Chapter 108
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Shocking Homecoming
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Staring blankly at Melissa, I grabbed the nape of her neck and dragged her along.
"Don't space out. Hurry up and come on."
"Uh... Huh?"
She stumbled in, dragged by my hand in a daze, squeezed her eyes shut, then slowly opened them.
Realizing she had truly arrived in Cascadia territory, her eyes widened in shock.
"Hey, what the hell is this? Why is there a teleport gate in our territory?"
In response to her question, I calmly listed the facts.
"Why? Because I bought it. We've got plenty of money, right?"
"...How much?"
"Ninety percent of our entire fortune?"
Her face turned pale at my answer.
Teleport gates aren't something you can just buy with money alone, but pouring in unit-level funds guarantees success the moment the gate activates.
But.
"Y-You... You crazy bastard! What the hell have you done?!"
Still, mismanaging the territory's funds like that would bankrupt us in an instant.
Her face literally turning blue, she grabbed my collar, looked up at me, and shook me violently.
"Obviously, it was a joke. You didn't believe that, did you?"
"..."
"I made it myself."
"Unbelievable."
She didn't even bother hiding her incredulous expression as she looked up at the massive teleport gate.
"Countess, you've returned."
As people around began recognizing her, Melissa greeted them with a soft smile.
"Nothing happened while I was away, right?"
"Nothing... major... right?"
The quick-witted Melissa didn't miss the hesitation.
"What is it? What did you do this time?"
Her arrow flew straight at me, of course.
"What did I do?"
"Something's fishy..."
Just then, a familiar figure approached from afar, as if having heard of her return.
"Long time no see, Melissa."
"Aurora? You stayed here? Long time no see."
"How could I leave a goldmine like this? Let's work well together from now on. Planetaria Trading Company is always ready for good deals."
Melissa shook her outstretched hand, suspicion lingering on her face.
"Sure. Your personality's questionable, but your credit's solid."
"I have tons to discuss with you about setting up a branch here. I talked it over with Young Master Leon while you were gone, but it's only right to hash it out with the family head now that you're back."
She flashed a coy smile.
"I've got plenty of proposals ready, too."
Saying that, she stared silently at Melissa before chuckling softly.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh, no. Ahem... Nothing. Just glad to see you after so long."
Melissa eyed her suspiciously at the odd behavior.
Was it precisely because they were trusted friends that the suspicion deepened?
Melissa kept glaring at Aurora, the head of Planetaria Trading Company, but nothing changed.
"Anyway, how's your friend doing? I heard the news."
"Let's go... inside and talk briefly. I'm exhausted."
Realizing her suspicions wouldn't yield anything, Melissa stepped back with a weary expression. The relief of returning to Cascadia had brought on a wave of fatigue.
But she hadn't anticipated it. As she passed the plaza, exchanging greetings with the townsfolk, something she shouldn't have seen entered her view.
"Leon, is that why people were avoiding my eyes earlier?"
Her hollow gaze fixed on the object before her as she turned her head.
But Luna and I had already slipped away and hidden.
"Hah..."
Melissa took in the sight in the plaza with eyes filled with emptiness, bewilderment, and dismay.
It was a statue that looked exactly like her.
Standing tall with chest puffed out, hands on hips, full of triumphant pride.
Covering her forehead with one hand at the sight, she shot a side glare at the giggling Aurora beside her.
"Ahem. Doesn't it look great? Your big brother made it for you."
"Where's that damn Leon? Where is he?!"
"C-Calm down, Countess!"
"Please calm down!"
Some townsfolk panicked and tried to restrain her as she began to rage, but a sword was already in her hand.
"That jerk! How could you let him build this monstrosity?!"
At her shout, the townsfolk all turned their gazes.
"He said... forgiveness is easier than permission..."
Wait.
So the townsfolk had jumped in with enthusiasm too?
Melissa looked at them with a betrayed expression.
"You guys too...? After all I've done for you..."
"W-We did it because you've been so good to us... to show our respect for you..."
Her face flushing red and purple in frustration, Melissa eventually seemed to forgive the townsfolk.
"Fine, it's not your fault. It's all that damn Leon's doing. I want to smash it right now... but if the townsfolk were involved, I can't just destroy it..."
