Chapter 69 – 69 – Forgiveness, Contract, and Isilun
Is it because I had a great night with beautiful women that I feel dizzy?
Or is it because that one night was an accident too big for a single porter to have caused?
There are probably not many men in the world who have laid mother and daughter in the same bed. Even more so, the mother and daughter I dealt with…
I don’t know what kind of courage it took to put down two dragons. It’s a shame it ended without me getting eaten.
Thanks to this, I almost forgot, but the problem of disposal of the Sunstorm family is not over yet. Yesterday’s public trial was scheduled to continue today.
If everything goes as planned. However, all schedules in the Dragon’s Nest can be flexibly adjusted to the whim of just one person.
“I forgive you.”
“Did you say forgiveness?”
“Sunstorm does not have to pay for Hero Adamantone’s foolish actions.”
Today, the exact same time as yesterday. Rhodes ended the trial. As if good things are good things.
The bright, glossy smile is in contrast to the scary expression from a day ago. The honey-like radiance on the skin is also noticeable.
He glances at me and slightly raises his eyebrows.
···I had fun too, Ragnaroka.
At least two of our party members definitely seemed to notice something. Villena and Nenya looked back at me with expressions of fear at the very thought.
“No way.”
“Probably not.”
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’m scared that someone might hear it and misunderstand you. Dragons have sharp ears.”
I desperately tried not to meet his gaze. Then Nenya opened her bloodshot eyes.
“I thought it couldn’t be possible, but seeing as you didn’t say no… No, I guess not. No matter what’s hanging between your legs, you can’t be that indifferent.”
I’m sorry, but your guess is right. I didn’t know I was that brave either.
I knew the law so well that I couldn’t blame all the porters who had accidents. I think with my dick, not my brain…
No. Be bold. This happened consensually between the man and the woman. Raise your head, Tan Bantai. You are not a sinner…!
···I guess not? Probably not, right?
Of course, it’s not just Nenya and I who are confused. The Sunstorm family members also looked dumbfounded.
It has to be that way. I wouldn’t have expected you to look at me so gently.
Not knowing how long the trial and interrogation would continue, they had set up a temporary camp on the beach with determination on their faces.
However, unlike yesterday, they were led into a warm reception room. Lord greeted the Sun Storm warriors in a circle and held out a sturdy chest in front of the kneeling matriarch.
“Open it.”
Instead of Mancellarion, whose entire body had relaxed at the words of forgiveness, a man named ‘Isilun Sunstorm’ stood up hesitantly. He is the man who served as an executioner under the orders of Uncle Mancellar Lion.
“Will you allow me to open it for you, Lord?”
“Are you worried? Are you thinking there might be a trap inside?”
“Well, of course I didn’t harbor such blasphemous suspicions-“
“I’ve said it before, so don’t be scared. It doesn’t matter who opens it, so come forward.”
Isilun slowly opened the chest and took a step back in surprise. The chest was full of gold nuggets.
“About 240,000 gold, Mancellarion.”
“···Ah···?”
“It’s a great feat. You received this much gold from the dragon without even having to act as a dragon slayer.”
The words the Lord spoke while gently holding Mancellarion’s hand sent a chill down my spine, even though I was not the person involved.
The reason Rod had a good expression was simply because something good had happened. The disposition was separate, and Rod was still holding grudges.
Mancellarion spoke solemnly, as if he were pledging loyalty, with a stiff expression on his face.
I have received great favor from Rod, and I will definitely live up to his expectations.
Seen from behind, the back suddenly seemed infinitely smaller.
“While offering forgiveness, you even give gold as a gift to the perpetrator’s family? Shouldn’t the person asking for forgiveness offer gold? Why on earth?”
On the way back to the dorm, Eshen tilted his head.
“It’s not something to argue about since it ended well… But no. Is it true that it ended well? Those guys from Sunstorm, why were their expressions so rotten?”
“It’s not a gift, it’s a down payment.”
