The 1st War’s Hammer Tournament in Battle City concluded with Knight Roland’s victory.
After that, Knight Roland exchanged brief greetings with me, talked something with the Master of the Sub-Magic Tower, and then left the territory in a hurry, saying he had places to be.
…while carrying two War’s Hammer Game Boards and miniatures in one hand.
Anyway, it took almost ten days from the initial release of War’s Hammer until the tournament ended.
During that time, Glesia Territory, which had almost come to a standstill, finally started moving again.
“Thank you… really…!!”
“Uh, Master of the Sub-Magic Tower?”
“Finally, finally… from a life of daily overtime… *sniff*!”
The Master of the Sub-Magic Tower, who had been working overtime every day due to paperwork, patrols, security, magic research, and all sorts of tasks while the territory was at a standstill, finally shed tears.
He even bowed his head to me in gratitude, but since the cause was the War’s Hammer I created, it felt a bit awkward.
Anyway, after the tournament, in which most of Glesia Territory participated, the residents’ War’s Hammer obsession (?) gradually subsided.
Of course, they didn’t suddenly stop playing, but at least they started finishing their work before enjoying the game.
After all, except for the miniature-related merchants, the residents had essentially put their livelihoods on hold for ten days.
Oh, of course.
“I’m bored again.”
“My lady, if you say that in front of the Master of the Sub-Magic Tower, it might lead to a rebellion.”
“Let him rebel… No, if the Master of the Sub-Magic Tower leaves the Magic Tower because of that, who will take care of the Magic Tower’s affairs? Can’t be helped.”
The only one who seemed regretful about the current situation was Shisha.
Even lying naked and getting massages had become quite familiar by now.
“Mmm… Chunsik, you’ve gotten pretty good at this? Since it’s come to this, how about becoming my personal masseuse? I won’t treat you poorly.”
“Can’t you feel the piercing gazes?”
“Olfin’s disciple, the Spirit Master Princess, and a half-dragon? Just that?”
“The Master of the Sub-Magic Tower is also here.”
“…Yeah, that one’s a bit scary.”
Adela, Leisha, Sally, and others aside.
Seeing the Master of the Sub-Magic Tower peeking from the back corridor, almost shedding tears of blood, even Shisha raised the white flag.
Originally, we had stayed in Glesia Territory longer than expected because War’s Hammer became an unexpected hit.
“Are you going back now?”
“I have to go home.”
“Hmph.”
Seeing Shisha turn her head away, it was hard to tell if she was regretful or just teasing.
We had met a few times at Arkhé Magic Tower, but our encounters at Glesia Magic Tower didn’t seem to go well.
‘And there was that incident in the Dwarf Village.’
Still, during these ten days of calling her “my lady,” maybe we got a bit closer.
This would probably be the last massage.
“Thank you for everything, my lady.”
“………….”
Leaving Shisha, who didn’t respond and seemed to be sulking, I gave a bitter smile.
The journey to the Dwarf Village.
Stopping by Glesia Magic Tower, going under the sea, meeting the dwarves, having an audience with the Emperor, coming back up with the dwarves, and the War’s Hammer Tournament.
It was truly a short yet long stretch of time.
Now, it was time to go back──
“Hmm…”
──or so I thought.
“What are you doing? Chunsik, let’s get going.”
“Shisha… my lady? Why are you on the carriage…?”
“What do you mean why? I was running away from the Master of the Sub-Magic Tower and the elders. Arkhé Magic Tower is on the other side of the continent, so it’s perfect, right?”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, Shisha had been running away from the position of Magic Tower Master.
It was so common sense for an Archmage to be in their own Magic Tower that I had forgotten for a moment.
As I was about to board the carriage to depart, I found myself pondering what to do about Shisha, who had already naturally settled into the carriage.
“Don’t worry, you. I’ll contact the Master of the Sub-Magic Tower right away───”
“Where to?”
Snap.
While Adela was whispering a secret operation to me, Shisha flicked her hand, and the carriage door immediately closed, with the connecting parts covered in ice.
Even ice formed under the carriage wheels, causing it to slide naturally.
“Don’t worry, kids. I’ll just play with Chunsik for a bit and then leave.”
“…………….”
[………….]
“……Just a bit?”
