Chapter 131. Have You All Been Doing Well?
The southern border town of Reben had regained its vitality. The city hall—formerly known as the lord's castle—had been renamed, and a new six-story building stood proudly beside it.
"What? You want to learn magic? Then you absolutely should! Hahaha! Don't worry about a thing, boy. I was already planning to invite a magic instructor soon!" Cobler, the director of the Cobler Manpower Agency, said.
"T-Thank you so much!" the boy stuttered, bowing deeply.
"Thank me? Nonsense! I'll make sure you become a great mage, and sell you for a high price—ah, I mean...! Just focus on studying hard! Got it?" Cobler said.
"I won't let you down! Thank you, thank you so much!" the boy exclaimed. He dashed out, bowing all the way.
Watching him go, Cobler grinned a wide, sinister smile.
"This is truly satisfying work," he said to himself, turning his gaze toward the safe he had proudly placed in a corner of his office. Above it hung a framed certificate of commendation, personally awarded by the empire's Sixth Prince, Revelio.
—Certificate of Commendation "For your significant contribution to exposing the rebellion plot orchestrated by Leandro, the Marquis of the Border, we hereby commend you." —Revelio Carlyen, Sixth Prince of the Orias Empire
Every glance at the certificate filled Cobler with pride. It wasn't just any certificate; it bore the imperial seal.
Two months had passed since Caron Leston removed the former lord from power.
"This is why it's important to back the right horse!" Cobler declared to himself.
Though his daily life hadn't changed much from his days as a slave trader, the "packaging" had certainly improved. Slavery no longer existed in Reben. Cobler's new role involved educating the refugees pouring into the city and finding suitable jobs for them. He had successfully shifted from operating in the shadows to basking in the light.
"Hahahaha!" Cobler chuckled heartily, slapping his stomach.
While the influx of refugees kept him busy, the work was immensely gratifying. There was a deep, almost overwhelming satisfaction in seeing the tearful gratitude of those he helped—and, of course, in watching his coin purse grow heavier by the day.
"Ah, life has never been this good," Cobler mused. "Maybe I should count today's earnings myself—"
But just as he turned toward the safe, the door to his office burst open.
"Booooooss!"
One of his underlings—a bald man with tattoos snaking across his arms—charged into the room without even knocking.
"You idiot! You have to call me 'Director,' not 'Boss!' And for heaven's sake, learn to knock!" Cobler snapped, his lips quivering with annoyance.
"I-It's something u-urgent! S-Strangers have invaded!" the man stuttered, wide-eyed and panicked.
"Huh?" Cobler exclaimed in disbelief.
Reben's security had never been better. The slave traders who once ruled the back alleys had been completely eradicated, and knights dispatched by the Ducal Family of Leston diligently patrolled the streets.
Yet now, there were invaders out of the blue, which seemed unbelievable.
Cobler's lips twitched uncontrollably as he barked, "Explain yourself properly, you idiot!"
"...It's exactly as I said, and what I'm saying is true, I swear! A bunch of filthy strangers barged in and started demanding to know where the boss is!" the bald underling shouted, panic etched across his face.
Cobler's complexion turned ghostly pale as he wondered, "Perhaps someone holding a grudge?"
It was widely known that the Oceanwolf Knight Order was stationed in Reben. The knights of the fearsome Ducal Family of Leston had a reputation that struck terror into the hearts of even the boldest criminals. For anyone to recklessly invade a city guarded by such warriors, they had to have more than a petty grievance.
"Who could it be? Don't tell me... remnants of Marquis Leandro's faction? Or maybe the slave traders?" Cobler muttered, racking his brains.
But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't pinpoint anyone with a vendetta against him. The Marquis' faction had been thoroughly eradicated, and the slave traders were struck down by that insane young lord who had cleaned house on the very day of his uprising.
"Boss, w-what should we do? What d-do we do?" the underling stuttered, visibly shaking.
Cobler smacked the man on the back and bellowed, "What else? Call the knights immediately! Tell them if they don't come quickly, this idiot's life is on the line—"
Before he could finish, an explosive sound shook the building.
Boom!
The door was torn clean off its hinges, dust billowing into the office. Moments later, five figures stepped through the shattered doorway; four of them looked like beggars, while one was cloaked in a tattered robe. One of the beggars was so tall that they almost hit their head on the ceiling as they entered.
Beggars? What could they possibly want here? Cobler thought, his mind racing.
This would normally be a moment to demand answers with righteous indignation. But Cobler couldn't muster the courage to speak, because each of the beggars had a sword hanging from their waist.
There was only one thing to do in this situation.
