Chapter 203. The Return (3)
It had been one week since Caron and his companions arrived in Galad. Now, they were at the newly constructed Leston Port, located at the southernmost edge of the Southern Great Forest, on the Silent Shore.
"I don't want to say goodbye to you already, Dad. But I know you're busy, so I'll be understanding! I'm still happy we got to spend a whole week together!" Aqua said.
"When you grow up, do you want to come live at Azureocean Castle?" Caron offered.
"Yes! I'm happy anywhere as long as you're there, Dad," Aqua answered with a smile.
As Caron gently patted Aqua's head, his expression softened with a satisfied smile. He wondered if there was anything in this world as adorable as this little one.
If he could, he would love to show her to his parents. They would undoubtedly welcome Aqua with open arms.
"Ahem, Caron. Keep focusing on your swordsmanship training," Kerra advised with a playful grin.
It was a port where people were busily moving around, so it wasn't possible for Kerra to openly call Caron, 'Commander.'
Caron let out a quiet sigh as he glanced at Kerra, who was struggling to hold back his laughter. Lowering his voice, he whispered, "Next time we meet, I'll be stronger than you. And when that day comes... You know what that means, right?"
Kerra shuddered at the chilling words, and stuttered, "T-That... That won't happen, Commander."
"Why not? Kids grow up fast. You'd better be ready, because when that day comes... you're done for," Caron said.
As Caron exchanged goodbyes with Kerra and Aqua, an elven woman approached him and said, "Lord Caron, all the cargo has been loaded."
"Ah, thank you," Caron replied, thinking her face felt familiar. He didn't have to think hard to recall her name, though.
"Eärin, right?" Caron asked.
Eärin was the one who had been fleeing from pirates when he first came to the Southern Great Forest. It was definitely her.
"You remembered," Eärin said softly.
"I'm pretty good at remembering names," Caron said proudly.
"I've always thought of you as my benefactor, Lord Caron. The other elves are also deeply grateful to you," Eärin said.
"Eh, I didn't do that much," Caron replied.
Eärin responded with a radiant smile, then said, "Everything you see here exists because of you, Lord Caron."
Elves moved busily around the port, their graceful movements blending with the lively chatter of humans. And among them, a few beastfolk carried cargo with bright expressions, while some nagas who had come from the water assisted with various tasks.
Different races gathered together, creating a vibrant and harmonious scene. Just a few months ago, this would have been unimaginable.
"You are truly the elves' benefactor, Lord Caron," Eärin said, her sincerity evident.
Caron scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed as he said, "I was just working hard to feed myself. You really don't have to thank me that much."
If Eärin knew how many valuable things Caron had wrung out of the World Tree, she wouldn't be saying that.
But Eärin, smiling brightly, replied, "Regardless, Lord Caron, you will always be our benefactor."
"Well... If that's how you see it, I won't argue," Caron answered with a shrug.
"Everything is ready for departure. You can board the ship whenever you like," Eärin informed Caron, who nodded in response to her kind explanation.
After giving Aqua one last warm hug, Caron finally stepped onto the waiting ship.
It was a large vessel purchased by the Ducal Family of Leston for trade purposes. On the deck, people bustled about, and a few who recognized Caron greeted him.
Caron waved back lightly, acknowledging their greetings, before turning to glance at the harbor once more.
"Dad! See you again!" Aqua's cheerful voice echoed across the port.
Caron still hadn't quite adjusted to the fact that Aqua was his daughter, but she was undeniably adorable. He couldn't help but wave back at her, a warm smile on his face.
"I'll bring something delicious next time!" Caron called out.
"Okay!" Aqua answered.
The shorter the farewell, the better.
A moment later...
Bwooooooo!
The ship's horn echoed across the harbor, signaling the completion of departure preparations.
"Young Master! We're ready to set sail!" the navigator said.
"Let's head back quickly—" Caron began, but was cut off.
Just as Caron was about to give the order to the navigator...
"Hey! Are you seriously leaving me behind?!" a voice echoed from the distance, followed by a man sprinting toward the ship at an impressive speed.
It was Leo, a man who was hopelessly in love.
Whoosh!
Leo pushed off the ground at the pier with a powerful leap and landed gracefully on the deck.
Caron smirked at the sight and said, "I thought you were planning to settle down here, Leo."
"Were you really going to leave me behind?" Leo asked.
"Yes," Caron answered.
"You mean bastard," Leo commented.
"Thanks for the compliment," Caron said with a smile.
Not long after Leo boarded, a loud voice rang out from the pier. "Caroooon!"
It was Adina. She had transformed into her beast form, shouting at Caron, "See you agaaaaain, Great Warrioooooor!"
Her voice was so loud and powerful that it echoed across the entire ship. Caron couldn't hold back his laughter. With her shouting like that, he couldn't just let it go unanswered.
"See you agaaaaaaain, sister-in-laaaaaw!" Caron shouted.
Whoosh!
The sound of the mana engine roared to life as the vessel began to move.
