Chapter 251 – What Is This? (3)

The first thing Alon saw as soon as he arrived at Colony was…

Kwajijijik!

“Benefactoooor!”

“…Seollang?”

It was Seollang, leaping into his arms without warning.

Since his body was not yet fully recovered, he decided to discuss the details later while he rested.

To be precise, it was even before arriving at Colony.

Seollang smashed through the carriage and lunged at Alon.

How long had it been since he began comforting the suddenly sobbing Seollang?

“…Have you calmed down a bit?”

“Yes…”

Seeing Seollang nodding with a sheepish smile despite her swollen eyes.

Alon felt his heart warm, yet it also became a little heavy.

It was because he thought he had made her worry far too much.

Therefore, he gently pressed down on Seollang’s two ears, just as he usually did when they met.

Seollang pressed closer to Alon’s hand as if she felt good.

Then, Alon naturally shifted his gaze outside the carriage.

Because of Seollang’s violent welcome(?), the ceiling was gone, leaving the outside clearly visible.

At that moment, while feeling the incoming breeze.

“Benefactor.”

“What is it?”

“Why are you hurt?”

Seollang, who had been laughing, suddenly asked a question after seeing the bandages wrapped around various parts of Alon’s body.

“…A lot happened in many ways.”

He could only gloss it over.

Most of his wounds were not caused by being attacked by others,

but were injuries sustained while using Reverse Heaven.

The formula of Reverse Heaven (逆天) basically overturned the laws of mana burn and constantly produced magical power.

But what Alon had failed to consider was the speed at which the magical power was generated.

The rate at which the Reverse Heaven formula gushed out magical power was overwhelming, easily surpassing the speed at which Alon himself could manage it.

The reason Alon was able to maintain his magical power for several minutes during the battle with Baarma was…

it was solely because he had regenerated his body to the limit with the ‘First Elf’s Godhead’ that he could create again at that time.

In other words, if Alon had not possessed that godhead,

his body might have simply exploded the moment he used Reverse Heaven.

‘…Honestly, even with that godhead, it was difficult to maintain the steady discharge of magical power.’

Thus, most of the scars remaining on his body were caused by rapidly expelling the magical power that had not been discharged in time.

Of course, they were infinitely smaller than when they first appeared.

In any case, Alon’s ‘Reverse Heaven’ required various research to be used properly.

‘Even though I regenerated with the elf’s godhead, even that regeneration was not perfect.’

Alon recalled the battle with Baarma.

At first, his body was regenerated well.

But as time passed, the regeneration through the godhead gradually slowed down.

‘…The godhead being infused was definitely similar…’

Thoughts that had been set aside for a while because there was much to do.

As they rushed back all at once, Alon’s attention was momentarily stolen without him realizing it.

“Who did it?”

The chain of thought was broken by the voice heard once again.

When Alon looked down, there was Seollang looking up at him with an expressionless face, unlike just a moment ago.

“Who did it, benefactor?”

Her voice was the same as usual.

Her perked ears were the same too.

Only her gaze had changed.

Her golden eyes, which had shone brilliantly even between her swollen lids.

Had now become dull and heavy.

“Tell me. Who did it.”

She asked again.

“…”

Alon felt a pressure that was difficult to describe.

‘…Did Seollang always feel like this?’

He felt like he had never received such a dangerous feeling before.

Alon, who was breaking out in a cold sweat for no reason, hurriedly stroked her head.

“Don’t worry, it’s not like someone really did it.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, it’s just that something happened while coming back, so don’t worry too much.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

Confirming that her golden eyes were shining with their familiar light again, Alon quietly let out a sigh.

Seollang stared at him intently.

“Still, benefactor.”

“What is it?”

“If anyone touches benefactor, tell me?”

She spoke while tightly clutching the hem of Alon’s clothes.

Alon, noticing the worry filled in her golden eyes,

“Alright.”

nodded his head without any question.

####

Exactly six hours later, around late evening.

Alon’s group finally arrived at Colony.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, brother. Since you seem to have suffered a lot, please rest well today. I’ll take care of any concerning matters in advance.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Not at all, brother.”

Yuman left after giving his greeting.

“Marquis!”

“Penia.”

“I’ll be away for about a day too! I have something to do for a moment!”

“Something to do?”

“Yes, I’m going to try talking about various things with the Tower Master.”

Penia also reported while scurrying about, swelling with anticipation.

She was clearly planning to talk about the past with Selaim.

Alon immediately nodded.

“Understood.”

“Yes! Then I’ll see you tomorrow!”

As soon as permission was granted, Penia quickly disappeared.

‘…But she doesn’t really need to get permission from me, does she?’

He was momentarily puzzled, but Alon also moved to Seollang’s guild house, where he had decided to stay for a day.

The moment he entered the guild house like that.

“Greetings!”

“Hello, Marquis!”

A welcome from the Golden Mane clan poured out.

“Welcome!”

“Yes! You’ve come so well!”

“Really! Really really really really! You’ve come so well!”

“…?”

…A very intense welcome.

In addition to that.

“Marquis!”

“…Was it Lime?”

“Yes yes! That’s right! It’s Lime! You’ve truly come so well! Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Well, I’m not seriously hurt anywhere.”

“That’s such a relief!”

