She seemed to hesitate a little.

He didn’t know if it was the Protagonist’s misconception. No, it was a misconception. As she raised her hand, a Fireball appeared.

“No, I’m kidding! Just kidding.”

“If you joke one more time, I’ll burn you.”

She was more than capable of doing that.

He shut his mouth. Fortunately, he wasn’t burned. It was thanks to the affection that had built up from sleeping in the same bed for ten years.

It seemed she wasn’t quite at the level of calling him ‘daddy’ yet. For now, it was just a head pat. Her sleep seemed to have vanished as she looked at him.

They faced each other closely. He felt strange.

“Is there something on my face?”

“I saw your future.”

“My future?”

“My eyes can see what will happen. It would be wise to prepare a suitable price before you embark on a long journey, for a great crisis will come.”

It meant that a situation would arise where he would have to use great Magic.

Perhaps he would have to use it sooner. To do that, he needed to quickly obtain something to offer as payment.

Maybell made a prophecy.

It meant there was no need to worry. She also said that if there was danger, the Protagonist would step in. It was very reassuring.

He imagined a Dragon the size of a Mountain Range spreading its wings and soaring, and his legs would tremble. Thinking of the end that awaited anyone who tried to kill the Protagonist made him excited.

Still, there should be no danger.

Living in the Mountain Range, she couldn’t leave her post for just any reason. Now, she had to go back again. It was a pity.

At that moment, Maybell’s expression changed.

“W-what is this…!”

“What is it?”

Her expression, which hadn’t budged even when asked for food, had changed slightly. She quickly composed herself and said,

“It’s nothing.”

“What did you see? I’m curious.”

“Don’t ask.”

I shut my mouth.

She wasn’t in the mood to talk.

I wondered if she had a special relationship with the protagonist. I was curious about the protagonist’s future that she saw. Drowsiness washed over me.

I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I was sleeping in a room. It was a room in the Royal Castle.

A lady-in-waiting appeared and delivered a message. The Dragon seemed to have left. Her scent still lingered on the bed.

After sniffing a bit, I left the room. When I said I would take the bedsheet, the lady-in-waiting looked at me like I was crazy. I received a large bag and put it inside.

There was also a ring on the bed. It seemed she had deliberately left it behind. It seemed like an ordinary ring, as there was no reaction even when I infused it with mana.

It smelled like her fingers.

I kept it for now. I felt very good thinking it was a token from the Dragon. It felt like a connection ring between her and the protagonist.

Before leaving, I stopped the lady-in-waiting and asked.

The lady-in-waiting said that all the guests had left. Indeed, ten days would have passed outside, so it would be strange for anyone to remain.

However, one person remained. It was Mordon. He remained under the justification that he was waiting for the Shop Owner.

He was a loyal man. I never expected him to wait for over ten days.

I left the Royal Castle.

As I descended the stairs, I saw Mordon standing there. He was talking to a guard Knight standing watch on one side.

“Mordon!”

“Baron.”

The title had changed now.

Mordon called the protagonist Baron. It felt strange to be called that by others. I still hadn’t fully grasped that I had become a noble.

“Who is this person?”

“Ah, an old acquaintance.”

“The King’s Knight is an acquaintance?”

The King only kept skilled individuals close to him.

It was a great honor for a Knight.

Everyone was desperate to become one, so it was impossible with average skills. Most importantly, one needed a good background to get in.

If he knew such a person, it meant Mordon’s background was also extraordinary.

“He used to be an ordinary free Knight. He had skill but couldn’t find a Shop Owner and wandered around, so it’s good to see him doing well now.”

“I see.”

He turned his gaze away.

The Guard Knight bowed slightly and left. It was exactly change of guard. He wanted to ask him about Mordon, so it was a bit disappointing.

He walked after him.

“Did what you went for go well?”

“What do you mean? The Title? Or the Dragon?”

“The Dragon, I mean.”

“If it’s that, I learned it well.”

“What the two of you said was true.”

Mordon’s eyes widened.

“What happened in the meantime?”

“I saw Nobles talking. I also saw Mages chattering. They seemed to be trying to ask what Magic you learned from the Shop Owner. But after a few days passed and you didn’t appear, they gave up and went back.”

“Was there a very old man too?”

“Ah, I remember him. He is a famous person, so I know him too. He stayed the longest. There was also a man next to him who seemed to be his disciple.”

Mages were very curious.

Among them, those with excellent skills would be even more curious. It was the Magic of a Dragon, not anything else.

Since it was a Dragon that used Magic that even those who learned Magic couldn’t understand, they couldn’t help but wonder what he had learned.

