I returned safely to the Seventh Lord’s territory.
I arrived in the middle of the night, but Asher and Reef were still awake by this time, and they came out from the entrance with the butler to greet me.
“I’m glad you came back safely…”
Asher said with a look of sincere relief.
It was a very intense reaction for her, so I nodded, thinking that it was surprising.
After all, the Wiseman and the head of the Black Star Knights dragged me away. It probably came off as a shock to her.
Reef, who was next to her, hesitated, then lowered her head and opened her mouth.
“I’m sorry. Because of us…”
“It’s fine.”
In the end, it all happened because of my own choices, so I had no intention of blaming the two siblings. Of course, I had no regrets either.
Well, I might have regretted it if I was really in danger of dying, but it all worked out, anyway. What mattered was the result, wasn’t it?
Upon entering the castle, Gulpiro met us, his face showing that he had just woken up.
“I’m glad you returned safely, Seventh Lord. I thought something terrible was going to happen.”
I told them in moderation that everything worked out with no problems.
Gulpiro seemed to be very curious about how there was no problem after I killed a Lord, but I felt no need to explain the process.
After telling them the situation roughly, I went back to my room, threw myself on the bed, and went to sleep.
I woke up late the next morning and thought about eating.
It’s been a long time since I felt relaxed.
As the Overlord said, it would take about a month before I accompanied her to the conference of the neutral countries.
The issue with the Sixth Lord was also successfully resolved, so there was nothing to do for the time being.
For my next goal, I had to head to Santea, but I hadn’t decided yet when I would go.
After acquiring the Mysteries and increasing my specs, I had stabilized my personal safety and my position as a Lord to some extent.
The primary goal for surviving safely in this world was successfully accomplished.
Of course, my physical ability was still at the level of a normal person, but that’s not something that could be solved unless I gained the ability to use mana.
The hero and the successor ...
I thought of my next goal as I munched on the meat I picked up with my fork.
The main story of the game.
The things I planned to do in Santea in the future were related to the main story and the fate of this world.
I didn’t want to make it sound so grandiose, but it was, in a way.
Because it was a job to find the next successor to the Holy Sword that would block the resurrection of the Demon King and bring her into contact with the current hero safely.
This was something I had to do, no matter how much I didn’t want to do it.
'If not, the world will perish, so I have to make sure that such an outcome will be avoided.'
I could only live well if the world was not on the brink of destruction.
Anyway, that was the story that a player would experience as they progressed while playing RaSa. An adventure centered around the successor of the hero.
Right now, I didn’t have a system or a good guideline, so I had to do everything by myself from scratch.
The problem was that I had a rough context, but no concrete plans yet.
It’s a long way to go, really.
It was a matter of meeting the successor and the hero first, so there was no meaning in worrying about it right now.
Still, I didn’t know what kind of butterfly effect my actions until now might have had. I had to find out about it as soon as possible, though.
After thinking about it, I concentrated on the steak in front of me again.
Then, with a sudden thought, I asked the butler who was standing nearby.
“Are the Wyverns that the First Lord and his party rode still in the castle?”
He answered.
“No. They went back on their own.”
...Did they go back on their own?
For a moment, I tilted my head, but I thought there was nothing strange about it.
The Wyvern was a brilliant creature that people considered it as a spirit beast.
A Wyvern, huh...
By the way, it would be nice to have something like a Wyvern.
Seeing some of the Lords riding it, I suddenly felt the need. I could move around quickly if I had one.
Now that I had various mysteries, I didn’t have to worry about falling off and dying while riding.
The Wyvern was almost the only means of flight in this world, and it could be said that it was the fastest means of transportation.
A sub-dragon that was strong, agile, and clever enough to be incomparable with other ordinary monsters.
However, they were very rare, and it was almost impossible to catch or breed them, and because of their unique ‘demanding characteristics’, very few people actually rode them.
If I wanted to get a Wyvern, I would have to go to their habitat myself…
I have to think about that after I returned from the conference.
After I finished eating, I got up.
Anyway, for the rest of my free time, I was thinking of just lazing about in the castle and resting.
It had been a while since I could rest, anyway.
***
Even if I took a break, my life didn’t change much. I just lived a little more relaxed than usual.
I read books, chatted with Gulpiro, and checked Rigon’s condition from time to time.
“You said you didn’t want to stay in the castle?”
“That’s right. A place with so many people and has a lot of space doesn’t really suit me. I’ll leave as soon as Rigon fully recovers.”
I said to Gulpiro.
“What do you think of having a disciple?”
He blinked as if he couldn’t understand why I said something so out of the blue.
