Chapter 25 : You’ve Come Back Home

Chapter 25: You’ve Come Back Home

How much time had passed?

The time I had spent in the ancient era was 15 days, three times—about 45 days in total. By calculation, it should have been about a week here.

What on earth had happened in this city during that time?

First, I had to check on the safety of my younger siblings.

‘As expected, not here....’

The first place I visited was our mansion and the Ilneon Dungeon.

I had hoped, but as expected, the mansion was completely empty.

Not a single one of our family members could be seen in the dungeon either.

‘Right. It’s only natural it’s empty. This isn’t exactly a place easy to defend in emergencies.’

My anxious heart tried to rear its head, but I forced myself to calm down.

‘They must be there, right?’

The only place in this city that was second only to the Lord’s Keep in terms of defense.

I immediately shot my body toward the opposite side of the city.

I tried to stay calm... but I felt like I couldn’t relax until I saw my siblings’ faces as soon as possible.

*         *         *

The Baron’s Keep.

That was what the citizens of Kushan City usually called the place.

To the west of Kushan City,

It was located in the so-called ‘Old Town,’ which took up about one-fifth of the Outer City’s total area.

Tap!

I leapt over the ‘Old City Walls’ that surrounded the Old Town in one bound.

As expected, perhaps because the current situation was unusual, soldiers holding torches stood atop the walls, maintaining a stern watch.

Normally, it would have been polite to announce my purpose of visit in front of those walls, but I had no time for courtesy now.

After evading the soldiers’ eyes and crossing the old walls, I dashed straight toward the Baron’s Keep in the center of the Old Town.

Before long, a crude yet solid-looking fortress appeared before my eyes.

This was the base of Rivera Pietro, the leader of the rebel forces.

It was also the reason he was called the ‘Baron.’

Kushan City was founded 40 years ago.

But this Baron’s Keep had already stood here for 300 years.

Three hundred years ago, the House of Pietro, driven out from Gloryland, had settled here.

Count Kxias had forced Rivera’s father, the baron of that time, into submission, absorbed this land, and established Kushan City.

So, in a way, this place could be called the starting point, the origin of Kushan City.

‘If it were Seah, she would have come here.’

The sturdy old city walls surrounding the Old Town, though not too tall, and the Baron’s Keep at its center.

Protected by these two walls, this was currently the safest place in Kushan City.

“Huuuuu...”

Even so, I couldn’t help but feel anxious.

They’d be here, right? Yes. They’d all be here.

They’d all be safe.

Just as I was about to leap once more into the Baron’s Keep, a presence approached from behind.

A low, threatening woman’s voice was heard.

“Shh. Don’t move. Who sent you?”

Thin Aura Threads crept out and coiled around me.

If I even moved slightly, my body would be shredded in an instant by those Aura Threads.

I couldn’t help but admire it.

‘Peak Expert.’

At this level, in the current Kushan City—where Count Kxias and his confidants were all dead—her skill could be counted on one hand.

“Slowly. Turn your head. Step into the light.”

A voice as cold and unyielding as steel.

Thump.

My heart trembled at that voice.

How long had it been since I’d last heard it...?

Crack.

I reached out with my hand wrapped in aura and brushed away the Aura Threads surrounding me.

The orange Aura Threads shattered like sugar fluff, scattering in glimmers.

“W-what the...!”

Toward that voice of shock, I slowly turned my body and met her eyes.

“Katrina. When did you get here?”

“Ahk!”

The woman—Katrina—let out a strange sound and froze stiff.

Her body was rigid, but her pupils trembled violently. Her bright yellow eyes darted over my face, my hand, my legs in quick succession.

“O-Oppa? Is it you? Really?”

“Yeah. It’s been a while.”

When I smiled and waved my hand lightly—

“Aaah! Oppa!”

Katrina threw aside her sword and rushed at me.

Good grief, what a mess.

She went wild like a puppy meeting its master after ten years.

Grabbing my cheeks and staring into my eyes. Holding my shoulders and inspecting every inch of my body.

Kneading the new right hand I had gained.

Rolling up my left pant leg to check my leg.

“Ahk! It’s real! Aaah! It’s really all healed!”

She screamed with joy.

If I left her alone, she looked about ready to sniff me too, so I pried her off me and asked,

“When did you come back?”

“Two days ago! Seah sent me a message. She said she was going to strike Kxias. She told me to come back just in case something happened!”

As Katrina spoke, she lifted the bracelet on her left wrist.

An ancient bracelet engraved with message magic.

That too was one of the treasures we had taken with us in subspace when we fled the kingdom.

“I see...”

A whirlpool of emotions surged through me.

“That’s good. But when did your skills grow so much? You were definitely a High-grade Expert before!”

Katrina Egion.

The last bloodline of the Ducal House of Egion.

It had been nearly half a year since I last saw her.

To leave Kushan City and search for a new base—that had been her role as the leader of my younger siblings.

That was Katrina.

Two years younger than me, she was twenty-five, the eldest among my younger siblings.

Ever since I had lost my hand and foot, she had practically been the one leading the family.

So of course, I couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.

The younger siblings who were my age or just a year younger had all been killed by Blood Count Delkash, and since then, the only one I could lean on like a friend had been her.

“All sorts of things happened. Back when we were in this city, you were so overprotective that I hardly got any real combat experience, right? But once I went outside, Demonic Beasts were everywhere. And in every city we passed through, all kinds of bastards tried their tricks on us.... Honestly, it’s a miracle I came back alive.”

Wow. Even so, to be a Peak Expert at just twenty-five.

