Chapter 82

"Brother, you have two letters. They seem to be from people you don't know, but they've been delivered as official documents to the castle."

At first, life in the castle was stiff and formal, but after a week, I had become so accustomed to it that I could even sit on the sofa, cross my legs, and enjoy a stylish fruit-based drink. The Spatifila standing behind me occasionally whispers, "Lady Iris is such a hard worker," with a meaningful tone, which does bother me a bit...

"Are they addressed to me? I wonder who they're from."

I look at the senders of the letters.

Fragen Datarne and Gohmen Areschick... It's true, I don't know either of them at all.

"I don't know Gohmen Areschick, but I know Frage very well. It's hard to imagine him knowing someone like Brother..."

"Hmm, what kind of person is he?"

"To put it simply, he's the kind of person who appears whenever there's trouble. Just hearing his name makes me feel like something bad is about to happen. He and my brother have been clashing for a long time..."

He must be quite a formidable man. Is he on par with a plague god now?

Still, to clash with a prince, he must have a lot of guts.

"Can't you just use the royal authority to set him straight?"

"That's true. My father doesn't approve of using too much power, but more importantly, the Datarne family, Frage's family, is very powerful."

"Is it that powerful?"

"Yes, it's embarrassing, but this country has a tendency for power to be concentrated in the center, and the Datarne family is at the forefront. They are the backbone of the capital's economy... In fact, the prosperity of the Kudan Kingdom is largely due to the Datarne family."

I see, so money equals power. And they have also contributed to the development of the country.

If they go off the rails, it's no easy task to stop them.

"The Datarne family is a prestigious family. The previous head was an excellent person, but the current head is a bit greedy. And the next generation is the troublesome Frage. It's a headache for the future of the capital."

"You seem to be having a hard time. I thought our territory was tough, but everyone outside is struggling too."

"Yes, but the recent development of the Helan territory is the brightest news. Brother's father, Lord Thral, is a trustworthy person, and my father often praises him."

Really!?

If I tell my father, he'll be overjoyed. He's a very emotional person, and especially prone to sadness, so it's nice to give him a break once in a while.

"Frage must have smelled the sweet honey of the Helan territory's prosperity. Brother, don't be afraid. Reject all their pushy demands."

Of course.

I'm not so mentally weak that I would yield to threats, nor so indifferent to my territory that I would sell it. On the contrary, I'm full of determination, and I miss the Helan land, which I haven't visited in a long time.

"Frankly, I'd be happy to just tear up this letter."

"Um, I'm sorry. Since it was delivered as an official document, could you at least read it?"

If that's the case, I don't want to cause trouble for Raser, so I'll read it properly.

'Respected Lord Kurri Helan. I was greatly helped by you the other day. I would like to repay your kindness and invite you to my home. I hope to meet you tonight.'

"...That's what it says."

"To be honest... I didn't expect the content to be like this. I thought it would be about the Helan territory... More importantly, do you know this person? The tone of the letter suggests that you've saved his life or something."

Yeah, it does sound like that, doesn't it? Did I save someone's life on the way to the castle? I greeted a lot of people, but...

"I don't remember. I might recognize him if I see his face."

"Is that so? ...What do you want to do? Will you accept the invitation?"

"No, I'll decline."

"Are you going to decline an invitation with such a tone? You're really Brother! I'm glad you're going to decline."

Honestly, I declined just because Raser seemed to want me to from the beginning. I'm happier when Raser is in a good mood than when I'm pleasing some unknown person.

"Ha, let's just tear this ominous letter up. Spatifila, please burn this and send a rejection letter."

Is it okay to tear it up after reading it? It's considerate of him to follow the proper order, even to the point of burning it. I wonder how much he disliked it.

Moreover, even Spatifila, who was given the order, looks a bit pleased.

I've recently noticed that when Raser is happy, she seems to be happy too. Is it a relationship of mutual respect? Maybe something like that.

Since I made Raser happy, maybe the frequency of her saying, "Lady Iris is such a hard worker," will decrease a bit.