“What kind of Magic did you learn, exactly?”

“Mordon, aren’t you not interested in Magic?”

“Seeing them chatter made me curious too. And if it’s not about others, but about something related to me, wouldn’t I be curious?”

Mordon said.

His expression showed a hint of curiosity. From his perspective, the more skilled the Shop Owner was, the better.

If the Shop Owner was a Mage who learned Magic from a Dragon, he felt like he could puff out his chest. That was assuming people believed it.

Separately, he had no idea how to make him understand. If it were a Mage, he could just explain it. But Mordon was not a Mage.

“It’s incredible.”

“Incredible?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t quite understand.”

As expected, Mordon didn’t get it.

He crossed his arms and looked perplexed. He had never seen the Protagonist use such powerful magic as Ice Spear.

So it was awkward to explain. If he said it was much more amazing than Ice Spear, he’d probably scoff. Reluctantly, he said it was more amazing than a Golem.

Mordon knew how impressive a Golem was. He recalled that this time, he had used a Golem to crush the Noble army.

The other person seemed greatly amused.

The corners of his mouth were turned up, which was unusual for him, and it was proof. It was good to share his joy. Mordon was also happy when the Protagonist became stronger.

He thought Mordon would be even happier if he showed him the magic he had learned this time.

He was excited to see how much the other person would scoff. Even now, his gaze was expectant. Still, it seemed he wasn’t expecting too much.

His eyes seemed to say, ‘What could you possibly accomplish in just ten days?’

More important than that was the fact that he had received teachings from a Dragon. That fact itself was an enormous deal.

Mordon said that simply spreading the word everywhere he went would increase his fame.

He was slightly displeased. It sounded like the Dragon was amazing, not the Protagonist.

It was a pity he couldn’t show the magic.

He couldn’t remember the spell. It was just as the Dragon had said. It meant he could only show it in dangerous moments.

He also had to prepare a price to use magic. Still, it was a huge gain. He relaxed his mind. It was something he hadn’t even thought of originally.

As he walked along the road, someone ran up from behind him. It was Millia.

“Hey!”

“Millia?”

“You, why are you leaving without telling me!”

Millia bent over, gasping for breath. It seemed her stamina was declining due to her age. It was regrettable.

“What’s wrong?”

“Magic, about the magic. I’m curious what you learned.”

“Magic…?”

“You learned from the Dragon! I couldn’t sleep because I was so curious about it.”

“If I learned it, why couldn’t you sleep?”

“I was hoping you’d teach me!”

Millia puffed out her chest and spoke confidently.

I didn’t know what kind of protagonist she was. A woman overflowing with baseless protagonist energy. That was Millia.

“You said you wouldn’t cling anymore.”

She had even thrown a tantrum, lying on the ground. And when she didn’t get what she wanted from the protagonist, she sulked.

But this time, it seemed different.

It was understandable that she would act this way. People who had never left the village in their lives didn’t even believe dragons existed.

It was magic learned from such a fairytale creature. She couldn’t help but be excited. Even the protagonist hadn’t believed in dragons until he saw one himself.

“This time it’s different! What did you learn? I don’t think you learned anything in particular.”

“Why do you think that?”

“It’s only been ten days. No matter what, that’s too short to teach anything. Isn’t it more natural to think you received an amazing magic book?”

Her thoughts were correct.

Magic wasn’t something you learned in a day or two.

It took the protagonist more than ten days just to create a basic Water Mass. Others would have taken several times longer.

Millia asked to see the book. She said she wanted to see at least the cover, if not the contents. When told there wasn’t one, she didn’t believe it.

She even called him petty.

She seemed to think he was deliberately not telling her. Given that dragon magic would hold immense value, it was understandable she would think that. He felt a little wronged.

“Just tell me what you learned.”

“Why are you grabbing my sleeve?”

“I won’t let go until you tell me! I’m dying of curiosity. If you don’t, I’ll lie down on the floor.”

Millia threw a tantrum. A thirty-seven-year-old was acting worse than a ten-year-old. Mordon, who had been watching from behind, opened his eyes.

“Miss Millia?”

At that voice, Millia froze. It was as if she had been struck by lightning.

“Huh?”

She also made a blank expression after seeing the other person’s face.

“Knight Commander Uncle?”

They both just stared at each other with their mouths agape. It seemed incredibly embarrassing.

“Do you two know each other?”

“That’s right.”

Mordon nodded. Then he looked at Millia. It was as if his reunion with the Lady, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, was the worst. That was the feeling.

