Chapter 205. The Glorious Return (2)
Mare, the port city located at the farthest western edge of the Leston Duchy, was alive with the bustle of sailors and merchants..
The knights of the Oceanwolf Knight Order stood in formation, their presence drawing murmurs from the townsfolk.
"What's going on?" one of the locals asked.
"I heard Young Master Caron is returning," another replied.
"Oh, Young Master Caron?" the first local repeated.
"Have you not heard the rumors? They say Young Master Caron wiped out the pirate scum. He burned down ten pirate islands and sank so many pirate crews that no one could even count them," the other local explained.
"Ha! The man deserves the respect of all sailors. As expected of Grand Duke Halo's grandson. What do you say? Shall we go watch him later?" the first asked.
"Sounds like a plan," the other answered.
The stories of Caron's exploits had already spread far and wide. They said that Caron had thwarted the Demon King's schemes in the Eastern Great Forest, united the elves, and now cleansed the seas from pirates on his way back.
Any one of these feats would already be enough to grant him the title of hero.
"Hmm." Fayle, standing nearby, cleared his throat while trying to suppress the smile tugging at his lips. Compliments about his son never failed to lift his spirits.
"You seem to be in a good mood, Third Master," Hans, the knight accompanying Fayle, said with a knowing smile.
Fayle chuckled softly and replied, "Hearing praises for my son is far more satisfying than hearing them for myself. By the way, Sir Hans, I heard you recently had a daughter?"
"Ah... Yes, I did," Hans said with a hint of embarrassment in his voice.
"Congratulations. My wife has been pestering me about wanting a daughter as well... Phew. Anyway, just in case, make sure your daughter stays far away from Caron. His madness might be contagious," Fayle advised, objectively evaluating his son separate from praise.
Hans bowed his head respectfully at Fayle's sincere advice.
Bwooooooo!
As they exchanged words, a ship slowly came into view in the distance.
"It seems the young masters are docking," Hans murmured under his breath.
But just then...
"P-Pirate ship!" someone shouted.
"Pirates! Pirates are approaching!" another added.
Panic erupted from all corners of the port. A fleet of dozens of pirate ships had followed closely behind the Leston vessel, slipping into the harbor unnoticed.
"Prepare all forces for an enemy attack!" one of the locals yelled.
"Activate the magic cannons!" another person instructed.
"If they get any closer, sink every last one of them!" someone else added.
The once-peaceful port was now in chaos.
Wheeeee!
Magic cannons emerged from hidden positions, and the elite soldiers of the Ducal Family of Leston took their positions, their faces hardened with grim resolve.
"Third Master, this place is unsafe," the captain of the harbor guard said as he hurried over to Fayle.
Fayle, however, smiled bitterly and asked, "Tell me, where else would be safer than right here?"
"The pirates may have taken Young Master Caron hostage... Ahem," the captain said, then paused.
"...Yes, even you find it funny as you say that, right?" Fayle replied with a smirk.
It was absurd; he thought Caron being taken hostage was laughable. Though they wouldn't know the full details until they spoke to Caron directly, those pirate ships would hardly be a threat.
Fayle clasped his hands behind his back and calmly watched the approaching vessels.
Perhaps sensing that the port was ready for war, the pirate ships hesitated. They stayed just beyond the range of the magic cannons, wary of provoking a response.
Bwooooooo!
At last, the horn echoed across the harbor as the ship of the Ducal Family of Leston docked. Moments later, two young men leaped down from the deck. Despite the considerable height, both landed gracefully on the pier.
The harbor guards, lined up in formation, immediately snapped to attention.
"Draw swords!" one of the officers commanded.
The coastal guards raised their blades high in salute.
Caron and Leon smiled as they walked through the corridor of raised swords, and soon after, applause erupted from all directions.
"Young Master Caron! Young Master Leo!"
"Welcome home!"
"Hurraaaaay!"
The tension that had filled the port moments earlier vanished as if it had never existed, replaced by a thunderous wave of cheers.
"Thank you, everyone! Thank you," Caron said, acknowledging the crowd.
"This is embarrassing. What are you doing?" Leo muttered, raising an eyebrow.
"Come on, Leo. When people cheer for you, you're supposed to enjoy it. Live a little—that's what life's about," Caron replied.
Amid the overwhelming applause, Caron and Leo approached Fayle.
"Father," Caron said, flashing a bright smile as he bowed deeply. "I'm back."
"Come here and let me give you a hug," Fayle said as he pulled his son into a firm embrace.
