Greg (2)

A leisurely afternoon.

Ethan took a day off to rest.

As the mansion was quite large, and it had become quite bustling with the increased number of people.

He thought of taking a look around and having conversations.

First, the Douglan Expedition.

After participating in the monster colony subjugation in Count Sharian’s territory.

They were spending leisurely days at the mansion.

Dusty was often seen in the library.

It seemed he was having conversations about magic with Yuria, so Ethan left without disturbing them.

Slan and Osten came out to the training ground to watch the children’s lessons.

Sometimes they would lie down in the shade and doze off.

‘They seem to be enjoying their retirement life well.’

After briefly exchanging greetings, he headed to the next destination.

Levin and Dolti couple.

Ethan wanted to keep them safely for Ponya’s healthy future as well.

Levin felt a bit burdened, but thanks to Dolti accepting the kindness, they stayed at the mansion.

“You really don’t have to do this.”

“Oh no, it’s fine. I get restless if I just sit around. Don’t you feel the same, dear?”

“Hm? Ah, y-yes.”

Levin and Dolti shook off the dirt and came inside.

The two had cultivated a vegetable garden in the spare space next to the garden.

It wasn’t just growing simple salad vegetables in the garden.

It was quite serious herb cultivation.

“It’s knowledge I learned during my labyrinth expedition days, and it’d be a waste to let it go to waste. Potions aren’t cheap either, but if you have the necessary herbs, you can make them yourself.”

“Can you make potions too?”

“Of course~ Since labyrinth expeditions are always struggling financially, we used to make simple potions ourselves. Ready-made products are so expensive, you know.”

Apparently, Dolti thought of herb cultivation when she saw the ‘Gentle Mandrake’ Levi had planted while walking through the flower garden one day.

Levin, who was a vanguard shield bearer in the Douglan Expedition, and Dolti, who was a gatherer and healer.

They probably had the commonality of being beastkin, but due to the nature of shield bearers always ending up covered in wounds after expeditions, they spent a lot of time with the healer.

“So I talked a lot with this person. Before I knew it, I developed both good and bad feelings, and one thing led to another, and we ended up with our daughter.”

“I happened?”

“Yes, our daughter~”

“Hm? How?”

“You’ll know when you grow up, even if you don’t want to know, when you grow up.”

Ponya tilted her head, as the middle process was omitted.

“Still, our daughter needs to meet a good man, okay? Don’t bring home a stupid husband like this blunt one with no work skills who just comes back with a ton of debt.”

“Huh?”

“D-Dear. You don’t have to say such things…”

“Hmph.”

It seems the leadership in this couple has completely shifted to the wife.

‘Well, if you think about how she got into huge debt because of her husband, went to the labyrinth to earn money and got petrified, and in the meantime, her daughter was sold to an underground fighting ring… I guess it’s understandable.’

Though she spoke like that, it was more WWE than UFC level, so it didn’t escalate into a fight.

The three laughed again as if nothing had happened.

Leaving the harmonious family to enjoy their own time.

Ethan slipped away quietly.

At the table set up in the back garden he headed to.

Three people who had moved into the mansion relatively recently and.

Who didn’t get along well were waiting.

“Ethan-ssi? Why are you… Why are you here?”

“That’s my line. I came because the house owner called, but why are you wenches…”

“Don’t be rude to the young lady.”

“Oh yeah, you want to go at it again? Follow me to the training ground.”

“Now, now, don’t fight.”

Ethan first activated the safety measure.

[‘Maintenance’s’ mana suppression is activated.]

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other’s faces. How about resolving things through conversation?”

Elizabeth, Jenny, and the old man quietly checked their own condition and.

Sat down with a deep sigh.

‘Success for now.’

After that, Ethan drank the tea Hwarin brought out and.

Leisurely observed the ideological debate between the princess of Etrion and the founding member of the Heikel Republic.

‘…The tea is a bit bitter. Should I change to tea leaves from a different merchant?’

Elizabeth was a young lady who received particularly special attention in the royal family.

Of course, being the only princess, she monopolized the attention in the castle, but.

Unlike her dimwitted or sharp-edged brothers, she was kind to the servants, which earned her bonus points.

To be precise, she had desires as she was human too, but she didn’t show them outwardly.

That alone was enough to make her the most popular royal in the castle.

But Elizabeth, at this moment.

Was on the verge of losing her self-control for the first time in her life.

‘This isn’t why I left the castle?’

The thought that she didn’t know why she was doing this now crossed her mind.

She didn’t come to Serdin to have a meaningless debate with a rude and dirty old man.

Her purpose was.

‘I wanted to seduce the hero and have a romantic love affair, and be proudly recognized as a couple by the people of the world…’

But her very girlish plan was completely distorted.

The culprit was right in front of Elizabeth’s eyes.

“Hmph! You talk about the advantages of republicanism, but in the end, the parliament is run by people too. Living a peaceful life under the guidance of the royal family and nobles versus irresponsible governance by unproven nobodies. Can you really not understand which system is superior?”

So she shouted, filled with anger.

The opponent was stubbornly set in their ways.

And was also like a parrot repeating only their own words.

“Oh my, the ‘nobodies’ I just mentioned means not being limited by the constraints of birth. In republicanism, even those of humble birth can work for the country if they have ability. How can you call that irresponsible!”

