Chapter 172. I Will Receive The Payment Afterward! (3)
After finalizing the contract with the princes and having lunch, Caron returned to the chamber assigned to him.
Zerath had stepped out, saying he had something to discuss with Dame Nadia; that left Caron, Leo, Seria, and Ugo gathered in the room.
The reason for their gathering was simple.
"Shall we start laying out the plan?" Caron asked.
They had come together to discuss their future course of action.
Caron checked the Ali Oasis spring water stored in his pouch of dimensional space and nodded in satisfaction. His objectives in the Pajar Sultanate had been met. Not only had he secured the spring water, but he had also gained numerous lucrative business rights as a bonus. He felt completely at ease.
"You look pleased," Leo remarked.
Caron chuckled and replied, "Of course. Do you have any idea how much money I'm going to rake in with this contract?"
Leo shrugged, popping a date into his mouth, then muttered, "You're obsessed with money. You could live comfortably for a lifetime just off the wealth from the Belrus Barony."
"Well, it might end up as war funds later," Caron said.
"War funds? Are you planning a war? Wait... a rebellion...?" Leo asked nervously.
"Do I seem like Grandfather to you?" Caron replied.
Leo gasped, then instantly fell silent.
At Caron's words, Ugo and Seria could only click their tongues in disbelief. His way with words was astonishing no matter when they heard it.
"Our next destinations are two places—The Eastern Great Forest and the Holy Kingdom," Caron stated.
To complete the regent's commission, they needed to head east to the Eastern Great Forest. But that wasn't Caron's only goal.
Searching for Beatrice in the Holy Kingdom was also part of his current plan. Ugo had nearly died at the hands of the Demon King of Sloth. There was no guarantee Beatrice was safe.
Seria cautiously asked, "Do you have a reason for entering the Holy Kingdom?"
Caron gestured toward Ugo and answered, "Another former Imperial Guard is living there in hiding. I doubt the Holy Kingdom is completely safe."
That explanation seemed to suffice. Seria nodded slightly before addressing Caron again. "You cannot enter the Holy Kingdom right now. I believe you are aware of that as well."
"Of course. Do you know how many Inquisitors I've killed? I never said I'd go in immediately. I already spoke to my grandfather about it," Caron said.
Entering the Holy Kingdom as things stood was suicidal. The moment he stepped in, fanatics would swarm him like locusts. It was wiser to put that plan on hold for now.
He had already asked Halo to look into it, specifically mentioning Beatrice's name. Since he had also reported Ugo's condition, it was certain that his family would take diplomatic action soon.
"We'll put the Holy Kingdom on hold until after visiting the Eastern Great Forest," Caron added.
Prioritization was necessary. Getting into the Holy Kingdom wouldn't be easy. Ideally, Caron would have liked to bring Ugo and Seria along to the forest. With them by his side, he would have a strong support force. But unfortunately, that didn't seem like an option.
"Further investigation is required. Although I did purify Sir Ugo using the Dagger of Repentance, we still need more time to be sure," Seria said.
She wanted to assess Ugo's condition in more detail. She also insisted on a thorough investigation of the dark mana that had tainted the entire oasis.
"I am fine, Saintess," Ugo reassured her once again.
However, Seria firmly shook her head and said, "We must be absolutely certain when it comes to dark mana. We need at least one month of observation."
Perhaps it was because of her new set of wings, but the Saintess now exuded an undeniable aura of authority.
Whoosh.
A soft, radiant glow of holy energy seeped from her, making her platinum hair shine even more brilliantly.
Caron nodded, then turned to Ugo and said, "Then Sir Ugo and the Saintess will stay here and wait."
After all, the Saintess had to remain in order to continue treating Ugo. Besides, Ugo couldn't enter the empire. Technically, he could sneak in, but Caron thought it wasn't really necessary.
