After the Olympia concluded, we still had to stay in the capital Mirein for a while. There were several reasons for this; first off, there was an awards ceremony. Even though the event itself had its flaws, the preparations for the ceremony were pretty solid.
Because of the similar name, the awards ceremony had an Olympic-like vibe. Once it wrapped up, the royal palace transformed the Colosseum into a banquet hall. Maybe it was because we ate top-tier cuisine right on the arena where we’d fought tooth and nail, but the audience reviews were stellar. The fact that the royal chefs personally prepared the dishes really scored big points.
Even if the middle part was a bit shaky, since the start and end were great, this year’s Olympia will likely go down as a fond memory. I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to hold it annually from now on.
Additionally, even though the Olympia ended, the city festival continued for a while longer. Honestly, this might’ve been the biggest reason we didn’t head back yet—when we heard the festivities would extend, our group of rascals whined about not wanting to return to Minerva just yet.
“Can’t we stay out a little longer?”
“Yeah! We barely got to enjoy ourselves because of the tournament!”
“It’s not like midterms are looming or anything, so we’ll be fine.”
Even Lux nodded in agreement from the back, leaving me no choice but to half-heartedly call Heinz. His reply came back almost too good to be true:
“It’s fine. Everyone performed admirably, so a few days won’t hurt. I’ll count this as field study for a week, so feel free to relax and come back refreshed.”
Was this guy secretly an angel? As someone who graduated college normally, this was unprecedented.
Anyway, thanks to that, we got to stay in the capital a bit longer. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay at the hotel anymore—it was already fully booked due to its popularity, so extensions weren’t possible.
“Hmm, it shouldn’t be too bad, right?”
Lux pointed out that with the Imperial Palace nearby and Amy having access to Helios Residence, it wasn’t such a big deal. Ariana and Senna could just stay at Helios as well. But then Amy flat-out refused.
“Not my house. Let’s find another place.”
“Why? It’s a perfectly good home…”
“My dad will just bug us. No way.”
And Lux had her own reasons too.
“The palace is too far. I’d rather stick together.”
“…”
Though Lux seemed to have slightly different motives, their refusal left us with one major issue: all other accommodations were also booked solid. That left me with only one option.
“Heh heh, what a lovely bunch of young ladies we have here.”
“Long time no see, Sebastian.”
It was none other than the Robert family mansion.
“We’re indebted to you~!”
Sena cheerfully bowed, and Sebastian, the long-serving butler, smiled warmly.
“What an honor to host such distinguished guests.”
Two duchess-level ladies, an imperial princess, a holy maiden, and one of the world’s best assassins… Wow, maybe this was overkill. Still, despite the star-studded lineup, our seasoned veteran showed no signs of being fazed. A regular butler might’ve panicked and called the patriarch by now.
“And the master?”
“He’s out on business. Likely won’t return until late tonight, so introductions can wait.”
“Got it. I’ll take my usual room, but can you show the kids theirs?”
“Yes, please follow me, ladies.”
Following behind Sebastian, the group looked like baby birds trailing after their mother. And thus, we settled into the Robert estate for a while.
***
The bright sunlight woke me up almost forcibly.
“Grrr… Morning already?”
Rubbing my tousled hair, I sensed someone else’s presence. Lifting the blanket slightly, I found Black Wolf curled up and resting.
This sight had become familiar by now.
“Is it wise to use your skills for this?”
“It’s my choice…”
Still half-asleep, he mumbled his response, causing me to shake my head.
Honestly, it’s impressive that nobody’s caught him doing this yet. According to the handmaidens, the bedding always appears neatly arranged, leading them to believe he rises extremely early. So Black Wolf’s peculiar habits remain unknown.
“Get up. Let’s grab some food.”
“Mm-hmm, sure.”
In the blink of an eye, Black Wolf snapped to full alertness, walking briskly toward the bathroom with steady, silent steps. Then he turned and stared at me.
“Not gonna bathe?”
