I returned to the inn.
I gathered everyone except Hans and the other mbers who had gone to the Dran ancestral city.
Then, I explained the information I'd heard from Nell, as well as what I was certain of and what I could deduce.
"Donnie, write a letter and send it to the Laiza guildmaster. Only the guildmaster should read it, not the subordinates."
"What should I write?"
"Write that you know the truth about the incident from 12 years ago. If they interfere with our business, that incident will be revealed again. We wish for your rchant guild to escape from the grand duke's grasp. Roger Hader."
Donnie quickly wrote it down and asked,
"Will this be enough?"
"He'll want to et. The Laiza guildmaster probably doesn't feel favorably toward the grand duke anyway."
"Understood."
Knock, knock.
"Who is it?"
"It's Eilin. Could I see you for a mont?"
I nodded to the mbers and stood. When Donnie opened the door, Eilin's eyes grew wide, as if she hadn't realized our mbers were there.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were in a eting."
"No, not at all. Please, then."
The mbers left the room.
Eilin hesitated. I walked out with her.
"Shall we go to the dining hall?"
"No, if it's alright with you, let's talk here."
"Please do."
I brought over a chair and set it in the room.
Eilin sat in that chair, and I sat on the bed.
Eilin spoke with a smile.
"As a matter of fact, I have a relative in the capital who'd like to et with you."
"A relative?"
"Yes, my uncle. I told him I'd co to the capital, and he said I should stop by."
"Of course. When should I go?"
"My uncle is quite busy, but how about this evening?"
"That sounds good."
"Alright."
With a smile, Eilin imdiately stood up.
The timing was truly curious. It had only been a few hours since I'd heard about her true identity from Nell.
/ / /
Dressed in formal wear, I left the inn.
Eilin, herself clad in splendid attire, waited for .
Soon, a grand carriage stopped in front of the inn. A middle-aged man in fine clothes stepped down from the carriage.
"Please board, young lady."
"Thank you."
The middle-aged man bowed deeply and greeted Eilin as she boarded the carriage.
I climbed in as well, and he treated
with equal politeness.
Inside, the carriage was even more luxurious.
Eilin seed like a completely different person—a true young lady of a high-ranking noblehouse.
"You grow more beautiful each ti I see you, young lady."
"Thank you. Is my uncle well?"
"Of course."
With that, the carriage began to move and conversation ceased—as if that had been agreed beforehand.
After half an hour, the carriage stopped.
The place we arrived at was not what I had expected.
It was before a wide garden.
I had no idea Eilin's uncle would be here.
We walked through the garden, led by a servant.
Soon, a man in his forties ca out from a large manor. He wore a white top with navy pants.
"Oh! How long has it been?"
"Have you been well?"
"Of course. You've beco much prettier."
The man in his forties and Eilin embraced.
Anyone would see they were an uncle and niece eting after a long while.
"So, your father isn't well?"
"Nothing to worry about. I think he just pushed himself too hard over the years. He says he wants to rest for a while."
"I hear you're leading the rchant guild now—is that true?"
"Yes. I'm learning a lot."
"Well done. I'm sorry this little uncle of yours hasn't been able to help. Now, is this the young master you ntioned?"
Only then did his attention turn to .
"It's an honor to et you. I am Roger Hader, leading a small rchant guild."
Eilin's uncle greeted
with a beaming smile and a respectful nod.
I responded in the manner appropriate for eting an elder.
"Thank you for coming. Our Eilin wanted to introduce you, and I was curious."
"It's a great honor."
Smiling warmly, her uncle led us over. There was a table set under a canopy in the well-tended garden.
"Please, sit down. It's been a while since I dined in the garden myself."
The uncle sat first, and Eilin and I took our seats.
Soon, the dishes began to arrive.
"You're from the empire, young master?"
"Yes. As I ntioned, I co-manage the rchant guild, and this is my first ti in Robe Republic."
"You ca with no acquaintances here?"
"That's correct. We thought direct trade would benefit both sides more than relying on interdiary rchants."
"That's true. The middlen take a fee that's half the worth of the goods themselves."
Eilin's uncle gazed at
quietly. His eyes were sharp, yet there was more warmth than authority in them.
"Are you a noble?"
"Yes."
Eilin's uncle looked at her in surprise, then at . As if he'd been unaware or she hadn't ntioned it.
"I thought nobles of the empire disdained comrce, but it seems that's not always so."
"It is not so with us."
"Astonishing. You seem even more impressive than any knight I've seen."
"You praise
too much."
This ti, it was Eilin's turn to be surprised.
Maybe she hadn't understood everything her uncle had implied.
"If you intend to open your own trade route, that conflicts with the interests of the empire's tycoons and the church. Do you realize this?"
"Of course. We have no dealings or connections with them."
"I see."
There was a subtle smile on his lips.
For , it was a aningful smile.
"That ans... conflict with the Laiza rchant Guild is inevitable."
"You are exactly right."
"The elders, too, will surely hinder the business of you and the Dalin rchant guild."
"I expect as much."
"That would an hindering my business as well."
Eilin's uncle took a sip of wine, maintaining a smile.
I lapsed into thought.
So, Eilin had resolved to stand against the Laiza rchant Guild.
She had displayed an inexplicable confidence and there'd been no trouble at all passing into the capital.
All of this had been possible because of this uncle's presence.
Because he stood opposed to the Laiza rchant Guild and the elders, deputy-guildmaster Nell also believed we would be the victors.
Since Eilin's uncle ate quietly, so too did Eilin and I. At this mont, her uncle was weighing a montous decision.
"How long do you plan to stay?"
"About a week."
"And you found a thod?"
"I did."
His expression brightened instantly. Whatever doubt he'd held about a decision seed to have been resolved.