With this, she had the kind of talent that would be recognized as genius anywhere.

Truly worthy of being the heir of the Ducal House of Egion, one of the most prestigious knightly families in the kingdom.

Anyway, I felt relieved.

Judging by the bright expression on her face, it seemed everyone was safe.

But just in case, I waited until Katrina had calmed down a little before asking seriously.

“The kids... they’re all safe, right?”

Katrina beamed.

“Yeah! Everyone’s safe! Ha.... Now that even Oppa has come back, our whole family’s together again. Do you know how long it’s been?”

“You’re right. We’re all gathered. Finally....”

“Ah, but this isn’t the time.”

Katrina spun around and shouted boldly toward the Baron’s Keep.

Any consideration for those already fast asleep in the middle of the night was tossed far, far away into the sky.

“Everyone come out! Oppa’s back!”

Her booming voice rang out, and startled soldiers’ torches flickered like swarming moths.

A brief silence.

And then...

Bang!

Crash!

Doors burst open here and there, and the sound of running footsteps echoed.

Thud.

The first to arrive—or rather, the one who outright jumped out of a window and dropped down into the air—was a young man with black hair, blue eyes, and a curiously lethargic expression that said he found everything bothersome.

Varen Rodona.

The last bloodline of the Marquis House of Rodona.

He was twenty-four, a year younger than Katrina.

He stared at me silently, then gave a short nod.

“Hyung, right? Been a while.”

“It’s been a while. Varen! Let’s see... you’re Peak too?”

“Yeah. About two months later than noona, though.”

Varen nodded again with that eternally weary look.

Man, his personality really was something else.

But to reach Peak Expert at just twenty-four—that was shocking enough to astonish the whole continent.

“Oppa!”

Before I could even finish greeting Varen, Daisy came running, her short red hair bouncing.

She sprinted at full speed, and ten paces away, she dove straight at me.

Catch!

I spread my arms wide and caught Daisy as she practically flew at me. The weight of her momentum carried with it the strength of her joy.

“...Too much.”

Varen frowned beside me.

Typical Varen. Like a big cat.

And yet he had been the one to leap right out of the window first to check on me.

But once he confirmed it was me, he stepped back as if he no longer cared—just like when we were kids.

“Oppa!”

“Hyung!”

My younger siblings swarmed out in a rush.

“Teacher. You’ve returned.”

While my siblings from the Banroa Kingdom crowded around me with joy, Seklan—the orphan we had picked up from the dungeon—approached cautiously and bowed his head to me.

I reached out and patted his head as well.

Turning my gaze, I spotted Rivera standing on the balcony of the Baron’s Keep, giving a slight bow.

I nodded back, gratitude in my eyes for watching over my siblings all this time.

“Ransen!!!!”

Then a booming voice rang out.

At that sound, my younger siblings stopped clinging to me and stepped aside with smiles, clearing a path.

A bear-like man came thundering toward me.

A smile spread across my face without me realizing it.

“Burson!”

It was Burson, our last protector. Behind him, little chicks of children rubbed their sleepy eyes and trailed after him.

“It’s teacher!”

“Teaaacher!”

Burson rushed forward, wiping at his reddened eyes.

The children chirped around me like baby birds.

Ah, now it finally felt real.

I had come back home.

*         *         *

As it turned out, it was already past midnight at that time.

It should have been time to sleep, but with my return, a meeting was naturally convened.

“You came back at just the right time, Oppa.”

Seah, her navy-blue hair braided to one side, spoke with her usual expressionless face.

The conference room of the Baron’s Keep, where a round table was placed.

Though the round table was massive, the cave-like coziness of the space and the domed ceiling made even small voices echo loud.

“So it’s been one week since I left?”

“Yeah.”

So the time ratio really was six to one. It matched up with my rough calculations.

“Did you handle your business well... Well, we can talk about that later.”

Seah glanced briefly at the people on Rivera’s side as she spoke.

After all, the fact that I could travel through time was still only known to our family—specifically, my direct younger siblings and Uncle Burson.

“Actually, tomorrow—well, since it’s past midnight, tonight—a general council will be held in Kushan City.”

“A general council?”

“Yeah. All the military forces in Kushan City will gather to discuss who will hold ruling authority moving forward.”

They were doing something like that?

That was a development far different from what I had expected.

“Is there really someone influential enough to host such a council?”

The armed groups of Kushan City were, for the most part, bastards.

What I had expected was a state of utter chaos, everyone struggling against everyone else.

And yet, a general council...?

“Yeah. They actually managed it.”

“Who?”

“Asher.”

“Asher?”

The moment I heard that name, my mood soured instantly.

“Don’t tell me, that Asher from the bandits?”

Nod.

“Asher the slaver?”

Nod.

“Asher the drug producer? Asher of the harem?”

Nod.

Crack.

My teeth ground together of their own accord.

I didn’t bother hiding the ragged breath that came with my anger as I asked my final question.

“The slit-eyed bastard who caused Knight Ibsen’s death?!”

“That’s right. That Asher.”

“No, how the hell is that bastard?!!”

Asher.

A thug who had come to Kushan City about five years ago, once a bandit.

With his knack for business, he had expanded his influence quickly enough that he couldn’t be ignored anymore—that much even I knew.

But no matter how high you rated him, he wasn’t the kind of big shot who could contend for Kushan City’s ruling authority.

Seah let out a small sigh before speaking.

“I was surprised too. He turned out... smarter than I thought. Annoyingly so.”

With her expressionless face, Seah summarized the current situation.

“Up until just before you came back, we were about to be swallowed whole by Asher.”

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