“Hey, how much longer do I need to help you clean up? Isn’t it time you started doing it yourself?”
“If I do that, does that mean I don’t have to bathe?”
“…You’re pushing it. If you want someone to bathe you, ask the handmaidens. Seriously.”
There were not only humans but also merfolk working at the Robert estate. They’re more professionally trained than me, yet Black Wolf insists I assist him.
“I’ve said it before, but Allen, you’re the only one allowed to see my body.”
“Ugh…”
When he says things like that, what am I supposed to do? Reluctantly, I joined him in the bathroom.
***
After breakfast, I headed to the training ground set up on the estate premises—a habit I maintained since arriving here. Back at the hotel, there wasn’t much space for serious practice, but here I could train properly. Home really is the best.
– Whoom!
Opheucus vibrated excitedly in response.
Let’s review what I learned from the last match.
First, the spear—my old reliable weapon.
[Antares Spear Technique: Sandstorm Fury]
An endless stream of spear strikes tore through the air.
“Hmm, still tricky.”
Without infused aura, the technique felt awkward. The unpredictable attacks characteristic of Thousand Gale Palace’s style were still unfamiliar to me.
“Alright, moving on to Opposite Palace next.”
– Roar!
Dual short swords materialized from Opheucus as I swung them lightly.
[Altarpiece Swordsmanship: Tsuvaht Anakit]
Clang!
Again, without aura infusion, the shockwave failed to explode. Just a faint ripple in the air.
“Tch…”
Switching Opheucus into gauntlet mode.
[Robert Martial Arts: Iron Fist]
Boom!
A powerful shockwave trailed behind my punch. This was slightly better. It was rewarding to feel the results of Master’s relentless training.
“Such a nostalgic scene.”
“You’re here?”
I’d already detected his presence and greeted Sebastian casually. The elder man, with silver hair framing his gentle smile, responded in kind.
“Am I intruding?”
“Nope. Though it might embarrass me to show this to anyone else, I trust you, Sebastian.”
“Ho ho, not something the master should say.”
“Cut the flattery. So, how’s it look? Better than before?”
“What does this old man know? However, you do resemble the former patriarch more than ever.”
That was a roundabout compliment. Knowing Sebastian has watched Robert martial arts since my childhood, receiving his approval made me feel accomplished. It meant I was catching up to the old man, even if just a little.
“So? What brings you here? You usually don’t interrupt my training.”
Since Lord Robert never disturbed my sessions, I asked curiously.
“One of the young ladies is looking for you.”
At that moment, I noticed another presence behind me. Turning around, Lux appeared wearing a light frilly dress.
“Lux?”
“I apologize for interrupting.”
“No worries. What’s up?”
Lux glanced hesitantly at Sebastian. The perceptive butler smiled gently and bowed.
“In that case, this old man shall take his leave.”
As he walked away, throwing a gratuitous wink over his shoulder…
Only after Sebastian was sufficiently distant did Lux approach me.
“Hem hem…”
Despite being so close, she cleared her throat and stalled.
By now, I had a pretty good idea what she wanted to say but waited patiently for her to speak.
“…Huff.”
Taking a small breath, Lux finally gathered her resolve.
“I want to use the wish voucher.”
“Sure. Where do you wanna go?”
Lux’s crimson eyes sparkled, as if surprised I remembered.
“A faraway place? If it’s too distant, we might need some prep time.”
“Not that far. We can reach it easily by carriage.”
“Alright. Shall we go now?”
Since I hadn’t broken a sweat yet, immediate departure posed no problem. Lux quietly nodded.
I quickly summoned Sebastian and requested the carriage be readied. Luckily, it was available, allowing us to depart immediately.
“Where are we headed?”
Inside the moving carriage, I quietly inquired. I had no idea where we were going since Lux had given the destination to the driver.
“Hmm…”
After a brief pause, Lux smiled softly.
“To where my mother rests.”
Her wistful smile left me speechless.
