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Chapter 102

"It\'s my first time meeting Sir Ian\'s party."

"Let\'s skip the introductions. Please, have a seat." Ian gestured with his chin.

Lucas sat opposite Ian.

"So, you mean the Giant Legion Commander and the Queen of the Giant Kingdom...?" Lucas asked bluntly.

He seems quite curious.

Ian smirked at Charlotte. Charlotte approached with a sealed box she had prepared earlier.

Thud, the sealed box was placed on the table.

"This is the evidence and the spoils," Ian declared as he opened the sealed box.

"Ah...." Lucas sighed as he stared at the severed head and the crown placed on it.

After regaining his composure, he inquired about how Ian ended up in the underground palace.

"If you\'re disposing of such artifacts, you\'ll need to go through a procedure to investigate whether there was any irreverent or illegal process involved in acquiring them. However, with a certificate of a trustworthy guarantor\'s explanation attached, you could simplify many repetitive procedures."

Ian casually replied. "You mean you\'re not just curious to hear?"

"Of course, that\'s part of it. But previously, Sir Ian, you seemed not to like repetitive procedures."

"Who would like that? But anyhow...."

Ian shrugged.

“I see that taking care of the artifacts can be quite annoying. There’s also a risk of having them snatched midway.”

"That\'s true. But my guarantee might reduce that risk a bit."

"I appreciate the help, but I don\'t see why. It\'s just adding more hassle for you."

"The first reason is that my name will remain on record as the first guarantor of the artifact."

"And the second?"

"I\'d like to build a rapport with you."

"You’re quite honest." Ian grinned and began his story.

Some adaptation was necessary. Especially the part about the mark on his hand, as knowing he had made a pact with a devil would immediately mark him as a corrupted one.

"...You overcame the temptation of the devil and even found clues there."

"No need to put it grandly. If one isn\'t foolish, they wouldn\'t fall for the dangerous act of succumbing to an ancient specter whose identity they don\'t even know."

"From what I know, there are indeed many fools in the world, Sir Ian."

...Ultimately, I\'m one of them too.

Ian continued talking without revealing his emotions. Lucas nodded or sighed occasionally, listening to his story to the end.

"...So that\'s what happened." Lucas scanned the huge, horrific head that had been in Ian’s pocket dimension, not yet decomposed.

"I’ve also heard of the entrance to a ruin in the middle of the mountains. I have vaguely thought about sending an expedition someday...."

Lucas\'s gaze shifted to the golden crown on the head.

"The important thing is that there was indeed an entity dreaming of reviving the Giant Kingdom beneath the mountain range. This means that the Ancient Northerners were not just cowards caught in delusions. Once this fact becomes known, many Northerners will express their gratitude to you.”

"I didn\'t do it for that."

"As a Northerner myself, I too express my gratitude to you, Sir. I\'m actually glad I can help you now."

"You\'re a Northerner?" Ian asked, surprised.

Lucas nodded. "My blood is mixed. Right now, my lineage doesn\'t seem to matter much right now. Hmm, first, I need to write a certificate based on the story you told me. Also, I need to ensure the rightful ownership of this artifact. As for evaluating the artifact... would it be okay to introduce you to a priest I know of? For an artifact of this worth, it would be best to manage it through the great church of the homeland."

"Let\'s do that."

"There will be a lot of paperwork to prepare," Lucas murmured as he brought a glass of liquor to his lips.

Ian, watching him intently, suddenly exclaimed. "That\'s unexpected."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you\'d ask about much more than this."

Lucas scratched his cheek as if his thoughts were exposed.

"I do have a lot to ask. This isn\'t just about mindless specters roaming the snowfields, but real evidence that a threatening entity existed. But...."

Lucas shrugged. “Sir Ian and your companions have already achieved feats beyond what an individual could accomplish, without any obligation or duty to do so.”

"..."

"There\'s no further cooperation or service I can demand from you. Investigating the dangers that may remain in the mountains and any upcoming changes is the responsibility of those of us in the autonomous region."

Lucas reminded Ian of his character from the game—a young commander with a clear distinction between public and private duties, full of a sense of mission and responsibility. It seemed that the essential parts of him hadn\'t changed even now in reality.

Ian recalled the concerns he had just been pondering, and that the direction of his mind had been leaning toward completing his quest.

"...You are admirable."

"I will propose dispatching an investigation brigade. I don\'t expect it to be approved immediately."

Lucas spoke in a more relaxed tone as if sharing a personal matter.

"Once the Black Wall stabilizes, the investigation will likely begin. Afterward, your name will also remain in history as the hero who beheaded the sleeping Giant Queen."

"Hero? I\'m rather...."

Ian let out a hollow laugh and then spoke.

"The opposite kind of person."

"...What do you mean?" Lucas asked, puzzled.

"There\'s a story I heard from a group of merchants I traveled with. The dead, wandering the snowfields, were heading toward the mountains, night after night."

"Are you saying that the specters of the Giant Kingdom are gathering in the mountains?" Lucas\'s face tensed slightly.

Ian answered calmly. "Possibly. After all, I killed an entity who ruled over the Giant Kingdom. It\'s not surprising that the kingdom\'s specters, even in death, would flock to their sovereign."

