Chapter 32

It was a few days after we had burned down the pirate den in the Kresven Archipelago and left.

I was dozing off in my cabin with nothing to do when Randolfo called me.

“Mr. Gryph, would you come outside?”

“Did something happen?”

“Haha, not at all. We have finally arrived at our destination. Would you not like to see the city with me?”

“Ah, finally?”

Was this tedious voyage finally over?

When I came up to the deck, I could see a port and a city in the distance.

I compared the scenery from my memories of the game with the sight before my eyes.

The tall spires, the city walls surrounding the city, the green belt visible in the distance, and the seabirds flying in the sky.

It was exactly as I had seen it in the game.

It was the free city of Fasa in Apennia.

***

In , Fasa was not a particularly outstanding city.

It was just one of the small city-states that proliferated in Apennia.

Apart from its economic structure as a trade hub, it had no special advantages or disadvantages.

I had stopped by to complete a quest before, but I held no special feelings for it.

However, the emotions felt by the sailors returning to their hometown were different.

Captain Leandro shouted.

“It's Fasa! We've finally arrived in Fasa!”

The sailors who were resting also stopped what they were doing and came up to the deck to watch.

“The land I've missed!”

“Finally coming home. How many months has it been.”

“I know. I wonder how much the kids' faces have changed.”

The sailors gathered on the deck buzzed with excitement.

They were all happy, perhaps because they were returning home after a long time.

It was then.

Dong, dong, dong─.

Suddenly, a bell signaling an attack began to ring from the city.

The bell's sound, starting from the tallest spire, spread like wildfire throughout the city and was carried so far that it seemed to reach the horizon.

Dong, dong, dong─.

“What's going on?”

“Uh, I don't know?”

“Could it be that they've mistaken us for a pirate fleet?”

“What? We're flying Fasa's flag.”

“But those ships….”

“Ah.”

The ships following Captain Leandro's merchant vessel were high-speed pirate ships.

From a distance, it was bound to look quite suspicious.

“Do not worry. Since Mr. Randolfo is here, we will be able to clear up the misunderstanding quickly.”

As if to mock Captain Leandro’s bold declaration, I could see the Fasa navy hastily dispatching from the port.

“Haha, why are those fellows acting like that….”

“……”

Captain Leandro shut his mouth with an embarrassed look on his face.

Three Fasa navy warships approached, cutting through the waves.

When they reached a distance where they could see each other's faces across the deck, the captain of the dispatched warship appeared at the bow and shouted through a megaphone.

“What is this, it's not pirates but Captain Leandro! What in the world is going on?”

Recognizing a familiar face, Captain Leandro cupped his hands around his mouth and replied.

“Captain Manfredi! I have more important news than that!”

“What could be more important than you not being a pirate?”

“Mr. Randolfo Signori is here! We also rescued the people who were kidnapped by pirates!”

“What? What kind of adventure did you have on a merchant ship?”

“It’s a long story! I'll explain the details when we get to the city!”

“Alright, I'll go inform the city hall!”

The ship of the captain who had spoken with Captain Leandro returned to the port.

So when we entered the port, a huge crowd was waiting for us.

However, there were no bouquets or cheers of welcome.

There were only the bewildered faces of the citizens.

The sight of pirate ships entering the port must have been quite a shock.

Someone muttered.

“You'd think today was a festival day.”

“It seems like everyone in the city has gathered.”

In the awkward atmosphere, as if someone had died, everyone was at a loss for what to do.

It looked like I had no choice but to step up.

I spoke to Randolfo.

“Mr. Randolfo, since you've returned to your hometown anyway, why don't you show the citizens that you're safe?”

“Yes. That would be good.”

Randolfo, who had also been quite perplexed, followed my suggestion and showed himself on deck.

When Randolfo waved to the gathered crowd, a cheer erupted from among the citizens.

“Isn't that Randolfo! The missing youngest son of the Signori Family has returned!”

“Is it really young Randolfo?”

Pushing through the crowd, the mayor and officials of Fasa, as well as the city's influential figures who had rushed over after hearing the news, appeared.

Among them were members of the Signori Family.

Randolfo’s mother, upon seeing the return of the person she thought was dead, embraced Randolfo and wept.

“Oh! Saint Rainerius!”

At the mention of Fasa's patron saint, I flinched.

I had a bad memory concerning patron saints.

Theo looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“What's wrong?”

“It's just, I have a bad feeling.”

“Don't tell me if you don't want to.”

“I'll tell you later if I can.”

“?”

Meanwhile, Randolfo was sweating profusely trying to soothe his mother.

“It's alright, Mother. I am really safe. More importantly, there are people I need to introduce you to.”

“Who are they?”

“These are the people. They worked hard to help me return home. This is Mr. Leon Gryph, a merchant from the Imperial Capital, and Theo, Mr. Gryph's bodyguard. And I am also greatly indebted to Captain Leandro.”

Only then did the Signori family members show interest in me as I disembarked.

To be honest, the gazes they sent were a bit burdensome.

“Ah, so that's what happened. Thank you so much for saving our youngest. You, our guest, are a benefactor to our family.”

Randolfo, as if the reality of his return home had sunk in, regained his vitality.

“Mr. Gryph, if you haven't decided on a place to stay, how about coming to our house? The Signori Family does not forget its debts of gratitude.”

“That will not do.”

A stern voice threw a wet blanket on the friendly atmosphere.

The Signori family members all turned to look at the speaker at once.

It was an impressive sight, but the other party was not intimidated.

“Mayor Rapacio?”

I remembered who he was.

I had seen him a few times in the game.

Of course, in the game, he was usually on the side that tried to curry favor, so there was a disconnect with his current stern appearance.

I could roughly guess what kind of personality he had.

