Claudi's Mansion.
The vast interior is filling up with guests. I wondered how many people would come to visit, but for now, it's more than I expected. Both in terms of numbers and on an individual level.
"It's been a while since we've met face to face."
"Is it?"
"You're certainly more mature than before, Agentress."
Polymorph.
The Earth Dragon's enormous size prevents him from entering the mansion. Kudhanax took the form of a horned dragon and spoke with the elf and Agentress in the mansion.
The dragon and elf talk.
Momentum exuded by two beings outside the norm.
Anyone else would have to look away.
"It's Claudi's banquet, my assistant. We had a good view before we started, didn't we, you seriously wild red-eyed fellow?"
"Yes. If only you'd stay in your place."
"In the same place?"
"How about getting up on the table right now?"
"Haha, another barbaric joke."
The conversation was relatively casual.
Finally, the appointed time.
Claudi's territory was not easy to find.
There were no exceptions to the time commitment, such as the sword of Grandfell.
Ding─
A bell rings, drawing attention.
A few of them look at each other in surprise.
"If it's a bell that rings on its own, it must be a magic tool, right?"
No, it's not.
I hired....
To be more precise, the Claudi mansion was full of spirits hired by Hiel. Since ancient times, a mansion needs employees. But where would the manpower be on the devastated Arcana continent?
'Thank you, Hiel.'
{Unique Spirit}, Hiel.
As if that weren't enough, thanks to the World Tree's blessing, Hiel is outside the hierarchy of spirits. I didn't know much about the hierarchy of spirits, but Hiel was kind enough to explain it to me with an analogy.
-"In the human world, I would be more like an archduke."
In the spirit world, an archduke is not a spirit king, but a rank just below that. You've risen, Hiel. In fact, in some ways, you might even be better than a Spirit King.
'A Spirit King can only command the same attribute spirits as itself.'
But as you can see, Hiel, a {Unique Spirit}.
Hiel was able to control spirits of all attributes.
The appearance of such spirits is a field of flower heads....
No, it was clearly visible in my field of vision, as I had not lost the sensibility of my innocent days.
Ding-ding─
Sylphid, a subspirit of wind, rings a bell.
Hwaling─
Ifrit, a mid-level spirit of flame, ignites a candlestick.
In addition, spirits of various attributes were busy moving around.
They were preparing for the banquet to begin.
"...I wonder if it's all magic?"
Regardless of their abilities, only the chosen ones could witness the spirits in their natural state. To most people, it may seem like a bell rings and a light turns on by itself.
But that's not the point.
I opened my mouth.
"To those of you who have accepted Claudi's invitation."
Even as I speak, my mouth feels dry.
It has to be that way!
From now on, as the patriarch of the Claudi family, Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo, I had to tease the snout out of him. Yeah, you've come a long way, Hoyeol.
...Damn it, I clenched my fists and opened my mouth.
"I, Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo, welcome you."
Seriously, I'm glad this isn't real and that I don't have eyes to see.
Is it because I feel mentally stable thanks to this?
Or is it because of his shameless attitude?
I face the stares without changing my complexion.
The first to speak was a man with a glowing face.
"Garmond Phil, Lord of the Diamond Top. Words cannot convey my sincerity, but I have something for you...."
The man who introduced himself as Garmond steps forward.
He certainly looks the part of a merchant.
His smooth face is also quite expressive.
It doesn't take me long to recognize him.
"I've prepared a gift for you, hoping it will help you in some small way!"
So, the gift was a carriage full of goods?
After all, who wouldn't want a gift?
Even me, Lee Hoyeol.
'It's like a housewarming gift, isn't it?'
Did I hear you say diamond top?
I don't know about you, but your name sounds like you're incredibly rich.
The fact that he received an invitation from Claudi was proof of that. For such an upper-class Garmond, a gift like that might be nothing more than a roll of toilet paper.
'Just relax and close your eyes.'
It's a nice gesture.
But who is Grandfell?
A principled man who keeps his work and his life separate.
The snout I was worried about starts running wild.
"Is this really a gift as a favor?"
"Yes, of course...."
"If it's not, is it a bribe?"
I ask, just outright, outright.
I hear a small chuckle at my words.
These are the kind of people who will take pleasure in the complexities of human affairs.
The dragon and elf exchange a look of appreciation.
"I guess I'll have to answer wisely here, right?"
"Blasphemy. If it were me, I'd cut you down."
"You're giving me a warning first. It has definitely become harmful, Argentress."
There are no favors without reason.
There must be a trader's estimate in Gamond's head, but who's he talking to? A hundred calculators wouldn't be able to come up with an estimate for an act of pride.
'I can't even predict myself.'
But who is the subject?
"Of course, it's a pure gift! I'm sure you'll understand when you see the items, I've only included things that will help you rebuild the territory. Haha."
As if there had never been a quote to begin with.
He doesn't even flinch, just nods. With such a cheerful expression on his face, I apologize for my unwarranted suspicions. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, I speak kindly.
"I understand."
I wish I had left it at that.
I told you, right?
But this guy's mouth never lets anything go unanswered.
I shifted my gaze.
I wasn't just talking to Garmond.
"But you seem to misunderstand one thing."
"...?"
Doubt flashed across the faces in the room.
Only one person didn't panic.
No, only one dragon, Kudhanax.
He should be, because he heard it first.
"Claudi is not back."
What does that mean?
