Chapter : 153 Encounter (2)
Illyana had recently become an official mage.
Unlike her time as an apprentice, official mages were allowed to have contact with the outside world.
Above all, since she was already being sponsored under the name of the Predator Guild, contacting Illyana was entirely possible.
Once everything to be done in Freche was completed—
An entire day had passed.
As she greeted the rising morning sun, she waited for Edlen to return to the Whitewolf County…
“I’ve heard the Whitewolf County is extremely cold!”
Edlen appeared, bundled in several layers of clothing.
…For a moment, she mistook him for a bear.
He looked so round and soft that she worried he wouldn’t get up if he fell.
“But not to worry! I came fully prepared!”
…That was a bit excessive.
Of course, the cold persisted year-round. But winter had already passed. There was no need to wear so many layers.
It seemed, as she suspected, that Edlen had never been to Whitewolf County before.
“Edlen, didn’t you say you contracted the wine bottles from the county?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“But you’ve never been there?”
“…Ah, well, I made the contract through the Predator Guild in Freche. I’ve never been to the territory myself.”
So that was it.
The biting wind of the county blew past.
A gray hood, pulled low, swayed slightly, revealing part of Isolde’s face.
Soft pink lips.
Smooth ivory-colored skin.
Among strands of shining platinum hair, her topaz-like eyes slowly scanned the landscape of the county.
Houses built from gray stone and steel.
Roads smoothly paved with solid stone.
…It was astonishing.
No, it was incredible.
Not merely aesthetically pleasing—it was something more profound.
At the plaza in front of the castle gate,
“These are silks from the new weaving mill. This color is newly released.”
“…Wow, the texture is amazing.”
“There’s also pottery from the Obsidian Kiln!”
Merchants exchanged goods with vibrant energy.
“Take this! My ultimate move!”
“Waaah! Incredible…!”
“Watch out for the carriage, kids!”
Chubby children played and ran along the streets of the plaza.
Most strikingly, a dwarf strolling in the middle of the county’s streets.
‘A dwarf?’
…This was unbelievable.
Dwarves did not trust humans. They never—absolutely never—offered such kindness.
“Thanks to the weaving machine Lord Boldin made, my back doesn’t hurt at all. I love it!”
“It’s nothing. If you’re with Monsterau’s people, you’re practically our friends. If there’s ever a problem, let us know!”
Dwarves usually didn’t show such hospitality. They avoided contact with humans, let alone helping them.
‘How…?’
Isolde’s gaze wavered.
Everywhere she looked was overflowing with life.
Most of all, the snowy training grounds.
“Who are we!”
“Soldiers of Gorian!”
“Prepare yourselves! Today’s training will be at Gorian-level intensity!”
The Beisters seen in Baores were training.
But those were ‘criminals.’
And people don’t change.
At most, they only pretended to change. People didn’t actually change.
This had been Isolde’s long-standing belief.
Yet Adrian was different.
Gods cannot change, but people can.
Wasn’t I once a hooligan myself?
Even if it’s difficult…
…It was hard to believe.
Yet now, she couldn’t deny it.
For in front of her, there was no trace of the madness or violence seen in Baores.
The scene before her… was undeniably real.
Isolde’s eyes deepened in thought.
And at that moment—
…she felt a strange gaze from behind.
When she turned her head to look—
“Ahk!”
A cat-like girl disappeared into an alley.
Her silver hair, not fully hidden, gleamed as if bathed in moonlight.
The eyes watching her secretly were red.
The owner of these beautiful ruby-like eyes was Seraphia Whitewolf.
When her eyes met Isolde’s, Seraphia hesitated and slowly revealed herself.
“Ah… um… I…”
Her shoulders hunched like a cat, scared of Isolde.
But only for a moment.
“Thank you for healing me!”
Seraphia bowed 90 degrees.
Isolde approached her.
“Hik!”
Seraphia took a step back, tense.
Isolde gave her a small smile to reassure her.
“Are you feeling alright?”
“…Yes? Ah, yes! I’m completely fine thanks to you!”
Seraphia raised her frail arm to show she was indeed well.
“Um…”
“Isolde.”
“Yes?”
“Isolde it is.”
“…Ah, then Isolde-unnie.”
Isolde blinked. ‘Unnie’?
She had never been called that before.
Normally, people would say Saint Isolde or Cardinal Isolde. Most called her ‘subordinate of Isolde.’
But ‘unnie’? She didn’t know how to react.
“May I ask what your relationship with your brother is?”
Isolde was silent for a moment. She herself wasn’t sure of her relationship with Adrian.
They had met only once. She couldn’t define their connection. But if she had to describe it—
“We’re friends.”
Even that felt awkward.
Were they close enough to be called friends, or just distant acquaintances enough to call it ‘friend’?
Thinking back, she had even tried to kill Adrian when they first met.
Yet what happened afterward in Baores—the times they risked their lives for each other, fighting for others—
Perhaps that’s why calling Adrian a friend felt strange yet not entirely wrong.
“Girlfriend?!!”
Seraphia exclaimed in shock.
Her ruby-like eyes shook as if an earthquake had struck.
“That’s not it.”
“Huh…?”
“Just friends.”
“…Ah! Right.”