Behind Mayor Rapacio, Captain Leandro stood with an apologetic look on his face.

It was a look that said, ‘I explained about you, and the mayor became interested.’

It was obvious he had misspoken.

“What do you mean by that, Mayor Rapacio? Is there any problem with us taking care of our guest?”

“Do not misunderstand. I simply believe he should be treated with the respect he deserves.”

“That is for us to handle.”

One of Randolfo’s uncles argued in a sharp tone, but Mayor Rapacio did not lose his composure.

“Haha, I heard from Captain Leandro that this gentleman discovered the location of the notorious Kresven Archipelago pirate base and helped in its eradication.”

“The pirates?”

Mayor Rapacio gestured towards me with a polite hand gesture.

At that, people's admiring gazes fell on me all at once.

“Those pirates were a long-standing nuisance to our city, like a nail stuck in the heart. Considering his achievement in solving that problem, I believe he should be treated in the name of Fasa, not just as a guest of the Signori Family.”

“If that is the case, it is all the more reason for our family to treat him. He saved the life of our family's youngest.”

As Mayor Rapacio and the Signori family members argued, the atmosphere became strange.

For some reason, judging that there was a valid reason, other influential figures of Fasa also began to step forward, offering to invite me to their mansions.

“I have many empty rooms in my house. It would be good if our guest would come and rest.”

“Wouldn't my house be better than that? Your house is too small. The guest will be disappointed if he sees it.”

“Still, the food at my house is more delicious than yours!”

“What did you say? Have you said your piece?”

It was a heartwarming scene of people stepping forward to host a guest from a foreign land, but in truth, a strange power struggle was visible beneath the surface.

It was the conflict between the city's main classes: the urban nobility and the merchant class.

At this rate, it wouldn't be strange if they suggested cutting me up and sharing me like Solomon.

The problem was that this actually existed as one of the endings in .

「END No. 15. The City's Patron Saint.」

Just as Fasa revered its patron saint, Rainerius, every city in Apennia that followed the Western Church had a saint they worshipped.

These saints were either great figures of the church or great figures of the city who were revered by the citizens.

However, to be canonized as a saint, one must first die.

You cannot worship a living person.

Therefore, the option of killing the person in question to make them a saint existed.

I also had a memory of falling for this ending.

Was it when I first started the game?

I vividly remember accepting the offer, thinking ‘what's good is good,’ only for my character to be murdered, leaving me staring blankly at the monitor.

But that was just a game, and this was reality.

I had to prevent myself from becoming a real Leon/Gryph, didn't I?

“Just a moment! Everyone! Would you all please listen to me?”

“Ahem. This is rude in front of our guest. Yes, Mr. Leon Gryph will speak. Everyone, be quiet.”

“Everyone, please calm down. I am grateful for your interest in me, but I have just crossed over from the Empire and have been through several incidents along the way, so I am extremely tired. I would like to rest first.”

“Ah, we weren't considerate of our guest. I apologize.”

The people laughed awkwardly.

Yes, let's create a beautiful world where we can all compromise.

I have to avoid the crisis of being cut into several pieces, don't I?

“My bed is very cozy. It's made of silk that came from the Siberia Empire.”

“The quilt at my house, made of Caledonian wool, is much better!”

“My bed is the biggest!”

“Then I shall connect two beds for you.”

No, seriously, these people.

If you're old enough, act your age.

What kind of disgraceful behavior is this?

The citizens' expressions as they looked at the city's influential figures were getting worse.

It was a look that said, ‘Are these really the people who rule our city?’

In the end, I had no choice but to step forward once more.

“Now, now, everyone, please calm down. First, since Mr. Randolfo has invited me, I cannot ignore his sincerity. I will visit the Signori Family first.”

“If that is our guest's wish, then there is nothing we can do.”

The Signori family members saved face and were relieved, while the other influential figures of Fasa looked disappointed and smacked their lips.

However, since their original intention was to interfere with a rival family, their interest in me also diminished.

But losing people's interest was not what I wanted.

To keep the embers alive, I threw a bomb in their midst.

“Therefore, after I have rested enough, I would like to have an opportunity to introduce myself to you all, and to hold an investment briefing.”

“Investment? What kind of business are you talking about?”

When money was mentioned, people's interest quickly flared up.

As expected, no one dislikes talk of money.

“The details will be revealed at the investment briefing. Until then, everything is a secret. And Mayor Rapacio?”

“Speak.”

“On the ship we came on, there is treasure plundered from the pirate den.”

“Treasure? Did you just say treasure?”

“And a great deal of it. I have no doubt that the treasure will be distributed justly and fairly to Captain Leandro and his crew, and to me, according to the legal procedures of Fasa. You will make sure of that, won't you?”

The people, who had been preoccupied with Randolfo and the appearance of the pirate ships, finally turned their attention to the merchant vessel.

People noticed that the waterline of all the ships was quite close to the surface of the water and marveled.

“Good heavens. Is all that on that ship treasure?”

“What in the world did they do to bring back that much treasure?”

The treasurer of Fasa would likely record today's events as a day when Fasa's financial income increased severalfold, but those goods were enough to become a legend of the port.

Someday, when people reminisced about the days when the port was bustling with activity, they might mention the legend of the man who appeared with the pirate's treasure.

“For details, please ask Captain Leandro. He is the captain of the merchant ship. Well then, I shall be on my way. Would you guide me to the mansion, Mr. Randolfo?”

“I will.”

“Uh, uh, just a moment.”

While people's attention was focused on the treasure, I passed the buck to Captain Leandro and fled.

Captain Leandro looked at me resentfully, but what could I do?

Endure it.

It was your choice.

Your own mouth brought this disaster.

Together with the Signori family members, I leisurely headed into the city.

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