Lylia stared at Frey who tilted his head slightly and asked.
"Is there something you'd like to say?
"…you're a bit different from what my brother said."
Frey touched his hair and mumbled.
"A lot has happened."
"I see. Ah please speak comfortably. You're a friend of my brothers and a child of the Blake family."
"Sure."
Lylia looked at Frey with a slight expression of bewilderment as he immediately agreed to her polite suggestion.
Nevertheless, Frey kept staring into space with an expressionless face.
'What is with this man?'
All of the children of noble families that she had met before either tried to flirt with her or make some kind of connection somehow.
Lylia knew that she was very beautiful and she also knew how men usually acted in front of her.
Her beauty was one of her weapons after her family's prestige.
But this was the first time that she had been treated like this by a man from outside of the family.
She had some slight misgivings about this, but she hid her innermost thoughts and instead gave a beautiful smile.
"I heard that you are attending Westroad Academy. How is my brother in the academy?"
"I don't know. Peran is a few years above me, I've never run into him at the academy." "Ah…I see."
So it turned out that they had met for the first time on the Cortez.
While the conversation lapsed into silence, the carriage stopped.
They had arrived at the building.
The door slowly opened and revealed a very welcoming face.
"Haha! You came!"
It was Peran who had arrived in front of the carriage.
He spoke to Frey with his voice brimming with joy.
"Man, you were almost late."
"I had a lot of work to do. I'm glad I somehow managed to get here on time."
"It was a close call."
Lylia looked at Peran with a somewhat shocked expression.
It might have been the first time that she'd seen him so happy. He was soft and always smiling, but he still knew how to control his emotions.
That Peran that she knew was now smiling like a little boy.
When she realized that not even the family had ever seen him like that, she felt a little jealous of Frey.
Lylia gracefully descended from the carriage and spoke.
"I'm here too, brother."
"I can't miss our princess. How was the party?"
"…you ignored me until just now."
"Uh. What was that?"
"It was nothing."
Lylia looked away sharply and walked into the mansion.
Peran turned back and said with an embarrassed face.
"I still don't know how I made Lylia upset. Do you have an idea?"
"No."
"Um…well. I'll have to cheer her up later. Let's go inside first. There is so much that I want to talk about."
Peran looked at Frey who nodded quietly.
He was just skin and bones.
He had thin cheeks and his wrists which were revealed from within the robes could have been held together with one hand.
His skin also looked rough.
Above all else, the white hair on his head was the most eye-catching.
'He must have worked hard.'
Peran wished to know what he had been through, but first, he wanted his friend to get some rest after his long trip.
"We'll take our time to talk. Daphgon please bring Frey to one of the guest rooms. Frey, how about a meal?"
"It's okay. I only need some lukewarm water."
"Sure. Then let's talk tomorrow. You should get some rest for now."
"Thank you."
Frey followed Daphgon to the room.
Shortly after, they arrived at a large room that had enough space to run in.
The furniture was also of very high quality.
Frey gave a wry smile when he realized that the size of the room and bed was much bigger than his dorm room.
Daphgon smiled and put a bottle of water on the center table.
"Here is the water you requested. If you have any other needs, please tell the maids."
He pointed to the maid behind him, but Frey shook his head.
"I would like to be alone."
Frey realized that Daphgon was actually a fairly powerful mage that might have been placed to watch over Peran.
He did not wish to be rude even if it was someone younger or if they were just a guard at the front gate.
Daphgon looked perplexed.
"But…"
"I apologize for the rudeness of rejecting your favor. But please understand that I am a mage before I am a guest."
"Ah…"
Meditation.
Obviously, wizards would want to keep their privacy.
In particular, when they meditated from time to time they would be particularly sensitive.
Daphgon bowed his head.
"I understand. Then these maids will be waiting in the next room. If you have any requests, please call for them immediately…"
"Thank you for your kindness."
Daphgon was inwardly impressed.
'I heard that Blake's third son not only lacked talent as a wizard but also basic etiquette and refinement…'
Because of his job, he was sensitive to rumors about nobles and he had heard some about the three sons of the Blake family.
So when he'd heard the identity of the young master's friend, he had congratulated outwardly, but on the inside he was worried.
Peran was excellent in many ways, but he was too young to fully grasp the thoughts of man.
But his face to face encounter with Frey had given him quite the shock.
Like any good son of a prestigious family, he had a very disciplined attitude, seemed to be a simple person, and was firm enough to not be swayed easily by others.
Daphgon thought of a man. The Blake Family.
Compared to the Jun Family, it was slightly less, but it was still powerful enough to be among the five most powerful families in the empire.
The eldest and second sons were good, but the main power behind the Blake Family was Isaka Blake.
He was one of the five 7 star mages in the empire and at the same time the master of the Sixth Magic Tower.
He was younger when compared to the other Arch Mages, but he still had the ability to afford the name.
Daphgon had also met Isaka Blake once. He left a rather cold and dry impression.
'Is it that a man like this is not enough to be his son?'
Daphgon couldn't help but wonder, but he kept it within him and spoke instead.
