Ch.163163. What Should I Do Now?

“Young Master, I’m really going now…”

“Alright, listen well to Sir Serion Lycus.”

“I’ll come back much stronger! So you won’t have to worry about me anymore.”

Luna Brillhart shouldered her bag with a gloomy expression.

She barely managed to hold back the corners of her mouth from automatically turning upward.

“Luna, I believe you can become stronger. I have faith in you.”

“…Thank you.”

After saying goodbye to Luna, Rinadiel peeked her face toward me.

“I’m going now, for an adventure.”

“Adventure?”

“Big brother Rio said we’d do something fun. Hunting monsters!”

“Haha, I see. Take care of yourself.”

“Yes! Wait for me!! I’ll be back soon!”

Even the cute Rinadiel said her farewells.

The last one remaining was Rio.

“Young Master, you didn’t have to come all this way to see us off…”

He was the talent I was most reluctant to part with.

However, he was also a companion that the protagonist, Serion Lycus, needed.

I had to send him away, holding back my tears.

I firmly placed my palm on Rio’s broad shoulder and spoke.

“You might have a harder time because of Luna and Rinadiel.”

“They’re all children who listen well to me, so there’s no need to worry.”

“If Luna’s eyes roll back like last time, team up with Serion Lycus and knock her out. Got it?”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Finally, I exchanged a brief nod with Serion Lycus and waved goodbye as they began their journey.

Jawill Wilson’s eyes were also reddening, seemingly having grown attached to them.

“Young Master, we’ll meet them again someday, won’t we…?”

Serion Lycus and his companions were now not even visible as tiny dots.

I reached out to Jawill Wilson, who was wiping tears with the back of his hand, and curled up the corners of my mouth.

“Now, let’s really party!!”

*

-What’s with all this meat and alcohol?

-I heard Young Master Selden Alphonse prepared it?

-He suddenly prepared such a large amount of food and drinks?

The party began in the mansion’s courtyard.

The knights and mercenaries whispered among themselves.

-He must be heartbroken. He especially cherished Sir Rio and Luna.

-Didn’t they say they were going for training and would return?

-Still, a farewell is a farewell, so he must be praying for their safe return.

-I see. The Young Master is throwing this party to hide his sadness…

Listening to the knights and mercenaries’ whispers, I entered the reception room with a satisfied expression.

There was food and alcohol specially prepared there.

This was nothing short of a reward for all my hard work.

Chomp-! Chomp-!

I devoured the glistening meat ravenously.

And a glass of alcohol.

Where I was right now was truly paradise.

“This tastes amazing!!”

Then, Jawill Wilson, sitting across from me, looked at me with a strange gaze.

“Young Master, you don’t seem sad at all?”

“I am sad, but constantly being sad won’t help anything.”

“That’s true, but… I’m wondering if you’re actually too happy about this.”

“It’s a good thing too. If Rio and Luna become stronger, it’ll benefit me.”

“Even if it’s a journey for training, they’re hunting monsters. One mistake could put their lives at risk.”

I nodded my chin toward Jawill Wilson, who kept finding fault.

“If you’re so worried, should I send you too?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’ve already sent three people, so sending one more is no big deal.”

“I, I need to take care of Lucien.”

“You always use poor Lucien as an excuse when the situation is unfavorable, don’t you?”

“That’s not it, who will take care of Lucien if I’m not here?”

“Why are you worried about that when I’m here?”

Jawill Wilson, seemingly at a loss for words, stuffed a handful of meat into his mouth and chewed.

By the way.

What should I do now?

According to the original story, I should have already died at Luna Brillhart’s hands.

The life I’m living from now on has nothing to do with the novel.

One fortunate thing is that since I’ve handed over my companions to Serion Lycus, there’s a higher chance that things will flow according to the novel.

“What is Brother Leonard doing?”

“After finishing training with the Knight Commander this morning, he’s now resting in his room.”

“He’s using the restoration of Leike territory as an excuse to stay, but if he stays too long, Brother Evander might get suspicious…”

“Couldn’t we buy more time by saying we’re investigating the Death Forest where the monster wave occurred together?”

