Perhaps it only took about 30 minutes. Perhaps it took as long as one hour.
“… and that’s all of it.”
Ian didn’t interrupt Riley from explaining what transpired in Rainfield, not even once. When Riley finished explaining, Ian fiddled with his chin and maintained silence for a moment.
“Well, you are free to believe it or not believe it.”
Riley quickly laid down on the top of the carriage as if he had no more things to say. At that moment, Ian shook his head and finally opened his mouth.
“No.”
An infamous dark mage with hefty bounty was roaming around controlling corpses, that dark mage appeared in the Rainfield’s library, the dark mage tried to scheme using Rainfield’s clouds, and Riley stopped that dark mage.
The stories that Riley explained in detail about Rainfield were the kind that were difficult for people to believe.
“… I believe you.”
Despite that, Ian said he believed Riley in such a clear and confident voice. It was to the point of making Riley concerned. Riley casually moved his eyes and looked at the butler.
“Really?”
Riley had his hands together to lock the fingers and placed them below his head. Riley looked at Ian in the eyes and closed his eyes as if he was trying to say that it was fine then.
“Well then, okay.”
Watching Riley closing his eyes, Ian, who had been maintaining a serious look on his face until now, flinched his eyebrows and brought his hand toward Riley’s shoulder.
“Young Master. Should you be going to sleep like that right now? You need to make a decision!”
Although Riley showed himself swinging sword in front of Ian, and although Riley just told Ian unbelievable stories, this old butler was, surprisingly, not acting any differently from before.
“Why, what now again?”
Riley was actually expecting this inside. As if he was giving in, Riley opened his eyes and asked back. Ian said with a serious face,
“If you will be okay with it, we can go to Solia right after taking the children back to Alieve village.”
“Solia?”
“Yes. If what Nara said in the letter is true… We should go to Solia immediately and…”
With his fist tightened, Ian mumbled that they should beat that dark mage runt to death immediately. Watching this, Riley asked with a curious look.
“I’m in middle of the successorship competition still, aren’t I? Is it going to be all right to get out of it so carelessly?”
Riley thought Ian might hesitate. However, without a silver of hesitation, Ian asked back like this,
“There is something else that is more important, isn’t there?”
For a very long time, Ian had been wishing for the Young Master he served to become the official successor of the Iphalleta house.
However, that man was saying without any hesitation that Riley should give up on it and they should head to some other place.
Something else that is more important…
Instead of looking after one’s practical interest, the old butler was certain that stopping the dark mage who once lead the people of the Rainfield to the brink of death was more important.
‘A Mercenary Hero, huh…’
Riley looked at Ian in the eyes again and thought about what Nara said before.
‘I can say this with certainty… That bastard Kabal… No matter how famous he becomes using his monstrous strength, he can never obtain the title of the Mercenary Hero like Mr. Ian. Kabal can never come close to the mindset that Mr. Ian has. That’s why.’
People had to come first before everything else.
That was all that Ian was trying to say.
“Hm…”
Having heard Ian’s question about there being something else more important, Riley supported his chin on his hand and thought hard about it for a moment.
This news came by when Riley had Nara’s group to tail Rebethra who appeared to be related to Kabal the mercenary who thrown off Riley’s father’s arm because Riley wanted to catch Kabal.
Now, the dark mage from Rainfield reappeared.
This was not the news that Riley hoped for. However, it was an icky news for Riley to just glance over.
‘Is going there the right choice?’
Riley resolved the case in Alieve Village where a kidnapping incident similar to what happened in Riley’s past life had occurred. He was planning on resting leisurely and go back to the mansion, but now, he fell to a deep thought with a vacant look on his face.
“… Young Master, about that…”
While Riley was in a deep thought, Ian, who was standing next to Riley, pointed to the right side with his finger as if he found something.
“Um?”
Riley turned his head toward the direction that Ian pointed and noticed another Iphalleta house’s carriage entering the village. Just like Ian, Riley wiggled his brows.
‘What is this now again?’
Riley stared at the carriage with a dumbfounded look on his face.
“Ah, as I heard, you were here.”
The butler that drove the carriage here was the one who served Lloyd, the second son of the Iphalleta house.
“… Are we here now?”