I moved my tingling lips and spoke. I think I was biting my lip without realizing it.
Eshen and Leni turned her heads to me with her excited faces.
“Did you say it was a deposit?”
“Please come on as an explanation. Please tell me what I missed.”
“Didn’t Lord just say that Sunstorm doesn’t have to pay the price for what Adamantone did? But if you think about it the other way around, you’re leaving room for it to be possible to make him pay.”
“I see. But what does that have to do with over 200,000 gold?”
“240,000 gold is certainly a lot of money, but compared to the price of a hero’s life, it is cheap.”
The atmosphere becomes cold. The sister who had been listening quietly opened her eyes wide.
“···It’s some kind of bounty. It’s cruel.”
“That’s right, Sister Monica. What he meant was, don’t treat Adamantone as family. If you don’t want Sunstorm to pay for your sins, grab Adamantone’s tail.”
“Bounty? Wait a minute. You said you paid his family to catch Adamantone yourself? You didn’t say anything like that, did you?”
As Eshen was shocked, Florica, a Hero aptitude, shook her head.
“A hero who harms people is a monster. Have you ever seen such a thing in a history book?”
“Do you think I’m the type of person who would look up a history book?”
“···Anyway, in the past, this was something that often happened in the Hero family. The hero’s family directly subdued Gasol, who left an indelible stain on the hero’s honor.”
“Oh, I think I’ve heard that too. The warriors who ran away were so powerful that it was difficult to catch them even if they mobilized the military. So the Hero families created rules for canceling alliances and dealt with them by reaping what they sowed. But it’s all an old story. Isn’t that right? There are grandparents who are delighted with fame…”
Lennie tilted her head and tapped her chin.
“Well, by Rod’s standards, it’s not that old. My colleagues might be upset if I say this, but I’m afraid of punishment.”
“If everyone says that, doesn’t it seem like my mother is a very cruel person? She ordered Adamanton to be captured to give her a chance. Can’t you see it that way?”
Nidroga shrugged his shoulders a little.
“It wasn’t just me who almost died because of Adamantone in the first place. Lenny, an official knight of the ‘Lesser Elan’ kingdom. Nenya, an elf of the ‘Greater Elan’ forest. Captain Tomko and his crew, a warrior from a trading powerhouse with a large fleet. Anger could have been poured out on the Sunstorms from all corners of the continent. Of course, the same goes for Monica and Eshen. If Monica had disappeared, would our party members have remained quiet? If Eshen had disappeared? Wouldn’t the Tigris of the White Beak Mountains be angry? Do you understand?”
“···I think my mom and dad liked it for some reason. They didn’t listen even if I tried to say it, so they said it was okay.”
Seeing Eshen’s face in deep distress, Nidrogar paused.
“······I didn’t want to know such deep family history. I’m sorry, Eshen. Anyway, your mother is trying to put an end to the incident with the authority of the Lord. If Sunstorm subdues Adamantone, hundreds of people will die. “The only one responsible will be Adamantone.”
“It’s as you said! You gave us mercy and a chance!”
Standing in the distance, a man dressed in Storm family armor waved his hand and shouted.
Nidrogar, who thought he was out of earshot, was shocked and shut his mouth. However, the Sun Storm warrior gallantly ran over here and bowed his head in courtesy.
“My name is Isilun Sunstorm. I would like to apologize, even if belatedly, for what my brother did.”
“Wake up. You had nothing to do with what he did.”
Nenya lifted Isilun up with sympathetic eyes. Isilun bowed his head again and expressed his gratitude.
“If you need Sunstorm’s services, I’ll lend you it at any time. If you want to agree in money, I’ll write you a deed that allows you to return to the continent and claim it from my family.”
“Nothing much, I hope there will be peace in your family.”
“Thank you, Noble Forest Daughter. I apologize for interrupting your busy pace, but I have one more business to attend to.”
Isilun smiled and turned his head to me.
“It’s been a while, Tan Bantai. Should I call you Lan Bantai?”
