48
I thought he was joking.
“I didn’t know you had such a cheesy sense of humor.”
“It’s not a joke. I can tell. That’s my daughter. I’m not sure when, but I’m certain.”
Didn’t they say animals recognize their offspring like ghosts? Perhaps being a pureblood merman, Gaspar had a strong instinct for it.
“Why do you think that?”
“The smell, the color of her tail… in any case, everything! I can feel it instinctively! Hey, do you know anything about her birth?”
“I don’t know the details, but she said she was born between a merman gladiator and a human slave.”
“That’s definitely me. About 30 years ago, I was fighting in the arena as a gladiator. It was quite thrilling, I must say.”
“…Really? Are you really Yumir’s father?”
“Yumir, you say. It’s a good name.”
Gaspar smiled warmly, the picture of a proud father.
“Wait a moment.”
The story was so shocking that my mind couldn’t keep up for a moment.
“Even if that’s true. Given your colorful history, you must have quite a few children. Why get sentimental over one?”
“Children? I had several. They’re all dead now. That’s how it is for pureblood mermen surviving on this continent. Every day is a struggle for survival. After that, I didn’t have any more children. I didn’t want to see my children die anymore. I never expected to meet a daughter in a place like this. Especially a child with a human.”
“Between a gladiator and a human slave…”
“It was nothing special. The arena owner wanted to breed my offspring when he saw my success. To raise a new gladiator, you know.”
“Is that so. Whew…! Yumir is something.”
They say she had to fight for survival from the moment she was born. At just six years old, she had to go to the arena, wield a dagger, and kill starving wild dogs.
“Is that so. That damn bastard. Did he just discard her because she was a girl instead of a boy? Damn it. If I meet him again, I’ll kill him.”
It definitely seemed like Gaspar was Yumir’s father.
With that thought, something about why Gaspar followed the protagonist and Alz made sense.
‘It was the same in the game. When Yumir realized she was his daughter…’
During that time, after the attempted assassination of Yumir’s protagonist, Gaspar, suspecting some hidden circumstances, left the protagonist and came to Als, where Yumir originally served.
‘If that’s the case…’
The possibility of Gaspar being a traitor became slim. Assuming Als was a traitor, Gaspar could also be complicit, but… Even now, I can’t seem to find an answer to this part.
“So what? What are you going to do now? Are you going to reveal yourself as a father?”
“What nonsense! What face do I have now to reveal that! If I can just watch over from the sidelines, that’s enough. Don’t utter useless words about me being a father.”
“It’s strange how sentimental you are in odd moments.”
“That’s how it is. She’s my last remaining child. At this age, I have various thoughts as well.”
“It seems like you’re still quite vigorous. If you had one more, would that not be enough?”
“Pureblooded beings experience a sharp decline in reproductive ability once they pass 30. Right now, I probably don’t even have a single sperm left.”
“Wow. But if you’re over 70 now, when you were over 40 working in the arena, wasn’t that something?”
“That’s why I was surprised too. I even caught on to the arena owner’s intentions and tried to use contraception back then.”
So the fact that Yumir was conceived was something I hadn’t even thought about in my dreams.
“I understand your thoughts well. But it’s not allowed.”
“What…?”
“I’ve made up my mind after observing how you treat my other subordinates. Leave immediately. I’ll take care of Yumir’s happiness, so don’t worry.”
“Don’t be like that.”
“It’s settled.”
As I turned away without hesitation, Gaspar urgently spoke.
“Alright! Just apologize. Apologize! And from now on, watch your language! That’s all that’s needed!”
“What? Didn’t you say living as you please is your creed?”
“No matter what, you can’t show such disgraceful behavior in front of your child. At least in front of the kid, you should show a decent side.”
He seemed sincere.
“If you say it like that, I’ll watch you apologize once.”
“Fine, I’ll watch.”
The three of us returned to the room.
Although the atmosphere in the room was still tense, Gaspar, who had been growling a moment ago as if he would tear our throats out, now scratched the back of his head with a foolish smile.
“Sorry, everyone. I tend to be wary of people I meet for the first time. The words I spat out earlier weren’t all sincere, so please don’t take them to heart. Anyway, my mouth is a bit cheeky. It is.”
Smack! He slapped his own lips and first apologized to Rootge.
“I mentioned Albad’s knights earlier, but I wanted to say they are as smart as that. Even the Albad Kingdom secretly admired them. The best, the best!”
He threw a double thumbs-up. Maybe due to his age, his expressions seemed a bit outdated.
“In fact, I always wanted to work with Albad people. Please take care of me from now on, Sir Rootge.”
“…?”
Rootge blinked, eyebrows twitching at the sudden change in attitude. Nevertheless, since an apology was made, he decided to observe further.
Next was Eonia.
“I knew Kuralbel Kingdom was an impressive nation. A Holy King, right? I heard he’s a remarkable person. So, that means…”
“Hmph, do you think I’ll listen to the words that come out of your mouth now?”
