Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Go and Play
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Adrian spoke to the puzzled Loan.
"The Practical Division has already submitted their report on the puppeteer's traces anyway. It hasn't reached the Runners yet, but it seems there are no new movements in Versa. You'd be wasting your time if you went looking."
"Ah, is that so?"
But he couldn't just rest idly when threats were lurking everywhere.
‘Why is the Commander telling me to go and play?’
Perhaps there was a deeper meaning that Loan hadn't considered.
Loan asked what was on his mind.
"You say to go and play, but… there's a deeper meaning, isn't there?"
Adrian, looking momentarily bewildered, adjusted his light-rimmed glasses and said.
"Uh, yes, of course. You'll probably realize it later, but…"
Had he hit the nail on the head?
After trailing off in apparent confusion, he quickly adopted a serious tone.
"In any case, if you have a goal, there are times you need to rest and put your mind and body at ease. Don't just look straight ahead."
"Don't just look straight ahead…"
The last words held a certain resonance, and Loan found himself repeating them. Then, a belated realization struck him.
The Commander had said something similar to him before.
That it would be more advantageous for his promotion to improve his abilities rather than just accumulate merits. He had urged him to grow quickly.
The Commander, worried that repeating the same words might sound forceful, had spoken indirectly, hoping Loan would realize it on his own.
A profound intention: with the situation growing urgent, it was all the more important to calm his mind and strengthen his foundations.
Loan let out an involuntary sigh.
"Ah…"
Watching Loan, Adrian blinked rapidly.
The look of deep inspiration on Loan’s face, as if he’d had a great epiphany, was nice to see but also burdensome.
"What? What is it?"
Loan said.
"You came and asked about the Sphere of the Void I manifested. I told you I gained enlightenment from observing the Albrecht's swordsmanship vision, and you said you saw it well."
"Mm… Yes. I did."
"At the time, I thought you meant you had seen my magic well. But thinking about it now, that wasn't it at all."
"…"
Adrian couldn't respond to Loan's words.
He had a premonition that something was off-track, but that he shouldn't be too quick to point it out.
Loan continued.
"You were praising me for ‘seeing well’ the swordsmanship of others, the principles of nature, and the meaning between the lines of the vision, and gaining enlightenment from it. I'm truly sorry. I didn't realize it sooner."
"I… did I do that?"
For a moment, Adrian's face flushed red. He had never thought of such a thing.
But seeing his Commander, Loan was once again deeply moved.
Such a humble man. A truly virtuous person whose consideration for others was boundless. Someone worth trusting and following not just as a subordinate, but as a fellow human being.
He felt ashamed for having been momentarily lost in his own emotions. He was still so weak; it was only right that he should strive harder.
‘I was too arrogant. My heart got ahead of itself.’
The true model he should aspire to was now waving his hands in front of him, speaking urgently.
"N-No. It's fine. What's there to apologize for… It's fine. It's fine."
The Commander’s attempt to brush it off, his face still red, only made Loan feel more apologetic.
"Even after experiencing that, I failed to understand the deep meaning behind your words."
"In my words… there was something else, it seems…"
"You gave me this mission so that I, with my limited experience and shallow depth, could meet more people in the wider world and gain new enlightenment."
Faced with such a confident voice and expression, Adrian could no longer deny it.
No, if the other person felt it so strongly, perhaps Adrian himself had subconsciously thought it too.
Maybe it was true.
Once he started thinking that way himself, the words suddenly flowed.
"Right. Besides, it's a good opportunity. The social gatherings in Ferrara draw many people from all over. It's not a common occurrence. It's efficient in many ways."
Adrian found himself persuaded by his own words.
If so, what of the young subordinate who regarded him as a saint?
"Ah…"
A wave of emotion followed his repeated epiphanies.
Seeing the expression on the other's face, Adrian gained confidence in his words. He added.
"Vice-Commander Oscar and a few other members are already there figuring out their intentions, so you shouldn't worry about that side of things and just focus on your own cultivation."
Loan nodded silently.
Every word was true.
He had to create many more ultimate techniques in the future.
Ironically, pure Convection was too dependent on Loan's talent to be easily taught to others.
If he could adjust the formula of an ultimate technique so that only a very small part relied on intent, others would find it easier to learn techniques like the ‘Sphere of the Void.’
With such a grand purpose ahead of him.
All things in the world could be an inspiration, so expanding his perspective and awareness would surely be helpful.
"As expected of the Commander…"
He stimulated him to feel his own shortcomings and grow further, without being overbearing.
In fact, he had always been like that.
The very first mission he had received contained the hidden consideration that he should learn teleportation by following Senior Sienna's example.
Hadn't he awakened to both Domain and Narrow Path because of it?
One shouldn't misunderstand his blunt remarks and playful tone. He was that thoughtful and full of affection for his subordinates.
The fact that he still stubbornly wore the glasses Loan had broken was proof of that.
Along with his frugality, it calmly showed his mindset of never blaming his subordinates for their actions.
He was a great man whom Loan, lacking in experience, ability, and emotional control, could follow blindly.
"I will not disappoint you, Commander. On this mission, I will do my absolute best to go and play."
"Uh… right. It’s good to be diligent in whatever you do."
"Yes. In that case, it would be best not to wear my Union uniform, correct?"
"Yes. That would be good. I heard you received an identity for the duel with the Pobel family."
"I applied to participate as an instructor and a distant relative. The notary in Versa approved it."
The notary was dead, but the document bearing his signature still remained.
