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HELHEIM SCANS
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Chapter 108
I grabbed Melissa by the nape of her neck and dragged her along as she stared blankly.
“Stop zoning out and come quickly.”
“Huh… huh?”
Still flustered, she was pulled along by my hand with her eyes tightly shut.
Slowly, she opened them.
Realizing she had truly arrived at the Cascadia estate, her eyes widened.
“Hey, what’s going on? Why is there a teleport gate in our estate?”
I calmly explained the facts.
“Why? Because I bought it. We’re rich, after all.”
“…How much?”
“Ninety percent of our entire wealth.”
Her face turned pale at my answer.
While teleport gates couldn’t be obtained with money alone, it was true that once you poured in enough—trillions, perhaps—the future would be securely guaranteed.
However.
“You… you crazy bastard! What have you done?!”
Using estate funds in such a reckless way could lead to bankruptcy in an instant.
Her face turned literally blue as she grabbed me by the collar and shook me, looking up with trembling eyes.
“Of course I’m joking. Did you actually believe that?”
“….”
“I made it myself.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
She looked up at the massive teleport gate, making no effort to hide her shock.
“Countess, you’ve arrived.”
When those who recognized her began to show up, Melissa smiled softly and greeted them.
“Was everything okay while I was gone?”
“Nothing much… happened?”
Sensing something amiss, Melissa immediately pounced.
“What’s going on? What did you do this time?”
Her suspicion naturally turned to me.
“What did I even do?”
“Highly suspicious…”
Just then, familiar figures approached from afar, seemingly informed of her return.
“It’s been a while, Melissa.”
“Aurora? You stayed here? It’s been a while.”
“Would I leave such a goldmine? Let’s work well together. Our Planetaria Merchant Guild is always ready for good deals.”
Aurora extended her hand with a giggle.
Melissa, though suspicious, still shook hands with her.
“Sure. I may not trust your personality, but your credit is reliable.”
“Actually, I have a lot to discuss with you regarding the branch establishment. While you were gone, I talked to Sir Leon, but it’s best to discuss these matters with the head.”
Aurora flashed a casual smile.
“Perfect timing, I have several proposals too.”
Melissa silently stared at her and then chuckled softly.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, nothing. Heh… Just happy to see you after so long.”
Her behavior made Melissa’s suspicions deepen.
Was it because they were close friends that her doubts grew even more?
Despite Melissa’s intense gaze, Aurora’s stance remained unchanged.
“By the way, how’s your friend doing? I heard the news.”
“Let’s go… Let’s discuss it inside. I’m exhausted.”
Realizing she wouldn’t get any answers, Melissa stepped back with a weary expression, the relief of returning to Cascadia washing over her.
What she didn’t expect was what awaited her as she passed through the plaza, exchanging greetings with the estate’s residents.
“Leon, were they avoiding eye contact because of this?”
Melissa’s gaze locked onto something she should not have seen.
However, Luna and I had already disappeared and hidden ourselves.
“…Hah.”
Melissa’s hollow eyes stared at the newly erected statue in the plaza.
It was a statue of Melissa herself.
Proudly puffing out her chest, hands on her hips in a triumphant pose.
Melissa held her forehead with one hand, throwing a sharp glance at the snickering Aurora.
“Ahem. Isn’t it great? Your brother made it for you.”
“Where is that bastard Leon? Where is he!!”
“P-please calm down, Countess!”
“Please, Countess, calm yourself!”
Despite their attempts to stop her, Melissa had already drawn her sword.
“That bastard! You just let him build something like this?!”
At her furious shout, the residents quickly averted their gazes.
“He… said it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission…”
Huh?
So even the residents had gotten involved willingly?
Melissa looked at them with a betrayed expression.
“Even you guys… After all I did for you…”
“Well… because you treated us so well, we wanted to show more respect…”
Red-faced and flustered, Melissa eventually forgave them.
“Fine. It’s not your fault. This is all Leon’s doing. I’d love to destroy that thing, but… if you all helped, I can’t break it.”
“Maybe Sir Leon was clever enough to plan that?”
“…”
Melissa knew I could instantly create such a statue with the Machine God’s Heart.
Understanding why I had involved the residents, she realized there was little she could do.
“I’m going to find him and tear him apart.”
Though she searched frantically, Melissa had no chance of finding me once I was determined to hide.
