Chapter 23
In one of the rooms of the Bordeaux Family mansion, Ashcroft lies battered in a bed . He’s in this condition because of Angeline’s relentless attacks .
However, although Angeline won the match, she is the one with the defeated expression . In front of her is Belgriff with a harsh look and his arms folded .
“Angie… I know you’re strong . But it’s not right for the strong to attack others in such a way . ”
“But, Daddy… he started it . ”
“Just because someone else started it doesn’t mean you should behave like this . If you are going to allow your own strength to control you in that way, you should not have wielded the sword from the start . ”
Belgriff seems pretty upset . For this reason, even Miriam, Anessa and Sasha are scolded for their behavior a few moments ago . Helvetica and Selen exchange nervous glances as they watch that scene from behind .
Belgriff seems pretty upset . For this reason, even Miriam, Anessa and Sasha are scolded for their previous behavior . Helvetica and Selen exchange nervous glances as they watch that scene from behind .
“No… this is my fault… Please don’t be angry with Lady Angeline, Mr . Belgriff . ” Says Ashcroft suddenly as he lifts his upper body from the bed .
“But Sir Ashcroft, your health is important . You are one of the internal affairs officers of the Bordeaux territory…”
“And that is why I should have controlled myself better… A butler cannot let himself be carried away by emotions as I have done . Mr . Belgriff, I’m really sorry . Besides, it’s not as bad as it looks . My muscles and bones aren’t damaged… Ouch, ouch…” Ashcroft makes an expression of pain when he feels a cotton ball with disinfectant solution touching his skin .
“I appreciate you saying that… Angeline, apologize to Sir Ashcroft . ”
“Mmmu… but…”
“Angeline . ”
“…I’m sorry . ” Angeline says reluctantly .
“Well… Master… This was all my fault, please don’t get mad at Lady Angeline…” Sasha finally says .
Anessa and Miriam also apologize and bow their heads .
“We also encourage the situation… Mr . Ashcroft, I’m sorry . ”
“It wasn’t just Angie’s fault~ . I’m sorry~…”
“… You have very good friends . ” Belgriff whispers with a smile as he pats Angeline’s head . The girl is pouting, but after hearing her father’s words, her expression improved a bit .
“Well, the atmosphere in this room is a bit unusual . Lady Helvetica, you must be quite busy . Don’t worry about us and go back to the affairs of the territory . ” Says Belgriff in a cheerful tone to change the mood in the room
Helvetica smiles when she hears this . “Thank you for your concern . I will do that . Ash, I’ll bring you a healing potion later . Rest well and regain your energies . I hope you have learned from this experience . ”
“Thank you very much for your words… I have realized my own immaturity . ” Ashcroft answers and bows his head .
Helvetica laughs cheerfully, brings a chair near the bed and sits down . “Now… Since you can’t move, we’ll have to continue the work here . Count Malta will visit us very soon . ”
“What?” Ashcroft frowned suspiciously .
“A letter arrived this morning . The Count can arrive tomorrow or the day after tomorrow at the latest . ” Says Selen while nodding her head .
The conversation starts immediately, so Belgriff and the girls rush out of the room . This is not something outsiders should listen to .
“Haaa~… What should we do now? I know! Why don’t we take a walk in the village?” Belgriff says to Angeline . However, she does not answer even though she is by her side . Apparently, she is still angry about the scolding .
“Come on, don’t act like this, Angie… You know you overdid it, don’t you?”
“… Does that mean you care more about Ash than me, right Daddy?”
“Come on, don’t think like that . I know that in spite of everything, you reacted that way for my sake…”
Angeline remains silent for a while, but finally, she turns around and extends her arms . “I’ll forgive you if you hold me…”
Belgriff smiles wryly, extends her arms and lifts Angeline off the floor . She closes her eyes with satisfaction and buries her face in Belgriff’s hair .
“Mmm… I wish my Father had treated me that way…” murmurs Sasha with a bit of sadness .
Miriam smiles maliciously, stands behind Sasha and pushes her from behind . “Mr . Bell, I think Sasha wants a hug too~!”
“Whaaat? Lady Miriam?”
Seeing Sasha’s blushing face, Belgriff tilts his head . Angeline frowned a little, but finally nodded and dropped from her father’s arms .
“I still don’t think you’re good enough for Daddy… But this will be a special occasion . ”
“Well, I… Are you okay with this, Lady Angeline?”
