Ch.120120. See? Didn’t I Tell You?

“Hello, I’m Lucien. What’s your name?”

“Rinadiel! You’re so cute!”

“You’re not just cute, you’re pretty.”

“I like you!!”

Would you call this a conversation between adorable girls?

I slightly turn my head to see Rio also watching Lucien and Rinadiel’s conversation with a pleased expression, but when our eyes meet, he clears his throat awkwardly.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I was just looking, that’s all.”

“You were just staring at me with a strange look…”

“Wow… now I’m not even allowed to look at you?”

“N-no, that’s not what I… never mind.”

I smirked as I looked at Rio with his slumped shoulders.

“The house is nicer than I expected.”

“It’s been uninhabited for quite some time. Probably because it’s far from the market.”

“Well, unless you grow your own food, you’d need to go to the market for ingredients.”

“Exactly. That’s why it was affordable, and after some repairs, it turned out quite decent.”

I looked around the house and spoke with a touch of sentimentality.

“I’d like to live in a place like this someday with family, all cozy and together.”

“…Pardon?”

“If the market is far, you just buy plenty of ingredients at once, and you can plant various vegetables in the backyard. Ah, how happy that would be!”

“Are you being serious right now?”

“Why, doesn’t it suit me?”

“But this place is small, with no servants or maids…”

I flashed my eyes at Rio, who was tilting his head in confusion.

“What does that matter? The important thing is living happily with the people you love.”

Rio stared at me for a moment before breaking into a gentle smile.

“Haha, then I’ll build a house next to yours and live there with my family too.”

“No, you have a world to save.”

“What world am I supposed to save?”

“You’ll understand in time. Though that time isn’t far off now.”

“Are you saying we’ll soon part ways?”

As Rio made a disappointed face, I placed my palm on his shoulder and continued.

“People meet and part ways. And where there’s parting, there’s also new meetings.”

“…I still think I have much to learn from you, young master.”

He thinks he has much to learn from me…

Rio Sergan was a perfect character, just like the protagonist Serion Lycus.

It feels strange to receive such high praise from someone like him.

“The world is vast. There are many people out there who are much more worth learning from than me.”

“But you’re the only one around me right now, aren’t you?”

“That’s true. But what I’m saying is that I’m prepared to let you go whenever someone better comes along.”

“Is it the same for Jawil Wilson?”

I hesitated at the sudden mention of Jawil Wilson, then spoke.

“…Are you jealous of Jawil Wilson right now?”

“No, I’m envious. It seems you think you still have much to teach Jawil Wilson.”

I looked at Rio with sympathy as he appeared disappointed.

Honestly, why wouldn’t I want to take you with me…

You’re someone who resolves things well on your own without needing supervision, just like Jawil Wilson.

But.

Rio Sergan is the protagonist’s companion.

He’s too exceptional for me to keep.

Besides, if he stays with Serion Lycus, I can live a sweet, worry-free life without concerning myself about future calamities.

“Yes, unlike you, Jawil Wilson still has a lot of rough edges to smooth out.”

“I thought as much.”

“But when you feel you’ve accomplished everything, you can come to me. I’ll give you a plot of land, and we can farm together.”

Rio glances at me subtly.

“Really?”

“Of course. Even if we part ways, you can always come back—that’s what I’m saying.”

“…Alright. Farming with you… sounds like an interesting way to spend my later years.”

“Why wait until then? You’ll probably accomplish everything you want by middle age.”

“Haha, I’m already looking forward to it.”

The sun was already setting.

I smiled faintly as Rio and I watched the sunset through the window.

*

“Hmm, it turned out better than expected.”

“Knight Jawil Wilson! By the young master’s orders—”

I was admiring the southern defense line with satisfaction when I quickly cut off Jawil Wilson’s ear-splitting voice.

“Never mind that. How are the knights?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are they struggling or complaining?”

“Not at all. They’re just counting the days until payday, but there are no complaints.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. If there were any complaints, they would have confided in me.”

