# 41
The display tray the clerk placed on the table was filled with rings adorned with various large gemstones.
“If you select a ring style you prefer, I can show you more similar ones.”
“Thank you.”
“Not at all.”
Jin-ha exchanged normal pleasantries with the clerk who was providing friendly service. Finally, his brain, exhausted from Ki-young’s nonsense, seemed to be clearing.
“And then if he does anything even slightly cute, smile at him, and then pretend you didn’t… Hey, are you listening, Lee Jin-ha?”
“Shut your mouth and just help me pick a ring.”
“But…”
“You’re noisy.”
“Okay…”
At the quiet rebuke, Ki-young lowered his eyes and shrank back.
The two spent time selecting gemstones. Riyekan was the equivalent of nobility in that world—an Alpha, and the highest-ranking person among the Noon Moon Tower wizards. Cheap gems wouldn’t suit his taste.
Fortunately, judging from the gems the man wore, the craftsmanship here seemed superior. Moreover, unlike here where highly transparent gems were popular, it seemed they wore colored gems without discrimination there, so Jin-ha purchased various types of jewelry. Surely at least one of these would be to his liking.
Of course, he paid with the corporate card.
The man had told him to think of something he wanted to give, but didn’t specifically say it had to be purchased with his own money.
“Thank you for your purchase, Mr. Lee Jin-ha.”
The clerk handed over the card along with a business card after completing the payment.
“If you have occasion to visit again, please contact us using the phone number on the card.”
“…Yes.”
“Our store primarily sells jewelry, but we handle various other items as well. We look forward to your next visit.”
It was a somewhat suspicious statement. Jin-ha looked back and forth between the business card and Ki-young, then simply nodded.
As he turned to leave the store, Jin-ha suddenly stopped in front of one display case.
“…How much is this?”
* * *
A cool breeze from the sea swept fiercely between the bookshelves, disturbing the documents on the desk before receding. Legas, who happened to be on his way to meet Riyekan, saw this and used wind magic to gather the fluttering papers. He unconsciously looked in the direction the wind had come from.
Though hidden by the haphazardly arranged bookshelves, it was clear that the waves were growing increasingly rough. The sunlight shining on the beach had also been gradually weakening since that day.
“Legas.”
“Ah. Yes, Master.”
Legas, who had been momentarily distracted, hurried over at the call of Riyekan, who was lying sideways on a long sofa.
“What is it?”
“I’ve guided the delegation to the annex.”
The Noon Moon Tower had about a dozen cottages nearby, but there had been few guests since Riyekan had taken the position of Master. This was because Riyekan detested busyness. Hosting two groups of visitors like this time was particularly unusual.
“What’s their purpose for visiting?”
“As expected.”
“The sea serpent subjugation, you mean.”
A wizard’s tower was respected for its independence, not belonging to any kingdom’s territory. In return for this respect, the tower guaranteed two priority request rights each year to the kingdoms bordering its domain.
The sea serpent subjugation was somewhere between a priority request and a regular request. They didn’t explicitly use their priority request right, but they implied, “His Majesty the King is concerned about this matter,” pressuring for acceptance.
Of course, this tactic didn’t work on the Noon Moon Tower. The tower had been rejecting this request for five years now.
“If they’re that desperate, they should use their priority request right.”
Riyekan snorted derisively.
There were several reasons why the Abon Kingdom couldn’t use a priority request right for the sea serpent subjugation.
First, the location where the sea serpent had settled wasn’t a place that greatly harmed the kingdom. It was a small island that had once been the royal summer palace, but it was separated from civilian residences, and the summer palace itself had been abandoned for over a decade. There was weak justification for suddenly using a priority request right now.
Yet, the annual requests kept coming because Mrs. Shellic, the king’s consort, continually pressured for it. Of course, her request to spend a vacation together at the beautiful summer palace was just a facade; the real reason was that her maiden family’s Talrune territory was a port close to the royal summer palace.
The Talrune territory, originally a prosperous port city, had recently been shunned by merchant ship captains fearful of the storms caused by the sea serpent. To avoid the sea serpent that blocked the sea route, ships had to go around that area, which made the neighboring territory’s port closer.
