Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Taste of Home
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Havel headed to the Banpellyon estate with Dante to give Arthur a midway report.
He also had the side goal of purchasing a spatial artifact.
From the 4th hierarchy onward, there would be even more byproducts to collect.
Since they'd struck a deal with the merchant group, he needed to buy at least one.
It was right at that moment when Havel and Dante arrived at the estate.
"Hey, over there!"
"It's Dante. That's Dante for sure!"
The people loitering in front of the estate spotted him and reacted immediately.
Without a moment's hesitation, they swarmed toward him.
"Lord Dante, from Illiserk!"
"Lord Dante, it's Gazarops! A word, if you please!"
Everyone crowding Dante begged to speak with him.
Dante looked flustered at the sight.
He'd heard a bit about the situation from Scarlett,
but he hadn't expected them to be waiting right in front of the Banpellyon estate.
"H-Havel, what do I...?"
Dante called out to Havel for help.
But no answer came.
"Ah."
Only then did Dante realize Havel was gone.
Havel had already slipped through the estate's courtyard unnoticed.
No one reacted to him at all.
Havel's presence-erasing technique was in full earnest mode.
And that's when it hit Dante.
Havel had ditched him.
"Lord Dante!"
"Please!"
Amid the surging crowd,
Dante finally gave up on escaping.
'Dante'll handle it fine on his own.'
Meanwhile, Havel made it safely inside the estate.
He'd had his fill of being mobbed by crowds.
So he'd promptly left it to Dante.
"You've arrived."
The moment he reached the main house, Havel spotted the elderly butler bowing in greeting.
Arthur must have sent him ahead.
"It's been a while."
"No need for such formal speech. You're the benefactor of Banpellyon."
The butler knew Dante's true capabilities.
Dante was an excellent knight.
But even he couldn't have achieved this much on his own.
So the butler well understood that this accomplishment was thanks to Havel.
"Fair enough."
No point in being formal if he said not to, so Havel decided to keep it casual.
"Have you had lunch?"
"Not yet, so I'll take some."
"Perfect timing. The maids have been preparing it since morning. Let's talk over the meal."
Dante had contacted the Banpellyon family ahead of time when they left the Tower.
They couldn't neglect to host those who'd worked so hard.
The butler had prepared everything before the two arrived.
Havel nodded appreciatively at the butler's foresight and headed to the dining hall.
A savory aroma tickled his nose.
'This is.'
The scent was a familiar one, even to Havel.
Potato soup made by boiling and mashing potatoes, then mixing in butter, flour, and a few other ingredients.
Havel knew this soup well.
'It's what I used to eat all the time.'
Back in the hectic days of war.
He'd subsisted on potato soup and bread dozens of times.
Even after the war ended, he never forgot the taste and often asked the maids to make it.
No way he wouldn't recognize it.
"Ah, there you are."
Just then, Arthur rose from his seat with a beaming smile.
Unlike last time, Arthur's face looked remarkably bright.
"Hungry? Start with the soup. The maids will bring the rest soon."
"Then I'll dig in."
Havel took his seat after saying that to Arthur.
He scooped up a spoonful of potato soup and tasted it.
"...Ha, ha."
It was close.
Practically the same recipe, it seemed.
For some reason, he couldn't stop smiling.
"Good, right? It's a recipe handed down through the Banpellyon chefs for generations."
"I see. It's really good."
Havel wore a rare, warm smile.
The recipe had endured to this day.
That fact warmed his heart a little.
'I'm back home.'
Even if many things had changed,
this was still his family home, Banpellyon.
He felt it anew.
'Even something like this.'
It made him feel the worth of returning from that hell.
Havel slowly lifted his spoon again.
Ever since returning, nothing he ate had any real flavor.
He was the one who'd even devoured calamity seeds in the Demonic Palace to stave off starvation.
For him, meals had long since become mere fuel for survival.
But now, he rediscovered the joy of eating.
"Haa, I made it ba... ."
Meanwhile, Dante had somehow pushed through the crowd and returned.
He started to speak with a sigh but trailed off.
Then he quietly took his seat.
Havel always seemed distant, even when treated casually, his gaze elsewhere.
But today, he looked more at peace than ever.
It was a first for Dante.
So he decided not to ruin Havel's meal.
After finishing the meal,
Dante and Arthur talked.
Arthur had prepared information on the 4th hierarchy and a spatial artifact ahead of time.
It must have cost a fortune.
But Arthur hadn't hesitated.
"This is all I can do to help."
"Lord Arthur."
"Take good care of it. Banpellyon trusts you, Dante."
"Yes, I won't let you down."
Dante felt tears welling up for no reason.
So he carefully packed away what Arthur had prepared.
Everyone was striving to revive Banpellyon.
He felt it deeply.
'Still young, but doing well. Good potential.'
Watching them, Havel smiled contentedly.
His distant descendant had the right values.
Arthur might even lead Banpellyon better than he ever could.
'Wonder who her husband ended up being.'
As long as it wasn't some worthless scum.
Unfortunately, no way to check, so Havel smirked inwardly and let it go.
The age gap with his little sister made him see her like a daughter.
"Havel, I'm truly grateful to you as well. I haven't lived all that long, but I've never smiled this much."
Arthur spoke up in the meantime.
