Chapter 191

Chapter 191
## Chapter 191

Settler (2)

Positioned at the extreme south of the western territories of the Ion Continent, the Lesque Kingdom stood as one of the four nations comprising the regional coalition.

The defining trait of this realm was its immense agricultural capacity, boasting a massive grain belt widely recognized as the primary breadbasket of the western lands. This agricultural prosperity was the culmination of generations spent relentlessly reclaiming and cultivating fields, a feat made possible by a gentle, temperate climate perfectly suited for farming.

‘Furthermore, the presence of the Picaol Cathedral holds a unique significance.’

This sanctuary arose precisely where the second Immortal King was vanquished three centuries prior. Visited previously by Heinrich in his quest to claim the holy sword, the site retained profound importance across both historical and spiritual domains. As the solitary cathedral operating in the continent’s western expanses, it also functioned as the administrative heart overseeing all neighboring parishes.

Then there was Geos Calkin, the master spearman representing the hero party—. Within this nation, he held the esteemed noble rank of count.

“Welcome back, My Lord. Word of your travels had reached us, but seeing you returned in good health brings true relief.”

“…Indeed. You have managed things well in my absence, Oliver.”

“Haha, think nothing of it, Master. An old man keeping the estate in order is a trifling matter. It pales in comparison to the grand deeds you perform out in the world.”

The destination Heinrich and his companions reached after departing the lands of Viscount Glatan was a secluded village tucked away in a minor barony at the kingdom’s fringes. The location was inaccessible via the network of temple gates, forcing them to rely on the spatial displacement magic of Isea to bridge the distance.

This remote settlement was Geos’s birthplace.

“Goodness, forgive my delayed welcome to our esteemed guests. I am Oliver, overseer of this household. My absolute focus will be ensuring your comfort during your stay. Do not hesitate to command me for any necessity.”

The aging caregiver, carrying himself with the refined bearing of a seasoned butler, offered a deep, respectful bow to the travelers. Though the Lesque Kingdom was not a superpower, a count occupied the upper echelons of the aristocracy. Consequently, maintaining a private country retreat managed by a dedicated butler in his ancestral home was entirely fitting for his station.

“Now that I think about it, Sir Geos, you hold the rank of a count. Does that mean you govern a personal fiefdom as well?”

Once Oliver departed to organize their upcoming dining arrangements, Isea turned to him, her curiosity piqued. Her own noble standing had been earned strictly through personal merit, yet she possessed no lands of her own because her achievements at the time had not quite warranted a territorial grant. Furthermore, Princess Riley was currently locked in a fierce succession conflict with the Crown Prince, leaving her with little opportunity to arrange an independent estate for Isea.

‘Receiving a territory at this juncture would actually prove quite burdensome, considering my intent to journey back to Earth in a few years anyway.’

Even so, she could not suppress her inquisitiveness regarding his circumstances, given how closely their paths mirrored one another. Ultimately, the bedrock of any aristocrat’s influence lay within the borders of their domain.

“…I recently sold off my holdings and formally stepped down from my duties as a ruling lord. My current circumstances leave me with no capacity to guarantee the welfare of subjects.”

“Oh.”

“Yet, I could never bring myself to part with this estate… This land is my birthplace, and it is the very location where I first crossed paths with my late wife. Because of that, we always resided here rather than on my official lands, barring times of absolute necessity.”

To rule as a lord over a fiefdom was a mantle weighted with immense obligations. Such a figure was tasked not merely with dictating policy for thousands, or tens of thousands, of residents, but with securing their very survival. To make matters more difficult, the domain assigned to him had been a desolate, unproductive region, despite carrying the grand title of a county.

Managing such an estate was a grueling endeavor even during eras of tranquility, demanding endless supervision. In these fragmented times, however, shielding a populace with ordinary measures was an impossibility. He simply lacked the vital spirit required for such a task after the devastation of losing his family, who had comprised his entire world.

“Ahem.”

Isea cleared her throat softly, watching his demeanor with subtle apprehension. She feared she had blundered by dragging a deeply sorrowful memory to the surface. Yet contrary to her anxieties, his features remained entirely unreadable, masked in absolute detachment. It appeared as though he had exhausted even the internal energy required to manifest grief.

“Naturally, none of that carries weight any longer. We journeyed to this specific place for a definitive purpose, did we not?”

However, this outward numbness did not signify that his internal spark had vanished completely. Though his spirit was hollowed out and frayed by tragedy…

A fierce, unyielding sentiment remained to drive him forward—. That singular emotion was an absolute fury, blazing intensely within the emptiness of his soul, serving as his ultimate catalyst.

“Exactly! You speak the truth! We certainly didn’t trek across the land just for leisure!”

“A visitor from another world… I truly hope he shares my ties to Earth. I find myself wondering which nation claims him.”