“Yes… Daddy, give Sasha a hug . ”
“Haa~… Okay, I don’t mind… please excuse me, Lady Sasha . ”
Without giving it much thought, Belgriff extends his arms towards Sasha and lifts her off the ground in the same way he did Angeline . Thus the noblewoman ends up sitting on Belgriff’s shoulder .
Sasha can’t help but gasp when Belgriff lifts her off the ground .
“This brings back memories~ . ” says Sasha as she pats Belgriff’s head with bright eyes . “When I was little, my Father used to hold me this way…”
“I see…”
Sasha is taller than Angeline and therefore a little heavier . However, Belgriff knows that to say something like that out loud would be extremely rude, so he remains silent and continues to carry Sasha . Unfortunately, the pain in his muscles and joints didn’t allow him to hold this position for long and he ends up lowering the girl . If it had continued, it is possible that his lower back also began to hurt .
“Thank you Master!” says Sasha, already on the floor, with a radiant smile .
“Yeah, you’re welcome… By the way, I think it would be better if you stopped calling me ‘master’…”
“Mr . Bell, now it’s Ane’s turn~!”
“Hey, I don’t need that!” yells Anessa with a flushed face as Miriam pushes her from behind .
“Could I rest for a moment? My back…” says Belgriff with an awkward smile .
“That’ s right! See, Miri? He can’t do it anymore…”
“I suppose Mr . Belgriff will feel better tomorrow . What do you say, Ane~? Shall we try it tomorrow?”
“What, well… I… Yes…”
Miriam smiles broadly at Anessa’s embarrassed expression .
“Jejeje- . Then I also want a hug tomorrow~ . ”
Upon hearing that, Angeline frowned and shook her head .
“That won’t be possible, Miri… You’re too heavy . ”
“W-Wait a minute~! Who are you calling fat?!”
Everyone present begins to laugh at Miriam’s upset expression .
The residence can’t really be catalogued as luxurious . It is made of stone and wood, it is sturdy, but unpretentious . On the other hand, the furniture inside the building seems rather expensive, but they are arranged in such a way that they do not give a sense of extravagance .
A man dressed in high quality clothes sits in a chair with a sombre expression . The man appears to be in his fifties . He doesn’t seem to be exercising, his arms are flaccid and his belly is swollen . In addition, although his moustache is plentiful and long, the hair on his head has almost disappeared . This is Count Malta . The Lord of Hazel, the village west of Bordeaux .
Malta takes a sip from the glass of wine, places it abruptly on the table and then licks the drops left on his moustache .
“An S Rank adventurer, huh?… and according to rumours, she killed the Demon King . ”
In front of him is an albino girl wearing a fur hat . The girl silently watches the Count, as if she were watching a mountain of dirt .
“If you understand, then delay the plan . It would be imprudent to become the enemy of the Bordeaux Family and that adventurer at the same time . ” Says the boy wearing a hood located behind the girl .
“Hm… That means that the power of Solomon and his followers is not as great as I thought . ”
The girl’s eyebrows twitch noticeably, but the boy manages to reassure her .
“Provocations are useless . If you fail, your head will roll . Without those annoyances present, everything will go according to plan . So endure it for a while . ”
Seeing the boy’s calm and cold attitude to the end, Count Malta begins to laugh .
“So you pretend to be a first-class strategist, boy . But a piece of advice is a piece of advice,” says Count Malta as he pours more wine into his glass . “Later I will leave for Bordeaux . I will probably arrive tonight . ”
“Hey, I told you to delay the plan . ”
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“Delay? For how long? Are we going to wait until that adventurer and her party leave Bordeaux? Do you know the pain of having to lurk in the shadows until your dream becomes a reality, boy? Do you know the suffering I’ve had to endure since I was taken from power and thrown into these northern moors?!”
The Count slams the table with the hand in which he holds the glass of wine, splashing the liquid everywhere . His eyes reflect a deep feeling of hatred and envy .
“I have already waited for many years . I can’t wait any longer . The old Count Bordeaux was a formidable opponent, but in the end that man could not beat the disease . His daughter is also impressive, but she is only a woman . It won’t be too difficult . She doesn’t compare to the big shots hidden in the Capital…”
Count Malta has spent the last few years gathering comrades who oppose the Bordeaux Family . In the beginning, the Bordeaux Family was dedicated to agriculture . And although the peaceful policy they established favored the commoners and as a result, they gained great support among the people of the region, there were some nobles who felt animosity toward these ideas . According to them, wealth and power had to revolve around the nobility .
