Chapter – 46
✠
After finishing the meal, we decided to close the dungeon.
Unless someone wanted to run a salt business, there was no reason to leave it open, as there were no resources other than the black salt.
We exited the dungeon through the closing gate.
Outside, it was deep dawn. The full moon, which had been high in the sky when we entered the dungeon, had now slightly tilted toward the west.
“Let’s part ways now.”
“…….”
Grandfather’s eyes glistened with tears, but he did not try to stop anyone.
From now on, Mom was going to meet Dad and my older brother for the first time in six years. Our family also needed this time for a complete reunion.
“I’ll… I’ll just wait for Thanksgiving.”
“……Go ahead first. I’ll see you off.”
“Y-Yeah.”
Grandfather walked slowly, looking back several times. Mom quietly watched until the very end without urging him.
“Let’s go, Ai.”
“Yes.”
I took Mom’s hand, and we headed toward the cabin.
In real time, about two and a half hours had passed since I had entered the dungeon.
If Dad and my older brother had woken up and noticed I was gone, they might have worried.
“Ai! Ai, where are you?”
Just as I thought, Dad’s voice reached us as we neared the house.
Through the bushes, I could see Dad in pajamas, holding a lantern, looking around. Soon, my older brother ran from the backyard toward Dad.
“I checked around the whole house, but couldn’t find them anywhere.”
“Where could they have gone at this hour…”
Mom took a deep breath beside him.
Dad in his thirties, and our son, who had grown so quickly.
Mom was witnessing the years that had silently passed, leaving her behind.
I tightened my grip on Mom’s hand.
“Let’s go, Ai.”
A few more steps brought us out of the bushes.
“Ah… Dad, there! Ai is…!”
“Where!”
Dad turned toward us. He was about to scold me, but stopped when he saw Mom with me.
“El…tea?”
“……Leo.”
“How… did this happen…?”
Dad’s gaze fixed solely on Mom as he slowly approached.
Mom smiled with tears in her eyes, standing still. When they were within reach, she suddenly pulled Dad into a tight embrace.
“You worked hard while I was gone. I’m sorry I’m only back now, Leo.”
“Really… Eltea, it’s you?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“Eltea…!”
This time, Dad hugged Mom tightly. His voice, choked with emotion, echoed through the night air.
“Why…! Where were you all this time? I thought… I thought you abandoned me…”
“I can’t live even a day without seeing you. I would never do that.”
“Then… where have you been? Is my vision wrong? You… haven’t changed at all?”
“Well… I got trapped in a dungeon.”
“What! A dungeon? Why would you go to such a dangerous place!”
“Uh… long story. Anyway, a monster used some despicable trick there, and I ended up as a salt statue, so I couldn’t get out. I’ll explain the details later.”
“Hmm… it doesn’t matter. You’re back now. Thank you for coming back. Please, don’t go anywhere. Stay by my side.”
“Yes. I promise.”
“Eltea…”
The emotional reunion was reaching its crescendo.
They touched each other’s cheeks, trying to feel each other’s presence. The distance between their faces seemed to shrink.
Ahem.
I had to pretend I didn’t see it… No, first I need to cover Prinz’s eyes…
But where was my older brother? He was wandering around, and just then, Prinz told me where he was.
“Mom?”
“……!”
“…Ah, Lintz! Our son!”
Upon hearing his innocent voice, they snapped out of it and hurriedly separated.
Mom cleared her throat and spoke to Prinz, who was five steps away.
“Yes, Lintz. It’s Mom. Do you remember me?”
“Y-Yes! I remember… You were dressed like this when I was six… holding a hoe and pitchfork, and went to care for the livestock…”
“Exactly. Our Lintz was six back then, and look how much you’ve grown. Come here, let me hold you.”
“Mom!”
Tears in his eyes, Prinz hugged Mom with his whole body. Now a boy, his charge was fierce.
Mom easily caught him and even spun around while holding him.
Meanwhile, I quietly approached Dad.
“I’m sorry for leaving without saying anything. But I brought Mom with me, so please forgive me.”
“Ai……”
His eyes, wet as ever, looked gentle. I could see his large hand reaching toward me.
I thought he would pat my head, so I stretched my neck away.
“Ouch!”
He pinched my cheek.
“This is your punishment.”
“Hehe… I understand…”
While rubbing my cheek, now plump like mochi, Dad patted my head.
“This is a reward. Thank you for bringing Mom back, Ai.”
“…Hehe, let’s go to Mom now, Dad.”
Holding Dad’s hand, I went to Mom and Prinz.