He wondered when Caron had gotten even taller. Caron's shoulders stood higher than they had before he left for the Eastern Great Forest.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" Fayle asked, his eyes scanning Caron from head to toe. At least outwardly, there didn't seem to be any serious injuries.
"I got a little banged up, but I'm fine now," Caron replied.
"Any lasting effects?" Fayle asked.
"Ah, I knew you'd ask that," Caron said with a grin. "That's why I drank a drop of the World Tree's dew while I was on the ship. I'm good as new."
"Good job. Nothing is more precious than your health," Fayle said, nodding approvingly.
"Of course," Caron replied confidently.
A drop of the World Tree's dew was worth a fortune. Fayle's praise and Caron's casual mention of drinking it made Hans, standing nearby, instinctively lick his lips in disappointment.
That was a treasure beyond imagination, so as a warrior, it was only natural to be greedy for the ultimate elixir.
Caron must have noticed Hans' barely concealed disappointment, because he smirked and gave the knight a friendly pat on the back. He asked, "How have you been, Hans?"
"I'm relieved you've returned safely, Young Master," Hans replied, bowing respectfully.
"I brought back quite a bit of dew from the World Tree this time," Caron said with a mischievous grin. "I'm planning to dilute it and have the Oceanwolf Knight Order drink it. It won't be as potent once it's diluted... but it should still work like a tonic."
"T-That's an honor!" Hans stuttered, his eyes widening.
"Be sure to let them know when we return to Oceanwolf Island. Make it clear that I'm the one sharing it with them," Caron instructed.
"Of course, Young Master. I'll make sure the message is delivered," Hans replied.
Caron always took care of the Oceanwolf Knight Order.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Fayle and Caron quickly shifted to the real matter at hand.
"Son," Fayle said, his tone growing more serious. "What are those pirate ships doing here?"
"Ah, those," Caron said casually, glancing back toward the harbor.
Dozens of pirate ships floated motionless on the water, giving the impression that a massive pirate fleet was preparing to invade. At first glance, it looked like a full-scale assault.
However, Caron wore a satisfied expression as he said, "This is a gift I've prepared for you, Father."
"A gift?" Fayle asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I heard you've been struggling with a labor shortage lately. While I was busy burning down pirate islands, I discovered that those filthy pirates had kidnapped talented people from the Southern Kingdom to sell them as slaves," Caron explained.
"Wait... You didn't forcibly bring those kidnapped people back, did you?" Fayle asked.
"Of course not!" Caron said, shaking his head with a grin. "I only gathered those who wanted to come with us. There should be no less than a thousand of them."
The duchy had been facing a severe shortage of workers due to the various development projects happening across the territory. If what Caron said was true, this would be a tremendous help.
"There are quite a few scholars among them as well. I trust you'll know how to put their skills to good use," Caron added with a confident smile.
"Don't worry," Fayle replied, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "You're talking to an expert in that field. This is truly the best gift. Thank you, my son."
But as Fayle's eyes swept over the fleet, he couldn't shake the feeling that the scale of the ships was too large to be just carrying those rescued people. Narrowing his gaze, he inspected the pirate vessels more closely.
"But... Who sailed all those ships here?" Fayle asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.
"Who else? The pirates, of course," Caron replied casually.
"Wait... Are there still pirates on those ships?" Fayle asked.
"Yes. We can work the pirates who can sail a ship to the death, and as for those who can't, I have another plan for them. I heard that the Count Belrus' mana stone mine is currently short on miners, so I plan to send them there," Caron explained.
"...You're going to use them as slaves? Is that what you mean?" Fayle asked, his voice lowering into a grim tone.
"Ah, come on, Father. It's not the same," Caron said with a shrug. "Those bastar— ah, sorry, those bad guys are the ones who preyed on innocent sailors. Killing them would be going too easy on them. They deserve worse."
He glanced back at the pirate ships with a satisfied nod before continuing, "If you do bad things, you need to pay the price for them. Dying is too simple. I'm going to work them so hard they'll wish they were dead. That's the only way they'll regret ever turning to piracy."
Justice was served and profits were secured. It was a perfect two-for-one deal.
Fayle let out a small sigh as he looked at his son's determined face. He thought, You haven't changed a bit inside.
Caron had grown taller, but that was the only thing that had changed.
"Still," Fayle murmured, "I'm surprised none of the pirates tried to escape."
"There's a secret trick to that," Caron said, grinning as he lightly swung Guillotine in his hand. "A few of them did try to make a run for it... but I sank every single one of them."
"S-Sank?" Fayle repeated, shocked.
