Homecoming and the Hunter's Eyes
Kyle had no idea, but most creatures that lived for a long time were spiritual beings. There was a setting that the meat of spiritual beings brimmed with spiritual energy and was therefore ridiculously delicious. And so, while he savored a supreme delicacy he had never once tasted in either his previous life or this one, the lord suddenly raised his voice in the banquet hall, drawing every eye in the room.
“Everyone, pay attention!”
Even Kyle, who had been burying his face in his bowl, lifted his head at the lord’s call. The lord summoned both Kyle and Yuri to step forward.
They say even a dog shouldn’t be disturbed while eating… Kyle grumbled under his breath as he set his plate down and walked over.
“These two are the heroes who saved our territory. Heroes from Dairos Academy!”
“Ohh, and they’re still just academy students…”
“Didn’t they freeze the sea or something?”
“I heard the boy split the sea in two, but it was only a soldier’s eyewitness account, so the credibility isn’t exactly—”
While excited chatter about the pair swirled through the hall, the lord cleared his throat several times and signaled a servant. The servant promptly returned carrying an ornate box trimmed in gold leaf. The lord accepted it and held it out to them.
“Normally, every byproduct from monsters in the territory belongs to the lord, but… I can’t possibly claim that from the two people who saved us. This is the Sea God’s inner core.”
“…Inner core?”
“Indeed. Among all the treasures a spiritual being possesses, this is the most valuable.”
Kyle took the box and opened it with care. Inside lay a small bead no larger than two or three finger joints. The moment he sensed the mystical energy radiating from it, an instinctive realization hit him: eating this would increase his aura. In short, it was a priceless treasure—one a lord would not surrender lightly.
The others clearly understood that as well. Applause erupted, laced with congratulations, envy, jealousy, and praise for the lord’s generosity.
“As expected of our lord!”
“To give away something like that…”
“Selling it alone would cover months of the territory’s budget—”
Listening to the applause, Kyle’s expression hardened.
…What the hell is wrong with these people?
Weren’t they acting like they’d caught it themselves? For a moment he debated whether to flip the table, but in the end Kyle simply flashed a sly smile. He silently engraved a new lesson in his heart: next time, swallow the prize immediately and play dumb.
The very next day after receiving the lord’s thanks, Kyle began enjoying a proper vacation with Yuri. They swam in the sea every morning, then lazed beneath the sun until their skin grew hot. Several days slipped by like that until Kyle finally grew tired of sea bathing. Yuri felt the same. Surfing the waves, free-diving into the depths, or tanning for fun—all of it lost its charm after only a few days.
“Shall we head back now?”
“Yeah.”
Deciding they had enjoyed themselves enough, Kyle suggested they return. Yuri nodded the instant the words left his mouth, clearly sharing the same thought. With their decision made, Kyle packed their belongings at the lodging and arranged for a carriage. The one they had arrived in was long gone—stolen by one of the people fleeing the tsunami. You couldn’t exactly blame someone for choosing survival. Still, Kyle silently promised to beat the thief half to death if their paths ever crossed again, then rented a new carriage.
“Are you leaving, sir?”
When the carriage reached the castle gates, the guarding soldiers asked cautiously. Kyle gave a small nod, but the soldiers stopped them, explaining they had been ordered to send word if the heroes departed.
“The lord asked us to contact him the moment the heroes left…”
“And?”
“Pardon?”
“Aren’t you blocking my path right now on the lord’s orders?”
Kyle’s irritation showed plainly as he stared at the soldier obstructing him. Sensing the displeasure, the soldier faltered and took a step back. The young man was a hero who had saved the territory, but he was also the monster who had split the sea and frozen a tsunami. Angering someone like that was terrifying.
“Still, why exactly did the lord order you to stop me?”
“W-well, I’m not sure…”
“Probably just trying to look good. Maybe he wanted to say goodbye on my way out. But if you block my path for that reason, do you think my mood will improve?”
“I-it probably won’t, sir.”
“Then, for the lord’s sake, should you let me pass or keep standing there like an idiot?”
“I’ll open the gate right away!”
