Chapter 606: Royal Descendant
The royal set, muddled by the nabeyaki udon, was brought back into the room by Haulon, who held the package.
Is he staying at Kanum tonight? Haulon’s teleportation can only occur between fixed locations.
There should be a Transfer Circle in Karn’s room, but since we can no longer create the consumables (crystals) needed for teleportation, Haulon must resort to his family’s secret arts unless it’s an emergency.
Normally, I would offer to send him off, but I hesitated, still grappling with how to discuss the crown as I watched Haulon’s back.
“I’m sorry, Haulon. That scepter never existed; it’s a brand new creation I made along with the crown!” I confessed just before the door closed.
A brief moment passed.
“What!? Wait, what do you mean!?” The door swung open with a rush, and Haulon returned to the room.
Dean and Chris looked a bit surprised, their eyes wide, while Retze wore a slightly exasperated expression.
I calmly recounted everything.
“…The Crown of Solon. It has to be that, right…?” Haulon crumbled before the unveiled crown set on the table.
“It’s beautiful. It looks like it could be swallowed by the green,” I remarked.
“It does seem fitting for Lord Karn,” Chris added.
“…”
Chris and Dean observed from nearby, while Retze kept a bit of distance.
“The Golden Armor has lost its original form, so that’s one thing, but having this in the desert seems dangerous. Well, anyone who knows their stuff will recognize it as Spirit Gold, so maybe it’s safe?” Retze muttered while sipping his wine.
Is it okay as long as it doesn’t retain its original form? The moving statue of Chris is currently generating quite the strange legends or rumors.
“Wouldn’t regular gold be better?”
“If it were regular gold, it would look more authentic, which might be a problem, right?”
“Is it bad if it’s real?” Dean and Chris chimed in.
“Ugh. Fine, I’ll just spread a rumor that it was made as a tribute to the Crown of Solon!” Haulon suggested, half in tears.
“If this is deemed authentic, then self-proclaimed descendants of Luf and bloodline nationalists dreaming of Luf will come after it by any means necessary. It’s a hassle, especially the latter. While some operate openly, there are secret societies working behind the scenes.”
Haulon seemed to regain some composure.
“Ah, I’ve heard rumors about those.”
“Wasn’t the Inn Guild on the Road of Raain started by descendants of the Kingdom of Luf?”
“There are probably more guilds started by descendants. Aren’t secret societies even more dangerous? The most famous one is Shulm’s.”
“Oh, is that what you’re talking about? There’s a rumor that it’s a decoy since the rumors have surfaced.”
Dean and Chris engaged in a tense conversation.
“Are there really such groups?”
“Rosa is one you know, right? She seems to utilize connections from secret societies quite strongly.”
“Huh? Shulm has a secret society, and Rosa does too??” Didn’t Shulm and Rosa oppose each other? Or is it a decoy??
“Descendants of the Kingdom of Luf spread across the world after the kingdom fell. There are more than one or two secret societies of that lineage. They sometimes clash with each other, yet they seem to cooperate when dealing with outsiders.”
Haulon explained.
If this has been ongoing since the fall of Luf, it certainly feels long. I thought Rosa and the others sought Luf to oppose heroes with equal power.
It seems more troublesome to be mistaken for Luf than to be a hero. I’ve pretended to be Luf in the past, but…
“There are many ordinary guilds that claim to be started by descendants of Luf. They were a nation advanced in technology and spirit manipulation, so they became central wherever they landed or gathered to keep their techniques secret. Of course, there are also fakes who claim to be so for prestige.”
Retze added. It seems that over time, things have become quite complicated.
“The larger the number, the easier it is to conduct business and move people. Many are affiliated with guilds, even if they have no relation to Luf.”
Retze shrugged.
“The descendants of the Kingdom of Luf scattered across the world—or those who claim to be—formed very old societies, and with bloodlines mixed and memories faded, most now simply utilize those structures to live ordinary lives.”
“If they live normally, they’re just a group like any other. However, some want anything related to Luf, no matter what.”
“From completely ordinary people to those who think they’re special just because a spirit favors them, there are many who claim to be Luf, and some might even be diluted descendants of the real thing—”
I see, so there are many who act or claim to be Luf. There were also hints of a hidden village of Luf.
“Anyone possessing the Crown of Solon and the necklace will be seen as a descendant of the princess—believed to carry the blood of Luf’s royalty, which is troublesome.”
Retze explained.
“The princess traveled through the desert, and the ambiguity of her fate only fuels the rumors of the descendants’ existence. It’s said that the Crown of Solon and the necklace were gifts from the Kingdom of Luf, which recognized Solon’s founding…”
Haulon rested his chin on his hand as he spoke.
He seemed somewhat pleased, but I wondered if he enjoyed piecing together history and legends like this.
“Anyone who obtains the blood of Luf’s royalty will attract all sorts of dangerous individuals, from bloodline nationalists to those seeking practical benefits.”
“Someone could just give the crown and necklace to an unworthy person and claim legitimacy. As long as the holder isn’t the real deal, it could still serve as a pretext.”
Haulon waved his hands dismissively.
It seems there’s no talk of a powerful descendant of Luf being born among the secret societies.
“Competing for strong descendants of Luf is a different matter. —Just make sure you don’t get mistaken for royalty, okay? Well, you probably don’t have to worry too much since you have that strange stigma,” Retze pinched my cheek.
I appreciate your concern.
If the troublesome individuals themselves come after me, I could just crush them, but from what I’ve heard, ordinary people involved might get entangled without knowing the reasons.
When I first arrived here, I had no attachment to things, countries, or people, so I was half-planning to retreat into my “house,” not caring about anything.
I’ve really settled in here, huh? Maybe that’s why they’re discussing Luf with me now? If I had been told this earlier, I would have retreated even more.
“I understand that this sounds incredibly troublesome. I’ll be careful regarding anything related to Luf.”
I should dig into the legends surrounding Luf from “now” or “a little while ago.” The nuances of the conversation make me think the Golden Armor is also related to Luf’s royalty.
Also, I should consider spreading out the activities happening on the island to various places. Since it’s something the Gods requested, I can’t stop creating.
“Still, don’t the people of the Kingdom of Luf love Luf too much, even though they’re not Luf?”
“…Not Luf?” Haulon turned his face toward me with a creaking motion, like a traditional doll.