"..."

"I know this and yet, my first thought is to sell the artifacts for a good price. I\'m no hero."

Charlotte looked at Ian as if asking what he was talking about, but Ian just calmly met Lucas\'s gaze.

"...Well, from what I see."

Lucas, who had been silent in thought, finally looked directly at him.

"You\'ve only done what you had to do. The changes that have resulted are not your responsibility to manage. If we have to blame anyone, it should be the Ancient Queen who corrupted her own people and soldiers."

"..."

"Even if it wasn\'t for you, they would have eventually invaded the North. Now they\'re just a disorganized mob without a focal point."

Lucas looked intently into Ian\'s eyes and slightly curled one corner of his mouth.

"And you\'re warning us in advance, even though you know you could be blamed."

"...You think too highly of my intentions." Ian chuckled quietly.

Lucas shrugged. "Anyway, it\'s not something to just overlook. I think we should halt the reorganization of the fortress garrison. If the remnants of the specters are gathering in the mountains, there might come a day when we have to march against them."

"Can you do that unilaterally? During such a sensitive time."

"It won\'t be easy, but it\'s not impossible. We have proof that you slew the Giant Queen."

Lucas tapped his finger as if organizing his thoughts and continued.

"I\'ll send a letter to the church in the homeland, and I\'ll go to Karlingion myself to report and handle the situation. It\'s not a bad thing. This might be a good time to transfer my allegiance, now that there\'s a valid reason."

Lucas then bowed his head again toward Ian.

"Once again, thank you, sir. Thanks to you, we can prepare in advance for the impending threat."

"Is there nothing you need my help with?"

"It doesn\'t seem like it for now. I\'ll be quite busy for a while. Don\'t worry, I\'ll prepare the necessary documents for you tomorrow."

He smiled and stood up.

"I wanted to meet you in Travelga, but it\'s a pity. I\'ll revert everything here to how it was and head straight to Karlingion. By the time I return, you might have already left. Since you may need to sell the artifacts in the homeland."

"..." Ian\'s expression became complex.

Lucas smiled gently. "Don\'t worry. Whatever may come from the mountains, the barrier will not be breached."

Lucas bowed lightly, exchanged eye greetings with Charlotte and Thesaya, and then left.

As the door closed, Charlotte, watching his back, finally spoke. "He\'s quite obstinate. Not bad."

Instead of responding, Ian poured himself another drink. A faint bitter smile crossed his lips.

...So it\'s all skipped like this.

He was sure that all the minor sub-quests related to Lucas that existed in the game had disappeared. If Lucas was leaving for Karlingion immediately, it might be a long time before they met again. Since the stirrings of the Black Wall would not occur for at least a year.

Charlotte, sitting across from him, murmured quietly. "I wondered why you said that, but I see you wanted to give a clear warning. I didn\'t realize you were still keeping an eye on the specters gathering in the mountains, Ian."

"He’s probably worried about the Northerners." Thesaya smiled as if she knew everything, and Ian picked up his glass with a low chuckle.

"I just didn\'t want the arrow of responsibility to turn back to me."

***

The next morning, Lucas approached the front of Ian\'s carriage.

"Here are the documents you\'ll need. If you go to the church in Travelga, look for Priest Ferma. I used my family seal—it will be much more effective than just my guarantee." He offered the documents with a haggard face.

Ian, holding them neatly, smiled. "You really stayed up all night."

"There were many documents to prepare. I wanted to unwind properly, but it\'s a pity. Will you be leaving the North once you\'re done?"

"Well... I\'m still considering it." Ian replied, then turned back to him.

"There\'s something I didn\'t mention yesterday."

"Please, tell me." Lucas blinked and urged him to continue.

"Soon, nomads will be migrating here. Among them, those from the Black Forest Hill village are people I know. If you send them to a settlement near Travelga, they won\'t cause any trouble and will live quietly."

"If they want to settle in the autonomous region, there\'s no reason to refuse them. Are there many warriors among them?"

"About a dozen."

"Then they\'re most welcome. Recently, units composed entirely of Northern nomads have been formed. But..."

Lucas, smiling broadly, cautiously added.

"How do you know them?"

"It turns out, I\'ve become their great warrior."

"Really...?" Lucas asked, somewhat stunned.

Instead of replying, Ian gestured with his chin. Charlotte handed Lucas a wooden box that a soldier had previously prepared for them.

"What is this.... ...!" Lucas\'s eyes widened as he checked inside the box. It contained the head of the Giant Legion Commander.

Ian shrugged as Lucas looked at him. "It doesn’t seem very valuable, just unnecessarily large. I only need the crown, so you use it. It must be useful, right?"

"Of course... but are you sure you can give this to me?"

"Make sure it doesn’t decay." Ian declared as he climbed into the carriage. He then sat down on the seat and nodded his head.

"Well, see you again."

Then the carriage started moving.

Flap flap—

A crow flew up from a nearby roof. Lucas, who had been staring blankly at the back of the departing carriage, startled by the sound of the wings, turned around.

"Hey, soldier! Where is the coldest part of the fortress’s storage?" His footsteps were hurried.

The head in the box was a precious piece of evidence that absolutely must not decay.