“I have duties to attend to as well. The Gold Technique seems to be on the verge of disappearing but persists like a cockroach. I can’t just go around playing all the time.”
At Shisha’s words, everyone, including Sally, was startled. Sally and I were the ones directly involved in those duties, and Adela and Leisha had heard about it through word of mouth.
Only Shisha, smiling leisurely, gestured towards me.
“So come here, Chunsik. Let’s continue the massage from earlier, shall we?”
“Aren’t we not the only ones here, ma’am?”
“Those kids? Or are you talking about the dwarfs in the carriage behind us?”
“………….”
“They hate sunlight, so they even put up blackout curtains in the carriage. But they’re probably busy sneaking peeks at the outside scenery. So stop fussing and let’s start.”
“……Yes.”
It seems.
The relationship between the lady and Chunsik is going to continue a bit longer………
*
“This month’s tax revenue has more than doubled compared to a year ago. While other areas haven’t changed much, the income from toll fees has increased severalfold.”
“…………….”
“Whether heading from the west to the center or from the center to the west, one inevitably passes through our Byron Territory. Originally, a significant portion of our tax revenue came from toll fees, but considering the large caravans from the Everts Dukedom passing through multiple times, the increase in toll fees is remarkable.”
“And the reason is…….”
“Those coming from the center to our west, specifically from the east and south through the center to the west, have increased tenfold. Most of them are tourists, and their destination is──”
“──Arkhé Magic Tower and Gias Territory.”
“That’s correct. Thanks to the Abracadabra at Arkhé Magic Tower and the Bang Tournament, tourists are passing through Byron Territory, bringing in massive toll fees.”
“How long do you think this trend will continue?”
“Tourists have been increasing steadily for several months now. With Abracadabra at Arkhé Magic Tower becoming a continental trend, it’s judged that this level of toll fee income will continue for at least the next year.”
“Ha, haha………Kyle has really done something big, huh.”
The Byron Viscountcy, located at the largest gateway from the center to the west.
Despite having no special local products or large mines, the Byron Viscountcy is one of the wealthiest viscountcies in the empire. While the amount of money they have is naturally less than that of large countdoms or dukedoms, considering the size of their territory, they are making an unimaginable income.
And most of that income comes from toll fees.
Between the empire’s west and center, there are many mountain ranges, swamps, and dense forests, so there are only a few routes for transporting large quantities of goods to the west.
Among them, the largest, most significant, and closest to the center is the gateway where the Byron Viscountcy is located.
Even considering that, the level of toll fees is absurd……but.
‘Even taking that into account, the current toll fee income is overwhelming.’
The toll fees collected over the past few months alone are equivalent to several years’ worth of toll fees.
Naturally, thinking of Kyle Byron, his third son who made this possible, one can’t help but smile.
“What’s the reaction from the vassals?”
“As you know, Frederick… was sent to the silver mine, and after Young Master Kyle became the second son and secured the succession rights, there was quite a bit of chaos. But thanks to Young Master Kyle’s efforts, most of it has settled down now.”
“Efforts, efforts, huh?”
“…Head of the Family?”
“How can you call this efforts? In the end, Kyle left the family to pursue his own path, and we just reaped the benefits.”
“………”
“We were just one-sidedly blessed.”
Whenever William thought of Kyle, a smile would naturally form on his face. Kyle was a son he could proudly boast about to other nobles.
Among the nobles he met for work or socializing, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t know the name Kyle Byron.
In fact, it had reached the point where people would hand over character cards from “Bang” or “Kyle Galli” and ask for an autograph.
…However.
Even if such requests came, William couldn’t fulfill them.
‘Kyle… has left Byron.’
Though he became the second son with succession rights, that was all.
Kyle left for the Arkhé Magic Tower and never returned to the family.
What if.
What if we had treated Kyle a little better──
‘No, that’s a foolish thought too.’
Kyle had already done more than enough for the Byron family. He stopped the second son from gambling the family’s honor, elevated the Byron name through his own achievements, and even increased toll fee revenues.
Having received so much, it would be wrong to demand or ask anything more from Kyle.
‘He even got engaged to the youngest daughter of the Everts ducal family.’
If only he’d return to the family with his fiancée, I’d have no more wishes.
But it seems unlikely that Kyle will ever visit the family…
As William resigned himself to this thought, he gestured to Head Butler Charles.
