Evan D. Sherden, Meets the Legend (3)
During the last week of September, the celebrations were getting closer.
Visitors from other dungeon cities were also coming while nobles from this country and other countries flocked in anticipation of a festival being held in the dungeon city of Sherden. It was the first time in six years, that the lodging companies in the dungeon city were enjoying an unusual increase in their businesses.
All of the people under the Marquis of Sherden were working like crazy. It was not only the Marquis who was busy, Eric D. Sherden, who was in charge of conducting a small event, also found himself swamped with work.
Meanwhile, his second son, Evan, had nothing to do, so he continued to work hard on what he had always done.
He focused on his slime training, poison resistance training, and curse resistance training as he was constantly going through them. Besides, he also had fighting skills training, throwing training, physical training, Dungeon Knights training, and his alchemy classes.
"Oh, Master Evan! I found you!"
After having completed his training session with the members of the Dungeon Knights and the Knights Commander, Evan had just finished bathing in the Brotherhood Bathhouse with the Rookie children. He was currently changing his clothes.
"I wanted to consult with you, Master!"
Sis Serpina had come rushing in and found him in one of the restrooms inside the bathhouse. She was the Bishop's counsellor of the Sherden Diocese of the Earth Church.
She was holding a beer in one hand and some grilled skewers in the other hand. Evan looked at them and then glanced at her belly.
"Aren't you getting tighter around the waist, Sis?"
"Oh, I'm still okay! …Would you like a skewer?"
"Yes, thank you."
Evan took a bite of Serpina's skewer and gave the rest to Shine.
Shine also took a bite and passed it to Paul, but Marie interfered and snatched it away. Marie had now begun to follow Shine in the strictest of ways.
"…Oh, the kids are also present here."
"I train them every day and they roll around in the dirt without complaining. So I thought of giving them some free time to relax and enjoy. Anyway, do you have some kind of request for me, Sis?"
"Ah, well, Master… if you'll just come this way, please."
Serpina grabbed Evan's hand and headed for the corner of the break room. The rookie children were very curious and tried to follow them, but Raihan and Shine sighed and tried to stop them.
"Master Evan, please don't be surprised to hear this, but during this festival season, well, a legend will be coming to the dungeon city of Sherden!"
"It's Leo Arpeta, the great hero who saved the world in the past, right?"
"Oh, you knew already?"
"Yes, I did."
"…So should I also convert to Evanism, Master?"
"Wait a minute. What the hell is that? Did that come from Maybell? Honestly tell me what Maybell is doing right now."
"Whoa, so you already knew about that too…"
Serpina ignored Evan's question. With it, Evan was convinced that Maybell was the one who had created something of a pseudo-religion called Evanism. That must have been the case.
"…So why is he coming here, Sis?"
"Of course, Leo Arpeta is indeed a great person, but his arrival would mean that dangerous events might occur. Why did he start his activities again at this time? Why did he decide to come again during the dungeon festival? Right now, the Earth Church is facing a super emergency."
Evan listened to Serpina and thought about it. Didn't the Earth Church already know everything about the Mahwas, or if it didn't, wasn't the order just passed to the parish during the dungeon? … Either way, it wasn't for Evan to bring up the story first.
"Isn't he just coming to enjoy the festival? That's probably the case."
"Master, you seem to know more about this. You even took a skewer from me, so tell me what it is."
"Well, I don't know anything," Evan replied stubbornly. Finally, Serpina had no choice but to relent with her lips pouting. It felt comforting for her to know that at least Evan knew this much.
"By the way, why are you paying more attention to Leo Arpeta, eh, Sis? Did you make an appointment with Raihan at the festival?"
"What?! Like a date?!"
Serpina shouted sharply in response to Evan's chiding. It was loud enough that Raihan looked back at them from where he was standing with the children. Evan clucked his tongue and shook his head.
"That was foolish, Sis."
"Oh, no, it's so embarrassing. During the festival period, the Earth Church will be busy, and above all, we are not in such a relationship yet…"
"If you want to be in a relationship with him, you'll have to date him sooner than later. The festival is the best opportunity, so are you going to miss this?"
Serpina seemed to be lost in thought as she nodded softly. Evan continued.
"Sis Hanna might already be getting ready to play this game. You also missed him as your first dance partner, but if you miss this date, everything will be over… When she was invited to the wedding of two people, she clapped all lonely-like and cried on the way back, and she began to binge eat and drink due to stress. Eventually, the welfare of her waist and skin went beyond to heaven…"
"Stop! Okay, this time I will be brave, too!" Serpina shuddered at a needlessly realistic and scary prediction. Evan nodded firmly and turned to Raihan. Raihan flinched.
Evan winked at him and then began to speak.
"Hyung, I'll tell you for a moment that Serpina has something to say. Oh, and on the festival day, I already told her that my hyung will be completely free. Guys, let's go."
