Chapter 9: Preparations

A knight was caught attacking the grand prince!

The rumor that spread throughout the Drasen territory overnight created a huge ripple.

"A knight attacking the grand prince? Why?"

"I don't know the specifics."

"What on earth happened?"

"I know, right. And the monster wave season is just around the corner."

The unprecedented incident of a territory knight attacking the lord's son.

It stirred up anxiety among the Drasen territory's residents as they faced the winter.

On top of that.

"Doesn't that mean you know something? What is it? Tell me."

"Well, what I heard was……."

Where could it have leaked from?

The knight was bewitched by magic and attacked the grand prince.

"Bewitched by magic?"

"Isn't this a huge problem?"

"No, at this time of year……."

Just as the ominous rumors were about to spread even further throughout the territory with the specific details of the incident.

The grand prince subdued the magically bewitched knight in a single blow.

A genius grand prince who awakened before his coming-of-age ceremony.

For the grand prince's coming-of-age party, all the surrounding nobles have been invited.

The official announcement from the lord's residence managed to quell the residents' anxiety for the time being.

"Ah, that Young Master with the chains?"

"Right. If it's him……."

Muno, who had been diligently participating in monster subjugations for the past few months.

The residents who remembered his appearance took the positive side of the news more seriously, even after hearing the ominous rumors.

And for the residents of Drasen facing the winter, the lord's announcement was particularly welcome.

Because if nobles gathered for Muno's coming-of-age party, they wouldn't come alone.

"If a lot of nobles come……."

"Isn't this winter going to be easy?"

"It could be. It seems like a lot more mercenaries are gathering than in previous years, too……."

"That Young Master is a real blessing, truly."

"He is."

While the majority of the residents were once again favorably imprinting Muno Drasen's name in their minds.

The person in question was lost in deep thought with a contorted expression.

'Why did he attack me?'

To think of it simply, he was just unlucky to have been targeted because of the anger Eli, who had been afflicted by magic, held towards him.

But then, the question remains as to why the magician bothered to mess with Eli in the first place.

'They said it was a broken communication sphere…….'

Communication crystal spheres were expensive items used only by noble families. If it was a portable one, it would be much more expensive than he could imagine.

If they had cast a long-distance spell by consuming such a communication sphere, there must have been a clear purpose.

And.

- Muno, Drasen, bring him……. With his life intact…….

Considering what that bastard Eli had been spouting, he probably hadn't been trying to kill him.

'Then kidnapping? Why me?'

He just kept frowning at the question that had no answer.

Perhaps because of that, he had even had a strange dream last night.

- What's wrong with this one?

- The brainwashing isn't working well…….

- What will the Archbishop think…….

- Better to use him as a sacrifice…….

'Why that dream again…….'

A terrible memory from his childhood. A part of it had clearly surfaced through last night's dream.

'It was a little clearer than before. I remember the voices. I even remember some of their faces……. Why?'

No matter how much he thought about it, there was nothing that could have triggered it.

If anything, it was the fact that his mind was complicated from pondering why a magician had targeted him. And…….

'The fact that I absorbed a little demonic energy back then, maybe?'

He didn't know if it was really because of that, or if it had simply surfaced naturally over time after he had devoured the demon.

Muno shook his head with a bitter smile.

'It's meaningless anyway.'

It was futile to try to recall the memories of his enemies who had all died in the subjugation 10 years ago.

And the reason why the magician had targeted him would eventually be revealed through investigation.

With that, Muno shook off the unpleasant dream and stood in front of a large door.

"Father, it's Muno."

- Come in.

* * *

"So……. you beat up Sir Rodney and even coerced the soldiers to open the way, but all you got were these communication sphere fragments?"

His father, Ryan Drasen, who had spent a chaotic day and had barely managed to sort things out, recited the contents of the report he had already received once more.

"Yes."

"The demonic energy, well, it would have dispersed by now, of course."

"……Yes."

At that answer, his father let out a small sigh.

"But it's a fact that Eli attacked me. It's also a fact that he wasn't in his right mind. So……."

"I know. Your actions were appropriate. I'm not doubting you."

"Then why……?"

"There's no evidence left, is there? Well, the way those magician bastards work is always sinister, but at this rate, it just looks like our knight was foolishly taken in by magic. Or, simply Eli's betrayal."