"There will be a banquet tomorrow."
"A banquet?"
"Yes. Since you will be going back to school soon, the family decided to host a banquet. The young master seems to want you to join him."
"…"
After thinking for a moment, Frey nodded.
"Alright."
"Thank you."
Daphgon retreated as hot water was brought to the room.
Frey washed with the water and then changed into the pajamas that were placed on the bed before going to sleep immediately.
The next day, Frey awoke at dawn.
Immediately after he woke up, he sat down and began working on suppressing Frozen River's freezing energy.
'This will be all I do for the time being.'
When he opened his eyes, there was a made from the day before in front of him.
She immediately kneeled before him and looked at Frey with a pale face.
"I, I have sinned."
"What?"
"Pl-, please spare my life. I am sorry."
Frey had no idea why she was so terrified.
After comforting the maid who seemed like she was about to burst into tears at any moment, he asked her and found that she was under the illusion that he had been meditating.
And he knew that Daphgon must have told them never to disturb a wizard's meditation.
She had only entered the room to change the water used yesterday and bring him breakfast without having any other intentions.
"It's okay as long as you don't touch their body."
After he sent the maid out, Frey briefly washed with the water that he controlled to float.
Then as he finished the simple meal, he heard a knock on the door.
"Can I come in?"
"Yes."
It was Daphgon who came through the door.
Even though it was early in the morning he seemed undisturbed.
"Did you enjoy breakfast?"
"It was a little small."
"Is that so? I will have them double the amount from tomorrow."
The more food he ate the better, because he needed to gain weight urgently.
And Frey was also very fond of food. Especially after his return.
And as expected, the food served by the Jun Family was incredibly delicious.
"The young master is waiting for you. I will guide you there so please get ready."
Frey changed back into his uniform. It was a bit shabby, but he had nothing else to wear.
After leaving the room, he followed Daphgon once again.
Peran was looking into a fountain in the garden, but he let out a bright laugh when he saw Frey.
"You look so thin. I guess you haven't been eating."
"It was a terrible month, but I gained what I wanted."
"That's a cause for celebration."
Peran smiled softly then he suddenly spoke again as if something had just come to his mind.
"I never would have thought that your destination was the Hell Mountains.
Did we talk about this?
Frey pondered for a while before remembering the existence of a girl with blue hair.
"You must have heard it from Sonia."
"That's right."
"Where is she?"
"Her room. Or the training grounds. She swings her sword right after she opens her eyes and right before going to sleep. It's the first time I've ever met such a tough girl. Um, and I'm not joking."
Frey let out a laugh as Peran shuddered.
Without a lot of effort, she would not be that skilled. Talent alone was not enough.
"It could even be four people, but for Miss Sonia, you're the only one who…"
"Huh?"
"…no. Nevermind. I can't say it."
Peran smiled bitterly and shook his head for some reason.
Frey felt that he looked quite depressed.
Then Peran opened his mouth and changed the topic.
"I told you right? I wanted to introduce you to my family."
"Right."
"If it's okay, then how about now? Especially my father, I really want you to meet him."
If it was Peran's father then he should be referring to the head of the Jun Family. His name was Shepard Jun.
He was also one of the five 7 star mages in the empire.
This was what Frey gained from his memory.
'Someone I should meet.'
The more powerful the wizard, the more likely that they knew something about the Demigod.
"Anytime is fine."
"That's a relief. Actually, there aren't many times when my father is at home. He's got piles of work to do at the tower…"
Shepard Jun was also the head of the Fourth Tower.
Peran looked very excited while Frey simply nodded his head.
Frey then followed Peran back to where Shepard was.
In a large room, there was a long table with a white cloth over it.
On the left and right sides of the table sat those who seemed to be Peran's family.
The younger sister Lylia that he saw yesterday, two men of similar age, and a beautiful woman.
'They should be Peran's brothers and mother.'
This meant that the strong middle-aged man sitting at the end was Shepard Jun.
"I am Frey Blake, one of the three sons of the Blake Family. I would like to express my belated gratitude for the generous treatment of the Jun Family."
"Nice to meet you. And we welcome you as you are Peran's friend."
Frey raised his head and looked at Shepard.
At first glance, he seemed to be cold but his expressions and voice were soft so the impression didn't stay.
But Frey was paying attention to something different.
There was a tattoo on Shepard's face.
'That tattoo is…'
"Is Count Blake doing well?"
Frey stopped his pondering for a bit at Shepard's words and gave a formal answer.
"That is correct."
"The Sixth tower is very far away, thanks to that I only get to see him during the tower meetings once a year. Conversations with the count are always very enjoyable and informative so it's a pity."
"…it is a pity."
"Hoohoo. Have a seat. I want to hear about how you became friends with my son."
As he said that, Shepard gave a bright smile.
Frey bowed his head but his thoughts were completely different.
There was a six-pointed star with a crescent moon in the center of it under his left eye.
There was nothing else that he paid attention to.
Because that was one of the magic tattoos that Schweiser had made and used.