“That’s why! If they have outstanding ability, they can serve the country under the guidance of the royal family, right? Do you think it makes sense to compare a stable system that has been recognized for a long time with unproven republicanism? No, no, doesn’t the answer come out when you look at Heikel where rebellions occur every month in the capital?”

“Republicanism is like a newborn baby that has just been born! Of course, it’s bound to be unstable even standing on two feet! But ‘noble birth’ itself is an illusion! Don’t you see how the ‘noble’ Obiek royal family of Heikel starved 20% of their citizens to death over three generations!”

The old man was also getting irritated as his plans were falling apart.

‘He just doesn’t listen at all. No, why am I having an argument with such an arrogant girl?’

Some madman suddenly came to his secret hideout that even the Speaker of the Heikel Republic Senate couldn’t find and proposed to take the child away for some money.

Thinking it was some kind of trick, he said okay and sent Greg away, then tracked the merchant for a few days but realized it wasn’t a trap.

Still, just in case, he carefully came all the way to Etrion, and the contents of the letter were true.

Thinking what a strange guy this was, he planned to quietly dispose of him if he was a sucker and take the property and bring Greg back, but.

The extraordinary children followed the house owner well and.

Most of the people in the house were masters or had reached the level of experts.

‘If I cause trouble recklessly here, it’ll be big trouble.’

So he tried to pick a fight with the most vulnerable-looking noble to show off his skills.

It wasn’t because he was angry at the arrogant-looking noble young lady.

It was a kind of greeting to show that his skills were at least this good.

But the house owner didn’t allow even that.

He simply blocked mana and dispersed aura without revealing any energy.

The old man couldn’t help but be greatly flustered.

‘I need to change all my plans. Let’s move the option of fighting to the very last.’

This thought was deeply ingrained in the old man’s mind.

The old man clearly didn’t let his guard down, but.

Due to the effect given by the World Tree’s root, his favorability was gradually increasing.

As a result, even the minimal wariness towards Ethan was easily neutralized.

‘Right, let’s try to resolve this through words.’

If possible, he tried to resolve things through dialogue with the narrow-minded noble young lady.

If everything worked out just by trying, the old man wouldn’t have been driven out of the capital in the first place.

As a result, the difference in views with the noble young lady didn’t narrow.

Yet the two could only glare at each other, not daring to engage in a brawl.

‘Because the hero is watching.’

‘The house owner is watching.’

A being who could block the flow of mana as he wished without any preparatory movements or incantations.

That ability was close to a kind of miracle impossible unless one was an archmage or an apostle sent by God.

“Ahem, yes. There may be flaws in the royal family’s abilities. Then it’s enough if capable ministers assist the royal family.”

“Only maggots gather around a corrupt throne. I know well from watching for a long time. Sometimes you need to remove it from the roots to clean it up.”

The two gradually lowered the level of their conversation while watching Ethan’s reaction.

As they did so, there were some points where they could communicate quite well.

“I agree. Etrion is also full of nobles who cross the line due to excessive desire for power.”

“Now you’re starting to make sense. Such maggots should be cut up and made into fertilizer to be of use to the country. Kekeke.”

While Jenny observed the conversation between the princess and the old man as if walking on thin ice.

‘This is okay, right?’

She examined Ethan’s expression.

He was very leisurely savoring his tea while nodding his head.

‘As expected, he wants us to get along well with this eccentric old man.’

‘Does he want me to be friendly with this young lady? If that’s really the house owner’s wish…’

And Ethan, the person in question.

[‘Maintenance’s’ ability blocks all noise.]

‘Ah~ My head is so clear when I can’t hear anything they’re saying.’

He wasn’t listening at all.

Absolute noise canceling utilizing ‘Maintenance’s’ ability.

To him, the gradually improving expressions of the two people.

Only looked like a scene of them pouring out their pent-up emotions while fighting and gradually becoming closer.

‘Now there should be fewer fights.’

As Ethan put down his teacup with a satisfied smile.

• Tap tap.

  Someone lightly tapped him, so he turned his head.

  “Ethan-nim.”

  “Greg. What’s the matter?”

  Greg came over and naturally sat down in an empty chair.

  “Can I eat some snacks?”

  “Of course, of course. Eat as much as you want.”

  ‘Finally, he’s opened his heart to me.’

  Perhaps buying gifts that children would like helped increase favorability.

  Greg smiled brightly while munching on snacks.

  ‘Yes, this is how you gradually become closer starting from small things.’

  Of course, he didn’t actually have many friends and.

  Was a hardcore gamer who perceived human relationships as the concept of increasing character favorability in a game, but.

  “Want more? Here, eat this too.”

  “Thank you.”

  Greg’s response was enough for him to misunderstand.

  But then.

• Ding!

  [Special rewards have been automatically given as they have not been claimed for a long time.]

  [Special rewards have been given in front of ‘Ethan’!]

  [Congratulations! You have won ‘Premium Growth PotionX20’.]

  [Congratulations! You have won ‘Negin’s Bracelet’.]

  “Ah…”

  As the unclaimed special rewards were forcibly given.

  They poured down with light from thin air.

  “Wow.”

  Now he had more troublesome things to explain.