Seraphia awkwardly smiled, scratching her cheek.
“Your brother had someone else he exchanged love letters with.”
“…Love letters?”
At that moment—
“Count.”
A calm voice came from the side.
Turning her head, she saw a man with slicked-back hair walking toward them—
“Viscount Bernard?”
Seraphia tilted her head.
Bernard, now close, flinched slightly upon seeing Isolde.
But he soon straightened his posture and said,
“A guest has arrived at the county just now.”
Several days had passed since leaving Freche.
The journey had taken longer than expected. Traveling with Edlen slowed their pace considerably.
Still, the familiar scenery indicated they were nearing the county.
Looking back, Edlen was panting as he followed. If pushed, he might tumble all the way back to Freche.
Watching Edlen like that—
“By the way, Edlen.”
“Hek…! Yes? Ah, yes! Speak!”
“Have you chosen a family name?”
“Family name?”
“Now that you have a baron title, you should pick one.”
“…Ah.”
Edlen nodded in understanding.
“Actually… well…”
“Haven’t decided yet?”
“I don’t know what to choose.”
“Hm?”
“I heard each kingdom has its own naming conventions.”
“And?”
“If I make a random name without knowing, it might end up like ‘John Sakamoto.’”
“Ah.”
John Sakamoto.
A famous figure from fairy tales across the continent.
Born in a small village, one where only women lived. Naturally, it was impossible for a child to be born.
People whispered that he must have had relations with an outsider.
Yet his mother denied it. The unusual surname ‘Sakamoto’—she said she heard it in a dream.
As in fairy tales, John Sakamoto suffered in the village, relied on his mother, helped during crises, fought in wars, and eventually married a beautiful princess.
Remarkably, he is believed to have actually existed.
His strange birth and extraordinary abilities led scholars to claim he was a Cambion—half-human, half-demon.
…Anyway.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Huh? But—”
“Considering naming conventions was a thing of the past. No need to worry now.”
Three main reasons:
Viscounts and barons were included in the nobility.
Technically, viscounts and barons weren’t true nobility. They were managerial positions elected by counts or higher to manage territories. They brought talented people from various kingdoms, mostly nobles.
Bernard of the Whitewolf County was a younger son of the noble Nevil family from another kingdom.
Due to various circumstances—if a count suddenly died or left no heir—the territory would be fully absorbed. That’s why today’s viscounties and baronies exist. Over centuries, even the royal family recognized them as nobility.
Active inter-kingdom exchanges made mixing naming conventions natural.
Ultimately, in the continental common tongue, it’s only a matter of pronunciation.
Names’ formats no longer held particular significance.
“Then can I just pick one I like?!”
“Sure. Have you thought of one?”
“Lucius Aquilinus Haofeng de Raja Montagne Kim Fujiwara Bloodyhound. How’s that?”
“…?”
“Not good…?”
“It’s not bad, but it’s a bit long for a family name.”
“Then how about Lucius Aquilinus Haofeng Raja Montagne Kim Fujiwara Bloodyhound?”
…What changed? The “de” was removed?
“Perfect! I love it!”
“…Do as you like. Edlen Lucius Aquilinus Haofeng Raja Montagne….”
“Kim Fujiwara Bloodyhound!”
Edlen grinned mischievously.
…Definitely not letting him handle naming from now on.
Talking with Edlen, they soon arrived at the county.
The Whitewolf County, developed through dwarven technology, looked magnificent even from afar.
“Eek!! Is that really Whitewolf County?!”
Edlen nearly fainted from astonishment.
Even Isolde was surprised, though less so.
‘It looks more developed than before.’
The walls had become higher. The gaps in the bricks were tightly sealed—reinforcements were clearly done.
She had known the engineers’ capabilities from her previous life.
“Impressive… truly impressive!!”
The county was advancing rapidly day by day.
“Is this really Adrian’s territory…!”
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t her land. But still.
“Adrian has returned!!”
The soldiers on the walls leapt in excitement.
Clang, rumble!
The steel gates opened with a roar, and Bernard dashed out first.
He seemed to have been guarding the walls with the soldiers last time.
It seemed something had happened in the count’s absence.
“Bernard, what happened?”
His expression suggested trouble.
“…Well, you see…”
Bernard seemed at a loss for words.
Even in her previous life, such a scene was rare.
Commander Isolde of the Divine Headquarters.
Commander Illyana of the Mage Headquarters.
Commander Brumbar of the Engineering Corps.
Three heroes gathered in one place.
Add the Frost Monarch, Seraphia—three heroes and one ruler in one place, something she had never seen before.
“Did you defeat the ogre?”
“Yes! …Ah, not me. My brother, Sir Kai, and Chief Brumbar did it.”
“I thought from the Pilgrim’s eyes it was a thunder hamster wrapped in flames. So it wasn’t?”
“…Hamster?”
Isolde and Seraphia seemed quite close.
Meanwhile, Illyana and Brumbar—
“…But that design goes beyond engineering! Didn’t you notice something strange?”
“From a human’s magical perspective, perhaps. But not for dwarves.”
They were talking animatedly, unaware she had arrived.
While she had been in Freche, it seemed many things had happened in the county.
‘Huh.’
…Fate truly was unpredictable.