“Is this not getting through…? In that case… Oh, oh! Now that I see it, you and Wade match so well! Wow, that’s amazing. It’s beyond an ideal master-servant relationship, it’s like calling it fate, isn’t it?”
“F-Fate!? Me…?”
“Yes! You two really suit each other. I’ll cheer you on, so be strong, Miss.”
“hehehe, hehehe. That’s right. Thank you. Stay strong.”
Although lacking in eloquence, Gaspar seemed adept at understanding people’s tendencies.
Having finished all the apologies, Gaspar glanced at Yumir and spoke.
“Your attendant as well. Don’t take to heart what I said earlier. So, please take care of things from now on.”
“…Yes. I will take care of it.”
“Ha, hahahahaha…!”
Yumir’s expression was unreadable, reflecting thoughts that were inscrutable.
‘With this, the recruitment is successful… I suppose?’
For the time being, it seemed there was no need to worry about Gaspar’s attitude.
This guy. He was good at telling others to tame themselves, yet he ended up taming himself.
◈ ◈ ◈
With Gaspar’s recruitment concluded, the post-war cleanup was coming to an end, and a leisurely time began in Rainpol.
Deciding to return to the academy gradually, I decided to give the spirits some time off.
“There shouldn’t be anything special for a while. It would be good for everyone to do what they want and enjoy.”
As if waiting for my words, Master Ilya spoke.
“Then I will go to the northwest.”
“If you’re going northwest, is it towards the Europhe Kingdom?”
“Yes. I received a message from the Guderian Master that he wants to meet. Seems curious about my involvement with Wade. It’s a good opportunity to pay a visit.”
“Regarding me…”
“Don’t talk about Wade. But I do plan to talk about Alts Ne. Seems like I’ve got a talented disciple.”
“You’re exaggerating. You’re the esteemed master overflowing with wisdom. But is it okay if I don’t go? If it’s the master’s master, then they should be superior to me.”
“It’s fine. I’m not one to stick to formalities. However, when there’s a promotion assessment for the Chester class, you should meet them.”
“The one divided into Gaps and Euls?”
As far as I knew, Master Ilya was currently at the Gap 1 level in the Chester class hierarchy.
“There used to be more ranks. They were reduced to two ranks when the courtiers disappeared. Alts Ne is currently at the Eul 1 level. To move up to Gap, you need to undergo an assessment in front of the Guderian Master.”
“Is there a merit in moving up to the Gap level?”
I had no desire to struggle just to gain a formal title.
“Of course, there is. Once you reach Gap, you can take on disciples. And the Mercenary Association also considers that and assigns higher mercenary grades accordingly.”
“I see…”
“Oh, you look like you don’t need it. I thought you’d react that way. Well, let’s think about that later.”
“Alright then, Master. Take care.”
Next, I wondered if there were any vacation hopefuls, but everyone seemed indifferent.
It felt like a waste to let them rest idly.
“Alright, then. I’ll personally arrange the vacation schedule. First off, Eo!”
“Yes? Me, me? I was just thinking of staying by Alts’s side.”
“But that won’t help with your personal growth. You should assist Miss Bisqueta for now.”
“Under Miss Bisqueta’s guidance?”
“She’ll be very busy with the mine and relocation projects in Rainpol. Go help her out.”
“Uh… understood.”
“Next is Rutger. You’ll be in charge of training the regular soldiers stationed in Rainpol.”
They were soldiers of Kurabel origin who had served under my command.
Even after being liberated from slavery, they had chosen the path of a soldier and seemed impressed by the battles, wanting to work under me. Thus, along with Kurabel immigrants, they were organized into the regular army at Rainfall.
“What specific training do you want?”
“Well… since they already received basic military training, it would be good to train them in specific branches.”
“Understood. Let’s organize elite cavalry and infantry units.”
“What about the cavalry?”
“If we have enough battle horses, we could train them, but currently, most horses in Rainfall are used as pack animals. The conditions for breeding battle horses are not readily available.”
“Understood. In that case, please organize a heavy infantry unit within the elite infantry. It will be a unit you will personally command in the future, so please devote yourself to it.”
“I will do so.”
If it was about troop training by Rutger, it could be trusted.
With this, I would also have elite troops.
“Next… Anton. Hand this proposal to Juras and negotiate the details.”
It was a proposal for the establishment of elementary and middle academies for Kurabel people.
Currently, only adults who could be immediately deployed had immigrated, but in the future, many children were expected to immigrate. The number was quite significant, and being former slaves, various issues were expected to arise.
Therefore, a new academy was planned for them, but there was a lack of funds.
“This is a guideline for negotiations. Please refer to it.”
“Alright, I will bring the best results possible.”
“Next… Gaspar.”
The lad who had been only watching Yumir’s reactions frowned deeply when he was assigned a task himself.