“Leon, it’s a bit cramped.”
Since I was also hiding Luna, we were pressed up against the wall.
“Oh, sorry. Judge Luna, I have no ill intentions.”
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As I tried to move away, she held onto me tightly, nodding her head toward a wall in the back alley.
"My back feels cramped. Other than that, I'm fine."
Luna’s flirting seemed to have intensified a bit.
If she was flirting with bad intentions, it would be unfortunate.
But since her emotions rarely had hidden nuances, it was me who ended up feeling flustered.
Still, I threw the question out there just in case.
“Are you trying to seduce me?”
“Does it look that way?”
“Yeah.”
“Then it must be true. I think I like you, Leon.”
“Why?”
“Do I need a reason?”
“Because if the reason disappears, wouldn’t that mean you’d stop liking me too?”
Relationships are still difficult for me.
Naturally so, since what I’ve been doing for a long time is fighting, not talking with people.
Luna answered with a lighthearted smile.
“It’s not that I like you because there’s a reason. When I like someone, the reason comes afterward.”
She smiled.
It was such a pretty and cute smile that I found myself staring at her in a daze.
For no reason, my gaze became awkward and restless.
I felt a little flustered and avoided eye contact.
Regardless of her intentions, being engaged made this situation far from ideal...
“Hey, I’m engaged. This isn’t right.”
“You’re not the type to marry without true feelings.”
Now she was leaving me speechless.
I’ll return the cursed sword someday, but...
I took in the sight of her eyes as she gazed up at me.
Ever since I first saw her, I’d been strangely fixated on her eyes.
I don’t know why, but whenever I silently looked into her eyes, I felt myself falling into them.
How long did we stand there awkwardly like that?
Feeling a bit embarrassed by our closeness, I gently pushed her away.
“Let’s take a step back for now.”
Then Luna spoke my name.
“Leon.”
“What?”
I turned my head at her words, only to see a demon glaring at me with a face twisted in fury, like a vengeful spirit.
I must have been too distracted by Luna’s eyes to notice its presence.
"If you’re going to make a statue, at least make it properly. What kind of madman embezzles the estate's funds for something like this?"
“It’s proper enough. Besides, I barely spent any money.”
“Do those look normal to you?”
“Yeah.”
Melissa’s response was swift: a flying knee kick.
* * *
A holy temple.
People dressed in pristine white priestly robes moved with orderly precision as they hurried along.
“This is the report.”
Inside an office overlooking the scene, a man who appeared to be a high-ranking priest accepted a document from another man.
“The Holy Crown has disappeared. Prince Dorn has been confirmed dead.”
“Hmm… what a shame.”
The man in the robe answered with a bitter tone, making it difficult to discern his identity.
“It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do. Cancel the plan involving the Holy Crown.”
“Understood.”
Though the other man seemed to have a much higher status, he was deferential to the robed figure.
“Who’s responsible for the Holy Crown’s destruction?”
“I don’t know the details, but I heard that the Moon Watchers and a noble from the Kingdom of Bata were involved.”
The robed man let out a displeased groan at the news.
“It’s the Holy Crown, for heaven’s sake. How could some noble manage to destroy it?”
“Yes. It’s just a rumor, but I heard this noble contributed greatly to the Kraken subjugation led by Mielephon. Apparently, he’s an archmage and a swordmaster, despite not even being in his twenties.”
“Ridiculous nonsense. It’s hard to believe one claim, let alone both.”
The robed man scoffed, and the high-ranking priest nodded.
“In that case, it’s most likely the Moon Watchers who are behind this. Send more surveillance their way. If they interfere with the Great Plan, we’ll have to eradicate them.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh, and I’ve noticed Nadia has been quite active lately. There’s growing concern.”
Nadia.
Nadia Ten Lilibel.
The Saintess of the Holy Nation.
A name they couldn’t afford to ignore.
“She’s been trying to build an alliance with the barbarian Hael tribe. The higher-ups oppose it, so she’s been blocked so far.”
“They say swans are beautiful because they’re white.”
“Are you implying...?”
“Tell the Inquisitors to prepare. The swan is turning into an ugly duckling.”
“Understood, Lord Baril.”
“Good. Call me that in public.”
The robed man smiled with satisfaction.
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HELHEIM SCANS
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