“Disciple, I’ve never really thought about it. But why did you ask suddenly…?”
“It’s nothing. Just that, there’s a talented young alchemist among the alchemists I know.”
Fortunately, Gulpiro seemed to be interested.
“Who? Are they an alchemist in this city?”
I nodded.
“She’s the owner of a workshop called Alkimas in this city. I hope you can visit her if you feel like it.”
“Um… well, I understand. I’m a little curious when it’s the Seventh Lord who recommended her like this.”
So I told Gulpiro about Scarlett.
Hopefully, the relationship between the two of them would develop into an apprenticeship, if it’s possible.
One day, while walking around the castle alone, I encountered an unexpected sight.
In the corner of the outdoor gymnasium, some soldiers were gathering and playing chess.
“...Huh? Huh!”
The soldiers who saw me got up and saluted.
I gestured to them and looked down at the chessboard.
“Never mind me, and just keep going.”
“Yes? Yes, milord!”
When I tried to watch them, the soldiers’ hands shook and could not move their pieces properly. It was like their lives were suddenly at stake.
Eventually, I left them alone and returned to the castle.
Chess...
Well, in this world, when it came to board games, chess was probably the best.
Out of curiosity, I had the butler prepare the chessboard and the chess pieces.
Actually, I knew how to play chess quite a bit.
When I was young, my brother had various hobbies, and I often accompanied him to play. Chess was one of them.
The first thing that came to mind when thinking of whom to play with was Asher.
“...”
Asher, who came into the room after receiving my call, looked at the chessboard on the table with a bewildered look.
I motioned to the other side.
“Do you know how to play chess?”
“Yeah, I know, but…”
Asher looked like she didn’t understand why they suddenly have to play chess, but she sat down anyway.
She said that while she was an apprentice holy knight at the Overlord Castle, she learned from the other knights and tried it a few times.
She’s a beginner.
It wasn’t bad, though.
It was because there’s a unique feeling of teaching a beginner while playing against each other.
“We’re just going to play lightly, so don’t feel burdened. If there’s something you don’t know, I’ll teach you.”
“Yes...”
For some reason, Asher answered with a strange expression on her face.
I let her took the white pieces, and I took the black pieces.
The game started with Asher moving a pawn first.
How many minutes have passed like that?
“...”
I stared blankly at the chessboard. My King, completely trapped by Asher’s chess pieces.
...What?
Why was she doing so well?
Wasn’t she just a beginner?
As soon as I moved a chess piece, Asher moved one of her own and said,
“Checkmate.”
“...”
I admitted defeat with a hard face.
“I lost.”
The shame came later.
Before starting the game, I even said that I would teach her if she didn’t know something.
“It was a good fight.”
As she looked at me, she said cautiously.
Of course, it only stimulated the shame even more.
I was silent for a moment, then asked, not understanding.
“Did you really learn how to play chess just a few months ago?”
“Yes.”
Asher replied with a puzzled expression.
With her personality, there’s no reason to lie about something like this.
So, was this really the skill of someone who only had learned to play a few months ago?
'Is she a genius?'
The information that Asher was good at chess was a fact that had never appeared in the game.
I thought she was a character who couldn’t do much other than use her strength. Why did I think that way?
In any case, it’s difficult to acknowledge the level difference between the opponent with just one match.
“One more match.”
“All right.”
And she defeated me in the second round much faster than the first.
A third match followed immediately.
***
“...”
Asher looked at the Seventh Lord, looking down at the chessboard with a cautious face.
She felt like she was about to burst into laughter, so she bit her lip and held it in.
She had never seen him so focused on something, it seemed that he was really serious about chess.
...He’s a very mysterious person.
What was this person’s purpose, and what did he want from her?
At first, she was constantly thinking and doubting.
But all those worries had now disappeared.
The time she spent with him wasn’t that long, but it wasn’t too short either. At least it was enough time to be sure of what kind of person he was.
In order to save two human siblings who he barely knew, he allowed himself to be dragged to the Overlord Castle.
But he came back as if nothing had happened and was just living as usual.
Asher only vaguely guessed. How heavy a burden was now placed on his shoulders.
Perhaps playing chess without meaning right now was to lighten the atmosphere that had become heavy recently.
At times, he was infinitely cold, but at other times, the goodwill and kindness within him were evident.
.....
Asher thought and shook her head, startled.
What useless thoughts…
When she looked up, the Seventh Lord, who had completed his move, was looking at her with puzzled eyes.
“It’s your turn.”
“Oh, yes.”
Asher moved a piece immediately.
“Checkmate.”
“Ha...”
The Tunder Lord should have just asked him for a chess duelðŸ¤
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