“···Call me whatever you want. It’s been a while for me too.”
“A long time ago, when my father invited you home, I was confused because of your androgynous voice and appearance. Even now, if you are a man, you are definitely past your transformation period.”
“It’s easy to be misunderstood.”
“Your father still insists that you were definitely a boy. That’s not rude to such a beautiful girl.”
I’m used to it now. It doesn’t matter whether someone sees me as a woman or not. It’s just a matter of not getting kicked out of this family party.
I nodded.
“You must have been very surprised.”
“Perhaps you are more shocked by your gender than by what happened to Adamantone. You are disappointed in your own carelessness and the fact that you took a girl with you to such a rough place. In fact, it is outrageous. God, if it had been a boy. Is it okay…”
Isilun giggled as she politely pretended to lead the way.
“Do you have any resentment toward your father because of something like that?”
“It was extremely difficult, but there were no regrets. They respected me as a porter.”
“As expected, you are a woman’s wife. So, if your father asks to talk, you won’t hesitate?”
“Of course. Where are you?”
————-
“You did it, right?”
Mancellarion’s first words were something I didn’t expect.
For a moment her hair turned white. Did I do this?
Are you really putting Adamantone’s problems on me? Or… Did you notice it?
“Nice to meet you too, mister. What do you mean?”
“Let’s skip the formalities. You did it, right? Rod. There’s no way the story could end so neatly.”
“···What do you think I did?”
“If it were the Dragon Lord I know, he would have summoned each member of my family individually and tortured them to get to the bottom of it. He would have made them suspicious of each other, made them antagonize each other, and made them directly accuse anyone who helped Adamantone in his foolish actions even in the slightest. This time, the dragon “Lord is that kind of person. In some ways, she is even more fearsome than her predecessor, who turned a kingdom into glass.”
Mancellarion was sitting on a rock on the beach, looking out at the sea with a devastated look.
He soon groaned and turned around to face me.
“It’s only natural that he became a Lord by killing that previous Lord in a duel. But that’s true. If only he could forgive us so easily.”
“···You’re quick to notice.”
“You’re quick to admit it. Yes, it has to be you. Who on earth would want to help Mancellarion Sunstorm other than you? Even Captain Tomko, with whom we had once flown a joint mission, has turned his back on me.”
“I’m telling you in advance, don’t say thank you, Uncle Mansell.”
‘Uncle Mansell’ smiled happily at the nostalgic call. But soon he let out a long sigh.
“Then what can I say? To you who saved the lives of my children, the lives of my wife and Isilun, and my life? How do I repay this debt?”
“It’s not a debt. It’s the porter’s duty. The hero protects the lives of the party members, and the porter protects the hero’s life by lightening the warrior’s shoulders. That’s how I learned it.”
“To your mother?”
“You remember that again. You had a hard time wandering around on a day when the road was empty.”
Mancellarion laughed. The empty laugh soon turned into a boisterous and joyful laugh.
I laughed along like I used to, but then closed my mouth as tears streamed down through his wrinkles and stubble.
Disposition of termination of decision. He must soon go and kill his son. A conversation with me, with whom I had a good relationship in the past, was the only painkiller that gave him some comfort.
“First of all, I am truly sorry. For everything you went through while staying with Adamantone.”
“I don’t think I told you that yet. How much do you know?”
“So far, all we know is what you accused us of in your letter. We were only able to read it in full before we came to this island.”
As Mancellarion hesitated, Isilun Sunstorm, who was leaning against a tree, blurted out.
“Can I tell this friend?”
“No. I will tell you. Her wife had her butler steal your letter saying that she wanted to adjust the contract.”
“You mean it was stolen?”
“My wife says, ‘There are always minor flaws in a captain’s work.’ Because he takes after his father and deliberately goes to dangerous places to deal with dangerous enemies, ‘things these days’ make him complain a lot and he can’t endure it. That’s the truth. “When I found out, I was crazy.”
Mansella Leone squeezed her eyes shut.