"Eilin."
"Yes, uncle?"
"I prepared so gifts for the house. Go and pick whichever you like."
"Then I'll excuse myself first."
Eilin stood and left the table with a smile. She seed to sense that a serious conversation would follow.
Her uncle, watching her fondly, turned to
with an even deeper and kinder expression.
"What is this thod?"
"I have learned the truth about the incident twelve years ago."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. There is a witness who knows the face of the accomplice."
"A witness... is it related to the grand duke Syren?"
"It is."
A smile appeared on her uncle's face.
He'd apparently had his own suspicions.
"Did you... co here knowing everything?"
"It was just due to fate."
"So you t the Dalin rchant guild and Eilin without knowing who they were?"
"That's right."
Her uncle stroked his chin, seeming lost in thought, as if recalling old mories.
"Your surna is Hader, correct?"
"Yes."
Eilin's uncle smiled subtly. I couldn't interpret the aning of that smile.
"My brother must have been waiting for you."
"What do you an?"
"My brother not only relinquished his claim to the throne, later he even moved to a fishing village. Even considering his grief at losing his wife, I was always puzzled by that. But it was to wait for you."
"He knew about ?"
Her uncle smiled again.
"It was no re coincidence that you ca to this land and t Eilin. My brother knew you would co. He prepared that eting in advance."
"How could he have known about ?"
"Well... even if I know, what could I say? Go to the Dran ancestral city. After my brother visited there long ago, he left everything behind."
So. eting Eilin, and then eting her uncle thanks to her, was no accident.
Indeed, since coming here, it had felt as though fate wove everything just so.
I wanted to ask more, but her uncle was already lost in other thoughts as he looked at .
"Do you think you can defeat the grand duke?"
"I surely will."
"Then go forth. I'll help in any way I can."
"I can only be grateful."
"It's I who am grateful. No one knows what will happen, but whatever does, this will be sothing upon which the fate of this country hangs. With you on our side—and making money through business too—what more could I wish for?"
That sothing would happen referred to the grand duke Syren's hidden sches.
He believed that was the reason the grand duke held such power over the country.
"Let's set this country right before the grand duke acts. Please help ."
"I will gladly help."
"Truly, this is a delightful evening."
And so the al finished.
Eilin's uncle bid us farewell with a gentle farewell, promising we'd see each other again.
Upon boarding the carriage, I found gifts for myself as well.
A royal signet ring and a box of gold coins.
It was both a gratuity from the king of Robe and pocket money from Eilin's uncle, asking
to look after Eilin.
/ / /
Two carriages and five horses sped toward the west.
There was no reply from the Laiza guildmaster on the day the letter had been sent, so we set off the next day.
The Laiza guildmaster was surely agonizing, so the side feeling anxious would be theirs.
Duke Mart would need ti to judge how things stood as well.
It seed likely the king of Robe would also apply pressure to the Laiza rchant Guild.
Thus, it was clear what decision their guildmaster would need to make.
"We're almost there!"
Donnie shouted.
I opened the carriage window and looked out—a huge fortress ca into view.
Rather than a city built on level ground, it was a fortress inside a large gorge.
Its architectural style was different from human buildings.
I asked Eilin,
"There must have been Dran's ancestral city in those mountains!"
"Yes! We have to go even deeper, but this gorge is the closest to the original village! Past these mountains, there are only endless mountains beyond!"
The mountain range towering to the west was the largest and longest on the Beltern Continent.
It split the continent vertically, and its tributaries divided the north and central regions.
Thanks to this geography, Tern could not invade Robe all this ti.
The shores were packed with cannons as well.
We wound our way down the mountain, circling dizzyingly. With no flat ground, the road was just as rough even after coming down from the mountain.
At last, we arrived in front of the fortress and disembarked.
All of us were relieved to finally set foot on firm ground after the ordeal inside the carriage.
In front of the fortress gate, Hans and two mbers were there to greet us.
Having followed my instructions, they had arrived early to handle things.
"You may go right in."
"Good job."
"Don't ntion it."
We followed Hans toward the fortress gate.
Urald and Wundbark were overco with emotion, and the ten Dran who accompanied us wiped away tears.
With so many Dran in our group, the guards didn't even bother inspecting us. Hans's prior notice helped as well.
As we passed through the gate, exclamations burst forth.
The buildings were truly beautiful.
So much so, it was hard to put into words.
"As expected, the ancestral city is different."
"Indeed. All the skills of our tribe are present in this city."
I asked Hans,
"Did you put in a petition to the council of elders?"
"Yes. We received a reply thanking us for saving their kin, but they did not seem particularly welcoming. They said they would express their gratitude when eting the young lord."
At the plaza, the wonders of Dran architecture were on full display.
Everything was geotrically symtrical, seemingly constructed with precise proportions and calculations centered on the plaza.
We arrived at the council of elders' building.
An old Dran with a white beard ca out with his attendants, leaning on a staff.
All the Dran who had co with us paid their respects to the elder.
For an elder of such high status to co out himself was significant.
"You're young master Roger, are you not?"
"It's an honor to et you."
The elder gazed at
and the others for a long while.
"I heard you wish to slay the monster?"
"That's right."
"You an to accomplish, with only a dozen or so, what three thousand of our Dran warriors could not?"
"We can do it."
The elder fixed his gaze on
again.
He sensed my magic power.
Yet I could feel in his eyes that he still could not quite believe it.
Deep in the underground of the old Dran ancestral village, there is a Guardian. A raid boss-level monster guarding their treasure.
It was the appearance of this Guardian that forced the Dran to abandon their ancestral village.
Thus, we must defeat it to obtain the [Gate of Magic]—as well as Dran's source technology.
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