"Yes, I think it was about... nine ships? After sending that many to the bottom of the sea, the rest didn't even think about trying," Caron said, chuckling softly.
Fayle immediately took back his previous thoughts. No... He hasn't stayed the same. He's gotten even crazier.
He wondered if his brothers could handle this nephew of theirs. He no longer worried about the opposition Caron could face from his uncles. Now, he just hoped they had the sense not to provoke this ticking time bomb.
"Let's head back to Azureocean Castle for now," Fayle said, his voice heavy with resignation.
"Yes, Father," Caron replied.
"Leo," Fayle said, turning to his nephew. "You've been through a lot, keeping Caron in check. Really... I mean it. You've done a tremendous job."
"...Thank you, Uncle Fayle," Leo murmured.
And so, Caron and Leo finally returned to the Leston Duchy.
***
The journey from Mare to Azureocean Castle was a smooth ride by train.
While Caron and Fayle chatted about the recent expedition, the train arrived at Azureocean Castle before they knew it.
"Ah, we're finally back," Caron said with a smile as he stepped off the train. "By the way, Father, Grandfather hasn't returned yet, has he?"
"I heard he left the Eastern Great Forest two days ago, so it'll be a while before he arrives," Fayle replied.
"That means I'm free until then. Should we take Mother and go on a family trip in the meantime?" Caron asked.
"Even just the thought of it warms my heart," Fayle said with a soft smile.
The train station at Azureocean Castle was still bustling with people. This was proof that the Ducal Family of Leston's influence had grown significantly.
"Since the trade with the elves officially began, more and more visitors have been flocking to Azureocean Castle. We're expanding the outer regions, but it's still difficult to accommodate everyone," Fayle remarked, glancing around the crowded station.
Azureocean Castle's development had been nothing short of dazzling.
Ever since Halo declared his intent to intervene directly in the empire's political landscape, the Ducal Family of Leston had solidified its hold over the northwest. Rumors even spread in the capital that a new kingdom had risen within the empire.
"There's been no word from the imperial family about this, has there?" Caron asked, curiosity lacing his voice.
"The imperial family is currently focused on tracking down the Revanchists. They're in no position to worry about us," Fayle replied.
The Revanchists were the lunatics who followed the Malevolent Emperor. At least the fact that the imperial family was taking active measures was reassuring. It meant that the current emperor was still sane.
"I wonder how the investigation is progressing," Caron mused.
"Noble families who have supported the Revanchists are being executed one after another. The Oceanwolf Knight Order is also involved in the investigation, so there's nothing to worry about," Fayle reassured Caron.
If that was the case, the atmosphere in the capital had to be tense.
As Caron exchanged conversations with Fayle about the situation in the capital, they gradually approached Azureocean Castle proper. Before long, the castle that had once seemed so far away stood right before them.
The Oceanwolf Knights guarding the entrance saluted as Fayle, Caron, and Leo approached, "All clear on duty! Young Master Caron Leston! Young Master Leo Leston! Welcome back to Azureocean Castle!"
Creeeeak.
The gates of Azureocean Castle swung open, revealing the familiar, long-missed view of home.
"Ahh, finally, we're he—" Just as Caron stretched his arms to savor the moment of his return...
Thwack!
"Urghhh!"
A powerful punch landed squarely on Caron's stomach.
"Enjoyed wandering around while your poor cousins were stuck here working? Huh? Did you?" Leon exclaimed while standing in front of Caron, glaring with barely concealed irritation.
"O-Of course I did, Leon," Caron wheezed, forcing a grin.
"Why didn't you dodge?" Leon asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Well, I figured I owed you and Hugo a punch each," Caron replied, grinning mischievously.
"Ugh, seriously..." Leon sighed, rubbing her forehead in exasperation.
Caron gave her a playful smile before looking ahead, where a sizable crowd had gathered to welcome him back.
"The pride of the Ducal Family of Leston! Our great hero! Caron Leston! Welcome back to Azureocean Castle!" Ulrich, the Third Elder, greeted him with an almost unsettling amount of warmth in his eyes.
"Good work," Dales said.
"...Tsk," Raphael added.
Caron's uncles stood nearby, looking far more cautious than before.
And lastly...
"Young Maaaaster! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you?!" Urhan, the ever-enthusiastic butler, came charging toward Caron like an overexcited puppy.
Thwack!
Caron lightly smacked Urhan with a quick jab before the man could latch onto him. Then, he turned to the elders and bowed respectfully.
"Thanks to your concern, I've returned safely," he said with a polite smile.
The evolved Mad Dog, Caron Leston, had returned to Azureocean Castle.