It was a shock.

It’s a small world. For Mordon, it was even more shocking to see the young lady he hadn’t seen in a long time acting like a ten-year-old.

Millia’s face turned bright red.

He thought the Protagonist would make such a face if Charlotte and Amelin caught him whining to the Dragon for food.

“I didn’t expect to meet you in a place like this, Miss Millia.”

“M-me neither.”

Millia’s voice trailed off. Even a lunatic who believed herself to be seventeen became a proper merchant at this moment.

He looked at her with pity. It was disheartening to think that the harsh winds of time had made her that way.

“How have you been doing lately?”

“I’m doing well.”

“You seemed full of energy just now. I was glad to see it, as it felt like a burden was lifted from my mind.”

Millia’s face turned even redder. She was trembling all over, which was unusual. Mordon wasn’t being sarcastic.

His expression was serious.

A man of seriousness itself, that was Mordon.

That made Millia even more embarrassed. Judging by her reaction, she must have shown herself as a dignified Lady in front of Mordon.

It was a terrible moment when all the dignity she had built up shattered.

“Uncle, have you been doing well?”

“I was a slave.”

“Oh…”

Millia’s complexion darkened. It felt strange to see her, who was always so bright, like this.

“I’m sorry. I should have helped you.”

“No, it was my fault.”

“Can you follow me?”

“The young lady?”

“I can give you whatever you want.”

Mordon turned his head.

He looked at Protagonist. He suddenly felt uneasy. He was doing an excellent job as Protagonist’s Advisor.

There would be more need for advice when they went to the territory. He couldn’t lose a talent like Mordon. Especially since he was a eunuch and a capable individual.

“I can give you as much as you want, Commander. This time, the Royal Family sent a generous sum to the Capital City.”

“I’m not going.”

“Why not? It’s fine if you’re uncomfortable with me spending money.”

“That’s not it. I’ve decided to serve this person as my Liege Lord.”

“Liege Lord? What about your family’s revenge?”

“I will do it someday. It’s just that the path I’ve chosen will be faster. In fact, it would be faster for you to come to my side.”

“I don’t want to. I want to do it with my own hands.”

“Don’t you know, Miss? That this person is a great Mage.”

“…”

Millia’s expression became complicated. She was the one whose heart was wavering. She knew that this side was impressive.

She had seen a lot coming this far.

At first, she subtly underestimated this side. But now, she was clinging to them, forgetting her dignity. She herself would know best.

Millia sighed and went back. She left saying she would think about it. But it seemed she wouldn’t come back.

It was because of what she said last.

“Uncle.”

“Yes?”

“It’s true that he’s a great Mage. But ruling a territory is a completely different story. You know that, don’t you? He’s a commoner. Are you going to entrust a difficult task that even Noble heirs who learned management from a young age find challenging to an ignorant person who knows nothing? It would be a miracle if the territory doesn’t collapse.”

“I will make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“I still don’t think he has what it takes to be a ruler.”

“It seems you’ve already found someone useful, Miss.”

“He also got a Title this time. And he was a Noble. Even if I don’t know his skills, he’s probably better at governing people than that person.”

“We’ll find out who’s right later.”

“Alright. If I get the opportunity first, will you help me?”

“That’s a promise I’ll have to get permission for from my Shop Owner.”

Mordon looked. His eyes held trust.

The other person believed in Protagonist.

It was even more so than Millia, who had known Protagonist for a longer time.

He didn’t know whose judgment would be right, but he hoped Millia was wrong. It seemed like it would be more fun. He also wanted to live up to Mordon’s trust.

He nodded.

It was a contest of whose judgment was correct.

Protagonist had to accept it. If he didn’t, Millia seemed like she would gain the upper hand. He didn’t want to see her gloat.

Mordon said that if he went first, she would have to yield. Millia also nodded.

It was a battle of pride.

Millia seemed curious about what kind of magic he had learned.

But she sent him off with tears in her eyes. Even she couldn’t cling to him shamelessly in front of people she knew.

He returned to the inn.

Amelin was there. As soon as he saw her, he hugged her tightly. It felt like returning home after years of war and meeting his wife.

“What’s wrong? You even have tears in your eyes.”

“Because I missed you.”

“We’ve only been apart for about ten days.”

“For me, it’s been ten years.”

“You mean you missed me so much that a day felt like a year? You’re such a baby.”

Amelin seemed to slightly grumble, then hugged him back without a word. It was warm. He thought it was because her chest was large.

“Ahem.”

He turned his head.

Charlotte cleared her throat from one side. She had appeared at some point.