The Union would certify the results of the duel if needed.
"How about you talk to Matriarch Albrecht and ask to use that identity for a little longer?"
Loan thought it was an excellent idea, once again praising the Commander's wisdom.
* * *
"You are a benefactor to our family. But is that truly all you need? What if I send some people with you to Ferrara?"
Adelaide asked Loan.
He had just announced his departure after resting for a day since Commander Adrian left for the Union.
This came with the request regarding his false identity.
"It's alright. I'm really just going to play."
Loan made sure to emphasize the "play" part.
The members of the Albrecht family were once again impressed by Loan's humility.
They would have gladly spared some men if their benefactor had requested it, but the Albrecht family was also in a situation so busy it was overwhelming.
The matriarch and the three brothers had to leave for the Versa ducal family to get the subjugation of the Pobel family officially recognized, and after that, they had to devote all their efforts to cleaning up the mess the Pobels had made.
Matriarch Adelaide had expressed her intention to adjust the disordered affairs of the families to be more balanced and stable than before.
Loan believed that the strong-willed matriarch was more than capable of doing so.
With new territory, status, and a now-complete vision technique as their foundation, it would only be a matter of time before they reclaimed the honor of their old noble house.
"I am ashamed that what I can offer is so small compared to what you have done for us."
Adelaide, the Matriarch of the Albrecht family, personally pinned the family crest on Loan's right breast.
His third badge, after the Torchbearer and Varchino.
It was just a small symbol in the shape of a mountain, but it felt as heavy as their trust.
"Thank you."
Immediately after, Loan said his farewells to each of the three Albrecht brothers, who had been an inspiration to one another.
Melville, the nineteen-year-old third son, was even on the verge of tears.
"Master. If you ever need my sword, just say the word. I'll help you no matter what."
Loan replied that he would, then left the Albrecht estate with remarkably composed steps.
A warm breeze from the canyon gently swept through Loan's hair.
The gazes of those watching him from behind, the mana they held, felt incredibly warm.
Loan recalled the words Matriarch Adelaide had spoken to him before he left.
‘You are like my fourth son. In Ferrara, and anywhere else, use my name and my family as your backing with your head held high.’
Luan Albrecht.
That was the name Loan would be using in Ferrara for the time being.
* * *
The Duchy of Ferrara was a rather elongated country located southeast of the Union.
Since he had to pass through the Duchy of Versa to get there, the current situation was opportune for a trip to Ferrara.
Loan mounted the horse he had left in the village below the mountain and rode east, and east again.
It was his first solo mission.
It would be a lie to say he felt no pressure.
‘I really have to play well.’
To play. In other words, to experience and to be enlightened.
The scenery of Versa, different from the Grafton Kingdom or Varchino, and the local color of the small villages he rested in, were all part of the experience.
Especially the food.
‘Even Commander Hans highly praised Versa's cuisine.’
He had drooled more than once while reading *A Gourmet's Stroll*.
Now that he tasted it himself, he realized the descriptions were not exaggerated in the slightest.
Versa's cuisine was incredibly diverse, ranging from simple dishes focused on bringing out the delicate flavors of the ingredients to rich, fried, and baked dishes full of butter, olive oil, and smooth cream.
‘The sauces are especially delicious. They either enhance the flavor of the main ingredient or lead it to a completely different taste.’
Small but bold choices can lead to big changes.
He had felt it in Varchino as well, but cooking was remarkably similar to magic.
‘Most of all… everything is so delicious.’
Now that he had left and was experiencing it, he realized the food in the Grafton Kingdom was particularly lacking in flavor.
It was no exaggeration to say that Vice-Commander Oscar's cooking was about average.
Thus, the journey was nothing but enjoyable.
The reason he could always eat with satisfaction despite the long famine that had struck the entire continent was because of the sincere attitude the people of Versa had toward cooking.
A dedication that spared no special effort to procure good ingredients.
Therefore, the food was bound to be expensive.
Fortunately, Loan had plenty of money, so eating was not a problem.
However, it did cause other problems, namely friction with the robbers and bandits he encountered every time he left a town.
"Looks like some precious young master who doesn't know how scary the world is has come out on an outing alone, eh?"
Or—
"You look like you've got some coin. Leave it all and get lost. If you want to keep your life."
He was able to hear a consistent stream of such taunts without getting bored.
It was an expected result, given Loan's appearance and spending habits.
However, the fact that their skills were so pathetic was a bit disappointing.
‘This is an experience too. I played well today.’
While Loan was carrying out his mission so diligently, the sun and moon crossed the sky several times.
Just as he was beginning to realize it was the first time he had spent so much time alone.
Loan finally arrived at the border between Versa and Ferrara.
‘This really looks like a border.’
Low castle walls stretched wide across a long river, facing each other.
And in the middle was an incredibly wide bridge.
Again, in the center of the bridge, the names Versa and Ferrara were engraved on either side, and in the very middle, left and right arrows were drawn.
Loan dismounted his horse and took turns stepping over the arrows with his feet, savoring the experience of moving between countries.
‘This way is Versa, and this way is Ferrara.’
The sight of a remarkably beautiful boy standing alone on the bridge, hopping about, evoked a strange feeling in the people crossing the bridge and the guards on the walls.
A high-class carriage was just passing over the bridge.
Within it, a small glimmer of light appeared in a pair of soulless eyes looking out.
Tap— tap— tap—
Each time Loan's foot landed, fingertips as stiff as wood tapped on the carriage's window frame.