Translation

As expected, I could only return to the Perkus family’s residence when it was dark all around.

I was served tea by Dellan, but I remembered that I hadn’t eaten lunch. On the way back, I took out the food I had put in the space warehouse and ate it with Navier while leaning against the barrier.

Navier was amazed by the warm potato soup and turkey that seemed freshly made from the space warehouse. She asked me several questions about the space warehouse with wide eyes, and I kindly answered them as a thank you for following me this far.

As Navier and I entered the house, escorted by a servant, Raellan greeted us.

,I thought you were going to elope on your first date.”

At Raellan’s teasing words, Navier blushed and ran away to her room as if fleeing.

I scratched my head and bowed, apologizing for being late.

Raellan smiled and asked, as if he didn’t care.

,Fortunately, you and Navier seem to be getting along well?”

I nodded and said.

,We’ve decided to hang out together tomorrow too.”

It wasn’t just that we got along well. Since we solved the secret of the lighthouse together, I thought we should finish it together as well.

In fact, when returning from the barrier, Navier persuaded me enthusiastically with those words.

I know well enough how uncomfortable it is to have unresolved questions in my head, so I was persuaded.

I don’t know what Raellan misunderstood from my answer, but he patted my shoulder firmly with a satisfied smile.

,Then get a good rest for tomorrow’s date.”

I nodded without making excuses.

***

The next day.

After breakfast, we took a carriage to the Frax family’s residence.

Remembering that I dislike strawberries, today’s dessert was cookies with tangy lemon jam.

I didn’t particularly want to eat them, but I picked up a few out of consideration.

After about an hour’s carriage ride, we were able to arrive at Frax City, where the Frax family resides.

We left the carriage at the entrance of the city and walked through the streets with Navier.

My first impression of Frax City was familiarity.

Feeling the familiarity of the most prosperous capital on the continent here indirectly shows how good Frax City is.

Even the atmosphere was different from Solaon.

If Solaon feels like a slightly cold, concrete new city, this place feels like a bustling downtown area where people live.

In fact, they sold a lot of food, and there were tons of people passing by.

,It’s completely different from our city, right?”

At Navier’s slightly inferiority-complex-filled voice, I said in a nonchalant tone.

,But Solaon is closer to the static city feel of the North that I expected. This place seems to have copied the capital, so I’m a little disappointed.”

Navier smiled happily at my words. As expected, harmless gossip makes others laugh. I walked, talking about the good points of Solaon City compared to this place, so that passersby wouldn’t hear.

Before long, we arrived at a building that looked magnificent at a glance. It’s about the same size as the capital’s church.

When I knocked on the door, a maid with a bright complexion greeted us. I stated the purpose of my visit.

,I’ve come to see Ilia-sunbae.”

At my words, the maid widened her eyes, quickly looked us over, and asked with a friendly smile.

,I’m sorry, but Ilia-agassi is out. Did you make an appointment in advance?”

I hesitated for a moment and then lied in a nonchalant voice.

,I didn’t make an appointment, but… I’m Ilia-sunbae’s boyfriend.”

The maid looked at me with surprised eyes and then ran off somewhere, saying to wait a moment. As expected, the effect is certain.

As I was wearing a satisfied smile, Navier turned to me and gave me a puzzled look.

,You were dating Ilia-sunbae? I thought you were dating someone in the same year as you….”

I shook my head with a smile towards the flustered Navier.

,Of course, it’s a lie. It’s not me who’s dating Ilia-sunbae, it’s my brother.”

With a dumbfounded expression, Navier stammered and asked.

,Yo, you lied?”

,I have to, so that even if it’s not Ilia-sunbae, someone from the family will agree to meet me. Then I can make excuses by saying it was a misunderstanding, that I didn’t explain it well. Not her boyfriend, but his younger brother.”

I shrugged at Navier’s contemptuous gaze as she narrowed her eyes and looked at me. Isn’t this quick-wittedness worthy of praise?

I soon realized that that thought was wrong. I heard someone running quickly, and then the slightly open door burst open, and a robust old man appeared.

The old man quickly observed us and then grabbed me by the collar without any explanation and lifted me into the air.

,You bastard! You’re my granddaughter’s detestable boyfriend!!!”

I was lifted into the air and suffocated. Because of that, my voice didn’t come out, so excuses were impossible. I gestured urgently for her to explain, but Navier just smiled and watched as if she enjoyed it.

,You dare not be satisfied with just my lovely granddaughter and build a harem?”

The old man was angry, and his arm gained more strength. Before my face turned pale, Navier intervened.

,It’s a misunderstanding. Ross here is the younger brother of Ilia-sunbae’s boyfriend.”

At Navier’s explanation, the old man frowned, stared at my face, and then released my collar.

,…Well, my granddaughter is picky about looks.”

I wanted to ask what he meant, but for some reason, I had a feeling that I would be sad if I heard it, so I didn’t ask. As I was catching my breath and clearing my throat, the old man patted my back roughly.

,This guy, why are you saying confusing things and making people embarrassed!”

At the fierce touch of his hand hitting my back, I sighed and apologized in a slightly cracked voice.

