LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 28 - Wings (3)
Chapter 28 – Wings (3)
“Yes, are you really Edwin…?”
After a long and arduous journey in the Demon Realm, I had finally returned to the familiar Madehaven. As soon as I got back, I went to greet my father, but he found it hard to believe that I was Edwin.
After going through several verification processes over several hours, I was finally recognized as myself, and my father seemed very shocked to see me transformed into a different person in a matter of days.
I explained that this happened because I suffered greatly for several days because I ate the wrong food I was not used to, but honestly, who could believe that?
If my father found out that my mana sclerosis had been cured, then it would be impossible to explain in words. This was something that had to be kept a secret…
“…Next time, I’d like you to tell me.”
However, after patting my shoulder, my father left it saying he would hear the details later and never brought up the subject again. Could I ever do the same if I had a child? He was truly an extraordinary person. However, the real problem emerged from another side.
“No… not big brother, not anymore… huuu… big brother… where are you… huaaaah…”
After hearing the news that I had returned, Adele came running to the scene and upon seeing me, she froze in place and burst into tears.
Unlike my father, who could be persuaded to some extent, Adele was impossible to convince.
It took more than half a day to console her, and only after she heard my earnest explanation of falling ill during the journey did Adele finally manage to stop crying.
Now composed, Adele continued poking my belly, seemingly dissatisfied that the soft belly she liked had disappeared along with my weight loss.
* * * * *
“So, what company are you from?”
After returning to the mansion and taking a night’s rest, I arranged a meeting between my father and the official merchant I brought from Easthall.
The demon who was acting as the guild’s representative introduced himself as ‘Hunt’, and he had the appearance of a very sincere- looking young man with neat tan hair and horn-rimmed glasses.
“We are Patton & Harding, based in Carrington in the north. Have you heard of us?”
“Patton & Harding… I’m sorry, but my knowledge is too limited to have heard of their reputation. If possible, could you please give me a more detailed introduction?”
Hunt introduced himself and the guild, but my father did not readily trust him.
The empire was vast, and well-established merchant companies had their names known, especially those capable of handling surplus grain from the south.
So, when a place that had never been heard of before came forward to buy it all, it was natural for my father to be suspicious. I wondered how Hunt would handle this crisis. He had boasted that I should only trust him on the way here.
“Ah, I’m sorry. It seems that my explanation was lacking in some respects. Our owner is the fifth daughter of Howland Barrett, the founder of the Barrett Company. You must have heard of Barrett, right? A few years ago, after Howland passed away, there was some conflict between his children over the shares. After a long lawsuit, our owner was able to receive shares and establish a separate company.”
“Ah, Barrett and that lawsuit, I remember. I wondered who it was, but it turns out that the daughter is the guild master of that place. My apologies for the discourtesy.”
Barrett was the name of a company that was ranked among the top three in the north until a few years ago.
And after the death of the founder, the dispute between the successors was a famous topic of conversation in many social circles for a while. So, the setting is that she is the child?
I didn’t know the truth, but it seemed like Hunt had prepared very thoroughly for this situation.
Despite several sharp questions that followed, Hunt continued to answer without hesitation, and only then did his father completely dispel his doubts.
“…So, while we were looking for ways to diversify our business, we met the young master through our connections at the academy. The south has had an incredibly bumper crop, with wheat rotting away, but the north is in the opposite situation. Even the famous great families are down to a precarious level of reserves. Our Master saw right away that…”
Hunt’s explanation flowed smoothly, and each of his points was reasonable enough to nod one’s head at.
My father listened to his explanation and was silent for a long time, but in the end, he decided to trade with the Patton & Harding Company.
Perhaps the decisive factor that swayed my father’s decision was the offer to pay the entire transaction amount upfront, all in gold and mana stones.
When I heard Hunt say those words, I could see my father becoming visibly agitated.
“Edwin, you’ve worked hard… You’ve really done well! Thanks to you, our family has avoided significant losses! As expected, my son!”
While Hunt was present, Father made an effort to maintain a dignified expression, but as soon as he left the reception room, he burst into laughter, patting me on the shoulder. Clearly, even though he downplayed the significance of having a bit of surplus grain last time, he must have been quite worried about it deep down.
If Father were to find out that the destination of these grains was the demon realm, I wonder what expression he would wear. I don’t want to imagine it. Perhaps this incident will become one of the secrets that must be carried throughout a lifetime.
* * * * *
The rumors about my changed appearance quickly spread through the servants within the family to the Knights, the Mage Corps, and even the residents of Madehaven’s territory.
And as was usual with rumors, the contents varied from the absurd to the unlikely, such as me being the second son being raised in secret, adopting a relative’s child, or being thrown into the sea by the count tired of the antics of his nobles but miraculously surviving(?).
“No, is he really the young master? This is absolutely ridiculous? Did he sell his soul to the devil? Otherwise, what on earth did he sacrifice to…Eup! Eup!!!”
