#Chapter 124
—
The long chase had finally come to an end.
Having left the city of the Black Cross behind, Arthur headed straight for the Bayern estate.
Upon arriving, he shared dinner with Anna and then went straight to bed.
The next day, Arthur woke up and once again had dinner with Anna.
And then, he went back to sleep.
Spending several days like this—only eating and sleeping—Anna eventually began nagging.
“Master! I know Arcane University is on break, but still! You’ve become far too lazy!”
With no choice but to get out of bed, Arthur wandered into the estate’s courtyard.
The sunlight he hadn’t seen in a long while was as warm as could be.
But soon, sleepiness crept up again, and his head bobbed as he dozed off.
Watching him, Anna could only shake her head in dismay.
Time passed like that again for a few more days.
Then, while lying in bed as usual, Arthur suddenly opened his eyes wide.
“All slept.”
With a faint smile tugging at his lips, he climbed down from the bed.
He moved his body a little and opened the closed window.
Bright sunlight poured in as though it had been waiting for him.
“Oh…”
Arthur let out an exclamation, his lips curving into a bright smile.
While he had been sleeping, summer had arrived in full.
—
—
When he returned from the Black Cross city, Arcane University had already gone on break.
The reason was, as expected, Yenika Hazel.
It was thanks to the incident she had caused at Arcane University.
For the first time, the midterm exams had been canceled, and the vacation began much earlier than originally scheduled.
“Hm… That’s a pity. I wanted to study a little longer at Arcane University.”
Shrugging, Arthur reclined on a rocking chair in the yard.
The warm sunlight and the sight of green leaves brought a tune to his lips.
Humming some nameless melody, he sipped his coffee just as Anna placed down a plate of snacks.
“Have some with your coffee, young master. It’ll taste good.”
“Oh, thanks, Anna.”
Arthur picked up a cookie and popped it into his mouth.
Crunch—the cookie crumbled, melting away softly on his tongue.
A smile naturally appeared on Arthur’s lips.
Seeing this, Anna also smiled faintly and asked:
“But, young master, when will you be going?”
“Hm? Going where?”
“The capital, of course, the capital! You should go soon! It’s vacation—you should visit the duke, shouldn’t you?”
Arthur’s eyes widened slightly at her words.
“Oh… come to think of it, that’s true.”
Now that the vacation had started and his time was free, it was the perfect opportunity to head to the capital and visit his mother and younger sister.
Nodding, Arthur spoke.
“Sounds good. When should I go, Anna?”
“This week might be impossible. The other nobles’ children also rushed to the capital, so all the tickets are sold out.”
“Hmm… Should I ask Mother for a favor?”
“You could, but… is there any need to hurry?”
Arthur tilted his head.
“Why? Is there a reason?”
“Young master, you need to say goodbye to your friends, and you should also prepare a gift for the duke!”
Arthur blinked.
“A gift? But it’s not her birthday.”
“What!? What are you saying! After all this time, her son comes back from Arcane with nothing in hand? Imagine how disappointed the duke would be!”
Arthur scratched his head.
“Is that so? Hm… well, I guess a gift would be nice.”
Then what should he give his mother?
Pondering deeply, Arthur’s eyes suddenly sharpened.
Now that he thought of it, he already had the perfect gift.
Recalling Ian Dormund’s severed head, Arthur’s lips curled into a grin.
“Sorry, Anna. I’ve already prepared the gift.”
“…You’ve prepared a gift?”
“Yes. So you just need to prepare yours.”
Suspicion flickered in Anna’s gaze, but she didn’t pry further and simply nodded.
“…Then I’ll book the tickets for a week later. Both you and I have things to handle in the meantime.”
She bowed politely and walked away.
Arthur watched her leave as he crunched into one of her cookies and muttered to himself.
“I’ve already prepared Mother’s gift… Hm. Now, who are the people I need to meet personally?”
A few faces rose in his mind.
The first were Leon and Jeannie.
“But Leon already had business and went back to the capital first…”
As soon as he heard of Ian’s death, Leon had left for the capital in a hurry.
Jeannie, too, had disappeared, saying she needed a short vacation to rest her weary body and mind.
“Then the only one left is Elin?”
Elin Leverkusen.
Thinking of the one and only person he could call a friend, Arthur let out a chuckle.
“Oh, and Professor Chizzy too. Should I go see him first?”
But as he debated, a sudden jolt went through him.
He had forgotten the most important person.
Arthur rose to his feet with a soft smile.
“Elder Willet… I wonder how he’s doing.”
The familiar scent seemed to tickle his nose already.
