Chapter 50 (2/2)
* * *
I arrived at the entrance of the lord’s castle and spoke to the guard, “Open the door for me.”
“Huh? What’s going on?”
The guard called Ralph looked baffled. It was understandable. I seemed to have acted a bit hastily.
“I’m here to see that guy.”
“Guy...?”
Whoops. I habitually used no honorifics.
“I can’t forgive you if you insult the lord, even if you are an elder!” He was looking at me with a furious expression.
“Kuek. Sorry, I spoke incorrectly. I’m here to see the lord.”
“I can’t let you in.”
“That’s not what I meant. Look...”
“Please go back.”
Damn guard. For a moment, I wondered if I could sneak in over the walls. There was Spider Climbing so it was possible. Then I soon abandoned the idea. If I did that, I would be treated as a real thief. It wouldn’t help Sujeong. Hrmm. Then...
“An orc!!”
“O-Orc?” Ralph’s eyes widened. I thought that my performance just now was worthy of a best actor award. It was worth looking at a performance award despite my age. The moment he turned, I quickly started running toward the lord’s room.
“No, this old man...!”
However, there was one fact I didn’t know. It was that Windia’s soldiers were proficient in wind magic. Among them, there was the spell Haste that increased movement speed.
“Haste!” Ralph started to catch up to me at a tremendous speed. I was astonished by his speed.
“Y-You...!”
In the end, he caught me. I desperately tried to persuade Ralph but he didn’t budge, like a stone buddha. He was like a deep-rooted tree.
“You can absolutely never enter.” Shit. He spoke too solemnly. I was thinking about my next step when I remembered Kerenos. That damn person. Didn’t he say to meet him at the lord’s castle and then left first? This bad guy...
”What is going on?”
Speaking of this person...
Kerenos showed up behind Ralph. Ralph stepped aside at the appearance of his superior. The moment I saw Kerenos, I started nagging him, “You! Why only show up now?”
“Jackson? When did you come? You should’ve contacted me.”
“You! How can I contact you?”
“Ah, haha. I see. By the way, what’s going on? Ralph.”
“Ah, well...” Ralph’s expression was fl.u.s.tered. He probably didn’t know that I was friendly with Kerenos.
“It isn’t a big deal. I’m here to see the lord.”
“I understand. Follow me.”
Kerenos walked forward. I patted Ralph’s shoulder as I followed Kerenos. “I'm sorry.”
“Ah, no. I'm more sorry. I didn’t expect you to actually know...”
“No, you did your job. Keep doing it in the future.”
Ralph looked quite moved. In fact, I did something that was natural but it was a bit daunting for him to look at me so blatantly. I turned carelessly.
* * *
Knock knock. “It’s Kerenos.”
“Come in!”
We entered and I saw the little lord busy with his duties. I couldn’t imagine the boy who had a stunned look earlier. Next to him was a young woman who looked like a secretary. He really was a lord...
“My lord, Jackson is here.”
“Eh?! Jackson!”
Edward came forward with a bright face. Now he looked like a child again. I was immediately polite.
“I greet the lord.”
“Did you save me and the knights of Windia?”
“Yes. Um, that is what happened.”
I thought about answering humbly but this seemed unlucky. I decided to admit it coolly. By the way, ‘cool’ was a word I learned from Drain. I was becoming more and more informed.
“I really thank you! I was able to keep my knights thanks to you. I almost lost the knights that have been around since my father’s time due to my incorrect choices. I really thank you.”
“No, I just did what I had to.”
“Did you say you're a chef?”
“That's right.”
“Will you become my exclusive chef?”
Ttiring~
[Lord Edward of Windia has asked you to be his exclusive chef.]
[Would you like to change to the hidden class ‘Chef of Windia’?]
...I don't think so. “I’m sorry. It is much better to go exploring around the world.”
[You have rejected the offer of Edward, lord of Windia.]
“Che, it can’t be helped. Then what do you want? Tell me.”
Things were working out well. “I would like to have a return scroll to Windia if you have one.”
“A return scroll? Is that really it? You don’t need anything else? For example, a weapon.”
I was troubled for a moment. I wondered if it was better to get a good weapon. However, then I wouldn’t be able to save Sujeong. My worries didn’t last long. “That's right.”
“Um, just wait.” Edward walked toward the treasure chest behind him and started rummaging through it. He quickly pulled something out and pushed it toward me. “Take it.”
“...?”
[Windia's Portal Return Stone has been acquired.]
Portal return stone?
[Windia’s Portal Return Stone]
[Rating: Heroic
A return stone to Windia containing portal magic. The middle of the stone is engraved with the wind engraving that symbolizes Windia.
-Number of times available to be used: 95/100
Cooldown Time: 5 minutes.]
Wasn’t this an unexpected gift? I just needed a plain return scroll yet I received a return stone with portal magic. There were even 95 uses remaining. I had a blank expression because I didn’t know what to say. Then the words of the little lord followed, “Jackson.”
“...?”
“From now on, I’ll appoint Jackson as the chief of the pioneering town in the east.”
“...Huh?”
“Work hard! I won’t accept your refusal!”
[You have become the chief of an unnamed pioneer village to the east of Windia.]
“?????”