By the standards of the Grandfell, Claudie had never left the Arcana in the first place. The red-eyed man, the one who had introduced himself as Shahin Dune, bowed respectfully.
"Claudi's lord. As the head of the Dune Clan, Shahin Dune dares to ask you a question?"
The Dune clan, he said.
He had a polite demeanor that belied his rough exterior.
A passing grade in terms of formality.
I nod, and Shahin continues.
"I don't dare to doubt your great family, Claudi, simply because I have questions. The fact that you didn't return means that you didn't leave.... If so, where have you been and what have you been doing?"
Where and what.
'Not with Claudi, but with the Lee family.'
I've been busy semi-forcibly retiring my Arcana Continent biography and living this life, but is there any way that the world's Grandfell style of speech could speak of such a situation directly?
Therefore, I answered with confidence.
"I watched the Arcana continent from a completely different world."
...Well, technically, that's not wrong.
I'd stopped playing Arcana Biography, but I hadn't missed any of the big news stories about the continent. It just didn't seem to make sense to Shahin and the others.
"It's a completely different world...."
"You mean the New World, not Arcana?"
"Hehe."
If it were just me, I might not have been so easy to convince, but there was someone here who had glided through that completely different world and let out a whaling sound.
Kudhanax stops laughing and speaks.
"A world so different that even our dragons have to struggle to reach it. Or, to put it more kindly, the home of all adventurers."
A chorus of voices follows.
"And by adventurers, you mean those with the power of resurrection?"
"The home of those adventurers...."
"A world that even dragons have to fight to reach. How did you manage to enter such an harsh world?"
Because I am an adventurer!
The real world is where I, Lee Hoyeol, belong.
I wanted to tell you the truth.
If that's the case, then I'm not worthy of Grandfell.
You have to explain about Lee Hoyeol, don't you?
'I'll be happy to hear it. ....'
When I was born, the fourth rich daughter family.
My grandfather gave me my name with great joy.
I think about explaining it in front of them.
Surely there will be a story behind it?
'What is Grandfell, and what is Lee Hoyeol?'
If the story goes that far....
I have no more excuses.
It means I might have to come clean about my dark history...!
But fortunately.
"Claudi made a move, isn't it obvious?"
"...Really?"
"Yes, humans. The crumbling Arcana continent and the Adventurers' world. Claudi has protected both worlds. From a time when even I and my kind were unaware."
Kudhannax's explanation saves him from shame, for the King of All, the Dragon, says it is too good to be true.
"Indeed, it was natural that I couldn't fathom it."
Nodding─
Shahin, who had questioned, could only bow his head.
Maybe it's because I've had a break.
Suddenly, I realize I'm the host of a banquet.
'I still have to follow the banquet procedures.'
Look around the audience.
Everyone has a glass in their hand, thanks to the spirits' busy work. The banquet will begin in earnest when all the glasses are filled and I raise my glass to them.
'We can talk more about this later.'
Dalkak─
I pick up my glass and the spirits bustle about filling it. Kudhanax and Agentress are the only ones who can see the spirits. They thank the spirits lightly.
"Thank you, little friend."
"Thank you."
"...."
"Th, thank you...?"
The dragon and elf look at the air, and the others, who have been watching, say a few words of thanks as well. I wonder if it's funny. Cackle-The sound of the spirits laughing tickles my ears.
Yes, I feel like laughing too.
'...It really breaks the mood.'
Eventually, what filled the glass was neither red wine nor clear water. Yes. At this point, someone would have guessed it, right? The thing in the luxurious glass is a green liquid.
That's right, green tea.
In Claudi's territory, they say that Claudi is the law.... Still, it's not quite the same as powdered green tea delivered by rocket ship in such an expensive glass, is it?!
Innocence and great nobility.
A man who realizes contradictions that cannot coexist in this way.
Even in the entire reality and Arcana Continent, I will be the only one, seriously...!
.
.
.
The atmosphere at the banquet wasn't too bad.
"Haha, now you can get on the plate."
"Well, isn't that where the pigs are?"
"So will the Dune family sleep in the stables today? haha."
...Well, the nerve war between the leading figures continued.
My orders are absolute in the Claudi territory.
No matter how intoxicated you get, you'll only end up with childish puns.
More like.
'So you guys are the real deal.'
As I chatted with them, I realized that....
I can see why they didn't show up on the Arcana continent when it was in turmoil. Just as Magic Tower was unable to act due to complications.
'It was too strong, and it was tied to a setting.'
Of course, we don't know how the setting was realized. But the point is, Claudi's invitation was stronger than the setting. I feel proud for no reason.
'I said an eye for an eye. Didn't I say this?'
A bird of prey or a Raymond Sean.
Be prepared, my dark history will not be kind.
I made a promise to myself that I couldn't tell anyone.
"Sorry this is late."
Tud.
Out of nowhere, an old man in a shabby outfit appeared. First of all, I didn't look surprised. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't because of Grandfell's dignity, and wasn't that just the magic of the portal?
'I have the exact coordinates of Claudi's territory.'
It was proof that he was not an unwanted guest.
But then I made eye contact with an old man who raised his head.
I was stunned.
The old man said.
"Oh no. What I received must have been an invitation from Lord Grandfell, the youngest patriarch of Claudi's family...."
He looked me straight in the eye, not avoiding my gaze, and asked.
" ...Who are you?"