“I will assign a security unit to you to manage public safety. With the recent increase in population, there seems to be a considerable rise in troublemakers.”
“Public safety? Leave such matters to me, those little rascals…”
“You see, Yumir. Actually, this person…”
“Alright, alright, I get it!”
“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”
With that, everyone had different expressions on their faces regarding the designated vacation schedule(?).
“Lastly, Yumir.”
“Yes, sir. Please give me any orders.”
“What, if you say it like that, it seems like I’m ordering you around.”
Upon my words, Gaspar and Rutger were puzzled and expressed some silent complaints.
If they felt unjust, they could request a vacation like a master.
“Let’s act together. Whenever we have time, I want to visit the place I mentioned before.”
It was my grandmother’s resting place. Not where her body was buried, but where her belongings were kept. Yumir nodded deeply, saying he had come to do that.
From Noble mtl dot com
“…Yes. Lady Lizna will surely be pleased.”
A past related to my lineage.
The time to face that was slowly approaching.
With that, everyone entered the enjoyable vacation schedule. I also decided to return to the academy first.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been to this boring place. It’s nice.”
Perhaps because I had been too busy recently, I found myself looking forward to the leisurely life at the academy.
However, upon returning to the academy after just a month, it was in quite a chaotic state. Caliper refugees had immigrated to Rainfall, causing many academy students to transfer.
“Come to think of it, was the last document I approved for the completion of the academy transfer process?”
Once Crossing’s final approval came through, the transfer students immediately found their classrooms today.
The Caliper students who joined seemed tense as they stood there. Among them, one.
Beril stepped forward, holding the hem of her skirt and bowing her head.
“I’m Beril Milstein. To both Caliper and Crossing students, I ask for your kind cooperation.”
Beril greeted us that way, then looked at me and smiled. It seemed she was glad to see someone she knew. I waved my hand lightly.
“I’ve done something wrong to Beril.”
Since the destruction of the Rosbell estate belonging to the Viscount Milstein, it could be considered my fault in a way.
Apart from Beril, Banning, who was a fellow student at Julia Academy, had also transferred to Rainpolo.
“…Alce. What’s your relationship with that young lady?”
“Yes? Oh.”
Another source of commotion.
Estelle, who was attracting attention, asked me. As she spoke, the male students around us shifted uncomfortably.
Through ongoing treatment, Estelle’s condition had noticeably improved. It was a far cry from the state I had seen her in at Gransel just a month ago.
The most significant change was the disappearance of the gruesome scars on her face.
After hesitating to undergo the treatment before acquiring the illness, for some reason, upon returning to Rainpolo, she immediately underwent it.
As a result, Estelle was able to reclaim a part of her beauty.
“Rutger must be trembling in fear.”
Before falling ill, she had been so beautiful as to stir up the estate, and it wasn’t an exaggeration.
While her hair hadn’t fully grown back, it was enough to capture the attention of others.
There was still a faint odor, but it had diminished significantly, now at a level where it could be understood as just a strong sweat smell.
“Alce?”
“Sorry. I got lost in thought and stared without realizing.”
“Me, me?”
“Not just me. Other guys are also stealing glances at you, you know.”
“Whatever other guys do doesn’t matter. What’s most important is how you, Alce, feel.”
“Yes, you’ve become really beautiful.”
“Uh…! Uh…! Th-thank you.”
Caught off guard by the direct compliment, Estelle didn’t know how to react. But soon, she realized I was teasing her and smiled, applying pressure.
“More importantly, you still haven’t answered. What’s your relationship with that young lady?”
“Well…”
Fortunately, Beril stepped in to explain this part herself.
Having lunch together, Beril, with her unique charm, took the lead in the conversation. Initially guarded, Estelle relaxed as she listened to Beril’s romantic tales.
“Oh my, a fellow student from the same academy…”
“Yeah, Ruane Chase. An inaccessible world for someone like me. But Estelle, feel free to speak your mind.”
“C-Can I really?”
“Of course! It’s fine if I’m a noble. Just a mere baron, after all.”
Estelle hesitated. It seemed she was unfamiliar with such closeness, likely due to a lack of friends.
“Then… Beril. I’m counting on you.”
“I’m the one you should count on, Estelle.”
It seems like it’s time to give up the position of the leader. Yumir was also detached from Estelle as of yesterday.
Estelle struggled briefly with maintaining a sense of distance, but soon conversed smoothly.
“That guy, Luan Chase, doesn’t have a keen eye either. Not realizing the favor of an honest person like you.”
“It can’t be helped. Luan seems to like Erina, that’s why.”
“…Erina? Are you talking about Erina Salion?”
“You know Erina? Well, she’s quite famous among peers.”
For a moment, Estelle’s expression seemed to change.
“Beril, can you tell me more about that person?”
“Uh, sure. No problem.”
Beril also hesitated, seemingly overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
Not knowing if unnecessary trouble might arise, I decided to discreetly step away.