I Became the Descendant of My Favorite Character Chapter 12 : Chapter 12

Chapter 12 A New Tune (3)

The sudden statent from Ims, saying she had sothing to tell , caught off guard.

‘With Tayon glaring so fiercely, what could possibly happen?’

The master of Panata approached slowly.

“Hello, Polarin. I am Ims Adjak, who holds a small role in Panata.”

Ims greeted with a refined voice and a bow.

“Yes, hello. Is there sothing you’d like to ask of ?”

Ims gave a faint smile and continued.

“I didn’t call for you because I have a request. Rather, I wish to give you a gift.”

“A gift?”

“Here it is.”

Ims handed a pouch that looked heavy at a glance.

When I peeked inside, it was filled with gold coins.

“10,000 pel. From now on, I’ll send this amount to you every month.”

10,000 pel.

In the poor Gullok territory, it was an amount not easily co by.

Considering that the second-hand wooden sword Gerd gifted cost about 1,500 pel, and we had to skip proper als for weeks to afford it, this wasn’t a small sum by any ans.

That much money every month?

“Why to …?”

“I’m a rchant. If I think of it as an investnt to build a connection with soone who defeated Pinnon at the age of 15, it’s a bargain.”

“It feels a bit burdenso. Equipnt would be one thing, but…”

“No. Pel is the best. If you want equipnt, buy it with that money. If you want people, buy them with money too. If it’s not enough, just let know. I’ll provide plenty.”

It was a twisted philosophy, but not entirely wrong. In this world, there were far too many things that could be solved with money.

“Is there really nothing you want in return?”

“Hmm, now that I think about it, there is sothing.”

“What is it?”

“Pinnon said of you, Polarin, that you are ‘one who walks the path of a hero,’ didn’t he? Ho ho, I hope that as you walk that path, you’ll think of our Panata from ti to ti.”

Ims sly smile felt sowhat unsettling, but I nodded silently at her words.

‘One who walks the path of a hero.’ Soler had said sothing similar to last night at Stone Mountain.

It seed Pinnon’s evaluation of had spread like wildfire.

“Alright. I’ll accept it gratefully.”

From receiving Tayon’s Special Recomndation to winning the fight against Pinnon.

The more feats I accomplished, the more people would try to keep in check, but there would also be those like Ims who invested in my future.

I couldn’t live as I had in Gullok territory.

I needed to cure my heart as soon as possible and clear this damned ga.

“Polarin, if you’re done, let’s go.”

“Yes!”

I answered Tayon loudly and turned around.

I didn’t forget to nod politely to Ims.

If Ims kept her promise, I wouldn’t have to worry about money anymore.

Now I could focus solely on the Coming-of-Age Ceremony.

And so, the journey for the Coming-of-Age Ceremony continued, until we arrived at District 3.

* * *

In the office of Milias, the leader of District 3.

For the office of a single-digit leader, one of the top three in the Adjak Autonomous Region, it was simple and neat.

Pinnon and Milias sat facing each other.

“You’ve just returned, and now you’re leaving again?”

Milias welcod Pinnon, who had returned safely, but the news of his imdiate departure filled him with concern.

“I’m thinking of visiting the High Dragon’s Nest.”

The High Dragon’s Nest.

At Pinnon’s words about heading to the sacred ground of the dragonkin, Milias’ eyes widened.

Though the descendants of Adjak, half-human and half-dragon, had ties to the dragonkin, it wasn’t a place one could casually visit.

However, it was said that undergoing the dragon’s trial at the High Dragon’s Nest could make one stronger than before—a legend passed down through the ages.

“Why there?”

“I’ve realized my shortcomings. Perhaps, without knowing it, I’ve only fought safe battles.”

“If you’re lacking, then who…?”

“It won’t take long. There’s sothing I want to test at the High Dragon’s Nest, so I’ll resolve it and return soon. In the anti, this…”

Pinnon reached to remove the Black Veil insignia, engraved with a leopard’s head, from his chest.

But Milias quickly stopped him.

“Keep it. The Black Veil needs you, and so do I.”

“…I will always be your staff, Milias.”

“Haha, aren’t you already?”

Pinnon placed his hand on the Black Veil insignia and spoke to Milias.

“Before I leave, I’ll visit Soler.”

“Do so. Soler was very worried about you.”

Pinnon left Milias’ office with proper courtesy.

There was no need for Pinnon to seek out Soler.

She was waiting for him right outside Milias’ office.

“Uncle, are you really leaving?”

“Yes, I’ve realized I’m still lacking.”

“Ugh, if you’re not here, who’s going to look at my swordsmanship?”

“Soler, I’ve taught you everything I can. With your exceptional talent, as long as you train diligently as you do now, you’ll be fine.”

Soler smiled wistfully.

She knew Pinnon’s words weren’t empty, but she, too, needed a shoulder to lean on.

To Soler, Pinnon wasn’t just one of the Black Veil mbers who followed her father.

He had looked after her in place of her busy father and was soone who would always co running for her—a person she was deeply grateful for.

Soler noticed sothing different in Pinnon’s eyes.

‘He’s looking far away, Uncle.’

