Although our reunion was quite emotional, it was far less emotional than the first time. The feeling of seeing me return is still present throughout my family. It’s obvious they worry about me, but they’re gradually getting used to the fact that I disappear and then reappear as if by magic.
The happiness of seeing me alive is something that will never disappear from their hearts, just like the worry they feel whenever something strange happens to me. However, each time it becomes a little less intense, a little less overwhelming.
It reminds me of my fencing victories before I became a professional. Nobody close to my age could beat me. The feeling of happiness after winning was intoxicating, but with every victory, I became a little less excited.
The look in my mother’s eyes while listening to my story felt like a dagger through my heart. The concern on her face grew with every detail. It reached its peak when she heard how I first fought Quilo and then ended up facing a grade 5 monster in a one-on-one battle.
My father, on the other hand, looked like an excited child listening to his favorite story about warriors. My grandmother’s eyes were a mystery. I could sense concern, but also a little pride.
My brothers were mostly the same as always. Sers was quite happy and excited, just like my father, while Ritmo was somewhere between my father and mother. He seemed to be analyzing everything while still feeling both concern and excitement.
The girls were a little different. Their reactions were almost opposites. Brendu kept shaking her head from side to side as if saying: There you go again, always getting into trouble. Arisa was the happiest of them all; I could feel her happiness through her Imra. Marga was looking at me as if I were some strange creature; she’s the one who resembles my grandmother the most. And Sol’s reaction was simply the calmest, as though everything were completely normal.
All four reacted differently to the story, but there was one thing their eyes had in common. They were all incredibly proud of me. They looked as happy about my victory as if it were their own. It makes me happy knowing they took it so well.
For personal reasons beyond my control, I avoided mentioning certain details. They don’t know that I went to the fair with Lully, nor do they know about her interest in coming to see me or that she’s waiting for my return. They’re small details that I’m leaving out. They aren’t particularly important.
I can feel my grandmother’s gaze. She doubts my story, as if she knows I’m deliberately leaving something out. Do I have some sort of habit when telling stories? Maybe she has noticed it, and that’s why she’s looking at me like that.
No... she’s simply following her instincts. That’s what her eyes and Imra tell me. She thinks something is missing, but she doesn’t know what it is or how to prove it. This woman always connects everything to women. I’m certain she thinks I met some girl.
I can’t blame her. Lully is famous for both her beauty and talent. It’s also true that she travels constantly, making it difficult to cross paths with her. There’s no way my grandmother doesn’t know who she is. She knows almost everything about every noble worth knowing, and she loves theater.
I’ll avoid saying anything for as long as possible. I don’t want to be attacked on my very first day back. I’ll ignore her stare as much as I can and pretend this matter isn’t important.
“Lady Mirtha will probably contact you soon regarding some kind of agreement. She’s interested in several products from our territory. Her territory isn’t far away if you cross the Frozen Forest to the south. Although we’d need a few ruby ranks to keep the merchandise safe, it would benefit both sides greatly if an agreement is reached.” I tell my family.
That was one of the many things Mirtha and I discussed that night. She had already planned to contact my family. My appearance simply accelerated the process. The trip takes approximately six or seven days by caravan. It’s relatively long, but with proper planning, both sides would benefit.
The Frozen Forest is usually home to grade 3 monsters. Occasionally, grade 4 monsters can be found along the route, which is why several ruby-rank guards are necessary. There have even been reports of two grade 5 monsters.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
One particular characteristic of this forest is how intelligent its grade 4 monsters are. Most of them already reason like humans and avoid unnecessary fights or battles they might lose. That’s why it isn’t necessary to send too many ruby ranks. Three or four would be enough.
The two grade 5 monsters are intelligent enough to avoid conflicts with one another. They’ve divided the territory between themselves.
The real problem lies with the grade 3 monsters. Although they’re quite intelligent, they still follow their instincts to fight and attack much more often. A competent group of adventurers or guards is enough to cross the forest safely. I’m certain the Owl Team could do it without any problems. Maelli’s group would also find it relatively easy.