In addition, there are also nobles in the Capital who despise the Bordeaux Family and classify them as ignorant townspeople . Sasha, for example, is a noblewoman, but she also works as an adventurer . And not only that, her sisters travel all over the territory sometimes working and sweating together with the commoners . This is something that the nobles of the Capital do not consider proper of the nobility .
Thus, for several years, Count Malta managed to gather the nobles who feel contempt for the Bordeaux . The only thing that is needed now is for the current Head of the Bordeaux Family to die…
In spite of being exiled, Count Malta remains well informed and active in the power struggle in the Capital . And despite being defeated during the power struggle, he managed to maintain his title and some leverage in the region .
“Nobles are different from the lower class . If the Bordeaux continue to behave that way, the commoners will consider themselves more important and begin to say that social classes are trivial things . If the situation continues in this way not only the territory will be in danger, but the whole Empire . We nobles are superior because of our lineage . That stupid girl does not understand . Everything will continue as planned… Tonight!”
Count Malta drinks his glass of wine in one go . It is quite possible that he is already drunk . Every time his ideas are confronted, he completely loses his temper . It’s as if his thirst for power has changed and become something more…
“I’m not interested in your ideals . ” sighs the annoyed boy . “But we will continue to help you as long as your goals match ours . ”
“Don’t worry . You do what you have to do . Who do you think I am? I am a nobleman . I am only interested in wealth and power . You know that, don’t you? Solomon’s Saint . ”
The girl doesn’t answer the question, but she suddenly gets up and leaves the room without looking back . The boy also leaves the room, while an ominous smile appears on Count Malta’s face .
The girl walks quickly and then spits out a few words about the Count .
“He too is a despicable man . Obsessed with power . He reminds me of the priests of Lucressia . ”
“…He resembles you a little bit, don’t you think?”
“Do not compare me to that guy! The right person must possess the power! There’s no way that pig is the right person!”
The girl’s eyebrows twitch as she turns around and hits the boy . However, the boy easily catches the girl’s fist . The girl clenches her teeth . After that, the girl starts walking again, with an irritated expression .
“They are all trash! But I will change everything… I will change this world!”
“If that’s what you want… But don’t act rashly or we’ll fail . ”
“Who do you think you’re talking to?”
After saying this, the girl goes out into the courtyard of the mansion . The sun is shining through the rain that is falling at that moment . A light mist rises from the damp ground, and the foliage of the grove shines brightly .
The girl raises her right hand . On her middle finger, she wears a ring . The ring is decorated in such a way that it looks like a terrifying beast . In addition, it has a black gem embedded in it .
“From the Kingdom of the Abandoned! Comes the Wind of the Pilgrims! On this difficult journey! And for those who call us evil! Close the gates at twilight!”
After the girl recited those words with a thunderous voice, a torrent of terrifying magic surrounds her . It’s as if the little girl’s body had several dozen times the magic power of an ordinary person .
The whirlpool of magic converges on the ring and suddenly everything becomes silent . At this point, black clouds emerge from the gem of the ring and then they begin to rise to the sky forming some sort of black mass . The mass quickly covers the sky and flows eastward .
“Samigina’s Ring… With this power… Fufufu…” says the girl with a laugh of satisfaction .
“…So we had to use it after all,” murmurs the boy as he crosses his arms and furrows his brow .
The city of Bordeaux is bustling . Some puddles left in the street after the rain now reflect the blue sky, and several people are stepping on them .
There are farmers who sell wild vegetables and edible plants, traders from the south, gypsies who play music on the street, street vendors who pull their carts and children who run happily .
Guided by Sasha, Belgriff and the girls leave the mansion for lunch and a stroll . The old adventurer asked Sasha if it was okay to leave her sisters alone with all the work, but she said she never got involved in such complicated issues . She herself asserts that such matters are not her strong suit and that it is best to leave it to the people who understand it best .
Belgriff smiles bitterly when he hears Sasha’s explanation, but he also recognizes that it’s best to leave that topic to Helvetica and Selen . One of the charms of the young Sasha is that she knows that her true value is in the field .
The girls are walking in front of Belgriff while they giggle from time to time . The hangover seems to have calmed down and, maybe because they spent the previous night drinking together, Sasha and the girls seem to get along much better .
“Hey, Sasha~ . Is there a candy store around here~?”
“Yes, there is! Bordeaux is famous for its baked goods because barley is grown around here a lot . ”
“Oh, that’s good, that’s good . Let’s go visit that place . ”
“Which one of us was upset when someone told her she had gained weight?” asks Anessa as she puts her hand on the smiling Miriam’s shoulder .