As a result, the Talrune territory’s revenue was gradually declining.
“If they used a priority request right for the consort, they would have to give up too much.”
“What do I care.”
Riyekan clicked his tongue irritably and half-raised his upper body while still lying on his side, downed a glass of wine in one gulp, and asked:
“So, what’s the reason the Ertolic family heir came?”
“Master, Jeidrus Ertolic is no longer the heir.”
“…Don’t tell me the head of the family died?”
When Riyekan asked, having grasped what had happened from the brief information, Legas nodded silently. Riyekan let out a dejected sigh and lay back down.
Although he had abandoned his surname long ago, he had once been Riyekan Ertolic. A time when he grew up thinking he would someday become the head of the family as its heir.
“It hasn’t been a full year, I hear.”
“This is maddening.”
The Ertolic family was an ancient wizarding family. This meant they were too dignified to run such errands for the king. Riyekan groaned, realizing a troublesome problem had arisen.
The magical talent of the Ertolic family had been passed down to the firstborn son for generations. Since Riyekan, the firstborn, had left home, the family had also lost the magical abilities that had maintained their power.
According to his memory, Jeidrus’s talent was that of an ordinary wizard, so the Ertolic family would gradually decline from now on. The king, in order to fulfill his consort’s wish, was showing Riyekan, once the heir to the Ertolic family, that their decline was in his hands.
“Should I investigate the details further?”
“No need. It’s obvious. The territory’s situation is bad. Perhaps they couldn’t even secure loyalty oaths from their vassals. In that situation, Jeidrus accepted the king’s orders, thinking I might help him somehow, and the king is watching my reaction, promising to add benefits to the Ertolic family if I comply obediently.”
Riyekan growled, tousling his hair in frustration, then extended his hand toward Legas.
With an anxious feeling, Legas refilled the wine glass, which Riyekan again drained in one gulp.
Lightning flashed, and thunder soon reverberated all around. When Legas looked up, black clouds had gathered in the sky. As sharp light spread inside the thick, layered clouds, rain began to pour down.
Legas looked at Riyekan with concern.
Riyekan waved his hand to create a wind barrier that deflected water around them, then lay down irritably. Legas skillfully caught the wine glass Riyekan had dropped and hesitantly asked:
“Will we accept the request as planned?”
Lost in thought for a moment, Riyekan asked an unexpected question.
“When does he come tomorrow?”
He was talking about Jin-ha. Legas answered immediately.
“He said he would be here before lunch.”
“Bring him to me right away.”
“Yes, Master.”
Riyekan, taking a deep breath to calm his excitement, threw the documents on the floor. He stretched out wearily, closing his eyes for about ten seconds. Then he rose again and picked up a new document. If he stayed still, irritating thoughts would fill his mind completely.
“I’ll accept the request. Seeing how Abon is behaving, it’s obvious they’ll come and be a nuisance if I refuse. If I want to show Abon to Jin-ha, accepting the request is the best way.”
“I’ll coordinate in advance to prevent unnecessary approaches while we accept the sea serpent subjugation request.”
“Good. Make sure there are no bothersome issues.”
“Understood, Master.”
“…It’s fortunate to have you.”
“I-it’s nothing.”
Legas answered, his face turning red.
He was accustomed to hearing harsh words from Riyekan when he was in a bad mood. Since geniuses were often somewhat twisted in character, Legas didn’t dislike Riyekan. Instead, he only wondered how to better accommodate him and ensure he had no discomfort.
For someone like him, words of praise struck deep. What might be an insignificant remark to someone else was, to Legas, a joy that could secure a lifetime of loyalty.
“What are you doing? Get out.”
Although his tone turned cold immediately.
As Legas was about to quietly leave at the dismissive wave of the hand, he noticed the food on the table, dried out just like yesterday, and hesitated before cautiously speaking up.
“Master, about your meal…”
“Don’t need it.”
“But you’ve had nothing but tea and alcohol for three days. And sleep…”
“Enough.”
“…Yes, Master.”
Cut off by the firm command, Legas had no choice but to leave without saying anything more.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