“Would Brother Evander believe that the timid Brother Leonard would voluntarily investigate the Death Forest?”

Jawill Wilson seemed to ponder for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

“Well, how about being honest? We could spread rumors that Leonard Young Master is undergoing intense closed-door training in Leike territory. Then Evander Young Master would be wary of Leonard Young Master and not pay attention to us, right?”

“…Jawill Wilson.”

“Yes, sir?”

“From now on, no matter what happens, don’t voice your opinions.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Jawill Wilson, with a dejected expression, once again stuffed meat into his mouth.

A moment later, Riden Solice appeared in the reception room.

“Thanks to you, Young Master, all the mercenaries are enjoying the food and drinks.”

“Good job. You probably haven’t eaten properly while taking care of the mercenaries. Sit down and eat.”

“Thank you.”

Riden Solice ate hurriedly, seemingly hungry.

With a satisfied expression, I spoke.

“How is Rebecca?”

At that, Riden Solice stopped his chopsticks that had been moving without pause.

“She seems mentally unstable. She’s already fought with mercenary members five times.”

“Five times in just one day!? I thought I told her not to fight if possible?”

“I tried to stop her several times. But how can I stop hot-blooded mercenaries? It seemed better to let them establish a hierarchy among themselves for training purposes.”

Thinking about it, he was right.

Trying to stop them would only increase the mercenaries’ discontent.

Letting them sort out their hierarchy was the quickest way to quiet them down.

“So, what’s the conclusion?”

“…Rebecca won all of them.”

“As expected.”

“Her magic and close combat sense were both excellent.”

By the way.

I should teach Rebecca a lesson sometime.

If she’s never tasted defeat, her pride must be sky-high by now.

Moreover.

Although Riden Solice is temporary, he’s essentially the mercenary captain.

For the sake of hierarchy, he needs to assert some control.

I nodded firmly with my arms crossed.

“If Rebecca picks a fight with you or requests a duel, pass her to me.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’ll handle Rebecca myself.”

“Even though I’m primarily an informant, I can handle someone like Rebecca.”

It seems Riden Solice’s pride was quite hurt.

I sighed briefly and continued.

“I don’t mean you’d lose, I just want to face her myself.”

“I-Is that so?”

“So, if anything happens, pass Rebecca to me.”

“…Understood.”

“Well, it would be best if you could keep her from causing trouble in the first place.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Good, let’s have a drink.”

Despite downing alcohol with Riden Solice and Jawill Wilson in the reception room since morning, the deep aftertaste wouldn’t fade.

How much mental suffering had I endured because of Luna until now?

She was a woman who tried to pounce on me multiple times.

Moreover.

Why does her damn affection deficiency keep growing…

Because of her, I’ve had to spout lines like a male lead in a melodrama, improving my acting skills considerably.

It was only natural that I couldn’t contain my excitement at being liberated from Luna.

“Young Master… no matter what our Lucien does wrong, you must never hit him. How painful would it be when there’s nowhere to hit… sob…”

Having drunk without restraint, Jawill Wilson was making a scene after drinking too much.

While I drank a lot because I was in a good mood due to Luna’s departure, why did he drink so excessively?

I shook my head from side to side and got up.

“I’m going to rest, so drink moderately.”

“Young Master, I’m not done talking! Our Lucien is nothing short of an angel. You hear me!? Remember that!”

Pushing away Jawill Wilson, who was grabbing my leg and spraying saliva while giving a speech, I exchanged a brief nod with Riden Solice and left the reception room for my bedroom.

“Phew…”

Lying on the bed, I finally realized again that Luna was gone.

It felt like I had taken several leaps forward for a life of pure bliss.

I was smiling at how everything had gone according to plan when…

Knock knock-!

A knocking sound came from the door.

I raised myself from the bed, lightly tidied my disheveled hair, and spoke.

“Who’s-“

Before I could finish, a woman flung the bedroom door wide open.

I gaped in shock.

“Y-You, why are you here again!?”