Chapter 308: Unexpected
“Would you like to join me for a meal later, if you have the time? If possible, I’d like Thomas’s older brother to come along as well.”
Though my hiring was decided, the reason for it was still uncertain. The Spirit’s Branch was a strong candidate, but whether it would be to their liking was another matter.
Let’s go, let’s go right away. Before Soleil’s stomach gets into trouble. Tomorrow, we have a Mage introduced by Note! The opportunity is now!
“Hmm…”
However, it was already evening, and my invitation was turned down. The Old Man is tough! I thought mentioning the island might be too suspicious, but perhaps a more straightforward approach would have been better? Well, it can’t be helped; we just met earlier. I’ll retreat for now, but surely in a month, Soleil will adopt him as a mental oasis.
—And the next day, I found myself once again at Naruadeid’s Spirit’s Branch.
The butler had informed me that the Mage would arrive in about three days, and the Mage himself was still absent…!
“I’ve come to invite you for lunch again.”
“Such a curious one.”
“Using Lord Haynes’s reputation is futile. Please leave.”
Thomas’s older brother is quite the guard!
“No… I’m free anyway, so I’ll join you. It feels strangely nostalgic.”
But the Old Man’s guard is lax!
That’s because today, I brought along a reliable ally—Zabuton.
When I asked Zabuton, he mentioned he was from the previous generation of the current Priest. He was the foster parent of that useless robe-wearing man I met in the Labyrinth. I thought he was from the generation before, so I had only heard about the previous generation from Retze, which shows how careless I’ve been.
I heard that the previous generation had retired early and was under the protection of the former Priest. It seems the Old Man quickly retired and became a backer for the previous generation, whose origins were unclear? Or perhaps he stepped away from a power struggle.
My exchanges with Zabuton rely on gestures and my choice of questions, so it’s a pity I can’t get into the details. But seeing Zabuton so happy to reunite, he’s definitely a valuable asset.
Zabuton is poking the Old Man cheerfully, but it seems he can’t touch him. Well, maybe he reacts once every twenty times? Even Retze could sit down, but it seems he’s the type who can’t interact with hardened Spirits. Perhaps that’s why he quickly relinquished the position of Priest.
“Uncle, are you going somewhere?”
A girl with orange hair peeks her head around the hallway.
“Arina.”
Thomas’s brother, now referred to as Orlando, calls out her name.
“Ah, I’m going to have lunch with this young lord here.”
The Old Man squints his eyes and responds to the girl, clearly showing a kinder expression than before. Could it be he likes children? The former Priest took one in, after all.
And the girl named Arina is glancing at Zabuton with curiosity. She can see him, huh?
“Young lord” is my name now. Having become a lord, I needed a surname, so I ended up as Soleil Nii. The land I govern—the island—is usually referred to by the lord’s name, but for some reason, it hasn’t caught on at all.
That said, I can’t call it by the previous lord’s name either, which is inconvenient. I was planning to name it after the island, but it seems the name “Blue Spirit Island” has already spread quite a bit.
“I want to go too!”
“That’s…”
“Please let her join us.”
I interject over Orlando’s voice.
“But you must hold hands with either Uncle or Orlando while walking. Don’t wander off. Can you promise that?”
“Yes!”
When I sit down and meet her gaze, she responds happily.
I stand up and smile at the Old Man. He nods with a wry smile, while Orlando places a hand on his forehead, looking pained. Good, good, Orlando, you and Soleil will surely get along well.
“Can’t I hold hands with my brother?”
Arina tilts her head and looks up at me with big eyes.
“Sure.”
I extend my hand, and Arina grips it tightly with her small hand.
Alright, I’ve taken a hostage. Let’s set off!
In the end, Arina made the bold move of holding hands with both the Old Man and me, creating a rather troublesome visual. The path isn’t very wide, so we lined up vertically and horizontally. Zabuton occasionally passed through the Old Man or even perched on Arina’s head.
“Where are we going? There are no eateries beyond this street.”
Orlando asks, sounding suspicious or perhaps anxious.
“I thought we’d eat on the island.”
The inn’s dining hall is open for lunch, and there are stalls for craftsmen. I’ve heard the food is quite good, so I want to try it.
“The island?”
“Blue Spirit Island. Look, we’ll take a boat from that boathouse.”
I point to the boathouse I’m friendly with. I have my own boat there, and I usually ask the retired old boatman, but I’ve learned to row myself, so I can manage even if he’s not around.
“Huh? Are you crazy? There are travel restrictions on the island—”
“Brother, can Arina go to Blue Spirit Island?”
Orlando starts to say something in a higher pitch, but Arina’s cheerful voice interrupts him.
“Yes, for lunch!”
“Can I meet my Spirit’s Branch too?”
Arina looks up at me with sparkling eyes. My Spirit’s Branch?
“—Arina is Asmomii’s niece.”
Old Man, why didn’t you say that sooner!!!!!