Chapter 194 - Return from the Crystal Palace, and the Next Morning
By the time we returned from the dungeon, the sun had already set. We stood before the pyramid at the entrance. In Crystal Square, torches hung by each inn served as streetlights, casting a reddish glow over the area. It was bustling with people, a stark contrast to the morning. The adventurers were gone, replaced mostly by townsfolk. The crowd was overwhelmingly male. Women stood in front of the inns, acting as touts, pulling at men's sleeves and trying to lure them inside. The clamor brought with it the realization that we were back from the dungeon, that this place was safe, and I let out a sigh of relief. Inside the dungeon, we had been snacking on dried meat, but it wasn't enough, and I was starving. The taverns on the first floors of the brothels seemed to serve regular meals, but I hesitated to take Fam or Marmie inside. Though we were exhausted and hungry, we decided to return to our own inn to eat. In the end, we had defeated the fortieth-floor Area Guardian six times. This was the same level where Reed and the rest of 'Wind Blade' had been stuck. Even if we had Tursa, the captain of the House Wanland guard, in our party, the fact that we could beat it consistently probably meant we had surpassed them. I wondered if we could now fight them on equal or better terms without using Goddess Summon. The 'Warrior's Rings' dropped by the Area Guardian were all gathered by me first. Then, I handed them out to Fam and the others. It seemed the rings automatically adjusted to the wearer's finger size. I was a bit embarrassed, so I handed them over without a word, and they accepted them in silence. Nothing seemed to have changed, but Fam, in particular, slipped the ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand and held it up to the sky, admiring it. As I watched her, I tried to give a ring to Tursa, but he refused to take it.
"No, I want you to give this directly to Lady Marianne from your own hands. I'm sure she will be delighted."
"That's not what I mean. This one is your share."
"W-What did you say?!"
At my words, Tursa turned pale, his eyes widened, and he took a large step back. For a moment, I didn't understand why he reacted with such fear, but then I saw Mizuki and Maira staring at me with their mouths agape and it clicked.
"N-No, that's not what I meant! I'm not into that! And besides, this is your reward for this time. I'll give you the magic seeds, too."
We had obtained six this time, so I offered him one.
"If that's the case, then I can't possibly accept. I am here to repay a debt of gratitude."
"In that case, there's something I'd like to ask you. Please accept this as payment for that information."
At those words, his expression instantly turned stern.
"What do you want to ask?"
I led him away from Fam and the others. As expected, they didn't follow.
"You know of the Crimson Brigade. I've heard they're hiding in a fortress in the eastern mountains, and I want to know its exact location."
"And what will you do once you know?"
"…I have no intention of answering that."
He folded his arms upon hearing my reply.
"The fact that you won't let your companions hear means you plan to attack them alone, doesn't it? But that's reckless. There are five hundred of them."
Hearing that, I clenched my teeth and balled my fists.
"I've traveled all this way with Fam since I met her. To me, she's special, but to others, she's just a normal girl. She laughs normally, gets angry normally. I've watched her do that this whole time. That's why I can't forgive them. I can't forgive the people who stole her home and sold her into slavery. I'm sure she'd try to stop me if I told her I was going to fight them. But I just can't forgive them."
Tursa stared into my eyes and fell silent. The noise of the city felt distant. I felt like I was being swallowed by the intense gaze of his dark eyes. Unable to bear it, I looked away. I was the man who had tried to turn back on the fortieth floor of the dungeon. Even if I learned the location of their hideout, I hadn't thought about what I would actually do. He probably thought I was an idiot. I wondered how he was planning to talk me out of it.
"Lady Marianne was the same. Before she met you, Lord Mash, she would never voice an opinion, no matter what she wanted to say. She left everything to Lord Seym and stayed out of politics. But when she heard that a village had been attacked and its victims were being sold in the market, she stood up for the first time. I don't know what the rest of House Wanland thinks. But I was waiting. I was waiting for Lady Marianne to call on us."
As he said this, he dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
"Lord Mash, when that time comes, please take me with you. I will wear this ring you have given me and serve as your vanguard. I swear I will annihilate the Crimson Brigade for you. I have kept it hidden, but I possess a Divine Blessing. Please, use this power."
