"Phew..."
The moment the meeting adjourned and we finished our final greetings, a deep, collective sigh escaped our lips as we climbed into the carriage. It seemed we had been more tense than we realized, and a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over us.
For a while, the three of us simply sat in a daze, surrendering to the comfortable swaying of the carriage. Eventually, wanting to review our impressions and reflect on the event while the memories were still fresh, I spoke to the twins sitting across from me.
"Good work today. How did you both find the gathering?"
"It was a truly valuable experience," Carla said with conviction. "Not only did we get to network alongside you, Owner, but being able to receive direct guidance from the Guild Master will be a massive asset for us going forward."
"What did the Guild Master teach you two?" I asked.
"He spoke to us about the 'perspective' successful participants have regarding business," Calm explained. "Those people have achieved great success in their respective fields, but it’s not simply a matter of being good at making money. He said that a merchant on the next level is someone who, while naturally building up their own business, can also nurture the community through that enterprise."
Carla leaned forward, picking up where Calm left off. "Instead of solely pursuing their own profit, they join hands with fellow merchants and those in other industries. By revitalizing the region where their shops are located—the very foundation of their trade—the profits that eventually return to them are even greater. The Guild Master said we must develop the ability to do that, use our reason to suppress emotions and actions that would hinder cooperation, and learn to think for the benefit of the whole."
As they explained in their perfectly synchronized manner, the phrase "expanding the pie" came to mind. When I mentioned this metaphor, they tilted their heads in confusion for a moment, but once I explained it, they understood immediately.
"If you fight over a single pie, you can only gain what you take from others. But if you make the pie bigger, even the same percentage yields a greater reward. That is a very clear way of putting it. To use your words, Owner, that gathering is a place where 'people who can cooperate to expand the pie' assemble. That is why those who seek only their own gain find they don't fit in and usually leave on their own after attending a few times."
"He also mentioned that if someone can realize their mistake on the spot and correct themselves, they would be accepted," Calm added. "Though he said that is quite difficult in practice."
"I suppose so... they would have to change the very mindset they worked so hard to build as they grew their shops to that size."
Thinking about it that way, perhaps it was actually convenient for me that I didn't have much to cling to as a merchant.
"Hm?"
Just as that thought crossed my mind, there was a frantic knock on the small window connecting to the driver's seat.
"Everyone, we’re almost at the shop, but something's wrong," Yudam reported. "There’s a crowd in front of the store big enough to see from here."
At that report, the expressions of the two sitting across from me sharpened. They had entered work mode.
"If it’s trouble, we should have a response manual for it, right?"
"We’ve included it in our employee training, and we appointed a person in charge while we were away," Carla replied. "From malicious customers to sudden illnesses, we've set procedures for everything within the expected range."
"However, a manual is just a manual," Calm noted. "There is a high possibility that something unexpected or beyond their capacity to handle is occurring."
"...In any case, let's go check. Yudam-san, please stop the carriage as close as possible."
"Got it! We’re here!"
Before long, the carriage came to a stop, and we quickly hopped out. Just as Yudam had reported, customers were gathered in front of the shop, peering inside. Given that I could hear shouting, it seemed people were hesitating to enter for fear of getting caught up in a mess.
"Excuse me!"
"Please let us through!"
The four of us—including Yudam, who had finished tethering the horses—pushed through the crowd. Once inside, we saw Fina behind the counter, struggling to handle the situation, with Ox-san standing slightly behind her, looking intimidating.
Facing them was a stout man dressed in extravagant equipment. Behind him stood a pair of haggard-looking people, a man and a woman.
"I told you to bring out that brat of an owner already!"
"Lord Casbal, as I have told you many times, the owner is not usually at this shop. The current manager is someone else we have hired. If you have business with the owner, please go to the office I mentioned earlier—Owner!"
Fina noticed me and called out, her expression filled with a sense of relief as if a taut string had finally snapped. She had done well to endure the pressure and anxiety.
"Oh! You must be Ryoma-kun! I've finally found you!"
Of course, I wasn't the only one who heard her. The man named Casbal let out a cry of joy the moment he saw me. Based on his words just now, I was indeed his target.
"Is this the boy?"
"Is it really... him?"
The man and woman behind Casbal were looking at me with eyes that seemed to be clinging to hope. These two didn't have the air of troublesome customers. They seemed to have some common sense, looking rather uncomfortable with the scene.
"Come now, let me see your face clearly!"
"Wait. I'd like to ask who you are and what your business is today," Yudam said, stepping in front of Casbal to block his path as he approached with an unsettling smile.
Casbal's face twisted in grand irritation at being stopped.
"Who do you think you are?!...Hmph, fine. I am Casbal Kuzyan, second son of the House of Viscount Kuzyan and the 3rd commander of the Kuzyan Private Knight Order. These two behind me are Clive and Silvia. They are relatives of mine, and they are searching for their son who was kidnapped and went missing in the past!"
