Chapter 78: Behind (1)
Top floor of the Clover Trade Company.
It was the office of the Clover Trade Company's head and guildmaster, Nonohen Clover.
Knock, knock!
“Guildmaster? Excuse me.”
“Come in.”
Inside the spacious room, employees of the Clover Trade Company were bustling about, carrying mountains of paperwork.
The already towering piles of documents only continued to grow.
There was simply too much work to handle.
“Good day, Guildmaster.”
“……What is it?”
Nonohen Clover, whose face was smeared with fatigue, lifted his head, looking toward the staff member who had called him.
His eyes clearly conveyed the sentiment: If it's not important, I'll make it important for you.
Sensing this, the employee hesitated awkwardly before speaking.
“Uh… some guests have arrived. They insist they must see you personally.”
Nonohen’s eyebrows twisted upward in clear displeasure.
“I told you — no visitors for the time being. How dare you disturb me over something like—!”
“B-but, sir, they’re among those you instructed us to treat as VVIPs, no matter what!”
“……!!”
“Sh-should I turn them away then?”
As Nonohen's eyes widened in surprise, the staffer nervously asked again, sensing the guildmaster’s mood shifting dangerously.
With a reflexive heavy sigh, Nonohen suppressed his irritation. This employee was a new hire brought in during the rush — a greenhorn who neither caught on quickly nor worked skillfully.
“No, you—! Haaah……”
“Pardon?”
“You should’ve started with that from the beginning!”
Nonohen sprang to his feet and hurried toward the door almost at a run.
Throwing it open wide, he immediately spotted Elwin and his companions gathered nearby — and his face broke into a huge smile.
The scowl that had been plastered on his face while he worked dissolved instantly, smoothing his wrinkles into a completely different expression.
“Oh dear, our saviors! Welcome, welcome~!”
“……Who’s here!?”
At Nonohen’s brightened voice, someone from the adjacent room burst out like a bullet — it was Aajen.
Despite being busy beyond measure, caught up in the formal succession process, happiness radiated all over Aajen’s face.
“Welcome, everyone!”
“Oho~ It’s you all! Please, come in!”
Trailing after them were Enaka Clover — or rather, Enaka Magpie, as she had changed her surname after inheriting the Magpie Merchant Group — and even Dalton Pactio, the Clover Trade Company’s official notary.
“We should have visited you first… I feel terribly ashamed.”
“Please don’t worry about it. We could guess how busy you've been.”
When I answered with a gentle smile, Nonohen bowed his head slightly in gratitude.
“Hahaha. Thank you for your understanding. Anyway, welcome! Please, have a seat. Someone, bring out some refreshments! Only the best!”
Elwin and the members of Spero were seated at the head table, while Nonohen and Aajen — the hosts of the room — sat at the lower seats.
This arrangement spoke volumes about the respect the Clover family was showing their guests.
“It’s all thanks to you.”
The first thing Nonohen said after gulping down his barely cooled tea was this:
“If not for you, my son and I, and this Clover Trade Company… We don’t even want to imagine what might have happened.”
“You’re too kind. We only did what needed to be done. You really don’t have to dwell on it.”
At my natural reply, Nonohen and Aajen exchanged glances — clearly struggling with something heavy they wanted to say.
Even Enaka and Dalton remained tight-lipped, carefully gauging the atmosphere.
“……”
I more or less guessed why they were acting so flustered.
The order was given only recently, yet the rumors must have spread faster than expected.
If it had reached their ears already, it meant the rumors were sweeping across the entire Batevil Kingdom.
Looks like Nero did his part well.
Nero Chase had many specialties beyond his innate magic “Impostor,” which allowed him to freely copy others’ appearances and memories.
As a high-ranked Hunter, his martial prowess and intellect were far from average. He was also a master of social skills, able to befriend complete strangers within minutes, and had a remarkable knack for various tricks.
But more than anything else—
It was his eloquence!
His tongue moved as if it had a mind of its own, gliding effortlessly into people's hearts and overturning their thinking.
A natural-born agitator.
Beforehand, I had assigned Nero a second mission while he was monitoring Depicio’s movements:
—To spread a certain rumor throughout the tumultuous Batevil Kingdom.
“Sir Lewin… If you wouldn’t mind… may this old man ask you something?”
“Of course. Please speak.”
And now, it was time to harvest the fruits of that labor.
Nonohen’s Adam’s apple bobbed nervously.
“By any chance… who exactly are you?”
There was thick tension in Nonohen’s question. The same unease filled Aajen, Enaka, and Dalton beside him.
It wasn’t that they were asking for our names or ranks now.