Well, the other knights probably find Jawil Wilson more approachable than the Knight Commander or Rio Sergan.

That’s why I entrusted him with important responsibilities, despite his occasional carelessness—he’s good at communication.

Swoosh-!

We built a 7-meter high wall so sturdy that even a cyclops couldn’t scale it, with a massive pit dug in front of it.

If the gate is forced open, the entrance is designed in a zigzag pattern, with the top completely exposed.

Once someone enters, they’ll be lost in the zigzag path while being showered with arrows from above.

And that’s not all.

Even after entering, there’s another pit filled with sticky mud, just like the one in front of the wall.

Even if the monsters manage to climb up with their heavy steps, they’ll be met by the knights of House Alphonse—the elites I’ve trained relentlessly since my possession.

“It’s much better seeing it in person. I’m glad I came to look.”

I nodded in satisfaction again, and Jawil Wilson cautiously approached me, looking around.

“There aren’t any complaints, but there is some talk going around.”

“Talk?”

“They don’t understand how we’re building such a defense line with our limited manpower and materials.”

That’s understandable.

Mobilizing villagers along with our insufficient workforce to construct a defense line with expensive materials would be impossible without certainty about the monster wave.

Naturally, everyone except me must be wondering what on earth we’re doing.

But in just over two months, my reputation will completely change.

Not that reputation matters much.

The ultimate goal is to ensure a proper handover of Luna, Rio, and Riden to Serion Lycus after the monster wave ends.

After that, I can live quietly in a peaceful place.

I looked at Jawil Wilson with half-closed eyes.

“Is that your opinion too?”

Jawil Wilson’s mouth gaped in surprise before he raised his voice.

“N-no! At first, I thought the same as the other knights, but didn’t I decide to trust and follow you?”

“Actually, I preferred that side of you.”

“…Pardon?”

“The other knights don’t understand what I’m doing but follow orders without question because the pay is good.”

“W-well, that’s true, but…”

“Raising questions when you have doubts—that’s a good means of communication.”

Jawil Wilson scratched his head at the unexpected compliment, then tilted his head.

“But whenever I ask you something, don’t you always say ‘Just do as you’re told’?”

“That’s because explaining is troublesome.”

“…What?”

“Even if I explained, you wouldn’t understand, so why waste my breath?”

“But you just said it was a good means of communication…”

“That’s just a figure of speech.”

Jawil Wilson pressed his temples as if getting a headache from our conversation and sighed.

“Sigh… when will I ever understand your true intentions?”

“Perhaps in your next life?”

“R-really?”

“You don’t need to understand my thoughts. You’re doing well enough as it is.”

“I’m just doing what you tell me to do. It’s nothing special.”

I stared at Jawil Wilson for a moment, then pointed at the solidly built defense line.

“The southern defense line is practically your creation.”

“How is it mine? I just followed the blueprints you gave me.”

“Do you think I’d entrust this to just anyone?”

“No, I suppose not.”

“I entrusted it to you because I firmly believed you could do it. And you proved me right.”

Jawil Wilson rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking embarrassed as he gazed into the distance.

“Do you remember when I confronted you?”

“The day we sparred? I remember. I almost killed you then.”

“Haha, back then, I never dreamed your praise would feel this good.”

“Me neither. Who would have thought I’d grow so fond of you… I only planned to keep you around to torment you.”

Jawil Wilson shuddered as if feeling a chill.

I was about to add another comment with a smirk when I saw Federicks rushing toward us from a distance.

“Sigh, why does he always run like that when he’s anxious?”

“…Pardon?”

“Look, whenever Federicks comes running like that, something always happens.”

“Come on, how could that always be the case?”

While Jawil Wilson and I were talking, Federicks arrived before us, caught his breath, and straightened his back.

“Young Master Evander Alphonse has arrived at Lake Estate.”

“Evander? The eldest?”

“Yes, that’s right. He’s waiting in the reception room now.”

I sighed briefly, looking at Jawil Wilson.

“See? I told you so.”