,Ahem, I’m sorry. The reason I came to see Ilia-sunbae is that I wanted to get help with interpreting ancient languages.”

At my words, the old man’s eyes sparkled with interest.

,I’ll help you if you tell me why you’re trying to interpret the ancient languages.”

As expected, it’s not easy. He called Ilia his granddaughter, so this old man must be the former head of the Frax family.

While I was wondering if it was right to involve Frax, the overlord of the North, in a situation where I didn’t know what the contents of the writing on the paper were, Navier joined the conversation.

,Hello. I’m Navier from the Perkus family, former head of the Illade family.”

At Navier’s polite voice, Illade turned his gaze away from me.

,Nice to meet you. It’s amazing that the young lady of Perkus has come to Frax. Is she this guy’s girlfriend?”

,No. She’s my assistant.”

For a moment, I lost my words and just gaped with a dumbfounded expression. When I turned my gaze to Navier, she nodded slightly as if to leave it to her and said to Illade.

,We are the same club juniors of Ilia-sunbae. This Ross here is the top of the 1st year combat club. During the vacation, I was touring the barrier with Ross when I accidentally discovered a paper written in ancient languages. We couldn’t interpret it in our family, so we came here to see if you could help us.”

Illade stroked his chin for a moment, observed me and Navier, and then smiled.

,I was bored anyway, so it seems like it will be fun.”

Whether he had decided to help us, Illade gestured for us to follow him. In the room we were dragged into, a man who looked like a scholar was looking at a book and writing something.

Whether he was annoyed that we came in without knocking, the man frowned for a moment, sighed, and gestured to an empty chair. When we sat down, the man sighed and asked Illade.

,Please, can you knock?”

,That’s why I came making footsteps on purpose.”

Whether he had lost his words, the man clicked his tongue and turned his gaze to us. Since I didn’t know who the scholar in front of me was, I closed my mouth and looked at Illade.

Feeling my gaze, Illade, who was leaning back in his chair, hit his forehead and said.

,Ah, I forgot. These are my granddaughter’s juniors. And this is Lotos, a professor in charge of ancient languages at Elysium Academy.”

At the words Elysium Academy, I looked at Lotos with curious eyes. There’s no way there’s only one academy on the vast continent. Elysium Academy was a prestigious academy located in the South, second only to Transcendence Academy.

The Imperial-sponsored Academy Triathlon is scheduled to take place in the second semester. Elysium Academy is blocked by a huge wall called Roel and comes in second again, but it was still an academy that showed considerable potential.

Come to think of it, I was the vice-chief of the first year, so I had to participate in the Triathlon. The participation requirement was the chief and vice-chief of each grade.

,The reason you came all the way here is to have the ancient languages written on the paper interpreted.”

At Illade’s words, Lotos gave us a mischievous smile.

,Is that so? Well, I’m more proficient in ancient languages than that guy.”

The guy Lotos is talking about is probably the professor in charge of ancient languages at Transcendence Academy. However, Navier and I are in the combat club, so we don’t take classes, so we don’t even know his face.

,Okay, show me. I’ll interpret it in one go.”

Before coming here, I took out the paper I had taken out of the space warehouse in advance and handed it to Lotos.

Lotos, who received the paper, examined it for a moment and then smiled pleasantly with an exclamation of, “Oho.”

,Do you know that the letters written on this paper are secondary ancient languages?”

Of course, I had no way of knowing, so I shook my head. He made a slightly disappointed expression, but perhaps it was a professor’s unique habit. He kindly explained it to us.

,Ancient languages are largely divided into three stages. Over time, they have been transformed three times. The paper here is a secondary ancient language. It means it’s a language that was used about 1500 to 1000 years ago.”

After finishing the explanation, Lotos took out a cane from his pocket and swung it towards the bookshelf. Several books flew to the table in front of us and were opened.

Lotos, who had put the paper he received from me next to him and was writing the interpretation on a new piece of paper with a happy face, had an expression that gradually hardened as time went by. Later, it hardened so much that it was visible.

After a while, Lotos, who seemed to have finished the interpretation, put down his pen, let out a faint sigh, and looked at us.

,Can you tell me where you got this will?”

At Lotos’s serious question, I opened my mouth to lie as Navier had done to Illade, but I raised my hand to stop it.

Lotos called what I called a paper a will. Any more lies would break trust.

,I apologize. It was such an important matter that I had no choice but to lie.”

I start with those words.

Illade waited for my next words with a pleasant smile, as if he already knew rather than being displeased.

I explained the secret of the lighthouse and what I experienced at the temple. Lotos nodded seriously, and Illade had a look full of interest.

,A demon is sealed…”

I nodded at Illade’s murmur.

,That’s right. I was trying to interpret the papers they left behind to see if anything about it was written there.”

Lotos nodded and handed me the paper with the interpretation written on it.

,Yes, if you’re the one who solved the secret of the lighthouse, you’re qualified enough to hear the will.”

With a trembling heart, I received the paper and read it.

And I could understand a little why Lotos’s face, which had been interpreting it, had hardened as time went by.