Pinnon’s eyes, usually as calm as a still lake, were now surging fiercely.

And Soler knew well that it was Polarin who had caused this ripple in Pinnon’s heart.

“Have you t him?”

“Yes, he was an interesting kid. He kept downplaying himself in front of , but it all felt like a lie.”

“A lie, you say?”

“He’s got a lot of grit inside, doesn’t he?”

“Haha, I felt sothing similar.”

Pinnon let out a hearty laugh and spoke to Soler as if entrusting her with sothing.

“As of now, Polarin cannot defeat you, Soler.”

“I know. Who could beat ? Maybe Keldric or Balan, but that’s it.”

Keldric and Balan, ntioned by Soler, were promising talents from Districts 1 and 2, respectively.

They had been rivals with Soler since childhood.

But Soler was confident she wouldn’t lose to them either.

“But don’t let your guard down. There’s no such thing as ‘absolute.’ Polarin nim… he was growing even during our fight.”

“Polarin ‘nim’?”

“Well, using honorifics in advance doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“What’s that, Uncle…?”

“You’ll have to choose. Whether to beco friends with Polarin-nim or to trample the young sprout entirely.”

“That’s unlike you, Uncle Pinnon. Didn’t you always say trampling sprouts was cowardly?”

“It’s wrong for adults to interfere, but aren’t you, Soler-nim, a participant in the sa Coming-of-Age Ceremony as him?”

“What do you want, Uncle?”

“I want you to head toward glory, Soler-nim.”

“Tch.”

Soler tightly hugged Pinnon.

Then she whispered softly.

“Don’t worry about , and take care of yourself.”

“…Thank you.”

* * *

At the entrance to District 3.

By now, I was familiar with the Black Veil mbers in their uniforms standing along both sides of the road.

In the middle stood a silver-haired middle-aged man and Soler side by side.

‘Pinnon’s not here,’

I wouldn’t say I’d grown attached, but I had expected Pinnon to be here, so I found myself looking for him.

But soon, I couldn’t even think about Pinnon.

Milias showing respect and exchanging greetings with Tayon was no different from the other districts.

But even while reporting to Tayon, Milias kept glancing at .

It wasn’t because Milias lacked decorum.

I had felt sothing similar when I t Soler, but every action of his carried an air of dignity.

But now, he was… overly conscious of . And Tayon was aware of it too.

“…It seems Milias has sothing to say to you, Polarin. Go to him.”

Did the two know each other even before leading the Coming-of-Age Ceremony?

I had heard that Tayon, being in Myeolji, was harder to et than the other Twelve Swords of Adjak.

But it seed that didn’t apply to soone of Milias’ stature.

With permission granted, Milias bowed to Tayon and approached .

And the mont he faced , he grabbed my hand.

“Glad to et you! I’ve been waiting for you ever since we spoke through the communication orb.”

“H, haha… Yes, it’s a pleasure.”

Ims from District 9 had shown kindness too.

But Milias wasn’t just being kind.

“I’ll thank you again for saving Pinnon. He’s a very precious colleague and an irreplaceable friend to .”

“I don’t see Pinnon-nim. Is he… still unwell?”

“Pinnon is fine. He just left for a while, saying he needs to grow stronger.”

For a powerhouse like Pinnon to suddenly seek self-improvent through a dispatch.

It wasn’t a bad thing.

Thinking ahead to the conquest of Myeolji, the more strong allies, the better.

I didn’t entirely approve of the ways of Adjak’s descendants, but soone like Pinnon could be a great help soday.

“That aside, I promised you sothing, didn’t I? Ingelram! Bring it.”

As Milias finished speaking, a Black Veil man standing right behind him stepped forward.

Ingelram approached holding a wooden box.

If it was about a promise, it must be the Tune he ntioned through the communication orb.

Perhaps because of that, unlike Milias, the man called Ingelram didn’t seem particularly friendly toward .

He was following his master’s orders, but he clearly wasn’t pleased about giving a Tune.

“It’s the [Cutting] Tune that can be applied to weapons. With this, there’ll be nothing you can’t cut through.”

At Milias’ words, my eyes widened.

The [Cutting] Tune.

It was considered among the finest of Tunes due to its exceptional effect.

It was so difficult to obtain that even Adjak had failed to acquire it.

‘It’s supposed to be a Tune sleeping in the Dragon King’s Vault. This is a much better gift than I expected.’

Though it’s single-use and most beneficial when applied to a divine weapon, I had the ‘Branch of World Tree.’ A gift from Tayon that was in no way inferior to any divine artifact.

“…Thank you.”

As I was about to receive the wooden box from Ingelram, a clear voice rang out from sowhere.

“Wait a mont.”

Soler raised her hand with a smile on her lips.

“The [Cutting] Tune is practically a divine artifact of the district. Saving Pinnon-nim is appreciated, but we can’t just hand over a Tune so easily.”

“Soler, this is already decided. I’ll find you another Tune.”

Milias took a firm stance even with his daughter.

But Soler looked straight at , not Milias, and spoke.

“I’m not trying to take it by force. But could we have a spar to see who’s more suited for the [Cutting] Tune? Of course, only if Polarin-nim agrees.”