“Hmph, in that case, should we quickly eat and set out immediately? I would like this journey to yield genuine results, given the effort it took to arrive.”

The remaining companions chimed in one after another. Indeed, the overarching purpose behind this journey…

Was to exploit a critical flaw in the Immortal King, who had previously displayed a distinct susceptibility to the unique, otherworldly traits possessed by Hesperon. Their goal was to locate an individual harboring knowledge of those traits and extract that vital intelligence through whatever means necessary.

—

Despite Geos retaining a youthful countenance owing to his advanced combat level, he was actually the senior member of the traveling group, having already crossed into his fourth decade of life.

‘Though reflecting on it, such a trajectory is completely standard.’

In reality, the awakened individuals who achieved explosive growth through the assistance of specialized system modifiers and accelerated progression paths were the true anomalies. For the native denizens of this reality, who were forced to endure grueling, dangerous physical regimens simply to elevate their standing, reaching such an age before achieving greatness was the norm.

‘This reality is precisely why the populace regards Isea as a miraculous prodigy of the arcane.’

She was merely in her twenties, yet she had already ascended to the rank of an Archmage, and her capabilities showed no signs of plateauing. Heinrich stood apart because his status was that of a divine champion selected by God Himself, while Harley’s situation felt less jarring because his heritage as a Dragonborn granted him a mature, seasoned appearance beyond his actual years.

Yet Isea was a baseline human who still resembled a teenager in her middle years, rendering her immense power far more staggering to witness.

“More than two decades have slipped by since our paths first crossed. In those early days, I never could have envisioned… that my life would alter so drastically.”

They had spent roughly ten minutes descending the winding pathway that carved its way down from the hill where the manor stood toward the settlement below. Geos, walking at the vanguard, scanned the surrounding terrain and murmured in a low voice, clearly captivated by old memories.

What immense hardships and turning points must a young, destitute orphan from the common classes have survived to claim his current noble standing? His life story was likely complex enough to rival the legendary tales found within ‘Harley’s Great Adventure’.

‘Well, perhaps it doesn’t quite reach those heights.’

Harley, immensely satisfied by the reputation of his own past, stroked his jawline in deep contemplation before offering a solemn nod. He resolved that he would need to introduce an even more spectacular exploit to his chronicle in the near future.

“*Sniff*! Tell me, Sir, are you absolutely certain he remains in this place? What if he has chosen to relocate elsewhere…”

“…He remains. It has been a mere two months since our last encounter, so he will be present. He even came to stand by me during my family’s burials… offering vital support when my world collapsed…”

“Ahem!”

Yet another conversational pitfall. It became increasingly clear that maintaining absolute silence was the wisest course of action when every topic seemed to border on tragedy.

“Furthermore, his current circumstances prevent him from abandoning his residence.”

“Oh?”

After continuing their trek for a considerable distance while following the preoccupied spearman, they arrived at a substantial settlement nestled at the base of the high ground. As they stepped onto the main thoroughfare, the entire local populace turned to watch them.

“My goodness! Look over there, is that truly…”

“Is that not Count Geos? He has returned after a long absence.”

“Who are those individuals traveling in his company?”

The local townsfolk began whispering among themselves, identifying his face instantly.

‘It makes perfect sense that they recognize him, given he was a local youth who rose to the heights of nobility, only to return and construct an estate right in their backyard.’

To add to that, his noble authority eclipsed that of the local baron who governed the territory. The community had undoubtedly reaped advantages from his elevated status, making their familiarity with him entirely logical.

“…We have arrived.”

The structure they halted before, drawing the eyes of every onlooker, was a newly constructed facility that stood out as the largest and most pristine building in the entire area. Yet its primary function caught the travelers somewhat off guard…

“Look! It’s Mr. Geos!”

“Oh wow! He really came back!”

“Father~! Mr. Geos has arrived!”

“Wait, who are those people with him… Eek!”

“Wahhh! There’s a monster! Big sister! Help!”

A chorus of youthful cries rang out from a sweeping courtyard bordered by a modest wooden barrier. The sheer volume of youngsters made it clear they were not a single family unit.

“What is this place?”

“…A sanctuary for orphans?”

Precisely then, an unfamiliar voice cut through the noise, reaching the ears of the assembled heroes.

“What is all this noise? Geos? And did someone say a monster? Who thinks they can… Wait.”

A man stepped rapidly from the main entrance, drawn outside by the chaotic shouting of the children in the yard, only to freeze mid-stride as his eyes fell upon the travelers. He was a Black man sporting a neatly manicured, cropped hairstyle paired with a stark white beard.

His sharp eyes scanned the unusual figures who had materialized outside his gates before locking onto Geos, who stood prominently at the front of the group.

“It has been some time, Chehai.”

“…Geos.”

