Chapter 53.

Speaking of the Butterfly Tribe, I’ve suddenly started to become interested, but my peaceful life came first. Also, I didn’t think he’d tell me even if I asked.

"How was the entrance ceremony, Alphonso?” Yuria asked.

Alphonso nodded at her. "Yes! Ta-da! I got this." He took a small case out of his pocket and showed it to his sister.

Inside the case was a metal epaulet that would be attached to the uniform shoulder. It was shaped like a small hexagonal star on a bent stick. Although the hierarchy of the imperial army and the former life was not the same, that pattern was probably around sergeant major.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Although Lisbon didn’t show it, he would have received a similar epaulet. Middle-rank knight school was considered higher than Alphonso’s, but they were of similar rank. But since they had both become sergeant majors, they seemed very old.

"You finally took your first step as a knight. Congratulations, Alphonso."

As William clapped his hands and congratulated him, Alphonso scratched the back of his head embarrassed.

"Hehehe, thank you, Uncle."

Come to think of it, Alphonso’s future was solid. His uncle, his guardian in the capital, was also one of the top people in the military. The boy could even say something like, "Are you the Command Sergeant Major around here?" after being commissioned.

If he made the best use of this opportunity, he could even aim for a fast track to promotions. It was possible enough because the empire was like a feudal state from an old era, not a democratic one. Moreover, it seemed like common sense now after hanging around my uncle, but I didn’t think he would be forced to go to the Demon’s Territory either.

It would have been nice if my uncle had the common sense of ordinary people like me, not of the Crow Tribe. That’s really too bad.

Firstly, since their gazes didn’t seem to have come towards me yet, I was going to sneak away.

"But what about him over there?"

Dang, too late!

William asked while pointing at me and Alphonso responded in a bright voice.

"Yes, he is my friend!"

I didn’t want to stand out as much as possible, but if I ran away without saying hello, I’d stand out even more. So I decided to say hello.

"Hello, I’m Den von Mark."

"—Den?"

William looked suspicious. Judging by that reaction, it was safe to say that news about me had already entered the palace.

When I was looking to rob some exam papers, considering how I didn’t see any documents in the palace regarding how to cope with me from when I was running amok, the number of people who knew of my escape was very few.

I can roughly think of two reasons why my escape was kept a secret. One, to prevent chaos. Considering what my father did when he was young, there must be more than a group of people that would panic over the escape of his chosen successor. Two, so as to not provoke me hastily. If they suddenly put my name and description on the wanted list, they didn’t know what I might do, so they were staying still just in case. This was based on the logic that there’s no need to poke the beehive that stays still.

"I’m staying at the same boarding house as Alphonso and Yuria."

It was only now that William relaxed his suspicion, smiled, and shook hands with me.

"Nice to meet you. My name is William. Their uncle. Thanks for getting along with Alphonso.”

Unexpectedly, it was a casual greeting. It wouldn’t be strange if I thought of my hometown where formalities took a backseat.

I lowered my head slightly and returned the greeting as I shook hands. "It’s an honor to meet the famous General William."

I had to shake hands at eye level because of the slightly high window between us. He probably wouldn’t think that I would be staying at the prime minister’s mother, Mrs. Arscilla’s, boarding house as it was darkest under the lamp. He would not have gone to such a place where they checked identities and was under surveillance if he was in his right mind.

But that didn’t mean I was out of my mind. Let’s use the image of the martial fanatic Crow Tribe, and speak educatedly to make them think I am not Denburg.

As a measure for such scenarios, I had dyed my hair a common color- dark brown. However, the eyes were left black because there was no way to dye them other than magic. Usually, the color was just dyed by magic, but the opponent was from the Butterfly Tribe, so the use of magic had to be avoided.

"You don’t have to speak so stiffly. A friend of my niece and nephew is no different from being my nephew."

William smiled brightly saying something similar to what Flam had told Alphonso. Indeed, like a member of Alphonso and Yuria’s family, he had a similar smile.

"Den, Alphonso, what are you doing over there?" Lisbon and Flam approached from behind and asked.

They seemed to have followed after us who disappeared without a word.

William looked at the two that followed and asked his nephew, "What about those people?"

"My friends!"

William patted Alphonso’s head seemingly slightly moved. "Hi! I’m his uncle. Please continue to be good friends with our Alphonso."

Lisbon reflexively greeted back courteously. "Yes, hello. My name is Lisbon von Carter."

Then after a brief delay like booting up an old computer, he seemed surprised.

“!”

He must have remembered who Alphonso’s uncle was.

Hey, your reaction is slow!

Flam did not seem to care, perhaps because he couldn’t have known Alphonso’s origin since they had just met. It was common knowledge that the Butterfly Tribe were white-haired, but it wasn’t like there were a lot of people from the battle races around. So you wouldn’t necessarily think that the person next to you was from a battle race.