Muno, recalling the kingdom's culture of despising magicians, then frowned along with him.

Then.

"Well, His Excellency the Count believed my words. The problem is just that there's too little evidence. I have no way to pursue the bastard who dared to mess with my son in my own territory."

Only after hearing his father's following words did he let out a small laugh.

"I believe Eli is from the main Trian County family.

If a man like that has a connection to a magician, wouldn't the Count also feel the gravity of the situation?

I think we can just wait for the results of the Trian County's investigation."

The County would have spirit masters or priests, who were as rare as magicians, so tracking down or investigating a magician would be easy.

'They'll also find out why they were targeting me.'

But his father's thoughts seemed to be a little different.

"……Yes, I suppose so. But for it to happen right now is a problem."

"Pardon?"

"The Grand Princess, known as the Flower of Trian, was supposed to attend your coming-of-age party, but because of what happened, she's reconsidering.

This father of yours is disappointed."

"Pardon!?"

Muno's eyes widened slightly at those words, but he soon understood what they meant and let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

'F*ck, sh*t. What a f*cking relief.'

It was a real relief.

'I was almost forced into an engagement.'

What does it matter if I have no intention? If the Grand Princess of the County were to say 'I like you,' my choices would disappear in that moment.

'……The class system is really f*cked up.'

Officially, they were cousins, but their statuses were different.

Moreover, he was an adopted son. He probably wouldn't even be able to assert his own opinions properly.

He felt anew one of the unreasonable aspects of this fantasy world, but for now, it was a fortunate thing.

But was his expression too obvious?

"The most beautiful woman in the northern part of the kingdom might not be able to come, yet you're happy about it?"

"Ah, no, sir."

"No? It's written all over your face."

His father, who suddenly made a mischievous expression, blurted out strange words.

"You brat, don't tell me you're interested in something else?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

As soon as he responded with a suspicious expression, a nonsensical remark followed.

"For example, men or something……."

"Aisshi!!! Really!! What kind of nonsense are you……!"

He shouted without realizing it, but his father continued to smile slyly and beat around the bush.

"Oh, look at this brat? They say a strong denial is actually an affirmation?"

"No, it just means I hate it that much.

You should stay away from people who say strange things, my Lord."

"Ahem. Parents and children can be honest with each other. This father of yours is an open-minded person."

"Nice to meet you for the first time, mister."

“…….”

Hmph.

When his joke didn't land, his father let out a sigh.

"Well if it's not that, why are you so against it?

I heard you're refusing to prepare for the party and even running away from etiquette and dance lessons?"

"No, I was just thinking that when Lian comes of age, I'd like to travel the world freely……!"

Oops.

Caught up in his father's pace, his honest feelings had slipped out.

"……I might go. Well, you never know what the future holds."

He tried to hastily cover it up, but his father's expression had already hardened.

"Travel the world……. You want to be a wanderer?"

A sigh escaped him, but it was a conversation he would have had to have at some point anyway.

So, Muno decided to clearly convey his intentions on this occasion.

"It's not that, I just want to broaden my horizons."

"Hmm. It's a shame that your awakening has changed your way of thinking.

You used to cry and say you wanted to live with your family forever."

The moment his dark childhood history was brought up, Muno's face turned beet red.

"You're bringing up something I said as a child……!!"

"It's much better to start a family and settle down than to wander this harsh world alone, my son."

"I want to see that harsh world with my own eyes. Because I've never seen it properly."

"You'll miss your family when you've had a proper taste of hardship, won't you?"

"I'll come back then, I guess. You're not going to turn me away, are you?"

The father and son, whose eyes met for a moment, soon let out a small laugh.

"Even though you've gotten smarter, your stubbornness is still there. It's a strange feeling to see the kid who used to just throw tantrums now talking back so sassily."

"So please do something about that party, Father. Mother really wants to marry me off."

"I feel the same way, you know?"

“…….”

As Muno was left speechless and his mouth hung open.

Ryan, who soon let out a small laugh, stood up abruptly and patted his shoulder.

"But I won't force you. The coming-of-age party will be held as scheduled, but if there's no young lady you like there, do as you please."

"Father……."

"So stop avoiding it and go see your mother. Your mother seems to be really looking forward to it. And don't ever mention what we just talked about."

"Yes! Th-thank you. Father!"

Muno, with a touched expression, turned and left the room.

And.

Thud.

