Chapter 429

Everyone has a hobby they’d rather keep hidden. And I respect that hobby.

Especially for men, they say they never grow out of being a child. Just because he’s Rod doesn’t mean he doesn’t have ‘romance’ tucked away in his heart.

In my opinion, there’s only one reason a man really matures: when he’s so exhausted that he can’t muster the energy to do anything.

As age creeps up, they become weaker and it’s harder to be active, but when you see the older folks hanging out together, they’re all the same.

Especially when those old buddies gather, it’s no different from back in their teenage days. Their bodies may age, but their memories don’t.

In that sense, does a man truly mature? I can safely say such men don’t exist.

Even if they seem pathetic, if it’s fun, they’re willingly engaged. That’s just how guys are.

“Grandpa.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“What did you do for fun back in the day?”

I was sipping on a sweet drink that Rod had bought for me, matching my tastes perfectly.

Upon hearing my question, Rod paused for a moment, raising his gaze. The feather on his head remained undisturbed.

I could only fervently hope that feather wouldn’t fall. Otherwise, Rod might catch on.

‘How is it so perfectly fixed?’

I struggled to keep my eyes from drifting towards it. I found myself undergoing an unexpected lesson in patience.

In the meantime, after a moment of deep thought, Rod scratched his cheek and began to speak.

“Well, my old days weren’t exactly great.”

“Not great, you say?”

“I was poor. But there were plenty of fun things happening.”

“What kind of things?”

“Just various bits and pieces?”

Rod shrugged and deflected the question, seemingly struggling to remember since it was such a long time ago.

Or maybe it was a past he was embarrassed to talk about. Especially since Rod had risen from the bottom up, so to speak.

Rize’s mention added to the context. He wasn’t as serene back then; he was someone who only looked ahead.

He had mentioned getting thoroughly beaten up after confessing to Rize. So it probably was a far cry from how things are now.

“And why do you ask?”

“I’m just curious. Really nothing at all?”

“Sadly, I don’t have many friends. Even if I did, they’re all of an age where they’ve moved on.”

“Oh.”

Now that I think about it, I hadn’t considered Rod’s age. I’d almost forgotten since his face looks so youthful.

Unlike Earth, the average lifespan here isn’t that long. It’s quite rare for someone to hit sixty.

Rod is regarded as an elder even before becoming a Sword Saint. If I remember correctly, he’s definitely beyond his seventies.

“Well, even so, these days have plenty of interesting events.”

“Because of me?”

“You’re quite the pain in the neck.”

“··· ···”

That’s a bit harsh. I pouted my lips before taking a sip from my drink.

Rod chuckled at my reaction, reminding me it was just a joke. Half-joke, half-true, I suppose.

“Anyway, make sure to keep your promise. If something troublesome comes up, I’ll help you out.”

“Sure. Are you just going to watch?”

“Probably.”

“You have no idea what kind of practices are coming up?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

So in the end, I guess I have to wait for class to know. It’s disappointing but that’s how it goes.

Even for Rod, it would be burdensome to reveal everything to me. He’d likely want to gauge my skills too.

“You shouldn’t worry. They are parents before they are high-ranking officials. Especially in times like these, they’ll be extra cautious.”

“Really?”

“That’s why I’m here to prevent any mishaps.”

That’s a nice sentiment, but I wish he would do something about that feather above his head. I did my best to avoid looking at it.

After that precarious tightrope act, my conversation with Rod came to an end. The feather still hadn’t fallen.

At this point, I began to wonder if Rod was aware of it. That’s a perfectly plausible theory.

‘Hobbies should be respected.’

I chose not to mention that topic any further. Bringing it up might just make things awkward between us.

At the same time, I found myself contemplating, should I create a hobby of my own?

But for me, hobbies pretty much boil down to training or studying languages in my free time.

‘Nah. What a luxury to think of hobbies in my situation.’

Thinking about the future is already occupying all my time. Hobbies are nothing but a luxury.

‘Wait. Can investing in stocks be considered a hobby?’

After preventing the academy from collapsing, my future has drastically changed. Naturally, my stock performance fluctuated as well.

Especially the Eastern stocks, which have been jumping up and down like Bitcoin. Antonio’s expression changes every day.

But a civil war is bound to break out. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to invest in stocks related to iron ore while I’m at it.

‘It’s quite enjoyable to make money.’

Having money is never a bad thing. More importantly, I’ve been seeing a slight downturn in my finances lately.

I’ve been buying various things and investing in Jane, so it’s understandable that I’m seeing a decline.

To further cultivate Jane’s talents, investing in stocks was not an option; it was a necessity.

‘With Rod around… No wait, will they approach me secretly?’