Casbal continued to bluster his explanation while being blocked by Yudam.
"They heard rumors of a child with black hair and black eyes whose parents were unknown, and they simply couldn't sit still! I was moved by their passion and agreed to act as their guard for the journey. I want Ryoma-kun to speak with them!"
He was unilaterally rattling off his demands. So, in short, he was claiming these two were my parents? Impossible. While it was true the two of them shared my physical characteristics of black hair and black eyes, that was the extent of it.
"Lord Casbal, and you two as well. I am sorry, but you have the wrong person. It is true that I do not have parents, but that is because they passed away; I remember them clearly. I am not your son."
I stated the facts and rejected their claims. It might sound cold, but since it was the truth, there was no changing it. Not only did I have clear memories of my parents from my previous life, but the gods had explicitly told me that I had no blood relatives in this world. Of course, they had no way of knowing that.
"Ah..."
"So it was a mistake after all..."
Surprisingly, the two of them were quick to accept it.
In my previous life, people used to say that winning the lottery brought out relatives you never knew you had. With my current earnings, it wouldn't have been strange for scammers to appear. I had been wary that they might be that sort of person, but they didn't persist. In fact, they looked genuinely devastated.
...Are these people really just looking for their son?
Yudam and the gathered customers seemed to feel the same thing, as a sorrowful atmosphere filled the shop. Most of all, seeing the couple's pain made me feel like I should say something more.
"You two... You might wonder why I'm suddenly telling you this, but my father was a man who prioritized work above all else and ignored his family. If I got into a fight with another child, he would beat me severely under the guise of 'education' just because it took up his time to settle things. If the other parent wasn't satisfied, he would beat me further in front of them to shut them up. That was the kind of person he was."
I paused, looking them in the eye.
"That is why, to me, seeing two people travel so far to find a missing child and be genuinely disheartened to find it was a mistake makes you seem like wonderful parents. This time the answer was unfortunate, but please, do not lose heart."
"...Thank you for your kind words," the man said.
"We are truly sorry for the trouble we caused with this mistake," the woman added.
The couple bowed deeply, expressing their gratitude and apology. Though their disappointment hadn't vanished, their expressions were gentler, as if they had found some small measure of solace. If this was the case—
"Wait!"
The conversation didn't end there. Even though the couple was satisfied, Casbal alone refused to let it go.
"Think carefully, Ryoma-kun! Their child was kidnapped! That means there's a possibility your 'parent' was the kidnapper! That would explain your father's attitude toward you! Besides, even if you became their child, you wouldn't have to quit your business or your work. I'm not saying you have to cut ties with the Ducal House, either! It would just mean your place of residence would change slightly, and you'd live a life of coming and going!"
Casbal was desperately trying to persuade me, likely not even realizing how insulting he was being.
"And didn't I say they are my relatives? Our house can provide you with a better education than you have now, and we can even make you a noble!"
Although I was the one who used my father's true nature as a bad example, calling a stranger's parent a kidnapper was beyond the pale. He was essentially saying he didn't care about the search for the child and didn't mind if it was a mistake. He showed not a shred of consideration for others; his greed to pull me—or rather, my assets and connections—into his house was laid bare.
He didn't seem to notice, but the cold glares and burning anger of everyone around were focused solely on him.
"Enough is enough! Lord Casbal! What on earth did you think our feelings were?! I am looking for my son, not a replacement for my son!!"
"Lord Casbal—no, Casbal! As your uncle, I actually thought you were concerned about us! I thought even a good-for-nothing like you might have had a little bit of family affection for once!"
Naturally, the ones most furious were the couple who had been earnestly searching for their child. Since I didn't believe for a moment that their reaction was an act, they had clearly been used. They were flushed red with rage as they closed in on Casbal.
Whether I had him arrested or moved the conversation elsewhere, I was going to have him leave the shop.
"Please leave—"
"Getting noisy in here, isn't it?"
Just as I was about to have him removed, a deep voice echoed from the entrance. A carefree, familiar voice that completely ignored the tension in the room. Thinking it couldn't be, I looked over and saw—
"Glen-san?!"
"Yo, been a while."
Standing there was Glen, the S-rank adventurer I had met in the Sea of Trees. He was in his usual plain clothes, carrying no weapons other than the magic tool pouch on his belt. Being in the city made it even easier to see how worn his clothes were compared to everyone else's, giving him an appearance that didn't look like an S-rank adventurer at all.
However, perhaps due to his massive frame, he exuded an undeniable presence that commanded authority even in this situation.
"I mean, you should've told me where you were! I've been looking all over for you!"
"I forgot as well, but you also forgot to ask and just ran off, didn't you? By the time I realized and tried to call out to you, you were already out of sight."
