READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 30
Ever since the news spread that the Lady would be arriving soon, the mansion has been buzzing with excitement.
Well, of course.
The servants here have been loyal followers who have watched the Lady grow up since her childhood.
So, it’s understandable that they’re this excited about her return.
As for me…
I just came out of the Treatment Room. After a long time, I’m lying in the garden, soaking up some photosynthesis.
Since the Lady is coming this weekend, I plan to take it easy for a few days.
Plus, they said they’d fix my torn buff coat at the mansion, so I’ll just wait.
Ugh…
The only difference from usual is that there’s a white furball on my stomach.
It refuses to get off, so I’ve given up.
The maids told me that when I go for training or am away for other reasons, it plays alone just fine.
But when I’m around, it clings to me like crazy.
“Oh my~ You two are getting along so well.”
Anyway.
While lying there, I noticed that unlike before, the maids have started gathering around.
It’s all because of White Pup’s immense popularity.
“He’s not my brother… No, he’s not.”
But since everyone calls him my brother, I’ve given up.
Fine, call him my brother.
Come to think of it, what are my biological siblings up to?
Well, they beat me in the “breadwinner competition” and didn’t get sold off.
They’re probably living well, farming or doing whatever.
“So cute…”
“When did he open his eyes?”
“His teeth should be coming in soon.”
While I was thinking, the maids had already surrounded White Pup, chattering away.
“He just opened his eyes not long ago.”
White Pup finally opened his eyes a while back.
Now that his eyes are open, he can somewhat tell front from back.
But he still ends up climbing on top of me like this.
Come to think of it, I should get up soon.
I have some errands to run, so I grabbed White Pup by the scruff and put him down on the floor.
Ugh…
“Oh my, oh my.”
“So cute…”
Listening to the maids’ fuss, I brushed off my clothes.
The little guy keeps trying to climb back on me, and my clothes are getting dirty.
“Take care of White Pup for me.”
“Huh? Where are you going?”
“I’ll be back soon.”
It’s about time I visit the Mercenary Guild.
Since I came down from the mountains alone, I should meet Jeven.
“You know the Lady is coming this weekend, right?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”
There are still a few days left, right?
I don’t plan to be out long anyway.
So…
“Before you go! Let us brush your hair.”
“…Brush my hair?”
“Um, um? Ah, let us fix your hair.”
After a quick touch-up from the maids, I headed out of the mansion.
“Phew…”
I left White Pup behind, so I walked the streets with a light heart.
Come to think of it, should I take White Pup for walks later?
Since wolves are part of the canine family, they probably need walks to relieve stress, right?
I wondered if it was okay to walk a wolf on the streets… but in the north, pet wolves are popular, so it shouldn’t be a problem.
Plus, until White Pup grows up, he’ll look just like a puppy anyway.
Anyway, so.
After that, I arrived at the Mercenary Guild and opened the door to enter.
The Mercenary Guild, which I hadn’t visited in a while, was as packed with mercenaries as ever.
As I walked in, I ignored the gazes and headed toward the bar.
I came at a time when Jeven would likely be here, but would he?
If he’s not, I’ll have to tell a guild staff member to inform Jeven of my visit.
As I walked inside, thinking that…
“Sigh…”
At the back of the bar.
Jeven was there, sighing deeply with his subordinates.
Good, he’s here. Saved me from having to come back again.
“Why all the sighing?”
I approached Jeven and said that.
“Who… Oh, uh.”
When I spoke, Jeven turned around, startled, and stood up.
The mercenaries around him were also bandaged up, so it seems the last battle was quite intense.
Well, with so many Giant Wolves, injuries were bound to happen.
“A-Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
I was pretty injured back then too.
But I’ve already been treated, and the bandages are off, so I look perfectly fine now.
“T-That’s good.”
“Not disappointed?”
“N-No, not at all.”
When I joked like that, Jeven looked absolutely horrified.
His reaction suggests he didn’t really think that way.
“O-Our boss was really worried about you, Kaiden.”
“Huh? Oh, I guess so.”
Well, I need to be alive so he can learn the rest of Fleet.
From Jeven’s desperate perspective, he probably hoped I’d come back alive.
“I’ll teach you the rest of Fleet on the next mission.”
“Next mission…?”
“Bring one more after this weekend.”
Now that the injuries are healed and White Pup has opened his eyes, I’m thinking of taking on missions again.