As soon as the door closed, Ryan let out a small laugh.

"With all the beauties from the vicinity flocking here, how can a hot-blooded teenager not fall for one. Hehe, you brat. Travel the world, my ass……."

The middle-aged man, who had been through the same age, blessed (?) his son's future with a sly smile.

* * *

"Auu shi, engagement, my ass……."

Muno shuddered the moment he left his father's office.

In fact, the reason he refused the engagement was partly due to his desire for an unrestrained, free life, but there was another reason as well.

He disliked women. No, to be precise, the women of this world.

And to be more specific, he disliked the 'dirty' women of this world.

'The problem is the culture of this fantasy world where people rarely wash…….'

The reality was that even knights, whose job was to train and fight intensely every day, bathed maybe once a week.

On top of that, people even sprayed strong perfume to cover up the stench, and the smell of perfume mixed with the rank body odor was almost a terrorist attack on him, who had an excellent sense of smell.

'Ugh. Just thinking about it makes me want to puke…….'

He could just beat up the guys if they got too close, but he couldn't do that to women.

Even his adoptive mother, Elina Trian, was like that.

When he had just come to this house, one day when the still-baby Lian had suddenly started to get sick.

- Muno! What are you doing!?

- Ah, baby, you have to wash him well in warm water, s-so he won't be sick…….

- What?

- You have to wash him often, s-so he won't get sick…….

- What is this child talking about…….

His mother, who had shown him a serious expression for the first time and had taken the baby from his hands.

But she too had changed her mind someday when she and the baby Lian had been seriously ill, only after seeing the baby, whom Muno had washed in warm water and nursed, recover from his illness.

The absurd superstition that washing often could actually cause illness disappeared from the Drasen family only then.

But other people were still full of annoying smells.

A terrible smell that crushed even the vigorous libido of his current body's puberty.

And as far as he knew, this culture was prevalent throughout the entire Iron Kingdom.

So Muno had no expectations for the coming-of-age party.

'Body odor and perfume. A terrible combination of smells mixed together……. Ugh…….'

Just imagining it made his stomach churn.

Even if his perfect ideal type came to the party, he was confident that he wouldn't approach within 3 meters of her.

And thinking about that made him feel gloomy again.

He had ended his life as a single man in his past life, and for the situation to be like this in his current life as well, he felt that his fate was truly rotten.

The other of the two differences that separated Han Munho from ordinary people was his dating experience.

But it seemed that there would be many difficulties in that area in this life as well.

"Ehyo……."

However, there was no need to be completely frustrated.

As far as Muno knew, this world was incredibly vast, so if he went south to the mage Empire or to the eastern or western parts of the continent, there would surely be a country with a clean bathing culture.

If he were to get married, he would definitely meet a woman from such a culture.

Definitely.

For that reason too, he had to achieve his first goal.

"I have to see the world once……."

After repaying their kindness to some extent by being active in the monster wave or making a great contribution to the family, he planned to seriously explore the world.

Although this fantasy world, with its remaining class system, was full of inconveniences in many ways.

'It's a world where you can be treated well anywhere as long as you have military power.'

So in the end, wherever he settles down, he will first find a place worth living in for himself.

'I have to live freely, like a human being.'

The stressful and lonely life of his past, the misfortune he experienced in his childhood in his current life.

Could the free life he longed for truly give him the sense of liberation that would shake off all those unhappy memories?

Without being sure of it himself, Muno dreamed of freedom.

And soon.

"You're finally here, son!"

"……Yes."

He was immediately captured by his mother, who greeted him with a bright face.

"Now, let's get you fitted for clothes first. And do you know any party etiquette?"

"Uh……."

"Right, you probably don't. Mom will teach you everything. From one to ten."

"Ugh……."

"You don't have to thank me, son. Just bring home a nice bride."

Jjak.

The hand that slapped his back contained not only warm affection but also an undeniable pressure.

'Who am I? Where am I?'

He wanted to run away again just five minutes after meeting his mother, but.

- ……If there's no young lady you like, do as you please.

'Patience. I must be patient. This too shall pass…….'

From that day on, Muno had to listen and listen again about the etiquette of noble families, dancing, and party preparations until he felt like his ears were bleeding.

Even until the day of the party, a coming-of-age ceremony for just a baron's adopted son, where all the nobles belonging to the Trian County were flocking.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.