120-Episode 111: The Sage's Father Is Recognized




 The king's audience continues.
 King Amst stops laughing and tightens his mouth.
 He shows a dignified expression again.

'Well..... I am Luxor Singh Stark.

Haha!

 Luxor hung his head deeply.
 Looking at the nobleman who was afraid to be approached, King Amst loosened his mouth again.

''It's been a long time, Luxor. How long has it been?'

It's been 14 years, sir. I believe it's been since the King granted you a domain.

Yeah. Ever since the knighthood was conferred upon you? You've been a great help to me.

Such a waste of time, Your Majesty.

So now you have the help of your children. You seem to have a strange bond with him.

Thank you for taking care of my child.

Hmm. But, Luxor. I hear you're in charge of your domain as well.

 The Stark territory had cleared its farmland and made its work more efficient, and despite the small size of its land, it was as successful as the surrounding lords.
 Moreover, it was the result of a considerably reduced harvest.
 There is a typical Luxor reason for this.

 If he achieved more than the neighboring lords, he would destroy the faces of the nobles who had bigger land than he did.
 Luxor, who values harmony, deliberately limited the harvest in consideration of such nobles.

''That wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for my son Racel.

Oh. So it was Racel. I didn't know you had a farming background.

We owe it all to your father.

 I was humbled, but well, you're probably right, actually.
 I was able to cultivate the land because I had taken back part of the mountain from the Basak, and I was able to work more efficiently because I had developed a way to mix magical plants into the soil and make a potion to promote growth.

 However, I couldn't do it alone.
 It was only because I had a strong leader named Luxor that I was able to make it happen.

However, it is true that you rule the territory well.


 I confer upon you, Luxor Singh Stark, the title of Earl on you.


Your lands will be enlarged. From now on, you may take the name of Lucisol Girrell Stark.

 I glanced sideways at my father.
 He looked up with a wow and his mouth was open in surprise.
 It was a look I'd never seen before, and it was rather comical.

 The vassals around him were also buzzing.
 They seemed just as surprised as Luxor at the unusual difference in the arrangement.

 No wonder.
 In terms of rank, next to the baron was the viscount, and next to the viscount was the count.
 The so-called second class specialization.
 It's very rare for such a distinction to be made for nobles other than those who have been killed in the line of duty.

''Heh, Your Majesty........''

 I was speechless.
 His fingertips were trembling in small increments.
 He looks both thrilled and angry.
 No, rather, even Luxor himself seemed unsure of how to react.
 It was so far out of bounds that it outweighed his father's thoughts.

'Don't be mistaken, Luxol.

Ha!

'Isn't this what you think? I think I have side-stepped my children's achievements,

It's a--

You're still in your face. I don't know that much.

'Ha, ha! I beg your pardon.

I told you. 'I told you that you governed the territory well. No more, no less, no less, and nothing more. Work harder than you do now. I know you can do it.

'Ha! I will continue to serve with the utmost sincerity.

 Luxor bowed his head.
 Tears glistened in his eyes.
 He looked very happy.

 With the rank of count, there was no need to worry about the surrounding lords.
 Moreover, although they only need the permission of the kingdom, they can visit the royal palace without the permission of the surrounding lords.
 In other words, it will be much easier to come to the royal capital than it is now.
 Sheila would be pleased.

 Although the king said it was a reward for managing Luxor's fiefdom, he was firmly in my mind.

 I'm not going to be able to say that I'm a good person, but I'm going to be able to say that I'm a good person.
 Normally, he would have wanted to leave his estate to me and give me a title.

 For once, King Amst's difference is nothing short of brilliant.
 Once again, my father and I pondered the question.

 The story of King Amst wasn't over.
 His cheerful face turned grim.

Now, Racel. "Well, Racel," he says, "you are now Racel Girrell Stark as well, aren't you? I'm sorry to be so quick to apologize to you, but I owe you an apology. I let the demon you captured alive escape.

I heard about it. Have they caught the killer yet?

 I straighten up once more and turn to face the king.

 King Amst shook his head.

"Not yet," he says. "Not yet," said the king, "but we are doing everything we can to find him. The investigating magistrate says it's likely an inside job. We had a full security detail. There's no doubt about it.

How's your background?

'Given the fact that they took him away, they think it was an organization with deep ties to the mages. Either way, be careful, Lacelle.

 If the organization is involved with demons, I would be the immediate target, having defeated the demons.
 Like King Amst said, you should be careful.

 Well, even if they're targeted, they'll just get their revenge.
 But it's not me who's in trouble now.

''Your Majesty, would you be willing to allocate some of your guards to my father's territory?

 Now that I know the demon can't get through to me, there's a good chance that she'll challenge me with her hands.
 In other words, they are hostages.
 Even if Sheila doesn't have a problem because she lives with me, it's difficult to protect my father, who is far away in the Stark territory.

''Lacelle, don't worry, my father........''

I know your father is a strong man. But I'm just taking precautions. Besides, it will put Sheila at ease.

Mm-hmm.

 In the end, Luxol agreed.
 He turned to the king and asked for his final decision.

'Very well. Minister, send fifty or so of your men, with some tinkering,

I'm sorry, sir.

 The minister complied honestly.

 I went on.

'By the way, Your Majesty. What does Saw Commerce say?'

 Volfot was in Chapter 4.
 It's an adventurer's school within the Saw Kingdom of Commerce.
 His belonging should also be in the Saw Kingdom of Commerce.
 Even if he didn't know that Volfot was a demon, he would have noticed that extraordinary strength.

 King Amst exhales.
 He tapped his fingers on the armrest in frustration.

'The thing is. It's a point of ignorance. He even admitted that Volfot was a citizen of the Thaw Trading State, but he didn't know that he was a witch. In addition, he pointed out the laxity of the Adventurer's School's check system. It's become a bit of a controversy.

Do you think it's white?

I've only heard the reports, but I'm afraid it's all gray. I've only heard the reports, but I'm afraid it's too gray. We will continue to look into this matter. I will also ask for the cooperation of other countries. Because if the demons are the result of illegal experiments, then this is a problem for Galveer as a whole.

 And so our audience with the King was over.
 The aftertaste is not good, but the conferring of the title on my father is a cause for celebration.
 Let's go tell Sheila and congratulate her on the award.

"Congratulations on your conferral of the title, father.

Thanks. Although, I still feel like I'm on board with your accomplishments.

'That is not true. His Majesty valued your father's work.

Yes. It's a gift. I have to work harder than I do now.

 Then Luxor puts his hand on my head.
 He gives me a soft smile, and then he smoothed his dark hair.

'I'm more than happy for you, Lacelle.

Yes?

I didn't expect to get an audience with the king like that. And he's come to rely on me a lot. I'm so proud of my son.

'I'm just doing what your father told me to do,'

 The world will recognize my profession as a [villager].

 My goal is to be the strongest in the world, but I've kept that vow in the back of my mind.

''I see. Well then, let's have a pow-wow today.

I don't think I'm ready to drink.

Don't be so formal, my son.

 Luxor puts his hands around my neck.
 I pull her close and press my face to his, gulping.
 It was my father's way of expressing his affection for me, something he used to do when I was a child.

 It tickled me badly, thanks to the beard I'd grown during the day.