“Ah, by the way, isn’t today the day Roderick returns to the family?”
“Yes, due to the intensified monster waves in the northern mountains, even Academy students were sent north. There, Young Master Roderick achieved the greatest merit and was granted special leave.”
“A week of leave… It’ll be good to catch up with Roderick after so long.”
Still, the monster waves in the north must be severe if even Academy students are being sent to the frontlines.
Of course, they wouldn’t send students to dangerous areas, but it’s still concerning.
‘I should look into it.’
Anyway, it’s a rare chance to meet my eldest son. I’ll get to hear all about his Academy life.
There’s also the rumor that Kyle went to the Academy and met Roderick. I wonder what happened there.
As William sipped his tea, lost in thought…
“Sir! Young Master Kyle has returned!”
“Pfft!?”
He spat out the tea he was drinking in shock.
“Cough, cough! Wh-what are you saying?”
“Young Master Kyle has visited the family with Sally! But there are others with him…”
“Others?”
“Ah, a high magician from the Arkhé Magic Tower… and a high-ranking spirit, and Lady Shisha Glesia is also here!”
“What!?”
A high magician from Arkhé Magic Tower must be that magician, Adela. The high-ranking spirit would be Princess Leisha Everts, as Duke Nicholas mentioned.
But suddenly, Shisha Glesia? Isn’t she the Archmage of Glesia Magic Tower?
Why on earth is an Archmage with Kyle?
‘Even if it were Master Olfin Glassburn, I’d understand.’
But Shisha Glesia, the youngest Archmage and known as the most eccentric in noble society? Why?
The youngest Archmage, who’s said to be unpredictable even among nobles… Why is she here?
A being of great importance.
Could it be that Kyle has done something?
‘Ah, no.’
That wasn’t the important thing right now.
“Uh, quickly gather the lords and the knights! The Archmage has arrived, prepare the utmost hospitality!!”
“Yes!”
“Get the chefs ready! Have the servants clean the entire mansion! Any actions that might upset Lady Shisha…!”
“Why would I be upset?”
“……!!”
In an instant, a chilling coldness was felt.
Even without using magic, the mere presence alone sent shivers from head to toe.
William, who was urgently giving orders to Head Butler Charles, immediately noticed and bowed his head.
“William Byron, head of the Byron Viscountcy, greets the Archmage.”
“…Quick reaction, huh? Usually, the heads of households would be flustered by such an appearance.”
“I am honored by your praise.”
“Hmm… You don’t have to be so humble. I’m not that old man Olfin or Duke Everts, am I? What business does the Glesia Magic Tower have with the Byron Viscountcy? We’re on opposite ends of the continent.”
“Even so, according to imperial law, the Archmage holds a status equivalent to or above that of a Marquis───”
“Ah, forget about imperial law and all that. I have no desire to flaunt my status.”
“Yes!”
As William slowly raised his head, he saw the Archmage, with her arms crossed, playing with her blue hair.
With a sensual figure and a beauty that would captivate anyone, but knowing she was colder and sharper than anyone else, he couldn’t relax.
“And just to clarify, I didn’t come to the Byron Viscountcy for any business. I just followed Chunsik.”
“Chunsik…?”
“Huh? Oh, I mean Kyle. Chunsik is just… a nickname, sort of? Don’t mind it.”
“…Yes.”
“Anyway, that’s why I’m here, so no need for excessive hospitality. Just a decent high-class full-course dinner and a VIP room with a double bed will do.”
“Ah, understood.”
Chunsik? A nickname?
William’s head was spinning, but he figured he could just meet Kyle and get an explanation. He didn’t want to ask anything of someone who could freeze the entire Byron Viscountcy with a single gesture.
He was planning to offer the utmost hospitality anyway, so a high-class full-course dinner and a VIP room were no problem.
After guiding Shisha to the VIP room, William was about to meet Kyle when…
“Are you messing with me from the start?!”
“Ro, Roderick?”
William, startled by the voice of his eldest son coming from somewhere, looked out the window.
A familiar silhouette and an unfamiliar being came into view.
His eldest son, Roderick Byron, angrily grabbing someone’s wrist, and…
A dwarf, a being he had only read about in books, with a sheepish expression, being held by the wrist.
The two were facing off in the training ground over a table.
…On the table, Kyle Galli.