"Ah—well, I wanted to get back to the Royal Capital and get my money as soon as possible. It feels gross having tabs piled up. Even if I'm S-rank, if I'm told 'any more than this is...' while they're shivering, the booze starts tasting bad."
"That may be true, but normally people don't let their tabs pile up that much—"
"Could it be... are you Glen, the S-rank adventurer?!" Casbal interrupted again.
He seemed to have realized Glen's identity from our talk. However, immediately trying to win Glen over to his side was a questionable move. And without even asking if it was convenient for the other party, he began to spin a tale about his reasons—reasons that even the couple no longer believed—making Glen look incredibly annoyed. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Glen looked at me.
"And so—"
"Wait, parents? Didn't you say the other day that they 'became undead, so you cut them down'?"
"Oh, that's right, I did tell you that, Glen-san. Yes, that’s why it’s definitely a mistake. The couple understood, but this man alone seems to have other motives and won't accept it."
"Wh-What?!"
Since Glen had been there after I fought Kormi in the Sea of Trees, he must have remembered the brief story I told him about what happened in the mansion.
Realizing that winning Glen over would be difficult, Casbal stammered, clenching his fists. After a few seconds, he shouted, "E-Enough! I am saying this for the sake of parents who love their child! If you refuse to listen, then even by force—"
"You couldn't do it."
"Wh—?!"
Having run out of options, he began to scream about using his authority and martial power to make me listen. However, when the oblivious Glen threw those honest words at him, Casbal recklessly and reflexively lunged at him. In the next instant, the man in full equipment was blown away to the wall with ease.
Surprised cries from the ordinary citizens unaccustomed to violence echoed through the shop, and Yudam and the guards sharpened their alertness as tension peaked. However, the man himself likely didn't intend to go on a rampage. It was a light movement, like brushing away an insect.
Even so, it sent a grown man flying... though the person himself seemed to have suffered almost no damage thanks to his extravagant equipment.
"Th-That was a surprise attack! And it only happened because you are an S-rank! The one I was talking about was that child, and there's no way I would lose to a brat!"
He seemed to have realized he couldn't beat Glen, but he was certainly persistent—or rather, stubborn—to be able to spit out such sour grapes so instantly. It was truly pathetic.
"Tch, what a pain."
Glen looked utterly exasperated... but at the same time, I felt a bad premonition. Reflexively taking a step back, a large fist passed right in front of me and smashed through the floor.
Amidst the wind pressure that ruffled my hair and the flying floorboards, my strengthening magic and Glen's follow-up attack happened almost simultaneously. The arm that had pierced the floor bounced up, and a backhand sweep approached, but I avoided it by jumping onto the counter behind me. Immediately after, I launched a flying kick and chantless earth magic.
"Hm? Whoops."
He blocked the flying kick with his free left hand, and he easily dodged the rocks rising from the hole in the floor. By the time I kicked off Glen's arm and returned to the counter, the people unaccustomed to combat finally seemed to have grasped the situation. The surroundings suddenly became frantic, but—
"Any injuries?!" I shouted.
"Staff are safe!"
"Customers are safe too!"
Ox-san and Yudam's reports came back instantly. I was glad no one had been hurt, but...
"Don't break the shop!! Honestly... Glen-san, I'm sure your reason was something like 'it's faster to show someone who won't listen,' but at least show some consideration for the people around us and don't break the store."
"My bad, my bad, I got a bit too much momentum. I'll pay for the repairs. More importantly, have you gotten stronger than before?"
"Are we talking about that now...?"
While exasperated by the usual Glen, I also felt a complicated sense of satisfaction from the results of my recent training...
"A-A child couldn't possibly be that strong...! You're conspiring with Glen to deceive me!"
The stunned Casbal was still shouting. Since the shop was broken, I really should have him forcibly removed—
"Will you finally shut that mouth! Casbal Kuzyan, Son of the Viscount! Is that the behavior of someone who calls themselves a knight?!"
I wondered how many times my words would be cut off. And once again, recognizing the voice, I looked at the entrance...
"Sieber-san?!"
"I'm here too~"
"Big Sis Remily? It's been a long time. Wait, were you together?"
"Ryoma, there’s much to catch up on, but please excuse me as there is something I must do first."
Sieber Galdak sharply glared at Casbal and began to sternly reprimand him. "How long do you intend to grovel pathetically on the floor! Stand up straight!!"
"Hiee?! You are the Knight Commander... why are you here?!"
"I have no obligation to explain to you... but I have decided to leave the Royal Capital and move to this town. I didn't expect to witness such foolish behavior the moment I arrived, however."
Sieber glared at Casbal, who was now standing at attention, and began to scold him severely. Unlike before, Casbal had completely changed his tune, offering no resistance as he took the dressing-down.
