I have also prepared something regarding that matter.”
Bagan was extremely curious that the king had prepared something. He could not imagine what kind of story would come out. But the word that came from Pelion’s mouth afterward was beyond anything he could have imagined.
“War.”