There was no reason to put Ugo through such a risk. Besides, given his contributions to suppressing the rebellion, the Pajar Sultanate would gladly welcome him. Not to mention, he was a knight at the pinnacle of 8-Star. A place like the Pajar Sultanate, which lacked high-level forces, would undoubtedly greet him with open arms.
"With both Dame Nadia and Sir Ugo here, the Inquisitors of the Holy Kingdom won't be much of a threat, right, Saintess?" Caron remarked with a smirk. "I'll ask the Crown Prince to grant you a palace for your stay."
Only a fool would dare attack a palace guarded by two knights at the pinnacle of 8-Star. Even if someone tried, there was no way they could get past the guards, who would be on high alert after all that had happened.
"Then, once we finish things in the Eastern Great Forest, we'll regroup here," Caron decided.
With that, their next destination was set.
Ugo nodded slowly and said, "The path to the Eastern Great Forest won't be easy. Will you be alright?"
He was enjoying the fun of speaking informally to Caron, just as Kerra did. To outsiders, it would seem like a conversation between a young man and an elderly knight rather than a commander and his subordinate.
Caron simply shrugged then said, "Even if it's not easy, I doubt it'll be anything I can't handle."
"The route passes through the territories of the beastfolk clans. The tiger clan, in particular, consists of formidable warriors. You should be cautious," Ugo warned.
"Oh, don't worry about that. I happen to have a friend among them. I'll see if I can get some help along the way," Caron replied.
"You have a friend among the tiger clan?" Leo asked.
"I'll tell you about it later, Leo," Caron answered.
During the process of freeing Reben, Caron had rescued a beastfolk woman—Adina. She had given him a sacred horn flute, meant to be used in the Eastern Great Forest. That horn still lay untouched in his pouch of dimensional space.
If they got her help, entering the Eastern Great Forest wouldn't necessarily be as difficult as it seemed.
Leo clapped his hands and grinned, then remarked, "You're always on the move, huh? Are you going alone this time too?"
Caron shook his head, flashing a bright smile before replying, "Of course not. I need someone to keep me company."
"Huh? Who? Is someone coming with you?" Leo asked, his eyes wide in surprise.
Caron gave him a knowing look and replied, "Leo, are you pretending not to know, or do you just not want to admit it? Grandfather sent you here so I wouldn't have to travel alone."
"...Please," Leo muttered.
"I already talked it over with Sir Zerath. Didn't he tell you?" Caron asked.
"No. Please. No," Leo said, wanting to deny the reality.
"Too late. We're partners in destiny, Leo. Just the two of us, off on a nice, quiet journey together," Caron continued.
It was only then that Leo realized why their grandfather had sent him here.
So that's why... he specifically chose and sent me, of all people... Leo thought.
There was no such thing as an act of kindness without a reason.
And so, the expedition to the Eastern Great Forest was set—Caron and Leo, just the two of them.
For Leo, it was the beginning of a long and arduous road.
***
In the head office of Azureocean Castle, Halo turned to his son, Fayle, and said, "The long-standing hostility between the Orias Empire and the Pajar Sultanate is coming to an end. We are now entering a phase of full-scale exchange. Fayle, your responsibilities are about to grow even heavier."
"I will keep that in mind," Fayle responded.
"All you need to do is include trade with the Pajar Sultanate in the business you are already preparing. Of course, the distribution of profits will be..." Halo said.
"Largely devoured by Caron's bottomless pocket. Am I right?" Fayle asked.
"You see things clearly," Halo said with a wry smile as he glanced at the report sent by Zerath.
It hadn't been long since Caron had caused trouble at the academy, yet the urgent news from the Pajar Sultanate had made even Halo recoil in shock.
Azureocean Castle had already been thrown into chaos when they first received word of Caron's imprisonment. And now, he had distinguished himself by suppressing a rebellion.
Caron was a wild card—unpredictable, and all the more dangerous because of it. But he hadn't merely quelled a rebellion. He had untangled a conflict between the empire and the Sultanate that lasted over half a century.