Mom was wiping Prinz’s tear- and snot-streaked face.
Teasing him, Prinz buried his face into Mom’s chest. On the opposite side, I hugged Mom too.
Finally, Dad enveloped all of us in a big hug.
The four of us clung to each other for a long time. With tearful faces, we looked at each other and smiled brightly.
✠
A month later.
At the Golden Ivory Tower, the sacred site of alchemists located in the Hispenril Duchy, the institution was experiencing the most difficult period in its 300-year history.
‘Ah… This won’t do! The Golden Ivory Tower might collapse under my tenure!’
The current head of the tower, Kallon Logos, was at his wit’s end.
It all began about a month ago. Donations and research funds that had previously flowed in abundantly to the Golden Ivory Tower had been halved.
The great patron of the Hispenril Duchy had suddenly decided to stop supporting them.
That was not all. Numerous regulations were suddenly imposed under the guise of maintaining the quality and distribution of the craftsmen’s products.
Even the first targets were healing potions.
The Golden Ivory Tower, which had previously profited massively by selling low-quality potions made by apprentices during practice, suffered a heavy blow.
‘All the funding has dried up! At this rate, the tower might be foreclosed! Why does it have to happen while I’m the head…!’
And it didn’t end there.
Recently, the duchy’s tax inspectors had stormed Kallon’s research lab and residence.
They apologized politely, citing anonymous tax complaints, but ransacked his spaces in front of him.
Unless it was someone like Hikim Saramatan, searching a researcher who had devoted his life to science would turn up nothing.
Kallon immediately suspected who the anonymous accuser was. Trembling with humiliation, he thought:
‘That damned duke! Why are you doing this to me!’
Immediately, Kallon wrote a letter to the Hispenril Duke.
He carefully restrained his string of curses while writing in an elegant style akin to a love letter. The essence of his message was:
‘If you have complaints, say them! Damn it!’
The duke responded with a formal and polite reply:
‘Understood. I’ll come see you where the old man is.’
Thus, a meeting between the two was arranged at the Golden Ivory Tower.
Kallon, now looking ten years older in just a month, served tea himself.
He brewed seven types of herbs in the finest healing potions to make a luxurious tea.
For dessert, he carefully selected muscle supplements to suit the duke’s interests.
Of course, anything made by the tower was out of the question, so he went through trouble to obtain Rodel’s products. They looked and tasted like fine chocolate, fitting for the tea table.
The duke, still in magnificent and artistic muscular shape, sat across, sipping the tea.
“Hmph! Long time no see, Head of the Tower.”
“Yes, long time no see, Your Grace.”
“By the way, your face looks half-dead. Are you eating and exercising properly? As you age, muscle is very important. I can teach you some exercises suited for someone your age.”
“….”
His face is half-dead because of you, and you’re pretending to worry!
‘Before you started this tyranny, I was jogging five laps around the tower every morning!’
Kallon felt a surge of frustration but held back. Still, he had no patience left, so he dove into the main point.
“Your Grace, I understand you are busy protecting the duchy, so let me get straight to the point. Recently, it seems you are displeased with our tower. Please tell me precisely what the problem is so we can correct it.”
“Hmph! Displeased? That’s a misunderstanding. Lately, my mood is as great as my pectoral muscles!”
The duke flexed his magnificent chest, showing off, teasing Kallon.
Kallon wanted to just storm out.
‘Maybe I should retire.’
It seemed like a good idea. He, who had only devoted himself to research, was too pure to handle political intimidation.
‘Yes, I’ll pass the headship to Hikim Saramatan and escape!’
Although Hikim was arrogant and greedy, his research achievements were solid.
More importantly, he could use his disciples to sway public opinion, curry favor with wealthy patrons, and form factions among the tower alchemists—there was no one better at politics.
As Kallon escaped mentally, the duke picked up a chocolate muscle supplement and brightened.
“Hmph! Very good!”
“Does it suit your taste?”
“Of course. It was made by my son-in-law and granddaughter.”
“…?”
Kallon was astonished.
“Son-in-law? Do you mean… did you find your princess?!”
“Yes. Found my daughter after 13 years. Not only that, I now have a son-in-law, a granddaughter, and a grandson!”
The duke laughed heartily.
Seeing the duke pleased, Kallon felt motivated.
“Ah, congratulations! If I’m not mistaken, your son-in-law is alchemist Rodel. He seems an extraordinary talent, rarely seen in the tower. Should I offer him a position immediately?”
Suddenly, the duke’s smile vanished.
“Expelled him and now you come back?”
“Eh? What…?”
