Turan could guess that his father must have helped his mother escape.
Otherwise, where would she have gotten a good horse capable of running thousands of kiloters, and how did she evade Zahar's trackers?
"Well, are you satisfied?"
Alos, who had been quietly listening from behind, spoke in an insinuating tone.
Turan hesitated for a mont before nodding.
Given the circumstances, he was confident other houses couldn't provide more detailed information than this.
Just confirming that there was no point in trying to find his mother's relatives was a significant gain in itself.
Though he didn't learn who his father was among Zahar's nobles or knights, or why he hadn't stayed with his mother, that would probably beco clear when he went to the Enril Desert later...
Above all, indirectly experiencing what his mother had been like in the past that he hadn't known.
That fact alone was enough to satisfy him.
"From now on, Kalamaf is yours. Please govern faithfully according to the contract."
Hearing Turan's answer, Alos smiled showing his white teeth.
==
With all matters concluded upstairs, Kalamaf City began preparations in earnest to transfer governing rights to House bern.
So civil servants from Bigen City ca over to take over certain duties and inspect the city's condition, and they all couldn't help but marvel at the related docunts.
"My goodness, are these numbers even possible..."
"It's literally like a corpse coming back to life."
Looking at population and financial records, Kalamaf was indeed no different from a city that had died and been resurrected.
Relying solely on the power of one person.
The person who created such a miracle, Turan, was packing his belongings one last ti.
"Ti for another journey. Should be fun, right Bize?"
[Where to?]
"We're going to a place called the Sky Library in the southwest. Co to think of it, you won't be able to see the Librarian Elder. Since I'm going secretly, it might be hard to bring you in."
This ti he planned to sneak in while concealed, complete his business, and leave.
The first ti he had gotten formal permission to enter in case there were secret asures that could detect even Zahar's concealnt, but now he knew there weren't any such things.
Given his current mana, it was unlikely, but it would be troubleso if the head there tried to cling to him about marrying his daughter again.
"Co to think of it, I really stayed here a long ti."
The longest he had stayed in one place since starting his journey was the month spent with House Berk, but he had sohow spent two or three months here in Kalamaf, making it his longest stay.
Turan checked his city hall lodging room one last ti before opening the door and stepping out.
Daruk, who had now stepped down from his position as mayor, bowed to him.
"Have you co, Great Turan."
His title had beco "Great Turan" now that he had officially stepped down from the position of guardian.
The one who had saved Kalamaf City from death, achieving great deeds that other nobles wouldn't dare attempt.
"Must be disappointing not being able to continue as mayor."
"It was a position beyond my station anyway. Plus I'm too old now."
Well, since Daruk was sixty-six or so, it was indeed ti for soone who wasn't a wizard to rest at ho.
"Please accept this first."
"What's this?"
Daruk opened a chest that had been beside Turan's room and revealed a large quantity of gold and silver coins.
Where did this poor city get such wealth?
"The citizens collected it. It's money from selling the animal furs that Great Turan brought and selling excess stone materials, so it should rightfully return to its original owner."
"Use it for the city."
"If left here, it would beco House bern's property rather than the citizens'. Please don't refuse."
Turan looked at Daruk and realized, like last ti, that he wouldn't back down.
Probably around eight hundred gold coins and two thousand silver coins.
It was far too much to fit in a backpack, but he had the large capacity pouch received from isa.
After confirming the money was put away, Daruk smiled and spoke.
"May I escort you to the outside one last ti?"
"By all ans."
While following, Turan sensed presences outside with his holy relic's perception.
Thousands of people lined up in the square a bit away from city hall...
Superior detection ability wasn't so good at tis like this.
These things should be seen without knowing in advance to be surprised and feel good.
["Ahhhhhhh----!"]
As expected, what greeted Turan as he exited city hall was an enormous crowd that seed to include all of Kalamaf's citizens.
Mostly composed of elderly people and children—survivors of the old ruined Kalamaf.
They were waving makeshift flags made of sticks and cloth, which had crude drawings like emblems of a black eagle and a man.
There were also embarrassing phrases like "Long live Great Turan" and "Our Savior."
"This is embarrassing."
"Please don't say that. Just for today, everyone has gathered to praise your greatness."
Turan scanned the faces of those looking at him.
Infinite gratitude, sadness at his departure, worship and praise...
Those reactions, sotis positive and sotis negative, were what he had seen over the past few months, but knowing he wouldn't see them anymore made him feel newly wistful.
'Did I actually like being praised like this?'
Feeling embarrassed at discovering this childish side of himself, Turan quickened his pace.
As he reached the city gate through the gathered crowd, he saw sothing standing there.
The citizens who had been waiting revealed a three-ter statue as they quickly pulled off a white cloth.
A young man with a black eagle at his side.
It was an exact sculpture of Turan.
"...When did you make this?"
"It's a bit rough since we made it hurriedly, but we plan to make better ones later. They're installed at all four city gates."
Daruk answered cheerfully from beside him.
If he had passed through the gates even once he would have noticed, but he hadn't known because he always rode Bize.
Well, even if he had glimpsed it, he wouldn't have thought it was a statue carved in his image.
At most he would have assud they were just constructing new buildings.
"Doesn't House bern dislike it?"
"We got permission in advance. They were also happy that these statues would clearly show how the city's ruling rights were transferred."
"It must still be hard to make a living..."
"Sotis there are things more important than living. For the citizens here, commorating their savior is one such thing."
["That's right!"]
Several citizens behind shouted in agreent with Daruk's words.
Turan, who had been scolding them a few tis out of embarrassnt, closed his mouth and passed by the statue through the city gate.
Far away, he could see the now-familiar rocky mountains of the Grey Zone.
He tried to think of so impressive final speech as he looked back one last ti, but perhaps due to the statue's impact, nothing ca to mind.
"Well... I had thought of many impressive things to say but can't rember now."
"What need is there for words? Everything you have done until now is more precious than that."
Since when had this old man beco such a smooth talker?
Turan moved his lips several tis trying to say sothing, but eventually just ordered Bize to take flight quickly.
The familiar floating sensation as the ground rapidly receded.
Looking back, he could see so citizens finally letting their held-back tears flow.
And so, Kalamaf's savior left the city.
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