Chapter: 797
With a thunderous applause, Trixie’s surprise lecture came to a close. The crowd had doubled since the beginning of her presentation, making the applause quite impressive.
‘There are a lot of people here.’
As I scanned the conference room, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
At first, when all the council members were seated, the space seemed adequate. But as time went on, the room felt more cramped, surpassing even its full capacity, with attendees standing in the back.
As the lecture dragged on, more guests showed up after hearing the buzz. Former council members, as well as big names in Yuben, flooded in to catch a glimpse of the lecture.
‘Maybe I should have turned them away?’
Of course, the thought of restricting entry had only been a fleeting one. With old gentlemen, whose beards had turned white, kneeling with tearful eyes to hear the lecture, how could I possibly send them back?
So, as I watched the numbers increase in real-time, I simply remained in my seat. After all, the Magic Council wasn’t my building; it belonged to the Yuben United Kingdom. It was only natural for the folks from Yuben to flock in.
Moreover, Trixie’s vast and deep knowledge surely wouldn’t diminish because of a few extra attendees. Even if a hundred or a thousand people listened to Trixie’s lecture, she wouldn’t be the one at a loss. Instead, it was just more people who would feel indebted to Trixie, Lin, and me.
“Honestly, it feels embarrassing to receive gifts one after another. How am I supposed to repay such kindness?”
Evidence of that was Lather’s visit before my return.
Despite being in his honeymoon phase, Lather welcomed me with a gentle smile as he bowed his head to express his gratitude for the surprise lecture.
“Your Grace, why bow to a mere noble? It was my wife’s decision to extend this kindness to the Magic Council. I had no part in it.”
I responded with the proper humility.
I knew Yuben’s people were serious about magic, and they fervently followed Trixie. So now, instead of taking credit for what Trixie had done, it was right to attribute all the praise to her.
After all, asking him to raise his head would likely fall on deaf ears. My short stay in Yuben had already taught me a lot about the people here.
“If it weren’t for the Minister, the Duke wouldn’t have shown such kindness. I’m not foolish enough to miss that.”
When Lather finally raised his head, a more pronounced smile appeared on his face.
Now we were on the same page. Honestly, I had only said that out of courtesy.
“The beasts selected by the Minister are currently being transported by Yuben’s wizards through teleportation. We’ve already received approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture, so you can return home peacefully.”
“Once again, I’m receiving so much consideration. Thank you, Your Grace.”
“Don’t mention it. The Emperor even expressed disappointment about not being able to offer you more.”
At that, Lather let out an awkward laugh.
Having received enough courtesy from the Magic Council and Lather, I felt that having the King step in would only complicate matters further.
“…But after today, who knows when we might meet again? I can’t guarantee a time.”
“True. This meeting wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for your wedding.”
“It’s a pity. Yet, if it weren’t for the Academy, we might have never crossed paths at all. Wishing for more would just be greedy.”
With that, Lather stood up for a moment and pulled out a stack of thin books from a shelf behind him.
“This is my farewell gift. Please give it to the children.”
“Your Grace, what is this?”
“They’re fairy tales from Yuben. I thought something warm and soft would be better than sharp and hard objects since they’re still young.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the unexpected gift.
Fairy tales—a lovely and meaningful present for children. Even I hadn’t thought of giving fairy tales while busy playing with the kids.
“I’ve already given a similar gift to Erich. So please don’t feel burdened.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. I’ll be sure to tell the children it’s from you.”
“Just hearing that makes my heart flutter.”
Once again, Lather smiled. Perhaps it was because he was in his honeymoon phase, or maybe he was simply happy to reconnect with an old friend—his smiling face had become more frequent than during our academy days.
Compared to a few years ago, Lather seemed much more gentle as he saw us off to the main gate, expressing his hopes that we would meet again someday if fate allowed it.
With that farewell, we finished our preparations to return home. We had everything packed and given our thanks to Lather. There was no longer any reason for us to stay in Yuben, so we were free to go back light-hearted.
“In the end, all we imported from Yuben were beasts.”
However, I was returning with results that were somewhat different from what I had initially hoped for.
Originally, I aimed to scour for various trade goods based on the cultures from the opposite side of the continent. But somehow, I ended up only buying beasts and not any unique trading goods.
“Well, so what? If we cultivate them well, the horns of the buffalo will be distributed between the royal family and our house. It’s definitely not a loss.”
Yet, I didn’t feel disappointed. These beasts held more value than your average trading goods.