With those words, the hero party finally stood face-to-face with the man claiming to be from another world. He stood before them, a person who had taken up the highly unexpected calling of a charitable caretaker overseeing a home for parentless youth.

—

“Hmph, to think those youngsters would look at a prime specimen like Harley and scream ‘monster.’ The youth of today lack discernment because of their tender age. A true man is defined by possessing a physique of pure muscle like mine.”

Harley muttered grumpily as he stepped into the interior meeting room of the estate, shrugging off the massive concealing cloak he had been draped in. The reaction could not be helped, given that the youth outside had erupted into absolute panic the moment he came into view. He likely would have been barred from entering entirely had it not been for the presence of Geos acting as his guarantor.

“Um, Harley? The issue isn’t merely the scale of your muscles…”

“Eh? What are you implying, little lady?”

Isea stared back at him with wide eyes, looking as though she was struggling to comprehend his lack of self-awareness. He possessed a towering, heavily muscled frame scaling well over 2.3 meters, skin painted in intricate markings, attire resembling that of a tribal warrior, and a massive, terrifying battleaxe resting nearby.

When factoring in the subtle, oppressive pressure of an apex predator radiating from his person alongside an intensely aggressive presentation, it was completely logical that the young ones had fled in sheer terror.

“…Forget it.”

Ultimately, she simply dismissed the topic with a shake of her head, shifting her gaze away rather than attempting a full explanation. She preferred to drop the matter entirely, assuming he must internally understand his own imposing nature.

“…Tsk.”

Harley let out a low grunt, propping his back against the chamber wall and folding his massive arms. The posture only served to heighten his intimidating appearance, though fortunately, the room was devoid of children, preventing any further panic.

“Allow me to offer my sincere apologies for arriving at your doorstep without prior notice, Chehai.”

“Think nothing of it, I am genuinely pleased by your arrival. I carried so much worry for you… Though, I must extend my own apologies for the fright the young ones received due to your associate there.”

Chehai, the bearded gentleman seated opposite the spearman, let out a soft click of his tongue, directing a sharp glance toward Harley as Geos spoke. He clearly wished to dismiss the intimidating warrior from his premises immediately, but out of respect for Geos’s companions and the long absence between their visits, he reined in his frustration.

…Naturally, he possessed a reasonable inkling regarding the true status of the individuals standing in his parlor.

“So, what brings you to this corner of the world, Geos? You did not merely journey here in private; you brought this entire gathering along.”

“Ah! Before we dive into the core of our visit, allow me to introduce those who travel with me. To begin, this is…”

“Greetings to you. I am Heinrich Saint Landguard, the premier blade designated to execute the divine directives of the Main God. Pray forgive our unannounced arrival.”

“Ah, please, there is no need for such formality. Ahem— I go by Chehai. I am merely a local resident managing this property and looking after the welfare of these youths.”

He appeared slightly flustered upon receiving such a grand, formal greeting from Heinrich, finding the heavy title a bit overwhelming for a simple countryside existence. Following that, the remaining members of the group were introduced one by one.

The welcoming expression Chehai had offered to Isea faltered slightly into a brief scowl when it came time to acknowledge Harley, though he refrained from renewing their earlier dispute.

“Greetings, Mr. Chehai! You may simply refer to me as Hesperon! Though, to be precise, that is not the name I was born with.”

“Oh?”

With the final introduction of Hesperon complete, the caretaker’s focus shifted squarely back to Geos. He anticipated that the true purpose of this sudden visitation would finally be unveiled now that the initial formalities were concluded.

“Chehai. You are fully aware of the identities of my companions… as well as the path I am currently walking, correct?”

“…I am.”

“I have a specific inquiry to put before you. This concerns an exceptionally grave matter, and I must ask for your absolute candor in response.”

The atmosphere within the reception room instantly grew incredibly dense. It was not merely Geos whose demeanor had shifted; every single member of the party was now tracking his movements with intense, unblinking focus.

“Haha, come now, look at those faces. For the record, I do not practice the dark arts, nor do I hold any allegiance to the Immortal King. Though, I suppose the children and I did swipe a few crops from a neighboring patch recently. Is that what brought the holy sword to my door?”

Chehai attempted to dispel the mounting tension with a booming laugh and a lighthearted remark, but Geos merely maintained his rigid, unwavering stare. Recognizing the gravity of the moment, the caretaker cleared his throat uncomfortably and offered a serious nod.

“Very well, let us have it then. There is no need for such dramatic tension…”

“Chehai, is it true that your place of origin is a realm known as Earth?”

The question cut through the air with absolute directness, discarding any further political maneuvering.

And in that identical instant,

Chehai’s entire frame went entirely rigid.

This reaction played out directly before Harley, who had been chosen as a prospective member for the grand ‘hero party’.