“Did everyone pack their stuff well?”
“Yeah!”
Everyone had their hands full with their luggage.
Well, it was only natural.
With more than a month to stay in the Empire’s capital, they had to bring along all the assignments and clothes they needed for vacation, along with their valuables.
“Karina. Black hair suits you.”
“Really?”
“It feels like I should stick by you all day to keep the flies away.”
Karina smiled brightly, seemingly pleased with my compliment. That killer smile was impossible to hide by just changing her hair and eye colors.
“Then let’s take the portal to the capital.”
We moved to a corner of Yeomyeong-gwan, where we had pre-dug a tunnel. The large hole, big enough for a dozen people to fit in, was gently illuminated by lamps placed throughout the passage.
“Do you think anyone would believe there’s an underground passage beneath the academy?”
“Well, some people might know, like Martina, or…”
“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Martina in quite a while.”
No, don’t look at me like that. I’m not some randy dog suddenly wanting to add more girls to the mix. I have no feelings for her at all.
“…Don’t look at me like that. Do I really seem like someone who just brings random people in?”
“…Considering what you just said, you’ve already got four…”
“Yeah, yeah! At this rate, it might even go over ten!”
“If you’re a contractor, that might just be possible!”
Where in the world is my reputation going? I let out a sigh and gave Millia a light flick on the forehead.
“Ouch!”
“Stop saying weird things. I’m perfectly happy with just you guys.”
“…Right?”
“…If I come to my senses, it wouldn’t be strange to have another girl next to the uncle.”
Viola, what are you saying? I’m not a playboy. If I keep this up, I might end up fighting an outsider and dying, instead of getting surrounded by girls saying ‘let’s share.’
No matter how you slice it, I wouldn’t survive a sharing ending, so I really had no intention of increasing my romantic interests.
I was actually pretty scared of what the future might look like if I did, plus I doubted there would be someone who would like me beyond these four beauties.
“…You know what happens if you anger Karina, right?”
“I am not a player.”
“Uncle seems to have surpassed just being a player at this point.”
Viola shot back with an incredulous expression. She seemed a bit moody today.
Could it be…
“Johann, Johann! But where will we sleep once we get to the capital?”
“Hmm… I just realized, with this many people, staying at the Duke’s residence might be a bit awkward.”
I slightly grasped the heavy pouch of money hanging at my waist. The nice feeling of it. It was about time to spend some of this money.
“Let’s find a mansion to stay in while we’re in the capital.”
“Excuse me?”
“What?”
As I looked around at the surprised faces of my companions, I shrugged my shoulders.
“Money is meant to be spent.”
—————
“Welcome, Sir Quartz.”
See, I told you becoming famous was the key. I casually swept my gaze over the team crossing the portal with me, checking each one off the list.
Karina, Millia, Elisa, Sif, Viola, Lewis, Shuri, Rue, Renny, Lulu, Terry.
As a total of twelve people, including me, stepped through, gasps of awe erupted from everywhere.
All of us looked stunningly beautiful, after all.
As soon as Elisa and Karina naturally grabbed hold of my arms, everyone’s gaze shifted towards me. I glanced around as a warning, and the stares that had once been on us vanished as if they had never existed.
Then a clean-shaven middle-aged man approached and greeted me.
“I am Kongru, the head of the Mage Guild in the Empire’s capital.”
…What a unique name.
“It is an honor to meet the famous Sir Quartz.”
“Too much praise.”
“Haha, you are so humble. The formalities are already done, so you can leave right away.”
It’s hard to get used to this older guy speaking so respectfully to me, considering he looks at least twice my age.
But honestly, I didn’t mind getting a few perks due to this fame.
“Then please be careful, Sir Quartz.”
“When I return, I hope to count on you again, Kongru.”
We quickly exited the Mage Guild and stepped onto the capital’s main street.
Checking on the number of people behind me, I noticed that most of them seemed wide-eyed, as if they were country folks visiting the city for the first time.
“Wow…”
“This is the most dazzling city in the continent…”
“It’s amazing!”
“That far away is the Imperial Palace, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Hehe, looks like everyone is here for the first time.”