It’s a bit embarrassing to say this myself, but currently, I’m in a position where I hold the highest stock price at the academy.

So it wouldn’t be surprising if someone tries to approach me. Rod is likely preparing for that exact moment too.

I need to find a way out, but I don’t know how the other party will act. I must be adequately prepared.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“?”

As I was lost in thought, heading back, a deep male voice called out from behind me.

It sounded heavy yet dignified. Just hearing it made me feel like I should kneel.

Turning around at that strange sensation, I saw something enormous. I blinked and gazed at the giant figure.

‘…A bear?’

It was almost as big as Hector. I looked up to confirm the identity of the bear-like figure.

Distinct blue hair and eyes typical of the Frozen people. The thick beard styled like a Viking made a striking impression.

Not to mention the scar running across his face and the thick white fur coat he wore even in the sweltering heat, and so on.

His appearance seemed out of place. That person approached me with a question.

“··· ···”

“··· ···”

I met his gaze straight on. He did the same, locking eyes with me.

All I could tell was that he was from the Frozen tribe, and it was hard to discern who he was at that moment. He moved his hand.

He was mimicking pulling something from his pocket, and just as I instinctively tried to adjust my posture—

The giant with blue hair pulled out a notebook. A cute and decorative notebook compared to the thickness of his hands.

“Ahem.”

Then the giant cleared his throat and flipped to a page. I couldn’t help but feel a bit skeptical at that action.

During that interval, the giant was chewing his words, glancing at me, and quietly spoke.

“Academy… student… is it?”

“··· ···”

He’s speaking in broken phrases. It sounds like he’s asking if I’m an academy student.

Both his appearance and his awkward common tongue clearly mark him as someone from outside. I nodded.

In response, the foreigner looked at his notebook again, then struggled to find the right words again. Just like before, his speech was broken.

“I come from Frozen… searching for someone… you see.”

“····· Please speak comfortably. I can understand.”

“Ah.”

When I replied in Frozen tongue, his eyes widened. It was a reaction he clearly didn’t expect.

He blinked rapidly, then, sounding surprised, he spoke.

“You’re from Frozen?”

“No, I learned it.”

“Thank goodness. I had a meeting with someone here, but I haven’t seen them at all.”

The foreigner awkwardly scratched his head, smiling bashfully. His expression changed dramatically as he smiled.

Just moments ago, he looked like he was about to chop my head off with an axe, and now he appeared somewhat clumsy.

I nodded to what he said but then stopped short. It was only after seeing that smile that I realized something.

‘Those blue hair, the beard… and even the eyes… It must be someone looking for Reina, right?’

Even the thick fur coat he was wearing looked quite luxurious. It seemed to be processed directly from bear skin.

Bears have been known to be expensive since ancient times. The bears from Frozen are especially high quality.

‘Could this be the Frozen Prince?’

That’s a likely possibility, but there’s something puzzling me. Why has he come without a single guard?

While the Frozen Prince is powerful, not having a translator seems odd. He wouldn’t just waltz in here on a whim.

‘…Did he really come on a whim?’

I’m still unsure. For now, I’ll try to engage in conversation.

“Is there anything I can assist you with?”

“You speak really well. This must be fate.”

The Frozen man smiled broadly. After all, nothing gains favor more easily than communicating in one’s mother tongue.

He looked around before scratching his cheek. It seemed he had an awkward request.

He then leaned closer and spoke in a quiet voice so no one else would hear.

“Actually, I want to see if my daughter is doing well. Perhaps you might know her?”

“How does she look?”

“She looks just like me.”

“··· ···”

Wait, that’s like saying your conscience has a beard too. I mumbled to myself.

While I could understand the eyes, I couldn’t find a single resemblance to Reina. No, maybe just the eyes alone is enough.

‘Maybe there’s a slight resemblance?’

If you squished Reina’s face onto his, it might seem roughly correct. I suppose it’s just the beard throwing me off.

“Are you a new student by chance?”

“Indeed.”

“Princess Reina of Frozen?”

“Are you aware of her?”

“I’m her assistant in that class.”

“Oh!”

The Frozen man looked astonished. It seemed he didn’t quite know who I was.

It was clear he simply wanted to check if his daughter was doing well. Fine by me.

At that moment, he asked me with hopeful eyes.

“Do you happen to know where she’s living? The guards are busy, and I haven’t seen her around.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Where is she?”

Without thinking, I replied.

“At the place where I live.”

“··· ···”

The giant’s expression changed to one of instant menace. Simultaneously, a deadly aura began to seep from his body.

I finally realized I had misspoken.

‘Oh no. Not this.’

It seemed I was hinting at Luna instead.

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