Chapter 488

Episode 488. The Dispute for the Castle (4)

—I’ve lost my house and now I’m an orphan!

Following the sudden appearance and the cheerful declaration of orphanhood, Alon suffered a brief mental block. Only after listening to Seolrang’s detailed explanation could he understand what she meant.

—… Are you saying the guild house was destroyed?

—Yes!

How on earth did a destroyed house transform into “being an orphan”? Alon Palatio decided to stop thinking about it. There was something more important.

—Are you not hurt anywhere?

—Not at all!

—That’s a relief.

Seolrang, smiling with satisfaction, put her hands behind her back and swayed her body shyly.

—That’s why, Master, I have nowhere to stay.

—You have nowhere to stay?

—That’s right.

Alon Palatio wondered if that made common sense, but…

—Seolrang, don’t you have your own residence besides the guild house?

Yutia Bloodia, who was watching the scene, stepped forward. She did so with her usual smile. However, Seolrang shook her head immediately.

—Eh? No, I don’t.

—But you used to have one.

—That one exploded too.

Seolrang replied with total nonchalance.

—My, then do you want me to lend you a place to stay? —This time Rine intervened.

—No, I’m fine!

—Don’t be shy. I’ve bought a mansion in Colony. You can stay there.

—Seolrang? There is also the church —added Yutia Bloodia.

—It’s okay~ I don’t want to be a nuisance to either of you.

Observing Seolrang defending herself (?) with a smile, Alon felt a strange dissonance. Before, Yutia Bloodia and Rine felt like older sisters and Seolrang like the youngest. Now, more than sisters, they seemed like peers of the same age.

—You don’t have to consider it a nuisance.

—No, it would be a lack of respect.

—Really? I don’t think so.

—I do.

—My, Seolrang, isn’t our relationship close enough not to worry about those labels?

—No, no matter how close we are, a lack of respect is still a lack of respect. So I’m fine.

Both fell silent before Seolrang’s logic. Yutia Bloodia was smiling. Rine was smiling. Seolrang was too. And just when Alon Palatio began to notice the situation was becoming tense, there was a knock on the door and Alexion poked his head in.

—… Alexion.

—Your Majesty.

—What is it? Is it the tower master again…?

—No, it’s not that… visitors have arrived.

—Visitors?

Alon Palatio was surprised by the sudden report. Alexion nodded cautiously and opened the door.

—Alon-nim.

—Brother!

—Radan… and Deus?

Radan and Deus entered. But it didn’t end there.

—My, Rine beat me to it.

—… Magrina?

—Chief, I’m here!

—God-nim, me too.

—… I have come as well.

Seeing Magrina, Ryanga, Historia, and Nangwon enter one after another with smiles, Alon’s mind filled with doubts.

—… What is wrong with all of you all of a sudden?

Alon asked, trying to hide his bewilderment. He was already surprised just by Yutia Bloodia, Rine, and Seolrang, so seeing so many people gathered in an instant was a natural reaction.

—… It’s just that my house…

—This time, the residence of our Information Guild…

—God-nim, I don’t have a house.

—I-I do too…

—My mansion, by mistake…

Seeing them all gathered like runaway teenagers (?) who, without exception, had lost their homes due to destruction or various problems, Alon finally understood why they were there. No matter how much of a lack of intuition he had (so much that it made Evan sigh and Penia look at him with icy eyes), this was something no one, unless they were a fool, could ignore.

—… Have you come for the castle?

It was a direct question. The newcomers looked away surreptitiously. Upon confirming this, Alon asked no more questions.

After processing the reason for their visit, Alon looked at them with strangeness. Very little time had passed since he mentioned to Alexion the possibility of ceding a castle. Had Alexion spread the rumor? But Alexion shook his head as if reading his thoughts.

‘I don’t know why everyone suddenly wants a castle, but…’

Regardless of his doubts, Alon was able to offer an alternative without difficulty.

—Live all together.

—… All together?

—Yes.

If he had to hand over a small house, he couldn’t say something like that. But the object in question was not a simple mansion, but a castle. One so immense that, due to the additions by the tower masters, it could be considered the main castle. All of them and even their servants could fit in that fortress.

—No complaints then, right?

Alon said. Those present nodded with peculiar expressions, and then he heard Alexion, who was waiting behind him.

—Alon-nim… there is something you haven’t seen yet.

—… Something I haven’t seen?

—Yes. You should go check it right now…

Alon nodded.

—Everyone has had a long journey, rest for a few days.

With those words, he left the reception room under the gaze of the group.

—Whew, the suddenness of it surprised me —Alon muttered as he left.

—Well, I felt the same way —Alexion replied in a low voice.

—Right?

—Yes. After all, so many people appeared at once…

—I’m glad I settled it… Although I don’t understand why they, who can build their own castles or receive territories if they want, are asking me for one.

