Blossoming Innocence
Gregory made his way straight to the Radiant Light Order. Hemingway's sudden summons was suspicious.
Upon arriving at the audience hall, he displayed the proper courtesies with utmost sincerity.
"Gregory, I have co to the Radiant Light Order swiftly in accordance with my father's command."
"Was the troll subjugation successful?"
"Of course. In fact, I wished to inquire about—"
Hemingway shut his eyes tightly.
"No, first, this father has sothing to say."
He extended sothing toward Gregory. It was several letters.
"Gregory, explain these matters."
Gregory carefully accepted them and read each one. They spoke of wishing to establish exchanges with the Ar Kingdom, forming a swordsmanship academy with the famous Ashborn family of swords, and similar topics.
Even though such things were essential for delaying the war, Hemingway criticized Gregory.
"What sorts of things have you been up to?"
"My apologies. However, was I not able to delay the war?"
"Yes, though it is distasteful that we must offer food supplies to the Blandi Kingdom for about three months. Still, well done. As such, I won't press further."
Gregory expected a rebuke from Hemingway, so he lowered his head, eyes half closed—but what he received were words of praise.
"Well done."
Gregory instantly lifted his head and studied Hemingway closely. He seed nothing like the prickly, disdainful Hemingway he had first known.
"Go on. I will handle the rest as your father. You have fulfilled your duty. Though I wish I could have you tell exactly how you accomplished it, I will let it go."
Indeed, just by delaying the war, rumors about Gregory had spread far and wide. In turn, his reputation among the citizens had risen, and that reflected favorably on the standing of the Ashborn family.
It was apparent that sothing had happened at the martial arts tournant, but since it hadn't hard their honor, Hemingway chose to overlook it.
"In truth, father, there is sothing I wish to ask. The number of trolls this ti—"
"We are investigating, so wait. I am busy because of all the matters needing review. You are dismissed."
Gregory fell silent. He knew that he, more than anyone, should be busy at this ti. Upon reflection, he realized that, from Hemingway's point of view, the news that there were now multiple sources of monsters was both unprecedented and unusual.
'It's about now.'
Though he had never figured out the cause before the war ended in his past life, there had been a strange increase in the number of monster sources during that ti.
And this was now the first instance of there being multiple sources of monsters. To Gregory, based on his past life's experiences, it was natural—so he found himself harboring a grudge against Hemingway's reaction.
Back then, it was common for the number of monster sources to suddenly jump from one to three or four within a month.
While it would still be so ti before such abnormal tis repeated, if events continued to mirror the past—
'Sooner or later, it will be just like before.'
Though Gregory knew that soday the number of monster sources would increase without end, he could never bring himself to say it aloud.
He stroked the beard he had grown since the knight order examination.
Hemingway was sowhat bothered to see that Gregory didn't imdiately return to the Dawn Knight Order. However, Gregory had so things to consult about and couldn't leave just yet.
"My apologies, father, but there is sothing more I wish to request."
This action was outside Hemingway's expectations. No matter how clever, there were always variables.
Gregory's requests were twofold.
First, there were too few mbers in the Dawn Knight Order.
Second, he needed to bring Radian's family to the Ar Kingdom, to fulfill his promise.
Gregory tried to phrase the promise made to Radian as diplomatically as he could.
"At present, the Dawn Knight Order is short on mbers. There are those in the Blandi Kingdom who are secretly communicating with us. They are now in danger. If it is discovered that I am behind them, it could be risky. Would it be possible to bring them over to our side?"
It was a sowhat troubleso matter. But if they could enter the Ar Kingdom safely, that would resolve it.
"Is it not possible that they might be spies?"
Hemingway questioned Gregory's request. With such attention to detail, he'd never be deceived anywhere.
"I will take responsibility."
"You will take responsibility? So if sothing goes wrong, you would resign from the knight order?"
Gregory confidently offered himself to Hemingway. He was betting everything, putting his very animosity against the enemy nation on the line.