"Argh!" Cobler cried, throwing himself to the floor. "I don't know why you've come, but it's all my fault! Esteemed swordsmen, this humble Cobler has not lived a virtuous life, but I've done my best to avoid harming others! Please, I beg your forgiveness with all my heart—"
Kneeling and groveling was a small price to pay for survival.
But at that moment, a voice echoed in his ears—a voice he could never forget.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Cobler lifted his head to look at the figure who had spoken. Upon closer inspection, the "beggar" wasn't a beggar at all. The messy hair, the grime-streaked face—despite the disheveled appearance, Cobler recognized the man immediately.
"Argh! Young Master! You've arrived!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling.
It was Caron Leston, the man who had opened a new path for him.
Cobler prostrated himself again, shouting, "This humble Cobler has lived diligently, just as you instructed, Young Master! It is such a joy to see you again—"
"Enough of that," Caron interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "Do you know of any decent inns nearby? We need to wash up and eat."
"Yes, of course! There's a private lodging for our agency just next door," Cobler replied hastily.
"We'll use that, then. Do we have to pay?" Caron asked.
"Absolutely not! It's free—completely free!" Cobler answered.
Caron flashed a grin when he heard that it was free and said, "Good. You're not in need of education, then."
"Of course not!" Cobler said.
"We'll come back after washing up. And it'd be great if you could prepare a meal for us," Caron said.
"I'll have the cooks get started immediately! Everything will be ready by the time you all wash up and come back!" Cobler assured him.
"Make sure there's plenty of meat," Caron added.
"Plenty of meat... Got it!" Cobler nodded furiously.
The young master, who had swept through the office like a storm, left with his companions. Cobler stared at the door that Caron had broken with a dazed expression.
"A-Are they gone?" the bald underling whispered as he cautiously peeked out from his hiding spot in a corner.
Cobler let out a heavy sigh, glaring at the shiny bald dome of his subordinate's head as he said, "Ha... Of course my underlings are always like this."
"Who was that?" the man asked, his curiosity overtaking his fear.
Cobler sighed again and replied, "A mad dog."
Indeed, the mad dog had returned to the empire.
***
Caron and his companions finished a thorough bath at Cobler's lodgings, and soon after, they gathered around for a meal.
"This is a masterpiece," Leo said, his voice filled with awe.
"The meat just melts in your mouth," Leon murmured dreamily.
"Blessed be Tuhoran!" Utula exclaimed with fervor.
The group devoured the dishes brought by the cooks at an astonishing pace, leaving the serving staff struggling to keep up.
After devouring a plate of steak in mere moments, Caron turned his gaze toward Orion, who was casually munching on fruits. Raising an eyebrow, he remarked, "Funny how you've got room for dessert, considering you didn't even eat your meal."
"Petty, aren't you? They say even dogs aren't bothered during meals," Orion replied, unfazed.
"You're not a dog, though," Caron shot back. "Honestly, this is why there's nothing left at big banquets. I thought we'd be fine with the water spirit's help, but it didn't even let us wash up."
"Spirits aren't our servants, Caron. They're friends and companions, and they deserve to be treated as such. Besides, you can't force a spirit to do something it doesn't want to," Orion said firmly.
The reason Caron and his group had arrived in Reben looking so disheveled was because there had been no suitable places to bathe. The desolate lands of the southern kingdom were hardly ideal for leisurely hygiene.
Relying on the water spirit had seemed like a good idea, but the spirit had refused their request for help, disappearing with a huff of displeasure.
"Spirits are noble beings," Orion added.
"Noble or not, that one just needs more training," Caron grumbled.
"...What did you say?" Orion's voice lowered.
"If you'd trained it properly, it would've listened. Right, Pluto?" Caron asked, glancing at the small creature playing with a ball on the floor.
"Meow," Pluto responded with a low purr, nodding in agreement.
"Let me know if you ever need help. Pluto can take care of the training for you," Caron said smugly.
"If we'd just headed straight to Reben instead of dawdling, it wouldn't have taken this long. All of this is because you've been running around like a mad dog, stirring up trouble," Orion said, sounding exasperated.
What could have been a journey of just two weeks had stretched to over a month. Instead of avoiding bandits and outlaws, Caron had insisted on smashing through them all in the name of training.
"Well, it wasn't for nothing, was it, Orion?" Leon chimed in, setting down her knife with a wry smile. She added sincerely, "If our hardships bring safety to others, that's a worthy cause."
"Tsk tsk. You've got such a kind-hearted cousin, yet her younger cousin's a menace. Humans are truly baffling creatures," Orion muttered, shaking his head.