"Big Sis Remily, do those two know each other?"
"I don't know him personally, but they seem to be acquaintances," Remillie Clemiss replied. "The House of Viscount Kuzyan is a landed noble family, and the Knight Commander occasionally goes out on inspections, so perhaps through that? Even if it's just in name, he calls himself a knight, so I suppose he has at least a minimum level of respect."
I wouldn't know the details unless I asked the man himself, but the reprimand that I thought would last a long time ended sooner than expected.
"I would like to seize you with my own hands this instant, but I am now a man who has resigned from the Knight Order. It is infuriating, but I shall leave it to the Guard Force. You stay quiet in a cell until your sentence is decided!"
"N-No way..."
Sieber delivered the final blow and called in the Guard Force, who had been waiting for some time. Casbal showed slight resistance as he was being taken away, but he was pinned down by the guards regardless of his status and led away in an undignified manner.
The couple was also taken in as witnesses, but they bowed their heads many times in genuine apology to me and the onlookers. Since they complied obediently with the Guard Force, they were treated with courtesy. I was concerned about what would happen next, but there was nothing I could do right now. I'm sure the Ducal House would get involved too, so I should just wait for information.
Thus, the commotion caused by Casbal was brought to a sudden end by Sieber's authoritative word.
"I'm hungry. Ryoma, tell me a good place to eat around here."
"You really are free-spirited... well, I want to hear everyone's stories too, so I don't mind. Yudam-san, Calm-san, Carla-san. Could you contact Eleanora-san, arrange for repairs for the broken shop, and handle the customers? Also, please let the Commerce Guild and Adventurer Guild know that these three have arrived."
"Understood."
"As you wish."
"Understood."
I left the after-treatment to my reliable subordinates and stepped out of the shop with the three S-rankers.
"Do you have any preferences?"
"As long as it's delicious, anything's fine."
"Nothing in particular comes to mind for me either."
"I'll leave it to Ryoma-chan."
In that case, the usual place that was cheap, fast, and filling would do. Glen's priority was taste, but he seemed more like a quantity-over-quality person anyway.
"I'll handle the restaurant choice, but as I asked earlier, have you gotten stronger? Or were you holding back before?"
"I wasn't holding back. It's probably because I changed the way I use strengthening magic recently."
As we walked toward the eatery, Glen asked the same question as before. I didn't think it would be discovered so instantly upon our reunion, but he was certainly sensitive to an opponent's strength.
"Indeed, your strengthening was more natural and powerful than when we had our match," Sieber noted.
"I thought so too, but that wasn't standard strengthening magic, was it?" Remily added. "It looked similar, though. You said you 'changed the way you do it'—did you make a new spell again?"
Sieber and Big Sis Remily had noticed as well. Moreover, Remily had even realized it was a new spell. Since there was no need to hide it, I gave a brief explanation.
"The name of the magic is 'Magic Armor.' It’s a combination of the existing 'Physical Strengthening' and 'Physical Hardening' spells, allowing me to gain both effects at once. Also, a new slime was born before I developed it, and incorporating it into my training helped me build the mental image."
That slime was the "Meat Slime," which had been born recently, following the experimental results of the Bone Slime from a previous test. Both were slimes that mimicked parts of a biological body and evolved from no-attribute slimes.
As the name suggested, the Meat Slime was literally meat. It had the ability to change its texture through mimicry, and that included muscle. From this, I had succeeded in creating a "Reinforced Exoskeleton" by having muscular Meat Slimes cover my body like a suit of armor over Bone Slimes.
Moreover, having previously instructed them to "expand and contract by tracing the movements of the wearer's muscles" had worked in my favor, resulting in overwhelmingly less discomfort than standard strengthening magic. After training while wearing this and letting the sensation of natural strengthening and the clear image of a reinforced exoskeleton sink into my body, "Magic Armor" was successfully completed.
The Meat Slime wasn't limited to reinforced exoskeletons; by feeding them meat with textures unsuitable for consumption, it was also possible to have them separate out delicious meat. Furthermore, since slimes related to the physical body seemed like they could be applied to medicine as well, I wanted to continue researching them separately.
When I finished my explanation, I received three different reactions.
"We were supposed to be talking about strengthening magic, but it ended up being about slimes anyway..."
"Using slimes for training and to enhance strengthening magic... and this new 'Magic Armor' is intriguing as well. Would you mind teaching me the details later? I can move better than before, but I wish to maintain whatever strength I can."
"I don't really get the details, but if it makes you stronger, it's interesting!"
Exasperation, admiration, and curiosity. Their tones were slightly different, but they were all smiling.
A lot had happened in a short amount of time, from the trouble after the meeting until now... but I had a feeling that with them joining us, the town of Gimul was going to become even noisier. And yet, it promised to be fun as well.