“Laurel!! Stop talking nonsense! Haha, my lord. I apologize. This one had a bit too much while providing entertainment during today’s lunch. The wine today was indeed potent! Now, Laurel, come over here. You’re not doing well today. Let’s go inside quickly. My lord, we’ll take our leave around here. Please let go of what Laurel said. He seems to be not quite sober yet. Much healthier and more vibrant than before, right? Come here, Laurel!”
“Eeepppp!!”
Upon hearing the rumors, Laurel, who came to visit, blurted out some words of surprise when she saw me but was immediately subdued by Russ, who was shocked at the mention of ‘devil.’ After the fall of the Great Demon, anything related to demons was strictly forbidden, and even mentioning the word was considered highly blasphemous by the church. Was it that shocking for Laurel?
On the other hand, there seemed to be a number of people who had similar thoughts as Laurel, and priests from the church that had been tipped off came to visit me.
Of course, my father was furious, and it was only after it became known that I had passed the priests’ inspection and that they had finally prayed to my father for forgiveness and returned, the rumors began to quiet down.
And the interest of the residents of the territory shifted to a heated debate over the question, ‘What on earth must someone eat to undergo such a transformation?’
No matter how much elixir I consumed, resorting to such extreme measures inevitably took a toll on my body. Consequently, I found myself in a semi-compulsory period of convalescence and rehabilitation. Each day, I underwent rigorous training under the watchful eyes of Laurel and Russ, and my once feeble body gradually gained strength and resilience.
On the other hand, I dedicated significant efforts to refining the proficiency of Lakisia’s Eyes; and as I expected, the more I used Lakisia’s Eyes, the more I observed a gradual increase in both the range and duration of its abilities.
In addition, I was constantly getting the feeling that the final stage of the eyes, the opening of the spirit eye, was not far off.
Perhaps, at this rate, the time will come not long after I return to the academy.
Although I spent a lot of time on these training sessions, the place where I put the most effort was to spend time with Adele instead of my busy father.
Although she was a little awkward at first at my changed appearance, Adele soon adapted and treated me as warmly as before.
I had fun wandering around the market town of the main castle and the village outside the castle with Adele, and people who saw me said that not only did my appearance change, but my personality also seemed to have changed drastically.
While we were having fun, time flew by quickly, and before I knew it, there were only about ten days left until the academy’s suspension was lifted.
And that meant it was time to leave Madehaven and start moving again.
* * * * *
“Sob…sob…I hate…Big brother, I hate you…sob…”
“Uh-huh, Adele. Must you only cry like this when your elder brother is setting off on a long journey? Come, enough of this weeping; it’s time to bid farewell to your brother.”
On the morning of my departure from Madehaven, I stood amidst my family and the household staff, awaiting the carriage. Before me, I could see Adele shedding tears and my father attempting to console her. The staff, observing the scene, struggled to stifle their smiles, finding the situation rather amusing.
When I told Adele that I had to leave again, she couldn’t accept it and locked herself in her room for three days.
I thought I wouldn’t see her even on the day I was leaving, but Adele couldn’t bear it and finally came out of her room, tears streaming down her face, to stand before the farewell. The current situation was a result of her breaking into tears upon seeing my face.
“Adele…If anyone sees it, they’ll think where I’m going forever. I agreed to come back home after the semester. And if you really want to see me, you can just write a letter. Learn to write hard and send a letter to your big brother. If you do that, I think I’ll be able to do better in my academy life. Come on, Adele. Let’s promise to write to your big brother, okay?”
“Sniff…promise…sniff…sniff…”
When I held out my little finger, Adele hesitated for a moment, but soon put her little finger on mine.
Although Adele started much later than other young ladies her age, she was learning the qualities of a nobleman even belatedly.
According to the home tutor, she has a bright mind and learns at a very fast pace, so she should be able to master letters soon.
As soon as I said to write a letter, Adele’s sobbing began to subside little by little.
“Adele seems to adore you greatly. Well, well. I wished for that, but I never imagined it could become a problem if she likes you too much…”
My father shook his head as if he had finally caught his breath and said.
“Haha. It won’t be easy to see this kind of thing in a few years. Girls grow up especially quickly. Before that, you’ll get a good treat from your big brother. Oh, the carriage is here. Well, I’ll be on my way, father. Hudson, Roberta. Please take care of my father and Adele.”
Having said my farewell, I promptly boarded the carriage. Looking back, I could see Adele waving and my father beside her, both still visible. As they grew more distant, I realized that I was returning to the main stage of our story.
Leaning back against the swaying carriage seat, I silently made a fervent wish within me. May I somehow navigate through the thorns that lie ahead.
—— End of chapter —–
Translator’s Notes:-
You can read the story ahead on my ko-fi (10 chapter ahead so far). Read here :- https://ko-fi.com/sacredtexttl/tiers
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