"Let's move on to the next one, from Gohmen Areschick. I feel like I've heard the name before, but let's open it and see."

"What if it's a love letter?"

"Probably a man, but is that okay?"

"..."

I decided to open it quickly.

'Respected Lord Kurri Helan'

I'm being respected again. Lately, I've been getting a lot of respect. Maybe my charm is finally being recognized by the world?

'Based on your skills as a blacksmith, I invite you to the Ten Masters Conference of the Blacksmiths' Guild. There is an important matter to discuss, and I would like you to attend. Gohmen Areschick, Representative of the Ten Masters of the Blacksmiths' Guild'

"Ah, I see. So you're Gohmen, the representative of the Blacksmiths' Guild. Brother, shouldn't you attend this?"

"Is he famous? And what's the Blacksmiths' Guild?"

"There's a guild in the capital where blacksmiths gather. I don't know much about it, but most of the weapons used by the capital's soldiers are made by the blacksmith shop 'Iron Soul,' which Gohmen runs."

"Doesn't the capital have a lot of soldiers? Can they keep up with the work?"

"Yes, 'Iron Soul' is a large-scale blacksmith shop."

I didn't know such a place existed. I can imagine blacksmiths gathering to hone their skills... It's a different environment from working alone, and it makes me feel excited just thinking about it.

"It sounds interesting, so maybe I'll go."

"Yes, let's send a reply. Your skills must have been recognized."

"If that's the case, I'm happy."

On the day of the invitation, I put on the noble-looking clothes that Raser had prepared for me and headed to the Blacksmiths' Guild. The fabric fit well, making it quite easy to move in. Maybe it was designed with blacksmithing in mind.

I asked Raser if it would be out of place, but he enlightened me, "You are a noble. Let's project your identity."

The carriage drove for a while and arrived at a place quite far from the center of the capital. It's far from the noble district, as expected.

"Arrived," the driver reported. I glanced out the window.

The building in front of me was different from what I had imagined. I thought it would be a dirty place covered in soot, but it was a solid and clean brick building.

There was even a proper reception area inside, which was also unexpected. I had a preconceived notion of a rough place.

I had imagined a heated meeting surrounded by the forge... I underestimated it. It's a good thing I wore proper clothes.

"Are you Lord Kurri Helan? We have been waiting for you. The meeting room is in the back. Please follow me."

I was guided to the back of the building by a polite receptionist. The members were already gathered in the meeting room, and all eyes were on me. As a guest, it's natural to receive attention, but it made me feel a bit embarrassed.

"Young, slim, and well-dressed. But as expected."

I could hear some of them whispering these comments.

"You've come. Please take a seat."

An elderly man, who looked to be in his senior years, said this from the back of the room. Most of the others were also elderly, with only one person in his thirties.

What's about to start? I'm getting nervous.

"I appreciate you coming all the way. You are indeed a noble, as the nickname 'Elegant Dancer' suggests."

"Elegant Dancer?"

What's that? And I have a nickname? Mine? A dancer? ...Maybe that's not so bad.

"Ah, it seems you're hearing it for the first time. You don't interact much with other blacksmiths, do you?"

"Yes, I mostly work alone."

"I see, I see. Every skilled craftsman has a nickname. By the way, I am 'Iron Brain' Gohmen Areschick."

So this is Gohmen, who invited me. I thought it might be him, being the most experienced here... Still, I'm curious about the nickname 'Iron Brain.' Does it mean he only has iron in his head? If so, he must be quite remarkable, in both good and bad ways.

"Then, let's start the Ten Masters Conference of the Blacksmiths' Guild now that 'Elegant Dancer' has arrived. Today's agenda, as you all know, is to select a replacement for the vacant seat left by the late 'Elder' Kamak. 'Elegant Dancer' is a new name to you, but we have been discussing it for a while. We haven't found a clear candidate, but we heard about you."

'The Elder' is a nickname, right? If it's a nickname, it must reflect the person's impression. Was 'The Elder' always old?