Thus, Hemingway chose to turn a blind eye to this incident as well. He intended to let it slide, now that Gregory was already being treated as a hero for having delayed the war.
Ignoring such a hero was out of the question. Thus, just this once, Hemingway would look the other way. That much was within his discretion.
"Very well. Investigate their backgrounds and send word to . You are dismissed."
"Thank you."
***
Gregory returned to the Dawn Knight Order. Everyone welcod him—save for Brea.
She seed unfamiliar with such situations, and the words only spun around in her mouth, never making their way out.
Gregory, after enduring such hardship, had played a pivotal role in defeating the trolls.
Alessandro, elated, joked around.
"Does this an I finally made it into the ranks of cool swordsn?"
"Yes, well done."
Gregory felt certain he would be able to foster Alessandro's growth going forward. He understood that heartfelt praise was often the best foundation for developnt.
"Gregory, I really did well, right?"
"You did well, so let's end it there."
"Tch... But at least we get to eat sothing delicious tonight, right?"
Gregory looked at Alessandro anew. When they had hunted the trolls, Alessandro had been so scrawny, but now he'd filled out considerably.
"Looks like you've been eating good food every day, huh?"
With his plump body and bald head, he had beco a round and adorable boy. Gregory reached out and ruffled his prickly head.
"Hey, n-no! Don't touch !"
Thus, Gregory was warmly welcod, and everyone proceeded with the festival preparations as planned.
As they engrossed themselves in preparations, dusk gave way to evening. With their small numbers, they gathered cozily around the campfire and made a delicious al using the ingredients Heln had set aside.
Walter, Kylas, Alia, and Leonyx excused themselves, saying the adults had things to discuss, and left with a large oak barrel full of alcohol.
With little around them but mountains, the sounds of night insects echoed all around. As their conversation continued in the llow atmosphere, ti slipped by as they chatted without noticing.
Soon, full from Heln's delicious cooking, drowsiness crept in.
Adrian lanted amid bursts of laughter.
"Ah... you're not supposed to lie down right after eating..."
Even so, Gregory was the first to lie down, using the log he'd been sitting on as a pillow and piling large leaves atop himself as a blanket.
"If you keep training, the weight will co off. Just start from tomorrow and work hard again."
At those words, Ernest and Elisabeth naturally lay down as well. The warmth spread out all around, and the sky above was filled with stars.
Before long, the light of the full moon bathed the entire forest in an enchanting glow.
Alessandro, gazing up at the night sky, shouted.
"Oh? Oh? A shooting star! Quick, make a wish!"
Just as the mood reached its peak, Brea, as always, doused the atmosphere.
"Do you really think you can make a wish co true in three seconds?"
"Then don't wish for anything."
At that, a smile spread across the lips of the prickly and difficult Brea. Through their ti together, a sense of camaraderie had developed among them, and each grew familiar with the others' personalities.
"What? You're smiling? I don't think I've ever seen you smile like this."
"I—I wasn't smiling."
Night deepened, and one by one, they closed their eyes for a sound sleep. Heln watched over their empty dishes with satisfaction.
He tucked in the leafy blankets to keep them from slipping off. Then, a bit later, Gregory, standing guard, was about to drift off when he heard the rustling of leaves.
He imdiately gripped the sword by his pillow and stood up. The others were already sleeping soundly.
"One, two, three, four."
Gregory pointed at his comrades with his fingers, doing a head count, and quickly realized one was missing.
Adrian. He had been certain Adrian was asleep, but now he was gone. Gregory, careful not to wake the others, began quietly searching the area.
'Where did that kid go at this hour?'
Gregory quickly noticed sothing odd. Footprints partially brushed aside—as if soone had intentionally covered them with dirt.
He followed the tracks, and soon the sound of a kihap—a martial shout—drifted from nearby.
'Adrian?'
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Will Heln beco soone important?
I find it weird that he is nad for a cook. I feel like there's sothing about him.
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】
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