When you possessed multiple priceless artifacts, rode an airship that even the wealthy couldn't touch without permission, and had comrades of extraordinary abilities—
There were enough clues to guess.
All four of them were sharp enough to have figured it out already.
They just wanted confirmation— To know if their guesses were right.
Naturally, if I shook my head in silence or hinted that it must stay secret, they would have respected it.
After all, the Clover Trade Company and we were essentially strangers, connected only briefly through an act of rescue. They wouldn’t dare press us.
However, my choice was different.
“Are you curious?”
“Forgive me, but… yes.”
“Very well. I’ll tell you.”
With that, I pulled something from my pocket and showed them.
It was a round badge. Engraved on it was a radiant golden dragon, roaring magnificently.
“Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Lewin Legisel.”
I placed my clenched right hand over my heart and gave a light bow — the salute of a Hunter.
“A member of Spero, the direct organization under the Top Hunter of Yellow.”
“The Top Hunter of Yellow…!”
“O, LAMPAS above!”
“Father, get a hold of yourself!”
Their eyes widened so much it looked like they might pop out.
Each reacted in a different way — gasping, collapsing onto chairs, or even fainting — laying bare their raw emotions.
“Then you… No, could it be—!”
Suddenly, Dalton looked as if he were about to have a seizure and shouted while staring at me.
He must have sensed something unusual about me — Lewin Legisel.
“You’re mistaken. I am not that person.”
I firmly cut off Dalton’s trembling words and shook my head.
……Though, in truth, he wasn’t wrong.
But I had no intention of revealing my true name or identity here.
“I am merely serving as Spero’s deputy leader for now. The Top Hunter of Yellow prefers to remain hidden in Mediale and rarely shows himself to others.”
“A-ahh… I understand.”
Dalton, wiping the cold sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, quickly straightened his posture and adopted a solemn attitude.
“Sir Lewin… I… deeply apologize for failing to recognize you earlier.”
“……”
By ‘apologize,’ he must have meant secretly passing the Jewel Clover to Aajen.
From Dalton’s perspective, it had been a backup plan for someone he cherished like a nephew.
But for those of us who had risked our lives together in Nevera Valley, it might have been an unpleasant move.
My thinking was too shallow.
Dalton sincerely reflected.
Despite believing he navigated the world well, his flaws kept revealing themselves.
“I am from the Pactio Family. And in our family, we are taught from a young age that a sincere apology must be accompanied by a material offering — because sometimes a tangible gift can fill a lonely corner of the heart.”
Chiding himself inwardly, Dalton presented a small chest with an elegant gesture.
It was adorned with countless rare jewels.
“I've been carrying this, hoping for a chance to meet you… I’m glad I can finally give it to you now.”
It was a token of apology for causing offense, a gesture of gratitude for saving friends and family, and a pledge to prevent the Clover family from suffering any unintended harm.
“This is my heartfelt offering. I hope it will find favor with you, Sir Lewin.”
Dalton Pactio smoothed his beard proudly, wearing a satisfied smile.
However, depending on who heard it, his words could easily sound arrogant— and most people would certainly call it arrogance.
It’s the typical mindset of someone born into the Pactio Family, I thought.
They could not imagine a power higher than their own.
The Pactio Family occupied part of the Western Continent as private land, living lives akin to royalty.
Its head was treated with the same respect as a king, and its offspring regarded as royal guests.
Still, compared to others, Dalton is relatively humble.
Because he at least had some worldly experience.
Meanwhile, the protected scions of the family grew up like hot-house flowers, sheltered and unaware of the true breadth of the world.
…Anyway, while his attitude was earnest, his remarks missed the mark. He failed to understand that true apology came from the heart, not from material wealth.
It was the natural limit of someone born into the Pactio bloodline.
Shake shake!
Beside the beaming Dalton, Aajen and Enaka exchanged awkward, horrified glances—
Then fervently shook their heads and waved their hands in denial, as if to say, Don’t lump us together with him!
“Hey, uncle! That’s no way to apologize—!”
“Even if you’re from the Pactio Family, that’s just wrong—!”
“……?”
Gale and Calix were about to snap on my behalf, but I silently raised a hand, signaling them to stop.
Let it be.
Click.
Opening the box, I glanced inside — and smiled brightly.
“Thank you for the gift, Sir Pactio! I’ll accept it gladly.”
I hugged the box as if protecting a great treasure.
“……!”
Seeing this, Gale had a sudden realization.
That brat… That kid… Wasn’t helping the Clover Trade Company just to deal with Depicio… it was for this!?
A chill ran down his spine.