Caron stood on the deck, watching the harbor gradually shrink into the distance. Then, he glanced sideways at Leo and casually asked, "Must be hard saying goodbye to your girlfriend, huh?"
"She's not my girlfriend," Leo replied, a little too quickly.
"Oh, really?" Caron questioned.
"...I mean, not yet," Leo mumbled, his face turning slightly red, which didn't suit his usual demeanor.
Caron looked at Leo's embarrassed expression and pretended to gag. Then, as he strolled leisurely across the deck, he asked, "By the way, Leo, do you know why the harbor's called Leston?"
"Let me guess, it's named after you—" Leo answered, but was interrupted by Caron.
"Not quite. The regent gave me a painting when we left Galad. Wanna see it?" Caron asked.
He handed Leo a piece of parchment with a drawing on it. Leo sighed and took the paper.
The artwork depicted a statue, and at a glance, it looked like bronze.
"What's this?" Leo asked.
"It's the statue that's going to be erected at Leston Port. What do you think? Pretty impressive, right? The elves sure have great taste," Caron remarked.
"Why are there four statues?" Leo asked.
"One for me, one for you, one for Leon, and the last one for Utula. It's a monument honoring the heroes who drew their swords for the elves," Caron explained.
He smiled and gazed out at the open sea, which stretched endlessly before them.
"I asked the regent about the harbor's name. Turns out, it wasn't named after me," Caron said.
"Then what...?" Leo asked, his curiosity piqued.
"She said it was to honor all the young heroes who bore the name Leston," Caron explained.
"Won't Utula feel left out?" Leo asked.
"Come on, three out of the four were from the Ducal Family of Leston. If he wanted, he should've been a part of the family too, don't you think? Besides, they're naming the harbor's central square after him—'Utula Square.' That should make him happy," Caron said.
Knowing how simple-minded Utula was, Caron could easily imagine him pounding his chest and exclaiming, 'A square! They named the heart of the harbor after me!'
Leo's expression, which had been slightly downcast, brightened. Clearly pleased by the explanation, he said, "Hmmm, I like that."
Seriously... He's so easy to please, Caron thought.
"I always think this, but Leo is really easy to control. Don't you agree?" Guillotine asked.
Even Guillotine had started to find Leo endearing.
"Oh, right. Leo, did you hear the news? They're planning to lay down a railway through the Southern Great Forest. The regent commissioned the Ducal Family of Leston to conduct a geological survey," Caron mentioned.
"Really? That's surprising. I thought the elves would oppose anything that could harm nature," Leo said.
"If you think about it that way, they must have cut down quite a few trees when building Galad too. But it seems they planned it in a way that minimized damage to the forest as much as possible," Caron replied.
The elves were changing, probably faster than anyone had expected. Elves were once the most closed-off race on the continent, but they had chosen to embrace change.
"By the time we return, it'll be even more different," Leo murmured quietly, and Caron nodded in agreement.
"But, Leo," Caron said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone, "Do you know what's really important?"
"Can't you just tell me everything at once?" Leo asked, annoyed by the suspense Caron continued to form.
"You know the company overseeing the railway construction? We have shares in it. We're about to get a lot richer," Caron explained.
"M-My shares too? Wait... Don't tell me... All those long conversations you had with the regent back in Galad... Did you really...?" Leo stuttered in shock and happiness.
"Of course, Leo. I make sure to take what I can. So, from now on, you'd better treat me better," Caron said.
Leo's expression turned serious as he grabbed Caron's hand firmly, then declared, "I pledge my eternal loyalty, dear Caron."
"As you should, Leo," Caron said.
It was a moment that showcased the deep bond between the two cousins.
"Why didn't you tell him that his shares are only one-tenth of yours?" Guillotine asked.
At Guillotine's pointed question, Caron clenched his fist and knocked on the hilt. He replied, The truth is always bitter. Let him enjoy this moment.
"You're unbelievable... Absolutely rotten..." Guillotine said.
Shut up, Guillotine, Caron snapped.
With Leo beaming happily and Guillotine silently pitying him, the final voyage of this journey had begun.
"Let's go home," Caron said softly.
***
It was the fourth day since they had set sail from Leston Port in the Southern Great Forest.
"Young Master Caron, the wind is getting chilly," Heinrich said.
"Ah, Heinrich," Caron replied as he smiled warmly at the elderly butler, who also served as the head butler of the Ducal Family of Leston.
The reason Heinrich was aboard this ship was because he had accompanied Halo to the Southern Great Forest, but had been left behind when Halo departed. While Halo had gone off to search for traces of the Demon King in the Eastern Great Forest, Heinrich had been stranded, with no choice but to wait.
"Grandfather can be really too much sometimes. How could he just leave you behind and disappear into the Eastern Great Forest like that?" Caron asked, shaking his head.
"Lord Halo granted me some time off before he left," Heinrich replied with a gentle smile. "Thanks to that, I had the rare pleasure of enjoying some leisure time outside Azureocean Castle. It was a delightful abandonment."