"Young Master Leon's clever, isn't he? He must have planned it that way."
"..."
Melissa knew I could craft such a statue in seconds using the Machine God's heart.
Realizing why I'd mobilized the townsfolk—and that she had few options left—she grasped the situation late.
"I need to find him and tear him apart."
She scanned wildly for me, but at her current level, she couldn't find me if I was determined to hide.
"Leon, it's cramped."
Hiding Luna's presence too had me pressed flat against the wall.
"Oh, sorry. Holy Judge, I meant no offense."
As I tried to pull away, she clung tightly, refusing to let go.
She nodded toward the alley wall behind us.
"Back feels cramped. Rest is fine."
Luna's flirting felt more pronounced.
If it was malicious, it'd be bitter, but she lacked personal emotions to that degree, leaving me flustered instead.
Still, I asked just in case.
"Are you seducing me right now?"
"Does it seem that way?"
"Yeah."
"Then that's it. I think Leon is quite good."
"Why?"
"Need a reason?"
"If that reason vanishes, you might hate me, right?"
Human relationships are still hard for me. Can't be helped. What I'd done for eons was fighting, not talking to people.
Luna smiled coyly in response.
"I don't like for a reason. Reasons come after liking."
She smiled. So pretty and cute it left me staring blankly.
My gaze grew awkward, unsure where to settle.
A bit embarrassed, I averted my eyes. Even if unintentional, with a fiancée, this wasn't ideal...
"Hey, I'm engaged. This isn't good."
"You don't seem the type for a loveless marriage."
She sure knew how to leave me speechless.
I'd return the holy sword someday.
I took in her eyes gazing up at me. From our first meeting, I'd been oddly fixated on them.
I didn't know why, but staring silently into them pulled me in unwittingly.
How long had we stood there awkwardly?
Feeling embarrassed without being lovers, I gently pushed her away.
"Let's separate a bit."
Then Luna uttered my name.
"Leon."
"What."
"Behind you."
Turning at her words, I saw a demon glaring at me with a face full of murderous fury.
Distracted by Luna's eyes, I'd forgotten to mask my presence.
"If you're gonna make a statue, at least make it normal. What lunatic embezzles territory funds for this crap?"
"It's normal. And I barely spent any money."
"Does that look normal to you?"
"Yeah."
To my bold reply and smile, Melissa responded with action.
Her flying knee kick connected in an instant.
Holy Temple. People in pristine white priest robes moved briskly with composed steps.
"Here's the report."
In an inner office overlooking them all, a man received documents from someone who appeared to be a high priest.
"The Sacred Crown has vanished. Prince Dorn's death has been confirmed."
"Hmm... A pity."
The responder, shrouded in a robe, was hard to identify fully.
"Regrettable, but unavoidable. Scrap the Sacred Crown plan."
"Understood."
The high priest looked far superior in rank, yet the dynamic was reversed.
He treated the mysterious robed priest with utmost deference.
"Who destroyed the Sacred Crown?"
"Details are unclear, but it was the Lunar Watch and an heir from a Bata Kingdom noble house."
An uncomfortable groan escaped the man.
"The Sacred Crown, no less. How could a mere noble heir manage that?"
"Yes. Rumors aside, he's said to have made great contributions in Mielephon's Kraken subjugation. Word is he's not even in his twenties yet—a grand sorcerer, or even a Sword Master."
"Absurd nonsense. One is hard to believe; two screams fake."
The high priest nodded at the man's response.
"Then the Lunar Watch are the likely culprits. Increase surveillance on them. If they interfere with the grand plan, we'll have to eradicate the group."
"I'll handle it."
"Ah, and Nadia has been quite active lately. Concerns are mounting."
Nadia.
Nadia Ten Lilibel.
The Holy Kingdom's Saintess.
A name they couldn't ignore.
"She's moving to befriend the Haell Tribe and barbarian savages. Upper echelons oppose it, so it's stalled."
"They say swans are beautiful because they're white."
"You mean..."
"Tell the inquisitors to prepare. The swan is turning into an ugly duckling."
"Understood, Lord Varil."
"Good. That's what to call me outside."
The robed figure smiled in satisfaction.