“I heard it contains a detailed account of my son’s actions, and I kept it so I could look at it again when I missed it. I didn’t care about how you and the other party members were treated.”
“···That’s right.”
“If I had known, I would have taken steps to prevent Adamantone from even participating in the party’s affairs in the first place. I should have paid more attention. Instead of trying to prove that I was still alive and well like a young man, I should have taken care of making sure that my children who followed in my footsteps were properly independent. -“
“None of us needed care, father. The other five went through trial and error, and some may have quit being warriors, but they have established themselves well, but that bastard went astray and became a murderer. What does that mean? Adamantone “It’s like a family mutation. Like a boil on clean skin.”
“Stop.”
The command was a painful appeal rather than coercion. Isilun closed her mouth.
Mancellarion let out a long sigh. And she asked again with a smile on her face.
“But how on earth did you convince Rod? I knew you were resourceful and friendly, but how on earth?”
“It’s hard to tell you in detail. Rod told me to keep quiet. However, he said I was weak.”
I smiled weakly.
If you think about it, that was crazier than hitting Rod.
Rod joked. Are you targeting a time when your judgment is clouded by sexual activity?
I took the serious joke seriously.
‘I won’t deny it. You’re right.’
‘I wish I had chosen my words a little more carefully. ‘I almost got angry.’
‘That’s true. I wouldn’t dare lie to you. I am not a fool who would be quick to deceive someone who could crush me to death like a bug. And I don’t want to blatantly lie to the woman I’m in love with.’
‘But you’re taking risks you don’t have to take. ‘Why do you act like a fool if you’re not a fool?’
‘Because Mancellarion was a colleague of the party bound by blood and loyalty. She wants to get out of trouble somehow. So, I am going to appeal for her life when her heart breaks loose.’
‘Did Mancellarion order it?’
‘No. We never agreed. It’s just something the loyalty in my heart told me to do. I think it’s worth it my friend.’
It’s like he’s just plainly declaring that he’s going to play the role of a snake.
Fortunately, the Lord generously forgave that arrogant and reckless move, saying that he would give a passing grade to recklessness rather than arrogance.
“Maybe it’s because I’ve been lucky these days that I’ve become a seriously cocky guy. I shouldn’t be like this. I need to live long and thin.”
“When I think about it, you were always that kind of guy. You said you couldn’t do it because you were scared, but you followed a very rough path, and you often did reckless things even when you screamed that you were being asked to do such a scary thing.”
Mansella Leone closed her eyes and smiled, as if reliving her memories.
“Of course, by design. You were a reckless and brave person ‘by design.’ If you had any basis, you were the type of person who made the most of that basis. It was a great help to me, who was always reckless and didn’t care about anything.”
“I’m always happy to hear that I was of help to you.”
“Is it okay to just be happy? Isn’t it best for Sunstorm to step up and help you from now on? That’s why, Ran Bantai.”
Isilun, who was leaning against a tree, uncrossed his arms and stood up. Then she came up to me and handed me some contract documents.
“I would appreciate it if you could please accept this gift.”
“···Employment contract? Personal bodyguard and valet? Unpaid…?”
“I’m joking, but I’m also a hero. There aren’t many opportunities in the world where you can be a hero for free.”
“But which porter in the world hires bodyguards, especially warriors? Is this a joke?”
“Is there a law that says no? In fact, no porter would refuse if he provided his services for free. Travel is rough. If necessary, I would like to formally request a transfer to your party.”
“That’s a really funny joke. Sorry, but our party is for women only…”
Isilun laughed heartily.
“Ha! I’m really interesting. Of course, I’m saying this because I’m a woman.”
I looked at Isilun, who was a good five centimeters taller than me, with her shocked eyes.
The hero, who somehow resembled an adamantone, took off her helmet and untied her hair.
Her blonde hair cascaded coolly down her shoulders.
“My name is Isilun Sunstorm. By order of my father, the matriarch, I will follow whatever you command for the next five years. Please take care of me.”
