Chapter 48

"Thank you, you really saved me."

"Don't worry about it. For us, it was also a relief to get back to the capital so quickly."

"That's good. Then, I'll leave it to you to talk to the foreigners."

Upon arriving at the capital and shaking hands with the guard soldiers, I bid them farewell after receiving the reward.

There was no negative impact on the reward. After all, there was no damage to either the carriage or the people, so it was only natural.

Lumina, who had been flying around and performing, had also become popular among the evacuees, so there were many who regretted saying goodbye.

On the other hand, Lumina, who didn't seem to fully understand her own popularity, was waving her hand with a smile, showing no particular change in her demeanor.

Carrying Lumina on my shoulders, I proceeded down the main street of the capital, where I could see many more players than before.

It seemed that the strategy for defeating the boss had spread widely.

Well, it would be a problem if it remained unconquerable for too long, so it's fine for more people to join—

"…Tch."

"Father?"

"Yeah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it, Lumina."

For some reason, there were many gazes directed at me.

I had received some attention in Fauskatze, but this was a bit much.

Moreover, it seemed that the gazes were somehow restraining each other.

In such a situation where so many gazes were focused on me, it would be difficult to go unnoticed.

With Lumina around, I had become quite noticeable.

However, what was this tension, as if watching a balloon about to burst?

While I was giving a suspicious look to the people restraining each other, I suddenly noticed someone approaching.

Looking up, I saw a familiar figure. It was none other than the group of four who had been the reason for stepping into this city.

"Kuon, hello… Wait, is that Lumina, that girl?"

"Why did she suddenly grow so big?"

"Mica, is that you? This one has undergone a racial evolution and became a Sprite. It's called the evolution of a tamed monster."

Well, various special events had occurred, but explaining all of that would be troublesome.

They had also said they didn't plan to bring tamed monsters, so there was no need to explain that part.

"So, what were you guys doing?"

"Oh, we were shopping. Preparing to form a clan and operate as a team."

"Really? Is this the first clan formation in the game?"

"Of course! Thanks to you, we were the first to arrive in the capital!"

Laughing cheerfully, Kuu's words made me chuckle.

Well, it didn't have any particular meaning, but it was a kind of achievement.

I had brought them this far, but I had no intention of interfering with their actions.

If they were enjoying themselves, that was fine; they should fully enjoy it.

"Well, we're a bit short on money because of the event and all the shopping."

"…Kira, you spent too much."

"It's fine, really. Updating equipment is more efficient for leveling up, and we'll earn money by fighting."

While Kira was being scolded, I could understand her reasoning.

If they fought without planning, it would be counterproductive, but if they had a proper plan, it wouldn't be a problem.

"Hmm. Well, preparation for battle is important. Don't neglect emergency response measures. If you want to earn money… Ah, go to the western port town. There's a quest to guard a caravan."

"Really? Is that where we just came from?"

"Yep. You guys should be able to do it efficiently."

They had a decent division of roles.

They had good scouting abilities and were well-prepared for attacks.

"So, what's the name of your clan?"

"Oh, our clan is called 'Fairy Tale.' We took a bit of inspiration from Lumina."

"I see. You're not a fairy anymore, but… it's a good name, isn't it? What do you think, Lumina?"

"Yeah, it fits perfectly!"

"She's talking…!"

Smiling wryly at the emotional Rino, I surveyed the surroundings.

Perhaps because I was talking to Mica and the others, no one was trying to approach me.

However, it seemed that the barrier had been lowered somewhat thanks to them.

It was troublesome, but I needed to do something about it.

Just then, I sensed a group approaching. Looking in that direction, I couldn't help but widen my eyes.

The leader of the group walking towards me was a young man with a very handsome appearance, the kind I had only seen on TV.

He had golden hair and blue eyes, and was wearing plate mail with blue trim, a fitting appearance for a knight.

His gaze was unwaveringly focused on me. Then, the young man, with his cool and handsome face, smiled and spoke in a calm tone.

"Sorry to interrupt, but are you Kuon?"

"That's me, but who are you?"

"Nice to meet you. I'm Altrius, the master of the clan 'Camelot.'"

Narrowing my eyes at Altrius's introduction, I recognized the name.

If asked to name three famous players in this game, his name would certainly be one of them.

"Altrius? The Holy Sword Knight!?"

"Hehe… I'm flattered, but yes, that's one of my titles."

The Holy Sword Knight Altrius—during the beta version of the game, he had outperformed Kurema and won the top spot in an event, obtaining an item called the 'Holy Sword.'

I had wondered what kind of person he was, but he was quite… beyond my expectations.

Thanks to Altrius's approach, the gazes of the surrounding people were now on him.

Feeling a bit better about this, I asked him.

"…So, what do you want with me? You didn't come just to chat, did you?"

"Of course not."

Smiling pleasantly, Altrius nodded in response to my question.

Well, what business did this top player in the game have with me?

It was certainly not something trivial. After all, he had brought clan members—likely high-ranking ones—behind him.

However, the people behind him were quite skilled. Facing off against Altrius and the other five, I would likely have a tough time.

Interrupting my thoughts, Altrius continued, staring intently into my eyes.

"My purpose is to invite you, Kuon. I would like to welcome you as a member of our 'Camelot.'"

"…Hmm."

Altrius's words sent a ripple of surprise through the crowd, and I narrowed my eyes slightly.

A genuine powerhouse, as Kurema had attested, and being invited to join his clan was not something to dismiss lightly.