"You don't seem too bothered by it, which makes me think this isn't the first time," Caron remarked with a knowing look.
"Ah... When the lord was younger, it was worse," Heinrich said, his eyes twinkling with nostalgia.
The old butler stood beside Caron with a smile. He asked softly, "Don't you ever get tired of looking at the sea?"
"Hmm, not really. I guess I take after the Lestons. I like the sea," Caron answered.
The South Sea had a different feel from the East Sea. Unlike the choppier waters of the east, the South Sea was calm, perfect for quiet contemplation.
"Why don't you go inside and get some rest, Heinrich?" Caron suggested.
"I couldn't possibly, not while you're out here," Heinrich replied with a shake of his head.
"It's not like I'm doing anything important," Caron said with a shrug.
If he were to list everything he had done in the past four days, it would look something like this:
"1. Sparring with Leo (as a pretext for beating him senseless). 2. Practicing mana cultivation (while secretly tormenting Guillotine). 3. Fishing (as an excuse to drink while watching the sea)."
These were the kinds of carefree days Caron could only dream of once he returned to Azureocean Castle.
"If I catch something big today, should we have a grilled fish party for dinner?" Caron asked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"That sounds delightful, Young Master," Heinrich replied with a smile.
"But..." he paused before adding with a chuckle, "Haven't you failed to catch even a single fish so far?"
Caron clenched his fist with determination, then declared with conviction, "Today feels different. I have a feeling I'm going to catch something this time!"
"I shall inform the chef to prepare grilled fish, then," Heinrich said, his tone filled with amusement.
There was something about Heinrich that put Caron at ease. Unlike most people, Heinrich's presence was always comforting.
Caron cast his fishing line into the sea, not paying much attention to anything else.
"Heinrich," Caron called softly.
"Yes, Young Master?" Heinrich answered.
"I'm bored. Can you tell me stories about Grandfather? There's still a lot I don't know about him," Caron said.
"Hmm... Where would you like me to begin?" Heinrich asked, his voice thoughtful.
"Start from after the rebellion," Caron said. "I've read everything that happened before that in the history books."
Heinrich gazed down at Caron for a moment. He had always known how fascinated Caron was with Cain Latorre since childhood. It was only natural that Caron would want to hear more about stories related to Cain Latorre.
"Then I suppose I should begin with the story of Sir Cain Latorre's grave," Heinrich said at last. "There are no records of it anywhere."
"That's right. I couldn't find anything about it," Caron said, leaning in slightly.
"After the Malevolent Emperor was defeated, Lord Halo carried the body of his dear friend to the North Sea himself," Heinrich began.
Stories Caron had never heard before began to flow from Heinrich's lips. Caron sat quietly, holding his fishing rod, his attention entirely captured by the old butler's words.
The gentle sea breeze and Heinrich's calm, steady voice blended seamlessly, creating a tranquil atmosphere.
***
Time passed as Caron listened to Heinrich's story while holding his fishing rod.
But all of a sudden...
Blaaaare! Blaaaare!
The once peaceful deck suddenly erupted into chaos.
The ship's deck officer came rushing toward Caron in a panic and said, "Young Master! Young Master!"
Caron, still holding his fishing rod, glanced over at him and asked calmly, "What's going on?"
"Pirates! A pirate fleet has been spotted! Judging by their direction, it's highly likely that we are their target!" the deck officer exclaimed.
At those words, Caron turned to Heinrich with a sly smile and said, "Heinrich, didn't I tell you? I had a feeling I was going to catch something today."
"Indeed, Young Master. You've caught pirates," Heinrich replied with his usual composed tone.
"Well, this just got interesting. I was getting bored anyway," Caron said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Through negotiations with the Pirate Queen, it was agreed that the ships of the Ducal Family of Leston wouldn't be attacked. And yet, despite that agreement, pirates were now preparing to launch an assault.
Caron wondered what that could mean. Perhaps it was a betrayal by the Queen, or insubordination from one of her subordinates...
Betrayal is highly unlikely, Caron thought.
They had to check it out for themselves, but of course, a lot of blood would be spilled.
Caron set down his fishing rod and slowly rose from his seat, then picked up Guillotine, which had been resting on the floor beside him.
"The sea and pirates go hand in hand. And where there are pirates, there's treasure. These bastards know how to keep things interesting. If they want to play pirates, they should be ready to die for it," Caron said as he nodded to himself, satisfied with the situation.
"Don't try to stop me, Heinrich," he added without looking back.
"...I had no intention of doing so, Young Master. You're not someone who can be stopped by words," Heinrich replied, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Exactly. You really do know me well," Caron said, chuckling.
On the way back to Azureocean Castle, it seemed an excellent opportunity had presented itself to gather some generous gifts for his parents.
"Justice isn't complicated. Looting bad guys is as righteous as it gets," he remarked.
The Mad Dog grinned, his expression filled with unrestrained joy.