Oh, come to think of it, had Karina been here before?
“Everyone, pay attention.”
I addressed the children who were lined up like ducklings following their mother.
“You can get sick of sightseeing the capital, but for now, we’re heading to the House of Duke Ryan. Got it? Don’t get distracted and fall behind. Sif, make sure to keep an eye on the younger ones.”
“Got it! Lulu, Terry. Did you hear Johann? You better stay close, okay?”
“Yup!”
“You have to stick close to Johann~~”
“Can’t we look around first?”
“No. I’ll let you explore as much as you want later, so bear with it for now. We’re already attracting a lot of attention, after all.”
Should I buy them some hats to hide their faces? Look at those guys pretending not to look while definitely staring.
I stared at Elisa but managed to tear my gaze away from a man getting smacked on the back of the head by a woman who could be his girlfriend or wife, and started walking toward the Duke’s residence.
The Mage Guild and the House of Duke Ryan were not far apart, so we could reach the front gate of the Duke’s residence in about 15 minutes.
“Sir Quartz, what brings you here?”
“I’ve come to discuss something with Lord Kalintz.”
“Understood.”
It was easier since it was a knight I was familiar with. While one young knight went to open the door and announce our presence, I turned to the kids standing aimlessly behind me.
“Don’t cause too much of a ruckus at the House of Duke Ryan, understood?”
“Yup.”
“Haha, looks like you’ve brought a lot of guests this time.”
“I wanted to show them around the capital.”
“You really know how to take care of business, don’t you?”
“If you catch a demon, you could do it too.”
“Haha, I think I’ll just live as I am.”
As I jokingly chatted with the guard, I lost track of time until the guard who went inside approached us and shouted.
“Come on in!”
“Welcome to the House of Duke Ryan, Sir Quartz. And… your companions.”
The colossal doors, large enough for two carriages to pass side by side, swung wide open, revealing the splendor of the Duke’s mansion.
“It’s magnificent…”
“Whoa, this building is amazing…”
“How much money would you need to build a mansion like this…?”
Hearing their amazement from behind, I stepped confidently into the mansion.
————
“It’s been a while.”
“Almost four months, right? How have you been?”
“I’ve been the same as usual.”
“Hi!”
“Long time no see, Amy.”
“There are so many people! Is it a party?”
Amy, who was waving at me while being held by Lord Kalintz, asked with a curious face. I quietly shook my head and answered her question.
“No, these are students here to sightsee the capital.”
“Is that so?”
“Haha, it seems our Amy is fascinated by the number of people.”
“This is the first time so many have come to our house!”
Her face is melting.
I momentarily glanced at Lord Kalintz, who seemed to enjoy Amy’s cute antics, then I cleared my throat quietly.
“Ahem.”
“This old man is being foolish. So, I see you need a place to stay during the debutante season, huh?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Could you recommend a nice mansion? I’m thinking of acquiring a place here in the capital.”
“Why not stay in this mansion?”
“No, I have things to do, and I will need to go out quite frequently… Plus, I think it’s good to set up a base in the capital for future matters. I can’t rely on the Duke’s residence forever, can I?”
“Mansions in the capital are quite expensive.”
“Could you tell me how much a suitable mansion would cost?”
“Hmm… It’ll take at least ten thousand gold coins.”
“Oh, that’s cheaper than I thought.”
I was expecting at least twenty thousand gold coins for the best city on the continent… but it’s surprisingly affordable.
“What did you say?”
“I think that’s manageable.”
“…You’re richer than I expected.”
“There are plenty of ways to earn money.”
Thanks to the support from Headmaster Merlin, the prosthetic arm business, and a hefty reward from Dern for saving him, I must have money to spare.
“Then I’ll have my butler look for suitable properties. Stay in this mansion for a few days.”
“Thank you, that would be great.”
“No need for formalities between us. It’s not like we’re strangers, right? While it may not be as comfortable as the Yeomyeong-gwan, I’ll make sure you can enjoy your stay here. Of course, the Saint will be included.”
His wrinkled eyes crinkled playfully.
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