Chapter – 38
Chapter 10: Filial Piety Trip
I heard the news while my father and I were preparing next month’s delivery batch.
“Mr. Rodeline, do you have any potion stock? We need it for immediate delivery!”
“The treasurer? We only delivered a week ago… Are you saying there’s a defect in the shipment? Has there been a surge in returns…?”
“No! The entire month’s stock sold out already. The clients are clamoring for more!”
“R-Really?!”
The treasurer detailed the results of the potion sales.
At three stores, the stock was completely sold out in less than a week.
Especially near the Contaminated Crystal Cave, word-of-mouth seemed to spread even faster; within two days, everything was sold out, and adventurers were even making reservations.
Selling a month’s worth of stock in just a week wasn’t the only issue.
The news was gradually spreading to other regions, and demand was expected to keep rising.
[“The Language of World-Building” encourages you, saying if you continue like this, you might even be able to buy a genre change ticket.]
The dream of a parenting-themed story resurfaced.
[“The Balancing Critic” says that by the time you save 10 billion cash, you’ll already be an adult.]
[“The Scales of Soul Judgment” whispers that since the protagonist is handsome, a 19+ romance would be fine.]
[“The All-Seeing Eye of Chaos” teases, asking how about a GL (Girls’ Love) story.]
[“The Tower Architect of Trials” insists the current genre is fine since you can climb the tower.]
Ah, yes.
While the gods aired their personal tastes, I quietly set aside my dream of a genre change ticket.
Even after the treasurer left, my father, who had been dazed for a while, snapped back to reality.
“Th-this isn’t the time! We need to hurry with production!”
“Yes, Father!”
We immediately dropped everything and began production. I even called Prinz to lend a hand.
After two sleepless nights, we finally finished.
“Ah, Father, this should be enough for this week’s client demand.”
“Good. You’ve worked hard. Now go rest.”
“Yes, sir.”
I took Prinz’s blanket and asked, noticing my father still hadn’t slept.
“Aren’t you going to sleep, Father? You look exhausted…”
“I’ll continue a bit. I need to prepare a week’s worth of extra stock.”
“A week’s worth?”
Father gave me a tired but gentle smile, like a soft breeze.
“Yes. If we’re going to visit the house where your mother and I lived, we need to have enough prepared.”
“Ah…”
I crawled under the blanket, somewhat begrudgingly.
“Don’t collapse from exhaustion…”
“I’m fine.”
The power of love had effects similar to a stamina potion. Even now, my father’s hands moved swiftly and precisely in potion production. Surely, he had leveled up in these two days.
Slightly awake, I asked a question.
“You said you and Mother lived together when you were a student training at the Golden Ivory Tower, right?”
“L-lived together… Uh, yes. That’s right.”
“Then that house must be in the Hispenril Duchy, since the Golden Ivory Tower is there.”
“Correct.”
The small duchy ruled by the Hispenril Duke, known as the Crown Prince of the Duchy.
Using its central location on the continent of Serentra, the duchy managed inter-state logistics and attracted artisans including alchemists, fostering development. It was truly the hub of trade, commerce, and technology in the Serentra continent.
Father, knowing I was indifferent about my runaway mother, wanted to pique my interest.
“The duchy has many wonders, child. Think of it as a family trip. Exciting, isn’t it?”
To willingly return to a place that carried the bitter memory of being expelled from the Golden Ivory Tower, all for love…
“…I’ll sleep.”
“Ah, okay.”
I pulled the blanket over my head.
“Um, Language of Worlds…?”
I hesitated and called to the Language of Worlds in my mind.
[<System> The Language of World-Building consumes narrative plausibility to give you a quest.]
[<Quest> Exploring Your Hometown (Difficulty: D)
Visit the house where your family once lived together.
Success Reward: 30 doses of Divine Ginseng Extract
Failure Penalty: None]
Ah, before I even said anything, and the reward is a month’s worth of Divine Ginseng Extract for next month?
‘Language of Worlds, you’re the best!’
[“The Balancing Critic” complains that the reward does not match the quest difficulty.]
[“The Scales of Soul Judgment” suggests making the quest S-rank.]
[“The Tower Architect of Trials” proposes conquering the top floor of the Golden Ivory Tower instead.]
[The Language of World-Building pretends not to hear.]
The Management Bureau of Possession remained harmonious today as well. I drifted to sleep, lulled by the gods’ chatter.
Hispenril Ducal Mansion, Lyamian House
Despite being in the bustling city, the Lyamian House felt gloomy.
Aaronjake Hispenril, the current Duke, known as the “Crown Prince” by all, protected his duchy with strong arms and fair governance, earning the people’s respect.
Yet his household affairs were in shambles.
Thirteen years ago, his biological daughter had severed ties and run away. Since then, he became a workaholic recluse.
Thankfully, he developed a hobby of muscle training a few years ago, otherwise he might have been reduced to shuffling paperwork in his office.
For the past two years, he had endured the pain of estrangement by obsessing over physical training, even disappearing into dungeons for months under the pretext of private training.
A month ago, he left a note saying he would train in the Contaminated Crystal Cave and disappeared. The senior aides expected him to return at least two more months later.
Yet today, he astonishingly returned to the Lyamian House.
Chief aide Edgar held out a worn coat.
“Sir, why not use a Spatial Transfer Stone for convenience?”
“How could a father take the easy route when he doesn’t know what hardships his daughter may face?”
“Though with all due respect, your muscles have improved.”
The coat barely covered his form; his sculpted muscles were fully visible, subtly flexing.
“So, what’s this urgent matter? Leaving your training for me seems bothersome.”
On the day he left the dungeon, older siblings tried to stop him, and he had a hard time shaking them off.
Edgar replied to the grumbling Duke.
“We’ve found traces of Lady Elthea.”
“…!”
The Duke jumped to his feet.
“Where? Where is she?”
“Surprisingly close.”
Edgar unfolded a map, explaining why they had summoned the Duke to the mansion before delivering the news.
He pointed to a small village near the duchy’s capital, behind a mountain.
A trace of his daughter after thirteen years.
Hope sparkled in the Duke’s eyes.
Humming to myself, I checked the system map. The marker indicated a small village near the duchy capital, nestled by the mountain.
Today was the day for a filial trip, taking my father to visit our hometown.
I slung a satchel over my shoulder, loaded with all the necessary items.
“Child, have you packed everything for the trip?”
“Yes, more than last time.”
“Good. The outside world can be dangerous.”
“I’ll be quick. Stay healthy, Via.”
After a hug and farewell from Bianca, I turned to my father.
“Child, stay close to Father.”
“Yes!”
Prinz and I hugged my father at the same time.
Crack. The Spatial Transfer Stone shattered, filling our vision with bright light.
Then, the familiar system message sounded:
[<System> You have entered the Peronsa area, capital of the Hispenril Duchy. Time has been adjusted according to the local timezone.]
We arrived in the city center, a clean, paved street lined with quaint, pretty shops. Every sight resembled a watercolor painting.
“Look, over there!” shouted Prinz.
I followed his gaze to a landmark of the duchy: the Golden Ivory Tower.
A symbol of materialism and lofty scholarship combined, its cream-colored walls glittered with golden accents.
True to its name, it rose above surrounding low-rise buildings.
I traced the windows with my finger, counting the floors, and felt disappointed.
“Eh, only nine floors?”
Seems a bit short to call it a tower.
Soon, an expert’s counter-opinion arrived.