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“Shut up! That’s something completely different~!”
“In my opinion, Miss Miri is small and adorable! Of course, I’d like you to stay as you are!”
“Ah, it’s just Sasha~! Angieee~, everybody is bullying me . ”
“Yeah, sure, sure… Come on, let’s visit that candy store . Let’s fatten up Miri . ”
“Wh-What are you saying~?”
“Fufufu . I’m joking . I want to eat candy too . Is that okay with you, Daddy?”
“Sure, I don’t mind . ”
Actually, it’s not like Belgriff’s opinion weighs too much, but he doesn’t mind playing the role of guardian as long as the girls are having fun .
After enjoying some candy that can’t be found in Tornela, Sasha insisted on guiding them to the Guild to meet the Guild Master . Not being able to find a good reason to refuse and perhaps because Belgriff has a soft heart, they all finally head to the Adventurers Guild .
The Guild is also made of limestone . In Bordeaux, the new buildings are mostly made of wood, but the old ones are made entirely of stone . They are made to be sturdy and to last quite a long time .
All the people inside the Guild are energetic . Young and old adventurers come and go, and many of them talk and laugh here and there .
This brings back memories, I too have been in the middle of that hustle and bustle, thinks Belgriff . Even after almost an all-out quiet life in Tornela, the two years he spent as an adventurer still bring back some vivid memories .
Apparently, some of the adventurers who were there the night Belgriff and the girls arrived in Bordeaux are also here and many of them immediately surrounded them as they screamed for joy .
“Oh! The incredible S Rank adventurer is here!”
“Tell us the story of how you defeated the Demon King!”
“I want to talk to the ‘Red Ogre’! How could you raise an S Rank adventurer?”
“Why did you seclude in Tornela?”
“It’s a shame! If he’s Lady Sasha’s master it means he’s stronger than all the adventurers in the Bordeaux Guild, right?”
Belgriff smiles wryly at all those questions and follows Sasha and the girls to a door behind the reception . The adventurers keep asking and questioning aloud but the receptionist girl manages to control them .
“I can’t believe it… My reputation is much bigger than I am . ” Belgriff says with a sigh as he walks up the stairs .
“Did you say something, master?”
“No, I’m just talking to myself… By the way, Lady Sasha, about calling me ‘master’…”
“Guild Master! Are you here?” Without waiting for an answer, Sasha vigorously opens the door at the top of the stairs . The room is large and decorated to look like a studio .
In the foreground, there is a table and a sofa for guests and at the back of the room, there is a desk with an enormous amount of documents piled up on top .
An old man is sitting on the other side of the desk . He seems to be about 60 years old, his long grey hair is tied behind his head and the marks on his face are deep, but his tender eyes reflect the peculiar melancholy of those who have lived for several years .
Sasha steps forward and puts his hand on the desk .
“Sorry to interrupt your work, Guild Master, but these are the people I really want to introduce you to!”
The Guild Master smiles broadly . “Yes, everyone is talking about it, Lady Sasha . The ‘Black Haired Valkyrie’ Angeline and the two adventurers who are part of her party . And it looks like the ‘Red Ogre’ is here too . ”
Sasha smiles proudly and steps aside to introduce Belgriff and the girls .
“This is Lady Angeline, the ‘Black Haired Valkyrie’ . At her side are Lady Miriam and Lady Anessa, the members of her party . And finally, he’s the one I’ve been talking about, the ‘Red Ogre’ Belgriff . Everyone, he is the Guild Master of Bordeaux, Lord Elmore . ”
Each time Sasha mentioned their names, Belgriff and the girls nodded . The Guild Master, on the other hand, stood up and bowed .
“My name is Elmore . Despite my old age and lack of talent, I am in charge of the Bordeaux Adventurers Guild . I hope we get along well from now on . ”
“You don’t have to be so polite . We’re sorry to interrupt your work…”
“No, it’s no problem . It’s not as much work as it seems . ” Elmore smiles softly and invites the five visitors to sit on the sofa .
“Amazing… Mr . Elmore, you’re quite different from Orphen’s Guild Master,” Angeline says as she sits down .
“Come on, don’t say that . ” Anessa says with a smile .
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But it’s true that the Guild Master’s room at Orphen is not clean and Lionel doesn’t have much dignity . On the other hand, this place is completely in order and the Bordeaux Guild Master commands respect .
