The blood in their veins ran cold.
That was how everyone in the Greyrat household felt. Sylphie, for her part, looked at Philip with a pale face.
Paul, Zenith, Lilia, Rudeus, Sylphie—they all subconsciously wanted to look at Allen.
But before their eyes could even turn, they heard Allen's leisurely voice drift over.
Without the slightest hesitation.
"My name is Allen."
The air was silent for a moment, but it seemed like a trick of the mind.
Everyone's gaze was already on Allen. The smile on his face didn't even ripple as he answered calmly.
You ask if my name is Allen?
Yes, that's right, my name is Allen.
It was a response that required no thought.
But the problem was that Philip's son was also named Allen...
Rudeus stared at Allen, his pupils shaking, completely unable to understand what he was doing. Although they had never hidden Allen's name because it was so common, to be so frank in front of his own father—wasn't he afraid of being recognized on the spot?
Philip, upon hearing Allen's words, saw the expression on his lips falter for a second before immediately returning to normal. He looked at Allen's unflappable smile with great interest, as if admiring a piece of art he had crafted himself.
"Allen? A good name. What a coincidence, my eldest son is also named Allen."
Allen patted Rudeus's shoulder, signaling him not to worry, and said with a smile.
"What a coincidence indeed."
Philip looked at Allen's dark gray eyes, a very common eye color in this world of sword and magic, and said with a grin.
"I 'know' of you."
Sylphie's white hair was being casually combed by Allen's hand. In his 'Flowing Sensation,' he could feel her heartbeat gradually calming under his touch. He replied nonchalantly.
"I have also heard your name many times."
Philip seemed quite surprised. He reached out and placed a hand on Paul, who was about to interject, silencing him.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Allen glanced leisurely past Paul and the others, his gaze calming their tense expressions, and replied casually.
"The name of the mayor of Roa City is renowned."
After this exchange, their questions and answers came in rapid succession, almost without a breath, echoing in front of the courtyard.
"Hehe, I didn't realize I was so famous. Aren't you curious how I've heard your name?"
"Not curious."
"Why?"
"You have many eyes and can see far, can't you?"
"Many eyes? See far? That's an interesting way to put it."
"Wasn't it you, Mr. Mayor, who bestowed upon Lord Paul his title as a knight? It's only natural that I am aware of my employer's situation."
"Are you saying I would send people to Buena Village to specifically watch his every move?"
"Many eyes, seeing far—that naturally applies to all the villages under your jurisdiction. Why would it be limited to just Buena Village?"
"Then shouldn't I have known about you long ago?"
"Information cannot be transmitted accurately. Your 'screening network' filtered out useful information as 'useless,' such as the mundane fact that the knight's family hired an ordinary home tutor. After all, there have been tutors before, and you didn't react then, did you?"
"You don't seem like the reckless adventurer from the rumors."
"Not all adventurers are reckless. You jest."
"Then do you know why I am here?"
As the pupils of the entire Greyrat household constricted, Allen immediately retorted.
"For me?"
"Yes. Aren't you curious why I'm looking for you?"
"There's nothing to be curious about."
Allen paused. As Paul frantically wiped the sweat from his brow, he met the gaze of Philip, whose eyes had opened at some point.
"It must be because I slaughtered my way through the monster tide last year, and news of it reached Roa City. As the mayor, you took an interest in my talent and came to Buena Village to see me, the meritorious person. Isn't that right?"
"Couldn't there be another reason?"
Allen's smile was very gentle.
"There could be, but there shouldn't be."
Opposite him, at some point, the look of admiration in Philip's eyes had become hotter than the midday sun.
"How old are you?"
Allen smiled but didn't answer.
Because it was an exclamation, not a question.
And Philip's words had already fallen again. He turned to Paul and said.
"Regarding the letter I sent you, how have you considered it? I think Allen is quite good. When I heard last year that a young man in Buena Village had single-handedly slaughtered all the monsters in the snow valley, I knew he was a talent. I admire him very much. Are you really not considering that job?"
Paul looked at Philip, then at Allen, his expression a mixture of confusion and helplessness.
In front of his face, the smoke and dust that had dissipated just a few minutes ago reappeared!
[Test (1/2), one part completed. Time elapsed: 4 minutes 57 seconds]
[The 'predicament' of being trapped in the mind. You were unable to enter the tutoring period, but now an 'external force' has appeared as an opportunity. How will you grasp it?]
[A family reunion? That is the worst outcome. A recruitment! I'll take it!]
[Philip has already deduced that you are his son through various clues, but the spies left behind by James do not support a reunion. Even the reason for coming to Buena Village this time could only be framed around the monster tide slaughter last winter, so as not to expose his true purpose to the light of day.]
[Why travel to Buena Village? It was just a 'recruitment,' that's all.]
[And you, without any need for secret hints, have completely grasped Philip's intentions through prior information and analysis. In your first meeting, you exchanged information in just a few sentences and made your thoughts clear to each other. To be honest, this was completely beyond his expectations.]
[As for the name Allen? It must be just a coincidence of having the same name.]
[In a world without cameras, even if you return to Roa, how could your current appearance match the sharp, young boy in James's memory?]
[You did not wait for the 'test' content that Philip had originally set up, but instead directly and crudely 'showcased' yourself.]
[This saved a lot of time.]
[You have passed one of Philip's 'tests' in advance—'Ability.' In the eyes of a cunning politician, your insight into information proved your excellent judgment of situations; your calm demeanor proved your ability to adapt on the spot; the Greyrat family's concern for you proved your ability to win people over.]
[This fits all his imagination of the perfect talent needed for political maneuvering.]
[The prerequisite for all of this is that you are only eleven years old.]
[And you are his biological son.]
[Task Reward: Participation Score: 5 points.]
[Evaluation: If an opportunity is presented but you cannot grasp it, it is meaningless. And you happen to be the one who can seize the opportunity.]
The wind blew past Paul's still-dazed face, climbed the window, and lifted the letter on the desk in the master bedroom.
Paul, long time no see.
I heard that the monster tide outbreak in Buena Village last year was quelled with ease?
As expected of Paul...
However.
I heard that a key figure in solving the problem was a passing adventurer. Is this adventurer currently teaching at your home?
To be honest, I am very interested in such talent and intend to recruit him.
I also heard that your son possesses extraordinary magical talent and is already a Saint-rank mage at a young age.
Since he is your son's teacher, it would be inappropriate for me to steal him away, but I think...
Bringing your child to Roa City as well would be a better choice.
I would gain a talent, your child would receive a better education, and I am willing to pay them each a salary of two gold coins per month.
And they could also help me with some very, very simple things. Don't worry, it won't be anything involving fighting.
Please consider it carefully.
Seeing this letter is like seeing me in person (the end of the writing is smudged with ink)
Oh... by the way.
I heard that this adventurer has some connection to the matter I once asked you about.
His name sounds a bit familiar.
Hehe, there really are a lot of people named Allen.
Philip.
This letter.
Allen had never seen it.
This kind of plot is so hard to write, so hard!
I spent the whole weekend just writing this part of the plot. It's so hard!!!
My head is spinning.
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