"Do you want some steak?" Leon offered, ignoring the jab.
"I wouldn't say no," Orion replied, spearing a perfectly-cut slice of steak with his fork.
Caron watched him with a slight frown.
"Traveling with him really is a pain. Owner, don't you think so too?" Guillotine remarked.
Absolutely, Caron replied internally.
He couldn't understand how an elf could be so perpetually displeased. Orion's constant grumbling throughout their journey had been nothing short of irritating.
"Listen up, everyone," Caron began, speaking to his companions as they were busy enjoying their meal. "From here on, we'll take the railroad to return. But before that, I was thinking we could stop by Thebe for a bit and have some fun—"
Before he could finish his suggestion, the door to the lodgings burst open.
"Caron!" a commanding voice called out.
A striking young man with jet-black hair and golden eyes stepped into the room. His gaze locked onto Caron immediately. Without hesitation, he stormed over and grabbed Caron by the collar.
"You dumped all the annoying tasks on me and ran off, didn't you? And look at you now! All clean and shiny, like you just came out of a bath!"
It was Revelio. Dark shadows lingered under his eyes, a clear sign of the grueling workload he had been enduring recently.
"Well, of course I look fresh. I just took a bath," Caron said nonchalantly.
"...Do you even realize how many nights I've been working overtime?" Revelio asked, his tone sharp.
"Revelio," Caron began.
"What?"
"I don't care," Caron replied with such bold confidence that Revelio froze, momentarily at a loss for words.
...Right, that's just how he is, Revelio thought with a sigh. There was no way that they were going to have a normal conversation. He exhaled softly and glanced behind Caron, where his companions were awkwardly sitting, unsure of how to react.
"You should all finish your meal," Revelio said warmly before turning to one of them. "Ah, Leo! How have you been?"
"I've been doing reasonably well," Leo replied with a polite nod.
"And this lovely lady here must be... Miss Leon Leston, I presume? A pleasure to meet you. I am Revelio, the Sixth Prince. You're every bit as stunning as I've heard," Revelio introduced himself.
The dining table instantly erupted into lively chatter.
"And you, my giant friend—I remember meeting you once before. It's great to see you again," Revelio said, greeting Utula warmly.
He then extended a hand to Orion, who was still cloaked, and said, "And you must be the mysterious elf. Welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay in the empire. Haha!"
"How did you know I was an elf, Prince Revelio?" Orion asked, his voice calm but curious.
"You have a similar aura to my sis," Revelio explained with a smile.
"I've heard much about you as Lady Foina's sworn brother. My name is Orion Windkeeper," Orion introduced himself.
"And I am Revelio Carlyen," the prince replied with a graceful nod.
Despite just one more person joining the group, the atmosphere had become overwhelmingly noisy. It was clear to Caron that if he didn't intervene, things would only grow more chaotic.
"Tell me why you're here," Caron said pointedly.
It was always best to send Revelio off quickly when he was in this kind of mood. Normally, Caron wouldn't mind bantering, but the exhaustion from their travels weighed too heavily on him.
"I came to see my little brother's face, of course," Revelio said innocently.
"And what's that in your hand?" Caron asked, nodding toward the envelope Revelio was holding.
"Oh, you noticed? I thought you didn't see it yet," Revelio said with a laugh, then handed the letter to Caron. "This is from your father. He asked me to deliver it when you arrived in Reben."
"Father? When did he send it?" Caron asked, taking the envelope.
"Yesterday. It arrived via magical express," Revelio replied.
"So, it's urgent," Caron muttered, his brow furrowing slightly.
His first thought was that something had happened at Azureocean Castle. Wasting no time, he tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter. The handwriting was immaculate—unmistakably belonging to his father, Fayle.
The letter said, "Son, come straight to Azureocean Castle without straying elsewhere. There are rapidly spreading rumors about you, and I'd rather you avoid any unnecessary entanglements with reporters or unsavory incidents. So please, and I emphasize this, do not stray from your path—just come directly to the castle."
"Caught red-handed," Caron muttered. Fayle had seen through his intentions to veer off course like a hawk.
Caron wondered what these rumors about him were. His frown deepened as he glanced at Revelio and asked, "Do you know anything about these rumors involving me?"
Revelio nodded and said, "There's plenty."
"Give me a few examples," Caron said, his voice tense.
Revelio obliged, listing a few of the most prevalent rumors. As the words left his mouth, Caron's face twisted into a mix of disbelief and irritation.
"You've got to be kidding me..." Caron muttered under his breath.
Whatever had gone wrong, it had gone catastrophically wrong.