Her gaze held a slight expectation. He hugged her too. Even after being hugged for ten years, he was sad. That made it even more despairing.

Even the longing of ten years couldn’t make him accept her rough stone-like body.

After hugging her, the girl hesitated and looked around shyly.

It was Lena.

The girl didn’t show it, as if she was shy. She looked envious but couldn’t step forward. Perhaps she thought she was being presumptuous.

So she seemed even more cautious. Perhaps because she had lived a difficult life, she was too conscious of what others thought.

“Shop Owner, I’m glad you’re back.”

Speaking after a long hesitation was the best the girl could do. He didn’t know how much courage she had to muster to say those words.

I’ll hug Lena too.

Can someone like me really do that?

Don’t you want to?

The girl’s self-esteem was at rock bottom.

I hugged her too. It was a light hug. Yet, the girl was so incredibly happy that her whole body trembled. It was almost scary.

I talked with them after a long time. I was happy. When I told them it had been ten years since we last met, they didn’t believe me.

They seemed to think the Protagonist was just being childish. But I was still happy. I wanted to be childish today of all days.

They were curious about what magic the Protagonist had learned from the Dragon. They couldn’t help but be. The Dragon was the one who could silence even the Nobles.

They couldn’t help but be curious about the magic learned from such a being.

It was sad that I couldn’t remember.

Still, I knew it was incredibly powerful magic. I said I would show them later. I also said it would be incredibly impressive when that time came.

I figured they wouldn’t believe me if I said it could blow away a city, so I just said it was better than hundreds of ice arrows.

They had seen the Protagonist wipe out Chieftains. Hearing that this was even more amazing, a sense of anticipation appeared in their eyes, even if vaguely.

“Oh, now that I think about it. Many Nobles came looking for you.”

“For me?”

“Among them was someone sent by the Count. It seemed like they were trying to draw you into the Protagonist’s Faction.”

“Should I join a Faction?”

“It would be good to do so to protect your body. But it doesn’t really matter right now. They’ll be too busy fighting each other. Anyway, you won’t be able to focus on it for a while because you’ll be busy governing your territory.”

Charlotte told me.

The Protagonist didn’t particularly want to join a side. I disliked fights where people hit each other. It wasn’t beneficial for the Protagonist either.

“I won’t be harmed later for not taking their side, will I?”

“Is that what you’re worried about?”

“Yes.”

“That won’t happen. You defeated the Noble army with the Golem this time. If you were an ordinary Mage, they might seek revenge. But since you’ve shown yourself to be an incredible Mage, they’ll try to draw you in.”

“Even after the war is over?”

“By then, your value will be even higher. Right now, they’re divided into two and fighting, but afterward, they’ll be divided among themselves and keep each other in check.”

Charlotte said.

His tone was as if he was sure it would be so. I was quite relieved.

That day, the Count’s Soldier came. He delivered a message that the Prince wished to meet me. I politely refused. I didn’t want to get too involved.

The Protagonist still had a lot of work to do.

The Second Prince probably didn’t think it was worth coming himself. Perhaps the Royal Family’s prestige wouldn’t allow it in the Capital City.

In the meantime, I prepared to leave. I bought several horses and carriages. I loaded everything that could be taken there.

These were things that came from Charlotte’s Pouch. She had earned a hefty reward for her achievements in The North this time.

She used that reward.

It was for the Protagonist.

Since they were already like husband and wife, it was fitting.

I was happy when she helped so devotedly. I wanted to make sure she didn’t regret leaving her family.

For Charlotte’s sake, the Protagonist had to manage his territory well.

I thought to myself, ‘Let’s work hard.’

I made preparations to leave the Capital City.

I asked Mordon if I should hire mercenaries. But he shook his head. He said a Golem was enough.

A Golem that could defeat a Noble army by itself was following him. When the Protagonist thought about it, he didn’t feel the need to hire mercenaries as guards.

A few days passed, and I checked the luggage loaded in the carriage.

There was nothing wrong.

The women got in, and the slaves sat in the coachman’s seat.

There were four carriages.

The number of Mordon and the slaves happened to be four.

There was no shortage of coachmen.

The only other attendants were the two ladies-in-waiting Charlotte brought with her. I had seen them before, but she unusually brought ladies-in-waiting instead of squires.

I turned my head this way and that.

It was suspicious that Lorina was nowhere to be seen. I thought she would come to the Protagonist before leaving. But she was nowhere to be found.

That question was answered when night fell.

Someone was curled up and hiding inside one of the carriages loaded with luggage.

It was Lorina.