—
—
Willet sipped his tea.
*Slurp—*
It was jasmine tea, something he had lately taken to drinking instead of liquor.
With tea in one hand and a copy of the *Arcane Daily* in the other, he gave a bitter chuckle.
“…The Dormund army disappeared?”
The headline blazed across the front page.
Even reading it with his own eyes, it was hard to believe.
**\[Dormund Missing!]**
**\[Arcane Battle Police Mobilized in Full Force…]**
**\[Tensions Rise Between the Empire and Arcane…]**
What kind of house was the Dormund?
The most powerful noble house in the Empire, said to have authority so vast it overshadowed the heavens themselves.
And yet, here was news that the Dormund army had vanished while pursuing fanatics.
“Not only that… Wasn’t the one who led that army Ian Dormund?”
A once-in-a-generation genius of the Empire.
A master swordsman who had reached the 7th Circle before even turning forty.
A summoner of high-class spirits, a ruler hailed as the next great power after Cain Dormund himself.
And yet, the army he commanded had disappeared.
For Willet, it was beyond belief.
“No matter how great Yenika Hazel is… even if she leads the fanatics, does this make any sense?”
He shook his head.
It defied all common sense.
But the impossible had become reality, and its ripple effects were unimaginable.
A war between Arcane and the Empire? Or perhaps a mere show of force by Dormund?
Anything was possible.
For Willet, who had only just resolved to retire, such upheaval was anything but welcome.
“Not a single peaceful day lately… tch.”
He clicked his tongue and folded the paper.
As he drained the last of his jasmine tea, the sound of the bell rang out.
Willet’s eyes widened slightly as he turned his gaze.
“…You?”
The young man at the door bowed politely.
“Hello, elder. A good afternoon to you.”
—
—
At Arthur’s arrival, Willet’s eyes narrowed.
‘No… It can’t be.’
Every time this mercenary “Donn” showed up, Willet felt his stomach knot.
Because every explosive incident these days—he was always at the center of them.
But this time, Willet prayed his instincts would be wrong.
“This matter… it’s far too big.”
If things went awry, not only he, but everyone associated with Donn, might die.
Just then, Arthur exclaimed with curiosity.
“Oh! Elder, did you quit drinking?”
Willet’s eyes shifted to the jasmine tea he had just been drinking.
“…For my health. I’ve been cutting back little by little.”
“That’s good. I was worried every time I caught you drinking.”
Willet’s lips twitched.
“You…”
“Yes?”
“…Never mind. Let’s talk downstairs.”
He rose from his seat, Arthur shrugging as he followed.
*Click.*
The secret passage opened.
They descended into the underground tavern.
As usual, mercenaries sat around drinking.
Some of them, spotting Arthur, stirred.
“…Reaper Donn?”
“He really was Elder Willet’s mercenary?”
With hushed whispers, all eyes turned toward Arthur.
“……”
The atmosphere shifted. One by one, mercenaries set down their mugs.
Their now-free hands subtly reached for weapons.
Willet let out a heavy sigh.
‘…At this rate, I might collapse from stress.’
He had warned them countless times not to stir up trouble inside the tavern, yet here it was again.
But he knew better than to expect much.
‘Mercenaries always want to test those with fame.’
It was in their nature—their competitiveness, their customs.
And ironically, the ones who clung to such things were often the so-called veterans.
‘In this business, there are two ways to raise your worth—accomplish impossible jobs, or steal another mercenary’s reputation.’
Of the two, stealing fame was much easier.
Thus, provoking a well-known mercenary was practically a greeting ritual in this world.
Naturally, for Willet, it was nothing but a headache.
It wasn’t just the fights—he couldn’t bear to see his hard-kept tavern ruined.
And sure enough, before he could warn them, it was already too late.
One mercenary stepped in Arthur’s way.
“…Well, well. What a famous face to meet here.”
Willet’s eyes darted to the man.
‘B-rank mercenary, “Mighty Bolpum.”’
A seasoned mercenary, troublesome for his strong competitive streak and difficulty to control.
Willet’s expression hardened as he hurriedly warned.
“Stand down, Bolpum. Cause trouble in my tavern, and our ties are cut.”
“Aw, come on, elder. Just this once, look the other way.”
“Look the other way for what?”
Bolpum smirked.
“With a celebrity like this around, how could I just let it pass? If I do, others will mock me. And if they mock me, it reflects on you, elder.”
Willet’s face twitched with disbelief.
Just then, Arthur spoke.
“Celebrity? Who?”
All eyes turned to him.
Bolpum chuckled.