Elmore laughs and pulls a bottle of peppermint water from a shelf . “I think Lionel has been working hard . In my opinion, he performed well when the outbreak of magic beasts and the appearance of a Demon King happened . I would have loved to send reinforcements from our Guild, but we don’t currently have any S Rank adventurers…”
“What was your rank, Mr . Elmore…?” asks Angeline as she drinks the peppermint water .
“I was an AA Rank adventurer . My talent as an adventurer reached its limit many years ago, but this desk job has worked very well for me, I’ve been doing it for the last twenty years .
“Huh… my Guild Master has always said that this type of work is meant for the incompetent, but… Is that true?”
“Hey, Angie . You’re being rude . ” Belgriff quickly scolds Angeline . However, Elmore laughs cheerfully, he doesn’t seem upset .
“Don’t worry, don’t worry, but I guess it’s true . Lately, we Guild Master haven’t done much for our Guilds . If you stand right in the middle of the Central Guild and your local Guild to mediate with them, everything will be fine . But the Bordeaux Guild is a little different .
“The Bordeaux Guild has always had a strong connection with the Lords of the city . The nobles of the Capital, on the other hand, have always felt disdain for the adventurers . But as the Lords of Bordeaux began as ordinary people, there has always been a good relationship between the nobles and the adventurers . ” Sasha says as she leans forward .
“Yes, that’s why the guild here also plays a role in defending and patrolling the city . In general, other Lords don’t like to ask for help from the adventurers, as it not only costs them money, but they have to see face to face citizens they consider inferior .
“That’s stupid . ” Sasha frowned . Elmore just smiles .
“But the Bordeaux Family is different . From the beginning, a contract was signed stipulating that adventurers and soldiers will work side by side to defend the territory and citizens from the magic beasts or any other incident . Because of that, my position is similar to that of a commander-in-chief, I can’t use the Central Guild method, so I have more work than the other Guild Masters, but it’s very rewarding . ”
Belgriff is impressed to hear Elmore’s words . When he was an adventurer, it was normal for soldiers and adventurers to get along badly . But in this place, everyone works together . Even Sasha, the sister of the Head of the Bordeaux Family, works as an adventurer, which makes the relationship between nobles and adventurers stronger than in the past .
But at the same time, this may not be well seen by other nobles . Perhaps it is difficult for the nobles of the Capital to establish a good relationship with the Bordeaux Family, as they are accustomed to belittling and underestimating the adventurers and commoners .
Surely this is one of the reasons why there are so many obstacles to repair the road in Tornela… the world of the nobility is too complicated, thinks Belgriff with a frown .
While the old adventurer thinks about it, the outside of the window suddenly goes black . At the same time, all the lights inside the room go out and everything is in darkness .
Elmore tilts his head, stands up and approaches the window . Perhaps the sun has been covered by a cloud or something similar .
“Curious, it was sunny just a second ago…”
Miriam frowned and quickly stood beside Elmore . She looks out and squints suspiciously .
“…This is strange . I feel a very distorted magic . ”
“I feel a tingling in my skin… something is wrong…” says Angeline as her eyebrows twitch .
At that moment, an adventurer rushes into the room . ” Guild Master! It’s serious! Many undead appeared in the cemetery!”
“What are you talking about…?” Elmore frowned and approached the adventurer . “How many?”
“Hundreds . I tried to stop them with the adventurers who were free, but they kept appearing one after the other . I’m sorry…”
“All right, we have to call the soldiers too . Lady Sasha . ”
“Understood! I’ll prepare the emergency measures immediately! Excuse me!”
Sasha quickly leaves the room . Angeline and the others stand up .
“We’ll help too…”
“Well… Are you sure?”
“It will serve as a warm-up before returning to Orphen…”
“I have to get back in shape . Otherwise, everyone will laugh at me . ”
“It’ll be fun to get back into action after so long . ”
Although none of them wear their adventurer’s clothes, they always carry their equipment with them, even if they just go for a walk . It’s a common habit among adventurers .
“You’re all very reliable . ” Elmore says with a smile . “I’ll go to church and set up a perimeter . Could you go directly to the cemetery?”
“Leave it to us…” Angeline replies and then she turns to Belgriff . “Will you help too, Daddy?”
“Of course . ”
At first, Belgriff wasn’t planning to participate, but he can’t leave things as they are . He must put excuses aside and prepare for combat . He will do his best . Angeline is happy to have the opportunity to fight alongside her father and smiles widely .
Outside, everything is dark . And it starts raining again .