Chapter 217: A Long-Awaited Fiancée
After defeating the Worm, Rest and his companions were set to return to the Royal Capital. They had received permission from Andrew Aiwood, the Second Prince. He had apologized for overworking them and promised that he would reward them suitably.
“Finally, we can return to the townhouse in the Royal Capital. It’s been a short time, but I’ve missed home,” Viola said, her voice filled with nostalgia.
“Living in the cottage at the Development Village was fun too. It was a cozy little place, and we were all so close together,” Primula added, smiling at the memory.
Of course, Viola and Primula were accompanying Rest on this journey home. The three of them shared the same carriage, swaying gently as they traveled toward the Royal Capital. This carriage had been prepared by Andrew as a gesture of appreciation. With its springs, the seats were soft, providing a comfortable ride.
“Still, it feels like it’s been ages since it was just the three of us,” Viola remarked thoughtfully.
Inside the carriage, it was indeed just the three of them. Ula had parted ways on the eastern side of the Plain, while Yuri had separated on the western side. When Rest had asked Yuri if she wanted to join them, she had surprisingly declined.
“I have some errands to run and a place to go. Let’s say goodbye for today. I’m sure we’ll meet again soon…”
Rest hadn’t pressed her for details, but there was something different about Yuri’s demeanor. She seemed pensive, almost ethereal, a stark contrast to her usual cheerful and energetic self.
(Well, even if she seems childish, we’re the same age… and her physique is definitely more mature than mine…)
“Rest?”
“Rest-sama?”
“Yikes…”
As Rest reminisced about the feeling of being close to them in the tent, Viola and Primula called out to him at just the right moment. Startled, he instinctively jumped at their voices.
“What’s wrong? You look so surprised,” Viola asked, her brow furrowing in concern.
“Did something happen?” Primula inquired, her eyes wide with curiosity.
“N-no… it’s nothing. Speaking of which, about what happened on the eastern side of the Plain…”
It’s said that those with a guilty conscience tend to be more talkative, and Rest found himself sharing the events from the eastern side of the Plain without being prompted. As he vaguely recounted various incidents, particularly those from the night, both girls looked astonished.
“The Elder Worm… that’s incredible! You defeated such a massive monster!?” Viola exclaimed.
“And you actually met Leonardo Gascoigne from the Council of Sages!? No way!” Primula added, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Both the colossal worm and the head of the Council of Sages were astonishing revelations. To encounter two such rare phenomena in a single night was either an incredible stroke of luck or a twist of fate.
“That ancient worm must have lived for hundreds of years… even its damaged remains would probably fetch over a hundred Platinum Coins,” Rest mused.
“A hundred Platinum Coins…”
One Platinum Coin was worth ten million yen. So, a hundred would amount to a staggering one billion yen. For an ordinary person, such an amount would be unimaginable in a lifetime, yet Rest felt a strange sense of dissatisfaction.
“Compared to the reward for defeating Subnock, it’s quite a bit less… my sense of value is really skewed now…”
The reward for defeating Subnock had come from Rodel Aiwood’s estate. Having received large sums of money multiple times, Rest’s perception of wealth had become distorted.
“With ten Platinum Coins, you could build a mansion in the prime area of the Royal Capital,” Primula noted.
“And you could easily support a mistress as well. Child-rearing expenses would be more than sufficient,” Viola added with a teasing grin.
“A mistress and children… you’re joking, right?” Rest replied, bewildered.
“‘…………’”
What Rest didn’t know was that the Rosemary Sisters had heard from their mother about potential candidates for his mistress. That was likely why they had subtly probed him about his interest.
“…Well, let’s drop this topic for now,” Viola said, her tone shifting.
“…We can discuss it later,” Primula agreed, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Wait, what’s going to happen later…?” Rest asked, feeling a sense of foreboding.
“By the way… why did the ‘Heavenly Emperor’ Leonardo Gascoigne appear before you?” Viola pondered, her expression thoughtful.
“Of course, we can’t be sure if it was really him… but if it was, what could his purpose be in appearing before Rest?” Primula added.
“Well… I wonder why…” Rest replied, contemplating the situation.
He hadn’t mentioned anything about being a Reincarnator when they had discussed the incident.
(I suspect it has something to do with the magical power from that explosion… perhaps he wanted to warn me?)
That magic… he had warned against using the God of Flame on people.
(It seems he wanted to prevent the God of Flame from being used against humans… perhaps he aimed to stop mass destruction magic from being utilized in warfare?)
The God of Flame was a spell with destructive power comparable to nuclear weapons. His warning against using it on humans suggested that he was not an enemy of humanity.
(Still… he did say something cryptic about not falling and vanished. It’s definitely intriguing…)
“Um… how about asking the Headmaster?” Primula suggested.
“The Headmaster… Verloid Harn was part of the Council of Sages, wasn’t he? If we talk to him, we might uncover something,” she continued.
“Now that you mention it, that’s true,” Viola replied, nodding.
“Right… once we reach the Royal Capital, let’s stop by the academy,” Rest agreed.
As the three of them continued their conversation, they made their way toward the Royal Capital.