“Who else? The Reaper, you.”
“Oh… The Reaper?”
Arthur’s eyes gleamed.
He recalled hearing the same nickname once on the train to Arcane.
‘But why Reaper? Angel would’ve made more sense.’
At that moment, Bolpum clapped Arthur’s shoulder.
Arthur tilted his head at the rough touch.
“Something on my shoulder?”
“Dust. Just brushing it off for you.”
At his provocation, Willet’s expression darkened.
The mercenaries watched with eager interest.
Arthur nodded calmly.
“I see. But for brushing off dust, your hand was rather heavy.”
Bolpum gripped the hilt of his greatsword.
“That’s exactly what I wanted. It annoyed you, right? Then fight me.”
Arthur blinked.
“You’re challenging me?”
“That’s right. Ignoring someone like you would be disrespectful.”
“Oh… what a novel reason.”
“In this world, you don’t need a reason to fight.”
Arthur chuckled softly.
“True. You don’t need a reason to die either.”
Bolpum’s eyes widened.
In that instant, Arthur’s eyes turned crimson.
“…!”
Bolpum’s jaw dropped.
But his body had already frozen.
‘W-what?’
Like a mouse before a cat, his legs shook uncontrollably.
Crushed beneath primal fear, Bolpum’s mind reeled as Arthur’s hand lifted.
Looking at that hand, one thought flashed in Bolpum’s mind.
‘I’m going to die?’
But suddenly, Arthur’s hand shifted.
“Oh? You’ve got dust on your shoulder too.”
Smiling brightly, Arthur patted Bolpum’s shoulder firmly.
“My, there’s so much dust.”
“……”
“You should do laundry properly. Look, there’s even a stain here.”
Arthur tilted his head politely.
“Well then, take care.”
With that, he passed Bolpum and entered Willet’s office.
“……”
The mercenaries tilted their heads, surprised at the anticlimax.
But some couldn’t help exclaiming at what they had just witnessed.
Willet was no different.
‘…What the hell? He subdued Bolpum with just his eyes?’
Even seeing it, it was hard to believe.
How could he suppress a B-rank mercenary like Bolpum with nothing but a look?
At that moment, Bolpum collapsed.
Willet’s face hardened as he issued a cold warning.
“You. Come see me later.”
“……”
Bolpum couldn’t reply.
Not expecting one, Willet went inside.
Arthur sat quietly in his seat.
Taking the chair opposite, Willet spoke.
“You handled that rather gentlemanly.”
Arthur blinked.
“Gentlemanly?”
“Yes. Honestly… I thought you were going to kill Bolpum.”
“What? Why would I kill him? I’m not some psychopath murderer.”
“……”
“Hm? Elder, what’s that expression for?”
Instead of answering, Willet pulled out a bottle of liquor and a bottle of milk.
The liquor he kept for himself, while the milk he slid over to Arthur.
“So then… why did you come?”
Taking the glass of milk, Arthur replied.
“I came to say goodbye, since I won’t see you for a while.”
“…Goodbye?”
“Yes. I’m going back to the Imperial Capital.”
Willet’s eyes widened.
“The capital? You’re leaving Arcane?”
“Not exactly. Just for vacation. Arcane University is on break, so I’m returning to the capital.”
Willet let out a low murmur.
“Ahh…”
Now that he thought about it, he had heard Arcane University went on break early because of the Dormund incident.
Many noble heirs were returning to their homelands—and Arthur Bayern was no exception.
“But you’ll be back soon, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“…Then it’s not exactly a farewell. Shall we share a drink anyway?”
He lifted his glass.
Arthur widened his eyes.
“Oh, no. That won’t do. I’m still underage, elder.”
“……”
“No matter how much I like you, offering alcohol to a minor isn’t right.”
Willet blinked.
‘This “minor” is the same boy who chops off heads without hesitation?’
He shook his head, pushing aside the thought.
If he let Arthur Bayern’s words trip him up, he’d never stop being bewildered.
Collecting himself, Willet asked:
“In that case, will you grant me one request?”
“A request?”
“Yes. A very difficult, troublesome request.”
Arthur’s eyes widened.
‘Difficult and troublesome? Out of nowhere?’
Tilting his head, Arthur asked:
“What is it, elder?”
Willet answered slowly.
“Julie’s in puberty.”
“…What?”
“I said, Julie’s in puberty.”
Arthur’s eyes went wide.
Meanwhile, Willet muttered as he poured himself another drink.
“She won’t listen to a word I say these days. So, go see her. Julie’s utterly taken with you.”
—