Moreover, this man—

"How about it? Of course, since we're the ones making the request, we won't ask you to join for free. We will provide financial, item, and information support… We will offer the maximum support we can."

"Quite a generous offer, indeed."

"Yes, you have that much skill and value. That's my judgment."

His words seemed sincere, but I doubted that was all there was to it.

Because, despite his enthusiastic words, there was no 'heat' in Altrius's voice.

Even though he was the clan master making the invitation, I couldn't sense any genuine intention.

Was he not serious about the invitation? If so, what was the true meaning behind his words?

Holding this suspicion, I looked back into his eyes—only to see him give a small, wry smile and shrug his shoulders.

It seemed my suspicion was not unfounded. Then, this man's true intention was—

"Hmm… I see, it's an honor. But, I'll have to decline."

"…Why is that? Could you tell me the reason?"

"This is a matter of principle for me. My swordsmanship is based on self-control. Therefore, it would be unacceptable to entrust the reason for wielding my blade to someone else."

The sword of the Kugenshinryu style is about controlling the body with one's will and transmitting it to the sword to form techniques.

In other words, fighting with one's own will is the foundation of the Kugenshinryu style.

I might cooperate with others in battle, but I would never entrust my sword to someone else's will.

"If I were to join a clan, it would only be if I formed one myself. But, I have no intention of doing such a troublesome thing."

"…I see. So, there's no chance at all, then."

Saying this so that the surrounding people could hear, Altrius smiled faintly.

But, this was likely within his expectations.

He didn't seem to be pushing the matter at all. If it were a genuine invitation, it wouldn't have ended here.

Therefore—his purpose was to deter the surrounding people.

(The onlookers have been buzzing… It seems they were looking at me for the same reason as before.)

If I had been considered a top player surpassing Kurema, it was only natural that people would want my skills.

Anticipating this, Altrius had made an invitation to me, knowing it would not succeed.

By offering the best possible conditions and predicting that I would decline, he had made it known to the surrounding people.

If I, who was offered such excellent conditions, refused, it would be almost impossible for others to persuade me.

By making this known to the onlookers, he had reduced the number of people trying to recruit me.

In other words—Altrius had created a favor with me through this conversation alone.

"Then, at least, would you consider fighting with us in the next event?"

"Fight on the same side, you mean?"

"Yes. Of course, I don't expect you to follow our orders. I just want to fight alongside you in the same battle line."

This was likely Altrius's true intention.

By doing me a favor and creating a situation where it would be hard to refuse, he was making an alliance offer.

Indeed, this guy was shrewd. It was no wonder Kurema couldn't catch up to him in performance.

And for me, there was no reason to refuse his offer. It was a fact that I had been helped, and there were no downsides to his proposal. It would be wise to accept it.

"…Alright. Let's fight side by side this time."

"That's great! I'll give you my contact information. We'll discuss the details later."

[Altrius has sent a friend request. Do you accept? Yes/No]

I had managed to add a rather interesting opponent to my friends list.

Accepting his offer, I nodded in response to his words.

I was intrigued by Altrius, including the skills of the people behind him.

During the battle against the demons, I would observe him closely, just as I had with Eleonora.

It seemed I would be interacting with this man more, just like with Eleonora.

"Understood. I look forward to fighting alongside you."

"Yes. Well, I'll be going now."

Watching Altrius bow and leave, I let out a light sigh.

He was an interesting opponent. This had added to my enjoyment of the world quest, beyond just the prospect of slaying demons.

"Hey, Kuon… Was it good? That was a direct invitation from the Holy Sword Knight, you know?"

"It's fine. As I said before, I have no intention of serving under anyone."

"…By the way, it's really surreal that you're still carrying Lumina on your shoulders."

Unable to argue with the half-lidded gaze of Aoi, I returned a wry smile.

Well, it had been a bit of a difficult conversation for Lumina.

Smiling wryly at the puzzled expression of the little girl, I reflected on the agreement with Altrius.

How would that man move by teaming up with me? Was it just a simple expectation of my combat power, or was there—some other purpose?

With the current information, I couldn't make a judgment, but I should pay a bit more attention to his movements.

In any case—

"First, we need to prepare for the world quest."

There was still much to do.

After providing various information to Mica and the others, I headed to Eleonora's place as originally planned.

■Avatar Name: Kuon

■Gender: Male

■Race: Human

■Level: 16

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 19

VIT: 14

INT: 19

MND: 14

AGI: 12

DEX: 12

■Skills

Weapon Skill: [Sword: Lv.16]

Magic Skill: [Enhancement Magic: Lv.12]

Set Skill: [Dead Point Strike: Lv.13]

[MP Auto Recovery: Lv.7]

[Plundering Sword: Lv.9]

[Identification: Lv.12]

[Life Sword: Lv.11]

[Demon Slaying Sword: Lv.5]

[Tame: Lv.5]

[HP Auto Recovery: Lv.6]

Sub Skill: [Mining: Lv.1]

Title Skill: [Blessing of the Fairy]

■Current SP: 14

■Monster Name: Lumina

■Gender: Female

■Race: Sprite

■Level: 3

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 11

VIT: 10

INT: 27

MND: 19

AGI: 15

DEX: 13

■Skills

Weapon Skill: None

Magic Skill: [Light Magic]

Skill: [Light Attribute Enhancement]

[Flight]

[High Magic Resistance]

[Low Physical Resistance]

[MP Auto Recovery (High)]

[Wind Magic]

Title Skill: [Servant of the Spirit King]