I Became the Descendant of My Favorite Character

Chapter 12 A New Tune (3)

The sudden statement from Ims, saying she had something to tell me, caught me off guard.

‘With Tayon glaring so fiercely, what could possibly happen?’

The master of Panata approached me slowly.

“Hello, Polarin. I am Ims Adjak, who holds a small role in Panata.”

Ims greeted me with a refined voice and a bow.

“Yes, hello. Is there something you’d like to ask of me?”

Ims gave a faint smile and continued.

“I didn’t call for you because I have a request. Rather, I wish to give you a gift.”

“A gift?”

“Here it is.”

Ims handed me a pouch that looked heavy at a glance.

When I peeked inside, it was filled with gold coins.

“10,000 pel. From now on, I’ll send this amount to you every month.”

10,000 pel.

In the poor Gullok territory, it was an amount not easily come by.

Considering that the second-hand wooden sword Gerd gifted me cost about 1,500 pel, and we had to skip proper meals for weeks to afford it, this wasn’t a small sum by any means.

That much money every month?

“Why to me…?”

“I’m a merchant. If I think of it as an investment to build a connection with someone who defeated Pinnon at the age of 15, it’s a bargain.”

“It feels a bit burdensome. Equipment would be one thing, but…”

“No. Pel is the best. If you want equipment, buy it with that money. If you want people, buy them with money too. If it’s not enough, just let me know. I’ll provide plenty.”

It was a twisted philosophy, but not entirely wrong. In this world, there were far too many things that could be solved with money.

“Is there really nothing you want in return?”

“Hmm, now that I think about it, there is something.”

“What is it?”

“Pinnon said of you, Polarin, that you are ‘one who walks the path of a hero,’ didn’t he? Ho ho, I hope that as you walk that path, you’ll think of our Panata from time to time.”

Ims sly smile felt somewhat unsettling, but I nodded silently at her words.

‘One who walks the path of a hero.’ Soler had said something similar to me last night at Stone Mountain.

It seemed Pinnon’s evaluation of me had spread like wildfire.

“Alright. I’ll accept it gratefully.”

From receiving Tayon’s Special Recommendation to winning the fight against Pinnon.

The more feats I accomplished, the more people would try to keep me in check, but there would also be those like Ims who invested in my future.

I couldn’t live as I had in Gullok territory.

I needed to cure my heart as soon as possible and clear this damned game.

“Polarin, if you’re done, let’s go.”

“Yes!”

I answered Tayon loudly and turned around.

I didn’t forget to nod politely to Ims.

If Ims kept her promise, I wouldn’t have to worry about money anymore.

Now I could focus solely on the Coming-of-Age Ceremony.

And so, the journey for the Coming-of-Age Ceremony continued, until we arrived at District 3.

* * *

In the office of Milias, the leader of District 3.

For the office of a single-digit leader, one of the top three in the Adjak Autonomous Region, it was simple and neat.

Pinnon and Milias sat facing each other.

“You’ve just returned, and now you’re leaving again?”

Milias welcomed Pinnon, who had returned safely, but the news of his immediate departure filled him with concern.

“I’m thinking of visiting the High Dragon’s Nest.”

The High Dragon’s Nest.

At Pinnon’s words about heading to the sacred ground of the dragonkin, Milias’ eyes widened.

Though the descendants of Adjak, half-human and half-dragon, had ties to the dragonkin, it wasn’t a place one could casually visit.

However, it was said that undergoing the dragon’s trial at the High Dragon’s Nest could make one stronger than before—a legend passed down through the ages.

“Why there?”

“I’ve realized my shortcomings. Perhaps, without knowing it, I’ve only fought safe battles.”

“If you’re lacking, then who…?”

“It won’t take long. There’s something I want to test at the High Dragon’s Nest, so I’ll resolve it and return soon. In the meantime, this…”

Pinnon reached to remove the Black Veil insignia, engraved with a leopard’s head, from his chest.

But Milias quickly stopped him.

“Keep it. The Black Veil needs you, and so do I.”

“…I will always be your staff, Milias.”

“Haha, aren’t you already?”

Pinnon placed his hand on the Black Veil insignia and spoke to Milias.

“Before I leave, I’ll visit Soler.”

“Do so. Soler was very worried about you.”

Pinnon left Milias’ office with proper courtesy.

There was no need for Pinnon to seek out Soler.

She was waiting for him right outside Milias’ office.

“Uncle, are you really leaving?”

“Yes, I’ve realized I’m still lacking.”

“Ugh, if you’re not here, who’s going to look at my swordsmanship?”

“Soler, I’ve taught you everything I can. With your exceptional talent, as long as you train diligently as you do now, you’ll be fine.”

Soler smiled wistfully.

She knew Pinnon’s words weren’t empty, but she, too, needed a shoulder to lean on.

To Soler, Pinnon wasn’t just one of the Black Veil members who followed her father.

He had looked after her in place of her busy father and was someone who would always come running for her—a person she was deeply grateful for.

Soler noticed something different in Pinnon’s eyes.

‘He’s looking far away, Uncle.’

Pinnon’s eyes, usually as calm as a still lake, were now surging fiercely.