"Master!?"
Evan left Raihan, who was embarrassed and went home with the children. He felt a little sorry for Hannah, but… all was fair in love and war, so maybe she should be preparing her countermeasures!
The next day's classes were scheduled for the night, and Bernard called Evan in two hours earlier. In response, Evan checked the date and knew that the time had come to meet Leo at last.
"Shine, am I shaking?"
"No, not at all. You've been asking me before, but don't worry because you're not shivering. However, why are you so restless? Are you going to see a woman?"
Evan shook his head with a bitter smile.
"I would rather be comfortable with a woman. It's a man, one of the most legendary ones to have ever lived. He is also very famous."
"Is it that guy Leo Arpeta?"
"Yes." As Evan nodded with a light smile, Shine began to mutter absurdly.
"Isn't Bernard the real inspiration? Is there a line between him and the great hero?"
"I'll come back and tell you little by little. I need to prepare some more before meeting him."
"If it's the real Leo Arpeta, doesn't it mean…"
"Shall I go with you, Master?"
"No, I'll go alone today."
Evan thought that no one would understand this strange feeling to encounter the character he had played in the past.
Had he already reached the city?
What did he look like? Who else was going to come with him?
"Grandpa Bernard! How much more do we have to wait?"
"Everyone in the world knows him. Don't scream outside, and let him come in. Oh shit. And little boy, did you already know?"
"Of course, Grandpa. He's moving, but there's no way the Marquis knows."
"Be patient."
After seeing the appearance of Leo Arpeta that he encountered, Evan stopped speaking.
The man looked even younger than Bernard, who didn't look like he was in his 60s. He had wide shoulders and gave the impression of being very "big." He wasn't anything like Evan had imagined.
In short, he looked like a very handsome uncle who looked somewhat fit.
"Well what, who's the little kid you're with?"
"This is my disciple."
Evan stepped forward at Bernard's glance, politely bowing his head.
"I am the second son, Evan D. Sherden, of the Marquis of Sherden. It's a pleasure to meet you, Leo Arpeta."
"Sherden!? Then, is that little boy the son of the man who resembled a chimpanzee? It's weird, there's no way his son can look so handsome. Are you his real son?"
"I often hear that, but yes. I am his real son." Evan already knew that Leo Arpita had a straightforward and somewhat rude personality, so he didn't mind his remarks.
"This man… How many times have I told you to think before you speak?"
"It's not like that, but sometimes I can't help it. Rather, this man is so pretty. His expression is not to my taste."
"That's very fortunate. There is no longer any chance that my student will be taken away from me." Bernard replied with sarcasm at Leo's remarks, even without a sign of reflection. However, Leo admired his reply.
"Alright, then you said this kid was your disciple? Ha, people change a lot as time passes. You, who didn't want to meet a single person around you, have now received a disciple… Wait, is it because of this guy that you settled here?"
"It's a long story so sit down. And… Aria, Illoin. Welcome."
Bernard greeted the two beautiful women standing behind Leo, after having pushed him inside, passionately. Of course, these two were also heroes who had once saved the world, along with Leo and Bernard.
"Anyway, I'm so glad to see you again, Dane. No, Bernard."
"Dane… It really is you."
With her silver hair and bright eyes, Aria was a beautiful and elegant person who seemed to be in her early 40s at most. She was dazzlingly beautiful.
However, Evan already knew why Illoin, who was active with them several decades ago, looked so young even right now.
'The hero was very young back then. I was really curious about which of the heroines he was connected to, and I always wondered if they could've been able to get rid of the demonic flowers if even one of them had not helped the rest. In the end, it was all because of Saint Aria and the Elf Illoin, one of Yo-Ma Great War 2's most beautiful people…'
Illoin was the strongest archer in Yo-Ma Great War 2. She was a forest elf, which was a mysterious race that lived in an ancient forest.
Bernard made sure the door was closed behind them.
As Illoin took off her hood and revealed her ears, Bernard was astonished.
"You're an elf!?"
"Yes, I'm sorry for hiding it all this time. But, you had hidden your own identity until now so we can call it equal."
Bernard couldn't think of a reply. Illoin laughed brilliantly as she approached him quietly and grabbed his hand.
"I'm really glad to see you again, Dane… Bernard. I have missed you very much."
"Well? Uh… Yes, it's very nice to see you again too, Illoin."
Bernard seemed to be thinking, 'Do the elves originally regard humans as their friends?' But instead of speaking it out loud, he just tilted his head.
Seeing him, Evan also seemed to realize something.
'No way did an elf help Grandpa Bernard in the past without him even knowing it! And then want to have a relationship with him after all these years!?'
At that moment, it finally dawned on Evan.
Regular characters weren't regulars without reason!