Chapter 05
In the blink of an eye, the surrounding space had changed.
“!”
Wow!
Surprised by the sudden change in scenery, I looked around. Where am I? It seemed like a dark, shabby alley.
“What… what is this?”
“It’s an alley.”
“No, I know it’s an alley. I mean, what kind of alley is this?”
“You’ll have to find out yourself.”
Zephyr simply nodded and pointed toward the path leading out of the alley. Swallowing a sigh, I followed his direction and stepped forward slowly.
The further I walked, the louder the lively music became. The sounds of bustling people grew closer. And the moment I stepped completely out of the alley—
“!”
I was speechless at the spectacle before me.
A sea of people swarmed the streets. Countless colorful stalls advertised food and various goods, trying to attract customers.
Behind the stalls, the buildings were very clean. The people passing by were neatly dressed, and their faces were free of any wrinkles of worry.
“Welcome to Eirenne, the second city of the Denbain Empire and the territory of Grand Duke Elkinas Pontiac.”
Zephyr, who had followed me, introduced the city in a cheerful tone.
“Wow! The second city, and it’s this crowded?! Back in my day, it wasn’t like this!”
“It used to be Pontiac, but the name changed 80 years ago, and Elkinas took over, expanding the city’s size.”
Zephyr shaded his eyes with his hand and continued.
“…And since they’re preparing for a festival right now, the atmosphere is even more lively.”
“Festival? What festival?”
“The famous Eirenne Salong Festival.”
“Salong…?”
“Dragon skewers! You should try some!”
Before I could ask what the Salong Festival was, a skewer was suddenly thrust toward us. Dragon skewers?! I shrieked in shock.
“Y-you eat dragons?!”
“Yes, sir! This is made from Kunterne meat!”
“Kunterne?!”
I shouted in surprise, and Zephyr let out a dry laugh.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Sorcerer. It’s just chicken. Don’t look so rustic.”
“Thank you, sir! Enjoy the Salong Festival!”
Zephyr casually handed a coin to the vendor and took the skewer. Only then did I realize what had happened and awkwardly bit into the skewer.
“So they celebrate the day Kunterne was killed.”
“It’s a festival held once a year across the Empire. Eirenne is the most lively place for it. It also brings in a large portion of the city’s annual revenue. And look over there.”
In the distance stood a massive statue. A beautiful woman, smiling brightly, wielding an oak staff as if she could move at any moment.
It was clearly the work of a master sculptor.
“That statue is…?”
“That’s Eirenne’s central square, Eirenne Plaza. That statue is the pride and landmark of the city. Can you guess who it is?”
“Guess who it is?”
I narrowed my eyes, staring intently at the statue.
Hooded, with a pentagram necklace, wielding a massive oak staff…
“I think I know… That staff looks really familiar, like the one I used… wait.”
Wait a second.
No way.
“Is… is that me?!”
I shouted in shock, and Zephyr, without any reaction, continued eating his skewer.
He didn’t answer, but I could tell. His lack of reaction was as good as confirming that the statue was indeed me!
“No way, I look like that? That’s a completely different face!”
I froze, waving the skewer in disbelief. A thought naturally crossed my mind.
“Wait a minute. Then… Eirenne, the city name…?”
“Of course. It’s you.”
“…!!”
“You really are… cheesy in your reactions, Sorcerer. Everything gets glorified over time, especially from the winner’s perspective.”
“Don’t act so cool! This is… I never even imagined this could happen! And cheesy… people might not even know.”
Zephyr, who had been walking ahead of me, turned and gave me a faint smile.
“Yes, that’s right. I was being mischievous, Sorcerer.”
“….”
“To make it up to you, let me explain a bit more. You’re a celebrity here, well-known across the Empire. Every year, people gather to praise you, and your adventures with the heroes have been turned into plays, songs, and dramas that everyone talks about.”
“….”
I realized that my face must be redder than a fully ripe apple. Seeing my reaction, Zephyr’s smile deepened.
“There’s even a town where sorcerers who wish to master your legendary spirit magic gather. Researchers and sorcerers treat Eirenne like a holy site.”
Zephyr glanced at my new staff and continued.
“Your oak staff is kept at the Duke’s mansion, and it’s displayed once a year around this time. Everyone loves and misses you. Enjoy your return after 80 years. Consider this the ‘Hope Chapter.’”
The words were embarrassingly flattering. I froze at his words, twisting my body in shame.
“Wait, Hope Chapter? Is there also a Despair Chapter?”
“…Let’s hurry. We need to go to the atelier to get your clothes tailored and then head straight to the Duke’s mansion this afternoon.”
Zephyr didn’t answer and resumed walking.
He led us to a building with intricately carved rose decorations on the facade. It was overwhelmingly luxurious. My jaw dropped as I looked around.
I noticed a pillar with a sculpture of a beautiful woman holding a water jug, and water was actually flowing down like a waterfall!
I reached out to touch the water, and Zephyr gave me a look that said, “I knew you’d do that.”
“…Hold it.”
“Okay.”
“And now, what comes next will be tedious, boring, and the most dull part since you returned. Still, we’ll try to make the beginning enjoyable for you.”
“What does that mean…?”
Before I could ask, Zephyr opened the door and walked in. I hurried after him, entering the building. A clear bell chimed, and the staff greeted us in unison.
“Welcome to Arer Atelier!”
All their voices were gentle and beautiful, but their eyes were different. They scanned us from head to toe in an instant, like hungry lynxes.
I instinctively felt they were judging us, and the score would likely be low.
Zephyr ignored them and approached a plump, ornate woman at the front. She smiled automatically, but there was no sincerity in her eyes.
“How may I assist you?”
“We need several outfits that can be made the fastest from your ready-made collection. I will pay in advance.”
Zephyr said this and handed a small pouch from his chest.
Immediately, the woman opened it. Inside were all gold coins. Her eyes flared with excitement. She trembled as she picked up a white certificate from among the coins.
“This… this is an Orient coin… a special coin only related to the royal family…”
She explained kindly without being asked, then looked between Zephyr and me. Her eyes narrowed.
“Excuse me, but all other clothes will take a few days to complete. Where should we send the rest?”
It was obvious she was testing us. She must have suspected the coin was stolen. I wanted to be angry, but looking at Zephyr and me, I understood her caution.
Zephyr seemed to think the same. With a calm expression and gentle voice, he replied:
“Send it to the Pontiac Duke. We are guests there.”
“Pon… Pon-ti-ac…!”
The woman stiffened on the spot. Then, trembling, she frantically rang a bronze bell in the corner of the counter.
The staff who had dispersed earlier rushed over, and she said to them:
“Treat them… with the utmost care… Code Gold…”
“!”
Code Gold? I frowned, glancing between Zephyr and the staff.
Suddenly, all the staff bowed deeply. The atmosphere had changed drastically. I was bewildered. I whispered to Zephyr.
“Is this… okay?”
“What? Selling the name of an old ally? Thrilling. The best position is always in the shadow of power. You should enjoy it.”
…Is this really okay?
“And Sorcerer, the part I said would be fun is over now. Too bad.”
He enjoys this… I looked at him with a wary expression, feeling like I wanted to hit him. Surely it wasn’t like this when we were on the hunt together.
A little later.
“I can’t do it!”
I flopped down onto the platform in the dressing room.