The soldier scrambled to open the gates and clear the road. He might be scolded later for failing to detain Kyle, but that wasn’t Kyle’s problem. If the lord would reprimand him for something like this, then the man’s character only went that far. A low-ranking noble who punished others for things beyond their control was hardly worth worrying about.
The carriage left the Emerald Count Territory and rolled onto the highway.
“Where to, sir?”
At the coachman’s question, Kyle answered carefully from inside the carriage.
“Myer Territory.”
It was finally time to go home.
The Count, after receiving the Duke’s message, did something surprising: nothing at all. After brief consideration, the claim that Kyle had kidnapped the Duke’s daughter sounded far too ridiculous. The Duke himself clearly wasn’t taking it seriously. The fact that he had erupted in uncharacteristic anger and released killing intent was proof enough.
It looked like a performance… something meant to be seen by someone else.
The outburst seemed designed to say, I’m doing this much, so calm down. While the rage and killing intent had appeared genuine, the Count—who had once stood on a battlefield beside the Duke—knew exactly what the man looked like when he was truly furious. When the Duke became genuinely angry, he showed no emotion at all, exactly as one would expect from the Grand Duke of the North. He displayed only cold reason, like a blade of ice. He wielded logic mercilessly, like a machine that had suppressed all feeling. He did not show emotion.
If he were truly taking it seriously, he would have sent troops himself instead of informing me.
The Northern Defense Army under the Duke was famous for being an elite force forged through countless real battles. There had been no need to ask the Count to act; the Duke could simply have led his army in pursuit. Yet the Duke had done neither, nor had he even requested any specific measures. In fact, the moment the Count said he would take action, the Duke had cut the communication without waiting to hear the details.
Knock, knock.
“Count, may I enter?”
“…Yes. Come in.”
The family butler carefully opened the door to the study. He seemed reluctant to speak, scratching his cheek before finally opening his mouth.
“Um… Count. Young Master Kyle has returned.”
“What? Kyle… you said Kyle is back?”
The Count’s face brightened at the news. Kyle—who had left for the Duke’s territory long ago and was even rumored to have kidnapped the Duke’s daughter—had returned. He rose from his seat at once and strode toward the mansion entrance. There, he saw Kyle stepping down from the carriage.
Kyle spotted his father from a distance and waved cheerfully.
“Kyle!”
“Father, I’m home.”
“—Count, it has been a while.”
The Count, who had rushed forward to greet his son, froze when he saw Yuri descending from the carriage behind Kyle. A low groan escaped him.
Kidnapped? What kidnapper in the world traveled amicably with his hostage? There wasn’t the slightest shadow on Yuri’s face. It was clear she had not been taken against her will but had walked out on her own two feet. The Count nodded, satisfied that his judgment had been correct, and welcomed them both.
“Good, you’re back. Come inside, quickly.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“You too, Kyle. Let’s go in.”
“Father, shall we eat what I brought back? This time I—”
“We can talk about that inside.”
The Count gave a helpless chuckle at the endless stream of heroic tales pouring from his son’s mouth. This troublemaker had clearly caused yet another incident in the short time he’d been away. Sensing the story would be long, he led Kyle inside, sat down, and listened attentively.
“Hmm… where should I begin? From the moment I arrived at the Duke’s territory?”
“That sounds good. And explain why Miss Yuri is here as well.”
“It’s nothing complicated. When I reached the Duke’s territory, I revealed that I am a Master.”
“You revealed… that you are a Master? That fact?”
“Yes, and then—”
Kyle had gone to the Duke’s territory, declared himself a Master, and resolved the broken engagement with Yuri. Along the way he had decided to travel with her, taken her to the Emerald Count Territory, and slain the Sea God. The meat currently on the table was that very Sea God’s flesh.
…This insane child.
Hearing the chaos his son had caused during what was supposed to be a brief visit, the Count fell into an even deeper panic than when he had first heard the kidnapping rumor. There was only one solution to prevent his son from continuing to cause disasters.
“…Kyle, just get married quickly and have a child. I’ll raise it for you.”
“—Count.”
Yuri’s eyes sparkled as she called out to him. The Count looked up and met her gaze, then froze rigid like a frog before a snake.
“When shall we hold the ceremony?”
They were the eyes of a hunter staring at its prey.