It’s much easier to raise creatures previously unseen in the Empire and sell their accessories rather than establish trade routes with countries on the other side of the continent.
“That’s true. So, should we head straight to Behemoth?”
“No.”
I firmly shook my head at Lin’s suggestion.
Since they mentioned that the beasts were being sent through teleportation, they must have already arrived at the Empire before us. They’d probably be nibbling on grass around Behemoth and beginning their peaceful life there.
What really mattered now wasn’t whether the beasts had safely arrived. It was something I needed to check more than anything else.
“First, let’s go to the Capital. There’s someone I need to see.”
My dear brother, who would be shedding tears of joy upon receiving that surprise gift.
I felt like my heart wouldn’t be at ease until I witnessed his emotional breakdown firsthand.
A smile burst forth from my satisfaction.
“Congratulations! You’ve acquired titles to pass down to your children.”
Erich greeted me looking rather dejected. However, when I echoed back what I had heard, his previously glazed-over eyes lit up with excitement.
“But just a Baron title? Regardless of being a hereditary title, it feels a bit lacking. Should I ask His Majesty to elevate it?”
He quickly fell back into his funk.
He must be feeling anxious. While he’d wonder if such a rank could easily be obtained, the possibility of me actually being able to pull it off might frighten him. His emotions were showing clearly in his eyes.
‘Well, who told you to run away?’
Even though my nephew was the pretext, it didn’t change the fact that he had left me behind. My affection goes to my cute little nephew, not my grown brother.
Besides, seeing as I had asked, it was clear that the Emperor was at least considering giving him a title himself. Even if I never said a word, this future was unavoidable for him. That future simply got pushed a little closer.
“So, where’s your territory?”
“I’m near Kroita…”
“Oh.”
What a fortunate coincidence! Being close to Kroita fits perfectly with my grand ambitions. With a bit of luck, Erich’s territory could develop into a historical and tourist attraction district.
“You won’t have time to manage your territory anyway, right? I’ll integrate it with mine for management. Is that okay?”
“You’re welcome to take it.”
“I don’t want to be the uncle taking a title from his nephew.”
Bringing up the future nephew made Erich close his eyes sadly.
If he had still been single, titles and territories would have been mere burdens. However, the moment he married, everything turned into a legacy to pass on to his children. It’s not something to cast aside lightly.
“Regardless of how many times he’ll be, I’ll ensure our nephew can live solely off tourism income.”
“Just hearing that makes me happy…”
Erich looked on the verge of tears, moved by my vow.
Is there anyone else like this brother in the world? He could be happier and more moved than anyone else, and I’m totally okay with that.
*
New little ones kept pouring in without rest.
– You all look quite peculiar.
– Uunn, ummuuuhhh…
– Don’t be afraid. I will take care of you as if you were my children.
These youngsters looked like cows but boasted hefty horns.
– Uummuuhhhh!
– Uunn?
Even bigger horned youngsters were bouncing around here and there.
Right, these little ones are likely still unfamiliar with human hands. If they were used to humans, they wouldn’t be jumping around so wildly just because their environment changed.
– Calm down.
With a heavy heart, I approached the little ones with big horns.
Despite the hundreds of them, it didn’t matter. All beasts are my children. Whether there are hundreds or thousands, it’s perfectly manageable, and I have to care for them.
– This land is mine, where I will protect you. There’s nothing to fear, so don’t worry.
– Uummuuhhh…
– Uummuuhhh…
The little ones, who had been frightened of me, slowly started to calm down.
Such gentle little creatures. They were only acting wildly out of survival instincts in the harsh wilderness, becoming defensive against humans in order to protect themselves.
– Hm.
That said, how did these children end up here? I’m glad to have new little ones to tend to, but…
– Kkuruk, kurururu!
Especially since they’re odd little creatures not seen in this Empire.
“Behemoth.”
– Hmm? What is it?
While I was looking down at these diverse and unique little ones, I heard an all-too-familiar voice and turned my head.
Is he the local governor? A human who manages Kroita, carrying precious memories. I’m always grateful to him.
“These are beasts sent by His Majesty the Emperor and Count Tailglehen. They are beasts that would be difficult to survive in the Empire, and they requested your assistance.”
– I see.
Understanding the situation based on the governor’s words.
– Worry not. If they’re in my sight, every one of them will live the best life possible.
At the same time, I understood my own role.
Without overthinking it, I must care for these little ones so they grow up smiling. That’s what I did two thousand years ago.
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