Havel brushed aside the feelings he'd harbored toward his unseen brother-in-law.
With descendants like Arthur, all was good.
"Glad you're satisfied."
"Rest up today! Your room's all ready."
"I'll gladly take you up on that."
Arthur nodded with a bright laugh.
'Time to leave them to talk alone.'
Havel quickly stood.
He was an outsider now.
Family needed their private time.
"Thanks for the meal. I'll head to my room."
"Of course. Butler, show him the way."
"Yes, Lord Havel, this way."
With that, Havel tactfully excused himself.
Leaving Dante and Arthur alone.
Arthur's smiling face slowly changed.
"Dante."
"Yes, Family Head."
This was a conversation between knight and patriarch.
So Dante bowed respectfully.
"Everything in the letter is true, I assume."
"Yes, no one can doubt his sincerity toward Banpellyon."
Havel had appeared out of nowhere one day.
A mercenary's actions were undeniably abnormal.
Yet he'd worked to save Banpellyon, a house he had no ties to.
And with genuine intent.
Arthur fell silent for a long while.
"...It's strange. Why is he going so far for Banpellyon?"
Havel had been a huge help to Banpellyon.
But no matter how he thought about it, it didn't add up.
He couldn't find a reason for Havel's aid.
On that point, Dante stayed quiet.
Havel had used the lost Dawn Swordsmanship.
That alone proved his connection to Banpellyon.
'But no way to know how he learned it.'
Telling Arthur would only confuse him.
'Not the right time yet.'
Someday, Havel would explain himself.
For now, Dante chose to keep it hidden for Arthur's sake.
"Maybe he admires the Sword Saint from a century ago."
"Too young to have a connection to the Sword Saint."
Arthur's response was ambiguous.
He soon sighed.
No point dwelling; answers wouldn't come.
"I see. As long as he's looking out for Banpellyon, that's enough."
Dante was steadfast.
If he placed such firm trust in Havel, it sufficed.
"Dante, I leave it to you going forward."
"Yes, I'll revive Banpellyon with Havel."
Resolute words followed.
Arthur smiled.
"I'm counting on you."
Their private talk ended with Arthur back to his usual tone.
The next day,
Havel and Dante left Banpellyon.
To climb the Tower once more.
They'd secured the spatial artifact.
"Dante, you wear it."
"Got it."
The wrist artifact went to Dante.
Their clothes were ruined from Tower climbing, so they'd changed completely.
Havel wore a black uniform accented with silver.
Clothes make the man—his already handsome face shone even more.
'Not bad.'
Havel stroked his chin and nodded.
Aside from his hair being nearly pure white,
there were no signs of aging on his face.
Probably thanks to becoming an Immortal.
Havel turned to Dante.
'This guy's starting to look reliable.'
Dante appeared far sturdier than at first.
He'd grown through repeated Tower climbs.
"Weren't you tempted by the other families' offers?"
The day before, various places had courted Dante.
Some were prominent houses.
But Dante shook his head.
"I'm a Banpellyon knight. Their offers are just obstacles to my convictions."
He meant it.
Havel let out a hearty laugh.
'Good kid.'
"Right. Time to teach them exactly what they did wrong."
A chilling smile curved Havel's lips.
"Teach them what?"
"That they should've bowed their heads and come begging themselves, not scouted."
Arrogant words, perhaps.
But coming from Havel, they rang true.
He could place the world beneath his feet.
"Yes, I'll make it crystal clear!"
Dante responded with vigor.
He knew he had to work hard for it.
"Then let's go."
Havel entered Babel and ascended the Tower again.
The Tower was a peculiar place.
As if it remembered its climbers.
Havel and Dante arrived at the safe zone of the 3rd hierarchy.
'Interesting.'
It remembers the floors, huh.
That must be why so many climbed it more easily.
"Dante, you got the 4th hierarchy info."
"Yes."
Knowing info beforehand was crucial.
Even safe areas had variables.
Havel appreciated that most.
He'd conquered the Demonic Palace with knowledge from regressions.
"Here's the 4th hierarchy intel."
Dante handed it over.
While Havel read,
Dante checked his sword's edge.
'Might get a new one soon.'
As he looked up from inspecting the blade,
his eyes locked on a familiar emblem.
A sword and flower carved in ice.
The Glasis crest.
'Meteor Knights climbing?'
Most Meteor Knights were tackling the 6th hierarchy.
These were likely the follow-up unit.
Then Dante spotted the central figure.
A man with blue-glass-like hair tied in a ponytail.
Jade-green eyes revealed his identity.
'Dratein Glasis.'
The youngest son of the Glasis family.
'He's climbing too.'
Their timing had overlapped oddly.
'Better not cross paths.'
No good clashing with one of the Five Great Families.
But Dante's hope was dashed instantly.
"...Dante?"
One Meteor Knight grimaced upon seeing him.
None other than Vice-Captain Volants.
He started to snap at Dante but faltered.
"Huh?"
Havel had turned to look.
As Volants panicked, his call drew others' attention.
"Dante?"
The one who hated the rumor of his squad losing to one man most.
The 4th Meteor Knight Captain.
Dratein Glasis.
Dante slowly closed his eyes at the unfolding mess.
'We're screwed.'