"W-Wait, don't do that here! Besides, I need you to stay by Marianne's side."
I hurriedly tried to make him stand, but he was as solid as a rock and didn't budge. Fam and the others were watching us intently. Their gazes were more unsettling than the curious stares of the townspeople.
"Lady Marianne needs you more than she needs me. I cannot allow you to go to your death alone."
"Please, just stand up. It's not the noble emotion you think it is. It's just a personal grudge."
"No matter what you say, I will not move until you give your consent."
"Tch…"
I considered just leaving him and going back. At first, I had thought about asking Marianne, but I had a feeling she would react just like Tursa was now. That's why I decided to ask him, thinking he'd be less invested in me. And yet, this was the result. I could probably get the location of the Crimson Brigade's hideout through other channels, like the Mateo Trading Company, without asking him. However, I doubted I could get more detailed information than what he had, since he had actually participated in the subjugation mission. Even if they had given up after the brigade fled into the mountains, it was impossible they hadn't kept tabs on their movements since.
"…Alright. When the time comes, I'll count on you."
When I muttered in defeat, he looked up and grinned.
The next day, I was once again woken up by the innkeeper knocking on my door. When I went to the dining hall, Tursa was there as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He was munching on a kebab sandwich, same as yesterday. Resigned, I headed toward his table and noticed Patricia hiding in his shadow.
"Good morning."
I spoke to Patricia, pretending my greeting was for both of them.
"Good morning, sir."
She stood and bowed her head.
"…Morning."
Marmie replied, yawning behind me. As we sat down, a kebab sandwich and Ayran were brought to our table, just like yesterday. Fam, sitting next to me, lifted her cup with both hands and gulped down the Ayran, her throat working audibly.
"Phew."
After finishing, she let out a satisfied sigh.
She seemed to notice me looking at her and turned her gaze to me, as if waiting for me to speak.
"…"
Without a word, I wiped away the white foam from the corner of her mouth with my finger. She narrowed her eyes as if tickled. Her tail gave one big wag. Is this world stuck in a loop? Have I been sent back to yesterday? At this rate, I'd be forced to conquer the fortieth floor of the Crystal Palace all over again. As I was thinking this, Tursa offered me a kebab sandwich. I took it but didn't bring it to my mouth. I shook my head as if to dispel the nightmare. I had already found a hint to escape this loop.
"Patricia, why are you here?"
She had been about to take a bite of her kebab sandwich but closed her mouth.
"Yes. I came to deliver two messages. First, the house is ready, so we would like you to come and see it."
"That was fast. Is everything proceeding with Claire?"
If it was an unoccupied house, renovations would take time. If someone was living there, evicting them would take time. In other words, I had figured arranging a new house would still take a while. I couldn't even imagine what kind of house would be assigned to us.
"Yes. We have already spoken with the Mateo Trading Company. If you approve of the house, Lord Mash, the company will purchase it."
Since we weren't citizens of Migul, we couldn't normally buy a house. So, the Mateo Trading Company was acting as an intermediary, buying the house and then leasing it to us. Of course, now that Marmie was with us, such a method wasn't strictly necessary. This was a transaction to ensure that House Starunion, the Mateo Trading Company, and our party could accommodate each other and maintain a friendly relationship. The Mateo Trading Company was a massive firm with branches in every city. However, their branch in Migul was still new and small. Since the price had to be something the company could afford, I assumed it must be an ordinary house.
"Alright, let's go see it. And the second thing?" I asked Patricia.
"Lady Marina requests your presence at the mansion."
At those words, I stopped chewing my kebab sandwich. I washed it down with Ayran. It had a strange flavor, like yogurt with a touch of salt, but it was an addictive taste.
"Is she angry?"
"No, sir. Did you do something to anger her?"
"No, I can't think of anything."
I had a bad feeling that being summoned meant trouble. Did Shizuka and the others mess up? Or was there a problem with Cecily's group's academic performance? I felt like some kind of guardian. However, I had things I wanted to ask her about—Fam's curse and the conditions for freeing Patricia from slavery—so I figured it was a good opportunity.
"Alright, after breakfast, let's go to Mo's mansion. After that, we'll go see our house."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
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