I need to gather materials quickly, and while I’m at it, make some money too.
After fighting in that buff coat last time, I thought it’d be good to save up and get some proper gear.
Plus, fighting highland monsters would be good training.
Training at the mansion without Darren and Kaiden isn’t making much progress.
The guard captain is an aura user, but he’s a bit out of my league.
He’s the head of the guards, so he probably doesn’t want to spar with me anyway.
“Next mission… Got it.”
“Don’t bring something as crazy as last time.”
“I-I didn’t expect it to be that bad either…”
What kind of difficulty was that?
It was enough to wipe out most mercenary groups.
Anyway…
“Then I’ll be going.”
I’ve said what I needed to say. I turned to leave, but…
“Ah, wait a second…”
Jeven stopped me as I was about to leave.
“What?”
“W-Well, some of my men got injured this time.”
“Oh? Many of them?”
“Yes… Some are still lying in the Treatment Room.”
Come to think of it, the numbers have dwindled a bit.
The clash with the Giant Wolves must have been more intense than I thought.
“Hmm.”
Having fewer members is a bit of a problem.
Silver-rank adventurers are valuable resources.
The reason I can boss Jeven around like this is largely because he’s their leader.
“Here, use this for treatment costs.”
With that in mind, I pulled out a handful of silver coins from my pocket and handed them to Jeven.
I got a decent amount from Garrett’s Blacksmith Shop last time, so I can afford to invest this much.
“O-Oh, that’s not what I meant…”
“Then what?”
Jeven, having said that, politely took the coins.
…Typical mercenary, always careful with money.
“Well… I’m thinking of recruiting some new members this time.”
“Ah, to fill the gaps?”
“Yes, I was already thinking of adding more, but with the injured ones recovering, I thought I’d fill the holes in the meantime.”
“Got it, but you don’t need to report that kind of stuff to me.”
Do they think I’m the real boss? It’s not really my concern.
Well, it would be good if the mercenary group grows.
The bigger they are, the easier it’ll be for me.
“I thought you should know…”
“Well, I know now.”
I’m holding Fleet hostage to boss the mercenaries around, but I don’t plan to interfere much.
What good would my interference do compared to Jeven handling things himself?
“Next time, handle that stuff on your own. I’m really leaving now.”
“Ah, yes… Take care.”
Anyway, my business is done. Since there’s nothing else, I quickly returned to the mansion.
**
And a few days later.
Before I knew it, the weekend had arrived at the mansion.
“Puppy!!”
The Lady, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, came running in her magic school uniform, her ponytail swaying.
“Lady, it’s been a while.”
“I missed you!”
The Lady ran straight at me and bumped into me.
She’s grown quite a bit, but I caught her easily.
“Have you been well?”
Pat, pat, pat.
She immediately reached out to pat my head, so I lowered it for her.
“How’s school?”
“Um, no problems!”
…That sounds like there’s something.
I glanced at her expression.
Surely she’s not being bullied… That’s unlikely.
Who would dare bully the young lady of the Void Family?
It’s probably the opposite.
The attention might be overwhelming.
“Puppy hasn’t changed!”
As she poked and prodded my head and face, her gaze soon turned to the dog house.
“This place is also… Huh?”
Then she noticed the small dog house next to it.
“What’s this? A new room?”
“Well, that’s…”
Here it comes.
It’s time to introduce White Pup to the Lady.
“Um… Well.”
“Lady, we have a new family member.”
While I was struggling to explain, Lowell, who had followed her, headed toward the new house.
“New family member?”
“Yes, Puppy brought him here on his own.”
And then…
Ugh…
Lowell brought out White Pup, who had been sleeping in the new house.
“What, what’s this?”
The Lady looked at the sight in shock and turned to me.
“Did, did you have a baby?”
…A baby?
That’s a really shocking choice of words.
Does she really think I’m a dog?
“…No.”
“Right? Just kidding.”
But even so, the Lady laughed playfully.
“Then did you pick him up?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The Lady pondered my words for a moment, then rolled her eyes as if thinking something over.
And then…
“So he’s your brother?”
I was surprised by the conclusion, which matched the mansion folks’ expectations perfectly.
…Scary, so scary.
How did she come up with “brother”?
The Lady’s thought process is definitely different.
“Yes, he’s my brother…”
“Puppy, you’ll have to take good care of him!”
Anyway, like that.
With the Lady’s return, the mansion was once again filled with energy.