"Hahaha, nice to meet you. If you’re an uncle of a friend, you’re also an uncle to me."

I haven’t known Flam for a long time, but it was a first seeing such a madman.

Do you know who you are speaking like that to? You wouldn’t know. If you knew, you wouldn’t have spoken like that.[1]

But if he didn’t speak like that, I wonder if he would seem less like that cartoon penguin in glasses. Although if you looked just at his size, he was more of a polar bear than a penguin.

"Thanks for thinking so." William didn’t mind Flam’s mannerism and spoke back casually.

Or maybe he didn’t mind since Flam looked old. One win for looking old!

"It’s fate that we met like this, so come in and I’ll buy you a meal."

Under normal circumstances, unless you were a pushover, you’d decline. But his body was slightly frozen.

It was another first, seeing Lisbon like this. Right after starting his military trainee life, he had met a star that could fulfill his dreams, but somehow it still felt strange to go sit.

"I’m also curious as to who is the one that made Yuria giggle.”

"Uncle!" Yuria blushed and struck William in the ribs.

"Woook!"

William groaned and collapsed when he was hit by a blow empowered by magic that would not have ended with just internal organ rupture if it had been an ordinary person.

Hey, um. Are. you. O. K.?

There’s no answer. It’s like a normal corpse.

"Hohoho, gosh Uncle, don’t exaggerate."

Though she was hidden by the window, Yuria laughed and tapped William with her foot to get up quickly. I didn’t think he was being dramatic. Yuria’s blow just now was skillful enough to make even the Crow Tribe have difficulty getting up if hit defenselessly.

As it had been until now, I should continue to not mess around with Yuria.

"Ugh—"

William got up groaning. He gave a money pouch to Yuria with a pale face.

"I’ve got some work to do. I’ll leave... first... Use this to buy food."

His breathing was unnatural. Maybe he thought he might end up a corpse if he kept messing around, but William ran away leaving the money behind.

Is this how you gain money when you get rid of monsters in a game?

We all went to the restaurant and had lunch with the money Yuria looted.

-o-

From atop a huge castle located on the outskirts of the capital, a gray-haired old man with a golden mask and a burly-looking man with a brown mask were looking at the capital below.

"Doesn’t it seem futile? Leo." The man in the brown mask called Taurus sighed as darkness slowly encroached the capital.

The old man in the golden mask, Leo, had a bitter smile. "It seems futile. Yes, it might be futile." He then jumped lightly upon the outer wall of the castle.

"But you know, Taurus." Leo looked back at Taurus and laughed greedily. "Would it matter if you could hold all this in the palm of your hands?"

Just like the other, Taurus climbed up the outer wall of the castle and said, "To hold everything in your grasp, that’s greedy, Leo." He sat on the edge in the direction of the capital. Then he added, "That sounded like something Scorpio would say."

Leo broke into a frenzied laughter. "Ahahahahaha!!” Then he stopped and made a serious face. "Are you crazy? How dare you compare that woman who’s full of greed to me!”

Taurus smiled indifferently at the other’s outburst. "So stay in line, Leo. Right now, you look like you have fallen into the greed you despise."

Leo snorted. "That’s not even funny. Stay in line. Does the empire look easy to you?"

"No, the empire is mighty. More than anything in the world."

"But still, stay in line?” Leo asked.

Taurus nodded.

"You are a fool. You are the one who wants the destruction of the empire more than anyone else." Leo spoke out.

"I can’t help it if it’s foolish. It’s my belief."

Leo sighed. He looked so foolish, but he also liked the simplicity and naivety of Taurus.

"You foolish person. I don’t want to become enemies with you. Don’t interfere with my work."

Saying so, Leo jumped down the castle wall. Taurus muttered as he looked towards where the other disappeared, hidden by the darkness.

"I will do so if my principles permit."

-o-

Today was the day of the first class at the training center.

Upon arriving, I headed to the vacant lot inside the school as per schedule. According to the one I’d signed up for, the first class at the training center was swordsmanship.

The guidebook stated that all the tools needed for the class were to be prepared by the training center, so there was no need to bring a sword. All the weapons that lay in my pocket space were made of super rare metals such as mithril, orichalcum, and adamantium. Moreover, for the sake of magic practice, I had engraved magic into them, so it was overkill to use for class. I had been considering buying a cheap one at a nearby weapon store, but that was a relief.

Arriving at the vacant lot, the first thing I noticed was the overwhelmingly old-looking Flam.

That face was my age... It felt like a supporting actor in his 30s, wearing a uniform and playing the role of a teenager in a drama.

1. Flam normally speaks very formally relative to normal people, but the way he was speaking was relatively too informal for someone of William’s position.