Alexion looked at Alon with a complex expression, remembering the scene in the room.

‘It didn’t look like the dispute was going to end anytime soon.’

He thought that, but he didn’t say it out loud.

At that moment, silence reigned among those who had stayed in the room. It was a dense and somewhat strange silence. The first to break it was Deus.

—Hmm… the escort is reduced this way, but being Lord Alon’s wish, it cannot be helped —Deus muttered seriously, speaking about “reducing the escort to elite troops.”

Nangwon nodded in the same way.

—I agree too. I was thinking of assigning exclusive informants for my older brother, but I suppose reducing the scale a bit will suffice.

—Hmm, I only care about being able to save my older brother in case of emergency… —Radan added, shrugging his shoulders—. One floor is enough for me to install what’s necessary.

—What are you going to install?

—Eh? Ah, it’s something like…

—Then do you think there will be some space left over? Could you lend it to me? I need a bit too —Nangwon asked.

—Well, as long as I can install my things, do what you want.

—If you need more space, I’ll lend you mine too —offered Deus.

—I appreciate it.

The men began a fairly friendly chat. Ryanga and Historia also shrugged, resigned. However, the rest were not the same.

After a brief silence in which they all stared at each other, Yutia Bloodia spoke with a smile.

—Well, since the Master has said it, let’s decide the floors. I will use the eighth floor…

—Wait a moment, shouldn’t we decide the floors in order? —Rine interrupted immediately.

Yutia Bloodia looked at Rine with curiosity.

—May I ask which floor you wish to use?

—My, what a coincidence, I also want the eighth floor.

—Why don’t you use the highest floor? —Yutia Bloodia suggested—. It’s more reasonable.

The proposal made sense. Unlike other castles, this one had elevators like those in the Mage towers, so the high floors were better. But…

—No, I will use the eighth floor. Why don’t you use the highest one, Yutia Bloodia? Since you are the oldest.

Rine spoke smiling. Yutia Bloodia’s smile cracked for an instant.

—As I said last time, I am 21 years old!

Her eyes were not smiling.

—I also like the eighth floor —said Seolrang.

—Me too! —added Magrina.

Silence reigned again.

—… By the way, why does everyone want to get into the eighth floor? —Deus whispered to Nangwon, not understanding anything.

—I don’t know either —Radan replied, shrugging his shoulders.

—Is it a lucky number or something women like?

—It doesn’t seem to be that.

—Then what is it?

—Hmm, the eighth floor… the eighth floor…

Deus and Radan looked toward the main castle in the distance. It was an imposing fortress, but…

—… There’s nothing special there, right?

—True, there’s nothing.

On the seventh floor, a huge garden could be seen. On the fifth floor was the bridge to the other inner castle. The top floor clearly had the best view. But the eighth floor seemed to have absolutely nothing special. They were confused, until…

—Ah.

Nangwon, who was observing the castle in silence, let out a small exclamation as if he had discovered something.

—Did you find something out? —Deus whispered.

Nangwon nodded slightly.

—I figured it out.

—What’s on the eighth floor? —Radan asked.

Nangwon shook his head silently.

—No, there is nothing on the eighth floor. In fact, it is the smallest space with the fewest facilities compared to the other floors.

—… Then isn’t it more uncomfortable than the others?

—That’s right.

—Then why…? —Deus muttered without understanding.

Nangwon, with a serious expression, replied:

—In exchange, it has an advantage.

—An advantage?

—Look over there.

—That is…

—The main castle?

—Yes, where my brother will stay.

—… And what about it? —Radan asked.

Nangwon pointed with his head. After observing the place for a while, both noticed it.

—… A window?

They realized that in the main castle there was a huge window.

—That window is the one for my brother’s office —Nangwon explained.

—… The office one?

—Yes. By the way, my brother’s bedroom is on the opposite side of this castle, so it has no windows facing here. But that office window coincides exactly with the height of the bedroom windows on the eighth floor of this castle. That is to say…

—… That if they are on the eighth floor, they can see Alon working from their beds?

—Exactly.

Deus and Radan let out a sigh of admiration, but soon…

—… But, being honest.

—Tell me.

—It’s a bit scary.

—… I was thinking the same thing.

—Me too —Nangwon concluded.

They looked at the group of women with a bit of dread. Meanwhile, on the female side:

—… Since we all want the eighth floor, shall we decide the method? —Seolrang said with an unusual smile.

And she added:

—How about we decide by order of age, from oldest to youngest?

At those words, the atmosphere in the reception room froze. On the faces of the three (one 22 years old according to her, another of elven age, and another 21 years old in a physical body), a deep agony began to spread.

Would you like me to translate another episode or explain the specific naming conventions used for these characters?