Chapter 72

In a town with a long history, the council hall, which was also the political center, was a dignified stone building.

Although the lord was at the top of the council, he only had judicial power, and it seemed that the residents handled most of the municipal affairs. It appeared that the lord, out of respect for the divine spirit Sufan, considered it presumptuous for a mere human to reign above the divine spirit.

In reality, it was probably because if he placed himself above the divine spirit Sufan, he would be ordered by the king of the time to present the divine sword, which would be problematic.

It was a system that allowed the use of Sufan, who was in an inviolable domain, without causing conflicts with anyone.

The people, who were used to self-governance, seemed to respect the council, and the people who had been chasing Rio and Shiraha did not follow them onto the council grounds.

Rio, who was feeling increasingly unwell, finally took a deep breath away from the noise of the crowd.

"Hack!"

"Rio, are you okay?"

"Just a little choking."

Trying to reassure Shiraha, who looked worried, Rio followed Yebus into the council chamber.

The polished stone floor and walls glowed red in the sunset.

It was a pity that he was too unwell to appreciate the rare opportunity to enter the council chamber.

A cool sound followed him from behind.

"Because of this guy..."

"Shiraha, stop it."

Shiraha turned away irritably at Sufan's puzzled look and supported Rio's back.

Yebus turned around.

"We have prepared chairs. Would you like me to bring you something to drink to calm your nerves?"

"Thank you. Just plain water. Anything with a strong scent might make me vomit."

"You're in bad shape. I think the council chamber is quiet, so take your time to answer."

Yebus left to fetch the water, and the master of the Miruto dojo led Rio slowly.

"You're from the same village as Karil, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yes."

For a moment, Rio was unsure about the sudden question, but then he realized it was to distract him and nodded.

The master narrowed his eyes fondly.

"Karil used to visit just as the students were leaving. Though he lacked talent, we didn't welcome him into the dojo, the students would stay behind, making excuses like cleaning, until Karil's dojo-breaking time was over."

"Wasn't it a bother?"

"It was a bother."

Despite his words, the master laughed heartily.

"But there weren't many matches where we could knock him down without restraint. The students cheered for Karil every day, and if he got hurt, they would take care of him. Most importantly, Karil would time his visits to cause the least inconvenience. When he left town, he even brought sweets to thank us. That made us laugh uncontrollably."

"Sweets..."

Rio felt that the definition of dojo-breaking had been friendlily redefined, thanks to Karil.

The master's expression turned serious.

"Since I haven't returned the favor of the sweets, I'll support you in this council."

"Thank you. I'll tell Karil."

"Very well."

Saying this, the master pushed open the council chamber door without stopping and smiled at Rio, whispering, "Count on me."

Rio smiled back and entered the chamber with Shiraha.

"I have brought the two known as Sufan's favor and jealousy."

The master said this, pulled out the front seats, and gestured for Rio and Shiraha to sit.

They thanked him and took their seats. Rio looked around the chamber.

It was a shallow, bowl-shaped hall in a semicircle. About fifty people, old and young, male and female, were seated in three tiers, spaced apart.

There were also civil servants to point out legal discrepancies, but most were influential people in the town, such as the leaders of the adventurer guild and the guard corps, large farm owners, and chamber presidents.

Unlike the people gathered outside, they appeared extremely calm.

The chairman, noticing Rio's pale face, showed concern.

"You don't look well. Are you feeling dizzy from the crowd?"

"Yes, something like that."

"I'm sorry. However, there was no other way to call you here for protection and security. Please forgive us."

Bowing, the chairman quickly moved on to the agenda.

"Now, do we need to explain the current situation to everyone who has gathered here today?"

Everyone shook their heads. With such a commotion, it was impossible not to have heard.

"Then, I'll get straight to the point. How should we deal with this crisis where the divine spirit Sufan might leave the town?"

A woman raised her hand, was given permission to speak, and stood up.

"Before we ask the divine spirit's favor, do you have any conditions for settling in this town?"

Rio whispered to Shiraha, who was worried about the meeting.

"Answer if you're asked. That way, we can go home sooner."

"…Tell me if you feel any worse."

"I understand."

Shiraha, who couldn't take her eyes off Rio, answered the question while glancing at him.

"Rio said he doesn't want to settle, so he won't."

"I see. Rio is the divine spirit's jealousy. Do you have any conditions to negotiate?"

"Don't ask Rio questions! He's not feeling well!"

"That's not possible. If you don't speak for yourself, you won't be held responsible for anything. That's dangerous, especially with so many cunning people here."

Rio held Shiraha's hand.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. You're being too overprotective, Shiraha."

"---You can stay seated. You don't feel well, right?"

As Rio tried to stand, the woman held him back.

He thanked her and spoke.

"My purpose is to test my skills, but I also have business in San Ankh Mayu. I can't stay for a long time."

"Can you entrust that business to this town?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't even explain why."

"I understand. Be careful what you say. The records are being taken, and if you reveal any secrets, you'll become the talk of the town."

"It's too late for that."

"Ah, indeed!"

The woman clapped and sat down, urging the chairman to continue the meeting.

With the confirmation of Rio and Shiraha's intentions, the chairman began to hear from the council members.

It was a long process.

Even as the sun set and the water Yebus brought had cooled, the meeting continued to stall.

This was an unprecedented situation and a crisis for the town's survival. While a cautious approach was required, there was also an optimistic view that the situation wouldn't worsen as long as Rio and Shiraha were in the council chamber.

As a result, Rio's condition continued to deteriorate.

He was already feeling unwell from the crowd and was now under unprecedented pressure. The fact that the agenda could determine his and his sister's future made him listen intently despite his nervousness.

Moreover, Shiraha's growing frustration with the stalled meeting, which she noticed was affecting Rio's health, added to his stress.

He had to immediately cover for Shiraha if she said anything inappropriate, as it would be recorded.

Rio, trying to suppress his nausea, subtly covered his mouth, which irritated Shiraha, who glared at the council members and looked up at the ceiling.

"If it's so important, why don't you just put it away!"

"---Idiot!"

Trying to cover Shiraha's mouth, it was too late.

Humans, no matter how tense, tend to relax when it's too late. Rio realized this as he quietly looked around the council chamber.

It was deathly silent.

However, there was no anger, only shock and admiration.

"A birdcage... I see, that's a good idea."

"Uh..." Rio, who was taken aback, watched as the council members began to discuss the idea.