A Former Child Soldier Who Uses a Magic Sword Wants to Live with an Older Sister of a Former Enemy Executive - Chapter 104

• Chapter 104 : We obtained our next home in the Cryfano residence.

The sun had completely set by the time Seto and his friends arrived at Adams Cryfano’s mansion.

The servants led them to the grand dining hall, where they were told to have dinner first and were served a sumptuous feast.

The dishes were definitely beyond anything they had ever eaten.

The level of luxury and abundance was such that it was as if they were receiving the VIP treatment.

[It feels like we’re being really welcomed here.] (Seto)

[Indeed. You have fulfilled the long-standing wish of our master, Lord Adams. We would never dare treat you with anything less than the utmost respect.] (Butler)

The elderly butler’s eyes welled up with tears as he replied to Seto’s words.

It was not just lip service—this was genuine gratitude.

Both Seto and Satis were taken aback by this reaction.

In reality, gaining a noble’s trust was always a risky move.

The fact that a former leader of the Demon King’s army was here was a golden opportunity for the kingdom.

They could interrogate and extract vital information out of her, or torture and punish her for for her past crimes.

Naturally, Seto would never let them, and Hydra, who knew the situation, intended to side with Seto if it came to that.

Yet here they were, being treated with grand hospitality instead.

Seto could not help but wonder if they truly did not know who Satis was, or if they knew but chose to treat them with respect anyway.

After finishing their meal, the group was led to a reception room.

The room was elegant, resembling a luxurious inn chamber, yet it had a certain austerity, giving it a dignified atmosphere.

They waited there for a while.

Hydra remained silent, and even the usually carefree Gravis was noticeably quiet.

During this pause, Satis opened up to Seto about her worries.

[Hey, Seto.] (Satis)

[Hm? What’s wrong?] (Seto)

[If they find out I was a member of the Demon King’s army and I end up being captured—] (Satis)

[That’s not going to happen. I’ll do something about it before it does.] (Seto)

[But…] (Satis)

[Don’t worry about it. Besides, didn’t you hear how they were grateful we fulfilled some long-standing wish of theirs? Once we explain everything, they’ll understand.} (Seto)

[Do you… really think so?] (Satis)

Now that they had been brought into this reception room, they could not hide anything anymore.

However, Seto and co. held powerful cards in their hands: they had helped fulfill “Adams’ long-standing wish”, and could recount what had happened in the Silver City.

As Seto reassured himself that he could play them right in case something happened, the door opened, and Adams, the head of the family, entered, casting a sharp glance over the group.

Adams, dressed in clothing typical of an island nation in the far east, stepped to the seat of honor, sat down with a bang, and gave a hearty laugh.

[You seem rather tense. Is it unsettling for commoners to be invited into a noble’s home?] (Adams)

[Lord Adams, um…] (Satis)

[First, I would like to thank you all. …The female knight you rescued, she is my wife from my younger days.] (Adams)

As if to drown out Satis’ timid interjection, he thanked them for rescuing Raness, and had the old butler pour him some wine before taking a sip of it.

Even to the untrained eye, he seemed to be in a pretty good mood, but there was also a hint of something more complex in his expression.

[The life of a noble truly is troublesome. Family lineages, succession… I was forbidden from waiting for her return or searching for her, and eventually, I had to take another wife. …I wanted to go and look for her, but alas…] (Adams)

Adams shared the story of his life so far.

His second wife after Raness had already passed away.

He had a son who was meant to be the next head of the family, but his duties at the royal court kept him away from the manor.

[Ah, but this is all just the ramblings of an old man. Hahaha, I don’t know why, but something about seeing all of you fellas makes me prattle on like this.] (Adams)

[And what about your wife, Raness? Um, I mean, Lady Raness… Where is she now… Sir?] (Seto)

[Hahaha, it seems you’re not good at speaking formally. That’s fine, speak in whatever way is easiest for you. …Raness is resting in her room now. We’ll catch up tomorrow.] (Adams)

[I see…] (Seto)

[Um, Lord Adams…!] (Satis)

[Ah, yes, I interrupted you earlier. My apologies. Go ahead, speak.] (Adams)

[Don’t you find… anything strange when you look at us?] (Satis)

[I do think it’s strange. I don’t know about that girl over there who looks like a thief, but you three don’t seem to be the same. You don’t seem like simple adventurers either. And as for you, I’ve been wondering about you since we met in the Silver City. You’re Satis, an officer of the Demon King’s army, aren’t you?] (Adams)

[Wha…?! A thief, me…?!] (Gravis)

[You recognize me, then… I thought you might, considering you work at the royal castle.] (Satis)

[Of course I do. But it puzzles me. You no longer have that cunning, ruthless aura you once gave off. You seem more like… Hahaha, a frightened girl ready to beg for her life. And here you are, helping humans, traveling with a child, and even offering to share what happened in the Silver City? Just what’s going on in your mind?] (Adams)

[If you knew all of this, why are you treating us like important guests?] (Satis)

[Because you are the ones who fulfilled my lifelong wish. As such, I repay you with hospitality. But… the real question lies in what comes next.] (Adams)

Taking another sip of wine, Adams looked at the group with a serious expression.

