Chapter 17
“Well, Ultos! Long time no see. Have you been well?”
“Yes. It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s been a while, Father, Mother.”
I had come to Lyon—a city that, in sheer scale, rivaled even the royal capital.
We’d left the bustle of the city center behind and arrived at a quiet manor tucked away a little farther in.
This was the Randall family’s second residence in Lyon.
Meanwhile, I was having a meal with my parents.
I made light conversation with the two people before me: my father, Dominic, and my mother, Amalie.
“Still, I’m glad to hear you’ve been doing well. I hear you even manifested Beyond-Domain Magic. Truly wonderful. Neither Amalie nor I are particularly gifted at magic, after all.”
Dominic said, and Amalie nodded in agreement.
“I was a little worried when we were choosing your teacher, though...”
“Worried?” I asked in return.
Their hands paused over their food.
I had a bad feeling about this.
I had wondered why Carla-san had come to Kuzutos’s manor, though...
“Oh, apparently when we tried to invite a renowned mage, you, Ultos, cried and threw a tantrum, insisting, ‘She absolutely has to be a woman!’” Father said.
Ugh...
“Yes... And once you said she had to be in her twenties or thirties, you wouldn’t listen to a word. There aren’t many renowned mages that young, you know...” Mother said.
U-ugh...
“But it worked out well. Surely her gentle, feminine sensibilities and the youthful perspective that comes with being in her twenties suited you.”
“Ah, ha ha...”
My parents laughed together, looking satisfied.
They seemed to think that Ultos had his own reasons, at least to some extent.
But.
I could see the ulterior motives of young Kuzutos as clear as day.
Kuzutos... You definitely just picked a beautiful woman without thinking at all.
“Yes, I’m glad. Truly...”
Anyway, I was secretly relieved.
Kuzutos’s parents were good people.
They were basically kindhearted and didn’t go around suspecting people.
They cared for their subjects and their domain, and sought to pass them on to the next generation.
They were the very picture of good nobles.
But.
Somewhere deep in my heart, I felt a sense of impending danger.
For instance, when I asked about the recent appearance of monsters,
“Oh, it’s fine, Ultos. As you know, monsters have been increasing in recent years, but it’s just a coincidence. It’ll settle down after a little while.”
And when I asked about recent politics,
“Hmm, well, yes. There seem to be some rather suspicious developments in the capital, but there’s nothing to worry about. I hear it’ll all settle down soon,” he said with a smile.
I thought, This is dangerous.
No, my parents were probably good rulers.
They listened carefully to people’s concerns and considered things thoroughly. In fact, the Randall domain was exceptionally stable.
—But that was only if things continued as they were.
Unfortunately, this was the world of Last Arcanum.
Things weren’t going to go the way my parents expected.
Or rather, from here on, one unbelievable crisis after another would begin.
The monster outbreaks wouldn’t stop, bandits would run rampant, a legendary dragon would be revived, and in the end, even an organization bent on destroying the world would be operating in the shadows.
In conclusion.
In a world of an 18+ game, where all manner of fiends ran rampant, my parents couldn’t keep up.
And above all, the scheming had already begun.
More specifically, this event would gradually worsen Kuzutos’s parents’ position.
“Speaking of which,” I said, looking around the manor.
The manor was furnished with quite a number of rather expensive-looking items.
Paintings, silverware, expensive wine, and so on.
Even the necklace Amalie was wearing looked expensive, with its large gemstone.
“These are quite fine things.”
“Ah, that...” Dominic said, shaking his head sheepishly.
“Actually, the mayor of Lyon—a man named Gregorio—has been sending us incredible gifts. He claims to live modestly, yet he frequently sends us presents. I’m not particularly fond of lavish things myself, but it’s rather difficult to refuse.”
I see.
Gifts, huh.
Without missing a beat, I asked,
“Is the meet-and-greet you mentioned going to be with him?”
My parents both nodded.
Apparently, my parents wanted me to meet the mayor.
They probably wanted to establish a connection between him and their son as early as possible.
“Ultos, what’s wrong? Are you worried? Well, at the very least, he’s not a bad man. He’s capable and works hard for us. Besides, some other nobles happen to be gathering in Lyon, and he’s apparently arranged an opportunity for children of nobles around your age to meet.”
“I’d be delighted—”
I bowed my head.
“Please do.”
At last, they’d taken the bait, I thought.