And Soler knew well that it was Polarin who had caused this ripple in Pinnon’s heart.

“Have you met him?”

“Yes, he was an interesting kid. He kept downplaying himself in front of me, but it all felt like a lie.”

“A lie, you say?”

“He’s got a lot of grit inside, doesn’t he?”

“Haha, I felt something similar.”

Pinnon let out a hearty laugh and spoke to Soler as if entrusting her with something.

“As of now, Polarin cannot defeat you, Soler.”

“I know. Who could beat me? Maybe Keldric or Balan, but that’s it.”

Keldric and Balan, mentioned by Soler, were promising talents from Districts 1 and 2, respectively.

They had been rivals with Soler since childhood.

But Soler was confident she wouldn’t lose to them either.

“But don’t let your guard down. There’s no such thing as ‘absolute.’ Polarin nim… he was growing even during our fight.”

“Polarin ‘nim’?”

“Well, using honorifics in advance doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“What’s that, Uncle…?”

“You’ll have to choose. Whether to become friends with Polarin-nim or to trample the young sprout entirely.”

“That’s unlike you, Uncle Pinnon. Didn’t you always say trampling sprouts was cowardly?”

“It’s wrong for adults to interfere, but aren’t you, Soler-nim, a participant in the same Coming-of-Age Ceremony as him?”

“What do you want, Uncle?”

“I want you to head toward glory, Soler-nim.”

“Tch.”

Soler tightly hugged Pinnon.

Then she whispered softly.

“Don’t worry about me, and take care of yourself.”

“…Thank you.”

* * *

At the entrance to District 3.

By now, I was familiar with the Black Veil members in their uniforms standing along both sides of the road.

In the middle stood a silver-haired middle-aged man and Soler side by side.

‘Pinnon’s not here,’

I wouldn’t say I’d grown attached, but I had expected Pinnon to be here, so I found myself looking for him.

But soon, I couldn’t even think about Pinnon.

Milias showing respect and exchanging greetings with Tayon was no different from the other districts.

But even while reporting to Tayon, Milias kept glancing at me.

It wasn’t because Milias lacked decorum.

I had felt something similar when I met Soler, but every action of his carried an air of dignity.

But now, he was… overly conscious of me. And Tayon was aware of it too.

“…It seems Milias has something to say to you, Polarin. Go to him.”

Did the two know each other even before leading the Coming-of-Age Ceremony?

I had heard that Tayon, being in Myeolji, was harder to meet than the other Twelve Swords of Adjak.

But it seemed that didn’t apply to someone of Milias’ stature.

With permission granted, Milias bowed to Tayon and approached me.

And the moment he faced me, he grabbed my hand.

“Glad to meet you! I’ve been waiting for you ever since we spoke through the communication orb.”

“H, haha… Yes, it’s a pleasure.”

Ims from District 9 had shown me kindness too.

But Milias wasn’t just being kind.

“I’ll thank you again for saving Pinnon. He’s a very precious colleague and an irreplaceable friend to me.”

“I don’t see Pinnon-nim. Is he… still unwell?”

“Pinnon is fine. He just left for a while, saying he needs to grow stronger.”

For a powerhouse like Pinnon to suddenly seek self-improvement through a dispatch.

It wasn’t a bad thing.

Thinking ahead to the conquest of Myeolji, the more strong allies, the better.

I didn’t entirely approve of the ways of Adjak’s descendants, but someone like Pinnon could be a great help someday.

“That aside, I promised you something, didn’t I? Ingelram! Bring it.”

As Milias finished speaking, a Black Veil man standing right behind him stepped forward.

Ingelram approached me holding a wooden box.

If it was about a promise, it must be the Tune he mentioned through the communication orb.

Perhaps because of that, unlike Milias, the man called Ingelram didn’t seem particularly friendly toward me.

He was following his master’s orders, but he clearly wasn’t pleased about giving me a Tune.

“It’s the [Cutting] Tune that can be applied to weapons. With this, there’ll be nothing you can’t cut through.”

At Milias’ words, my eyes widened.

The [Cutting] Tune.

It was considered among the finest of Tunes due to its exceptional effect.

It was so difficult to obtain that even Adjak had failed to acquire it.

‘It’s supposed to be a Tune sleeping in the Dragon King’s Vault. This is a much better gift than I expected.’

Though it’s single-use and most beneficial when applied to a divine weapon, I had the ‘Branch of World Tree.’ A gift from Tayon that was in no way inferior to any divine artifact.

“…Thank you.”

As I was about to receive the wooden box from Ingelram, a clear voice rang out from somewhere.

“Wait a moment.”

Soler raised her hand with a smile on her lips.

“The [Cutting] Tune is practically a divine artifact of the district. Saving Pinnon-nim is appreciated, but we can’t just hand over a Tune so easily.”

“Soler, this is already decided. I’ll find you another Tune.”

Milias took a firm stance even with his daughter.

But Soler looked straight at me, not Milias, and spoke.

“I’m not trying to take it by force. But could we have a spar to see who’s more suited for the [Cutting] Tune? Of course, only if Polarin-nim agrees.”