At Allen's enthusiastic invitation—
The stiff-smiling Edna chose to flee in panic.
She didn't even want to sit in on the afternoon's magic or swordsmanship classes.
As for the reason, it was probably because Allen, in her eyes, was simply too unrelenting.
If the swordsmanship class in the afternoon brought out a few more swings, it might utterly destroy the professional integrity she had maintained for decades.
That was something she absolutely could not accept.
Wasn't it said that Water God Style swordsmen were all extremely composed?
This one spoke nicely, behaved steadily, and Water God Style swordsmen were known to serve as knights in royal palaces and noble families across the world—they gave a very reputable impression.
So why did this one act like he'd draw his sword at the slightest disagreement, exactly like Ghislaine when she first arrived at the Boreas household?
Could it be that all adventurers were like this?
Just as Edna hurried off and the group tidied up to walk down the corridor—
A small problem occurred.
"We're going to the servants' dining room for lunch, so Eris can't come with us," said Sylphy.
"Why not!" Eris stomped loudly on the wooden floor of the hallway, expressing her displeasure.
Although it was phrased as a question, Eris clearly understood that she was supposed to eat with her grandfather, father, and mother.
So her lips pouted down.
Rudy scratched his head messily and turned to Allen, hoping the latter would somehow smooth things over again.
But Allen seemed completely indifferent to Eris's mood and simply led the way forward in silence.
Sylphy spoke up, using a coaxing tone, "Eris, you're going upstairs for lunch, we'll see each other again soon, right?"
"I know that! I'm just walking to the dining room entrance! Someone will come get me—"
Her voice cut off.
At the turn of the corridor, they turned—
And standing before them were four beast-women.
Lined up as if they had been waiting all along, they looked at Allen with smiling expressions.
Allen met eyes with the cat-eared woman in front and then lowered his gaze slightly.
"Eris, you're eating with us today."
"Ha? Really?!"
The cat-eared maid who was Eris's personal attendant looked straight at Allen, her face still smiling.
"Really. Allen-sama is correct."
"Allen-sama, Sylphy-sama, Rudy-sama."
"Lord Sauros invites you to dine upstairs."
—
Led by the beast-women, they made their way to the dining hall entrance.
The doors opened—
And immediately they were greeted by a massive floor-to-ceiling window.
Just before the window was the long dining table.
Sunlight poured through the enamel-glazed glass, casting flowing light and silhouettes over the three figures already seated.
Philip, Sauros, and Hilda had already taken their seats.
Their shadows stretched long on the ground.
Philip and his wife sat with impeccable posture and grace, the sunlight flickering across their faces.
But Sauros leaned carelessly against the central chair back, legs stretched out, arms crossed.
He said one word:
"Sit."
The voice was forceful and deep, befitting a former military officer of the Asura Kingdom.
Except for Ghislaine, who still served as a guard at the lord's estate and thus didn't suit dining at the table, the remaining four took their seats—Eris sat beside Sauros, and compared to her usual wild posture, she seemed rather ladylike in the presence of her "original teacher."
After the three greeted the elders, they sat opposite.
Rudy had intended for Allen to sit in the center, facing Sauros.
A "king" facing another "king"—it felt appropriate.
But as they sat down, his self-proclaimed "king" gently patted Rudy's shoulder and "sent" him to the central seat instead.
It wasn't until his butt hit the chair and Sauros's beard came into view that Rudy suddenly realized—
Huh?
Why am I sitting here?
Where's the king?
He turned his head.
The king had lowered his eyes, stirring his wild vegetable soup, a mysterious smile on his lips.
Rudy's mouth twitched, his eyes rolling once in their sockets.
He surveyed the seating arrangement:
Allen sat by the window, directly across from Philip. The ever-squinting Philip looked at him with interest, while Allen didn't lift his head to meet the gaze.
Rudy sat in the middle, directly facing Sauros—the elder lord crossed his arms and regarded the three like an old lion whose presence had never faded with age.
Sylphy sat by the door. She glanced at Allen, then gave a reserved nod to Hilda. Hilda, tilting her head slightly, seemed to be staring at Rudy's soup—but her gaze was unfocused. Noticing Sylphy's gesture, she blinked and returned a gentle smile.
Sauros waved off the approaching maids who meant to serve them.
Once the door closed—
"The matter with Thomas is resolved."
He was direct, no pretense. He turned to Allen and got straight to the point.
"Well done killing him."
Philip, seeing his father had no follow-up, waited a moment, then added with a smile:
"I finished investigating yesterday. Aside from colluding with major nobles in the royal capital, Thomas had committed many crimes—protecting corrupt officials, embezzling funds from the pharmaceutical workshop, and hiding over 700 gold coins in his home."
"Normally, I would have handled the aftermath and pacified local factions. But Father chose to step in himself and, in one afternoon, completely 'cleansed' all of Thomas's affiliated retainers."
"Hmph. You'd be too soft about it."
"Of course, Father. Your lesson is noted."
Allen's expression didn't change, but Hilda, hearing the aftermath of Thomas's death for the first time, visibly stiffened.
Cleansed?
That meant they were all killed.
All the officials, factions, and relatives connected to Thomas—at least hundreds of people in Roa.
All corpses now.
Yesterday afternoon.
Her focus yesterday had been more on her emotional turmoil; she hadn't paid attention to these details. Only now did she realize how serious the situation surrounding Thomas was.
So Allen killing him… had been pre-authorized?
But how could that be the role of a tutor?
Tutor?
Hilda blinked rapidly, eyebrows rising slightly.
Father and her "dear husband" had a strange attitude toward Allen...
Could it be that what happened yesterday morning had been another one of "his" so-called "tests"? Was it actually a move to evaluate Allen in preparation for future recruitment?
She instinctively turned to see her husband's expression.
And what she saw was—
Her husband, smiling with squinting eyes, looking across the table.
Sunlight streamed through the enamel glass onto his curled brown hair.
It shimmered with a pale brown light.
She found herself dazed again. Just as when Sylphy had noticed her earlier, her gaze had remained on the table, unfocused—because—
Her peripheral vision had been fixed on Allen the whole time.
And now—
Across from her husband.
In the corner of her eye—
That same color.
Pale brown light.
It was the exact same hair color.
(End of Chapter)
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