Seeing Lime, who was moved with tears in her eyes as if Alon’s arrival itself was a blessing, Alon could only be bewildered.

He had met the Golden Mane clan many times so far.

But he had never made a fuss in this way even once.

Rather, they had observed etiquette if anything.

‘…Perhaps, did a change in the past happen because I did something?’

Thus, a faint doubt arose.

Alon could soon realize why their reactions were so intense.

“…Seollang?”

“Yes. When the rumor spread that Marquis had died, whew… it was really not easy. Since she went around scattering malice in all directions.”

Evan crossed his arms and hugged himself as if his body was trembling even thinking about it now, then shuddered.

“Anyway, so it must have become a festive atmosphere upon Marquis’s return.”

Only then did he get a vague sense of how the situation roughly went.

Alon recalled the appearance of the Golden Mane clan from earlier.

The scenes of them collectively letting out sighs of relief as if they had finally survived.

‘…Is it to that extent?’

Alon wore a strange expression.

Since he had seen mostly lively appearances so far.

It was because he could not imagine Seollang filled with malice at all.

However, there was no reason for Evan to lie to Alon, and…

‘Yes yes! That’s right! It’s Lime! You’ve truly come so well! Are you hurt anywhere?’

Didn’t that shrewd Lime look all over his body with tears even in her eyes?

Alon recalled Seollang’s appearance from earlier once more.

The voice and expression were the same.

But the moment when the brilliant golden eyes turned dull.

“Marquis. I haven’t heard in detail yet, but what really happened?”

Evan’s voice heard while lost in memory.

“Are you talking about the moment I disappeared with the hungry ghost?”

“Yes. Wasn’t there absolutely no contact at all for three months?”

Come to think of it, he had not been able to give a proper explanation to Evan after returning.

Alon, after contemplating for a moment, decided to tell Evan the truth.

And.

Time passed.

“…Is all of that true?”

“Is there any reason to tell a lie?”

“I know there’s no need for that either… Yes, anyway… I’ll take it as such.”

Still, it’s hard to believe easily…

Evan, who had been furrowing his brow several times, soon nodded as if he understood.

“Then please sleep early today.”

He left Alon’s room after giving his farewell.

“…Ah.”

Alon belatedly recalled the fact that he hadn’t properly asked Evan about the situation he heard earlier, that it was currently on the verge of war, but soon shrugged his shoulders.

Because they were things he could know all about by tomorrow anyway.

‘…First, I should rest a bit today.’

Alon soon laid his body on the bed.

####

The next day.

Alon, who had completely fallen asleep as soon as he lay on the bed due to accumulated fatigue, woke his heavy body and headed for the royal castle of Colony.

“…Marquis! I’m glad you’re alive!”

“It’s been a long time.”

After lightly exchanging greetings with Karsem, who welcomed him with a very bright expression.

Alon had an audience with Karmakses III.

And.

“Welcome, truly welcome…!”

He received Karmakses III’s ultimate welcome.

He was briefly bewildered again by this déjà vu-like situation.

Alon from Karmakses III about the detailed situation of the current situation…

“Ahem… you see. Well…”

Could not hear.

“…”

He slightly turned his gaze.

There, Seollang was pretending to be indifferent while turning her eyes elsewhere.

Hwi- hwi-

A situation where she gathered her lips to whistle, but only the sound of useless wind leaked out.

“Seollang.”

“Yes! What is it, benefactor?”

“I want to have a private talk with His Majesty for a moment, would it be possible?”

“With me!?”

“Eh…”

Seollang says “I don’t want to…” with her expression.

But as Alon looked at her without wavering, Seollang as if she had no choice.

“Alright…”

Trudged out of the audience chamber.

“Phew… thank you. Now I can speak a bit more comfortably.”

“Not at all. So… can I hear the situation in a bit more detail?”

Karmakses III, letting out a sigh as if he had finally survived as soon as Seollang went out.

He contemplated for a moment at Alon’s request, then slowly began to speak.

“…Do you want a detailed explanation? Or do you want a simple explanation?”

“I’ll leave the detailed explanation for later, and first I want to grasp the situation.”

Karmakses III nodded.

“The 1st Prince of Ashtalon Kingdom, do you happen to know him?”

“I do know him.”

“He expressed his condolences for your death.”

“Yes.”

“The way he expressed his condolences was like this.

[The death of Marquis Palladio is truly regrettable and I express my condolences. But even so, we cannot remain stagnant. Asteria Kingdom must overcome the pain and move forward.]

…was the content.”

Alon, pondering the content, nodded.

Although it contained some useless interjections.

Because, overall, it was content that seemed encouraging.

Thus, after waiting quietly for the words to follow for a moment.

“…It’s because of that.”

“Pardon?”

“…It’s because of that content that I’m saying it’s on the verge of war.”

“????”

At the next words heard, Alon’s head was filled with question marks.

“Uh, did I hear that wrong?”

“…That is so.”

“How can that be the prelude to war?”

“That’s what I’m saying…”

Karmakses III let out a sigh, then soon looked toward one side.

“I’m really curious about that too… How did this become the signal fire of war?”

He muttered gloomily.

When Alon turned his gaze out the window on one side following Karmaxes’s gaze…

“…”

There.

Jjong-geut…

Two golden ears that hadn’t been hidden were perking up slightly.

Was it because of you…