If everything goes according to the plans Mirtha and I discussed, it would be a tremendous benefit for our territory. In time, we could even establish a permanent route and install different types of devices to keep monsters away. That would make the route much safer.
As far as anyone knows, there are no bandits living in that area. The grade 5 monsters aren’t usually aggressive, but they are extremely territorial. If you try to settle within their territory, you’ll suffer the consequences. At least there are no records of them attacking caravans that are simply passing through.
I remember hearing that one of the grade 5 monsters once requested compensation from a group traveling through its territory. Some kind of delicious food. Perhaps we could reach an agreement with one of them. Someone strong and sensible would need to handle the negotiations.
I raise my head after getting lost in thought for a few seconds. Everyone is staring at me strangely. “What? Did I say something wrong? Did you not understand part of it?” I’m slightly perplexed by their reaction.
“Why do you call her Mirtha? Did you really become that close in just a few days?” My grandmother asks. “Lady Mirtha is known for being quite reserved.” Her eyes are already judging me.
“She asked me to call her by her name. She was very kind to me, and our trust simply grew as the hours passed.” I answer absentmindedly. Now I finally understand why everyone is looking at me like that.
“I don’t mean any disrespect toward Lady Mirtha, but... she didn’t try anything else, right? It’s common knowledge among the nobles that she only maintains a relationship with the governor for the sake of the territory. They care about each other, but they’re no longer a couple.” Brendu asks. I can see her fist slowly moving closer to my ribs.
I remain silent for a moment. I always found it strange that whenever she referred to the governor, she never called him her husband or partner. She always said governor. I assumed it was just a matter of formality. “No, she behaved like a proper lady the entire time. She would never try anything with me.” I deny it quickly. It’s better to avoid strange misunderstandings.
I’m definitely not going to mention that she repeatedly joked about stealing me away if she were younger. There was even a moment when she made me wonder whether age mattered to her at all. She was joking... or at least I think she was. No, she was definitely joking.
The second round of food arrived only a few seconds later. It saved me from further questions because everyone immediately started eating and changed the subject. We focused more on my battle against the grade 5 monster.
Time passed quickly. Once I stopped being the center of attention, everything became much easier. They began telling me how much the territory had grown recently. My fame as the winner of the latest tournament has encouraged several groups of people to migrate to our towns.
The population is growing every day. Many young people from nearby villages are trying to take advantage of the opportunity to make a name for themselves or start a new life in a rising territory.
The contracts for the guards have become stricter in order to prevent information leaks or individuals with bad intentions from joining their ranks. Everything has continued progressing because the most important responsibilities have been properly distributed.
This last month has been much easier thanks to the help of the four girls. All of them are extremely intelligent and possess extensive knowledge about territory management and many other fields. They grew up in that environment. The two who have contributed the most are Brendu and Sol.
I feel proud of my family. They’ve managed to keep moving the territory forward regardless of the problems that appear. Adversity didn’t make them weaker. On the contrary, it made them stronger.
It’s time for me to contribute in some way. Perhaps I could help manage the new guards or something similar during the months I’ll be living here while I continue perfecting my abilities. I don’t want to visit Eisty before either advancing my ability to Rank V or successfully fusing it.
We talked about my father’s future promotion to Baron. They’re also discussing dates for Ritmo to officially inherit the territory, passing it on to the third generation of the Vichag family.
The atmosphere became increasingly relaxed. Unfortunately, I couldn’t drink much today. Only a single glass during the toast. Everyone has far too many responsibilities over the next few days. They promised me a much larger celebration once everything calms down, this time with all of the family’s friends.
“By the way, Maki, several grade 4 monsters have been spotted a few hours away near the edge of the territory. There’s a chance a grade 4 dungeon has appeared, or perhaps a grade 3 dungeon that’s close to advancing. Would you like to investigate?” My grandmother asks near the end of the gathering.
My eyes immediately light up. “I’d love to. Anything for the good of the territory.” A huge smile forms on my lips. I choose to ignore the laughter coming from everyone around me after hearing my answer.