The day dawned.
Fernan still hadn’t returned.
The usual morning practice was canceled, and the group decided to carry out an urgent search in the surrounding area to find him.
“For safety, we’ll split into pairs.”
Luina with Gismond, and Aint with Verian teamed up.
Someone had to stay behind to guard Prince Tulwin Esrin, and Hyde volunteered.
“We can’t allow it to be discovered that we’re here. Be extremely careful. If you find traces of anyone other than the young master, you must retreat immediately.”
“Understood.”
The two search teams dispersed.
Aint and Verian headed in the direction Fernan had left.
“He said he was going to look for adamantite, so wouldn’t it be better to track places where there might be mineral?”
“Sounds good. But tell me, do you know how to identify where mineral might be?”
“……”
“……”
“…I’m a knight, not a miner…”
“And do I look like an explorer?”
Verian scratched the back of his head irritably.
“In these cases you have to go with the basics—follow the senior’s tracks.”
He remembered the campaign tactics lessons, where they were taught how to track an enemy or reunite with allies after separation.
“Exactly! That’s what I meant.”
“Speak less, please… Does this guy really say he wants to be emperor…?”
Aint and Verian began a serious search, striving to apply what they had learned in the Academy.
“Here are footprints.”
“Of orcs. And many of them.”
“Yes, orc tracks. Don’t tell me the senior ran into them?”
“I can’t imagine it.”
Slowly, though with firm steps, they closed in on Fernan’s trail.
“…Hey, but where are we?”
“……”
“In which direction did we come?”
“……”
They didn’t realize until they no longer knew how to return.
Meanwhile.
“The ideal would be to focus the search on places where there might be adamantite, but I have no idea how to recognize them.”
“Neither do I.”
Unlike Aint and Verian, Luina had followed Fernan’s trail from the beginning.
“That’s why I plan to track his exact footprints.”
“That would be correct, but is it possible? More than three weeks have passed since he disappeared.”
“It hasn’t rained, so it’s not impossible.”
Luina had served for years in Bercheff as an explorer and tracker.
Detecting and following footprints was one of her specialties.
“Actually, it’s easier than it seems. Humans leave tracks different from animals or monsters.”
They leave barefoot tracks. Humans, in contrast, wear boots, emit artificial scents, or even drop handkerchiefs or pendants.
“But perfume scent fades in three weeks, and Fernan would never lose his money or a necklace.”
“I think so too.”
Still, Luina found a clue.
“I’ve got it.”
“What is it?”
“A hair.”
“It’s Aria’s!”
An orange strand was caught on a branch—a trace Aria had left when she secretly followed Fernan.
“It’s this way.”
The flattened leaves and broken branches confirmed the path.
Soon, the trail ended atop a cliff.
“Here? There’s nothing.”
“Let’s check around.”
“What if we rest a bit? We’ve gone hours without a break.”
“…Alright.”
Luina sat on a rock, wiping sweat.
‘Where are you, Fernan?’
At first, for one or two days, she wasn’t worried.
After all, it was about adamantite—nothing unusual.
But when days became weeks, it was different.
The Fernan she knew would never vanish for three weeks without word.
At least he would’ve sent a message telling them to go forward.
She thought that with Wooden by his side he would be safe, but she couldn’t stop worrying that the corrupt might have prepared another trap.
Almost by reflex, she pulled out the little chocolate box she always carried.
“Ah.”
It was empty.
Whenever it emptied, Fernan would appear as if by magic and refill it.
“We must find him as soon as possible…”
Luina sprang to her feet. And at that moment, the ground trembled.
“…What was that?”
“Something’s coming…”
About ten meters away, a mound of earth exploded, and suddenly two figures appeared.
“…Eh?”
“…Eh?”
“…Why are you here?”
“Rather, what are you doing…?”
“……!”
Aria and Gismond looked at each other, surprised. Meanwhile, Fernan was stunned when Luina rushed to hug him.
“…What’s this all of a sudden?”
“Where were you, Fernan?”
“Weren’t you told, Gismond?”
“Yes, but… more than two weeks have passed.”
“There was a setback.”
“Setback? Did you make any discovery?”
Luina’s eyes grew wide. Fernan’s aura had changed drastically compared to three weeks ago.
“I reached a new understanding.”
“Congratulations. Ah, sorry.”
Realizing her boldness, Luina quickly stepped back, cheeks flushed.
“I… it’s just that…”
“It’s fine. I’m happy to see you too. Did you come to look for me?”
“…Yes. We were worried you were taking so long.”
“…I appreciate that.”
“What are the two of you doing exactly?”
“Reuniting.”
“That seems more than a simple reunion…”
Under Aria’s narrowed gaze, Luina changed the subject.
“So, did you find the adamantite?”
“Ah… the adamantite.”
“Right, that was the mission.”
“How could I forget it!”
Fernan again lunged toward the hole from which he had emerged.
“Where are you going now!”
“To look for the adamantite!”
“…Eh?”
His figure vanished, swallowed by the darkness of the underground.