And to top it off, Caron had also secured a lucrative deal that would line the coffers of the Ducal Family of Leston.
Halo didn't know whether to rebuke Caron for recklessly infiltrating an enemy palace or to praise him for achieving a near-miraculous outcome.
"I apologize on Caron's behalf for the trouble he has caused," Fayle said.
"In the end, his actions benefited everyone, so there's no need for an apology, Fayle. Besides, that boy is bringing wealth into Azureocean Castle's treasury," Halo said.
The various privileges and business opportunities Caron had secured were steadily strengthening the Ducal Family of Leston. Without him, perhaps many of their ventures would have gained traction.
With a quiet sigh, Halo lowered his voice and said, "Make sure everything proceeds without issue."
"Will there be no disciplinary action for Caron?" Fayle asked.
Halo gave him a bittersweet look. Fayle was a kind son—perhaps the kindest of his three boys. That kindness made him all the more endearing, and Halo regretted driving him out of Azureocean Castle under the pretext of martial tradition.
"Caron has made great contributions. Punishing him for this would be unfair," Halo answered.
"Then how about rewarding him?" Fayle suggested.
"You know as well as I do that your son is the type to reward himself. Now, you may go," Halo said.
"...Yes, I understand," Fayle said with a slight bow, then turned and left the room.
Halo watched the door close behind his son and remained silent for a long time. Then, he reached out and pressed the summoning artifact on his desk.
Moments later, a voice answered, "Have you summoned me?"
Heinrich stepped cautiously into the office.
Halo said in a low tone, "Heinrich. I need to take a short trip."
Heinrich bowed respectfully and asked, "Shall I prepare an escort?"
"No. It will just be the two of us," Halo answered.
Heinrich slowly lifted his head, studying Halo's face. The latter looked troubled, lost in deep thought.
"May I ask where you intend to go?" Heinrich asked.
"I need to visit the Southern Great Forest. There is something I must ask the elven regent personally," Halo replied.
The Grand Duke of Azureocean Castle rarely left his domain, except to handle the demonic monsters in the North Sea.
Heinrich was curious why Halo's mind had changed, but soon found his answer in Halo's next words.
"The things that are happening to Caron... I need to hear from the regent what exactly the World Tree desires," Halo said.
Halo had sensed something strange about Caron lately. His grandson had always been an unusual child, but this was different.
There were also times when Caron reminded him of his old friend, Cain. Halo had heard that Caron had been obsessed with reading Cain's chronicles since he was young. But that alone didn't explain this unsettling feeling.
Why do those who have been forgotten keep appearing before Caron? Halo thought.
The youngest had been chosen by the Guillotine. Halo wondered if it was truly a coincidence that the owner of Guillotine was fated for a storm-tossed destiny.
Meeting Kerra had been under the family's orders, but encountering Ugo Aegis in the Pajar Sultanate was something else.
Halo couldn't shake the absurd suspicion creeping into his mind—wondering if Caron was somehow connected to Cain.
"As the regent, she might know something," Halo murmured.
Currently, Kerra was staying in Galad, the elven city. If the regent couldn't provide an answer, then perhaps Kerra would.
And so, in order to dispel the unease weighing on him, Halo made his decision to visit the Great Forest himself.
"We'll travel by sea," Halo said. "If I set foot on southern soil, it could disrupt the balance of war among the southern kingdoms."
Halo was the greatest knight on the continent. His mere presence in a southern kingdom could incite chaos.
Understanding his lord's intent, Heinrich bowed again and replied, "Yes, my lord. I will make the preparations."
"Do it quickly," Halo instructed.
As Heinrich left to prepare for their journey, Halo gazed silently out the window, thinking, ...Caron.
Halo could only hope that this trip would provide some clarity.
The giant figure took a step forward into the world. And as always, his steps would change far more than he could ever predict.