[So, Satis, an officer of the Demon King’s army, and you there — you’re Hydra, a member of the hero’s party, aren’t you? I had some investigations conducted earlier, and indeed, this whole situation is… peculiar. I don’t understand how things have turned out this way. The information coming through to the higher-ups is that there are strange dark rumors surrounding both the Hero’s party and the Demon King’s army. How do you folks fit in all this?] (Adams)

Seto recalled his encounter with Osiris in the city of Ulaine Donagh.

Where he had also been scrutinized similarly, but was able to gain Osiris’s trust by explaining their circumstances.

[Lord Adams. We don’t intend to harm you or your country.] (Seto)

[Oh?] (Adams)

[And if you’ve already done your research, then you probably know who I am. I’m Seto. You should recognize that name — it means “Destruction and Storm”.] (Seto)

[…The legendary child soldier. I know you. If I were younger, I would’ve loved to cross blades with you myself.] (Adams)

[Hydra and I were both banished by the Hero Reid. And Satis was also exiled from the Demon King’s army.] (Seto)

[Exiled?] (Adams)

Adams’ gaze shifted to Hydra, who nodded apologetically.

There was no hint of deception in Seto’s voice, Hydra’s demeanor, or Satis’ expression.

Telling strange lies or showing suspicion would only increase distrust.

However, part of the reason Adams felt indebted and was offering such hospitality was because he genuinely wanted to know more about Seto and the others.

After a moment of silence, Adams began asking each of them about their respective journeys.

How they had traveled thus far and what had happened along the way.

[Quite the difficult road you’ve traveled. While I can’t believe everything… it generally fits with the current state of things. Therefore, I cannot simply dismiss your story.] (Adams)

[So, does that mean we’re off the hook?] (Seto)

[No, it’s not that simple… However, this might turn out to be a good opportunity.] (Adams)

Adams placed his wine glass on the table and straightened up.

[I believe I mentioned it earlier — there are suspicious rumors surrounding the Hero Reid’s actions, and we are also receiving information about some unsettling movements within the Demon King’s army as well.] (Adams)

[Yeah, you mentioned that earlier… But is it really that serious?] (Seto)

[Indeed. There may be a much “bigger incident” happening soon. And with that in mind—] (Adams)

Adams looked directly at the four of them, then gave a sly smile.

[???So, how about it? Would you consider teaming up with me for a while? Of course, I would be willing to compensate you handsomely depending on the work. I don’t think it’s a bad deal…] (Adams)

[With you? Are you trying to drag us into the country’s conflict?] (Seto)

[Haha, I see that’s your concern. Don’t worry, I won’t do you wrong. I’m sure you people must want to settle your scores with your past. I feel the same. It’s the same for me. I’m not asking you to be pawns. As long as you don’t interfere with me, I won’t interfere with you.] (Adams)

[Um, why offer such treatment? Setting Seto and Satis’s cases aside, I’ve already been cast out from the Hero’s party.] (Hydra)

[It’s because that so-called Hero is acting suspiciously now. Even after being banished, you still haven’t given up on your ambition to defeat the Demon King, have you? That’s why I believe you’re trustworthy. Think of it this way—you’ve gained a sponsor who can back you up. Hahaha!] (Adams)

[A sponsor, you say…?] (Hydra)

[Besides, I heard that the Hero Reid and that thief girl here were childhood friends. So how about you two team up and try to dig up more information on him?] (Adams)

[Uh, can we stop with the “thief” thing? How about “adventurer” or “treasure hunter”? …Ugh, whatever. But yeah, I am curious about where Reid might be. So it’s perfect.] (Gravis)

Finding the magic sword was important, but finding Reid was even more critical.

Hydra, too, had always been concerned about her former comrades.

Perhaps it was fate that brought them to this noble from the royal capital.

Both Hydra and Gravis agreed to Adams’ proposal.

Seto and Satis also started to think positively about it.

So far, they had made a point of not wanting to stand out too much, but their notable reputations as the “legendary child soldier” and “former officer of the Demon King’s army” made it increasingly difficult to remain under the radar.

Changing their approach and perspective seemed like the smarter choice.

In fact, even when it came to dealing with the Demon King’s army or anything else, they had hoped to operate in secrecy, but that was probably too optimistic.

Seto and Satis accepted Adams’ proposal for the time being.

The offer to live here in comfort was a generous one.

[Alright, the negotiations are settled then! I’ve already arranged rooms for you. Rest easy tonight because starting tomorrow, things are going to get busy! Hahaha!] (Adams)