Thud, thump.
“Relax, Wooden. My heart’s beating normally.”
He forced himself to calm his nerves.
— Kyu?
“You say I’m red? In this darkness, how would you see my face?”
He still felt the imprint of Luina’s embrace on his body.
‘…Did she use perfume?’
No, Luina never did. Yet, there remained a pleasant scent.
“Focus on the adamantite, Fernan. Forgetting the essential is unworthy of a merchant.”
Wooden extended his roots to explore.
Meanwhile, Aria was in a bind.
“Aria, what really happened?”
“Ah, well… you see…”
Aria gave a nervous laugh.
“Nothing happened.”
“Do you want me to believe nothing happened, when you didn’t bring the adamantite, Fernan changed completely, and even you gained new power?”
“Yes, not even a stray dog would believe that.”
“…Well, maybe a dog would…”
“Are you joking with me?”
“No, seriously—nothing happened!”
Aria was unsure whether she should keep the secret even from them. Just in case, she decided to stay quiet.
“Your staff looks different, Aria. It looks better.”
“Yes! I changed it recently.”
“Did you find it underground?”
“Yes, there was a hidden Pellenberg branch down there. It was surprising, wasn’t it?”
‘Senior, come back soon!’
She thought, forcing a smile.
***
Three weeks could be considered a long or short time. For Esrin, it was undoubtedly the former.
When Fernan returned after finally securing nearly 1 kg of adamant, the situation was very different.
“The third prince’s faction collapsed.”
Hyde gave the report.
The third prince and all his guards had disappeared.
At first, they thought he was just taking too long, but after a week, they discreetly began a search.
They couldn’t do it openly, because the other princes might find out.
“The searches are focused on the cave where the corrupt tried to lure Aint. They’ll probably get here in a few days.”
“Good thing we weren’t too late.”
Fernan let out a sigh of relief.
The three weeks spent navigating traps had been a unique opportunity, but if it had ruined the plan, it would’ve been a major issue.
“And the Golden Turtle?”
“Most of the war supplies have already been sold. Since the third prince’s movements became erratic, the other princes started buying weapons more fervently.”
“Excellent.”
It had been worth locking himself away in the mountains for over three weeks.
“But where did you really go? They said it wasn’t for adamant.”
“I found a dungeon believed to have been built by the first pontiff. Once you enter, you can’t leave until you reach the end. It was quite the ordeal.”
“…So that realization you achieved…?”
“That’s right.”
Fernan showed a greedy smile.
“I struck gold. There were truly impressive things.”
Hundreds of magic lamps, a large number of potions, the Dragon Heart, and even a white dragon statue.
It was, without a doubt, the best treasure imaginable.
“…If the Dragon God Cult finds out, they’ll cause a huge uproar.”
“That’s why it must stay secret. No one else must know.”
He had already told Luina, Gismond, and also Aint and Verian—but the confidences ended there.
“Those of us here are the absolute limit.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Then, it was time to return.
“What could we get from the first prince to call this a success?”
“The Golden Turtle’s profit doesn’t count as Aint’s gain.”
After all, it was Aint who sent the letter asking the first prince for help.
Maximizing the Golden Turtle’s profits was just extra income, not legitimate compensation.
“Bring Aint.”
“Yes.”
Shortly after, Hyde left and Aint entered.
“Congratulations, senior. Aria told me what happened.”
“I’ll select a few things and give them to you.”
“Thank you. But if it was just piles of grimoires, is there anything useful for me?”
Fernan had agreed with Aria to tell them almost everything, but kept the Dragon Heart a secret.
That item was incomparable, and if it was discovered that he had absorbed it, it wouldn’t be a simple matter to handle.
Staffs, books, and potions could be returned without issue, but what he had already consumed could not.
“There were quite a few supreme-level potions. Take them as if they were an extra life.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Besides that, I called you to close this matter.”
Fernan rolled a recording orb across the table containing everything that had happened.
“You fulfilled your mission perfectly on behalf of Esrin’s first prince. You should receive your reward.”
“Exactly.”
“Just asking—do you know how to negotiate well?”
“…No, not really.”
During the summer break, he had learned a bit from his father, but he didn’t feel confident.
“Then, do you know what you could ask the Kingdom of Esrin for?”
“Not that either…”
Aint wasn’t meticulous enough to have researched everything about a foreign country in advance.
“In that case, you have two options.”
Fernan pulled out a document.
“A contract?”
“Yes, a contract.”
It had only one clause.
【Fernan Pellenberg will be the primary contractor (A) and Aint Armian the secondary (B).
Clause 1. A will help B obtain the best possible reward in the negotiation with Esrin, and B will give A 30% of that reward.】
“You can negotiate with Esrin on your own, or follow my guidance and give me a portion in return.”
“It’s simple.”
Aint signed the contract without hesitation.
“You’re not even going to think about it for a bit?”
“As long as I give you 30%, I’ll earn double what I would alone. It’s obvious.”
Aint knew his own value clearly.
____
Join the discord!
https://dsc.gg/indra
